American football Books

Book SynopsisGeorge Plimpton (1927-2003) was the bestselling author and editor of nearly thirty books, as well as the cofounder, publisher, and editor of the Paris Review. He wrote regularly for such magazines as Sports Illustrated and Esquire, and he appeared numerous times in films and on television.Trade ReviewA continuous feast... The best book ever about football - or anything! * Wall Street Journal *A great book that makes football absolutely fascinating to fan and non-fan alike...a tale to gladden the envious heart of every weekend athlete... Plimpton has endless curiosity, unshakable enthusiasm and nerve, and a deep respect for the world he enters * New York Times *The agility and imaginativeness of his prose transforms his account of this daydream into a classic of sports reporting * New Yorker *Possibly the most arresting and delightful narrative in all of sports literature * Book Week *With his gentle, ironic tone, and unwillingness to take himself too seriously, along with Roger Angell, John Updike and Norman Mailer he made writing about sports something that mattered. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisIs it ever too late to leave the friend zone? Friends-to-lovers TikTok sensation, The Cheat Sheet, is the rom-com that has readers laughing and rooting for these lovable best friends from the first page! ''Falling for my best friend - tick! Fake dating - tick! So stinking cute I want to throw glitter over it - tick!''⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''This book is amazing! I''m calling it as one of my top 5 books to the year, and yes, I know it''s only February'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ''I just adored this story . . . I''m ready to eat up anything that Sarah Adams writes'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ''A perfect mix of hilarious banter, comical situations, and sweet romance'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ''This romance is brilliant! It is fast paced, laugh out loud and so cute!'' ⭐ ⭐ n

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisIn the state of Texas American football is a religion. And nowhere is more fanatical about its football than the small town of Odessa. There, every Friday night from September to November, a bunch of seventeen-year-old kids play their hearts out for the honour of their high school. In front of 20,000 people. In 1988 H.G. Bissinger spent a season in Odessa discovering just what makes a town pin its hopes on eleven boys on a football field. He lived with the students, coaches and townspeople who dedicate their lives to their team, sharing their joys and triumphs, their pains, injuries and bitter disappointments. He returned with a compassionate but hard-eyed story of a town riven by money, race and class, where a high school can spend more on medical supplies for its athletic program than on its English department. Friday Night Lights is one of the best books about sport ever written. It is the story of how dreams and reality collide, at once glorious and immensTrade ReviewSuperb and disturbing - More than a sports book, it's a search for the America of ordinary people. * Newsday *A remarkable book, fascinating from start to finish, full of surprises. * David Halberstam *Friday Night Lights offers a biting indictment of the sports craziness that grips ... most of American society, while at the same time providing a moving evocation of its powerful allure. * New York Times Book Review *Just about everything you could ask for in a sports book * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisWas Alabama's Crimson Tide in 2020 the greatest team of all time? The squad went 13-0 in a pandemic year, scored a combined 107 points against SEC powerhouses LSU and Florida, crushed Ohio State in a National Championship Game 52-24 in a contest that wasn't even that close, and followed it up with another top-rated signing class.Nick Saban called his boys the "ultimate team," but it wasn't just because they kicked the ever-living hell out of everyone on the football field. It was because the team leveraged a power and influence born of Southern pride to push back against a hateful legacy of racism that a populist president was exploiting to divide the nation. At a time when Americans needed real leaders in the face of so much hate, the sports world answered the call and fought back for the soul of the country.In the summer of 2020, the Tide players left their training facility and, led by their celebrated coach, marched to a campus doorway made infamous sixty years earlier by another political demagogue and showed what people can accomplish when they fight together for a just cause in the name of unity. The most powerful force in a state crazy for college football had chosen to make a stand and replace George Wallace's "Segregation forever!" with a different message, written by one of the players: "All lives can't matter until Black lives matter."?There have been some great football teams through the years, and they all deserve respect. But here's what we know for sure: They all would have been appreciative of what this Alabama team represented, and proud of what it accomplished. The Crimson Tide in 2020 captured something special that moved it beyond the conversation of best ever, and into the place reserved for most important of all time.

