Book Description
Every weekend from August through January, 25 million Americans plop into their Lay-Z-Boys, crack open a beer, and watch football on television. At last, here is an illustrated book that celebrates their pastime and codifies their culture of extreme devotion like no other. The Armchair Quarterback Playbook is both hilarious and authentic, and is designed like a real football playbook complete with modified X and O diagrams. Everything a stay-at-home fan needs to know is here: how to redirect an interfering spouse ("The Listen and Respond Fake"), methods for keeping children at bay ("Intentional Grounding), equipment and etiquette tips, game food recipes, armchair quarterback vernacular, and more. Written by a certified "AQ," this is the perfect book for the football fanatic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

HYSTERICAL!! And remarkably educational
Not just a light humor book. It's actually very insightful. Very well-organized, with tips throughout on things like fantasy picks and best of all, dealing with significant others. (Including a hysterical section on how to massage while watching the game.) For such a small book, it's packed with useful info...recipes, sports references, resources. Unbelievable. I highly recommend getting it while the football season is still in its nascient stages. Has already made my season that much more enjoyable.

Calling all football fans...
Great book!Very funny and full of good tips.We made the "towel-roll" chicken wings-- my buds were impressed.If you like watching football on TV then you should read this book.

CLEVER and ENTERTAINING
The more I read, the more I laughed. However, as I continued to read, I suddenly realized how valuable this information is to me and every other football junkie out there!!!

A must-have for any football fan. Incredibly clever and extremely entertaining. Well done! ... Read more

Book Description

Every autumn American football fans pack large college stadiums or crowd around grassy fields to root for their favorite teams. Most are unaware that this most popular American sport was created by the teams that now make up the Ivy League. From the day Princeton played the first intercollegiate game in 1869, these major schools of the northeast--Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale--shaped football as we now know it. Almost every facet of the game still bears their imprint: they created the All-America team, produced the first coaches, devised the basic rules, invented many of the strategies, developed much of the equipment, and even named the positions. Both the Heisman and Outland trophies are named for Ivy League players.

Crowds of 80,000 no longer attend Ivy League games as they did seventy years ago, and Ivy teams are not the powerhouses they once were, but at times they can still be a step ahead of the rest of football, as in 1973 when Brown and Penn started the first black quarterbacks to face each other in major college history.

In this rich history, Bernstein shows that much of the culture that surrounds American football, both good and bad, has its roots in the Ivy League. The college fight song is an Ivy League creation (Yale's was written by Cole Porter), as are the marching bands that play them. With their long winning streaks and impressive victories, Ivy teams started a national obsession with football in the first decades of the twentieth century that remains alive today. But football was almost abolished early on because of violence in Ivy games, and it took President Theodore Roosevelt to mediate disagreements about rough play in order for football to remain a college sport. Gambling and ticket scalping were as commonplace then as now, as well as payoffs and recruiting abuses, fueled by the tremendous amount of money generated by the games, revenue that was oftentimes greater than that collected by the rest of the university. But the Ivy teams confronted those abuses, and in so doing helped develop our ideals about the role of athletics in college life. Although Ivy League football and its ancient rivalries have disappeared from big-time sports by their own accord, their legacy remains with every snap of the ball.

Customer Reviews (5)

Great Subject...Poor Execution
While there are many who feel it's not football if its not played indoors and for millions of dollars, I am inclined toprefer college football, particulary the Ivy League. The history of college football is the history of the Ivy League schools, and it is a riveting and fascinating history. Too bad that this book is so poorly written that it hard to find. It has its moments when you get lost in the history you're reading, but then you're awoken sharply by a mistake - no, not a factual mistake (although it has some of those) but simply a gramatical mistake, or a spelling mistake, or a word where it shouldn't be, or a word missing. Normally I wouldn't care, but the frequency with which I was annoyed by these mistakes was too much to overcome. The material is good, but the author and publisher bring it down.

Potentially Great history Ruined by Sloppy Editing
This could well have been not only the definitive history of the Ivy League, but also one of the seminal works on the subject of football. The history of football by necessity goes through the Ivy League and the intrigues among Princeton, Harvard and Yale were to affect the college game for years and decades to come.

The Ivies have always been an enigma, an asterisk on the history of college football. Once boasting the most dominant teams in the country, the Ivies haven't boasted a national champion since Cornell in 1939. Finally, they were demoted by the NCAA to its Division I-AA in the late 70s. There would be no more national glory, and football became just another thing to do in the autumn, instead of being an obsession, which it is at Division 1-A colleges.

Bernstein does an excellent job of narrating the history of the Ivies. Every school is included, and there are loads of anecdotal sidelights that will delight the reader. The book is also thoroughly researched and is marked by a lively style not often found in university press publications.

Then why do I say that this could have been the definitive history of the Ivy League? One word: editing. One would naturally take for granted that a book from a university press would be well-edited, and a book from a press of the University of Pennsylvania being such should be a no-brainer. But the book is spoiled by numerous errors, errors that could have been caught by an editor's sharp eye. Other reviewers have pointed out some of the more outrageous errors as pertains to football, but I give you the most egregious of all:

"In many ways, the teens were a decade of Ivy prominence. Both presidential elections were all-Ivy affairs: Theodore Roosevelt defeated Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft in 1912, and Wilson beat Charles Evans Hughes in 1916." (p. 95)

HOW'S THAT AGAIN? ROOSEVELT DEFEATED WILSON IN 1912?? This will come as some news to American Historians. Obviously, history is not a core curriculum course of the University of Pennsylvania these days. I don't blame the author (though he should know better, being a graduate of Princeton), I blame the editors. They're the ones who are supposed to catch these mistakes. I admit that a mistake concerning football history can slip by, but this is a basic fact of American history that slipped right past. Shame on the editors.

