Football (American) Books - Page 2

How Football Explains America

Sal Paolantonio

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 By: Triumph Books (IL) Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $15.56

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Answering the most important questions about America's biggest game... 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

It's easy to answer any number of questions about America's (real) national pasttime: What is it about the game that so captivates people every Sunday? Why do 100 million people watch the Super Bowl each year? How did the game get so...big? But Sal Paolantonio ups the ante by searching for -- and finding -- the answer to the most meaningful and revealing question of all: Why America is the only place in history football could be. "How Football Explains America" is at once a history of our game and a reflection on our country. It's a book born out a love for the sport that millions and millions of Americans have shared. But at its heart it's a patriotic work -- a glimpse at how football has become a perfect expression of the best the United States of America has to offer.

Editorial Review:

This fascinating volume takes readers on a journey through the cultural history of American football - from its earliest post-Civil War roots to the high-flying acrobatics of the modern game - and explains why the game evolved, and how its evolution was often a mirror on American society and culture.Drawing on meticulous research, and interviews with some of the game's most prominent voices, "How Football Explains America" looks at everything from why the sport hasn't caught on around the world, to why it is one of the most violent, and from why it is the only sport to feature a 'huddle', to the impact of Old World immigrants on the shape of the game.

Football For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies))

Howie Long, John Czarnecki

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 52 new & used starting at $10.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 42 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Football for Dummies by Howie Long scores big! 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I used to think I knew almost everything there is to know about football. I was wrong. This book provided many interesting tidbits and insights into a game I love. What is there not to like? Football for Dummies is written by Howie Long, a much-respected NFL great, who takes the time to explain all of the nuances of the greatest sport in American history. It is a "dummies" book, but that is what makes it so great. You can skip the chapters you know already or do not care to read. This book is for everyone, from the significant other who wants to understand why they are a football widow, to the novice learning to play, to someone who thinks they know everything about the game (but really does not).

Even it you know everything this book will teach you something. From the stance of an Offensive Lineman to why they call it a "dime package" to how to play fantasy football; this book explains it all. I highly recommend this book into your football library.

Sam Hendricks, author of Fantasy Football Guidebook: Your Comprehensive Guide to Playing Fantasy Football

Editorial Review:

The ultimate fan's guide to America's most popular sport

Since the last edition of Football For Dummies, new stadiums have been built, new stars have ascended, and records have been broken. This new edition has been revised to reflect today's game, giving football fans up-to-the-minute information on all the rules and regulations, positions, plays, and penalties. Featuring coverage of the newest stadium technologies, revised greatest players and legends, and pro-football must-do experiences, it also includes expert advice on training and gearing up for those who play the game. Fans will discover the best ways to enjoy football-at home or at the stadium.

Eli Manning: The Making of a Quarterback

Ralph Vacchiano

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Skyhorse Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $14.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

New York Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano examines the quarterback position in the NFL from all angles, using Giants quarterback (and Super Bowl XLII MVP) Eli Manning as his primary focus.

When Eli Manning found teammate Plaxico Burress in the end zone with just 35 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLII, he completed what was perhaps the greatest game-winning drive and unlikely upset in Super Bowl history. But the drive, which also included a remarkable escape and pass completion to unheralded receiver David Tyree, was the culmination of years of promise and development. Champion quarterbacks aren't made overnight.

With Manning, the Super Bowl MVP, as its focal point, New York Daily News Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano's Eli Manning: The Making of a Quarterback is a fascinating insider's look at the National Football League, how stars are made and crushed, and how fortunes are won and lost on the performance of one man: the quarterback. From the bold draft day trade that brought Manning to New York, through his dramatic ups and downs on and off the field, his first training camp to his last-minute heroics in Super Bowl XLII, Vacchiano takes a candid and revealing look at the people and events that made Manning's and his 2007 Giants' success one of the greatest stories in modern sports history. Complete with exclusive interviews with NFL stars, coaches, and executives and a foreword by former Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, Vacchiano uses his unfettered access to the world champion Giants to present a true, behind-the scenes look at the quarterback and team that defied all of the experts and oddsmakers to pull off one of the most phenomenal upsets in pro football history. 25 b/w photographs.

Season of Life: A Football Star, a Boy, a Journey to Manhood

Jeffrey Marx

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon & Schuster Amazon Marketplace: 112 new & used starting at $0.25

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 77 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Joe Ehrmann, a former NFL football star and volunteer coach for the Gilman high school football team, teaches his players the keys to successful defense: penetrate, pursue, punish, love. Love? A former captain of the Baltimore Colts and now an ordained minister, Ehrmann is serious about the game of football but even more serious about the purpose of life. Season of Life is his inspirational story as told by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jeffrey Marx, who was a ballboy for the Colts when he first met Ehrmann.

Ehrmann now devotes his life to teaching young men a whole new meaning of masculinity. He teaches the boys at Gilman the precepts of his Building Men for Others program: Being a man means emphasizing relationships and having a cause bigger than yourself. It means accepting responsibility and leading courageously. It means that empathy, integrity, and living a life of service to others are more important than points on a scoreboard.

