Best of
Football
2010
A Life Too Short: The Tragedy of Robert Enke
Ronald Reng - 2010
He was thirty two years old.Viewed from the outside, Enke had it all. Here was a professional goalkeeper who had played for a string of Europe's top clubs including Jose Mourinho's Benfica and Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona. Enke was destined to be his country's first choice for years to come. But beneath the bright veneer of success lay a darker story. In A Life Too Short, award-winning writer Ronald Reng pieces together the puzzle of his lost friend's life. Reng brings into sharp relief the specific demands and fears faced by those who play top-level sport. Heartfelt, but never sentimental he tells the universal tragedy of a talented man's struggles against his own demons.
Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity
Drew Brees - 2010
Coming Back Stronger is the ultimate comeback story, not only of one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, but also of a city and a team that many had all but given up on. Brees’s inspiring message of hope and encouragement proves that with enough faith, determination, and heart, you can overcome any obstacle life throws your way and not only come back, but come back stronger.
Please Don't Go: Big John's Journey Back to Life
John Hartson - 2010
Profoundly moving, John's own story is interwoven with the poignant recollections of his pregnant wife, Sarah, as well as with extracts from his sister Victoria's personal diary. This remarkable book covers the five-week period during which John's survival was most in jeopardy. Hartson's truly remarkable account of how he has managed to overcome a very aggressive form of cancer will offer hope and courage to others affected by the disease. It is a touching and ultimately uplifting insight into of the bravery of the popular football hero, who has fought back to full health against all the odds.
My Liverpool Home
Kenny Dalglish - 2010
This book presents the story of Dalglish's epic love affair with Liverpool, tracing the highs and lows, the characters, the laughter, the triumphs and the many tears.
Home Team: Coaching the Saints and New Orleans Back to Life
Sean Payton - 2010
In the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Superdome became a national symbol of misery and hopelessness, where the truly desperate rode out the storm. Four years later, in that very stadium, the New Orleans Saints won the NFC championship and earned their first-ever trip to the Super Bowl. Two weeks later, the Saints soundly defeated the heavily favored Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in what would become the most-watched television event in history. This is the inspirational story of a city recovering from disaster and a team with a history of heartbreak, seen through the eyes of the coach who taught them both how to win.
Trautmann's Journey: From Hitler Youth to FA Cup Legend
Catrine Clay - 2010
He is famed as the Manchester City goalkeeper who broke his neck in the 1956 FA Cup final and played on. But his early life was no less extraordinary. He grew up in Nazi Germany, where first he was indoctrinated by the Hitler Youth, before fighting in World War Two in France and on the Eastern Front.
In 1945 he was captured and sent to a British POW camp where, for the first time, he understood that there could be a better way of life. He embraced England as his new home and before long became an English football hero.
'Brilliant' Observer
'A remarkable story, well worth reading' The Times
'A gripping story of an unlikely redemption through football' Sunday Times
'This poignant book is a tribute to the depth of both Clay's research and her compassion' Independent
Blood, Sweat & Chalk: How the Geniuses of Football Created America's Favorite Game
Tim Layden - 2010
They have become part of the sport's vernacular, and yet for many fans they remain just names, often confusing ones. To rectify that, Tim Layden has drilled deep into the core of the game to reveal not only how these chalkboard X's and O's really work on the field, but also where they came from and who dreamed them up. These playbook schemes, many of them illuminated by diagrams, bear the insignia of some of the game's great innovators, men like Vince Lombardi, Don Coryell, Tom Osborne, Bill Walsh, Tony Dungy and Buddy Ryan. But football has also been radically altered by the ingenious work of men with more obscure names, like Tiger Ellison, Emory Bellard and Mouse Davis.In Blood, Sweat and Chalk, Layden takes readers into the meeting rooms-and in some cases the living rooms-where the game's most significant ideas were hatched. He goes to the coaches and to the players who inspired them, and lets them tell their stories. In candid conversations with some of football's most intriguing characters, Layden provides a fascinating guide to the game, helping fans to better see the subtleties of America's favorite sport.The game of football is cyclical. Coaches today are getting too much credit for formations and offenses that were dreamed up years ago. Tim Layden does a wonderful job of tracing the origin of those ideas in Blood, Sweat and Chalk.