Books on the NFL

fisgon

Can anyone recommend me a few good books on the NFL? I have a slight interest in baseball, a friend lent me a couple of books on the small ball sport, Moneyball was one, great book, I enjoy the style of American sports writing, sharp, to the point, wry, tough. Made me want to read something on football, any suggestions would be appreciated...... (not 'Blindside'!)

Peyton Manning

"The Best Game Ever: Colts vs Giants 1958, and the Birth of the Modern NFL" by Mark Bowden

This is seriously stunning writing and probably the best book I've ever read of any genre. It's the same guy who wrote Black Hawk Down, so his credentials can't be faulted but what he does so well is take a game over half a century old and make it so fresh. I think my favourite aspect of the book is how he develops each player into their own unique character, as if the whole thing was made up. Raymond Berry, Johnny Unitas and Sam Huff in particular are handled excellently. It's just a fascinating read, you really wont want to put it down.

ReacherCreature

"Boys Will be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty."

Link

Seriously good book.

It's about the Dallas Cowboys and their dynasty in the 80's and 90's of the NFL. It's a fascinating, shocking, exciting read about possibly, America's most notorious ever team.

Jeff Pearlman authored it. I think he does a great job - it's extremely well researched - I think I read that he talked to hundreds of Cowboys.

Pearlman does it by season by season. He explores Jerry Jones, Tom Landry, Jimmie Johnson, Barry Switzer, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Micheal Irivn, Deon Sanders, Charles Hayley, and some of the 'lesser known' guys: Alvin Harper, Kenny Gant, and so on. You get to know these guys and what they were like. You see how they won and lost games, what the effect of winning/losing had on them. Mostly importantly you see how the dynasty rose, how it fell and why there was light at the end of the tunnel.

I'd reccommend you pick this up! There's one or two more I've read and I'll put 'em up later.

themont85

Friday Night Lights by hb bissenger. It's an extremy famous American high school story at this stage, followes a Texas high schools '88 campaign.

Bringing the heat by Mark Bowden, similar to Lights but about the '92 Eagles. Very underrated.

The Genius-Bill Walsh, title says it all!

Americas game, Michael McCambridge, great account of how the NFL captured the States, juxtaposes with the fortunes of baseball which was king.

Never die easy by Walter Peyton, Peytons bio is a good enough read but you really need to know about him before.

I'll post some more tommorow.

Sea Devils

"When Pride Still Mattered : A Life Of Vince Lombard" is probably the best sports biography I've ever read. It really is the thorough read on Lombardi's career. Can't recommend it highly enough!

frostie500

Two books that really when I looked at the shelf were Meat Market and Cane Mutiny. Both were written by Bruce Feldman and are centred on college football with Meat Market Feldman was given full access to the recruiting 'war room' of Ole Miss' and it gives a fascinating insight into recruiting.

In 'Cane Mutiny Feldman goes through how the University of Miami transformed itself from an unimportant school to a dynasty. It looks at the players, coaches and boosters that turned their footballing fortunes around.

bobby wade

Sea Devils wrote: »

"When Pride Still Mattered : A Life Of Vince Lombard" is probably the best sports biography I've ever read. It really is the thorough read on Lombardi's career. Can't recommend it highly enough!

One I've been meaning to read

Papa Bear: The Life and Legacy of George Halas

http://www.amazon.com/Papa-Bear-Legacy-George-Halas/dp/0071477411/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282379803&sr=8-2

good read, especially for anyone interested in the leagues early days

Committed: Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie by Mark St. Amant

http://www.amazon.com/Committed-Confessions-Fantasy-Football-Junkie/dp/0743267575/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282379875&sr=1-1

Not NFL as such but a great read for the FF junkie

ReacherCreature

Rich Eisen's NFL Total Access is also quite a solid read.

Link

I enjoyed this book. It's quite good although it's nearly everything I already know. It's a good book to the casual fan and those getting into the game. That said how ever there's good personal stories and mishaps about what the crew get up to. He discusses all the important matters of the NFL: the Superbowl, Draft, Hall of Fame, regular season etc.

Eisen has this well researched, he has gained a wide source of accounts about life in the NFL and it's obvious that he's extremely well connected.

Give it a shot - but make sure that you get the most recent version. The one up there is the 2008 (alternatively have a look to see if there's a pic of Joe Thomas in the draft section!).