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Book SynopsisEver wondered which goal Frank Lampard is proudest of, who Jürgen Klopp thinks will manage Liverpool in the future, what Rio Ferdinand thinks of Man United in the post-Ferguson years or exactly how many grey cashmere jumpers Pep Guardiola owns? In this collection of frank and funny conversations between footballers and their biggest fans, these vital questions (and many more) are finally addressed. A Game of Two Halves shows a different side to some of the biggest names in football, reminding us of the common ground we all share. This project is published in partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, with the goal of raising both funds for and awareness of their work with child refugees.Featuring forewords by Raheem Sterling and Gary Lineker and interviews betweenJürgen Klopp & John BishopPep Guardiola & Johnny MarrLucy Bronze & Clare BaldingFrank Lampard & Omid Djalili Rio Ferdinand & Rachel Riley Ian Wright & Wretch 32Héctor Bellerin & Romesh RanganathanSteven Gerrard & David MorrisseyGary Lineker & Fahd SalehEric Dier & David LammyJohn McGlynn & Val McDermid Vivianne Miedema & Amy RaphaelTrade ReviewHow Amy Raphael has got so many incredible people in one book is astounding, and proof of the power of football to bring us together. I loved every page. -- James CordenThere's more to these sporting greats than some would give them credit for, and all of them speak passionately, eruditely and honestly, whether on the subject of scoring goals or feminism and football...Amy Raphael has done a brilliant job of not only producing a first-class book that allows readers unprecedented access to some of the biggest names in world football but also in using that platform for bigger issues. * NB magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe epic and tumultuous story of the Lions, the Ford family, the city of Detroit—and how all three have come together on the cusp of a new era.On Nov. 22, 1963, William Clay Ford, the youngest grandson of auto pioneer Henry Ford, made a successful bid to buy the Detroit Lions of the National Football League for the unheard-of sum of $6 million. As Ford and his entourage settled down to a celebratory luncheon, their waitress delivered the news that President John F. Kennedy had been shot dead in Dallas. Born under a bad sign is how Bill Ford’s ownership of the Lions began. After a decade of supremacy, Ford led the team on a half-century slog of mediocrity, the fruit of his mercurial nature and undying loyalty to the wrong people. The Lions Finally Roar is bursting with the colorful ruffians who have made the team one of America’s most beloved sports franchises despite its years of futility. Readers meet the hell-raising quarterback Bobby

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Book SynopsisOver almost a century, the NFL has provided fans with hundreds of unique personalities, countless unforgettable moments and some of the greatest feats of sporting brilliance ever seen. From its humble beginnings in the American Midwest to the global phenomenon it has become today, the league has evolved and changed almost beyond recognition. But the exploits of the footballing heroes of years past continue to stand the test of time In NFL - Legends we've collected stories on dozens of the league's most celebrated players. With expert commentary and lavish photography, you'll explore and rediscover the attributes that made these players, coaches and teams iconic, as well as the moments that propelled them to greatness. From early innovators like Don Hutson and Jim Brown, to modern giants such as Tom Brady, there's something for every NFL fan here. Over 50 Iconic Players Unforgettable Games Legendary Coaches

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Book SynopsisIn recent decades, the NFL has simultaneously become an athletic, financial, and cultural powerhouse-and a League that can't seem to go more than a few weeks without a scandal. Whether it's about domestic violence, performance-enhancing drugs, racism, or head trauma, the NFL always seems to be in some kind of trouble. Yet no matter the drama, the TV networks keep showing games, the revenue keeps rising, and the viewers keep tuning in.How can a sports league-or any organization-operate this way? Why do the negative stories keep happening, and why don't they ever seem to affect the bottom line? In this wide-ranging book, Mike Florio takes readers from the boardroom to the locker room, from draft day to the Super Bowl, answering these questions and more, and showing what really goes on in the sport that America can't seem to quit.Known for his constant stream of new information and incisive commentary, Florio delivers again in this book. With new insights and reporting on scandals past and present, this book will be the talk of the League-whether the League likes it or not.

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Book SynopsisCelebrating the 50th anniversary of America's greatest game. From its inauspicious beginnings as 'The First World Championship Game between the AFL and NFL' in 1967 to the raucous worldwide cultural event that was Super Bowl 50, Allan Maki and Dave Naylor count down the greatest moments in each staging of the first 50 Super Bowls. Be it Joe Namath's guaranteed victory in Super Bowl III or the Miami Dolphins' perfect ending in Super Bowl VII or David Tyree's helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII, all the iconic moments are recounted here, and more! MVP performances and game-changing plays are all included in this action packed book, filled with photos, informative stat boxes and essays that deliver a complete picture of how the biggest game in sport played out, year by year. One-name heroes like Brady, Montana and Bradshaw share top billing with lesser-known, big-time contributors, like: Max McGee, Timmy Smith and Rod Martin. And what compendium of Super Bowl stories would be complete without a mention of the media moments, famous commercials and controversial plays that sometimes shared centre stage with the on-field heroics? From the highest highs to the lowest lows, Maki and Naylor cover it all in 50 Super Bowls.

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Book SynopsisNFL Scrapbook is packed with rare photographs, images and on-the-page facsimile memorabilia and provides an incredible insight into the history of the NFL and its legendary players and coaches. Spanning the decades and covering all the NFL?s most iconic eras, we uncover the fascinating stories and incredible accomplishments of the greatest football players of all time, from the game?s first superstars like Don Hutson and Jim Brown, to modern giants such as Tom Brady, there?s something for every NFL fan here. Over almost a century, the NFL has provided fans with hundreds of unique personalities, countless unforgettable moments and some of the greatest feats of sporting brilliance ever seen. From its humble beginnings in the midwest to the global phenomenon it has become today, the league has evolved and changed almost beyond recognition. But the exploits of the football heroes of years past continue to stand the test of time.

