Book Description
He began with no athletic ability. His pass-catching skills were so bad that he was told he couldn’t catch a cold if he were butt-naked. He fell flat on his facemask during a six-minute jog. He was tormented by referees, subjected to rookie initiation pranks, called Rudy by fans and intimidated by a 250-pound ex-NFL player.

Welcome to Jeff Foley’s adventure in the Arena Football League. A five-foot-six, 180-pound writer, Foley is every bit the average individual. But the AFL’s Albany Firebirds agreed to let him join their squad as an offensive specialist/writer in 1999 and 2000. So, despite never having played a down of organized football – no Pop Warner, high school or college gridiron experience – Foley played in three professional contests, running pass patterns against seasoned athletes, competing in front of more than 10,000 people. He lived every fan’s dream. Or nightmare?

He endured grueling practice sessions, hits, injuries and road trips, and attended team meetings and meals. He was a part of locker room conversations. He was overjoyed by the thrill of success, and dealt with the disappointment that accompanies failure. Foley experienced all life in the AFL has to offer. And lived to write about it.

Customer Reviews (18)

A vulgar attempt to glorify the Ar.FL, which I have loved and reported on since 1987...
Jeff Foley talked a good bit and
I remember him introing the book
on the Ar.FL halftime of a TNN
game (talking to the alltime
hottest Football woman, Jill
Arrington, son of ex-Phlliy back-
up QB, Rick. Bring back Jill!).
I was shocked at the vulgar language
in Foley's book! This is not suitable
for kids to read, in my opinion. It's
good to see a book out there on the
greatest sports ever invented in the
history of the universe (Thank you
Jim Foster, Ray Jauch, Mouse Davis!),
but he could have cleaned it up! And
that team is no longer around! Could
have been a contender!

I was there.
Totally amazing book. My Wife & I were season ticket holders from day one of the Milwaukee Mustangs (3rd row at the 5 yard line) and we were in attendance at both games.

Very entertaining book from beginning to end. Must read for any Arena Football fan.

The Day I bought the book I was telling my wife about George Plimton. Open the book and chapter one is titled "Plimpton would be proud".

Jeff and I are the exact same size 5'6" - 180 and there is no way I would have put myself in his shoes.

Thanks for the memories, and great job.

Jacques from Kenosha

A new perspective
People often wonder what it would be like to live life over again - what they might change if they knew what they know now.I used to think that maybe I could have been more of an athlete and maybe a football player...but this book made me happy to be where I am, which is in the stands, where I belong.This book provides you a fabulous firsthand look at the life of a football player from inside the locker room and on the field.It's sometimes humorous, sometimes serious, but very entertaining the whole way through.

Even though it's the Arena League and not the NFL, it's no less of an accomplishment to make it to this level of competition.This really hits home when Jeff describes one player who quit the Firebirds training camp saying that he had no idea that guys in this league were as good as they were.

The opportunity for a writer to join a team in this manner to get this perspective and this story may never happen again, so if you ever thought you'd like another shot at life to become one of those guys you see on television, read this book...then join me in the stands.

Living every football fan's dream
A book every true football fan should read.Author Jeff Foley is allowed to spend the preseason as a member of the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League, not as a reporter hiding in the shadows but as a true professional football player.That's the rule, he is to be treated just as any other player on the team.As a rookie he receives his share of hazing but also earns the respect and support of his team mates because Jeff proves his courage, heart and his unwillingness to quit.From pregame preparation talks to post game meetings, Jeff Foley shows that there really is a special man behind each and every face mask.The reader learns that even though the players come from different backgrounds and may even be compeating for the same roster spot, a team is a unique type of family.Locker room antics, childhood memories, daily practice sessions and the games are interlaced into a "can't put it down" story.

Behind the scenes on the playing field in arena football
I was very excited to read "War on the Floor" when I heard about it.I am a big Firebird's fan, and even though I didn't know about the team when they were in Albany, there are still some players that are on the Indiana team, and they by far are the best group of guys you'll ever meet!
Jeff tells about what it was like in the everyday routine of getting up early and having to be on a cold, rainy field to practice for the team.When he first arrived at training camp, the guys weren't sure if he was for real about playing and writing about the team.As days went by, Jeff became one of the guys, and he was determined to stick with the practices and "gassers", (and you'll just have to find out what I mean by this by reading the book)!Jeff endured the pain and the joy of being on an arena football team and tells what it is like and the determination to not quit when you start something!It talks about how the team members encouraged Jeff to not quit and to keep on!
Even if you are not a Firebirds fan, I think you will enjoy the book for its sincerity, laughs and plain downright competition.
As you will see, once a Firebird, always a Firebird!!I am waiting for the 2nd Edition of the "Tales of Achmel"!Happy reading! ... Read more