Nonetheless, I do recommend the book for its strengths and its well-written narrative and lively style. Perhaps the mistakes can be corrected for the paperback edition.

Interesting, but needs a thorough editing; too many mistakes
Mark F. Bernstein's history of Ivy League football is generally interesting, though it doesn't offer a lot of new material.The bibliography is fascinating.Most problematic however, is the proliferation of mistakes, sometimes self-corrected later.A good editor should have caught these.Consider the following:

1) On page 199, Mr. Bernstein implies that Princeton, Dartmouth, Columbia, and Cornell dropped Pennsylvania from their schedules in 1951 and 1952.In fact, Pennsylvania played all of these teams in both of those seasons and the author even refers to the 1951 Princeton-Penn contest on page 209.

2) On page 257, the author writes that "(Penn coach Jerry) Berndt continued to win, claiming a share of still another Ivy title in 1988, with Cornell....".However, this is not correct as Berndt left Pennsylvania after the 1985 season, which the author correctly indicates on page 258.

3) On page 242, and again on page 280, Penn receiving legend Don Clune, is referred to as Don McClune.

4) There is no mention of Frank Riepl's miracle kickoff return for Pennsylvania against Notre Dame in 1955, Coach Ron Rogerson of Princeton's untimely death in 1986, Brown is continually called the "Bears" when their nickname was the "Bruins" until recently, and I swear, somewhere in the book Bob Blackman is called Bob Blackmun.

All in all, it's a good book with a decent balance of coverage of each of the eight teams, though Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and Penn get by far the most attention.The beginning takes a bit to get through as well and of course, please check the facts, ma'am.

A Great Read About the Ivy League and Football
Even though I have not yet finished reading this excellent book on football and the Ivy League, I already have enough tidbits to keep up a lively conversation at holiday cocktail parties. Before the end of the first chapter, I found out that there really is no Ivy League. And who could resist dropping on their friends from Cornell the fact that one of their college presidents refused to let "thirty men travel 400 miles to agitate a bag of wind". The tales are intriguing, and Bernstein's writing is engaging. If you have an Ivy League graduate or any other football fan on your gift list, this would be a great choice.

"Meticulous" & terrific stories as the Wall St. Journal said
Mark Bernstein's terrific new book shows that the Ivy League invented and struggled with the same problems, and the same glories that permeate college football today.
His is a story of the game: the players, coaches, fans, institutions, that shaped everything about football from its rules to the way it is televised.
He shows how football's founding fathers had the same arguments, debates, and trash-talking disputes that coaches have today.
Anyone who thinks cheating or hooliganism or sportsmanship or glory are any different now than they ever have been, should read this wonderful and entertaining account.

From a Princeton football star who died a Fitzgerald-esque figure and mercenary soldier of fortune, to a princeton football star who then attended 450-some straight Princeton games, the people who skirmished are here. From the rules changes that ended almost a decade of 0-0 ties (in some years, teams would win a few games, tie the rest and win the title) to the rules changes that allowed the forward pass, to the rules changes that knocked the Ivies out of major college football, it is all here.

Beautifully worded, with glistening anecdotes and a sweeping overview, football's pageant it is all here.

And it is wonderful. ... Read more

Book Description

Many legendary men have been associated with University of Texas football, but for most fans one man will always be "Coach"—Darrell K Royal. One of the most successful coaches in college football, Royal led the Longhorns to three national championships and eleven Southwest Conference titles during his twenty years (1956-1976) as UT's head coach. He coached some of the Horns' best players, including future Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell, and was named NCAA Coach of the Year three times. In 1969, an ABC-TV poll of sportswriters called Royal the Coach of the Decade. In 1996 UT recognized his unrivalled contribution to Longhorn football when it designated Memorial Stadium the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in his honor.

Now, for the first time, Darrell Royal tells his life story in his own words. He remembers growing up poor in Hollis, Oklahoma, during the Great Depression, and describes playing college football for the University of Oklahoma and then coaching a succession of college teams and one pro team before settling in at UT for the rest of his career. He gives a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at Longhorn football during his time-recruiting strategies, coaching techniques, the famous wishbone offense, unforgettable wins and losses, and his impressions of rival teams and coaches, including Bear Bryant of Texas A&M and Alabama and Frank Broyles of Arkansas.

Proving that he's still the same straight shooter as always, Darrell Royal even discusses some of the controversies he's dealt with, including early charges of racism in the UT football program, the impact of Title IX on college athletics, his association with Jim Bob Moffett and the Freeport-MacMoRan Corporation, his longtime friendship with Willie Nelson, and his decision to retire from coaching. But whether he's describing the tough times he's faced professionally and personally or the rewards of being UT's most beloved coach and goodwill ambassador, Royal maintains the same plainspoken honesty and sense of honor that—as much as the winning seasons—have made him a legend to so many people.