Decades after he first met Ehrmann, Jeffrey Marx renewed their friendship and watched his childhood hero putting his principles into action. While chronicling a season with the Gilman Greyhounds, Marx witnessed the most extraordinary sports program he'd ever seen, where players say "I love you" to each other and coaches profess their love for their players. Off the field Marx sat with Ehrmann and absorbed life lessons that led him to reexamine his own unresolved relationship with his father.

Season of Life is a book about what it means to be a man of substance and impact. It is a moving story that will resonate with athletes, coaches, parents -- anyone struggling to make the right choices in life.

Urban's Way: Urban Meyer, the Florida Gators, and His Plan to Win

Buddy Martin

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Thomas Dunne Books Amazon Marketplace: 35 new & used starting at $11.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

“Members of the ‘Gator Nation’ are going to burn the midnight oil turning these pages because Buddy Martin will be boldly taking them where no Florida fan has gone before.”
---Tony Barnhart, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/CBS

To write the Urban Meyer story, Buddy Martin enjoyed a vantage point rarely afforded authors in constructing the authorized biography of the University of Florida’s high-profile coach. Martin takes the reader where no other journalist has gone before as he reports the most intimate details about one of the nation’s top college football programs and its coach.

During the show-and-tell story of the 2007 Gator season, Martin listened on the headsets in the coaching booth, monitored Meyer’s locker room speeches, conducted in-depth interviews with assistant coaches and support personnel, ran on Florida Field with the team prior to the Gators game against Tennessee, and gave Tim Tebow his first Heisman Trophy quiz while having dinner together just weeks before he was named as the winner.

Urban’s Way, however, is much more than a look at the 2007 season. Martin dug deep into Meyer’s background, from his growing-up days in Ashtabula, Ohio, under the strict guidance of his father; to his tumultuous days as a young assistant when he almost quit the profession; to the dynamics of his close relationship with mentors Earle Bruce and Lou Holtz; to the ultimate prize as coach of the 2006 national champion Florida Gators. Readers learn how Meyer was encouraged by his father and his wife, Shelley, to keep going; how his career took off at Notre Dame and then as a head coach at Bowling Green and Utah; how the Falcons came together after their historic “Black Wednesday”; and the impressive manner in which he championed diversity among players in Salt Lake City. Florida fans will be surprised to discover how close Meyer came to choosing the Notre Dame job over the one in Gainesville, despite his yearnings as a small boy to someday coach the Fighting Irish. Through his intense research---and talks with Urban himself---Buddy Martin provides an amazingly detailed look into how a football coach is made.

This is not simply the authorized biography of one of college football’s top coaches; Buddy Martin also gives fans the inside scoop on the 2006 National Championship. In the chapter “The Joy of Winning It All,” players and coaches share their stories of that championship season that produced the middle leg of the “Gator Slam,” leading to the good life on the so-called Cul de Sac of Champions, which Urban shares with Gators basketball coach Billy Donovan.

It is rare that fans get inside the head of a top coach, but here full disclosure is offered about Urban’s personal faith, his Plan to Win, and the inner workings of the Spread offense. Readers are also treated to Meyer’s own breakdown of the national championship tape, including his Six Key Plays of the game.

Buddy Martin shines a bright light on Urban Meyer, the Florida Gators, and one of the top programs in the country. This is a must-have for Florida Gator football fans and one of the most insightful books ever written on college football.

The NFL Gameday Cookbook

Ray "DR. BBQ" Lampe

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Extra Point BBQ Rub - the best! 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I made the extra point barbecue rub and it was delicious. I've used it on ribs and pork chops, it's been great on both! My other favorite was the Midfield BBQ Sauce, it's made with V-8 juice (I use the spicy hot), yum-yum.

The menus are geared toward the names of the teams. For example, the food suggested for an Arizona Cardinals game is suited for the southwest cuisine. So all food suggested is grilled avocados, catfish tacos, loaded cornbread casserole, etc.

The food suggested for a Chicago Bears game is Italian Sausage Soup, Tofu eggless egg salad sandwiches and lettuce wedge salad. There are also other suggested appetizers, desserts, entrees, etc.

The menu suggested for a Minnesota Vikings game is baked brie with chutney and bacon, BBQ shrimp toast, and grilled tuna sandwiches and chipotle. Certainly not your typical tail gate food.

The Cincinnati Bengals page talked all about the Cincinnati chili that Cincy is famous for...but then didn't provide a recipe for it. A true gameday party would have "3 way's" available.

The mac and cheese soup was awesome. We just loved it.

There are limited pictures, 16 or so in the center of the book so you don't get much guidance for presentation or what the finished dish should look like. The pages are thick and glossy so book would make a great gift. I agree with the other reviewer that if you can get the original game day family cookbook, it's got more recipes that 80's tailgaters would be more familiar with. These are good just for a new generation.

I tried the BBQ fruit rub but couldn't get anyone to eat it. I don't know if the proportions are correct in the cookbook but it was way too much nutmeg for our tastes so the kids just preferred the plain fruit. Perhaps I made it wrong or our tastes were not prepared for the nutmeg.