- Urban Meyer, Head Football Coach, University of FloridaTim Layden explores the minds and ambitions of the game's formative thinkers. Serious students of football must have this on their bookshelves!- Steve Sabol, President, NFL FilmsBlood, Sweat and Chalk is a must-read for all football aficionados. I, of course, especially enjoyed reading about the great Don Coryell, a true innovator in the game we all love. His ideas changed football-and this book shows you how.- Dan Fouts, Hall of Fame Quarterback, San Diego ChargersTim has created a playbook that's instructional, a history book that's fascinating and a football bible that's a must-read for anybody who loves the game. All in one. - Dan Patrick, Host, NBC's Football Night in AmericaTim Layden does a great job telling the story of the people and the ideas that had a major impact on the game of football as we know it.- Mack Brown, Head Football Coach, University of TexasThis is one of the most important sports books of our generation-and a lot of fun too. The formations and philosophies that win Super Bowls and national titles are made crystal clear. If you live for fall weekends, this is your book. - Peter King, Author, Monday Morning Quarterback
Red Men: Liverpool Football Club: The Biography
John M. Williams - 2010
In researching the first book to cover the complete history of Liverpool FC using a linear narrative, the author was given access to the club's original minute books John Williams explores the origins and divisive politics of soccer in the city of Liverpool and profiles the key men behind the emergence of the club and its early successes in this unique and exhaustively researched history of Liverpool Football Club. This is the definitive history of a remarkable club from its formation in 1892 to the present day, told in the wider context of the social and cultural development of the city of Liverpool and its people.
Remember Why You Play
David Thomas - 2010
Remember Why You Play documents the lives, struggles, and triumphs of the players and coaches of Faith Christian School in Grapevine, Texas. Sports columnist and author David Thomas followed the team for a full season, recording a story that will inspire readers to understand that relationships are more important than winning. One of the key events was a game that Faith Christian played against the Gainesville State Tornadoes, a school for convicted juvenile offenders. The story of this spectacular game is being made into a movie, titled One Heart, with an anticipated release in November 2010. Reminiscent of Hoosiers and Remember the Titans, this true story makes a strong statement about the impact of compassion and sportsmanship.
Win Forever
Pete Carroll - 2010
But our record will not be what motivates me. Years ago I was asked, 'Pete, which is better: winning or competing?' My response was instantaneous: 'Competing. . . because it lasts longer.'" Pete Carroll is one of the most successful coaches in football today. As the head coach at USC, he brought the Trojans back to national prominence, amassing a 97-19 record over nine seasons. Now he shares the championship-winning philosophy that led USC to seven straight Pac-10 titles. This same mind=set and culture will shape his program as he returns to the NFL to coach the Seattle Seahawks. Carroll developed his unique coaching style by trial and error over his career. He learned that you get better results by teaching instead of screaming, and by helping players grow as people, not just on the field. He learned that an upbeat, energetic atmosphere in the locker room can coexist with an unstoppable competitive drive. He learned why you should stop worrying about your opponents, why you should always act as if the whole world is watching, and many other contrarian insights. Carroll shows us how the Win Forever philosophy really works, both in NCAA Division I competition and in the NFL. He reveals how his recruiting strategies, training routines, and game-day rituals preserve a team's culture year after year, during championship seasons and disappointing seasons alike. Win Forever is about more than winning football games; it's about maximizing your potential in every aspect of your life. Carroll has taught business leaders facing tough challenges. He has helped troubled kids on the streets of Los Angeles through his foundation A Better LA. His words are true in any situation: "If you want to win forever, always compete."
Take Your Eye Off the Ball: How to Watch Football by Knowing Where to Look
Pat Kirwan - 2010
Provides fans the skills to watch a football game by showing readers how to compile data from a game, introducing the players and their roles, and mastering the NFL draft.
