Product Description

One of the NFL's leading coaches helps you improve your players' techniques and your team's performance

Building on the phenomenal success of the Baffled Parent's series, this comprehensive resource helps you expand your teaching skills and improve your players' performance and enjoyment. It's equally indispensable for parents thrust into coaching, former players taking on their first coaching assignments, and veteran coaches.

This great guide features:

• Tackling and catching drills for the entire team
• Group and team drills for offensive, defensive, and special team situations
• A unique system of paired drills and instruction for wide receivers and defensive backs; linemen and tight ends; and running backs and linebackers
• Photographs and diagrams that simplify the coaching process

Customer Reviews (6)

Not a very helpful book
Im a 3rd year youth football coach, first year head coach, i found no useful drills that i hadn't heard of in this book. There were some decent drills that i had heard of though, so maybe it would be helpful to first year coach.

Youth Football Skills and Drill
Youth Football Skills & Drills: A New Coach's Guide

A great beginner's guide to youth football.It is good for coaching the first couple years of tackle football. To be honest, if you have time, internet research can get you good guidance too in coaching youth football.But if you don't have the time nor patience to research the internet, this book is a quick, nicely condensed way to get the info.

Good Book for new coaches and/or parents
I am not a football coach but rather a parent who bought this book to get some tips for teaching the fundamentals to my 8 year old who is just getting into football. However, I have coached baseball and soccer for many years and am familiar with coaching books and dvds.

I think this book does a very solid job of laying out many key responsibilites and techniques of each position.The drills look applicable to real game situations which is important.Because it does cover all of the positions and special teams in one book, it is not extremely deep in each position, but that is expected.I would definately recommend this for new coaches or parents/players wanting to learn the keys to each position.

Great book for more drill ideas
Even though I've coached for a couple of years, this book had great ideas for new drills and twists on old drills.

First time Coaches bible
If you have never taught / coached youth football before this is a step by step guide to running an efficient and productive practice session. Packed with specific drills for all the positions. Teaching / Coaching youth football is nothing like having been a player! I played peewee all the way through college and coaching is a totally different animal! ... Read more

Product Description
If you enjoyed Friday Night Lights, this book is a must-read. Remember Why You Play documents the lives, struggles, and triumphs of the players and coaches of Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas.
Sports columnist and author David Thomas followed the team for a full season, recording a story that will inspire readers to understand that relationships are more important than winning.
One of the key events was a game that Faith Christian played against the Gainesville State Tornadoes, a school for convicted juvenile offenders. The story of this spectacular game is being made into a movie, titled One Heart, with an anticipated release in November 2010. Reminiscent of Hoosiers and Remember the Titans, this true story makes a strong statement about the impact of compassion and sportsmanship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Faith, Football and a Season to Believe

I am the first to say that I am not a big football fan. I watch occasionally and have had favorite players that I like to follow, but when I seen"Remember WhyYou Play"listed at Tyndale to be reviewed, the product description of the book sounded very interesting. It's a book thatI knew my husband would also enjoy reading.

The book follows theFaith Christian Lions from the beginning of the pre season,through to the final gameas we watch a teamthat not onlyshows their Christian life and faith throughout not only theirgamesbut through their education and their livesas we see how their Coach instilledinto the team good sportsmanship , values, and the love of the game.

When David Thomasa sport columnist and writerfollowed the team from FaithChristian for a whole season recordedand told this story in his own words it should bean inspiration to all readersas he takes us through their games and their practices. Having their season wrapped upand secured in the playoffs, the Lions played their lastgame against theGainesville StateTornado's a football team from , a maximum securitycorrectional facility . The basis of this story revolves around that last game of the Lions season and how through this gamethey changed the lives of another team.

Although the beginning of the book dealing with the practice sessions was not as interesting to me, the outlook of the players kept me reading, although I do have to admit to skimming over partsof some chapters due to what seemed like a lot of repeats in their weekly play by play games, but there is alsosome very valuable lessons to be learned in each chapter. That can be missed if one does not reallygo through each chapter. Through their injuries, upsetsand playing together as a teamthis book I feel will be an asset to all young football players. As they read the story of the Lions and yes the Tornados it should instill in them also to become a player and to remember why theylove the game of football.

I would like to thank Tyndale House Publisher for kindly providing a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. No compensation was received by myself and the opinions of this book are strictly my own.

A great book about every day faith played out in everyday life
Remember Why You Play is an excellent book for any Christian who is a sports enthusiast, and any teenage athlete who looking for inspiration for the field.I might have been one of the few people who did not know anything about the game between the Faith Christian Lions and the Gainesville State Tornadoes (I won't reveal it here in case there are others who want to read this book and be surprised). The author does a good job in building up to the moment, even going back to the prior season. The book has a great layout with each chapter covering each game/major moment. You get a good feel and intimate knowledge of the coaches and players as you journey with them up to this memorial event.

As I was reading this book, it stood out to me why our public school system is failing - the removal of God. There are so many great lessons Coach Hogan shares with his team that just would not be allowed in a public classroom. It is a reminder to me that we are all created by God and have a God-given purpose in this life - to know Him as our Saviour and glorify Him with our life.

Overall, this is an excellent book and well worth the read.

This book was given to me free by Tyndale House Publishing.

Wow - get this book
Football is a sport that I don't know much about, so I was surprised when this book caught and held my interest.It is a true story about the Faith Christian high school football team, from Gainesville, Texas and what they did to cause a ripple effect of change in their community.

The coach of this team always stressed Christian behavior and ethics.He and the assistant coaches lived out in their lives what they expected from each player on the team.They demanded excellence in preparation and participation, but also excellence in the area of relationships with others.I was reminded of the verse that says we should love the Lord with all our heart and soul and also love our neighbor as ourself.

David Thomas followed this team through a winning season, watching their actions as well as their words. Each game had lots of highlights and as I read I could see the players growing in their walk with Christ as well as in their walk with one another.

Often as I read, I wished that I had a person in my life that would hold me accountable like he held the members on the team accountable.I also wished that I could afford to purchase one of these books for every member of the youth group at my church as well as the youth leaders and parents.

It's a powerful book. The last chapter is about a game that should not have mattered to anyone.The team played Gainesville State School, which is a maximum security correctional facility.Some life changing things took place at that game.I won't tell you what happened. You really need a copy of this book for yourself!

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Great Book - every one should read
Everyone should read this book and then buy several more to give to others.The story is great, enjoyable to read, and inspiring.Gives parents and coaches and kids a lot to think about.

Coach Hogan is the real deal!
I loved reading this book.As the Mom of one of the players, I saw personally the influence Coach Hogan had on the life of my son, and thus the life of my family.He is the read deal and this book captures it.I always wanted to know that Commitment Night entailed and what Coach was telling these awesome young men, so thanks, David Thomas, for making that known.I highly recommend the book - TRUE and inspirational! ... Read more

Product Description
An indispensable reference for football bettors covering every aspect of betting.How to Beat the Pro Football Pointspread will set bettors on a confidence-building path lined with high-priority realities which for decades have flown under the typical football bettor's radar. Smith emphasizes that pure football knowledge must be absorbed, then applied to the world of pointspreads. He teaches his readers to look at the game with the bettor's eye instead of the fan's, and explains his theories on reasonable statistical expectations and how to challenge the oddsmakers. He also discusses the implications of coaching styles, stadium locations, and even the weather on each bet made throughout the season. With years of football betting under his belt, Smith has written a key resource for anyone wagering on America's most popular sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Useless
I bought this after reading a positive review. In realty it is just more of the same useless information. The author owns a paid handicapping service. Although the book is a soft sale to visit his sight and purchase their services, never the less, it is just more of the same. The bottom line is noone can predict how a hundred different people will perform on any given day. Keep in mind that the odd setters don't even attempt this. They are just trying to get an equal number of people to bet on each side of the game. Remember , they get 10 percent of each side of the bet.
Save your money and throw darts.

