The Boss: The Many Sides of Alex Ferguson
Michael Crick - 2002
Charismatic and charming, volcanic and ruthless, seemingly ambitious and astonishingly successful: Sir Alex Ferguson is all of these things and more, a complex character who has produced - first at Aberdeen and now at Manchester United - two of the most prolific trophy-grabbing machines in the modern game.But what drives him? What has fuelled the desire to transform himself from a poor Glasgow childhood into one of the titans of the modern game? The Boss will be essential reading not just for Manchester United fans and all football followers, but anyone interested in the skills of successful management in general.
All Madden: Hey, I'm Talking Pro Football!
John Madden - 1996
250,000 first printing. $225,000 ad/promo.
Vertigo: One Football Fan's Fear of Success
John Crace - 2011
John Crace and Spurs were made for each other. But then the team started to play like possible champions. For most fans, these are the glory moments they dream about. For Crace they just opened a new dimension of anxiety: the fear of success. Crace has supported Spurs for 40 years. His wife thinks he suffers from a psychiatric disorder, but fandom is not only one of the ways he negotiates his relationships, it also helps him make some sense of his life. Vertigo is the story of why fandom that starts out in boyish hope always ends in dark comedy.
Crimson Catch
S.M. Donaldson - 2016
Collin Atwood is a sophomore at Everly High School and the all-American boy in an all-American family. It's his first year on the varsity team and the pressure is on, from his dad and the town. For the first time in over twenty years his hometown could be in line for a state championship title and he’s their ticket to get there. That is if he can get his grades up enough to play. Enter the daughter of the last guy that held the town's hopes and dreams of state titles, who turned into a drunk after he blew it all. Paired up with Joelle Prescott as his tutor, these two are far from being in the same social circle. She's an honor student and a badass on the drum line. In her family full of athletes, she feels invisible. Which is good sometimes...makes it easier to keep her secrets. Will he keep her secrets? Will she help him make the grade? WARNING: This book is a Mature YA book. It is intended for people 15+, it is not suitable for those younger.
Head Ball Coach
Steve Spurrier - 2016
He's been called brash, cocky, arrogant, pompous, egotistical, and hilarious, but, mostly, he's known as the Head Ball Coach, a self-ordained term introduced to the lexicon of football by none other than the man, himself, Steve Spurrier. He is the only coach who can claim to be the winningest coach at two different SEC schools, and the only person who has won both the Heisman Trophy as a player and a national championship as a coach. Or who has won a Heisman and coached a Heisman winner.From the beginning, Spurrier didn't want to sound like other coaches, dress like other coaches, and, especially, coach like other coaches. As a controversial football pioneer, he ushered in a different style of leadership and play. Spurrier's press conferences were glorious -- he refused to lapse into coachspeak and was always entertaining, although he took his football very seriously. He was known for his fierce competitiveness, roaming up and down the sidelines, often throwing his signature visor to the ground in disgust. Now resigned from coaching at age 70 -- he doesn't like to say "retired" yet -- Spurrier has calmed down, but don't mistake that for a lack of fire. He can be just as feisty as the day he set foot on the East Tennessee dirt in Johnson City's Kiwanis Park, where he grew up to become one of the state's all-time greatest athletes, and went on to play for Florida where he launched one of sports history's all-time great careers.In his memoir, Spurrier talks for the first time about the circumstances under which he unexpectedly became a coach and why he resigned at South Carolina. He explains his unique style, the difference between winners and losers, his relationship with the media, why he follows the wisdom of ancient philosophers and warriors, his affinity everything taught by John Wooden, and the reasons behind his relaxed regimen for living well. Spurrier, as always, speaks candidly, bringing together his thoughts about his words, actions, and achievements, while telling countless wonderful anecdotes.From the Hardcover edition.
The Quarterback's Baby Girl: An Age Play Novella
Amy Cummings - 2016
He was relieved when she accepted the offer and crossed through the threshold. She was wearing a cream colored, floral print dress. Good, Hunter thought; she’s showing a little more confidence. She’d ditched the sweat pants. Ava walked into the living room, then turned to look at her host. Even through the tight, black t-shirt she could see his abs and the muscles on his tight shoulders. She inadvertently licked her lips, unable to contain the reaction. “About last night,” Hunter said, ready to apologize. “No, let me start,” Ava interrupted, before catching herself. “May I start?” She was cute when she asked, looking away from Hunter in an embarrassed gaze. “Of course,” he said. “You were…right…about what you said. About the submission. Even about the little stuff, I think.” Hunter’s eyes lit up. So their story wasn’t over! He hadn’t blown it all. “I just couldn’t believe that you would actually want to be with me. So, I lashed out at you. I was trying to protect myself before you hurt me.” The sad look in her eyes was all Hunter could take. When she spoke of him hurting her, he couldn’t stand it. He moved in and swept Ava into his powerful arms. The young lady did not resist. She melted into Hunter as the two embraced. “Oh sweet girl,” he said as they swayed back and forth for a moment, “I’ll never hurt you. I’ll protect you. I’ll fight for you. I’ll spoil you. But I’ll never hurt you.” Ava began sobbing as she buried her head into Hunter’s hard chest. She couldn’t believe it was actually happening. She couldn’t believe Hunter truly cared about her.
