Amazon.com
At last, the Dummies series is tackling football. Former Raider all-pro defensive end and current Fox TV analyst Howie Long calls the signals, and if he doesn't always go deep--he's got a lot of ground to cover--at least he connects. With all its X's and O's, football is a complicated sport, and Long works hard to smooth the way: "Once you break through that initial fear of being overwhelmed by football and what you don't understand," he counsels, "I know everything else about the game, like dominoes, will fall into place." In his role as guide, Long plays those dominoes, from peewees to the pros to the fantasy leagues, explaining positions, analyzing offenses and defenses, and detailing strategies. As with all Dummies guides, the fun part is the "Part of Tens," the series of top-10 lists that dig in for the final chapter. He scores big with his inclusions of John Hannah and Hugh McElhenny among the greatest offensive players ever, but should be penalized for overemphasizing tight ends and forgetting the electricity that wide receivers bring to the game. This, of course, reflects a defensive end's natural bias; since they muck it up more with the hulkier tight ends, they simply let the speedballs fly by. --Jeff SilvermanBook Description
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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (39)

Two thumbs up from a football neophyte
I became interested in football for the first time this year with an exciting college football season.I've tried to watch NFL football with my husband but all it looked like to me was, as my daughter says, "A bunch of dudes piling on top of each other."I really wanted to begin to learn football, so I bought this book.I love it!I've got sticky notes in it, underlines, highlights and margin notes.I give it 4 1/2 stars because some of the descriptions still assume I know or understand just a little more than I do.Plus, the index is not comprehensive enough. I've watched games after using the book and understood more of what I saw on the field, and after watching a game I understood more of what I read in the book...so it worked both ways.I still have a long way to go but am now looking forward to next fall and the beginning of football season.I am even entertaining the idea of buying season tickets to watch my favorite team.

Football for Dummies by Howie Long scores big!
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

Terrible Book
Do not buy this book.It is full of out dated and inaccurate information.Nothing on the spread offense at all, for example.

Saved a lot of time
Purchased for my wife.(At her request!)This book gave her a better idea of what the sport was and a little more appreciation for the complexity.A little words at times, but the highlighted areas of text are well placed and concise.

Football for dummies
This book includes the essentials I was looking for.Specifically, the offensive and defensive formations such as, cover two. ... Read more

Book Description
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 Americas Game. With the same kind of unforgettable photographs and award-winning writing that made the SIs 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 Americas 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 SIs first 50 years of publication, from a marginal, ragtag league to the biggest game in town. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

"Sweet!"
This was the comment of my 7 year old nephew (a Jets fan) when I gave him this book. It has the trademark Sports Illustrated photography, plus lots of old photos showing the infancy of the sport, which are interesting to adults and kids alike. He's a beginning reader, but we enjoyed looking at the pictures, with his guessing which teams were shown based on the uniforms. The Amazon price is a bargain. Highly recommended for boys and fans of all ages!

Great Football Book for the non-diehard fan
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.

Good book for the die-hard footabll fan
I got this book for my Dad for xmas & he loved it.It has a lot of great pictures, great articles and goes into the history of football.This is a great gift for older football fans.

Good Gift
I gave this as a Christmas gift to my son.It scored a "touchdown".

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED-THE FOOTBALL BOOK
I BOUGHT SEVERAL OF THESE BOOKS FOR THE FOOTBALL FANATICS IN MY FAMILY.THEY WENT ABSOLUTELY WILD WILD OVER THEM.THE PICTURES ARE HUGE, SHARP AND COVER A LARGE RANGE OF FOOTBALL MEMORABILIA ALL INSIDE ONE AWESOME BOOK.THERE WAS A TWO-PAGE PICTURE, FOR INSTANCE, OF FOOTBALL PADS LIKE MY DAD WORE WHEN HE PLAYED FOOTBALL IN 1950.HE DOES NOT WANT TO LET THE BOOK OUT OF HIS SIGHT! ... Read more

Book Description

Troy White has a phenomenal gift. He can predict football plays before they happen. Any position. Any player. Any team.

Customer Reviews (10)

a marvelous book
Football Genius is a marvelous book for boy's 5-8 grades. Once I picked up the book I could not put it down because it is that good. I would give football genius 5 out of 5 stars. I kmow that once you start you won't be able to put it back down becaus it is that good of a book. So sit down,relax,and get ready to enjoy.

