Best of
Football

2015

Endzone: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Michigan Football


John U. Bacon - 2015
    It is a story of hubris, greed, and betrayal, a tale more suited to Wall Street than the world's top public university. Author John U. Bacon takes you inside the offices, the board rooms, and the locker rooms of the University of Michigan to see what happened, and why, with countless eye-opening, head-shaking scenes of conflict and conquest. But Endzone is also an inspiring story of redemption and revival. When those who loved Michigan football the most recognized that it was being attacked from within, they rallied to reclaim the values that had made it great for over a century. The list of heroes includes players, students, lettermen, fans, and faculty--and the leaders who had the courage to listen to them. Their unprecedented uprising produced a new athletic director, and a new coach who vindicated the fans' faith when he turned down more money and fame to return to the place he loved most: Michigan.

Above the Line: Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Season


Urban Meyer - 2015
    But sheer statistics are not the measure of his true accomplishment, nor do they speak to his own extraordinary learning journey. Now, in Above the Line, he offers to readers his unparalleled insights into leadership, team building and the keys to empowering people to achieve things they might never have thought possible. Despite winning two national championships at Florida in only six seasons, Meyer stepped back from the game at the end of the 2010 season, amid health concerns and a growing awareness that his almost maniacal pursuit of perfection was distorting his priorities, distancing him from his family and taking him away from the reasons he wanted to coach in the first place. When he returned to the sport in 2012 as the head  coach at Ohio State, the school he grew up rooting for, Meyer did so with a renewed sense of the deeper purpose of his work and a profound commitment to life balance that had previously been lacking. What remained constant was his passion for leading, teaching and motivating, forging his football teams into a cohesive whole, playing for one another with selfless commitment and uncommon intensity.  Ohio State’s 2014 season was in many ways Urban Meyer’s master class in leadership. The world knows how the story ended: with the Buckeyes capturing the inaugural College Football Playoff Championship with a 42–20 victory over Oregon, with the team’s third-string quarterback at the helm, in only his third collegiate start. Few remember how it began: with a bad early season loss that sent OSU out of the Top 20, season-ending injuries at the most important position on the team, and then, infinitely worse, the tragic death of a teammate. But this team’s resilience was no accident. In Above the Line, Urban Meyer shares with readers OSU’s groundbreaking game plan—the game plan he followed every day in the Buckeyes’ historic 2014 season—for creating a culture of success that engages and inspires the people around them A student of psychology long before he became a coach, Meyer believes that trust is the bedrock of great achievements and healthy relationships, and explains how to build it, step by step—whether in a team, a family, or a Fortune 500 company. With trust in place, a deep bond unites us in common purpose, and cultivates what he calls "Above the Line" behavior—a learned, empowered response to the challenges we face every day. Writing with his customary candor and humility, Meyer delivers insights both practical and profound—and applicable far beyond the football field. Packed with real-life examples from a storied season, Above the Line offers wisdom and inspiration for taking control and turning setbacks into victories.

I Believe In Miracles: The Remarkable Story of Brian Clough’s European Cup-winning Team


Daniel Taylor - 2015
    Forest won the First Division championship, two League Cups and back-to-back European Cups and they did it, incredibly, with five of the players Clough inherited at a club that was trying to avoid relegation to the third tier of English football.I Believe In Miracles accompanies the critically-acclaimed documentary and DVD of the same name. Based on exclusive interviews with virtually every member of the Forest team, it covers the greatest period in Clough's extraordinary life and brings together the stories of the unlikely assortment of free transfers, bargain buys, rogues, misfits and exceptionally gifted footballers who came together under the most charismatic manager there has ever been.

Take Your Eye Off the Ball 2.0: How to Watch Football by Knowing Where to Look


Pat Kirwan - 2015
    What does the offense’s formation tell you about the play that’s about to be run? When a quarterback throws a pass toward the sideline and the wide receiver cuts inside, which player is to blame? Why does a defensive end look like a Hall of Famer one week and a candidate for the practice squad the next? These questions and more are addressed in Take Your Eye Off the Ball 2.0, a book that takes readers deep inside the perpetual chess match between offense and defense. This book provides clear and simple explanations to the intricacies and nuances that affect the outcomes of every NFL game. This updated edition contains recent innovations from the 2015 NFL season.

Leading: Learning from Life and My Years at Manchester United


Alex Ferguson - 2015
    From hiring practices to firing decisions, from dealing with transition to teamwork, from mastering the boardroom to responding to failure and adversity, Leading is as inspiring as it is practical, and a go-to reference for any leader in business, sports, and life.

The Art of Smart Football


Chris B. Brown - 2015
    The Art of Smart Football is an eye-opening, fascinating and accessible contribution to our understanding of America’s favorite sport. The Art of Smart Football features analysis of football's top strategists and schemes, including: Pete Carroll's aggressive defense Chip Kelly's spread offense and new-school methods The roots of Bill Belichick's defensive genius Gus Malzahn's up-tempo offense The strategies Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers use to shred defenses Art Briles and Baylor's wide open attack Nick Saban's defensive evolution The book also includes explorations of the newest trends in football, including "packaged plays" that combine runs and passes into one play, "pattern match" defenses that blend man-to-man and zone pass coverages, how defenses are responding to the spread offense, and much more. Praise for The Art of Smart Football: "The Art of Smart Football made me a smarter football writer . . . Football, as presented by these coaches and by Brown, is such an imaginative game. It’s a great read: Go buy it." -- Peter King, The MMQB/Sports Illustrated"A must read if you are a football junkie." -- Trent Dilfer, ESPN/13-year NFL Veteran Quarterback"The best analysis in the game today."-- Rolling Stone"Awesome stuff. I recommend The Art of Smart Football to any coach or fan." -- Matt Bowen, ESPN Columnist/NFL Veteran"When Chris B. Brown releases a book, you should buy it."-- Bill Barnwell, Grantland/ESPN"A deep dive into football. Highly recommended."-- Field Yates, ESPN"The Art of Smart Football is a perfect read for anyone looking to take their knowledge of the game up a notch."-- ElevenWarriors.com