Book Description
Most youth coaches are former players and fans. There's a huge difference, as you're about to discover, between playing football, watching football, and coaching football. As a coach, there are things you need to know, and things you need to do, long before you ever step on the field. By reading this book, you'll learn. .The history of football from the Roman harpastum to the modern day H-back..The best three and worst three written materials available for coaching this sport. .The best four video picks for general football coaching. .How to organize your time and break down film efficiently, starting with getting game film you can use. .How to deal with parents and keep them out of your hair and off your practice field while still keeping their support and respect..How to select and prepare a staff to help you. Who to pick, why to avoid certain people, and how to organize them into an effective coaching team..How to prepare for practice - putting together skill sets and getting your assistant coaches to teach them..How to divide your program into manageable chunks that follow a logical teaching progression for your players..What equipment to seek out to help you stay efficient on the practice field..How to select drills that efficiently reinforce the skills you need, and avoid the biggest time wasters in football. Also includes a comprehensive practice plan for your first twenty days of practice. Build your team from the bottom up; from the coaches' introduction to the day you win your first game of the season. Additionally contains six appendices with information on everything from drills to use at practice, to injury recognition and treatment.With a foreword by Steve "Dipper" Popovich, creator of the Delphi Double Wing Coaches' Forum! Praise for Volume One of Impact!. Derek Wade is one of the rare men that can effectively communicate to the neophyte or experienced coach the "how-to"s of successful youth coaching. He is a coa ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great Book for a Youth Football Head Coach
I don't know Derek Wade personally, but several years ago I first "met" him through an Amazon book review.I was so impressed with his review that I did a search on his name and found out that he had a web site.At the time I was not coaching, but I was closely following my older son's progress in Youth football.I was trying to fill in the holes in my son's skill set, that his coaches were not able to cover because of their restrictions of practice time and ability to spend one on one time with the players.I soon realized I had good tactical knowledge of the skills required for individual football positions, but hardly any strategic knowledge of a football team from a coaches view.Derek's website http://www.fbforyouth.com/ contained tons of the knowledge he had gathered and shifted through on his similar quest for a strategic knowledge.His writing style was written in "Conversational" manner, where the emphasis is on communicating ideas in an understandable manner, as if having a conversation with an acquaintance, as opposed to trying to sound like an expert.

Chapter 1 History:This really filled in a lot of the holes in my knowledge.In other writings (or in my son's Madden Football) I would read references to offensive systems or defenses systems and I could only guess about them (ie. West Coast offense, 4-3 defense, etc.).Coach Wade explains these system with just enough detail and history to understand them from a 10,000 foot view.I couldn't put the book down while reading this.Then Coach Wade goes into a 5,000 foot view on the rules of football.This is an easy read as the entire section is labeled with bold headings so a person can skip what they don't want to read, and not worry about missing something they want to read.

Chapters 2 & 3 Video & book Reviews:There are a lot of coaching videos on the market.They are expensive.Most of them seem to be "Garage Projects".I agonize when I am trying to find the right video to fit my present need because it will cost a person tens of dollars to find out what you bought is not what you wanted.There needs to be more video & book reviews from trusted sources, so I was thankful for Coach Wade's insight. Coach Wade also has a few more book reviews on his web site.

Chapter 4 Film Study: Coach Wade makes it clear this is time intensive, but has big payback.I have been doing this for several years and I very much agree. As a dad, I would film a close up of the line where my son was, then slow it down to about 0.4 speed.That is VERY entertaining to watch as it emphasizes the hand to hand combat of the front line and has been VERY helpful to my son.Lots of good lessons learned in this section.Coaches should measure their resources and allocate them to film study accordingly.

Chapter 5 Dealing with Parents:Good philosophy and "lessons learned" in this chapter.

Chapter 6 Selecting Staff: Good philosophy and "lessons learned" in this chapter.

Chapter 7 Practice Preparation: Good philosophy and "lessons learned" in this chapter.

Chapter 8 Practice Plan: This chapter is the biggest in the book.Coach Wade takes a person through weeks of individual practices.I had to keep in mind that Coach Wade talks from his present coaching assignment at the Jr. high level, but I felt there was lots of good philosophy and lessons learned to help me at the K-4th level.I just finished coaching K-2 graders, all first time players, and my team would not have been able to progress as fast as the outline, but my older son's 5-6th grade team would have been able too.I will be coaching 3-4 graders and I plan on incorporating a lot of Coach Wade's practice philosophy here.I am presently rewriting my future practice plan accordingly.

Appendix 1 Misc Drills: Having this many drills laid out by subject area, with diagrams, and field tested is really really nice.

Appendix 2 Practice Plan: This is what I am referencing while I rewrite my future practice plan.

Appendix 3 Helpful Charts: If you are a visual person like I am, having things laid out in forms and organized into relationships is very helpful, but it takes time and a good form evolves from its initial concept to its working state.This section allows a person to skip the evolution stage and get right to the working stage.

Appendix 4 Letter to Parents: Interesting.

Appendix 5 The Black Lion Award: Interesting.

Appendix 6 Concussions: Very helpful.I plan on taking this seriously.

Appendix 7 Football Terms: Very helpful and interesting to read.

Index: Even this shows that some time was put into it.

Right to the point
I've been coaching youth football for several years.Many coaches have styles and techniques - some good, many bad.

This book gets right to the point and offers an all around complete coaching program.