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Book SynopsisA vital part of any southern football fan's personal library, SEC Football''s Greatest Games is both engaging and comprehensive; a collection that contextualizes readers' favorite games while introducing them to important moments they never knew existed. Broken down into The Games That Changed the South; The Iron Bowl; Hail Mary and Other Prayers; The Classics; Atlanta, Here We Come; and Championship Moments . . . this book covers a century-plus of Southern football through games covered with depth, outstanding photography, and fascinating sidebars. Every entry takes the reader through history with the matchups that healed a South stripped of its pride, made coaches like Bear Bryant and Nick Saban regional heroes, forced the sport to change, created superstars, crowned champions, and revolutionized football.

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Book SynopsisHow three football legends -- Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs, and Bill Parcells -- won eight Super Bowls during the 1980s and changed football forever.Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells dominated what may go down as the greatest decade in pro football history, leading their teams to a combined eight championships and developing some of the most gifted players of all time in the process. Walsh, Gibbs and Parcells developed such NFL stars as Joe Montana, Lawrence Taylor, Jerry Rice, Art Monk and Darrell Green. They resurrected the careers of players like John Riggins, Joe Theismann, Doug Williams, Everson Walls and Hacksaw Reynolds. They did so with a combination of guts and genius, built championship teams in their own likeness, and revolutionized pro football like few others. Their influence is still evident in today's game, with coaches who either worked directly for them or are part of their coaching trees now winning Super Bowls and using strategy the three men devised and perfected. In interviews with more than 150 players, coaches, family members and friends, GUTS AND GENIUS digs into the careers of three men who overcame their own insecurities and doubts to build Hall of Fame legacies that transformed their generation and continue to impact today's NFL.

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Book SynopsisAn estimated 100 million people worldwide are homeless.1.6 billion live in sub-standard housing.But how can such a simple game like football tackle such a complex problem? Mel Young and Peter Barr tell the story of the million homeless people in 70 countries who have taken part in the Homeless World Cup since it was founded in 2003 and the positive impact it has on the players and everyone else involved, including spectators. From refugees to drug addicts, orphans and the poorest of the poor, to homeless people from the world's richest countries, we read about the moving human drama behind the event and find out how a ball can change the world.Home Game provides an insight into the birth of the Homeless World Cup and how it has become such a global phenomenon, by looking at more than just facts. It shows how the power of sport can help excluded people transform their own lives and how the event has transformed attitudes to homelessness.Trade ReviewPraise for The Homeless World Cup:When people have a bad deal in life and things haven't been going their way, one of the ways they can get self-esteem back is through sports. The Homeless World Cup does that, and it also puts on the agenda that homelessness is a global issue. We all love football and we all hate homelessness – it's a no-brainer. Irvine Welsh Novelist and Ambassador for the Homeless World CupAll over the world, we've got to end homelessness. Everyone should have a home. It's a right and not a privilege. People treat the homeless as if they're sub-human. In order to overcome this discrimination, we have to unite against homelessness as we did when we fought apartheid. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, speaking at the Homeless World Cup in Cape Town (2006)The week-long tournament in Cardiff provided an incredible platform: for the players to demonstrate their skill and passion; for the public to engage with the tournament and with the varied debate and discussion that sat alongside football. The tournament generated a huge amount of positive goodwill in Cardiff and beyond, and the work to harness this and take it forward into a positive, lasting legacy, has already begun. MICHAEL SHEEN, Actor and Homeless World Cup ChampionI’m extremely proud to be joining the Homeless World Cup as a Champion. I’m excited to combine my passion for the game alongside the powerful work the Homeless World Cup does. Not only are they raising the issue of homelessness but actively doing something about it. CRISTINA RODLO, Actress and Homeless World Cup ChampionI didn’t think there could be anything better than the World Cup, but here it is: The Homeless World Cup! The only thing better than football in my eyes, is football that helps people. HERO FIENNES TIFFIN, Actor and Homeless World Cup Champion The Homeless World Cup demonstrates the power of sport to bring people together and change lives for the better, something which I saw for myself first-hand when the tournament was held in Glasgow in 2016. The positive effect it had on the players lives and the inspiration they took from it was hard to miss. NICOLA STURGEON, Former First Minister of Scotland

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Book SynopsisTroy Polamalu was the guiding spirit behind a Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty that won two Super Bowls and led the NFL in total defense five times during his 12-year career. His explosiveness and instinct shone on the field, yet is is Polamalu’s grace and character, his humility and dignity that have made the greatest impression on those closest to him. This biography, the first written on the Steelers’ Hall of Famer, was over a decade in the making. Author Jim Wexell covered every step of Polamalu's career and interviewed countless family members, friends, coaches, team officials, front office executives, and teammates to produce a moving portrait of a remarkable athlete. Polamalu's days as a child in Santa Ana, California; his formative years in Tenmile, Oregon; his college days at the University of Southern California; and his glory days with the Steelers are all covered in this essential chronicle of a Pittsburgh great.