Part of your betting education for only $10
He does a good job of explaining the wagering process. Could have gone a little deeper as I think new bettors grasp the basics pretty quick. For new and intermediate level players. Good.

Very good
This book will open the eyes of anybody who is prepared to win on the NFL. Like anything, if you are prepared to the do the work you will do well. The author guides you in searching for the best information and how to decipher it.

Well worth it

One of the tools for football betting
This book was actually pretty good.I had low expectations.I had a great football season this year, very profitable.I owe it all to this book, Konik's book Smart Money, and the free picks from lockoftheday.com. Betting on sports can be very profitable if you know what you are doing. I do recommend this book.

Who Moved My Cheese for NFL Betting?!
I know Bobby Smith. I've worked with Bobby Smith. Nobody else does it like Bobby Smith. I can honestly say that Bobby Smith knows what he is talking about and gets results to prove it. This book will open the eyes of football bettors at all levels, and help them eliminate losses, spot more winners and be more selective in their approach to betting vs. the NFL point spread.

Myths are shattered, new ground broken, original tested approaches revealed, and alternative statistics not in the mainstream are emphasized. Outlines planning and implementation strategies and how to tune out misleading bad information. Preaches self-discipline. The big picture painted here is that there is a huge difference between being a mere "handicapper" or a "bettor," and being a "winner," The 20 chapters illustrate what it takes to make the successful transition. I would say this book is in many ways similar to "Who Moved My Cheese?" but for gamblers. It really is THAT enlightening.
... Read more

Product Description
For all of its pageantry, a football game is a violent go-minute turf war.

Bounded not only by the league s rules, players adhere to and enforce an unwritten honor system known simply as The Code. As mysterious as it is sacred, the code prescribes an internal system of justice known only to those within the sport itself. Until now...

Ross Bernstein, best-selling author of The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL and The Code: Baseball s Unwritten Rules and Its Ignore-at-Your-Own-Risk Code of Conduct, offers an unprecedented glimpse of football s unspoken rules regarding sportsmanship, retaliation, and intimidation. The result of more than 100 interviews with some of the biggest names in the game, The Code is a systematic description of every major unwritten rule in the game today from excessive end-zone celebrations, trash talking, and going after the quarterback, to using stickum and silicone, sign-stealing, and the use of perform-enhancing drugs.

Along the way you ll read about some of the most memorable violations of the code including Dexter Manley s profanity-laced trash-talking episode that was too graphic for NFL Films highlights; the bench-clearing brawl between the Vikings and Chargers that inspired the league s rules on fighting; and Spygate, the most notorious example of on-field espionage in the league s history.

For the first time, get the complete, no-holds-barred truth about the implicit rules of football directly from the players, coaches, and referees who live their professional lives by the code.

The Code to me was about how the game policed itself and about how the players protected one another...That self-policing out on the field is really important, otherwise nefarious players might take advantage of certain situations...I wouldn t say I ever tried to hurt anyone who cheap-shotted me. I would make sure that he got the proper attention though, fro my teammates. Steve Young, 15-Year NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback

I was under a pile on time during a game against the Giants and was trying to rip the ball out of Dave Meggett s hand. All I could get was a finger though, so I just yanked it as hard as I could and cracked it like a chicken bone. It just snapped. Then I heard him scream. I saw it was an opportunity, and I took it. It wasn t personal, it was just football under the pile, I suppose. Bill Romanowski, 16-Year NFL Linebacker

Trash talking to me was a tactic. I used to take a lot of time researching my opponents...I wanted to intimidate him and drive him nuts...Eventually he was going to miss a key block or do something that would allow either myself or one of my teammates to capitalize on that. It was a game. What a rush. John Randle, 14-Year NFL Defensive Tackle

The Code is an indispensable guide to the inner workings of football s internal system of justice and sportsmanship, all described by the men who have enforced it. You ll never watch a game the same way again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very Interesting Reading
I bought this book for my daughter who is an avid Football fan.She was ecstatic to get it and couldn't put it down.Then, my husband read it and they both said it was unbelievably well written and very informative.Since I can't tell a 1st down from half time, I have not read the book but would recommend it to others based on the rave reviews my two family members gave it! MAK

repetitive
The book has amazingpotential to give outsiders and fans the inside look to the sport that now dominates our fall weekends. Unfortuantely, the book is mainly 6 or 7 pages of interesting insight regurgitated over 200 or so pages. The insight of the players is interesting but again its really all rehash. How many times can 3 players from every era say what happened under a pile and it be continually interesting? One of the subplots of the book is the erosion of these codes in todays game due to inflated salaries, league mandates, and increasing television coverage. An interesting concept of a book with just a lot of fluff. This is the most apparent in the beginning with 2 forwards by former players who are quoted ehavily throughout the book, a preface, and then a introduction. I would recommned The Dark Side of the Game" by Tim Green for a much more insightful and daring look into the world of Professional Football.

Interesting -
"The Football Code" is an interesting summary of interviews with numerous players about the 'unwritten' code of conduct within the game - covering retaliation, intimidation, trash talking, running up the score, sign-stealing, steroid use, referee baiting, etc. However, the best part of the book was the introductions by Jerome Bettis and Ahmad Rashad.

Bettis begins by stating that retaliation is a big part of the game, and you have to be smart about how you go about it. You have to wait for the right opportunity, otherwise you could take a costly penalty and really hurt your team. Sometimes you could get a guy back on the next play, other guys have had to wait for years. With all of the camera angles today, you can't afford to do just anything - players can get fined $25 - 50,000, or suspended for a game. That's a lot of money, and has cleaned up a lot of the dirty stuff.

Bettis continues, telling us that intimidation is a big part of the game as well. Trash talking is a form of intimidation. Steroids, however, have no place in football, according to Bettis - its cheating and others could get hurt. Another part of the code is not talking bad about your teammates. Finally, Bettis believes real players play hurt - they don't want to let their teammates down.

Rashad's introduction reinforced some of what Bettis said, and then went on from there. Cold weather, he says, was the Viking'sbiggest intimidator when he played there. Tricks of the trade include siliconing jerseys, using the home plate in the Viking's football/baseball stadium to disorient the defensive players, and making cuts on the painted yardage line (greater traction in really cold weather). The funniest part of the book was Rashad's story of Viking rookie hazing - making them ride with Jim Marshall from Minneapolis to Mankato for practice; Marshall reportedly scared them so bad they didn't want to go back with him.

Berstein goes on to tell us that 'the code' is not just about avoiding actions that might end an opponent's career (vs. just trying to send him to the bench) - it's also about not running up the score late in the game, excessive celebrations, etc.