College is not going well for Ava. She chose the university because the supposed love of her life had gone there after high school. She wanted to stay together. But James isn’t happy that Ava has put on a little weight. She’s always been a curvy girl, but when the trim, rich, and more-popular Sarah catches his eye, it’s out with the old and in with the new. Ava is beyond mortified. The humiliation and loss feels crushing. But, her knight-in-shining-armor arrives just at the right time in the form of the uber-handsome Hunter Kenmore. Hunter is the quarterback of the university’s football team and an overall athletic star. But he has a secret: he longs to be the daddy of a little. Hunter dreams of having his very own baby girl to love, protect, spoil, and even discipline when the need arises. After a chance encounter introduces him to the vulnerable Ava, the quarterback’s paternal instincts are awakened. And with James and Sarah still lurking about, wanting to embarrass and ruin poor Ava, Hunter must be ever vigilant. The Quarterback’s Baby Girl is a romance novella that features age play, DLG, domestic discipline (including spanking), and diapers. It also features a loving yet stern daddy, a sweet coed learning her place as a little, and steamy romance. For adults only!
When Saturday Mattered Most: The Last Golden Season of Army Football
Mark Beech - 2012
That fall, the Black Knights of Army were the class of the nation. Mark Beech, a second-generation West Pointer, recounts this memorable and never-to-be-repeated season with:- Pete Dawkins, the Heisman Trophy winner who rose to the rank of Brigadier General - The long-reclusive Bill Carpenter, the fabled "lonesome end" who earned the Distinguished Service Cross for saving his company in Vietnam - Red Blaik, who led Army back to glory after the cribbing scandal and had the field at Michie Stadium named in his honorCombining the triumph of The Junction Boys with the heroics of The Long Gray Line, Beech captures a unique period in the history of football, the military, and mid-twentieth-century America.
The Draft: A Year Inside the Nfl's Search for Talent
Pete Williams - 2006
Among the prospects are Virginia defensive end Chris Canty, who overcomes a devastating early-season knee injury to reestablish himself as a top draft hopeful, only to suffer a detached retina in a nightclub skirmish; and Fred Gibson, a talented but rail-thin Georgia wide receiver who struggles to put on the weight needed to go over the middle in the NFL.It's a complex environment, with college coaches attempting to protect their student-athletes from exploitation (while fully aware that they can only remain competitive if they attract NFL-caliber players to their schools), along with sports agents and NFL scouts trying to stay a step ahead of their competition. These parties provide a multi-angled view of the world of emerging NFL talent. The reader follows the season through the eyes of a host of power players and scouts, from veteran agent Pat Dye Jr. to Jerry Maguire clone Jack Scharf, to the coaching divisions of Florida State University and the University of Virginia---headed by longtime Bill Parcells disciple Al Groh. Also central to the narrative are the Atlanta Falcons and executives Rich McKay and Tim Ruskell (now with Seattle), who use a character-based evaluation system to set their draft board. These parallel stories weave together, culminating in draft weekend, to create a gripping and fascinating look at a world few see from the inside.
Fumble Baby
Bella Grant - 2017
She’s a recent college grad stuck working the checkout lane of her hometown grocery store. For all she knows, love will never find her … until she gets a friend request from the hot football player who bullied her in high school. Someone she swore she’d never talk to ever again. Travis is a pro football star and enjoys the advantages of that life: money, women, fame. But deep down, he’s missing something – the nerdy hot girl he had been mean to in high school. When he sees her picture on social media, he only hopes she’ll forgive him and give him a chance to show her how much he’d always wanted her - how much he needs her now. PUBLISHER'S NOTE: FUMBLE BABY is a standalone happily-ever-after romance story with no cliffhangers
Anne Williams - With Hope in Her Heart
Sara Williams - 2013
Kevin’s mum, Anne, was not there to answer his call but she never let her son down. From that fateful day, April 15, 1989, she embarked on a remarkable 24-year battle to see justice done. Convinced of a cover-up by the powers that be, she left no stone unturned in her quest to uncover the truth. It was a campaign that she fought to her dying day, succumbing to cancer at the age of 62 in April, 2013. Anne’s efforts had not been in vain. Just months earlier, a historic breakthrough saw the original inquest verdicts quashed, following a public apology to the Hillsborough families by Prime Minister David Cameron. Her daughter Sara, Kevin’s sister, was with Anne every step of the way. Now, with the help of personal recollections penned by her mum in her final months, she tells the real story of Anne’s remarkable journey – her spirit in the face of the many setbacks and her defiant refusal to accept defeat. Anne’s final message before losing her fight for life was ‘I never walked alone’. This book is dedicated to everyone who has ever fought for justice in the name of the 96.Copyright: All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the copyright holders, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent publisher.