Best Sports book In Some Time
Troy is a young kid in Georgia struggling with having no dad and being second string quarterback behind the coaches son.Troy has a gift of being able to know what plays a team is going to run next. He can tell this in any game be it high school, college or pro.His mom gets a job with the Atlanta Falcons and Troy thinks this is his one chance to make something of himself.Read to see what mischief Troy and his friends can get into to try to make his dream come true.A great insight into the World of the NFL by a former NFL player.I cant wait for his next book Football Hero.

Better than I thought
I got this book with a gift card I received as a gift. I got the book because I was looking for a quick read that would be easy. Well, it was easy, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I work with kids on a regular basis and I find myself reading books that 5th and 6th graders could read. Even though it did not challenge me, I enjoyed the book. The plot was well planned. It makes you think about how kids really treat each other. Anyone who reads this book can relate to at least one of the characters. It would recommend this book to anyone, but especially kids.

damaged,, returned, no response or refund!
Ordering from Amazon ("warehouse")was a mistake-they (amazon) are consistently the worst seller on their own site.Problems include damaged products (this time), misrepresented (hardcover vs paperback), no dustcover, and no replies or refunds for returned products.

It was amazing
If you want a good book today, you should grab Football Genius, by Tim Green. This is a story of a kid named Troy, who is an underdog. This book is realistic fiction and was written by a retired football player. Troy's mom got a job with the Atlanta Falcons which brought Troy's dream to where he wanted it to be. His dream was to be around football players. He was a football genius because he could see a play before it even started and that is how the Atlanta Falcons started to win, because they used Troy. Another thing thathappened in Football Genius is when Troy and his mom went to the Atlanta Falcon's stadium. Since Troy's mom worked for the Falcons, she had access to the field. They would call each other, and Troy would tell his mom the plays and she would signal that to a player. Eventually, the assistant coach found out about this, took her cell phone away, and broke it. The reason he did this is because he didn't want the Falcons to win since the had lost so many games that he would soon become head coach. Troy saw this happen, went upstairs to see the owner, and almost got caught by the police doing so. I liked this book because it kept me turning each page until the end. My recommendation about this book is if you like football you should go for it, but most importantly if you feel like giving up on something you should read this book because it will teach you not to. For readers who love sports and action, Football Genius is the book for you.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

a marvelous book
Football Genius is a marvelous book for boy's 5-8 grades. Once I picked up the book I could not put it down because it is that good. I would give football genius 5 out of 5 stars. I kmow that once you start you won't be able to put it back down becaus it is that good of a book. So sit down,relax,and get ready to enjoy.

Best Sports book In Some Time
Troy is a young kid in Georgia struggling with having no dad and being second string quarterback behind the coaches son.Troy has a gift of being able to know what plays a team is going to run next. He can tell this in any game be it high school, college or pro.His mom gets a job with the Atlanta Falcons and Troy thinks this is his one chance to make something of himself.Read to see what mischief Troy and his friends can get into to try to make his dream come true.A great insight into the World of the NFL by a former NFL player.I cant wait for his next book Football Hero.

Better than I thought
I got this book with a gift card I received as a gift. I got the book because I was looking for a quick read that would be easy. Well, it was easy, but I enjoyed it quite a bit. I work with kids on a regular basis and I find myself reading books that 5th and 6th graders could read. Even though it did not challenge me, I enjoyed the book. The plot was well planned. It makes you think about how kids really treat each other. Anyone who reads this book can relate to at least one of the characters. It would recommend this book to anyone, but especially kids.

damaged,, returned, no response or refund!
Ordering from Amazon ("warehouse")was a mistake-they (amazon) are consistently the worst seller on their own site.Problems include damaged products (this time), misrepresented (hardcover vs paperback), no dustcover, and no replies or refunds for returned products.

It was amazing
If you want a good book today, you should grab Football Genius, by Tim Green. This is a story of a kid named Troy, who is an underdog. This book is realistic fiction and was written by a retired football player. Troy's mom got a job with the Atlanta Falcons which brought Troy's dream to where he wanted it to be. His dream was to be around football players. He was a football genius because he could see a play before it even started and that is how the Atlanta Falcons started to win, because they used Troy. Another thing thathappened in Football Genius is when Troy and his mom went to the Atlanta Falcon's stadium. Since Troy's mom worked for the Falcons, she had access to the field. They would call each other, and Troy would tell his mom the plays and she would signal that to a player. Eventually, the assistant coach found out about this, took her cell phone away, and broke it. The reason he did this is because he didn't want the Falcons to win since the had lost so many games that he would soon become head coach. Troy saw this happen, went upstairs to see the owner, and almost got caught by the police doing so. I liked this book because it kept me turning each page until the end. My recommendation about this book is if you like football you should go for it, but most importantly if you feel like giving up on something you should read this book because it will teach you not to. For readers who love sports and action, Football Genius is the book for you.