Comments about sign-stealing from players and coaches mostly indicated it was of little concern, especially since it was hard to do correctly and at most they'd play another team only twice in a season. Regardless, some coaches were notoriously paranoid (eg. George Allen), probably because they did it themselves. On the other hand, there seemed to be a bit of consensus that 'Spygate' (Giants in 2007) taping of signals went too far.

Handling referees was another particularly interesting section. Some, like Jerry Glanville, had no reticence about charging out there to tell the referees what they thought; Glanville even passed on his secret for not getting tossed out. Bud Grant, on the other hand, said he never bothered with talking to referees - it was a waste of time and a distraction. Randy Moss of the Vikings provided what must have been a hilarious 'bad' example of communicating with referees at the time - picking up a water bottle from the scorer's table and drenching the referee who he felt had blown a call involving Moss ($40,000 fine).

"The Football Code" closes with examples and statements about the need for better player pensions and medical care for the old-timers. Worse yet, a 9/29/2009 article in the New York Times reported the NFL had found dementia rates in former players 30-49 at 19X the normal levels. Help is well-deserved indeed!

ABOUT THE BOOK, from the its author Ross Bernstein
Football is, and always has been, a sport steeped in a culture of violence, intimidation and brutality. Players have learned, however, to navigate through its mazes and labyrinths of physical contact by adhering to an honor code of sportsmanship known simply as "The Code." As mysterious as it is sacred, the Code is an unwritten set of rules that has been handed down from generation to generation. While the Code has been around since the early days of the game's inception, it remains a very taboo subject shrouded in secrecy. In fact, many players are simply unwilling to talk about it on the record.. until now that is.

Under the specter of penalties, fines and suspensions, players have to use stealth when retaliating against dirty players out on the field. Sure, bench clearing brawls will occur from time to time, but most of the revenge that goes on is behind the scenes. Patience must be exercised when settling old scores and the veterans will wait until the time is right to exact the justice they feel fits the crime. While the game has changed immensely over the years, one thing remains the same -- the players still police themselves. They know that if they break the rules of the Code, then there will be hell to pay. You see, football is all about respect and disrespect, and if a teammate is cheap-shotted, blind-sided or is chopped at the knees, then the wheels of retaliation will be set into motion. Players must be accountable for their actions, the Code says so.

The Code is not just about head-slaps, verbal taunting and the many unseen horrors that can occur under the pile though. It is also about running up the score late on a team, excessive celebrations, head-hunting after interceptions, bounties, eye-gouging and rookie initiations. There is a fine line between cheating and gamesmanship and the players and coaches have always been on the lookout for an edge. The old adage "if you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin" has always applied out on the gridiron and includes things such as stick-um, siliconed jerseys, cold showers, and of course, steroids. And let's not forget all of the espionage that goes on both on and off the field as well. Everything from "Spy-Gate" to dummy playbooks to lip-reading is fair game, unless that is, you get caught.

Lastly, the issue playing hurt is firmly addressed in the book -- a viral topic that evoked great emotion from the players, especially the ones who feel betrayed by the league as well as their own union with regards to being taken care of in terms of pensions and medical treatment. They are the walking wounded and finally have a platform to be heard. The "Gridiron Greats" portion of the book may change the way you see the game forever.

To fully understand the significance and history behind the Code, Ross Bernstein, the best-selling author of more than 40 sports books, including the "Hockey Code" and "Baseball Code," interviewed more than 100 current and former NFL players, coaches, referees, front office employees and media personalities for this highly anticipated sequel. Their insight and memories provide a truly fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how these modern day gladiators tackle the subjects of respect, accountability, ethics, pride and honor. They explain why various "rules" are expected among players and what tactics are used during games. Extensive quotes are featured in the book and readers will be shocked and amazed at just how much information is actually revealed. The players all agree, this is a without a doubt a must-read for sports fans who want the inside scoop on a topic so rarely discussed. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Product Description
Multiple formation and motion offenses of the modern football era present many defensive challenges. Football's Eagle & Stack Defenses will prepare teams and individual players to not only defend but also attack and dominate whatever offensive tactics an opponent might employ.

Author Ron Vanderlinden has been coach and architect of several of the most formidable defensive teams in the past 20 seasons. From the University of Colorado's national champions in 1990 to Northwestern's Big Ten title-winning team in 1995 to the revitalized, high-pursuit Penn State attack, Vanderlinden's well-drilled defensive players and units have enjoyed tremendous success.

Now, in this book, you can learn all the details of the defensive tactics and techniques as well as the coaching points that can make these two defenses so effective. No other book combines these fronts, and there is no one better equipped than Vanderlinden to put them together in a variety of game situations that will allow your defense to control your opponent's offense. Football's Eagle & Stack Defenses will be your best defensive co-coordinator for this season and many seasons to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Not up to expectations
I've been a defensive coordinator at the high school level for five years and coaching varsity football for ten. I have used the 4-3 defense every year and wanted to find something to put us over the top or add a new dimension to our defense.I really thought that in reading this book I would learn something new, but it was not up to expectations.

I would however recommend this book to any coach that is new to the 4-3.It covers the basics of this defense in great detail.For any coach wanting to build off the 4-3 or add a dimension to your defense this book is not a good purchase. It does not provide a great deal of blitzes or coverages.Again, there was nothing that set this book apart or made me want to talk about it with my coaching staff.

Essential Read for Football Coaches
I've always leaned toward offensive drill and theory books, and I have dabbled with reading special teams books as well.This off-season I have dedicated to learning a little more about football from the "bad guys'" perspective and bought "Football's Eagle & Stack Defenses" by Ron Vanderlinden.

Well I must say, I'm close to wrapping the book up and it is one of the BEST FOOTBALL BOOKS PERIOD.It is EXTREMELY THOROUGH, and covers everything about the Eagle & stack fronts, Coverage adjustments, Stunts, and run fits vs. popular runs.

There are also sections describing in detail the characteristics required to play the positons, game planning, individual read/drills by position, fundamental techniques for all 11, and goal line modifications.

Many diagrams but no filler pages.Literally 229 pages of great information.

The biggest advantage this book has over many books I've read is that it delves into the theroy; the reason behind the calls, stunts, adjutments IN DETAIL.If you want to learn about a solid defensive system, this book is necessary.

I now consider this book a must read, and possibly held in "FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE BIBLE" status.

And I'm not even a Penn State fan...

Best Defensive Book I've Ever Read
This book is by far the best defensive oriented book that I have ever read. I am a JV defensive line coach, and even though we run a completely different scheme, we applied several of these concepts successfully to our team and it worked incredibly well.

This book is seriously something you grab and review from time to time as your Co-Defensive Coordinator.If you don't want to rely on the offense to dictate your strength of formation all the time and want something that has proven to be successful, I would highly, highly recommend this book.

Must read for defensive coaches of all levels
I purchased this book on the eagle and stack defenses and found it to be very informative. It reads easily and I will be using alot of the schemes in this book in my defensive package.