Great book for the New Head Coach!
Impact is a great book for the new or old Head Coach and assistants. The book gives a head coach everything they need to start off the season on the right foot with parents, assistant coaches and kids.The detailed practice plans were exactly what I had been looking for.The offensive examples describe in the book are the double wing, with which Coach Wade has had a lot of success.This book is not an offensive or defensive play book and it was not the intent of the author to be one.You will have to get this in his other future books or from other sources.Coach Wade does point to a lot of great resources where these can be found and to ones that should be avoided. If you're new to coaching youth football and searching for the right plan or if you have a team but you need a better system, this is the book for you!!

Great Book
This book by far was the best football coaching related book i've read by far. Coach Wade was very informing and intoned to what new coaches need to be successful.

Great for a Rookie Coach
If you are a rookie Coach (like me), and don't want to look like one this is a great book. It is very informative and gives you a step by step plan on how to organize your team. Includes Practice plans, Scheduals..everything you need.I am only halfway through the book and what I have read so far is worth more than I paid for the book.Highly Recomended...Thanks Coach Wade, for the great book.

-Rookie Coach Case ... Read more

Book Description
Every offensive playbook gives you Xs and Os that look good on paper. Football's Best Offensive Playbook goes the extra yard, providing precisely illustrated plays that are proven point-producers in games.

Each of the 100 running, passing, and special plays comes with a clear, accurate diagram and coaching pointers that highlight key player positions and responsibilities. Many coaches list alternate formations, and most of the plays can be adapted to any offensive system. A convenient Play Finder index lists plays by type of run, pass, and formation. And since the book features contributions from coaches at the high school, college, and pro ranks, you'll find plays that work at all levels.

Strengthen your playlist with help from many of the game's most successful coaches—with Football's Best Offensive Playbook. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good intro book
I bought this book expecting to get a football playbook.Well, I got some football plays, but not a full playbook. If you're new to football then this book would be for you.I got what I was looking for in www.totalplaybook.com .They offer a pretty solid offensive and defensive playbook.If you are a rookie then get this book, but for us veterans the www.totalplaybook.com or equivalant is more our speed...

Outstanding Guide to Great Plays
Dee Hawkes does a great service to all coaches with this compilation of the best offensive plays in current use.He also provides a handy "play finder" section for quick reference.

Plays are broken down by type (off-tackle, options, quick passes, etc.), and by formation (predominantly I formation, but with a healthy mix of single back/spread, Wing-T, veer and even wishbone).Hawkes also makes it easy to locate plays by each coach who submitted them.

And what a group of coaches -- the greatest offensive minds in college and high school football for the last 20 years are represented here.Cross-referencing plays among coaches reveals insights into the differences a seemingly minor blocking variation can make in the success or failure of a play.

Highly recommended.

This is NOT a playbook!
This book is a collected work of the most successful football plays from a variety of systems. If you purchase this book, as I did, looking for a PLAYBOOK you will be sorely disapointed.

The individual plays are well diagrammed and explained, as well as the philosophy behind their use, but there is no consistency within the book. You could not, for example, take this document to your football practice and install the plays with your high school team and expect to have a successful offense.

Rather, if you are running an offense SIMILAR to the offense of one of the coaches who contributed to the book, then you may find ONE OR TWO plays that you can add to your existing system. This is a far cry from being a "playbook" as the title claims.

I do not recommend this book for any coach below the high school level, or for parents wishing to learn the sport better. You will only be confused.

Hey coach, you need this book!
This book is a great investment for any coach.It has diagrams of the most successful plays by the most successful coaches in the profession.Not only does the book diagram the plays, but it also provides in-depth information about each play.There are plays from almost all offensive formations, such as the I formation, Wing T, Split Backs, Wishbone, and Single Back.I would recomend this book to any football coach that is interested in expanding their offensive knowledge.

Awesome offensive playbook!
If you are looking for a comprehensive playbook this is it! It lists playssubmitted from some of the best and well respected High School, College andProfessional coaches in the nation. Not only does it diagram the X's andO's but also give detailed position by position responsibilities for eachplay against various defenses! Even if you don't implement these plays intoyour own offense, it is a fantastic reference book. ... Read more

Amazon.com
So you can't tell a T-formation from a kicking tee? Not to worry. Former MVP quarterback Joe Theismann explains even the most complex aspects of a complex game in a conversational style with plenty of easily understandable illustrations and diagrams in this entertaining addition to the ever useful Idiot's Guide. Beginning with the lure and lore of the sport, he moves quickly downfield to the elementary rules and basic fundamentals of play before going deep into the technical aspects of the strategies behind nickel packages, zone blitzes, and special teams. After years in the announcer's booth, Theismann is quite savvy about the media and its role in the game, which he expounds on with obvious delight. He tackles the business aspects of the NFL with the same acumen he used to read defenses.Book Description

You're no idiot, of course. But when it comes to keeping up with the plays in a football game, you're not sure who's talking more of a beating--you or the players. Don't hang up your jersey yet!The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Football Like a Pro helps you build your football knowledge to make you a savvy, more satisfied spectator.Feel confident about your next pro game and sharing your newfound insights at the water cooler.In this Complete Idiot's Guide you get:

Customer Reviews (7)

Complete guide to exellent
Joe Theismann a former Q.B for Notre Dame and Washington Redskins and now a espn commentator knows everything about football. He uses his skills in football and writes about it. He talks about everything from what a touchdown is to five parts of coverage. This book is exellent for idiots all the way to heisman.