Keep Fighting (The Billy Bremner Story)
Paul Harrison - 2010
During his years playing for Leeds Utd and Scotland, his passion for the game and his commitment to the cause made him into one of the all-time greats. When Billy Bremner died in 1997 at the age of just 54, Paul Harrison was working with him on a new book telling the story of his life. Now, that unique material from extensive interviews has been brought together in Keep Fighting: The Billy Bremner Story. It covers Bremner’s life from his early years in Scotland, his move to Leeds Utd and the glory days of the Don Revie era, his distinguished international career and his later move into football management. In his own words, find out what Billy Bremner thought of life at Leeds Utd, about his exploits for Scotland, his footballing friends and those he clashed with. There are stories of winning the League Championship and the FA Cup with Leeds, playing for Scotland in the World Cup, his controversial ban from international football and the libel action he won against a Sunday newspaper. And there’s Bremner’s own forthright views about some of the biggest names in football, from Don Revie to Brian Clough and Gary Sprake to Kevin Keegan. Keep Fighting is a unique, no-holds-barred account of the life of Billy Bremner – straight-talker and footballing legend – and is a fitting tribute to one of the all-time greats of the game.
Football Outsiders Almanac 2010: The Essential Guide to the 2010 NFL and College Football Seasons
Aaron SchatzDavid Gardner - 2010
Includes comprehensive coverage of all 32 NFL teams, analysis of offseason personnel changes, over 500 KUBIAK fantasy football projections, and breakdowns of every team from the six BCS conferences plus the top independent and mid-major college football teams. New research topics include the development of college quarterbacks, running back consistency at the goal line, and a projection system for which college sack artists will be NFL stars or busts.
From Bags to Riches: How the New Orleans Saints and the People of Their Hometown Rose from the Depths Together
Jeff Duncan - 2010
The book explains how the struggling NFL team and the storm-weary people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast lifted one another's spirits -- and fortunes -- in the post-Hurricane Katrina years, 2006 - 2010. The narrative is a study in contrasting moods, ranging from the depression and despair that come with being victims of the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, to the euphoria that accompanies the winning of the Super Bowl after 43 years of mostly losing seasons.
One Step at a Time: A Young Marine's Story of Courage, Hope and a New Life in the NFL
Josh Bleill - 2010
He awoke five days later with to learn of the catastrophic loss of his two friends and both of his legs. Recovering physically presented a great challenge, but the mental recovery was the toughest battle. For three and a half months he never left the hospital because he didn't want people to see his injured body. In One Step at a Time, Bleill shares the story of his own personal redemption and the many life-changing moments he encountered, from his enlistment to active duty in Fallujah, through two years of intensive rehabilitation, and ultimately to his job as the community spokesman for the Indianapolis Colts. Readers will be inspired by his undying enthusiasm, infectious joy, and sense of humor as he shares his message of going forward, one step at a time.
100 Things Steelers Fans Should Know Do Before They Die
Matt Loede - 2010
It contains crucial information such as important dates, player nicknames, memorable moments, and outstanding achievements by singular players. This guide to all things Steelers covers the Immaculate Reception, the origin of the franchise's logo, the team's first game in 1933, Iron City Beer, and Super Bowl XLIII.