Good Addition to your Defensive Library
Coach Vanderlinden describes his Eagle and Stack concepts in great detail in a book that is both entertaining and informative.I found this to be an easy to read description of solid defensive concepts that could be applicable to almost all levels of football.The book gives thorough descriptions of each positions responsibilities including alignment and assigment.There are numerous helpful diagrams and illustrations that round out each chapter.Coach Vanderlinden does a decent job of explaining the process of how he pairs coverages with his fronts and pressures.It is possible that this book could be used as a stand alone playbook for a high school football team. ... Read more

Product Description
Packed with expert advice and timely tips

The fun and easy way to guide your team to glory in fantasy football

Fantasy football can be an addictive hobby. But if you've never played before, how do you start? Have no fear! This friendly guide explains the game to you from start to finish -- from scouting and drafting your players to building your coaching skills to planning your strategy. And who knows, perhaps even to tasting victory in your league championship!


* Understand the basics of the game
*

Pick the league right for you
*

Assemble your dream team in the draft
*

Develop your in-season management skills
*

Know which quick fixes work and what common mistakes to avoid ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Fantasy Football for Dummies
It was a perfect gag gift for someone that came in last place in our fantasy football league!

3 1/2 Stars
Well I can honestly say I knew nothing about fantasy football before and in the first chapter alone I learned sooo much. I didn't realize there was so many different ways to play either. The main things I didn't like was how disorganized the material was. If you know nothing about FF (like me) the book instructs you to skip around chapters and come back. I don't like doing that and I really didn't see why it couldn't be set up like a normal front to back read and just let the more advanced players be the ones who skip around. Another thing was when it came time to look into joining a public league that he suggested there was information I needed to know that he never discussed. That kind of makes me nervous. A lot of important stuff (worth remembering) got buried in useless info as well. I can always skim back through the book if I need to, unless I get stuck during the draft (this is what I'm nervous about) where I just wont have enough time.

Great Book for 1st Timers
If like me you have never played Fantasy football before this book is a must.
It explains in clear easy to understand language the way to go about drafts, run your team etc.
Anyone who is playing on Yahoo will find it especially useful as it is written around the Yahoo format (other leagues are covered as well).
A good buy at the price & big help if you want to get maximum fun out of your 1st season.

Great Book
Great Book.Taught my husband a few things about Fantasy Football that he didn't know and he has been playing for years.A must have for any wife who wants to learn what occupies hours of their husband's time.

Your first choice!
If you are thinking about playing fantasy football or even if you played a little last year and want to improve those basic skills, get this book! It is a great introduction to fantasy football. It covers everything to get you started including where to play online and look online for information on players. Many of the tips are exactly what you need to draft, manage and improve your team for a winning season.

After reading Fantasy Football for Dummies, it is obvious that Martin Signore has played the game for many years and his love of the hobby shines through.Once again, the winning "dummies" format makes it easy. I am amazed at how much information he provides. Martin even discusses Auction leagues which many of todays FF books ignore. He hits all the right techniques and even includes some advanced draft strategies.

I usually find the "part of tens" pages in a dummies book tedious, but Martin has provided a great Top 10 list of mistakes to avoid and perhaps even more importantly ten fixes to make to your team after draft day. The draft is not the end but instead should be the starting point for a championship team. You should constantly try to improve your team through trades and/or the waiver wire. A great manager can always look back and point out a significant improvement during the season.

This is definitely the book of choice for anyone who wants an introduction to the greatest hobby of all time, Fantasy Football.

Sam Hendricks, author of "Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football" and "Fantasy Football Almanac"
... Read more

Product Description
Add power, speed, and agility to your game plan! 52-Week Football Training takes the guesswork out of workouts and ensures players are in peak condition each season and game.

Daily workouts are presented for each week of the year and include resistance training, total conditioning exercises, and position-specific activities. The training plan conforms well to both high school and college calendars and organizes workouts into six sequential phases:
• Postseason
• Winter
• Spring
• Early summer
• Preseason
• In-season

Conditioning coach Ben Cook, who has worked with 27 players who went on to the NFL, presents a full menu of on-field and off-field drills and exercises to develop flexibility, strength, power, speed, and agility. The book includes more than 160 photos showing correct technique and nearly 200 exercises and drills.

Be ready to perform at your best. 52-Week Football Training will help get any team and player ready to excel on every down. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Absolutely the Best
I have only been doing this program for a little while, and it is as great as everyone says it is. Someone earlier said it is great for 16-45 year olds, but Im about to turn 15 and it works great for me. It would also work great for someone over 45, as their are at leat 10 different exercises for each body part to choose from. I suggest you stop whatever program you may be doing right now and try this one, I have looked into numerous other programs and attended camps and this is by far the best program I've found do far.

Year round training
I'm a woman in training for the IWFL (yes, there is women's football; check out californiaquakefootball.com.) This book has helped my training immensely. It covers just about everything. All lifts are expressed as a percentage of your maximum single-repetition weight (e.g., 8 x 60%)--which means I can use it as easily as the big boys. Bring a calculator to the gym, or else sit down and figure out the numbers beforehand, unless you are one of those people that can instantly calculate 60% of 130 to the nearest 5... well, you get the idea...

Buy this book & be bigger, stronger, faster. What else do you want?

Phenomenal
This book provides a great training plan for players aged 16 to 45.Very comprehensive, easy to use and well illustrated.Noticed results within 6 weeks.Includes not only weight and conditioning training, but also drills to improve agility, foot speed and balance.This reference can serve as the basis for designing a team or individual training program for any level of play.

Are You Ready?
Listen. This book is it. Drop any program you are on and follow this book. It involves everything from weight training to proper conditioning and even adds plyometrics for the complete combination of power, strenght, speed,agility, and stamina. I've never gained more mass and strength in one yearin my entire life. This tells you exactly what to do and when to do it.This is so intense I recommend finding a mentor or a lifting partner tofollow this with you to keep motivated. If football is your life like it ismine, buy this and you will become a better athlete. Period.

This One's All That
Man, I can tell you, if you what a complete workout plan, this one's all that and more. Especially the first two weeks of the off-season, resistance training workouts, if you go maximally through those workouts like Ben Cookdescribes,you are going to be left at the end having to have some oneelse take your shirt off. I mean you are all messed up, but in a good way.This book was exactly what I needed.I'm on week 7 right now, (I startedat the end of my high school football season) and I already feel bigger andstronger. Mr. Cook says that consistency is the key, and so far I havn'tmissed a workout. It seems to really be paying off I think. It'll pay offfor you too I'll bet.GET THIS BOOK! ... Read more

Product Description
Few experiences are more rewarding than coaching a youth football team. Your journey through the season will be packed with moments that make you smile and that you and your players will remember for the rest of your lives. But what if you’ve never coached before?