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Book SynopsisThe compelling story of how American football was used to boost morale and inject camaraderie between the Allied forces in wartime London.In December 1943, as London faced a fifth Christmas of blackouts and no sign of World War Two ending, a chance encounter at an English pub between a Canadian and an American officer led to the staging of a football game: the Tea Bowl.A few weeks later, 30,000 Canadian and American troops, as well as some confused British spectators, were gifted respite from the devastation. The game involved players who had paused their football careers back home to serve their country in foreign lands.The Canadians won, so a rematch was arranged in front of 50,000 at London's White City Stadium. They called it the Coffee Bowl. A few ringers were even drafted from the NFL, including Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tommy Thompson.With first-hand accounts and detailed reports of the games, this is the first time the fascinating tales of the Tea and Coffee Bowls have been shared in one place.Trade Review"An impressive story, well told. Rating: 9/10." -- Mark Watkins * Dare Radio *

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Book Synopsis_____________________________THE NEW YORK TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER on the murder behind the Netflix documentary Killer InsideHe had it all. A $40 million NFL contract. Fame. Adoration – until he was convicted of murder, and jailed for life without parole.A true story told by the master of crime fiction, All-American Murder is the tale of Aaron Hernandez, once the NFL's youngest player, a star for the New England Patriots and a Super Bowl veteran. His every move played out in the headlines, and yet he led a secret life – one that ended in a maximum-security prison. What drove him to go so wrong, so fast?This explosive account of the rise and fall of a life cut short in the dark shadow of fame, culminating in Hernandez's own untimely death behind bars, is built on original, in-depth reporting. Was Hernandez a victim himself, suffering violence-inducing brain damage from the sport that meant everything to him – or was he just a heartless killer?_____________________________‘The man behind the hugely popular Alex Cross series has interviewed those closest to Hernandez to get the full, winding story on the NFL star turned murderer.’ The Sun‘Patterson unravels Hernandez’s complicated and troubling story.’ CBS News'This disturbing true-crime thriller is another fast and captivating Patterson read.' USA TodayTrade ReviewThe man behind the hugely popular Alex Cross series has interviewed those closest to Hernandez to get the full, winding story on the NFL star turned murderer. * Sun *Patterson unravels Hernandez’s complicated and troubling story. * CBS News *This disturbing true-crime thriller is another fast and captivating Patterson read. * USA Today *

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Book SynopsisIn Chicago, the Bears’s grip on the city spans generations and cultures, endures disappointments, and impels celebration of triumphs great and small. From the team’s humble beginnings to its century-long status as the flagship NFL franchise, the Chicago Tribune has documented every season. The Chicago Tribune Book of the Chicago Bears is an impressive testament to Bears tradition, compiling photography, original box scores, and entertaining essays from Hall of Fame reporters. This expanded second edition will include updated writing from the past five years, and will be released to coincide with the 100-year anniversary of the NFL—and the Chicago Bears. The Chicago Tribune Book of the Chicago Bears is a decade-by-decade look at the team, beginning with George Halas moving the team to Chicago in 1921. The Bears soon became known as the Monsters of the Midway, dominating the sport with four NFL titles in the 1940s, seven winning campaigns in the 1950s, and a final title with Halas as coach in 1963. Their 1985 Super Bowl championship transformed the city's passion into a full-blown love affair that continues today. Professional football was practically born in Chicago, nurtured by Halas through the Depression and a world war. The NFL game was made for Chicago, in Chicago, by a Chicagoan. Now the award-winning journalists, photographers, and editors of the Chicago Tribune have produced a comprehensive collector’s item that every Bears fan will love.

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Book SynopsisFatigued by bloated big-game football and bored of samey big cities, Daniel Gray went in search of small town Scotland and its teams. At the time when the Scottish club game is drifting towards its lowest ebb once more, Stramash singularly fails to wring its hands and address the state of the game, preferring instead to focus on Bobby Mann's waistline. Part travelogue, part history and part mistakenly spilling ketchup on the face of a small child, Stramash takes an uplifting look at the country's nether regions. Using the excuse of a match to visit places from Dumfries to Dingwall, Gray surveys Scotland's towns and teams in their present state. Stramash accomplishes the feats of visiting Dumfries without mentioning Robert Burns, being positive about Cumbernauld and linking Elgin City to Lenin. It is a fond look at Scotland as you've never seen it before.Trade ReviewThere have been previous attempts by authors to explore the off-the-beaten paths of the Scottish football landscape, but Daniel Gray's volume is in another league. - THE SCOTSMAN Truly splendid' - ARTHUR MONTFORD An excellent book about the country's smaller teams - [Stramash] captures the vague romance that still clings to these smaller Scottish clubs. It will make a must-read for every non-Old Firm football fan - and for many Rangers and Celtic supporters too. - DAILY RECORD As he takes in a match at each stopping-off point, Gray presents little portraits of small Scottish towns, relating histories of declining industry, radical politics and the connection between a team and its community. It's a brilliant way to rediscover Scotland. - THE HERALD A great read, because Gray doesn't write about just football, he uses football as an excuse to explore the histories of small towns in Scotland. - THE SKINNY Why do the Gers and Hoops have retail outlets in the capital? Why do buses depart for Glasgow on a Saturday morning from every corner of Scotland? Gray's book is a splendid attempt to answer these questions, and more besides - The result is sociology at its best, which is to say eminently readable - Stramash may turn out to be a memoir of the way we were, and an epitaph. - SUNDAY HERALD I defy anyone to read Stramash and not fall in love with Scottish football's blessed eccentricities all over again - Funny enough to bring on involuntary laugh out loud moments. - THE SCOTTISH FOOTBALL BLOG