... Read more

Book Description
The Football Coaching Bible features many of the game's most successful coaches. Each shares the special insight, advice, and strategies they've used to field championship-winning teams season after season.

The 27 chapter contributing coaches span six decades of the sport and reach into every corner of the United States. The impressive list of contributors:

Joe Paterno

Bobby Bowden

Tom Osborne

Hayden Fry

Jim Young

Sonny Lubick

Phil Fulmer

Jerry Sandusky

Mike Bellotti

Dick Foster

Frosty Westering

Barry Alvarez

Grant Teaff

Mack Brown

Fisher DeBerry

Gene Stallings

Larry Kehres

George Curry

Jim Tressel

Bill Snyder

Bo Schembechler

R.C. Slocum

Lou Holtz

Joe Tiller

LaVell Edwards

Ken Sparks

Frank Beamer

They cover every aspect of the game: coaching principles, program building, player motivation, practice sessions, individual skills, team tactics, offensive and defensive play-calling, and performance evaluation.

Developed by the American Football Coaches Association, this coaching guide establishes a new standard of excellence in the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Read for the Beginning or Experienced Coach
The Football Coaching Bible brings together a collection of articles and speeches by successful coaches from all levels. Whether you are looking for guidance on how to teach leadership, how to build (or re-build) a program from the ground up, or some talk on X's and O's, this book has it covered. Bill Snyder's chapter is particularly great, and has helped me to apply focus to my life in areas other than coaching. His story at K State is amazing.

This book does help a bit with basic nomenclature for brand new coaches. However it mostly assumes a basic understanding of certain things. The beginning coach may have to do some digging to find out exactly what some of the terms mean.

fb coaching bible
Some good info in this book, however each chapter is written from one coach's perspective (passing game, rush "D", etc....) I would have liked more info on each area of the game rather than a detailed perspective of one.

If you love football...
I am looking in to coaching for fun and this is a great book to have.There is a lot of coaching information and great football information in general.

Super Book
I really enjoyed this book quite a bit. My boy finished football season a while ago and I decided to get more involved for this upcoming season by coaching. The details and strageties were solid and very applicable. For someone like me that had an athletic backgroud but no coaching experience, I found the information quite useful.

I would call this a "cookbook" for new coaches. Something anyone can follow.

I would recommend this.

Great book to get started!
I just finished my first year of coaching high school football and I wanted to read as much as I could before next season started.I found the bible.This book has everything you need if you want to be a coach at any level.Personally it was a great starting point to building my own philosophy on coaching and really made me look at all that goes into being called "coach".I recommend this book to anyone, whether it's your first or thirtieth year on the job, that wants to hear from the greats about the game.A fantastic read! ... Read more

Book Description
From ESPN: The most complete and up-to-date pro football reference ever compiled!
Weighing in at a whopping 1,536 pages, this updated edition of the best football encyclopedia available features lists of all players ever drafted by the NFL and AFL in the amateur drafts since 1920, expanded defense and specialists registers, all-time leaders in single-game performances, and all-time rankings of players by Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections. A special essay on the history of the NFL on television is sure to delight fans of the gridiron. And, of course it includes all of the resources, fact listings, and records true devotees expect: comprehensive year-by-year and team-by-team rushing, passing, receiving, kicking, punting, sacks, and returns statistics for all players in NFL history; far-reaching details on football history, award recipients, draft picks, and loads more stats on teams, coaches, and stadiums. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Football
I gave this to my wife. She is comparing it to the Baseball Encyclopedia, also by ESPN. She is disappointed in the readability of the Football Encyclopedia. It is harder to follow and understand in comparison.

for football fans
any season. any game.any team.any player. any you want to read if you love football.

Awesome book for all true footbal fanatics
Has stats of every player from the conception of the game.Very cool. Even found stats on a doctor I worked with who was a giant in the 50's. For the price the best book I've found!

THE encyclopedia all NFL fans should have.
If you are really into NFL football and its history, this encyclopedia should be sitting on your coffee table year round (at least Sept through Jan).ESPN has compiled a comprehensive volume giving you the answers to nearly every NFL trivia question imaginable.It nearly has it all!From player stats (every player), to the Super Bowls, Hall of Fame, ProBowl, the Draft, and Season and All-Time records.This 1500 page mecca of NFL info will meet and surpass your expectations.There is no better paper weight of knowledge on the planet.You cannot even find this type of info on the internet.It will be the best $25 you've ever spent!!