No worries! Coaching Football For Dummies is the fun and easy way to tackle the basics of coaching youth football. This friendly guide shows you how to teach your players effectively, regardless of their age or skill level, and lead your team to victory—even if you’re a first-time coach. You’ll discover how to:

• Develop a coaching philosophy
• Teach football fundamentals
• Encourage good sportsmanship
• Improve your team’s skills
• Ensure safety on the field
• Communicate effectively with parents

Packed with valuable information on preparing your game plan before you even step on the field, this hands-on resource gives you expert guidance in building your coaching skills, from evaluating your players and running enjoyable, productive practices to working with all types of kids—uncoordinated, shy, highly talented—at once. You’ll find a variety of fun-filled drills for teaching everything from tackling and blocking to running and catching, as well as advanced drills to take your players’ skills up a notch. You’ll also see how to:

• Conduct a preseason parents’ meeting—an often overlooked aspect of coaching
• Gather the necessary gear and fit the equipment to your players
• Raise the level of play on offense, defense, and special teams
• Take steps to avoid injuries
• Deal with discipline issues and problem parents
• Make critical half-time adjustments
• Transition to coaching an All-Star Team

Complete with tips for working with parents, keeping your players healthy, and leading your team effectively on game days, Coaching Football For Dummies is all you need—besides a whistle and a clipboard—to navigate your players through a safe, fun, rewarding season! ... Read more

Product Description
For the past three decades the University of Nebraska football program has set the standard of excellence for successful conditioning. Complete Conditioning for Football presents the same program the Cornhuskers use to power their way to national championships.

Base, development, peak, and in-season training programs are provided for beginning, intermediate, and advanced players. The book includes 98 position-specific exercises that help players improve speed, agility, power, and endurance. Sample workouts are provided for offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, receivers, and defensive backs. Chapters also cover the key training principles of adaptation, specificity, overload, periodization, and proper rest and nutrition.

Fully illustrated, Complete Conditioning for Football takes the latest in strength and conditioning research and turns it into a detailed, practical approach that will help players gain the performance edge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A Great Conditioning Book; A MUST Have For Football Atheletes!!!
I have looked a while for a great conditioning program for football players and when I found this book, I was amazed by the detail, quality, and effort obvoiusly put into it by the authors which made it a great conditioning book for High School football players and beyond. The authors incorporated not only the physical ways in which to get better but mental ways as well which are both important for conditioning as well as the successful winning of football games by not only being ready on the outside but also believing and knowing you can do it on the inside. The whole conditioning program is, when performed with the best potential and effort, a challenging one that will more than likely get you the preperation you need. These authors, coaches of the University of Nebraska football team which is famous for this strenghth and conditioning program, first introduce you to factors that build on one another to make a great football player and then give a very complete program of conditioning and training including a nutrition and shopping list for best atheletes to use for great energy. The structure of the book and organization is exceptional and it literaly gives you all the information you will ever need on how to prepare for football in any aspect. It contains specific exersises for speed, flexibility, strenghth, and more, and contains workout plans, inconclusive descripiton, and even helpful football tips in the process.
I would strongly recommend this book to any football athelete looking to prepare for football through conditioning at any level because of the very helpful information you will find in this book. I guarantee this book will never sit on your shelf too long if you get it because you will be refering to it constantly. I know I made the right choice by buying this book.

Simply the Best
The book "Complete Conditioning for Football" is a must for any football player. Inside includes performance needs; conditiong principles; testing, evluating, and goal setting; flexibility training; lifting techniques; speed drills; agility drills; nutrition and rest; and last but not least conditioning workouts and programs.

Performance Needs:

This chapter includes a performance pyramid which if followed can lead to "making the play", or success on the football field. It includes character, conditioning, ability, practice, game, and with the top brick, performance. Also it breaks down each of the components, exa. Character- belief, resolve, discipline, courage... and gives a descriptive explanation for each of them also.

Conditioning Principles:

This chapter guides you in developing and implementing a program to allow you to peak the four athletic indicators of speed, agility, power, and endurance. It breaks down and explains the principles of specificity, overload, and periodization.

Testing, Evaluating, and Goal Setting:

This chapter outlines step-by-step procedues on how to safely test and evaluate athletes' fitness and athletic abilities so ou can develop the objectives and specifics of your conditioning program. Here it gives some tests, such as vertical jump test, pro agility run test, 10- and 40- yard dash test, 300-yard shuttle run test, and even height, weight, and waist measurement tests. It also gives you percentile ranking charts of all the positions in high school and college. With your test results you can see where you rank among those in the 10-yard and 40-yard dashes, pro agility run, and the vertical jump. Percentile ranks are from 5-100.

Flexibility Training:

This chapter gives you the proper warm-up routine (high knees, heel ups, ect.), stretching routine (partner stretches), and mobility drills that should be done during the conditioning workouts (warm-ups and stretching before, mobility drills after the workout).

Lifting Techniques:

Provides valuable information on proper technique of all the lifts, to warming-up, spotters, breathing, and so on and so forth. Strength training exercises include: explosive, complementary, base strenght, and specialty. Not many weight rooms that I know of have the complementary, or "ground basedjammer", so in the workouts in the back of the book give replacements for these lifts if the jammer is not available.

Speed Drills:

Included are 29 drills for speed (2), acceleration (9), plyometrics (9), and resisted speed (9). Also gives the proper sprint technique especially used for testing the 40.

Agility Drills:

Included are 58 drills for improving your agility. The drills include ropes (8), bags (15), backpedal drills (11), cones (12), line drills (6), and jump rope drills (6).

Nutrition and Rest:

Basically describes all the foods you should eat to make it short. This is a chapter you should allow as many people as possible to read, since without nutrition, athletic performance is low. Also gives a grocery shopping list with all the foods listed under the vitamins and minerals it has in them (example: almonds, corn oil, ect. are listed under vitamin e) and a section of drinking fluids and getting plenty of sleep.

Conditioning Workouts and Programs:

Guides you to building a successful conditioning program. Lists all the speed/agility drills and notes which drills are appropriate for which positions. Included are sample programs in development and peak phases for the positions. Also included in this chapter is the lifting programs for the beginner (base, development, in-season), intermediate (base, development, peak, in-season), and advanced (base, development, peak, in-season). This is an absolutely outstanding weight program in my opinion, with lifting days on monday, tuesday, thursday, and friday.

All in all, this is the complete book for any football player looking to get in great shape for the next season. It is mainly a year-round program by giving types of workouts (base, ect.) for each month of the year in which to apply the right workout to. I also recommend the book "52-Week Football Training" to combine the exercises in the books if you want a more variedprogram. I suggest taking the time to looking into "Jumping Into Plyometrics" for a plyometric program to add into your schedule and "Play Football the NFL Way" for techniques and tips to help you excell in the game of football.

this book helped me greatly
This is a great book because the program's strengths are based on what you want to do for football.If you want to get big and strong to play oline/dline then it has a stellar weight program.But if you are looking to develop speed and quickness it has a series of drills for that too.You just have to concentrate on the area that suits your needs the most.Excellent description of all the drills and excersies as well.

Informative Read...
Gives a in-depth view on football specific training and is helpful in developing a custom program for yourself.All-in-all worth the read.

One of the best!
From the school that really started weight traininging in college football, Coach Arthur has done a great job of setting forward the principles that we should use in designing the programs that we use to build our athletes. You need this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Here at last is the first book to fully explain how and why the game of football became America's most powerful and financially successful entertainment phenomenon--and how this country's pioneers of sports, games, industry, and politics helped transform a sleepy game inherited from Europe into one that would explain what America wanted to become and who we are as a people.

In How Football Explains America, Sal Paolantonio, ESPN football reporter and a former national political reporter, takes you all the way back to 1876, when the United States was celebrating its 100th birthday, and explains how and why the stodgy and low-scoring games of soccer and rugby were rejected for a game that reflected America's lust to control--Manifest Destiny!--an entire continent.