Book Description
The only trading card guide dedicated exclusively to the game of indoor and arena football. The most up-to-date and accurate source for collectors. Photos, descriptions and current market values for more than 5,000 cards dating back to 1992.Now includes: College and Player Cross References BM Publishing The Leading Source For Indoor And Arena Football Trading Cards ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from San Diego Business Journal, published by CBJ, L.P. on April 8, 2002. The length of the article is 759 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Riptide ready to make a splash in the Sports Arena. (Sports Biz).(Gil Saidy owns arena football team)(Brief Article)
Author: Mike Allen
Publication: San Diego Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 8, 2002
Publisher: CBJ, L.P.
Volume: 23Issue: 14Page: 5(1)

Article Type: Brief Article

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Arena Magazine, published by Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd. on December 1, 1998. The length of the article is 1201 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Australia's boutique stadiums threaten to remove the middle class as patrons of the game. The stadiums are built with little or no standing room, with all seats reserved and priced in correlation to position primacy. Fans fear that these stadiums will cater solely to the corporate and government elite, intensifying class tensions.

Citation Details
Title: THE RISE OF BOUTIQUE FOOTY.(football)
Author: Kevin Thompson
Publication: Arena Magazine (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 1998
Publisher: Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd.
Page: 21(1)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Indiana Business Magazine, published by Curtis Magazine Group, Inc. on April 1, 2002. The length of the article is 528 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Indiana Firebirds.(arena football team achieves success at Conseco Fieldhouse)(Brief Article)
Author: Stacy Cole
Publication: Indiana Business Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 1, 2002
Publisher: Curtis Magazine Group, Inc.
Volume: 46Issue: 4Page: 55(1)

Article Type: Brief Article

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Business North Carolina, published by Business North Carolina on January 1, 1993. The length of the article is 501 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Now this football star is all the Rage. (Roman Gabriel's management of arena football team Charlotte Rage)
Publication: Business North Carolina (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 1993
Publisher: Business North Carolina
Volume: v13Issue: n1Page: p57(2)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Arena Magazine, published by Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd. on April 1, 2004. The length of the article is 2347 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: It's more than a business: commerce, culture and clubs in the Australian Football League.
Author: Ann Capling
Publication: Arena Magazine (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2004
Publisher: Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd.
Issue: 70Page: 47(3)

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Arena Magazine, published by Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd. on August 1, 1999. The length of the article is 1740 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Australian Rules football needs to confront its involvement with race discrimination. Sports needs to use ethical standards and football must have rules that regulates violent physical or verbal conduct through sanctions.

Citation Details
Title: SKIN TAUNTS.(race discrimination in Australian Rules football)
Author: Russell Wright
Publication: Arena Magazine (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 1999
Publisher: Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd.
Page: 18

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Hawaii Business, published by Hawaii Business Publishing Co. on July 1, 2002. The length of the article is 706 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Getting on the ball: in an arena where other sports franchises have failed, the Hawaiian Islanders push forward with a new kind of game plan. (Industry Focus: Sports and Fitness).(arena football)
Author: Ronna Bolante
Publication: Hawaii Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2002
Publisher: Hawaii Business Publishing Co.
Volume: 48Issue: 1Page: 33(1)

Article Type: Interview

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by The Register Guard on April 8, 2005. The length of the article is 1037 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Ex-Ducks grow with indoor league.(Sports)(Tony Graziani and Saul Patu play key roles for their Arena League teams)
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: April 8, 2005
Publisher: The Register Guard
Page: D1

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2007. The length of the article is 435 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Differences between fan characteristics of American hockey league and Arena2 Football league.(SPORT MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION)
Author: Kimberly L. Bogle
Publication: Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 78Issue: 1Page: A-106(2)

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Product Description
This is a complete guide to the football stadiums of the 114 colleges and universities that are in the NCAA Division I-A. Information for each stadium includes the year it opened, its current seating capacity, its special features, the dates, descriptions, costs and financing of any renovation or addition, and its playing field surface. Related information includes the team mascot, nickname, colors, fight song, and year of the school's first intercollegiate football game. The names and tenure of all athletic directors and head coaches since the stadium opened are provided as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Pure Pulp
Another review for this book contends that you can "marvel at the pictures for hours."Absolutely correct.You can marvel at how poor the picture quality is.You can marvel at the terrible grade of paper used.Mostly, you can marvel at the fact that someone actually deemed this worth publishing.