Corrects errors from first edition;adds new features
My title pretty much says it all--66 pages of new features, and all the errors I noted in the first edition, mostly attribution of stats to wrong players in the season and game summaries, appear to have been corrected.

So the book is virtually perfect now, for what it intends to do.For example, rushing, receiving, and passing statistics are given in full for all players, but, to save space, other stats are given only for players that meet certain minimum requirements.Similarly, starting lineups, a feature I've found nowhere else, are given for all teams from 1920 on, but complete yearly rosters for each team are not given.Thus you may want an encyclopedia that has complete rosters, to get full use out of this book.

As before, quarter by quarter scores are presented for all regular season NFL, AAFC, and AFL games ever played, with outstanding player performances noted--and attributed to the correct players now!Some of the new info included is kicker field goals by distance, starting from the late 60s, and a section on rival leagues.

I can't leave this review without mentioning a couple of minor errors I found in the new section on rival leagues.On p1511, Mark Harmon is mention as a player on the 1941 NY Americans of the 3rd AFL;this is corrected to Tom Harmon on p1515.As well, one of my pet grammatical peeves occurs in this same section on p1515:the writing of "desperate straights" when "desperate straits" is meant.





... Read more

Book Description

Find all the basics in this lively guide.

• The markings on a football field

• What football players wear

• The positions, from quarterback to wide receiver

• The excitement of the kickoff

• The thrill of scoring a touchdown

All these and more are included with a useful glossary at the end.

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Baby Shower Gift
Our daughter does not want to know the sex of her baby before it's born, so my husband and I gave definitely different shower gifts to her, including books instead of greeting cards.I gave Knitting Nell and my husband chose My Football Book.Both books were purchased through Amazon, and they came quickly and in excellent condition.They were perfect, and "even a girl" can learn to play football from My Football Book (when she/he's not knitting).

My Football Book
I think the book will be wonderful for my grandson. I'm giving it to him for Easter.

Great for PE teachers
I teach Elem PE and used it as my motivation for my football unit. The students loved it and were amazed that they really didnt know everything. Its colorful, and easy to understand.. ... Read more

Book Description
Now you can build the kind of defense that wins championships with Defensive Football Strategies. This complete collection of tactics, teachings, and insights comes from many of the games best defensive minds from over the past 40 years.

Inside you'll find winning strategies from 90 top coaches, including Jerry Sandusky of Penn State, Charlie McBride of the University of Nebraska, R.C. Slocum of Texas A & M., and Bo Schembechler of the University of Michigan. With the help of more than 600 X-and-O diagrams, they show you how to counter common offensive formations and attacks, stop the running game and passing game, make down-and-distance decisions, and defend the goal line.

Defensive Football Strategies was developed in cooperation with the American Football Coaches Association. It's a one-of-a-kind resource for building a defense that can win it all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Better than Average
Strengths:The book broadly covers most of the elements of defensive football strategy.Most defensive approaches that have been attempted successfully in the last 40 years are reviewed and explained.Football coaches, especially at the HS level where the athletes' practice time is limited, will appreciate the book's simplicity and its ability to convey the essence of a particular defensive approach.Do these philosophies work?They have, in various forms, for decades.

Weaknesses:The strength of the book is also its primary weakness.It covers so much material that nothing is covered in detail, and coaches seeking the finer points of a particular defensive scheme may have to look elsewhere for assistance.Some of the newer defensive philosophies, especially the incredibly specialized schemes used in the pro ranks (defensive ends dropping off into coverage in short zones, linebackers who only play in running situations, or cornerbacks involved in intricate blitz schemes) are not covered.HS coaches will probably not have the time or athletic talent to indulge in that level of detail anyway.

As for the critique that defensive schemes designed to stop offenses from the 1960s don't belong in the book, I would beg to differ.In many areas of the country, especially the deep south, HS football coaches still employ the offensive systems in which they themselves played in decades before.Perhaps the most prominent example is the use of the triple-option out of a wishbone formation, once a staple of college football (Oklahoma and Alabama in the 1970s), never used in the pro ranks and abandoned by almost all college teams except the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy.It was not unusual to find Tennessee HS football teams still running this offense through the 1990s.In this regard, the book's coverage of defenses designed to stop antiquated offensive game plans is a strength at the HS level.