My Story


Steven Gerrard - 2015
    His loyalty to his beloved Liverpool - joining at the age of eight, Gerrard played over 700 games for the club - ensures he will be remembered not only as one of the all-time Anfield greats but one of England's finest footballers.In My Story Gerrard dissects his full playing career. He examines the defining games such as the 2005 Champion's League Final when he inspired 'The Miracle of Istanbul' as Liverpool came back from 3-0 down against AC Milan to become champions of Europe. He talks about his 114 caps for England, including World Cup and European Championship campaigns, asking what went right - and wrong.He writes candidly of those he's played with and competed against, from Luis Suárez to Jose Mourinho, his experiences under Brendan Rodgers and Roy Hodgson. He also has an incredible and rare personal story, telling us of the extraordinary ups and downs of staying loyal to one club for your entire career.Explosive and searingly honest, Steven Gerrard's My Story is the last word from an era-defining player.

Das Reboot: How German Football Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World


Raphael Honigstein - 2015
    Landing on his left foot, he takes a step with his right, swivels, and in one fluid motion, without the ball touching the ground, volleys it past the onrushing Argentine goalkeeper into the far corner of the net. The goal wins Germany the World Cup for the first time in almost twenty-five years. In the aftermath, Götze looks dazed, unable to comprehend what he has done.In Das Reboot, journalist and television pundit Raphael Honigstein charts the return of German football from the international wilderness of the late 1990s to Götze’s moment of genius and asks how did this come about? How did German football transform itself from its efficient, but unappealing and defensively minded traditions to the free-flowing, attacking football that was on display in 2014? The answer takes him from California to Stuttgart, from Munich to the Maracaná, via Dortmund and Durban. Packed with exclusive interviews with the key protagonists, Honigstein’s book lifts the lid on the secrets of German football’s success.

Neymar


Illugi Jökulsson - 2015
    One of the biggest names at the 2014 World Cup, Neymar, playing for Brazil, sustained a serious injury but healed quickly and is now back on the field, winning games for Barcelona. The book also traces the history of the Brazilian national team, the most successful organization in the history of the World Cup. The book contains fascinating facts, spectacular images, and captivating and informative text.

Cristiano Ronaldo: The Biography


Guillem Balagué - 2015
    It was clear from early on that Ronaldo had a prodigious talent. More than that, though, he only ever had one goal in mind. At the age of twelve, he left his humble origins on Madeira behind to travel to the Portuguese mainland in pursuit of his dream to become the best footballer on the planet. It wasn't long before he had the biggest clubs in Europe knocking on his door, but it was Manchester United who won the race for his signature. Under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson, Ronaldo developed into the complete footballer and athlete, winning three league titles and a Champions League, and cementing his status as a United legend, along the way. He then became the biggest galactico of them all when he transferred to Real Madrid for a record-breaking fee. However, he has endured a difficult relationship with managers, teammates and the fans - and with only one La Liga title and one Champions League win to his name, his time at the club has often been overshadowed by his fierce rivalry with Barcelona and Lionel Messi. Guillem Balague, respected football journalist and expert on the Spanish game, provides the definitive account of what has made Ronaldo the player and man that he is today.

The Ugly Game: The Qatari Plot to Buy the World Cup


Heidi Blake - 2015
    How had a country with almost no football infrastructure or tradition, a high terror risk and searing summer temperatures of 50C beaten more established countries with stronger bids? The story behind the Qatari success soon developed into one of the greatest sporting scandals of our time. Allegations of corruption were soon flying, and when the Sunday Times Insight team received a cache of hundreds of millions of documents from a whistleblower, the contents of the FIFA Files became a global sensation, unearthing the corruption that lay at the heart of the bidding process. Now in this remarkable new book by the Sunday Times journalists at the heart of the investigation, Heidi Blake and Jonathan Calvert, comes the most comprehensive account yet of what happened and who was involved. Above all, it explains why, despite all the evidence, FIFA under Sepp Blatter continues to support Qatar - even to the extent of publishing an edited and abbreviated report into the process that was immediately denounced by its original author. The Ugly Game is undoubtedly the biggest sporting story of the year.

Saban: The Making of a Coach


Monte Burke - 2015
    Unpredictable in his professional loyalties, uncompromising in his vision, and unyielding in his pursuit of perfection, the highest-paid coach in college football has changed the face of the game. His program-building vision has delivered packed stadiums, rabid fans, legions of detractors, countless NFL draft picks, and a total of four national championships, including three in the last five years. Monte Burke’s Saban—the first definitive biography of the man who has come to epitomize the game—presents this towering figure with a never-before seen human depth.Though a great deal is known about Nick Saban the coach, not much is known about Nick Saban the man. Little is written about his early climb through the coaching ranks as an assistant in college and in the NFL, or his head-coaching stints at Michigan State and Louisiana State and his struggles as a pro coach with the Miami Dolphins. Through unprecedented interviews with more than 250 friends, coworkers, rivals, former players, and others, Burke reveals the defining moments of the coach’s life, including:-The beginning of his recruiting career at age ten as he walked door to door with his demanding father gathering players for a Pop Warner football team.-A team meeting that deterred his plans to attend a student rally at Kent State that would later make history.-His rapid and at times rocky ascent up the assistant coaching ranks.-His complicated relationship with one of his coaching mentors, Bill Belichick.-The birth of his now-famous “Process” and the unlikely man who became its co-architect.-His dramatic and controversial departures from three different high-profile football teams.-The building of championship programs at Louisiana State and Alabama.Saban paints a portrait of a complex and compelling man, fundamentally shaped by both his past and the game he loves, in a way that no previous book has.