Bear Bryant On Leadership: Life Lessons from a Six-Time National Championship Coach
Pat Williams - 2010
Books have been written about Bryant for the last 30 years examining this coaching legend, but never has he been examined under the microscope of leadership.Leadership expert Pat Williams has teamed up with University of Alabama athletics executive Tommy Ford to bring to light what made Coach Bryant so successful and how you can incorporate his leadership principles into your own life.Williams and Ford have interviewed over 200 former players, coaches and members of the media that knew Bryant well. The book uncovers never before revealed leadership insights from Bryant's leadership and coaching genius. This 200 page book is packed with riveting stories and illustrations that will appeal to leaders at all levels of society.Football fans will love it and individuals with any leadership role will benefit immeasurably.Vlasceanu discusses the inherent contradiction between academia on the one hand, and expectations and regulations of the market on the other. Analyses demographic and other statistical characteristics of today's higher education. Examines the financial basis of universities in various countries, and describes current governance models. Finally the author sets up a new typology of universities.It scrutinizes the encounters between the economic actors of the "East" and the "West", the number and scope of which have dramatically increased during the past two decades. Chapters in the volume reveal how indigenous actors, that is, workers, entrepreneurs, government officials, economists, think tank analysts etc. in Central and Eastern Europe, select (accept, adjust and mix) certain cultural packages while rejecting others. Although cultural exchanges are rarely symmetric, there is little to prove that "strong Western" culture devours (civilizes) the "weak Eastern" one, or "clashes of civilizations" drive capitalist transformations in the region.Chapters provide case studies developed in different country specific contexts as well as comparative studies in three main thematic areas: entrepreneurship, governance of economic change, and economic knowledge and thus examine a variety of producers and mediators of economic culture.
New England Patriots: The Complete Illustrated History
Christopher Price - 2010
Under coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady have been a dominant force on the gridiron, a veritable dynasty in an era of NFL parity. But the history of this team, beginning long before the arrival of Belichick and Brady, includes more than 50 years of memorable games, all-star characters, and plenty of winning and losing moments. Revised and updated to include the most recent NFL seasons, New England Patriots: The Complete Illustrated History immerses fans in the history of this beloved franchise through fascinating stories and hundreds of images. Award-winning sportswriter Christopher Price explores every era of Patriots football and introduces—or reintroduces—readers to all the team’s legendary players: from Gino Cappelletti and Babe Parelli in the early years to John Hannah and Mike Haynes in the 1970s; the surprise Super Bowl squad of Steve Grogan, Stanley Morgan, and Andre Tippett; the 1990s resurgence under coach Bill Parcells with Pro Bowlers Bruce Armstrong and Ben Coates; and up through the recent heroes like Wes Welker, Troy Brown, Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi, Ty Law, and Brady. Featuring tons of glorious photos of these and many other Patriot icons, images of memorabilia spanning the team’s entire history, and an appendix of individual stats and team records, New England Patriots: The Complete Illustrated History is the ultimate celebration of an incomparable football franchise.
Sports Illustrated Blood, Sweat and Chalk: The Ultimate Football Playbook: How the Great Coaches Built Today's Game
Tim Layden - 2010
They have become part of the sport's vernacular, and yet for many fans they remain just names, often confusing ones. To rectify that, Tim Layden has drilled deep into the core of the game to reveal not only how these chalkboard X's and O's really work on the field, but also where they came from and who dreamed them up. These playbook schemes, many of them illuminated by diagrams, bear the insignia of some of the game's great innovators, men like Vince Lombardi, Don Coryell, Tom Osborne, Bill Walsh, Tony Dungy and Buddy Ryan. But football has also been radically altered by the ingenious work of men with more obscure names, like Tiger Ellison, Emory Bellard and Mouse Davis. In Blood, Sweat and Chalk, Layden takes readers into the meeting rooms-and in some cases the living rooms-where the game's most significant ideas were hatched. He goes to the coaches and to the players who inspired them, and lets them tell their stories. In candid conversations with some of football's most intriguing characters, Layden provides a fascinating guide to the game, helping fans to better see the subtleties of America's favorite sport.
Confessions of a Highland Hero: Steve 'Pele' Paterson
Steve Paterson - 2010
He became a soccer mercenary in Hong Kong, Australia and Japan, but his gambling and ruinous lifestyle followed him everywhere. Despite his personal problems, Paterson became a successful football manager, first in the Highland League and then, leading Inverness Caledonian Thistle all the way to the brink of promotion to the Premier League before taking the reins at Aberdeen Football Club from which he was sacked as his drinking and gambling escalated. By then, he had spent more than £1m on gambling over a 30 years period and racked up thousands of pounds worth of debt. In November 2008 Paterson decided to confront his addictions and booked into the famous Sporting Chance Clinic in Hampshire. He has now turned his life around and today works as a social worker helping youngsters in the north of Scotland. This candid and brutally honest memoir recounts the heady days of footballing success, twinned with the devastating hubris of his addictive personality. It is a heart-rending and insightful account of one of the most fascinating players and managers in the Scottish game.