Defenses of the 60s in a book that comes out in 2000??
Aww come on! This is the best the AFCA could do? Lets call it what it really is THE BEST OF THE AFCA MANUALS (DEFENSE). Now granted some techniques and fundamentals are ageless, but the AFCA has members at every major college and most professional teams. This is not the best it could do. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

1st grade football fanatic could not put the book down
My newly-reading first grader couldn't put the book down.He finished the 47 or so pages in no time.The vocabulary was challenging, the plot interesting and the illustrations "grown up."It would be interesting to boys and girls, football fans and non-fans alike.

If your child is not reading at the 1st grade level and able to decipher a few words like "triumphant" and "defenseman", I recommend Leonard Kessler's "Kick, Pass and Run."The difficult words are one's like "receiver" or "touchdown."Would work for a younger early reader.Note that it is easier, but still about 64 pages long.

Football dog!
This book is so good. The dog steals football plays to make his owner's team win. They win a lot of games with his help. One day Mike told his dog not to come with him and he didn't. Guess what happened then? Read this book to figure it out. You'll love it. ... Read more

Book Description
Use strategies straight from many of football's all-time greatest coaches! Offensive Football Strategies offers you special access to the sharpest football minds in the game's history. Pick and choose portions to use to optimize your game plan each season and each game.

Offensive Football Strategies is the most comprehensive and detailed book of its kind, containing the most popular and effective offensive philosophies, systems, formations, and plays over the past 40 years. This extensive collection includes 73 articles written by many of the greatest coaching strategists, including Bob Devaney, Bear Bryant, John McKay, Joe Paterno, Tom Osborne, Marv Levy, Hayden Fry, LaVell Edwards, Steve Spurrier, and many more.

The articles are organized into the following sections:

• Developing a System
• Attacking the Defense
• Building Backfield Excellence
• Running the Wing-T
• Running From the I
• Running the Wishbone
• Running the Veer
• Running an Option Offense
• Establishing a Passing Scheme
• Passing From Sets and Formations
• Keeping the Defense on Edge
• Incorporating Play-Action
• Creating Quality Quarterback Play
• Protecting the Passer
• Gaining Key Yardage
• Dominating the Red Zone

Developed in cooperation with the American Football Coaches Association, Offensive Football Strategies is loaded with more than 700 X-and-O diagrams. Whether you are seeking another option for your running or passing attack, or looking for that sure-fire scoring play in the red zone, this book offers a wealth of winning strategies for your game plan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Solid info for all coaching levels
The book is geared for high school and college, but as a pre high school coach, I found alot of information to help at the youth level. There is alot of detail and drills that I have already used this year. If you are looking for information on various basic offensive formations and plays, you will find it here. Also, they cover basics on QB footwork and RB training. Lots of good stuff.

Tap Into the Great Minds of Football
I coach football at the high school level and got a lot out of this book.Most of the articles are pulled from AFCA Summer Manuals and Convention notes through the years.I read an article or two a day last spring and it really got me in a creative football mode.Some of the articles are dated but football is so cyclical that it's a big benefit to be contrary.Some of the old articles by Paterno, Devaney, and Fry are the msot helpful.The articles are brief so look at this as a huge tray of appetizers to get you thinking about what you really want to study in depth.Highly recommended.

Outstanding Aid For Intermediate Coaches
AFCA and Human Kinetics have produced a gem of a book which will be of most help to intermediate coaches -- that is, those who have a few years' experience under their belts, and are looking for new ideas in offensive systems, or for new plays to run from within their favorite offensive system.

While the age of some of the articles may seem troubling, it can in fact be a real advantage.Football offenses are so subject to trends and cycles that anything which is not current can be successful because it comes as a surprise.A defensive analogy would be the 5-2 defense -- "America's defense" throughout the 70's and much of the 80's, but almost unknown in some regions today, and thus a valuable surprise weapon.

The same holds true on offense, and the riches this book displays are a real treasure trove -- the triple option (from the wishbone, I formation and split-back veer); the Wing-T; and various pass-oriented spread and one-back systems are all covered by some of the most prominent names in coaching from the last three decades.

This isn't the best place to start for beginning coaches, nor the modern state of the art for cutting-edge types, but for the rest of us it is an excellent place to begin the next stage of our never-ending quest for football knowledge.