Soccer iQ Presents Shutout Pizza: Smarter Soccer Defending for Players and Coaches


Dan Blank - 2015
    From the best-selling author of Soccer iQ comes a book dedicated to teaching and organizing a back four. Coach Dan Blank led the Southeastern Conference's best defense at two different universities in consecutive years. It began with a handbook he created for his defenders that ensured everyone was on the same page. Shutout Pizza is a vastly expanded version of that handbook. It introduces the governing principles that guided the SEC's best defenses, and covers a broad spectrum of scenarios that commonly occur during matches. Shutout Pizza is packed with diagrams that will help the reader visualize the concepts discussed in the text, and includes several of most effective drills for training these concepts. This is an excellent book for coaches and players who want to defend more effectively.

Soccer iQ Presents POSSESSION - Teaching Your Team to Keep the Darn Ball


Dan Blank - 2015
    It combines a thorough explanation of possession concepts with 30 practical possession exercises to help your team develop its ability to keep the ball. Easy-to-understand diagrams help you understand the layout and design of these exercises. More importantly, the exercises include explanations about the critical coaching points AND the most common mistakes the players will make when playing these exercises. These insightful tips give coaches a head start by showing you what to expect once an exercise begins, the mistakes to look for and the proper corrections to make. BEFORE YOU BUY: The first section of this book is devoted to the concept of possession. Fourteen of the chapters in this section have been pulled directly from Soccer iQ Volumes 1 & 2. If you have read either/both of these books, you've read a lot of the material in Section 1. The overlap in material is reflected in POSSESSION's low price point.

Football Outsiders Almanac 2015


Aaron Schatz - 2015
    Includes comprehensive coverage of all 32 NFL teams, analysis of offseason personnel changes, over 500 KUBIAK fantasy football projections, and breakdowns of the top 50 college football teams for 2015. With numerous statistical measures that go far beyond standard NFL stats, Football Outsiders Almanac 2015 gives NFL fans the kind of sabermetric-like statistical analysis that revolutionized the fan's understanding of baseball. It's also written with a knowing dry wit that gets under the skin of America's most popular spectator sport. Groundbreaking team and player DVOA ratings that correct for situation and opponent to reveal which offenses and defenses are truly superior, and which players really help win games. Exclusive data from the Football Outsiders Game Charting Project, unavailable in standard NFL stats, tells you which running backs face the most men in the box; which quarterbacks benefit the most from yards after catch; which teams most often blitz or run specific offensive formations; and which defensive backs stop the other team's passing game, measured by pass coverage on every single play rather than just tackles. Detailed information on each team's performance in 2014 by offensive and defensive personnel package. Detailed individual stats for offensive linemen and defensive players. Extensive coverage of all 32 teams with week-by-week stats from the 2014 season, five-year performance trends, and analysis of off-season personnel changes. Exclusive 2015 predictions that give the odds on each team as a Super Bowl contender ... or a contender for the top pick in the 2016 draft. 2015 fantasy football projections for more than 500 skill position players based on the KUBIAK forecasting system. Breakdowns on the top 50 college football teams and full win-loss projections for all 128 Division I-A (FBS) teams. "A book that any self-respecting NFL fan needs to purchase." -- Bill Simmons, formerly of GRANTLAND.com "Football Outsiders has now built a system that has some serious traction behind it. I personally find it fascinating." -- John Schneider, General Manager, Seattle Seahawks "Exhausting, enlightening, surprising in many cases, and an absolute must-read if you like the NFL. -- Peter King, Sports Illustrated "It's important for you, the working football fan, to know more about football than other football fans. The Football Outsiders Almanac will give you all the background knowledge you need to make your football-watching companions feel uninformed and inadequate." -- Drew Magary, Deadspin.com "Football is a nearly impossible game for even its most devout practitioners to understand. Football Outsiders is the best way I know to make it make sense." -- Will Leitch, New York Magazine/SportsonEarth.com

Freddie Steinmark: Faith, Family, Football


Bower Yousse - 2015
    Two days after “The 1969 Game of The Century,” a come-from-behind victory against Arkansas that ensured Texas the national championship, Freddie went to the doctor concerned about a pain in his left thigh. His leg was amputated that same week due to osteosarcoma. There are rare kinds of people who maintain positivity throughout hardship and leave a lasting torch of inspiration behind. Freddie Steinmark was one of those people. What he endured during the Longhorns’ memorable 1969 season, and what he encountered afterward, captivated not only Texans but the country at large. Americans watched closely as Steinmark confronted life’s ultimate challenge, and his openness during his battle against savage odds helped reframe the national conversation surrounding cancer and the ongoing race for a cure. Written with unfettered access to the Steinmark family and archives, Freddie Steinmark: Faith, Family, Football is the exploration of a brief but full life, one that began humbly but ended on a grand stage. It is a fitting tribute to a legendary Longhorn whose photograph, emblazoned with the word “Heart,” flashes on the Freddie Steinmark Scoreboard’s Jumbotron prior to each home football game in UT’s Darrel K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium at Joe Jamail Field.

The Chase: How Ohio State Captured the First College Football Playoff


Bill Rabinowitz - 2015
    Fans will learn how Ohio State overcame the loss of not one but two quarterbacks—gaining inside perspective behind the dynamic between Miller, J. T. Barrett, and Cardale Jones. Rabinowitz captures the mood of the team in late November following the tragic death of Kosta Karageorge, and profiles other Ohio State stars, including Joey Bosa, Michael Bennett, Ezekiel Elliott, and more.

Fifty-Six: The Story of the Bradford Fire


Martin Fletcher - 2015
    It was truly horrific, a startling story – and wholly avoidable – but it had only the briefest of inquiries, and it seemed its lessons were not learned.Twelve-year-old Martin Fletcher was at Valley Parade that day, celebrating Bradford's promotion to the second flight, with his dad, brother, uncle and grandfather. Martin was the only one of them to survive the fire – the biggest loss suffered by a single family in any British football disaster.In later years, Martin devoted himself to extensively investigating how the disaster was caused, its culture of institutional neglect and the government's general indifference towards football fans' safety at the time. This book tells the gripping, extraordinary in-depth story of a boy's unthinkable loss following a spring afternoon at a football match, of how fifty-six people could die at a game, and of the truths he unearthed as an adult. This is the story – thirty years on – of the disaster football has never properly acknowledged.