How Football Explains America takes you through how and why President Teddy Roosevelt saved football, how and why Jim Thorpe and Bill Walsh changed the game, and how and why it was influenced by Hollywood and West Point.

How Football Explains America explains how football was influenced by Davy Crockett, John Coltrane, Jackie Robinson, and Douglas MacArthur.

How Football Explains America shows how at the heart of this country's real pastime is an insatiable need for storytelling and mythmaking, how Johnny Unitas is like John Wayne and Joe Montana is like Luke Skywalker, how the game grew up when pioneers and cowboys set out to write America's story across the West, and how football was a game that perfectly explained that march across the continent.

"Football explains America," says NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, "because the game is about teamwork and camaraderie, competition and passion, strategy and energy, strength and emotion. You can look at football and see the heart of America."

How Football Explains America takes you through a fascinating historical and cultural journey, using the intrigue, skullduggery, and drama of the 2007 NFL season--the quest for perfection and triumph of an underdog against all odds--to tell the story of a game and a nation that have been sewn together and explain how we live, work, and play. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

An uneven, yet interesting, book on the co-evolution of football and America
An entertaining read, although it did not live up to my expectations.To be sure, there are elements of American culture and history that help explain how the game of football evolved and why the game enjoys such a following in the United States versus the rest of the world.However the author too often makes large claims of causation without much proof besides correlation.There are a number of "just-so stories" used to explain the relationship between football and America.Unfortunately, the author does not use a consistent amount of rigor across each chapter.Additionally, some chapters simply ramble on, meandering far from the author's stated purpose.There are interesting stories and anecdotes to be sure, but overall the book lacks coherence.There are a number of quite interesting chapters, but overall it is a decent, not great, book.

Loved it!
I couldn't put it down.A wonderful view on how football, basically, explains life.I knew it all along!Enjoy!

Excellent book
This is a well-written, well-documented book detailing the real link between football and some aspects of American Life. I recommended it to anyone who wants to have a broader view of matters.

Entertaining Look at the Game of Football!

Being an author and avid reader of books on the game of football I very much enjoyed reading "How Football Explains America." It was definitely a fresh look at the sport we all love and it definitely told the "how" that Michael MacCambridge's book (the very good America's Game) didn't touch on as much.

I thought this book had many layers and it showed me the game in a different light that I had not thought about. In particular, in Chapter 2, in order for the game to flourish the use of words such as "personality" and "hero" by the founding fathers was important for the game to be told as other American Myths- explain the American way of life, was something fresh for me.

I also enjoyed chapters 5 (Explains West Point) and 7 (Explains Father Knows Best) very much. I could've read that stuff all day. This book will get you thinking about the game and that's a good thing.

Pointless
I'm surprised at all of the positive reviews. This is one of the worst sports books I have ever read. It consists of not particularly interesting anecdotes the author tries unsuccessfully to stretch into anecdotes for American history. For example, he claims, without supporting the assertion, that the introduction of the system of downs in the 1880s reflects manifest destiny. Actually, it was introduced because teams used to sit on the ball. I guess football fans are easily impressed. ... Read more

Product Description
The First Instructional Manual for Football Players and Coaches Ever Published by the National Football League

Position by position Guide to Learning to Play the Game

Quarterback
Running back
Receiver
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
Linebacker
Defensive Back
Placekicker
Punter
Kick Returner
... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Football book
The books showed up in great condition.I just have to say it took a lot longer then I thought it would take.My husband ordered the same book for the same price and same shipping , that book showed up much faster from barnes and noble. So I would just say make sure you allow plenty of time around 3 weeks and if the price is good it will just take longer to arrive.We were ordering these books for our football coaches.

Excellent value for money
Play Football the NFL Way is a great guide for young people getting into coaching football at all levels.

Great guide on technique based drills.

Great book even for beginners
While I've been coaching youth football for a couple of years, I thought I would get the book to see what the pros are taught.Its a great book new coaches and for the fundamentals.

Sound Stuff
Very good techniques for the beginning football player. Mostly well explained, although some things don't make sense without a point of reference for a beginner (what's your outside hip?).
Plenty of information for every position.

Other Books
As the title says, this is a position by position breakdown of useful things to practice and learn for the game of American Football.With an emphasis on the younger player or hack beginner type it isn't too bad a book to have a look at for erstwhile players and coaches to gain a better understanding of some simple fundamentals.
... Read more

Product Description

Do you cringe when a linebacker flattens a quarterback? Hold your breath when a field goal sails toward the goalpost? Watch in amazement as a touchdown pass spirals down the field? Behind those big hits, long kicks, and sensational throws is a science that will give you a whole new perspective on the game of football.

Customer Reviews (2)

The Physics--Especially Collisional--Aspects of Football
The author provides many lucid explanations, with numbers and equations, that deal with the physics of football. There is a good deal of emphasis on collisions. He thus distinguishes between inelastic and elastic conditions, giving a hilarious example of the latter (football players wearing spring-filled suits, so that they could bounce off each other. The bounces would be unpredictable.)

One form of collision is that between the tackler and runner. Another one is that which occurs between the foot of the kicker and the football. Gay's equations show how the force of the kicking leg, including its angular velocity, is transferred to the ball. The forces of football-related kicks are computed. Record-setting punts and field goals are featured and examined. The spin of the football is also factored.

A bibliography contains references for further study. As an experienced science teacher, I think that this book would serve as an excellent supplement to high school and early-college physics courses.

Great Book
I bought this book for my son to use to help him with a school science project. It was great, it had so much information that really helped him turn in a great project! ... Read more

Product Description
An effective kicking game is often the difference between winning and losing. Kicking the Football is the complete guide to punting, kicking, and placekicking success. Former NFL punter and veteran kicking instructor Bill Renner reveals the best techniques, tactics, and practice drills to kick like a pro.

Twenty-two sequential drills, accompanied by illustrations and photographs, show you each specific technique. You’ll learn how to punt the ball correctly. Placekicking is covered like a detailed clinic. Whether you want to squib a kick or split the uprights from 50 yards away, Renner explains how.

Get the winning edge. Make Kicking the Football part of your game plan now! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Great Guide for Rookies and Veterans
Bill Renner does a great job in out-lining the proper punting techniques and the charts and drills will help rookies get started, varsity players get better and all of the above on top of their game

The most comprehensive book on kicking I've found!
Bill Renner does the best job of teaching and actually explaining whathappens when you kick a football.He not only illustrates what needs to bedone to kick it successfully, but explains WHY each facet is necessary.There are great "quick" trouble-shooting guides to help you fixmistakes, and many skill-specific drills to progressively develop a greatkicker. As a Special Teams coach, I threw out all my other books on kicking. . . Bill Renner's book is complete and needs no suppliment! ... Read more

Product Description
Huddle up with one of the greatest players in football history as he shares the techniques, strategies, and secrets of kicking and punting.