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Book SynopsisIn the NFL there is only one certainty: that every day, someone will have to be the Next Man Up. Football is an unrelentingly punishing sport, played and practiced at undiminished intensity, and it devours its players. Confronting injuries, trades, and the grim reality of competition, every NFL team prepares constantly for the likelihood -- the certainty -- that even franchise players can go down at any time. And someone new must be ready, trained, and primed to step in at the highest level. Bestselling sportswriter John Feinstein persuaded one NFL team to lift the extraordinary secrecy that shrouds the sport and let him see how a team operates at the closest level. One team let him join every practice, every coaches'' meeting, every players'' gathering, every strategy debate. From the give-and-take of draft day, into the grinder of summer training camps, and from 100-degree practice games to the last game in frigid conditions, Feinstein reveals how a football team works -- or fails to work -- as no writer has done before. Next Man Up unveils rituals (what a coach tells a player at the moment he cuts him); rules (the inanities of league-appointed uniform Nazis); conflicts (the scouts vs. the coaches, the general managers vs. the agents, the offense vs. the defense, the special teams coaches vs. everybody); money (how much a journeyman makes, and how his life differs from the multi-million-dollar-a-year star players)-every nuance of a team''s life, from the owner''s goals to the coach''s day-to-day travails to the feeling of the sleet-soaked ball in the hands of a receiver on artificial turf. The access John Feinstein enjoyed allows him to discuss with equal understanding the owner''s management strategy, the coaches'' and coordinators'' plans for each new game, and how it all affects the players themselves. Anyone who loves football -- any team, in any era -- will savor the thousands of details revealed here for the first time, and the extraordinary drama that goes into following week after week, the most sensational sport in America.Trade Review'John Feinstein has become sportswriting's John Grisham' - David Kindred, Sporting News

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Book SynopsisThe San Francisco 49ers have one of the best records in NFL history, with 20 division championships, seven conference championships, and five Super Bowl championships. On a team with outstanding talent each year, who among its past and present players could be ranked among the 50 greatest? Who would occupy the coveted #1 spot? Jerry Rice? Ronnie Lott? Joe Montana? Chales Haley? Robert Cohen, has his own take on the matter and in a book that is bound to inspire conversation if not controversy, ranks what he believes are the greatest players from 1-50, with a few honorble mentions.