Sports Illustrated Super Bowl Gold: 50 Years of the Big Game


Sports Illustrated - 2015
    Now, as the game approaches its 50th anniversary, and what promises to be its biggest and most-marketed ever, Sports Illustrated celebrates the grandeur and spirit of the Big Game in a way only they can - in a deluxe edition featuring the magazine's iconic photography, summaries from each game, never-before-told anecdotes from players and coaches, and classic stories from the magazine's legendary writers: Super Bowl Gold .Along with overviews of each championship, this deluxe gift book includes a ranking of every Super Bowl from worst to best, based on SI's unique insight, weighing the quality of the game, context surrounding the matchup, closeness of the score, upset factor, stirring performances, and overall excitement. Also included will be year-by-year game summaries, commentary from players on every winning and losing team, reviews of every halftime show, with special attention paid to what we all really love the most - the commercials, and pictures of every ticket stub and champion ring. This will be the ultimate examination of the ultimate sports event. Bringing every Super Bowl back to life by diving into the legendary SI archives, Super Bowl Gold is essential for every football fan, no matter what team.

First and Goal: What Football Taught Me About Never Giving Up


Jake Byrne - 2015
    He had the size, the talent, the drive...but at age fourteen, he found out he also had type 1 diabetes.Still, Jake was determined to reach his goal. And God was determined to guide and empower him all along the way.Jake's journey to the NFL is the backdrop for this collection of inspiring devotions for teens based on more than 100 football terms. Jake defines each phrase, shares a brief account of his life, includes Scripture, and then ties that all up in way that feels real and very encouraging. You'll discover...what to do when God calls an audible in your lifehow to respond when God puts you on special teamswhy prayer is more than a desperate hail MaryThese quick daily readings will help you press through your own difficulties and experience God's dreams for you.

Touchdown Triumph (Jake Maddox Sports Stories)


Jake Maddox - 2015
    His dad is in the Army, and moving is just part of life. But it finally looks like they'll be staying in one place, and Oliver decides to join Jackson Middle School's football team. Things couldn't be going better: he's the starting wide receiver, his team is undefeated, and he's actually starting to make friends. But when Oliver gets word that his family needs to move again, he's about to lose it all. Does he have the heart to lead his team to victory in one final game?

Touching Distance: Kevin Keegan, the Entertainers and Newcastle's Impossible Dream


Martin Hardy - 2015
    They were also facing bankruptcy. St James' Park had been neglected, the club's best players had been sold. In a daring move, Newcastle appointed Kevin Keegan as manager. Keegan, the two-time European Footballer of the Year, had played for the club between 1982 and 1984. He had been out of football since. His appointment as manager was as big a shock as when he arrived as a player. Exactly four years after Keegan's return to the North east of England, Newcastle were top of the Premiership, nine points clear of Manchester United, having played a game less. It would turn out to be one of the most memorable seasons in the modern history of English football. Keegan's side would play a unique brand of football and become known as the Entertainers. They would take part in a game at Anfield that became widely recognised as the best the Premier League has ever seen. Keegan would also famously square up to Sir Alex Ferguson.Touching Distance tells the story of that remarkable season, through the highs and the lows of a truly dramatic campaign. It also traces the seeds of the revival back to Keegan's first spell as a player, to his return and the dramatic impact he had on a football club, its supporters and an entire region. Touching Distance talks to the people who made it happen, the players, the coaching staff and the board and relives a truly momentous period for the club. It is a story of hopes and dreams and when, for Newcastle United, anything seemed possible.

Another Bloody Saturday: A Journey to the Heart and Soul of Football


Mat Guy - 2015
    It explores the passions and devotion of those that support a team, a nation, a dream. By exploring football in the lower leagues and non-league, as well as lesser known clubs and nations abroad, the book attempts to reveal the true soul of football that is often lost among the glitz and glamour of the premier League and the Champions League. Ultimately, Another Bloody Saturday is about all that makes football so captivating and all-encompassing to so many, making a supporter’s team and club a near religion. A small selection of clubs featured include: Accrington Stanley, Bangor City, Partick Thistle, Tibetan National Team, Bhutan National Team, Bristol Rovers and Arsenal Ladies.

MUZZY: MY STORY


Muzzy Izzet - 2015
     Two good feet. Stamina. Decent in the air. He could run, shoot, pass, dribble, read the game, track back, tackle and score goals, brilliant goals, and one – a bicycle kick at Grimsby Town in 2002 – still rated as Leicester City’s greatest-ever goal. A half-English/half-Turkish kid from London’s East End, Izzet learned his trade the hard way; in kids’ leagues, playing against youngsters two or three years older, then as a young pro at Chelsea, kicked all over the Southern Counties League. When it looked like he couldn’t get a break, he contemplated jacking in the only thing he could do – the only thing he wanted to do – to go roofing with his old man. Enter Martin O’Neill and Leicester City… Inspired by the Northern Irishman’s unique motivational methods, Muzzy flourished in a side littered with big characters who worked hard and played hard, established names like Steve Walsh and Garry Parker who helped new faces like Neil Lennon, Robbie Savage and Emile Heskey. This is more than just a football book. It’s about what happened in the changing room, in the bar, being banned from La Manga – not once, but twice – and what happened when O’Neill’s side was dismantled, the club was relegated and, later, fell into administration. Muzzy was there for it all – the good times, the bad, the bits in between. Then there was Turkey. The dressing room rite of passage that spared no blushes and the secret drama behind the World Cup semi-final… Funny, unflinching and occasionally heartbreaking, Muzzy: My Story lifts the lid on 1990s football and a Leicester City legend, remembered fondly by all those who saw him.