Kickoff Blitz
Blake Hoena - 2010
Tou's job is to dash down the field and smash the ball carrier on kickoffs and punts, and he does it well. When the Bandits come to town, an old enemy on the other side of the line goes out of his way to bring Tou down. Darren cuts corners and plays dirty. Will Tou be able to overcome his gridiron bully, or will Darren send him to the sidelines?
Blood, Sweat & Chalk: The Ultimate Football Playbook: How the Great Coaches Built Today's Game
Tim Layden - 2010
A Sports Illustrated writer takes readers back to the origins of the plays that have changed the course of football, gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at how a modern NFL team formulates its game plan, and explains the head games that go hand..Title: .Sports Illustrated Blood, Sweat and Chalk..Author: .Layden, Tim..Publisher: .Little Brown & Co..Publication Date: .2010/08/03..Number of Pages: .255..Binding Type: .HARDCOVER..Library of Congress: .2008909719
Rooney: A Sporting Life
Rob Ruck - 2010
Though he was at the center of boxing, baseball, and racing in Pittsburgh and beyond, Rooney is best remembered for his contribution to the NFL, in particular to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team he founded in 1933. As Rooney led the team in the early years, he came to be known as football’s greatest loser; his influence, however, was instrumental in making the NFL the best-run league in American pro sports. The authors show how Rooney saw professional football—and the Steelers—through the Depression, World War II, the ascension of TV, and the development of the NFL. The book also follows him through the Steelers’ dynasty years under Rooney’s sons, with four Super Bowl titles in the 1970s alone. The first authoritative look at one of the most iconic figures in the history of the NFL, this book is both a critical chapter in the story of football in America and a thoroughly engaging in-depth introduction to a character unlike any other in the annals of American sports.
Revie Revered And Reviled
Richard Sutcliffe - 2010
Through the eyes of those who knew him best, family, friends, team-mates, players, colleagues and even a member of the royal family, this title tells how a child born in Middlesbrough in the depression-hit 1920s rose to the very top as both a player and manager.
The Anatomy of England: A History in Ten Matches
Jonathan Wilson - 2010
There was, of course, the golden summer of 1966, and the great period of English dominance on the world stage, which fell roughly between 1886 and 1900, when England won 35 of their 40 internationals ... But before long foreign teams, with their insistence on progressive 'tactics', began to pose a few questions. And much of what followed for England constituted a series of false dawns.In The Anatomy of England, Jonathan Wilson seeks to place the bright spots in context. Time and again, progressive coaches have been spurned by England - technique being all very well, but what really matters is pluck and 'organised muscularity', or, to quote Jimmy Hogan's chairman at Aston Villa in 1936: 'I've no time for these theories about football. Just get the ball in the bloody net.'Wilson takes ten key England fixtures and explores how what actually happened on the pitch shaped the future of the English game. Bursting with insight and critical detail, yet imbued with a wry affection, this is a history of England like none before.
Staubach: Portrait of the Brightest Star
Carlton Stowers - 2010
From his All-Star days as an Ohio schoolboy to All-American and Heisman Trophy-winning heights at the U.S. Naval Academy and from a four-year military stint to a decade spent leading America's Team to Super Bowl successes, the Pro Football Hall of Fame standout served as the gold standard for Sunday afternoon greatness.