Complete idiots guide to excellent
This a great book for every one from begginer to heisman. Joe Theismann a former Q.B for Notre Dame and the Washington Redskins and now an e.s.p.n. commentator knows everthing about football. He explains everything from what is a touchdown to five parts of coverage.

Save your money on this one: PASS IT UP !
Duh, He talks to you like you've had a concussion.

This book seems OK atfirst, but after reading through the first few pages I discover howimmature Thiessman's writing is. Half the time he either talks to you likea three-year-old or like your an NFL Play Coordinator.

It does explainsome misconceptions but for the most part is either insultingly stupid orflatulently complicated.

"YARDLINES: These are the long white linesrunning accross the field with numbers on them.

>>>>Thankyou, Sherlock Holmes.

"ENCROACHMENT: This penalty is defined when amember of the offensive line enters the neutralzone."

>>>>What the hell is the neutral zone? There isno previous explanation.

"To execute this play have the quarterbacksnap the ball watching for a blitz, and looking for an open wide recieverin the red zone, but prepare himself for a rush." >>>>Huh?Can I get this in English?

Excellent book for beginners
Even though I've been watching football (on TV and in person) for a couple of decades, I knew there was a lot I didn't understand. Never having playedthe game above the playground level, I never really learned the roles ofdifferent positions, and didn't understand the depth of planning that goesinto designing an offense and defense.

Theisman and his co-writer BrianTracy certainly know both the big picture and the intimate details offootball.They've also found a clear writing style and organization withwhich to make their presentation.From the very basic rules of the game tomore complex dissertations on players' roles, play construction andcoaching strategies, the authors provide concise, useful information.Theisman's asides about players and game history provide good context andwill enhance your appreciation of games that you watch.

Football expertsmay not glean much from this book, but even those who've played (or play)the game may find it useful to read up on other positions and areas.Thosewho are new to the game or just passing fans will find this to be veryeducational.

A must for all Novice and All-Madden Football lovers
I found this book funny and entertaining.There are idiot proof diagrams and easy to understand concepts.Joe Theisman teaches you lots of things in this book.I loved it and I'm sure you would love this book too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Coaching Football Technical and Tactical Skills
Great for anyone who wants to get in to coaching at any level.This book does a great job of keeping to basic fundamentals. ... Read more

Book Description

A PAPERBACK ORIGINAL

Features the expertise of one of the nation's top-ranking college football coaches

Author Paul Pasqualoni, head coach at Syracuse University, is renowned for the hands-on style he developed over years of coaching football at all levels. Like all Baffled Parent's Guides, Coaching Youth Football takes an upbeat, inspirational approach to coaching, with an emphasis on creating a positive, supportive environment. Pasqualoni offers the fundamentals of motivating, controlling, and encouraging a disparate group of children of varying skills and dispositions. Readers learn the secrets of coaching football, including how to determine a child's position, how to teach blocking and tackling safely, and how to calm a player's­­and parent's­­fear of being hurt.

Customer Reviews (6)

Good beginning tool.
Well written.Easy to understand.Good remainder for coaches who forget who they are coaching for and why they are coaching youth football.
Good reading for any coach just starting or who have just a couple of years under their belt

Slow start, but builds speed
For a coach, the first 3 chapters were not needed. The rest of the book provided great insight and help with the game.

Very Helpfull for the Beginner
This is my first year coaching and I found my knowledge of the game,and conditioning and prep drills lacking.This book may be too simple for those that have played the game a lot and are more than arm-chair quarterbacks.
I found the breakdown of practice sessions helpful because they stressed the different areas of the game but kept the pace moving to help keep the kids from getting bored.
This does not contain a playbook and if you are looking for this you might be disappointed.

Mostly Explains Football, Not How To Coach
This is an okay book, but the first half of this already thin ( about 120 pages 10"x7") book is just about something most guys who watch or have played football will already know.How wide is the field?How long is it?What's an even versus an odd defense?And so on.

The second half is very dilute, which is the real meat of coaching football.If you are an absolute novice, then buy this book.If you can get it free somewhere or very inexpensive, then it's worth a quick glance, but it is not a book you go back to over and over after the first reading, in my opinion.

Good luck to you coaches ...and remember the priority:
1. Children Safety
2. Build character
3. Win football games within spirit and letter of rules

Best book for Rookie Coaches.Very useful for veterans.
I've been coaching now for a couple of seasons and ran across this book.I decided to buy it, and a few others to add to my library.I feel like as a coach you can never learn too much, and this one seemed interesting.

I bought 4 books that day, but read this one first.I should have read it last because it made the other 3 look and sound retarded.Worst yet, it made me look stupid for buying them.The information provided in this book was absolutely great and very instructive.It really starts you off from the absolute basics of coaching, which can come across as a little condescending if you know anything about football.But quickly takes off into a world of information, some which you probably already knew but forgot over time.

It literally takes you by the hand and walks you through the process of getting through an entire season, from the first practice, how to handle parents, through team meetings, right into the seasons games.I highly recommend any coach that is working with youth teams (Jr. High and below) to take a look at this gem and get as much as they can from it. ... Read more

Book Description

Captain Robert McGovern epitomizes all that is right and good in America. One of nine children growing up in a New Jersey family, he made local headlines as a high school football phenom before becoming a star linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New England Patriots. When his illustrious NFL career was over, he earned a law degree from Fordham University and went to work for the New York City district attorney's office. From that vantage point he witnessed close-up the fall of the Twin Towers on that world-altering morning in September 2001—an event that inspired him to leave public life and join the U.S. Army to better serve the country he loves.