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Book SynopsisRiveting and inspiring first-person stories of how “taking a knee” triggered a political awakening among athletes of all ages and levels, from the celebrated sportswriter “With profiles of courage that leap of the page, Zirin uncovers a whole national movement of citizen-athletes fighting for racial justice.” —Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award–winning author of Stamped from the Beginning Hailed by Publishers Weekly in a starred review as “an enthralling look at the impact of peaceful protest by sports figures at the high school, college, and professional levels,” The Kaepernick Effect explores the story of how quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s simple act of “taking a knee” spread like wildfire throughout American society, becoming the preeminent public symbol of resistance to America’s persistent racial inequality. In this powerful book, critically acclaimed sports journalist and author Dave Zirin chronicles “the Kaepernick effect” for the first time, through “a riveting collection of first-person stories” (The Nation) from high school athletes and coaches, college stars and high-powered athletic directors, and professional athletes across many different sports—from Megan Rapinoe to Michael Bennett. In each case, he uncovers the fascinating explanations and motivations behind what became a mass political movement in sports. “Necessary reading for all, especially those who want to make a difference in promoting social justice, equity, and inclusion, and end police brutality” (Library Journal, starred review), The Kaepernick Effect is for anyone seeking to get involved in the new movement for racial justice in America: “Take a knee, everyone, and start a revolution” (Kirkus Reviews).Trade ReviewPraise for The Kaepernick Effect: “A collection of compelling stories that put the reader at the center of the tumultuous, frightening, and stirring protests for racial justice that, when put together, reveal the ways taking a knee transformed sports and the broader society. . . . [An] extraordinary book.”—Jesse Hagopian, The Progressive“An enthralling look at the impact of peaceful protest by sports figures at the high school, college, and professional levels . . . offers rousing evidence of the life-changing effects spurred by individual action.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Take a knee, everyone, and start a revolution. . . . A thoughtful anecdotal study of protest in our time.”—Kirkus Reviews“An insightful book about the wide-reaching effects of Kaepernick’s protests. This book is highly recommended and is necessary reading for all, especially those who want to make a difference in promoting social justice, equity, and inclusion, and end police brutality.”—Library Journal (starred review) “Zirin continues to mine gold from that place where sports and politics meet. . . . A thoughtful take on what remains a complicated, highly charged issue.”—Booklist “The Kaepernick Effect stands alone in capturing the true impact of the former quarterback’s peaceful protest, which was to inspire a generation. Zirin’s interviews with athletes of all ages are meticulous and fascinating, cementing Kaepernick’s status as one of the most significant athletes in American history.”—Mina Kimes, ESPN“Dave Zirin hits the bulls-eye with this textured examination of the man behind the movement and the movement inspired by the man.”—Sekou Smith, NBA TV/NBA.com senior analyst“With The Kaepernick Effect Dave Zirin has offered us a gift: a powerful chronicle of the national uprising inspired by the Movement for Black Lives in the world of sport. This will be the go-to text on athlete activism for years to come.”—Frank Andre Guridy, author of The Sports Revolution: How Texas Changed the Culture of American Athletics“In this captivating book, Zirin puts into sharp relief the activist potential of young athletes, and how they can serve as dismantlers of intersectional oppression.”—Kimberlé Crenshaw, co-founder and executive director, African American Policy Forum“Sharp and illuminating and a joy to read, Zirin’s analysis of events is unparalleled for its clarity and force. This book has been missing from our understanding of the current political moment; Zirin has filled the void.”—Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, author From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation“Dave Zirin . . . allows those influenced by Colin Kaepernick to explain why America wasn’t ready for him—but needed him to show how far we are from where we should want to be as a nation.”—Michael Lee, sports enterprise writer, The Washington Post “Across decades, Zirin has been a guide, machete-slicing through the thicket of marketing and mythologizing in sports to get fans closer to the uncomfortable truths. From the right side of history, intent on fairness and justice, he has been warning us about the liars, thieves, hypocrites, and grifters hiding in plain sight in America’s playpen. He has an uncommon grasp of his subject matter, a sculptor’s attention to detail and a historian’s expertise, and the combination is worthy of your applause. Kaepernick’s work will echo over the years. So, too, will Zirin’s.”—Dan Le Batard “When I think about Dave Zirin’s body of work, which I do a lot, ‘honesty’ and ‘integrity’ always come first to mind. He challenges you to think, and think carefully, about any and all assumptions you might have. You hear a lot these days about the importance of ‘stepping outside your comfort zone.’ Well, Zirin has always been there to help with that. The Kaepernick Effect is a perfect marriage of author and subject.”—Jonathan Coleman, author of Long Way to Go: Black and White in America“A powerful testimonial. Lessons in civic courage leap from every page as we see these amazing athletes risk everything to change this country and help set the stage for the racial reckoning we now face. Read this book and be inspired to fight for a new America!”—Eddie S. Glaude Jr., author of Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own How many Black people have to die at the hands of racist cops before white America listens to those voices? The Kaepernick Effect needs to be read by those who continue to deny racism and police brutality.”—Chris Lamb, co-author of Sports Journalism: A History of Glory, Fame, and Technology

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Book SynopsisFamously selected as the 199th pick, in the sixth-round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Tom Brady's career trajectory is nothing short of legendary. By the time he hung up his cleats in 2023, Brady held nearly every major quarterback record, including career passing yards, career touchdown passes, and quarterback wins. He won seven Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was named Super Bowl MVP five time. These moments and memories are collected in Sports Illustrated Tom Brady, a fully illustrated gift book commemorating the career of the NFL's greatest player of all time. Featuring more than 100 photographs and unparalleled written coverage from the pages of Sports Illustrated™, this new volume provides readers a complete portrait of the player whose impact on football history cannot be overstated—from his earliest days in New England to Super Bowl euphoria and beyond

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Book SynopsisDid you know . . . Tom Brady is a very good quarterback. (True, but only according to statistics and accomplishments.) The formation of the NFL took place in an auto dealership. The founders started an institution and also were convinced to buy rust-proofing for it. (Half true.) The Carolina Panthers originated as a book club but turned to football when they couldn’t agree on which John Grisham novel to read. (Maybe true. Research isn’t our thing.) The Occasionally Accurate Annals of Football is a love letter to America’s favorite game, full of highlights, history, great plays and players, scandals, Super Bowls, and a series of lies, idiotic theories, baseless conspiracies, a diet that may kill you and, of course, a poorly-written haiku. The book takes the credibility Dan Patrick has built up over a stellar broadcast career (ESPN, NBC Sports, something called “Peacock”) and risks it all with these falsehoods, half-truths, and even some quarter-truths. This parade of inanity is co-written by Joel H. Cohen (3 Emmys, several cavities due to poor flossing) and includes contributions from certifiably hilarious people, such as: Andy Richter (Late Night with Conan O’Brien), Brian Kelley (The Simpsons, Saturday Night Live), Chuck Tatham (Modern Family, Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother), Mike Price (The Simpsons, F is for Family), Donick Cary (Silicon Valley, New Girl), Christine Nangle (Inside Amy Schumer, Saturday Night Live), Broti Gupta (The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Simpsons) and Rob Cohen (Saturday Night Live, Big Bang Theory).