Strategic is right
I've read quite a few books on the game of football.Not being a coach, I don't think most people would want to pick this up, but for those who love the game itself will find this an indispensible reference.The book is composed of short articles by college coaches which deal with one small apspect of offence or a certain type of attack at a time.Although the college game is much simpler than the NFL, the insights I've picked up by reading this book have completely changed the way I watch football, be it college, CFL, or NFL.When I move to a different location where I can join a high school coaching team, this book will be soon find the pages being worn out.Absolutely excellent!

One of the Most Comprehensive Guides to Offensive Football
This book is one of the most comprehensive guides to offense that I have ever encountered. It includes almost 750 diagrammed plays from some of the top names in football including Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne, as well asmany other college and high school football coaches. This text would be avaluable addition to any coaches library. It will definitely add variety toany offense and add many new twists and schemes to any offense whether youhave an option team or a passing based offense. I think it would be a verywise investment. ... Read more

Book Description

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

Customer Reviews (3)

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

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

A must for Youth Football coaches
Got the book last week, read it over the week-end.First practice last night with the 8-9 year old team.I had prepared drills for the D-Line as I am D-Line coach.

The defensive coordinator couldn't make it and there were only 11 kids at practice on defense because of vacations.

I improvised with individual and group drills, that I picked up in the book, for 60 minutes.Kept the practice quick paced like Coach Bass said.

Amazing!The kids were all into it.No talking and fooling around like usual because they're bored waiting their turn.

I recommend it to any Youth Coach who is starting out or event with some experience. ... Read more

Book Description
Football Coaching Strategies is an invaluable source of football wisdom. Inside you'll find 67 informative articles contributed during the last 25 years by many of the greatest football coaches the game has ever known.

The book features 349 detailed diagrams and covers every crucial aspect of the game:

• 28 articles on offense;

• 19 articles on defense;

• 7 articles on special teams; and

• 13 articles on philosophy, motivation, and management.

Edited by the American Football Coaches Association, this collection of gridiron strategies lets you tap into the creative genius and enduring principles that have shaped the game. It's the one book that every serious football coach, player, and fan will treasure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Why is this book listed in the rugby category?
I dare say this is a great book as everyone says, but American Football is not the same sport as Rugby is it? There are a few other odd ones in the Rugby category...the one that really made me laugh was a book on equestrian dressage by one Phil Bennett! Not the famous Llanelli fly half surely?!

Beyond the X's and O's
Of the numerous football guides I've read, this is the firstbook that actually went beyond the X's and O's of football. As the title says, it not only discusses the on-field game, but also preparation, team building, and the mental side of the game.

This book touches interesting topics and is probably intended for giving some more food for thought and different angles on coaching issues. It is not exactly a DIY-manual or a literal step-by-step gude for all football coaches on how to build a successful team.

While some of the chapters are a bit academic and subject to cross your personal views, this book is a recommended especially for those who are just starting their coaching career or coach youth and junior football.

A Great Coaching Reference
A book that any coach should have.It gets the wheels going in your mind allowing you to develop new schemes.Its interesting to read other famous coach's ideas on topics like the Double Wing, Passing from your own endzone, and using the 50 front.

WOW, THIS IS AWESOME
I just got a job coaching and thought that I would pick up a book to help me in learning the ins and outs of the game. I have found it here. Thi is one excelent book. I played some college ball and now am going to coach,but I have learned a ton of things that o would not know until you startresearching the game. EXCELENT..

Middle School Coach
This book is an excellent source for all age levels. It gives various offenses and defenses to run and use with your team. I love it!It has really come in handy at my school. ... 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

Customer Reviews (1)

John's review 2
Very fast service on shipping, order arrived in excellent shape, and was complete. Pricing was reasonable, and I will shop this vendor again. ... 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
Few experiences are more rewarding than coaching a youth football team. Your journey through the season will be packed with moments that make you smile and that you and your players will remember for the rest of your lives. But what if you’ve never coached before?

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

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

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

Book Description
From Dr. James Beckett, the leading authority on sports cards, comes the new edition of the definitive guide to football cards. With valuable information on the history of football cards, how to buy and sell cards, and how to care for a collection, this is an essential resource for any collector.