There are also menus (appetizer, entrees and desserts) with all recipes provided for Draft Day, Opening Day, Super Bowl, and Pro Bowl. There are also drink recipes provided. It's truly a complete gameday cookbook.

Overall a good cookbook and a great gift. But don't expect the tried and true tailgate recipes you'd expect, get the NFL family cookbook for that. Then add this cookbook for the more modern recipes with a flair.

If you want checklists and other tailgating tips check out the website www.tailgating.com it's a great website.

Editorial Review:

The fans are roaring, the pigskin is flying, and only one thing is missing . . .grub. Acclaimed author Ray "Dr. BBQ" Lampe has created this cookbook specifically for NFL fans, with delicious recipes easy enough for the novice chef and also designed to travel to the game. Although most recipes center around the tailgater's sacred grill, the cookbook also includes sections on sandwiches, side dishes, desserts, and refreshing drinks. With photos of memorable NFL moments and 150 delicious recipes, like Bloody Mary Chicken Wings and Whiskey-Marinated Rib-eye Steaks, this game day cookbook ensures that the chef will be the star of this year's Super Bowl party.

Sports Illustrated: The Football Book

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Football Book for the non-diehard fan 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book for my 17-yr old who is a visual thinker, not a strong reader, but I loved it too! There are some amazing photos in the book and lots of history of the game and some players. I got a strong sense of the traditions of the game and the excitement for the sport. I am a stronger football fan because of it! I also recommend the rest of this 'series' by Sports Illustrated, The Baseball Book and The Basketball Book.

Editorial Review:

On the heels of the successful Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary Book comes a spectacular celebration of professional football that will be treasured by fans of America+s Game. With the same kind of unforgettable photographs and award-winning writing that made the SI+s 50th Anniversary Book a best-seller, this lavish coffee-table volume brings to life the bone-rattling action of NFL football and the extraordinary athletes who have made it America+s true national pastime. In 256 oversized pages, The Football Book commemorates the dynasties and the dominating players, the crucial plays and classic games, the personalities and performances that propelled the NFL during SI+s first 50 years of publication, from a marginal, ragtag league to the biggest game in town.

Deal Breaker (Unabridged)

Harlan Coben

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Total reviews: 99 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Yet Another Adventure of Bulletproof Clowns 2 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

All the hallmarks of H.Coben are here: the plot is simply superb, the delivery is annoying but this time without extremes, the clowns are still bulletproof.

Editorial Review:

Sports agent Myron Bolitar is poised on the edge of the big time. So is Christian Steele, a rookie quarterback and Myron's prized client. But when Christian gets a phone call from a former girlfriend, a woman who everyone, including the police, believes is dead, the deal starts to go sour. Trying to unravel the truth about a family's tragedy, a woman's secret, and a man's lies, Myron is up against the dark side of his business—where image and talent make you rich, but the truth can get you killed.

In novels that crackle with wit and suspense, Edgar Award winner Harlan Coben has created one of the most fascinating and complex heroes in suspense fiction—Myron Bolitar—a hotheaded, tenderhearted sports agent who grows more and more engaging and unpredictable with each page-turning appearance.


From the Paperback edition.

Mind Gym : An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence

Gary Mack, David Casstevens

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best one for athletes! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I have read several books on the mental game in sports and this is by far the best. I work with collegiate and professional athletes and recommend this so often that Gary Mack should send me a commission!!!

not what i expected 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

a solid read, but i was expecting a book that got more into the intricacies of sports psychology, but this book seems to focus more on your thinking off the court then on it.

Well-written and entertaining 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If you want to read an inspiring book on the power of the mind in sports, then this book is for you. It is not too packed with information, but it underlines many of the important points in mental coaching. Great stories and examples make it an uplifting read. The only thing missing was a step-by-step instruction guide to mind management - practice makes perfect.

Editorial Review:

Drawing on his work with some of the top teams in professional sports, noted sport psychology consultant Gary Mack shares with you the same techniques and exercises he uses to help elite athletes build mental "muscle." These 40 accessible lessons and inspirational anecdotes will help you gain the "head edge" over the competition.

Bloody Confused!: A Clueless American Sportswriter Seeks Solace in English Soccer

Chuck Culpepper

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Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Chuck Culpepper was a veteran sports journalist edging toward burnout . . . then he went to London and discovered the high-octane, fanatical (and bloody confusing!) world of English soccer.

After covering the American sports scene for fifteen years, Chuck Culpepper suffered from a profound case of Common Sportswriter Malaise. He was fed up with self-righteous proclamations, steroid scandals, and the deluge of in-your-face PR that saturated the NFL, the NBA, and MLB. Then in 2006, he moved to London and discovered a new and baffling world—the renowned Premiership soccer league. Culpepper pledged his loyalty to Portsmouth, a gutsy, small-market team at the bottom of the standings. As he puts it, “It was like childhood, with beer.”

Writing in the vein of perennial bestsellers such as Fever Pitch and Among the Thugs, Chuck Culpepper brings penetrating insight to the vibrant landscape of English soccer—visiting such storied franchises as Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool . . . and an equally celebrated assortment of pubs. Bloody Confused! will put a smile on the face of any sports fan who has ever questioned what makes us love sports in the first place.