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Book SynopsisPower & Glory is a visual homage to the NFL, which takes us on a hard-hitting journey from the pre-Super Bowl era to the present day. Using stunning images, it's a celebration of a uniquely American sporting culture, featuring the greatest stars, teams, games and stadiums. From Terry Bradshaw to Tom Brady, Jim Brown to Joe Montana, from the Green Bay Packers who won the first ever Super Bowl to Aaron Rodgers winning the Super Bowl for Green Bay decades later, it covers all 32 teams that have competed in the NFL. Whether the photos are from the era of muddy pitches or modern-day indoor arenas, Power & Glory projects a physicality and toughness that defines the NFL's players. From the harshness of playing the game in freezing and wet conditions to the glamour and pageantry of the Super Bowl, this eye-catching photographic collection showcases the game in all its glory. Alongside these beautiful and breathtaking images are stats, records and write-ups on the teams that bring the NFL's rich history to life.

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Book SynopsisThe Special Relationship: The History of American Football in the United Kingdom charts the arrival and development of gridiron football on this side of the Atlantic. This comprehensive account presents the story across three key sections, outlining how and why the sport became so popular in Britain - from the first match at Crystal Palace back in 1910 to the birth of the incredibly popular International Series, which has become a permanent fixture in the NFL regular season. It covers every match played in London from 2007 to 2021, with anecdotes intertwined throughout to bring the deeper NFL history, its greatest players and franchises to life. The book also tells the unique tales of the British players who have played in the NFL, with each player providing special insight into their journey from Britain to the National Football League. The Special Relationship is the captivating story of how the sport arrived on the doorstep of America's great allies - and survived to become the ever-growing presence it is today.

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Book SynopsisThe American Football Revolution: How Britain Fell In Love With The NFL is the remarkable story of how the USA's biggest sport converted a sceptical soccer-mad nation. In 1982, an esoteric new TV channel started beaming NFL highlights into British homes and building up a small but devoted audience - just as hooliganism was turning people off the UK's national game. A year later, the Global Cup saw the Vikings and Cardinals play a flop preseason game at Wembley. Now, 40 years later, the UK is the NFL's second home. The marketing muscle of the league played a part but it's the fans staying up late to watch on TV, creating their own content and booking holidays to the States to coincide with big games that have made the sport a hit. From the man who sold his home so he could tour the NFL's tailgate parties to the one who turned his love of the sport into an all-consuming passion for fantasy football, these are the stories of the fans who transformed the NFL from a curiosity to a mainstay in the British sporting landscape.Trade Review"Isaacs is such a good storyteller... The writing is engaging and well-paced, which makes for a very easy read. Any British fans who, like me, discovered the NFL in the 1980s will love this book. It’s not just for them, however. Newcomers to the sport – as well as American fans – might be surprised to learn how far back the NFL’s UK history goes. There’s plenty in here for everyone." * Pigskin Books *

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Book SynopsisGet the beautiful book that presents the history of the Cincinnati Bengals football team, with full-color photography and fascinating text.The Cincinnati Bengals are a proud and storied franchise. Some of the NFL’s all-time best players—and all-time great teams—have donned the orange and black. Each season is precious to the fans, whether we won two games or twelve, because it reminds us of special memories: trips to the stadium with parents and children, watching on TV with neighbors and friends, shared camaraderie with strangers, and more.Team reporter, podcaster, debut author, and lifelong Bengals fan James Rapien presents the perfect keepsake for Bengals sports fans. Enter the Jungle collects the team’s rich history and pairs it with professional, full-color photography to create a stunning book for any coffee table or bookshelf. It presents a season-by-season summary, which includes the team’s schedule, starting lineups, and statistical leaders. James also takes a closer look at the best players and greatest wins. The book is rounded out with the author’s picks for every all-decade team. With a foreword by Dan Hoard, voice of the Bengals, Enter the Jungle truly has it all for anyone who loves Cincinnati’s favorite team!Book Features Fascinating summary of every Bengals football season Schedules, starting lineups, and statistical leaders The author’s picks for every all-decade team Full-color photography from throughout the team’s history Score a copy of Enter the Jungle for yourself, and you can give it as a winning gift too.Table of ContentsFootball Abbreviations Foreword A Bit of NFL History Author’s Notes Introduction 1968 1969 1970 Paul Brown 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 Ken Anderson 1977 1978 1979 All-1970s Team 1980 1981 Super Season 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 A Game for the Ages 1989 All-1980s Team 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Hall-of-Famers 1998 1999 All-1990s Team 2000 Dillon Runs Wild 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Playoffs, at Last 2006 2007 2008 2009 All-2000s Team 2010 2011 Best Catches 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Marvin Lewis 2018 2019 All-2010s Team 2020 2021 AFC Champions 2022 Photo Credits Sources About the Author