• Over 125,000 football card prices listed, from 1948 to the present
• More than 40 brands
• Hundreds of football cards photos for easy identification
• Prices for full sets and individual cards
• New listings for all the top rookie players ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

hard to understand
I was kind of dissapointed. It was confussing to find the right place for the right card. It was sent on time. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Eyewitness Guides: Football tells the story of America's favorite sport--from its beginnings in 19th-century English schoolyards to its current status as one of the world's favorite games. Broken down into helpful sections on coaches, strategy, training camp, the field, the stadium, and so on, each topic is clearly explained and illustrated with several photographs. Especially interesting are the sections on players' equipment, from shoes to helmets and from protective pads to jerseys, and the way these items have evolved over time. For example, in the early years helmets were made of pliable leather and could be folded up and carried in a pocket--a far cry from the high-tech plastic headgear worn today. Trivia fans will find much fodder here, from the number of onfield officials (seven) to the name of the star-like shapes on the Pittsburgh Steelers' logo (hypocycloids). Packed with useful information, football fans of all ages will enjoy--and learn from--this beautiful book. (Ages 9 and older) --Sunny DelaneyBook Description
Discover the world of pro football; the history, the teams, the stars, and what equipment they use.

Developed in association with the National Football League (NFL), Eyewitness Football features photographs and text on hundreds of people and objects from 80 storied years of the National Football League. Football captures the drama, excitement, and spectacle of professional football using the signature Eyewitness style. It is the definitive pictorial guide to America's most popular sport in all its rough-and-tumble glory, from its schoolyard roots through its rise to the status of an international supersport. See inside an NFL locker room and training camp and what players wore before helmets were introduced. Learn how coaches design plays, how to throw a perfect pass and make a clean tackle. Discover what trainers, referees, and coaches do, what it takes to win the Super Bowl, and much, much more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

missing one important point!
This book is generally good. However, it missed one very important part. It failed to introduce the different players in the game. For a person who knows nothing about this sport, s/he would be very confused when the author starts to talk about line back, quarter back, etc.

It definitely should have a chapter to explain all those different names for the players.

Also there was one minor wording problem, I think. On page 31, it has "a tube not unlike a lipstick."What does it mean "not unlike?" I think that he can choose a better word for that.

Great Christmass gift for the young football fans
My son (4.5) recenly got excited about football.This book is excellent for providing him with all the basic facts about the game--from its historic origins and development over time, to the role of the uniforms, helmets, coaches' responsibilities, etc. Must admit that it helped me as well to become at least a little literate in my son's latest obsession.

As in all Eyewitness books, it is structured in "chapters" detailing one aspect of the game.Good quality pictures and clear captions further help the kids understand the game.

Another DK Winner
I am an elementary school librarian and this book has been a smashing success in my library, especially with 2nd to 5th grade boys.The pictures are done in the DK style and draw even the most reluctant reader to thisbook. The book covers a basic history of the game, complete with oldpictures, which the kids love, in addition to information about footballtoday. It has interesting trivia that the kids love sharing with each otherand pictures of all the current football superstars.This one is a surefire winner. ... Read more

Book Description

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Football, Second Edition, provides new and intermediate football fans with all the information they need to understand and enjoy football.From high school to the NFL, coverage includes the basics of offense and defense, players, rules, strategies and even what to wear!New coverage for this edition includes: the draft - how it works for teams and players including parity, new technology on the field including instant replay, dangerous referee flags and rules changes for college and pro ball, XFL, arena league, expansion teams and NFL Europe, and the changing business and team strategy for professional football today.

Customer Reviews (10)

Great book for someone who knows nothing about football.
This book has helped me a lot. I did know some things, but it was extremely helpful to me.

not for the beginner
I knew a little about football to begin with so the first part of the book was helpful, but the rest of the book got too technical, completely lost me.If you know nothing of the game the first part might even be a challenge.

Even worse than 'Dummie' Howie Long's book, Pro Football for Dummies
The One sentence in this book that proves
Thiesmann has become an idiot and dummie
is the one "Anybody who thinks the NFL
isn't the best Football League out there
is an idiot."- Joe Thiesmann. No wonder
they fired Mr broken leg from Monday night
Football and replaced him with Jaws Jaworski!
The Best Football League out there is (take
your pick, the Arena Football League of the
CFL. The NFL sucks now! And Thiesmann star-
ted in the CFL! And Tom Robinson of the
VirginiaN Pilot with his recent a**licking
Pro-NFL piece is an idiot too. Bleep the
NFL!