Customer Reviews (14)

Robert P. McGovern: Striving to Be the Best that He Can Be
Captain Robert P. McGovern had to work extraordinarily hard to survive roughly four seasons in the NFL.He was no more than a marginal player and had to constantly worry about being cut.It is safe to say, that McGovern was the last one picked and the first one released. He truly became the best that he could possibly be.His strong work ethic served him well as a both a prosecutor and U.S. Army officer.

The leftist establishment slanders our soldiers as usually some sort of social reject or even psychotic.Capt. McGovern is living proof that this is utterly false.His story is well worth reading.You may wish to provide a copy to the younger people in your family.It should motivate them to also aspire to greatness.Those like myself who never served in the military have a particular obligation to thank McGovern for his self-sacrifice and dedication on behalf of our country.May God bless him.

a moron for the ages
This simpleton of a jerk-off & his ilk are EXACTLY what is wrong with my country. I cannot f+cking wait to leave this country & never return. Enjoy your fascism.

Autobiography and Apologetic
Several reviews I have read have come down hard on the author for his stand on the war in Iraq.But this is his autobiography, the story of his life, and his opinion of the war is just one part of it.It is a well-written account of his childhood, his family, his education and his aspirations, and continues into his adulthood to the present time.He lets us know how he was trained by his parents to be unselfish and give back to the community some form of service, and this was undoubtedly the motivation for joining the Army Reserve, and eventually finding himself on active duty in Iraq.

A good part of his story comes before that.He was competing with his older brothers in athletics, trying to be as good as they had been in high school football, and then in college football. He received an athletic scholarship from Holy Cross, an enormous accomplishment in his eyes, and he was grateful for the opportunity.And then came pro football, four years of it on three different teams.He was pretty good at it, but not outstanding.He simply was not big enough (hefty, bulky) to be a great linebacker.He was thankful for this chance to make the big league, but took the advice of one of his coaches to give it up.From there he decided to study law and with his law degree took a job as an Assistant DA in New York City.Then came 9/11, to which he was an eyewitness.In his role as a US Army Reserve officer he volunteered to help.Immediately following, he applied for active duty, leaving his job as assistant DA, and became a prosecutor for the Judge Advocate General Corps, and then deployed to Afghanistan and later to Iraq.His experiences there were extraordinary because he was involved in the trial of Hasan Akbar, the US Army Sergeant who killed two Army officers and wounded a number of others when he threw hand grenades into the tents of the soldiers.

This is a well-written account of the life of a man who became a soldier in the US Army.Why would anyone find it strange that he has strong opinions in favor of the war in Iraq ?It is his contention that we are there as part of the war on terrorism.The patriotic feeling that he had on 9/11 was something that almost all of us shared at that time.For him it continued; for many of us it disappeared.

Should we still be in Iraq?That is a matter for debate, which has been ongoing for some time now. Captain McGovern feels that we are making a difference, and that is why we are still there.

This book is certainly worth reading, if only to gain some insight from a different perspective.

RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "YOU AND I ARE THE "ALL-AMERICAN'S" THAT CAPTAIN McGOVERN IS TALKING ABOUT!"
The life story of Captain Robert McGovern, is almost "Forrest Gump" like. Rob is one of nine Irish Catholic children, born to Howard and Terry McGovern in New Jersey. Though born in New Jersey, if I were to describe his morals, character, and upbringing, I would describe it in the highest of terms, that most Americans would consider as "mid-western". One of the many, emotionally uplifting themes in this book, is the absolute, enduring, love, and respect, that Rob, constantly proclaims for his parents. He was raised from the beginning, to have high goals, and his older brothers got football scholarships to Holy Cross, as Rob also did later on, but with less fanfare. Just as importantly, he and his siblings were raised to "service" the community. To give something back, and Rob continued this process in college at Holy Cross and while in the National Football League, with outreach programs. When Rob graduated college, no one gave him a chance of making it in the NFL. But he was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, as an undersized, underdog, linebacker, and special team's player. He lasted a few years with numerous teams, making the most of his non-star ability. The way he accomplished this, is with dogged, determination and dedication. To quote Rob: "Being the best at what you do has to be more important to you than partying or chasing girls or hanging out with your buddies. It has to be worth sacrificing the comforts and pleasures of an undirected life and replacing them with long hours of sweat and tears. In football, it also helps to be one tough character." At the end of Rob's short NFL career, he attended law school, and upon graduation, became an assistant D.A. in Manhattan. In keeping with his personal goal, of giving service to his community/country, he also joined the Army Reserves.

Then, on the forever-fateful day, of September 11, 2001, Rob was on the way to work in Manhattan, when he saw the smoke, and the planes, at the World Trade Center. He couldn't get to work, so he went home and put on the TV, and heard an announcement, that military men were needed at "ground-zero" to help look for bodies. Even though he was in the reserves, he donned his uniform, and went to "ground-zero", and helped recover the remains of victims for days. Rob, happened to be there, when President Bush arrived, and shook the Commander In Chief's hand, and was so moved, he decided he wanted to go on active duty and help America fight back. Because Rob was 38 years old, they wouldn't let him go on active duty. He persisted in every way possible, and was finally accepted as a Judge Advocate General. (JAG) He proceeded to go to Afghanistan and Iraq and assisted in "Rules Of Engagement" (ROE) enforcement. From there, he went in to criminal prosecution. He wound up on the successful prosecution team, that convicted Sergeant Hasan Akbar, probably the worst, United States Military criminal, in the last 30-40 years. To refresh your memory, Akbar, was the traitor, who the night before, we were going to launch Operation Iraqi Freedom, attacked his comrades, with grenades and small-arms fire. He wounded more than a dozen troops. Two were dead.