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Book Synopsis“You can if you will.” A phrase uttered to a young Jerry Kramer by his line coach at Sandpoint High School in tiny Sandpoint, Idaho, that would go on to push him to a celebrated NFL career with the Green Bay Packers and a sentiment that he would repeat to close his speech at his long awaited enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame almost seven decades later in 2018.In the spirit of Jerry Kramer’s unforgettable and bestselling collaborations with the great Dick Schaap, his first book about his life and career in over two decades, Run to Win will serve as Kramer’s definitive statement about a remarkable life and career of perseverance, teamwork, and gridiron greatness. Spanning the beginning of the legendary Vince Lombardi era through Kramer’s confoundingly long wait to receive his bust in Canton, Kramer tells his amazing story as one of the most memorable and toughest Packers in franchise history.Including insightful commentary about the eminently intriguing Lombardi, as well as fellow Hall of Fame teammates Jim Taylor, Forrest Gregg, Willie Davis, Bart Starr, Emlen Tunnell, and many more, Run to Win is a must read for all true Packers fans from one of the legends who helped lay the foundation for one of the most identifiable and successful franchises in the history of professional sports.

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Book SynopsisIn the 1980s, Neil Hornsby was one of very few National Football League fans in England. Never one to do anything casually, he began keeping hand-written score sheets of every game using his own tracking system. Soon he'd enlisted some fellow British super fans in his mission to take football information an extra layer deeper. This was the beginning of Pro Football Focus, an analytics company that now supplies data to all 32 NFL teams and every major broadcasting corporation. PFF player grades appear on the screen during Sunday Night Football broadcasts, and PFF's pioneering research and analysis informs discussions at the highest level, from coaching to drafting to game-planning and player evaluation. In Football is a Numbers Game, Matthew Coller chronicles this improbable start-up tale with unprecedented access, exploring the company's origin as a band of obsessive outsiders, its pivotal acquisition by Cris Collinsworth, and its role in the proliferation of data in the NFL and professional sports. Featuring a cast of memorable characters, this is a portrait of an unlikely business success as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the forces guiding modern NFL teams as they search for a competitive edge.

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Book SynopsisFrom his electrifying plays on the field to his charismatic personality off the gridiron, Travis Kelce has become a force to be reckoned with in the world of football. With over 7,000 career receiving yards and more than 60 touchdown receptions, Kelce has solidified his place among the NFL''s elite tight ends. Explore the journey of this prolific player, from his college days at the University of Cincinnati to his record-breaking seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, and uncover fascinating insights into Kelce''s work ethic, mindset, and passion for the game.Whether you''re a die-hard Chiefs fan or simply a lover of football, this captivating collection of quotes and facts offers a compelling glimpse into the life and career of one of the NFL''s most dynamic players.Nobody can make fun of me better than me. I''m not going to go out there and say that I''m better than X, I''m better than Y. I think I''m the best tight end in the game. Coach Reid is always going to d

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Book SynopsisWhen it came to football in the 1930s, the college sport was king. But in 1933, former boxer and minor league baseball player Art Rooney, who had quarterbacked the squad at Duquesne University, purchased a team for Pittsburgh for $2,500. Thus began the legacy we know as "Steeler Nation."At the time, no one could have imagined that the Pirates, as they were originally named, would become a treasured possession for Pittsburghers. For the first 40 years, the franchise was a national joke. With only one playoff performance—a 21–0 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles for the eastern division title in 1947—highlights were minimal for a team that regularly found itself at the bottom of the standings.Then in 1969, Art Rooney's son Dan hired Chuck Noll from the Baltimore Colts to coach his team. Noll replaced undisciplined players with future hall of famers. By 1974 the team won its first world championship and went on to capture four Super Bowl titles in six years. Noll's legacy for excellence continued with four more Super Bowl appearances and two championships in 2005 and 2008, garnering the franchise a league record of six Super Bowl wins.Classic Steelers includes these six championship tilts and takes citizens of the Steeler Nation on a play-by-play tour of the most memorable games in the team's history. Author David Finoli recounts in vivid detail the thrilling gridiron performances that have made the Steelers so special to their legions of fans.

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Book SynopsisAn essential and improbable football story that crosses continents, cultures, and sports Christian Okoye never dreamed of playing football. He passed hours playing soccer each day in Enugu, Nigeria, until he outgrew the sport—physically. His focus shifted to track and field, honing an elite talent for discus throw that brought him to Azuza Pacific University in California. Only when those Olympic dreams were inexplicably dashed did he pick up a football for the first time at age 23. By 1987, Okoye was one of the NFL's most beguiling draft prospects, a 260-pound running back who was the picture of raw, unstoppable athleticism. The Kansas City Chiefs selected him in the second round, and the "Nigerian Nightmare" was born. In this timely autobiography, Okoye unfolds his life story from the heart, detailing a childhood upended by civil war, his unconventional path to football, and his glory years with the Chiefs. He also candidly discusses the darker facets of his American dream: an existence filled with chronic pain and and memory loss which forces Okoye to grapple honestly with the biggest question: If he had to do it all over again, would he play football?

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Book SynopsisBrings readers on the long journey from Houston's Fifth Ward to the packed stadiums of the NFL, continuing with his decades-long fight for the compensation due an athlete who sustained injuries on the job. Here, Delvin Williams recounts the circumstances that motivated him to meet challenges at every level and exceeding his own expectations.

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