The Football Book


D.K. Publishing - 2015
    Revised and updated to include details of all the stats, goal tallies and cup wins so you can now relive the excitement of the Brazil 2014 World Cup.You'll discover the finest moments of the players, coaches and teams who have created football history and learn everything from match highlights to the inside stories on the players, managers and fans.Use The Football Book to find out about the laws, the tactics, the science, and the art of the beautiful game. With a fantastic cover that feels just like a football, it's a great gift for football lovers and sports enthusiasts alike.

Strategy Concepts of Bill Belichick: A Leadership Case Study of the New England Patriots Head Coach


Leadership Case Studies - 2015
    In order to remain competitive, teams must learn how to quickly adapt to new situations, find innovative ways to gain an advantage, and teach their players to execute the strategies on the field. No other coach in professional sports who has been able to do that more than New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. In Strategy Concepts of Bill Belichick, we analyze the methods, mindsets and strategies that helped Bill Belichick win 4 Super Bowls. This brief Leadership Case Study examines how Bill Belichick is able to constantly achieve success in a competitive industry. Here are some of the key takeaways you will receive after reading this brief, easy-to-read case study on Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots: -Learn how Belichick creates a culture of accountability. -How individual performance raises the performance of the team. -How good decisions can sometimes have bad outcomes. -Why it’s important to have a strong foundation. -Why constant learning and adapting is necessary for success. This case study is not simply a football book. Although football coaches and executives can apply these lessons, any team, business, or company can apply these strategies to achieve a higher performance. Managers, teachers, coaches and students will all benefit from learning these tips.

Hail to the Redskins: Gibbs, the Diesel, the Hogs, and the Glory Days of D.C.'s Football Dynasty


Adam Lazarus - 2015
    From 1981 to 1992, Gibbs coached the franchise to three Super Bowl victories, making the team the toast of the nation’s capital, from the political elite to the inner city, and helping to define one of the sport’s legendary eras.Veteran sportswriter Adam Lazarus masterfully charts the Washington Football Team's rise from mediocrity (the franchise had never won a Super Bowl and Gibbs’s first year as head coach started with a five-game losing streak that almost cost him his job) to its stretch of four championship games in ten years. What makes their sustained success all the more remarkable, in retrospect, is that unlike the storied championship wins of Joe Montana’s 49ers and Tom Brady’s Patriots, the Washington Football Team's Super Bowl victories each featured a different starting quarterback: Joe Theismann in 1983, the franchise’s surprising first championship run; Doug Williams in 1988, a win full of meaning for a majority African American city during a tumultuous era; and Mark Rypien in 1992, capping one of the greatest seasons of all time, one that stands as Gibbs’s masterpiece.Hail to the Redskins features an epic roster of saints and sinners: hard-drinking fullback John Riggins; the dominant, blue-collar offensive linemen known as “the Hogs,” who became a cultural phenomenon; quarterbacks Williams, the first African American QB to win a Super Bowl, and Theisman, a model-handsome pitchman whose leg was brutally broken by Lawrence Taylor on Monday Night Football; gregarious defensive end Dexter Manley, who would be banned from the league for cocaine abuse; and others including the legendary speedster Darrell Green, record-breaking receiver Art Monk, rags-to-riches QB Rypien, expert general managers and talent evaluators Bobby Beathard and Charley Casserly, aristocratic owner Jack Kent Cooke, and, of course, Gibbs himself, a devout Christian who was also a ruthless competitor and one of the sport’s most adaptable and creative coaching minds.

The Football Agent: The most hilarious, absurd, revealing and personal book about football you'll ever read


Knut Hoibraaten - 2015
    In this book he reveals for the first time the true extent of the craziness behind the scenes. Wild partying around Europe, the truth about the machinations behind the buying and selling of players, a training camp at La Manga with an eye-watering special twist: all add up to the story they didn't want you to read! When football managers in designer suits show off a new player, they want you to believe the acquisition is the culminaton of a process of considered, strategic decisions. The reality is often very different, as Knut Hoibraaten reveals in this sensational look into the secret world of football. Giving a whole new meaning to the term "straight from the heart", Hoibraaten's story will make you laugh out loud as well as nod in recognition. Finally, a window is opened on the the secret world fans have long suspected existed, but never before been able to glimpse. Knut and his story will stay with you long after you've put the book down.

Soccer Tough 2: Advanced Psychology Techniques for Footballers


Dan Abrahams - 2015
    They are techniques that have been proven on pitches and with players right across the world.Like the original Soccer Tough, this book has been designed to be readable, accessible, and no-nonsense. Every chapter is short, engaging and packed full of stories from some of the best men and women soccer players in the world today.- Develop a no limit attitude towards your potential- Create a world class improvement programme for your soccer- Ramp up your training attitude using cutting-edge motivational theories- Prepare to play with energy and confidence- Use your ‘controllers’ to manage your focus, your intensity, and your emotions on the pitch- Learn to play under pressure like the best footballers in the world do- Measure and build your self-beliefSoccer Tough 2 has been written with one thing in mind… to make you the best footballer you can be.

Men in White Suits: Liverpool FC in the 1990s - The Players' Stories


Simon Hughes - 2015
    The Daily Mail was the first newspaper to tag Evans’s team as the Spice Boys.Yet despite their flaws, this was a rare group of individuals: mavericks, playboys, goal-scorers and luckless defenders. Wearing off-white Armani suits, their confident personalities were exemplified in their pre-match walk around Wembley before the 1996 FA Cup final (a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United).In stark contrast to the media-coached, on-message interviews given by today’s top stars, the blunt, ribald and sometimes cutting recollections of the footballers featured in Men in White Suits provide a rare insight into this fascinating era in Liverpool’s long and illustrious history.