In Football Kicking & Punting, Hall of Famer and NFL 75th Anniversary Team member Ray Guy joins veteran kicking coach Rick Sang to provide aspiring kickers and punters with expert instruction found nowhere else. From the fundamentals to advanced strategies, it's all here:

• Field goals, extra points, and special plays such as onside kicks, corner punts, and squib kicks
• 46 proven drills to maximize practice time and ensure improvement in distance, hang time, consistency, and accuracy
• Specialized warm-ups and conditioning programs to improve flexibility, increase leg strength, and prevent injury
• Game strategy preparation, including opponent assessment and defense recognition

In addition, Guy and Sang share their personal strategies for adapting and compensating for challenging field and weather conditions, specific game situations, and an opponent's strengths and weaknesses.

So whether it's pinning your opponent inside the 20 or drilling that last-second kick through the uprights, let Football Kicking & Punting elevate your play and ensure winning performance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Football Kicking and Punting
Great book for the beginner and the experienced players.Points out fundamentals of the game to help guide players to be better all around position players, and coaches to be more effective instructors.

great kicking put into words
As a former high school football punter and placekicker (now teaching my 15 year old son how to kick) I feel that this book is excellent. I find it is amazing that the physical mechanics of kicking have been put into words so eloquently.The strategy of kicking according to game situation really impresses the importance of this skill not only for the kicker but for the entire team.Exercises and practice skills are included. ... Read more

Product Description
Solid blocking, sure tackling, proper footwork, precise routes, correct coverage angles, and synchronized body movements: basic techniques, perhaps, but all essential to winning football. Football Skills & Drills is your guide to success, covering key skills and consistent execution within all offensive, defensive, and special teams positions.

You will benefit from the same techniques used by top college and professional teams, along with a complete arsenal of 83 drills. From quarterback rollouts for winning touchdowns to block-shedding maneuvers for drive-stopping sacks, Football Skills & Drills translates technical instruction into on-field application, depicting exactly how each pass, pattern, route, catch, block, tackle, and kick are performed.

Gridiron champions are made on the practice field. Football Skills & Drills serves as a great foundation in your team’s quest for a title. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great for any football athlete playing any position
I am a 17 year old senior in high school, and although I don't actually play football, I love the game and my favorite position is Quarterback.

This book covers how to be a good Quarterback very well, showing how to receive the snap, how to properly throw the ball, how to properly drop back, and even teaches you what mindset you should have - that is, if you are a player.

The book also covers every other position and area of football.. it has nearly everything you can think of, along with great pictures that demonstrate each and every step along the way.

Do you want to learn how to be a better Running Back?This book's got you covered.

Do you want to learn how to do better on the line?This book's got you covered.

Do you want to learn how to be a better kicker?This book's got you covered!

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the book is not just the content, but how it's presented.Since it practically goes step-by-step over each and every position, the book is suitable for coaches and players alike.So a coach will benefit from this book just as much as a player wanting to improve his position.

I would highly recommend this book, and I honestly can't find any flaws with it.It's well-presented, the author - Tom Bass - is a well-informed professional football coach, and you'll find just about everything you need.

If you are a football coach wanting to improve your team or a player wanting to improve your skills at a certain position(s), I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Britain's most respected sportswriter takes on the greatest football manager of all time.

The true biography of Sir Alex Ferguson has yet to be written. Until now.

Alex Ferguson is the most fascinating and controversial figure in football today. He is also the most successful. His twenty-five-year tenure of the Manchester United dugout has seen him win everything there is to be won in football, many times over. His reign as manager has led to the rise of Manchester United to become the biggest football club in the world.

This book, written by the award-winning and critically acclaimed Patrick Barclay, will fill in the gaps left by Ferguson's own book, Managing My Life. Everyone who bought that book will want Barclay's comprehensive, objective analysis of Ferguson, the good and the bad, and the occasionally ugly and it will also appeal hugely to those outside the Manchester United extended family for whom Ferguson has often acted as a red rag.

Having known Ferguson for a quarter of a century, Barclay believes him to be generous-spirited as well as ruthless and relentlessly competitive; in such an almost larger-than-life character, there is room for countless facets. And it is these facets that Barclay seeks to explore and explain.

Leaving no stone unturned, Barclay has spoken with everyone who knows Ferguson best; former players, fellow managers, friends and foes. The result is 'Football - Bloody Hell!', the definitive, objective account of this fascinating man. ... Read more

Product Description

Things couldn't be going better for Troy White. The Atlanta Falcons' football genius is at the top of his game, helping the team get to the playoffs. Agents and lawyers are knocking on his door with big-money offers for the upcoming season. And his own football team has just won the Georgia State Championship! Troy's celebrating with his friends at linebacker Seth Halloway's mansion when another lawyer comes knocking—and he says, "I think I'm your father."

Customer Reviews (2)

Green's writing style of colorful metaphors and spot-on gridiron descriptions pulls readers into the heart of the game
Football is a game of calculated risk. Each team enters the field of play with a plan and a goal: to win within the boundaries of acceptable risk. Who monitors the boundaries and decides what the acceptable risk is? Twelve-year-old football phenom Troy White has found himself in the middle of the field of his life, and though he is used to taking some risk as a junior champion quarterback, he may not be prepared for this.

Everything seems in place for Troy to succeed in his dreams to have the money for college (preferably a good football college where NFL scouts will see him), win the backyard brawl between junior all-star teams from Georgia and Florida, and someday buy his mother a nice house and a car. She deserves everything in Troy's eyes because she's the only parent he's ever known. He has all but decided he will never know who his father is when Drew Edinger shows up at the door.

At the end of Tim Green's last Football Genius novel, FOOTBALL CHAMP, Drew rings the doorbell and tells Troy, "I think I'm your father," sending all of the boy's dreams in a tailspin with a new direction. His mom had drummed into his head that his father abandoned them both and that he didn't care, but now he is standing beside an orange Porsche in cowboy boots and wearing a slim gold watch. He's a lawyer from Chicago with big money clients, like mega-bucks rapper "G Money." Everyone but Troy is suspicious of Drew's sudden appearance after 12 years of silence. He claims he didn't know he had a son until Troy's amazing football prediction abilities were featured on "Larry King Live." Now he wants to get to know his kid and negotiate a big-time contract for Troy that will set him up for life as a rich young man. But is that really all he wants?

Green has fashioned a gut-wrenching situation for a 12-year-old who has spent years wishing his dad would be there to meet him after games, take him fishing, and catch footballs for him instead of having to throw them through an old tire hanging from a Georgia pine tree. Troy is elated his father is part of his life, but his mother knows better. She gets some information about her ex-boyfriend that seriously threatens everything. Dirty deals, money laundering and the FBI suddenly are part of Troy's life, but he has a chance to do something good in spite of all the dirt he unwittingly landed in by hanging out with his dad. The FBI offers a deal that requires Troy to take a big risk, but it could keep his father out of a boatload of trouble. That's all anyone has to say, and Troy is on board. After all, it's for his dad.

THE BIG TIME is a football-tough kind of story with a dangerous moment in the middle that readers won't see coming. Green's writing style of colorful metaphors and spot-on gridiron descriptions pulls readers into the heart of the game and the heart of a young boy who wants his dad to be there no matter what the risk.