There is much more, to the life story, of a man who loves his country, loves his family, loves God, and has dedicated his life to enforcing freedom throughout the world, but let me conclude my review, by having Rob tell you why he named his book "All American". "You might wonder about the use of "All-American" in the title. First of all, let me say off the bat that I'm not talking about myself here. What is an "All-American" anyway? I've met some real "All-Americans- quiet, unassuming, heroic people who inspire students, protect us from crime, and defend our values. They are "All-American" in every sense of the phrase. I chose this title in part to pay tribute to these "All-American", I've been lucky enough to meet and work with through the years. I also chose it to pay special tribute to the men and women of our armed forces, especially those in the 82nd Airborne Division. That famous unit happens to be called the All-American Division."

Extraordinary
An extraordinary account of one good man standing tall for the best of American values. ... Read more

Product Description
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Football is the most comprehensive and up-to-date football-specific training guide in the world today. It contains descriptions and photographs of over 80 of the most effective weight training, flexibility, and abdominal exercises used by athletes worldwide. This book features year-round football-specific weight-training programs guaranteed to improve your performance and get you results.

No other Football book to date has been so well designed, so easy to use, and so committed to weight training. This book will have players of all positions and skill levels increasing strength, agility, and power dramatically resulting in more touchdowns, crisper and harder tackles, and the flat-out domination of opponents all over the field.

Both beginners and advanced athletes and weight trainers can follow this book and utilize its programs. From recreational to professional, thousands of athletes all over the world are already benefiting from this book and its techniques, and now you can too!

As an added bonus, this book also contains links to free record keeping charts which normally sell separately for $20. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

New Edition of this Book
I'm a multi sport athlete who trains all year round regardless of what sport I play. I bought a few of these Ultimate Guide to Weight Training books, and they definitely helped me train specifically for the different sports that I play. Then about a year later I received an email from amazon that there was a new edition out.These upgraded editions are even better than the originals, with more articles and a lot more sport-specific information. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who plays a lot of sports or wants to specifically focus on training for one sport in particular.

This book is helpful for football players
I work for a high school and got books for all our coaches for fitness training.Our football team already had a training schedule, but we picked up a few tips from this book anyways.Every little bit helps when you are trying to prepare for battle on the field.This book did the job.

Excellent football-specific Weight Training Guide
This book is EXCELLENT if you are looking for a tailored football-specific weight training program.Very simple, very helpful, VERY informative.Hey, if it worked for the LSU team (NCAA champs this year) then it's good enough for the kids on my high school football team! ... Read more

Book Description
Make the most of your practice time with the Football Drill Book! Doug Mallory, the defensive backs coach for the University of Maryland, has compiled a collection of drills that will help players in all positions develop and polish their abilities. This book includes chapters with selected drills for the following positions:

• Wide receivers
• Running backs
• Quarterbacks
• Offensive linemen
• Tight ends
• Defensive linemen
• Linebackers
• Centers
• Defensive backs

Customer Reviews (6)

good book
A very good book. Could use some more illustrations and it would be a 5 star book. Still highly recommended.

Good drills, light on pictures/graphics
The list of drills are comprehensive, meets the needs of every position, and are well organized. The graphics are poor, and there are no support pictures. If this book is updated with better graphics, I would highly recommend.

Good comprehensive book.
I liked this book very much. For anybody that wants a solid knowledge of how to coach any position, this book is a must have. I found the drills to be very well drawn and easy to understand. I would definitely recommend this book.

Must have for ALL coaches
This drill book is one of the best out there!
A must have for ALL coaches at any level.
It covers all the fundamentals and more.
Great for first coaches or review for experienced!
All positions covered.Worth re-reading over and over.

Not Much to Talk About
It is hard to review something you paid for yet never received. I am sure the book will be very useful if I ever receive it.I oredered it on May 9th and today is June 25th.Thank educational_book_brokers for being so prompt in sending me the book I wanted, ordered, paid for, and never received.Also thank you not responding to the two previous e-mails.Yes sir, I now have a great testimony about buying books on the web. ... Read more

Book Description
Football in Action scores a touchdown for one of North America's biggest sports. Children will learn about the positions on the football field, rules, proper equipment, and the importance of safety. ... Read more

Book 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

Book Description
Learning about the game of football has never been more fun. My Football Book is a shaped board book that shows kids the basics of the game, explains the role of each player, and identifies what spectators see on the field. Full-color photos of NFL pros show all the action. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

GREAT INTRO TO FOOTBALL POSITIONS
I bought this book for my four-year-old nephew and it is perfect for his age. The book goes through each position (quarterback, wide receiver, etc.) and what that position's function is, and has neat little facts in captions to complement each section. Great big pictures and easy reading for adults (not too long!) and will be perfect once a child can read on his/her own. The info provided is also not too technical...just gives a basic explanation of each position. Its pages are designed so it's like a "board" book with the heavier cardboard...it will withstand many many readings. If you're looking for an easy-to-read intro book to football and its positions, this is a great book. If you're looking for something more in-depth (like detailed rules, etc.), you might want to find something else. ... Read more

Book Description
This book provides unprecedented access to the intriguing and sometimes Byzantine world of NCAA Division I football recruiting. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Fathers and sons
A prominent coach was once asked why it was that he thought black athletes were so dominant at the higher levels of professional sports.He replied that in his experience, black sportsmen were better because they trained harder and acted in a more professional manner.Furthermore, he suggested, the reason why he preferred to work with black athletes was that typically, they were involved in sports for a reason; to gain money and fame."Most of the white athletes aren't", he added "For the most part, they seem to me to be in sports because they're trying to sort out issues with their fathers".