A-League: The Inside Story of the Tumultuous First Decade


John Stensholt - 2015
    Armed with $15 million of government funds, Lowy was about to wake the sleeping giant of Australian sport. The A-League kicked off in 2005. Over the competition’s first decade it has seen more than its fair share of drama, on and off the field. International superstars have come to play, eccentric billionaires have bought and sold franchises, and clubs have folded after haemorrhaging millions of dollars. Yet the football has been passionate and captivating, and attendances and television audiences have grown as Australians have embraced the game as never before.Relying on unprecedented access to key figures in the code, John Stensholt and Shaun Mooney reveal the true story behind the A-League’s first ten years: the egos, the power plays and the rows between some of Australia’s richest men as they try to make the world game Australia’s favourite sport. ‘Money, power, ego and ambition. Throw in the odd football match and you have the story of the A-League – from forgotten game to unforgettable glory.’—Francis Leach, ABC‘Once I started, I couldn’t put it down. A wonderful and riveting insight into the first decade of the A-League.’—Ray Gatt, the Australian‘There’s enough in this for a 20-year period, such has been the last decade in Australian club football. Entertaining, informative, this covers it all – the good, the bad, the ugly.’—Adam Peacock, Fox SportsShaun Mooney is the publisher of football journal Leopold Method, and has contributed to the Guardian Australia. Previously, Shaun wrote articles on retail and small business marketing, which were syndicated across six countries. He has also co-authored two business books.John Stensholt is an award-winning journalist for the Australian Financial Review, and edits the BRW Rich list. His work has also appeared in the Age, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Financial Review Magazine.

Big and Bright: Deep in the Heart of Texas High School Football


Gray Levy - 2015
    But the one thing that binds Texans more than their state pride, even more than religion, is football. For the many towns and cities of Texas, high school football is more than a sport or an extracurricular activity it s the glue of their community. Author Gray Levy, a high school football coach for more than two decades, became disillusioned with the state of the education system nationwide and traveled to Texas, a place where high school football still matters, to see just what schools and communities were doing right. What he found will both confirm and debunk common presumptions about high school football in Texas, a complex phenomenon that varies by region, school size, and the ethnic diversity of the Lone Star State."

Legends: the Best Players, Games, and Teams in Football


Howard Bryant - 2015
    Football is America's most popular sport and the NFL's star players are instant celebrities with die-hard fans who live and die with each win or loss. And our collective obsession with the game begins when we're just kids and culminates each year on what has become the equivalent of a national holiday—Super Bowl Sunday. Recounting momentous stories of football's past and present, and accompanied by iconic photos, Top Ten Lists to chew on and debate, and a Top 40-style Timeline of Key Moments, this comprehensive collection details twenty of the greatest Super Bowls in NFL history—and expands on their relevance within the larger scope of dynasties, giants of the coaching world, and marquee players making history. From the upsets to the blowouts to the nail-biting finishes, this is the perfect book for young fans eager to kick off their football schooling.

And He's The Left Back Remember!: A minute by minute look at some of Manchester City's most famous matches.


Simon Curtis - 2015
    In this book, the authors revisit some of Manchester City’s most memorable matches and, layer by dramatic layer, give old classics the minute-by-minute treatment, allowing the reader to share the nerve-tingling build up of tension that those who were there on the day felt themselves. This beautifully written and exhaustively researched book follows the dramatic developments in ten all-time classic Manchester City matches - and not necessarily ones that ended well for the Blues. They are dealt with in And He’s The Left Back Remember in intimate detail and in chronological order, giving the following chapters: 1980-81 Tottenham 3 City 2 - FA Cup Final replay 1982-83 City 0 Luton Town 1 – Division One 1987-88 City 10 Huddersfield Town 1 – Division Two 1988-89 City 5 Manchester United 1 – Division One 1995-96 City 2 Liverpool 2 – Premier League 1998-99 City 2 Gillingham 2 – Division Two Play-Off Final 2003-04 Tottenham 3 City 4 – FA Cup 4th round replay 2010-11 Manchester United 1 City 6 – Premier League 2010-11 City 1 Manchester United 0 – FA Cup semi final 2011-12 City 3 Queens Park Rangers 2 - Premier League The full range of human emotions, covered in ten enthralling contests that sum up the spirit and core of Manchester City Football Club.

In Too Deep


K.C. Ann Wright - 2015
    His world is a corrupt place, and I’m done playing the game. I left months ago, and I’m not sure if he’s really let me go or if he’s simply giving me the illusion of freedom. Even with no one controlling my life now, I struggle to find happiness. I haven’t allowed anyone new close to me in months—heck, probably years. But when the All-Pro quarterback tries to push his way in, I’m tempted even though I know I can’t be what he needs. Max is at the top of his game, and I won’t let him get hurt. Not by me and definitely not by Jack. The only way to keep Max safe is to let him go. But I don’t know if I can. He’s the good in my life. Max When my wife left me for another guy, I was devastated by the betrayal. So, I focused on my football and wasn’t even tempted to try again until I ran into the mysterious Elle. She’s beautiful, but there’s more pulling me to her. She’s hesitant to let me in—hell she’s pretty much scared, but I push to stay close. Although she’s trying to hide the pain, I know it’s there and I’m determined to help her. We need each other. But when the secrets start to come out, I’m pissed. I’ve shared a lot about me, and apparently she hasn’t told me anything real about her. I can’t have a second woman mess with my head. But am I strong enough to walk away when she asks for another chance? Hell no. Am I jeopardizing my NFL career? Possibly. Am I in too deep? Without a doubt. Recommended for 17+ Readers due to limited mature language and adult situations.