Sea Devils

One other book that I also really enjoyed is George Plimpton's Paper Lion in which he basically he went undercover at the Lions training camp hoping he could pass as a 3rd string QB. It's one of the few glimpses in how Pro Football was before it's amazing growth

mikemac

Next Man Up
http://www.amazon.com/Next-Man-Up-Behind-Todays/dp/0316009644
The author spent a year with the Ravens.
It was the first NFL book I read and why I started supporting the Ravens, let's face it they are not a fashionable team

You mentioned baseball OP, the same author wrote this on baseball. It's a huge book and good read
http://www.amazon.com/Living-Black-Pitchers-Season-Remember/dp/0316113913


Civil War, Army vs Navy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_War:_Army_vs._Navy
On the football rivarly between West Point and Annapolis

More then a Game
By Brian Billick, former Ravens head coach, he is often on NFL Network
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/More-than-a-Game/Brian-Billick/e/9781439109182
It shows the business side of the league and other chapters which most books don't focus on.
Short book but excellent

fisgon

Thanks for the suggestions, guys, as I write a few of the books mentioned are winging their way to me via Amazon, I look forward to reading them. Any more come to mind, please don't hesitate....

ReacherCreature

fisgon wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions, guys, as I write a few of the books mentioned are winging their way to me via Amazon, I look forward to reading them. Any more come to mind, please don't hesitate....

What'd you order?

Neil Reynold's "Pain Gang" is pretty decent too.

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pain-Gang-Footballs-Toughest-Players/dp/1597971545/ref=pd_sim_b_64

Basically it's what it says on the cover: Reynolds examines what he thinks are the toughest players in the NFL. It's a nice book with some great stories. Also a good introduction to the back history of the NFL and its legends. It's been ages since I read it but worth a shot.

Lawrence Taylor's "LT: Over the Edge..." is alright too.

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/LT-Tackling-Quarterbacks-Beyond-Football/dp/0061031496/ref=pd_sim_b_3

It chronicles Taylor's life, all about his record setting, revolutionising time at Linebacker for the Giants to his notorious and crazy off-field life. Taylor's talk of football is solid with good descriptions of life in the game and the antics he got up to. It's shocking but his honesty is admirable. More personally Taylor's involvement with the law recently (solicting sex with an underage girl?) has put me off him. Again, like "Pain Gang" it's been a while. Worth a read overrall.

Royal Seahawk

An amazing read!

http://www.amazon.com/Then-Zorn-Said-Largent-Seahawks/dp/1600781322

cheesehead

Gale Sayers' autobiography: I Am Third

The great movie, Brian's Song, is based on the book.

FalseJoe

"Dixieland Delight: A Football Season on the Road in the Southeastern Conference"

the author travels around the deep south visiting each team in the SEC . A decent read which is quite funny. Nothing to deep, however it does give a good insight into the passion and gameday culture in the deep south.

Andre80Johnson

I thought I would add to the list, I found this book by chance when I was passing through New York a few years ago, The Last coach: A Life of Paul "Bear" Bryant. One of the best purchases I ever made personally. The book was really enjoyable and I 'd recommend it to anyone.

jack presley

'America's Game' by Michael MacCambridge is a book outlining the history of the NFL from the 50's onwards and charts its rise and rise in popularity. A great read.

eagle eye

I've only read a couple of books. Two about the game and two fiction. I liked all of them.

Football scouting methods by Steve Belichick(Bill's father) is a great, great read.

When pride still mattered is a book about Vince Lombardi, another awesome read.

And finally the two Grisham novels, Bleachers and Playing for Pizza. Enjoyed both of them.

ReacherCreature

eagle eye wrote: »

I've only read a couple of books. Two about the game and two fiction. I liked all of them.

Football scouting methods by Steve Belichick(Bill's father) is a great, great read.

When pride still mattered is a book about Vince Lombardi, another awesome read.

And finally the two Grisham novels, Bleachers and Playing for Pizza. Enjoyed both of them.

Very enjoyable. Worth a read all.

Andre80Johnson

eagle eye wrote: »

I've only read a couple of books. Two about the game and two fiction. I liked all of them.

Football scouting methods by Steve Belichick(Bill's father) is a great, great read.

When pride still mattered is a book about Vince Lombardi, another awesome read.

And finally the two Grisham novels, Bleachers and Playing for Pizza. Enjoyed both of them.

Those are great. Really enjoyed both for different reasons. Think Bleachers has the most potential of the both to be a great movie but maybe I'm wrong.

ReacherCreature

Andre80Johnson wrote: »

Those are great. Really enjoyed both for different reasons. Think Bleachers has the most potential of the both to be a great movie but maybe I'm wrong.

Could very well be. The setting on the bleachers with flashbacks back would be a nice idea.

me-skywalker

Funny this thread came up. Started reading my first American Football book.

Recently was given My Dirty Little Secrets by Tony Madarich. Great insight into an individaul psych of determination to succed by any means neccessary. Only half-way through but great read about drug abuse and alco abuse, enjoying the lime-light nad the downward black-hole to which he falls into.