Great Book
I love football and i know some things about this sport, but this guide gives you a complete step by step explanation.
Great for all fans

Good for football culture, kinda weak and jargony on actual rules
I like the straightforwardness of the writing, and the insight into the appeal of the game.Alas, if you're an outsider hoping to learn the game from scratch, you're going to have a lot of trouble--after teaching you rudimentary terms, the writers start describing the game as if you've been watching it all your life, tossing barely-introduced jargon around all over the place.I was really disappointed that the one aspect of the game I was most interested in (the actual GAME) was so poorly rendered. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (6)

A must-have reference that trounces ESPN
Fifty Years of College Football is a little-known giant of a book that blows away the competition like the ESPN College Football Encyclopedia.Fifty Years even has a bonus...it actually chronicles 54 football seasons of all the important college teams, and does it in an amazingly detailed style.It supplies information on the top 70 football programs that can be found in very few books of this type.

For example, ESPN'sbook offers scores of games but otherwise all but ignores the exciting action that took place on the field.For its part, Fifty Years chronicles every important moment in more than 7,000 important college games.ESPN spoons up inconsistent "teams of the century" for each school while Fifty Years taps each major school's best 54 players, arranged as a squad ready to take on the world.Very cool!

ESPN provides a chart of each team's season leader in stats while Fifty Years lists each starting player and many reserves on offense and defense and supplies all the important stats in each season during the modern era since the early 1950s.

Boyles and Guido make football history come alive, and their amazing effort is massive, and an incredible bargain.

50 Years of College Football
This is the best college football history book I have found.It covers every week since 1953.It has the starting line up of the top 70 college teams for all those years.
It has a year by year wrap up of awards, bowls and polls.It has the All-American teams.You'll never find a book on college football that has the complete history this book contains.
The book settles a lot of arguments.
I purchased this book for many of my friends
The book is well put together and the information is easy to find.

Great stuff
This book is such a great resource. Year-by-Year it gives team records, awards, NFL drafts. It even gives reports on games! This is a must have for any college football fan

Great resource
This thing is a behemoth. Over 1300 pages and a lot of it is in small type. So, what is 50 Years of College Football? Authors Bob Boyles have compiled something that has to be the most inclusive review of the last 50 years of college football available. It just as easily could have been called "The College Football Dictionary" as that's what it resembles.

It provides a review of 70 teams over the years 1953 to 2006. Each review contains basic school information, andcareer, season, and game statistical leaders - typical of stuff you'd find in a school's media guide. The reviews include won-loss records, coaching records, and bowl records, the scores of all games - stuff that isn't hard to find if you're a powerhouse school, but may be difficult if you're trying to find information on someone lesser known. The season's starting lineups and statistical leaders are also included - that is information that can be very hard to find, especially if you're interested in going back all the way to 1953.

The yearly reviews start with an entertaining and informative overview of each year, highlighting events on and off the field. As an example, the 1961 review relates how the Ohio State faculty voted down a Rose Bowl bid, resulting in the Columbus Dispatch printing each voting faculty member's name, address, and amount of reimbursed out-of-state travel they'd had over the past year. We're told that Woody Hayes was pivotal in quelling potential student riots. (Ah, the good old days!)

The preseason rankings are provided, and a recap of games played between ranked teams and many rivals are reviewed, which comes to more than 7,500 game recaps total. These don't include every game ever played, but obviously a huge number of them, including a "Game of the Year" for each season. .Each year concludes with a listing of conference standings, bowl game reviews, All-America teams, Heisman Trophy voting along with other major award winners. As if that weren't enough (but wait, there's more!), you also get the first eight rounds of each season's NFL draft.

There is a freakish amount of information in 50 Years of College Football, almost too much. At a cost under $20 (see the Amazon price above), it's pretty affordable as a historical reference. It's handy for bloggers like me to go back and find something interesting to write about and it should be in the hands of any college fans that likes to "one-up" their friends. Hmmmm.... wouldn't that be just about all of us?

Second Edition Still Not Perfect, But Remains The Best Resource For College Football
From the first page, 50 Years of College Football bombards you with just about everything you'd want to know about the sport from 1953 through 2006.From thousands of season and game capsules to yearly records, rosters, and the greatest players lists of 70 major football schools, the data is immense, useful, and fun to peruse.

The problems are minor, but glaring.The book suffers from a bit of a consistency problem.For instance, among Georgia Tech players, names are spelled correctly in one part of the book and misspelled in another, like "Eddie Lee Ivory" and "Keith Brookings".Joey Hamilton (once referred to as "Joe" and "Joey" the rest of the time) is even listed as being drafted from "Georgia" in the 1999 NFL draft list.

The other problem is more of a personal caveat: none of the yearly rosters have any kickers or punters listed in any year, even though they're referenced aplenty in the rest of the book.Some may not particularly care about that, but it's a shame that they were excluded.

Despite these flaws, 50 Years is the best colle