--- Reviewed by Joy Held

A boy and his father
Troy's single parent mom is terrific; she's the PR person for the Atlanta Falcons, loving and supportive. But Troy, who's a football genius helping the Falcons to win their games while playing for his own school team, longs to see his missing father. His longing is a force to be reckoned with when dad suddenly shows up and mom fears the consequences of Troy falling under his spell. A charismatic lawyer, Troy's father, Drew, promises to show him the big time, playing on all of Troy's yearning for success and fame. Played out against the backdrop of great football action with the thriller elements Tim Green delivers so powerfully, THE BIG TIME is also a vivid picture of one boy's struggle to come to know the man who left before he was born. ... Read more

Product Description
How to Play, Enjoy and Win your Fantasy Football League Every Year! A handy, concise and informative source book. Expertly organized and full of hard facts, helpful tips and valuable strategies. This guidebook is for the novice or the expert who wants to learn more about how to play and win fantasy football. It is your single source for every strategy, tip, rule or league variation available. It is the best book of its kind. Includes: - The history and administration of Fantasy Football - Types of leagues, scoring systems and drafts - How to rank players - Draft day tips, theories and advanced strategies - Roster Management skills (trades, add/drops, start/bench decisions) - Auction, Keeper and IDP leagues - Interview with Lenny Pappano (co-founder World Championship of Fantasy Football and draftsharks.com) - Psychology of Fantasy Football - Injuries - And much more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Not a book for beginners!
Look, the author seems to really know his stuff, and from what I've scanned it looks like he's put it all in a pretty cogent format.But, and I suppose this is my fault, I bought this book because I wanted to *start* playing fantasy football.While the guide is, as it says, quite comprehensive, even for an experienced student like myself (I hold a doctorate) the sheer amount of detailed material squished in from cover to cover put me off even starting to read it.Maybe, someday, when I am an experienced fantasy football fanatic, I may want to read something this in depth.But I'm just looking to get started here, and Mr. Hendricks has written a textbook, not a fun guidebook.I'm going to return it and get Fantasy Football for Dummies, instead.I'm no dummy, but I can always count on the "For Dummies" format to make learning a new subject fun.If you want to know everything there is to know about fantasy football, this guide's for you. If you're just trying to grasp the basics you need to get started, I'd go for something a bit lighter.No offense, Mr. Hendricks -- I did keep your Fantasy Football Tips!Fantasy Football For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies))

The perfect Fantasy Football book.
For years I have been looking for a "Comprehensive" book on fantasy football. This 400 page book has it all. It has a great layout starting with the basics, history and progression of the hobby and then it dives into the types of leagues and drafts. After that the meat of the book is about strategies and tips of what to do and not to do in drafts and managing your team week in and week out. The last few chapters cover injuries, refererence materials and drum roll.......an entire chapter on rules that other leagues use. That alone is a great reference for anyone in a FF league that is getting boring.

It is a well thought out and well written book that wastes no space with silly drawings or blank pages. It is jam packed with tons of stuff. I have a few other FF books but most are TOO basic with lots of empty space or ads for websites. This one is by far the best!

I only wish there was an index so that I could reference the topics more easily when I go back to it from time to time.

I bought the hardback for $24 and a quarter (amazon sell 10% off) and it is great, but another buddy of mine got the paperback for $17.95 (again 10% off) and it seems pretty neat so I might go with the paperback next time when I get it for a friend for Christmas or his Birthday. I guess it depends on what they like either HB or PB.

Probably the best fantasy football book yet written
I ordered this and his F.F. 2009 Almanac at the same time.The Almanac came first.That's about all that can said in its favour.So I was more than a little suprised at the quality of this book.It's comprehensive, well-organized, professionally laid out, reads very easily, and in multiple aspects has advice that is a level beyond the titles that will come up in the "People Who Bought This Book Also Bought..." windows.

Let's face it, the fantasy football canon doesn't need another "it's a good idea to wait until late to pick your kicker" kind of book.This one covers the bases of types of leagues, types of scoring systems, and so forth in a couple of chapters, and then gets on to the main entree.

His chapter on ranking players tells some hard truths and gives the reader a solid foundation for doing (or not doing) his or her own research.The rest of the book deals thoroughly with the strategy and tactics involved in being in a league, from the draft through to trades, choosing your lineup, and other areas, in greater detail than is offered in any other source.

Really, the only other book that has anything useful beyond what's here is Zarzycki's "Drafting to Win".Zarzycki has a couple of good ideas in his book, as well as a whole lot of terrible ones, and it has to be recognized that he has the most highly evolved understanding of how strategies have to be fluid during the course of the draft.But Hendricks has summarized Zarzycki's positive contributions in a few pages, which is probably as much as any fantasy football player needs to see.

All in all, a great book, and a stunningly good bargain at $19.95.

How to win at Fantasy Football
Here's a staggering number: 30,000,000 - that's how many users worldwide are estimated to have played fantasy football this year. So you can be forgiven if you didn't win your league, unless, of course, you were an owner in half a dozen leagues or more, in which case you have no excuse for not winning at least one.

The popularity of online fantasy sports continues to grow, especially for football.

And with that popularity the number of competitive leagues offering huge prizes is soaring as well - which explains why so many of us now watch the NFL with one eye on the big screen, one eye on the computer monitor, and one hand on the mouse, repeatedly clicking the refresh button even though our real-time stats load automatically.

Here's another staggering number: $150,000,000 - that's the estimated cost of Tom Brady's season-ending injury to owners playing for a share of $500,000,000 in fantasy prizes (Darren Rovell, cited in an article on nfl.fanhouse.com).

With that much on the line, fantasy owners need all the help they can get - especially owners who failed in their primary mission this season: winning.

So here is what you need to do now that the fantasy season is over, buy this book: Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football, by Sam Hendricks.

And the emphasis here should really be on comprehensive - because that is exactly what the author provides, a complete and careful examination of fantasy football from its historical roots to drafting best-practices to dealing with Brady-like injuries to the psychology of the game.

Yes, that's right - the psychology of fantasy football.

And don't think for a moment that the psychology of fantasy football isn't a relevant topic - not when there are 30,000,000 owners worldwide.

In terms of qualifications, Sam Hendricks is a legendary figure in fantasy football, having won virtually everything there is to win over the past two decades. Hendricks frequently is invited to speak about fantasy football, offering seminars to people eager to learn firsthand time-tested strategies for winning on the virtual playing field, and he also participates yearly in the World Championship of Fantasy Football.

Hendricks says that playing fantasy football will make you a better NFL fan. I totally agree. And something else, too - using this guidebook that Hendricks created will make you a better fantasy football player.

Great Book For Any and All FF Owners, Regardless of Experience!
This is a super book.Sam's simplified tiering system makes ranking players easy for the beginner or the veteran.There are techniques for getting the best team on draft day and tips to guide you through the entire season.An added bonus are the detailed descriptions on the types of leagues that are out there and how all the scoring systems work.Get and read this book and you can be a champion in any league!

JK ... Read more

Product Description
From the leather helmet era to the media circus of college football today, Travers presents a carefully researched examination of college football and its role in our society. Photographs complement the text, providing a deep sense of how the sport has evolved, details our obsession with identifying winners, and uses examples of popular culture-- the top 8 football movies of all time--to accent the influence this sport has on our culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Best gift I've ever given
I gave this to my husband for Christmas and he loves it!
He carries it around with him and tell people about it all the time. I haven't read it, but if you know someone that enjoys football,then I think they will definately enjoy this. ... Read more