Complete waste of time and money
First, let me clarify my passion for college football: I visit the websites of other teams just to learn their gameday traditions, I follow the stories and histories that make every Saturday game a 'big game,' -heck, I play college video games to "virtually" visit the 117 stadiums that are out there.So when I bought a book calling itself "An Illustrated Guide" to college stadiums, I expect to read a little more than technical data and some very mediocre B&W photos.This book seems slapped together with information that any halfway intellegent fan could look up on the internet (with color photos no less).Adding an extra layer of insult, the book, although published in 2000, still has stadium pictures that are more than several years out of date (i.e. stadiums built pre-1998 are still shown in their "model" phase).

College Football Fan and Fanatics: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT waste your money on this book.Just look up the info on a search engine, you'll get way more information in a much nicer package (or you could buy the latest college football video game and see them all in virtual form).Anyway would be better than this book.

Complete waste of time and money
First, let me clarify my passion for college football: I visit the websites of other teams just to learn their gameday traditions, I follow the stories and histories that make every Saturday game a 'big game,' -heck, I play college video games to "virtually" visit the 117 stadiums that are out there.So when I bought a book calling itself "An Illustrated Guide" to college stadiums, I expect to read a little more than technical data and some very mediocre B&W photos.This book seems slapped together with information that any halfway intellegent fan could look up on the internet (with color photos no less).Adding an extra layer of insult, the book, although published in 2000, still has stadium pictures that are more than several years out of date (i.e. stadiums built pre-1998 are still shown in their "model" phase).

College Football Fan and Fanatics: Do not, I repeat, DO NOT waste your money on this book.Just look up the info on a search engine, you'll get way more information in a much nicer package (or you could buy the latest college football video game and see them all in virtual form).Anyway would be better than this book.

an insightful college football stadium book
This book is an information packed encyclopedia for anyone who is interested in architecture and stadiums, or for anyone who just likes college football. 110 stadiums in lively colorful pictures and surrounded with facts such as capacity, dates, the team, the mascot, information about stadium renovations, and little unique facts that people don't ususlly realize. A great book. Extremely detailed. You can sit and just marvel at the pictures for hours. This is a book not to pass by. There are not many about college stadiums, and this one is the best you will find. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Mr Brian Wolters is right! Support the grassroots; Af2 is very good!
I get the Fact and Record books every year
being a part of the Sports Media. I have
covered the Ar.FL since it's inception &
have corresponded and met both The Commish
C. Dave Baker and Mr. Jim Foster, Jr. The
Fact and Record Books of the Ar.FL, the CFL
and of Af2 are invaluable resources for the
stats, et, al that we reporters need to keep
the players, owners, Media folkes and every-
body else straight. The NFL has NOTHING on
the Ar.FL-Af2 / or the CFL! Long Live Arena-
ball!

A Must Have for Arena Football Fans
I am a huge fan of the Arena Football League 2. I think it is one of the best professional sports leagues in the US. It brings the excitement of big time football to smaller and now, larger markets at a low cost to fans and owners.

This book reviews the inaugural season of the exciting Arena Football League 2. Highlights of the season include the perfect season by the Quad City Steamwheelers and the high scoring games of the Arkansas Twisters.

The book also has really in-depth stats of the players, cities and the arenas themselves. Many of the players in this league from the 2000 season went on to play in the AF1.

The book lacks excitement in that it is pretty much stats and info about the teams. There are very few pictures or "fun" articles.

Overall, this should be a collector's item, since it is about the 1st season of AF2 which is now going into its 4th season. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on February 14, 2007. The length of the article is 698 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Leagues call halt to hostilities; Looks like Blue will get Warner, Dinwiddie back from AFL.(Sports)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 14, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: c5

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Book Description
This digital document is an article from Arena Magazine, published by Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd. on August 1, 2004. The length of the article is 573 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Dobbing in an atmosphere bludger.(Bites: brief notes on news and views from around the world)
Author: Brendan O'Reilly
Publication: Arena Magazine (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 2004
Publisher: Arena Printing and Publications Pty. Ltd.
Issue: 72Page: 19(2)

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