Deliberate Soccer Practice: 50 Passing & Possession Football Exercises to Improve Decision-Making


Ray Power - 2015
    There is now a growing trend away from 'drills', towards sessions that are more variable and which involve more decision making. But coaches have one burning question - how?The ‘Deliberate Soccer Practice’ series shows coaches how to evolve their coaching sessions. It aims to ensure that players are ‘cognitively engaged’, with all players involved all of the time. It is about offering exercises which have players actively making regular contact with the ball, making decisions, changing decisions depending on what is happening, and moving to adapt to what the ball and other players are doing. That is the real game after all!Aimed at football coaches of all levels, but with a particular emphasis on coaches who work with youth players, 50 Passing & Possession Football Exercises to Improve Decision-Making is comprised of 20 Technical Practices and 30 Possession Practices. They are carefully designed to be adaptable to suit the needs of the players you work with; to challenge them and give them decisions to make. The sessions look to make soccer complex and realistically difficult – no passing in queues from one cone to the next with no interference. Crucially, the exercises offer a means to accelerate player development effectively and enjoyably.

Great Americans in Sports: Drew Brees


Matt Christopher - 2015
    This comprehensive biography - complete with photos and fun infographics - shows how Drew Brees went from being a flag football player to Super Bowl MVP and modern legend, and is sure to appeal to legions of football fans.

Forever Boys: The Days of Citizens and Heroes (Wisden Sports Writing)


James Lawton - 2015
    This has rarely been demonstrated so vividly as by the Manchester City team who briefly, but unforgettably, illuminated the late sixties. And no one was more caught up in their struggles and their triumphs than James Lawton, a young sportswriter starting out on a career that would take him to all the great events of world sport. Yet still, 50 years after Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison began to shape the brilliant team, he counts watching their rise to glory as one of the most exciting times of his professional life.Francis Lee, Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee - these players loomed large over the game as they charged at the peaks of English football, and today evoke a period of the sport's history that seems distant and unknowable, hard to see except through the rose-tinted gloss of nostalgia.Lawton goes back to those heroes, interviewing all the main players and characters who are still alive, and vividly brings to life the story of that City team which with such wonderful panache, and freedom, won the first division title, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup between 1967 and 1970.This, though, is not just the story of one team, but a broader one of how sport can sometimes so perfectly mirror the exaltation and the despair of the real world, how it carries those who do it, and sometimes even those who merely see it, to moments that will claim a permanent place in their hearts.

Game On


Bali Rai - 2015
    It's everything he's ever wanted. With his family and girlfriend behind him, life should be coming up roses - only local thugs and match-day disasters intervene, putting all his dreams in jeopardy. A sporty and uplifting teen drama, sequel to bestselling Dream On, particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 12+

Faithful and True


John Thomson - 2015
    Ecstatic in its highs. Horrific in its lows. It's a bit like being bipolar. But you wouldn't want it any other way!" A funny, quirky, emotional and truthful observation of being a 'Gashead' with BRFC when the club fought their way back from relegation into non-league football at the end of season 2013/2014 - to win promotion back into the English League Two the following year after a dramatic Wembley Final. A must read for any football supporter!

Playing Defense (College Days Book 4)


Olive Hiscock - 2015
    His big, black, bookish roommate, Benji Lewis. Oh, and his Professor too. When their restraint snaps, Mitch and Benji give a new meaning to ‘if the truck’s a rockin’ don’t come a-knockin’.’

Pumping Iron (College Days Book 3)


Olive Hiscock - 2015
    Seven men, one kinky workout session. Now that Jamie’s secret is out, he’s free to ogle his teammates as they pump iron, training for the next big game. But Jude, Jamie’s new man, has a better idea, setting up a workout that’s sure to get the team’s hearts racing and blood pumping; a workout that Jamie will never forget. After all, why limit yourself to looking when being part of the action is so much more satisfying?

I Am Sam


James Durose-Rayner - 2015
    Arsenal is living every football fan's dream: he's loaded, has his pick of the ladies and drives a flashy sports car. And to make his life even sweeter, he's been chosen to work on coverage for the 2014 World Cup. Tasked with producing a short documentary, Mr. Arsenal, stumbles upon footage from Mexico 1970 and a high-profile spat between television pundit and Manchester City coach Malcolm Allison and Tottenham Hotspur player and captain Alan Mullery. On further investigation, he unearths a reference to a half-forgotten player named only as 'Sammy' and referred to as the one who was 'left behind'. Determined to discover the man behind the name, Mr. Arsenal quickly becomes obsessed with the tragic story of this once top-flight footballer whose brilliance has been all but lost in the annals of sporting history; a player who was once one of the highest paid and most successful players in Britain: Jon Sammels. As Mr Arsenal revisits Sammels' professional heyday in the late 1960s and early 70s, the impact on his own life is extraordinary.

Irving Titans


Jeff Dawson - 2015
    The glory days of NFC Championships and Super Bowls were a distant memory. That was about to change as the collapse of the S&L’s would force the current owner, Bum Reason, to sell the storied franchise to billionaire oilman, Reuben Weitzman.Weitzman would initiate sweeping changes: eliminate the current collection of players, revitalizing the fan base with the promise of returning to the glory days and fire the most beloved coach of the NFL—Steve Osburn. He would replace him with Marshall Jankowski, an old classmate chum and top coach in the collegiate ranks. The one player he’d like to cut but can’t, is veteran quarterback, Jimmy Stone. His occasional lover, Charlene Rivers has more dirt on Jankowski, Weitzman and other NFL notables, than a dump truck could haul-off. Strap yourselves in for the most raucous, rambunctious, risqué ride in sports history!

The Only Place For Us: An A-Z History of Elland Road - Home of Leeds United


Jon Howe - 2015
    The Only Place For Us pulls together the never-before-told history of the developing stadium and its changing local environment, revealing the background stories behind Elland Road's most famous features and characters, and the astonishing events it has witnessed. Along the way there have been fires, gypsy curses, and a host of cherished memories including the diamond floodlights, the West Stand facade, and escapee pantomime horses. Using archive research and insiders' insights, fascinating photographs, and fans' memories, Jon Howe retraces an intriguing historical journey to show how Elland Road became one of Europe's most feared soccer grounds. Through triumph and adversity, neglect, and redevelopment, Elland Road has emerged as a fine, modern stadium that's alive with history. This is its unique story.