2010 Coach of the Year Clinics Football Manual
Earl Browning - 2010
These football clinics widely considered the best coaching clinics in the country have grown so popular that the number of individual Coach of the Year Clinics has increased to 20 annually. This manual provides a coach-friendly collection of some of the best lectures selected from the 2010 series of the Coach of the Year Clinics. The 2010 Coach of the Year Clinics Football Manual features a presentation by Coach of the Year Nick Saban, and includes chapters by these other top coaches: Robb Akey, Ashley Anders, Chris Ault, Tim Banks, Jay Bateman, Vance Bedford, Bobby Bowden, Tom Brattan, Mack Brown, Mike Cassity, John Chavis, Dave Christensen, Canute Curtis, Randy Edsall, Frank Giufre, Herb Hand, Danny Hope, Brian Hughes, Reggie Johnson, Bill Kenney, Vic Koenning, Chris Malone, Ken Niumatalolo, Stan Parrish, Steve Sarkisian, Kirby Smart, Bill Stewart, Mike Summers, Dabo Swinney, Andy Talley, Tommy Thigpen, Jim Tressel, Dave Wannstedt, Brian White, and Tom Williams.
Catholicism, War and the Foundation of Francoism: The Juventud de Acción Popular in Spain, 1931-1939
Sid Lowe - 2010
Yet just over five years later the country was plunged into a brutal civil war that bequeathed hundreds of thousands of deaths and an authoritarian dictatorship under General Francisco Franco that lasted almost forty years. Catholicism, War and the Foundation of Francoism analyses Spain’s dramatic political shift, reassessing the role of the right as it mobilised against the Second Republic, swinging from ostensibly –moderate– Catholic conservatism to fascist violence. By providing the first detailed study of the uniformed, paramilitary Juventud de Acci–n Popular (JAP), Sid Lowe challenges the historiographical orthodoxy on Spanish fascism and assumptions about the role of the hegemonic right-wing party during the Republican years, Jos– Mar–a Gil Robles’s CEDA. Drawing on a wide range of previously uncovered primary material, he demonstrates that much of the parliamentary right, its leadership included, abandoned the legal road to power when it could no longer use democracy as a Trojan Horse with which to conquer the state. It throws vital new light on the conspiracy to destroy the Republic, the Nationalist war effort, the creation of the new state, and the true social and political origins of the Franco r–gime.
The Ultimate Guide to Pro Football Teams: Revised and Updated
Shane Gerald Frederick - 2010
Read about all of the greats and the history of your favorite pro football teams.
When Football was Football: Chelsea: A Nostalgic Look at a Century of the Club
Andy Sherwood - 2010
This is a fascinating collection of photographs from the early days of Chelsea Football from 1905 until 1992, painstakingly selected from the Daily Mirror's extensive archives. These photos tell the story of one of Britain's most glamorous and often controversial football clubs.
Manchester: A Football History - The Story of City, United, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stalybridge, Stockport and More
Gary James - 2010
It proved highly popular and sold out within twelve months of publication in 2008. This updated version is the definitive record of the development of football in the Manchester region.
Gang Green: An Irreverent Look Behind the Scenes
Gerald Eskenazi - 2010
The New York Jets have a record for futility and self-sabotage that is unmatched in the history of professional sports. And nonetheless, they have been rewarded with a loyal following that has made Jets tickets as hard to come by as Jets winning seasons.For Jets fans, the bright beacon of promise has always turned into an onrushing train. They reveled in the joy of the Jets' epic victory in Super Bowl III, when their team beat the 18 1/2-point odds to defeat the Baltimore Colts, just as their cocky young quarterback had guaranteed; they then watched as contract squabbles broke up the core of the team, which would reach just one playoff game in the next twelve years. They cheered as their sleek, explosive team roared into the AFC Championship Game in January 1983; the team was held scoreless after overnight rains pelted the uncovered Orange Bowl field, turning the gridiron into a quagmire that favored the defense-oriented Dolphins. They dared to hope when the Jets went on an unprecedented spending spree in 1996, signing a Super Bowl quarterback and adding a host of fleet receivers and experienced linemen; they saw that team go 1-15, as Rich Kotite's Jets career coaching record sank to a jaw-dropping 4-28.In Gang Green, New York Times sportswriter Gerald Eskenazi details the bizarre history of this remarkable team. From the poor decisions (drafting Ken O'Brien instead of Dan Marino) and bad luck (Joe Namath's knees, Dennis Byrd's near-tragic neck injury) to the horrendous leadership (see Kotite, above) and outright strangeness (team practices held in an open area alongside the Belt Parkway, leRoy Neiman's presence as team artist-in-residence, the Richard Todd/Matt Robinson quarterback duel that wasn't) that have typified the Jets' mystifying approach to football, Gang Green captures the history of this most unusual franchise in a funny, rollicking, nostalgic tale. If you can name the Jet who is the only man in NFL history to run more than 90 yards on a play from scrimmage without scoring; if you remember the glory days of the New York Sack Exchange, when practice was often disrupted by the distracting presence of Mark Gastineau's inamorata, Brigitte Nielsen; if you can still hum the fight song coach Lou Holtz made the team sing after victories -- not that there were enough for them to memorize the lyrics; or if you know which Jets coach told which Jets punter that his flatulence traveled farther than the punter's kicks -- then Gang Green is the book for you.