GoldFour4

feelingstressed wrote: »

Next Man Up
http://www.amazon.com/Next-Man-Up-Behind-Todays/dp/0316009644
The author spent a year with the Ravens.
It was the first NFL book I read and why I started supporting the Ravens, let's face it they are not a fashionable team

You mentioned baseball OP, the same author wrote this on baseball. It's a huge book and good read
http://www.amazon.com/Living-Black-Pitchers-Season-Remember/dp/0316113913


Civil War, Army vs Navy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_War:_Army_vs._Navy
On the football rivarly between West Point and Annapolis

More then a Game
By Brian Billick, former Ravens head coach, he is often on NFL Network
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/More-than-a-Game/Brian-Billick/e/9781439109182
It shows the business side of the league and other chapters which most books don't focus on.
Short book but excellent

+1 on next man up . It was my first nfl book also , found it hugely enjoyable offered a great insight into the workings of a club .

Sea Devils

Having just finished Namath by Mark Kriegel I absolutely loved it since it gives a well balanced account of Joe's life before during and after the NFL. I also found the bits with Paul Bear Bryant particularly fascinating. Well recommended.

I've been meaning to also try and read An Education of a Coach by the late David Halberstam. I've enjoyed his other books and this one looks very interesting.

ReacherCreature

As anyone read "Romo" by Bill Romanowski? Been at the back of my mind every time I'm getting something, just wondering if anyone here's read it.

stevemac

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GM-Football-Final-Season-Laugh/dp/0307394611/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1297987817&sr=1-2

excellent book here. Its follows Ernie Accorsi's last season as GM off the New York Giants before he retired. But is basically a biography of him as well. It includes story's from his previous jobs, explains what he looked for in players, and gives a great insight into how things work in the front office of NFL teams.

In case you don't know much about him a few of the things covered (which he had part off) included Johnny Unitas and the Baltimore Colts, the superbowl V win, the John Elway draft selection and then trade, and the move to Indy. He then moved to the Browns, where he pulled off a great con job so he could get Bernie Kosar in the Sup. Draft. And how no matter what they did Elway just seemed to be able to beat them. After that he moved to the Giants, and covers the Giants from 92 to 06. With an extra chapter added after the superbowl win the following year. Theres details on the Eli Manning draft pick, how that came about. Kerry Collin's signing, and leaving. It also included how Parcells was trying to get the Giants GM job after him, and the Giants head coaching job (instead of Coughlin I think but it might have been when Jim Fassell was hired - damn i can't remember).

Anyway a great book, very easy read and short. I think its 300 pages but the format is basically advancing through the season , chapter by chapter and each chapter would include a bit about the current (06 Season) and a story about some previous experience he had from when he started in the game in the 60's.

mikemac

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Game-Life-NFL/dp/0446605204

The Dark Side of the Game, Tim Green

Former journeyman player and he covers lots of things like injuries, battles with weight, retiring with injuries and getting hooked on painkillers.
Also how players interact with the media and trash talking.

The author doesn't try to inflate his status, he says himself he was never a star. Very honest book

Thought it was excellent though quite short.

tallaghtoutlaws

Most of these mentioned in this thread already but due to threads like this in the past my shelf currently has the following sitting on it:

Paper Lion
Friday Night Lights
Americas Game
Best Game Ever
Meat Market
Civil War Army V Navy
Patriots Reign

Reading this right now a must for all BB fans:

The Education of a Coach by David Halberstam

Also have all my books related to coaching and playing the game on said shelf. Few others cant remember for the life of me that are put away since I moved that I also bought on recommendation by fellow boardsies on here.

Sea Devils

feelingstressed wrote: »

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Game-Life-NFL/dp/0446605204

The Dark Side of the Game, Tim Green

Former journeyman player and he covers lots of things like injuries, battles with weight, retiring with injuries and getting hooked on painkillers.
Also how players interact with the media and trash talking.

The author doesn't try to inflate his status, he says himself he was never a star. Very honest book

Thought it was excellent though quite short.

I liked this book too and thought it was informative but the only problem is that some of the chapters were quite short which meant there was very little depth to the topics he covered. Having said that

I'd still recommend it but it wasn't as good as I thought it would be.

mikemac

Andre80Johnson wrote: »

Think Bleachers has the most potential of the both to be a great movie but maybe I'm wrong.

Definitely, Bleachers is a film just waiting to get made!
Grisham has had quite a few books adapted into films

astonvanilla

"The ones who hit the Hardest" by Chad Millman and Shawn Coyne.

A great book about the Steelers and the Cowboys in the 1970s and how their rise mirrored the American way of life.

Reading Boys Will Be Boys.

Bit tabloidesque, and contains some spelling errors (a bugbear) which I was surprised to see, but some pretty hairy stories and it clips along nicely. As if we needed more reasons to hate the Cowboys!

Paully D

Haven't read an American football related book in a while so ordered two today.

'War Room' by Michael Holley and Bruce Feldman's recent book 'The QB: The Making of Modern Quarterbacks'. Looking forward to getting stuck into both.