Food for thought.

Not as good as advertised, very average!!!
The description on the cover reads like this is a big-time football star and is wanted by several very major college football teams.Truth is that he was a very good player in Illinios, but not a Blue Chipper that is sought by all of the major college football teams.

If you consider "Big-Time" college football as Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Northwestern then you won't be disappointed.There are mentions of a few big college football schools, but nothing serious.There are some very good academic schools that are interested instead cause the kid is smart.

You can tell this father cares about his step-son and his step son is a bright person willing to put in the time it takes to be a good athlete.There's also a few mentions of the Olive Garden throughout the book if you're hungry.

If you're looking for a recruiting story that involves under the table cash, cars, girls and all of the other stuff you hear about, this is NOT the book for you!!!If you just want to read about the average college recruiting experience, this is your book. I was disappointed!!!The ending also was not very good, but it's how it happened.

Quick read!
I, too, enjoyed this book.I was less putoff by the author than other reviewers although I can certainly understand some of their points.Still, he's a father looking out for his son and, well, I guess I could understand the lengths he went to help and protect his son during the recruiting process.By the end I was really pulling for the kid to do well and I was anxious to read his decision.You really can't ask for more from a Sunday afternoon read.I had wished for a different ending but, hey, it's not my life!

Dynamite Book
Recruiting confidential is just a great book.It operates at two levels.It is a dynamite sports story, and at a deeper level, a terrific family drama.I really liked the HONESTY and SENSITIVITY with which James' dad writes the story.He explains how he was adopted and how "blood" means nothing to him as far as being a dad is concerned.If you read between the lines you can tell that something horrific happened with James' father and that the bond James has with his dad is now as important to him as it is to the author.

The inside football stuff is just first-rate.Instead of the same old "rip city" treatments of big-time recruiting, you see it from the inside.You ride in the car with James and his dad, you go to the schools, and meet the coaches.You experience the highs and the lows as they happen.Best of all, you can't put it down, because you want to know how it will end.

Get this one, it's a treat.

Good book.
Good story about how a kid gets recruited to play college football.The recapping of his high school games gets tedious though. Either buy it or go to the library because it is worth reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Great
I read this book the day before homecoming so i would be able to follow along at the game, and it was such a big help! Filled with not only the basic rules and guidelines, but also smaller interesting facts that helped shape football into the sport it is today. It was a great, quick read.

Terrible writing, bad editing.Not worth your time or money.
This book is full of typos, grammatical errors and factual errors.I love football and was deeply hurt to see the subject treated with such disrespect.The woman who wrote this is absolutely talentless.Trust me, it's painful to read.Don't bother with it.

Decent book...but isn't for chicks who know nothing about football...
I bought this for my wife, who knows shopping, shoes, and Us magazine...and nothing about football whatsoever. We expected this to be a guide to football for someone like her (given the title). But it assumes some basic knowledge of the game and it does not go to the trouble of defining terms before they are used. It is very dense if you don't already know football.

This book seems reasonably well-written, but it is definitely not for women who know nothing about football.

More info than I really want to know
Since the football season started my husband can't tear himself away from it. When he's not watching the games, he is looking at stats, reorganizing his fantasy team, and going to football "support groups" - as I call them. I decided I'll impress him a bit. I picked up this book at my local bookstore. Compared to other similar titles on the market, this book proved to be superior. It has a lot more information: extensive lingo vocabulary, history, rules, team descriptions, stats, trivia, and a lot more. It even has a few game-day recipies. Its size was also a winner with me, it fits nicely in my purse.
If you are like me and would like to get to know football, buy and read this book. ... Read more

Book Description
Multiple formation and motion offenses of the modern footballera present many defensive challenges. Football's Eagle & StackDefenses will prepare teams and individual players to not only defendbut also attack and dominate whatever offensive tactics an opponent mightemploy.

Author Ron Vanderlinden has been coach and architect of several of the mostformidable defensive teams in the past 20 seasons. From the University ofColorado's national champions in 1990 to Northwestern's Big Tentitle-winning team in 1995 to the revitalized, high-pursuit Penn Stateattack, Vanderlinden's well-drilled defensive players and units haveenjoyed tremendous success.

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

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Stanford, the T-formation and the Rose Bowl
As a football-mad kid growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area in the early 1950s, Frankie Albert, Norm Standlee and Bruno Banducci were heroes on the earliest 49ers teams. Unknown to this kid was the fact they had been teammates before, on the Stanford team that won the Rose Bowl in 1940. Their story, and the part they played with their new coach, the innovative Clark Shaughnessy, in introducing (more properly re-introducing) the T-formation offense to college football is artfully told by James W. Johns