Khan: Reflections of an Asian Casual. Riaz Khan
Khan - 2010
The son of traditional Pakistani parents in Leicester - the Midlands city where Asians constitute a third of the population - he found his own identity in the early 1980's, when he adopted football's 'casual' culture.
Football Economics and Policy
Stefan Szymanski - 2010
It examines the relationship between sporting success and economic variables, the structure of European competitions, financial problems in football, their origins and options for reform, racial discrimination in English football, and the economic impact of the World Cup.
Beneath the floodlights
Martin Tracey - 2010
Buried nearby is the world's first vampire and Cezar's plan is to resurrect a clone from the extracted DNA of his ancient bones. But Cezar did not legislate for falling in love with human girl, Lily, or for acquiring such admiration for team captain and local hero Johnny Knox and United's other human footballers. But as Cezar struggles with his emotions and attempts to shield his identity as a master vampire, his finest example, star striker Andrei is eager to keep things on course. But will the cloning of the world's first vampire materialise? Will Cezar lead United back to Premiership glory? Does Cezar hold any answers for the disappearance of Johnny's long lost son? And when the evil Andrei takes a shine to Johnny's teenage daughter, a dramatic showdown ensues in a desperate bid to rescue her - and the entire human race.
Advancing the Ball: Race, Reformation, and the Quest for Equal Coaching Opportunity in the NFL
N. Jeremi Duru - 2010
Although Major League Baseball and the NBA made progress in this regard over the years, the NFL's head coaches were almost exclusively white upuntil the mid-1990s. Advancing the Ball chronicles the campaign of former Cleveland Browns offensive lineman John Wooten to right this wrong and undo decades of discriminatory head coach hiring practices--an initiative that finally bore fruit when he joined forces with attorneys Cyrus Mehri andJohnnie Cochran. Together with a few allies, the triumvirate galvanized the NFL's African American assistant coaches to stand together for equal opportunity and convinced the league to enact the Rooney Rule, which stipulates that every team must interview at least one minority candidate whensearching for a new head coach. In doing so, they spurred a movement that would substantially impact the NFL and, potentially, the nation. Featuring an impassioned foreword by Coach Tony Dungy, Advancing the Ball offers an eye-opening, first-hand look at how a few committed individuals initiated asea change in America's most popular sport and added an extraordinary new chapter to the civil rights story.