Son of a Sinner (A Sinner's Legacy Book 1)


Lynn Shurr - 2015
    Often accused of being "no fun", he possesses a stainless reputation. The only person who believes he isn't perfect is Stacy Polasky, an orphan raised by his parents. Stacy has maintained a bickering relationship with Dean calling him a big lout. He retaliates by dubbing her the Princess. When Dean's sister sees though their antagonism and realizes they are attracted to each other, she suggests Stacy stop being so independent and allow Dean to rescue her a few times. They set up several situations in which he can be Stacy's hero, but one goes badly awry and descends into real danger. Dean learns of Stacy's ploy and feels like a complete fool. Can she regain his love and trust before another woman steps in and takes the prize from the Princess?

The Odd Ballerz


Ruthie Robinson - 2015
    Aside from being tragically clumsy, she’d rather be kicking ass in the office than on the football field. She also has an issue with the coach, who doesn’t seem to like her. Coach Zachary “Z” Sloan has serious doubts about this Memphis woman. She’s either the worst football player he’s ever seen, or she’s faking. And yet somehow he can’t keep his eyes off her, despite the strict rule against coach-player relationships. Despite their initial misgivings, Memphis and Z find themselves drawn to each other. Memphis thinks she’s found someone that challenges her; Z thinks he may have found someone he can finally trust. As their attraction to each other grows . . . and they begin to learn each other’s secrets, will their connection be enough?

Defensive Coordinator's Football Handbook


Leo Hand - 2015
    The information contained in the book has been compiled by Leo Hand during 47 years of coaching championship teams at both the high school and collegiate levels. Numerous topics are covered that will enable any coach to successfully understand and defend modern offenses. Including: • An overview of contemporary offensive trends • A system for identifying offensive formations and personnel groupings • A system for creating multiple defensive fronts and secondary coverages • The base reads, reactions, and techniques for defensive linemen and linebackers • Synopses of the responsibilities and techniques necessary to install different odd and even eight-man and seven-man fronts • Run responsibilities and techniques for both three-deep and four-deep secondaries • Strategies and tactics necessary to stop 19 of today’s most potent running plays • An explanation of the adjustments and techniques necessary to install variations of man-to-man pass coverages as well as variations of zone and combo pass coverages versus different contemporary offensive formations • Different stunt strategies that enable your defense to actually attack the offense • Sample pass coverage/stunt menus for: the 3-3-5, 4-2-5, bear 46, 3-4, 4-3, and weak eagle defenses

Lombardi Dies, Orr Flies, Marshall Cries: The Sports Legacy of 1970


Brad Schultz - 2015
    Vietnam, continuing civil and political divisions, a fear of growing lawlessness, all seemed to point to a bleak future. The 70s were also a time when traditional boundaries were being challenged, from the color of skin to the length of hair. Sports events, issues, and athletes from the very first year of this tumultuous decade reflect the dramatic changes that were taking place around the country. Nowhere was this more evident than in college football, where the University of Texas became the last all-white national champion in 1970, even as a freshman still ineligible to play was standing by to bring about integration. In Lombardi Dies, Orr Flies, Marshall Cries: The Sports Legacy of 1970, Brad Schultz covers the most significant and momentous sports stories from this single year in American history, reflecting on the deeper impact of these events both on the sporting world and on society as a whole. Integration, homosexuality, drugs, lawsuits, and tragedy all crossed the sporting landscape in 1970, including pivotal moments such as student-athlete protests against racism in college football, the debut of Monday Night Football, a challenge to baseball's reserve clause, and the plane crash carrying Marshall University's football team that killed everyone on board. Schultz tells these stories and more, thoughtfully placing them within the context of the political, social, and cultural events taking place across the country and around the world. Many of the athletes from 1970 may no longer be with us, their records may have been broken, and younger athletes may have taken their place, but forty-five years later, it is time to look back and reflect on the significance of the events that took place in this unforgettable sports year. Chronicling a remarkable time in the history of American sports, this book will interest historians, sports fans, and those wanting to learn more about the impact of sports on culture and society.

Tales from the City: 1


Mick Dennis - 2015
    ISBN: 9780993238116 Publisher: Tale From

Walter Camp: Football and the Modern Man


Julie Des Jardins - 2015
    Walter Camp, the Father of American Football, was the foremost authority on American athletics and arguably the greatest amateurAmerican athlete of his time.In Walter Camp: Football and the Modern Man, Julie Des Jardins chronicles the life of the clock company executive and self-made athlete who remade football and redefined the ideal man. As a student at Yale University, Camp was a varsity letterman who led the earliest efforts to codify the rules andorganization of football-including the line of scrimmage and downs-to make it distinct from English rugby. He also invented the All-America Football Team and wrote some of the first football fiction, guides, and sports page coverage, making him the foremost popularizer of the game. Within a decadeAmerican football was an obsession on college campuses of the Northeast. By the turn of the century, it was a bona fide national pastime.Since the Civil War, college men of good breeding had not a physical skirmish to harden them. They had grown soft, Americans feared, both in body and attitude. Camp saw football as the antidote to the degeneration of these young men. When massive numbers of college football players enlisted to fightin World War I, Camp held them up as proof that football turned men effective and courageous. His influence over the game, however, was not always viewed as beneficial. Under his watch, dozens of college and high school players were killed or maimed on the gridiron. President Theodore Roosevelturged him to reform football to prevent administrators from banning it, but Camp was ambivalent about removing the very physicality that made the game man-making in his eyes. The criticism targeted at him over the aggressiveness of football still haunts the game today.In this fast-paced biography, Julie Des Jardins shows how the gentleman athlete was as much the arbiter of football as he was the arbiter of modern manhood. Though eventually football took on meanings that Camp never intended, his impact on the professional and college game is simply unsurpassed.