Dirty Saint
Vesper Vaughn - 2016
He has this whole university fooled. Not me. I've seen a whole other sinful side to Mr. Touchdown. I've witnessed his swagger. Heard his filthy mouth and lost count how often he says the Lord's name in vain. I can’t stand that man. So why is he starring in my dreams? Why do I have a carnal highlight reel in my mind, looping with images that have nothing to do with the game of football? Now I’m the first-ever water girl for the university football team. My plan? I need to stay far, far away from temptation. I’m here for the thrill of the game. Not to worship the sexy-as-sin Quarterback. But from the first day of practice Saint's sultry gaze makes it perfectly clear that he intends to score. SAINT: They call me Saint. That’s because I’m a miracle on the football field. I’ve taken this cloistered, religious university and launched it into the national spotlight. All I want is to play ball and get to know some of my lovely and devoted female fans. They flock to my games. They can't wait to offer me anything I want after the final play. But all that changes when I catch sight of Esther. The water girl is the only girl on campus who doesn't want me. That's okay because I like a challenge, I like strategy and I really like the idea of finally claiming Esther's heavenly body. This standalone, full-length novel contains cursing, steamy sex scenes, no cheating, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Dr. Z: The Lost Memoirs of an Irreverent Football Writer
Paul Zimmerman - 2017
Z came to expect a certain alchemical, trademark blend: words which were caustic and wry, at times self-deprecating or even puzzling, but always devilishly smart with arresting honesty. A complex package, that's the Doctor. The one-time sparring partner of Ernest Hemingway, Paul Zimmerman is one of the modern era's groundbreaking football minds, a man who methodically charted every play while generating copious notes, a human precursor to the data analytics websites of today. In 2008, Zimmerman had nearly completed work on his personal memoirs when a series of strokes left him largely unable to speak, read, or write. Compiled and edited by longtime SI colleague Peter King, these are the stories he still wants to see told. Dr. Z’s memoir is a rich package of personalities, stories never shared about such characters as Vince Lombardi, Walter Payton, Lawrence Taylor, and Johnny Unitas. Even Joe Namath, with whom Zimmerman had a legendary and well-documented 23-year feud, saw fit to eventually unburden himself to the remarkable scribe. Also included are Zimmerman's encounters with luminaries and larger-than-life figures outside of sports, notably Donald Trump, Rupert Murdoch, and Hunter S. Thompson. But not to be missed are Zimmerman's quieter observations on his own life and writing, witticisms and anecdotes which sway between the poignant and hilarious. No matter the topic, Dr. Z: the Lost Memoirs of an Irreverent Football Writer proves essential, compelling reading for sports fans old and new.
The Smell of Football
Mick Rathbone - 2011
But when he discovered he was so nervous he was unable to speak, let alone pass the ball, in the presence of his boyhood hero and City star Trevor Francis, he realised that a career in football might not be everything he had imagined. The Smell of Football is the brutally honest and utterly unputdownable story of how 'Baz' conquered his personal demons to build a life in the game - from the terrified teenager who purposely tried to get injured in training rather than get picked for the first team, to the experienced pro who became Head of Medicine at Premier League Everton FC in charge of the treatment of the likes of Wayne Rooney, Louis Saha and Tim Cahill. Brilliantly written and packed with hilarious tales featuring a football 'who's who' cast of characters - from Sir Alf Ramsey and 'Big Sam' Allardyce to David Moyes, Duncan Ferguson and Rooney himself - The Smell of Football is an engrossing and moving memoir that covers every aspect of the professional game and gives an unprecedented insight into what life is really like at football's coalface.
Fighting Spirit: A Championship Season at Notre Dame
Lou Holtz - 1989
Holtz brought the Fighting Irish back from a five-year slump in 1987. Illustrated.