The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr
Chris Willis - 2010
From 1921 to 1939, Joe F. Carr guided the sport of professional football with intelligence, hard work, and a passion that built the foundation of what the NFL has become: the number one sports organization in the world. During his eighteen-year tenure as NFL President, Carr created the organization's first Constitution & By-Laws; implemented the standard player's contract; wrote the NFL's first-ever Record and Fact Book; helped split the NFL into two divisions and establish the NFL's World Championship Game; started keeping league statistics; and developed the NFL Draft. But Carr's greatest achievement was creating a vision for the NFL as a big-city sport. By skillfully recruiting financially capable owners to operate NFL franchises in big market cities, he created the solid foundation for the league's successful future. While the sport has grown to unheard of heights, Carr's name and accomplishments have been lost and forgotten. The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr captures the life and career of this pivotal figure in professional sports, chronicling the many achievements of a man whose vision helped shaped what the NFL is today. With unlimited access and complete cooperation from the Carr family--including family interviews, personal letters, and family photos--as well as NFL League Minutes, Willis recounts the fascinating life and career of a man dedicated to the game.
You Are the Ref: The Ultimate Illustrated Guide to the Laws of Football
Paul Trevillion - 2010
Based on the hugely popular Observer comic strip and embellished with anecdotes from year in top class football, this book is a treasure trove for all fans of this beautiful, compelling—sometimes frustrating—game.
Modern Combination Play
Michael Beale - 2010
This has made it very difficult to break down the opposition and create goal scoring opportunities through individual efforts. This book focuses on the key principles of passing, receiving and possession which will enable you to break down the opposing team, individually and as a team to create goal scoring opportunities while playing attacking, attractive, free flowing soccer. Modern Combination Play includes more than 80 drills, exercises and small-sided games to train your players to work together. Each one includes a detailed diagram and a complete description. The descriptions contain the organization, coaching points and progressive exercises for each practice. The 11 chapters begin with technical topics and gradually progress to group games. The chapters include: Basic Receiving Technique Drills, Myself, a Ball and a Wall, Passing and Awareness, Opening Out and Switching Play, Changing Your First Touch, Passing Combinations, Possessing Under Pressure, Quick Movement and Awareness and Possession Games. Within each chapter there is also a progression that allows the players to move from simple movements without opposition to more complicated combinations that includes the pressure of an opponent. Including the methods from Modern Combination Play into your training sessions will take your team to the next level.
Charles Buchan: A Lifetime in Football
Charles Buchan - 2010
Born in London in 1891, Buchan enjoyed a successful playing career with Sunderland before enlisting as a soldier in the First World War, during which he saw action both at the front and on the pitch. War over, he picked up his playing career with Sunderland before being capped by his country and transferring to Arsenal. Gradually, he moved into journalism, writing the first football coaching manual and reporting on the sport for the BBC. Then, in 1951, Charles Buchan's Football Monthly was set up, reaching sales of more than 100,000 at its peak. Buchan's life was tragically cut short in 1960 when he died of a massive heart attack, but in this book he left a legacy of football history, setting the matches he played in and covered in a context that makes them both vivid and memorable.
Joe Mercer, OBE: Football with a Smile - The Authorised Biography of an Everton, Arsenal and England Legend and a Highly Successful Manager with ... Manchester City, Coventry C and England
Gary James - 2010
Joe Mercer was a remarkable football player and manager. The story of one of Arsenal's most successful captains; a proud Evertonian; trophy winning Aston Villa manager; Manchester City's greatest manager; and the man who put the fun back into English football Full description
Disrepute: Revie's England
Robert Endeacott - 2010
Don Revie decided to leave Leeds United to take over the England job from the sacked Sir Alf Ramsey. His departure upset many while his England appointment was hardly met with universal approval either. Already with a long list of enemies, managing the national team put him directly in the firing line.
Enjoy the Game: Watford Football Club - The Story of the Eighties
Lionel Birnie - 2010
With revealing insight, this compelling account takes you behind-the-scenes to find out the real stories.Hold on tight and prepare for the ride of a lifetime.
England Expects: A History of the England Football Team
James Corbett - 2010
From the inaugural international matches in the mid-nineteenth century to the advent of Fabio Capello's reign, it is an engrossing and graphic narrative history of the inside stories, dramas and shattered dreams of our nation's footballers. The second edition of ENGLAND EXPECTS is completely revised to include a new introduction, a new chapter detailing all the agonies of the 2006 World Cup and the contrasting fortunes of England's managers since then.