I was having a difficult time running searches today, so forgive me if this has been covered already. What books have you found most helpful in learning more about the game? I have been a casual follower most of my life. The last couple years, because of involvement in a few fantasy leagues, my interest has increased. I realize that Fantasy is its own game, but that is what got me going. I am more interested in the play calling, schemes, history, and team aspect. Early this year I read FO’s Almanac, and went through four Fantasy Mag’s. I enjoyed the reading and learned a lot, but before I pick up the books the Outsiders referenced, I thought I’d ask for some of your suggestions. I have a long ways to go, and am still trying to figure out the best blogs, columnists, etc.. Also this site has tons of links, and I have not gone through them all. I appreciate it, if you have internet suggestions, great. But because I work at a computer, I was really looking for something to take home.
Actually, wikipedia has tons of football info. Also, "The Blind Side" was an awesome book that really enlightened me to the evolution of the "modern" game (Bill walsh, west coast offense, rise of the freak-athlete pass-rushers and the need for freak-athlete left tackles).
If you're interested in the innerworkings of the game read anything by Bruce Feldman, also a great columnist for ESPN.com. He's college oriented, but still will teach you a lot (Cane Mutiny is a fantastic book about the development of the Miami football program if you're into FB history).
Three Bricks Shy of a Load. Great book about the Steelers just before they became dominant in the 70s.
Take your eye off the ball by Pat Kirwan (who's IMHO...the best and most knowledgeable football radio guy in the business). really good stuff.
Yeah this too- Was going to post it but decided to scroll for a change. lol Get a autographed copy here- http://www.patkirwan.com/ GO here for some user reviews, http://www.amazon.com/Take-Your-Eye-Off-Ball/dp/1600783910/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294167178&sr=8-1 GET IT!!! lol
Sorry about the delay, had a hard time breaking away from work to respond today. All the feedback is appreciated, these suggestions should speed things up, plus it is great seeing where people are comming from. Definitely, I still need a great reference book. I enjoy FO's Almanac but would love to have this. Checking around for references I stole some stats to share: The Encyclopedia of Football (Treat) 16rh Revised Edirion - 758 (5"X8") pages The Pro Football Encyclopedia - 1,468 (8.5"X11") pages Total Football II - 1,812 (8.5"x11") pages ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia, 1st edition - 1,458 (8.5"x11") pages According to Amazon.com the ESPN’s 2nd Ed. Has 1,536 pages and covers players back to 1920’s. I have to admit I did get some sticker shock. $636.11 shows the demand, but for a paperback that retailed for $24.95 it is a little hard to swallow. I will have to find something used or hopefully see if they come up with a 3rd edition. Nothing new for 2008, 09, or 10??? Hope they are just waiting for it to become feasible again instead pumping out yearly issues. Having watched the movie, I wasn't sure about, "The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game." Until I Wikipedia'd it and saw that Oher was only one of two storylines covered in the book. Would be interested to get more on the evolution of the sport and perspective on the other side of the ball. Bruce has a great web site, and his book “Meat Market” really looks interesting. Funny how quickly following high school recruits can tie into places like this. Would love to read what they said about that Joe kid from Louisiana back in ‘07. I will have to check out this suggestion. This one was already on my radar because of sportspectator.com/fancentral/football/bestfootballbooks.html. There is so much stuff out there it is kind of hard to narrow it down. I goggle searched “Jets Football Books”, and got some lists. Will have to keep Ray Blount in mind though. I read some good reviews on this. ^^^^This looks good, thanks guys. Other than a desk reference I think this is tops. I already love watching the games, why shouldn’t I get more out if it? Appreciate the links Prime.
I'm pretty sure you can go to a local book store and buy the ESPN Encyclopedia still. If not, you can find it pretty cheap online. That $600+ price is insane.
I hope so Murrell. I live out in the middle of no where, next chance I get to hit up a bookstore with a decent sport section I will scan it over inside and out. Probally end up shopping online for it. Unlike, school books, I'd rather it isn't doesn't come already highlighted and noted.
Meat Market is great too. I actually haven't reread it in a while, may be worth another look this week.
There was supposed to be three editions, but it appears the publisher stopped at two. I gather the first two did not sell well enough to justify the publishing costs for a third edition. I do not know if we will ever see a large volume sports reference book like that ever again. They are too costly to produce and not enough people buy them. Furthermore, there is less and less demand now due to the numerous websites with historical football stats. The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedias have also gone the way of the dodo. We all know there is definitely more demand for books with baseball stats than for books with football stats. It's a bad sign. If you don't see baseball encyclopedias, you can forget about seeing football ones. Should you ever come across both of the ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedias for a price that is to your liking, pass on the 1st edition. It had some bizarre errors in the yearly leaderboard section. There were numerous other errors here and there throughout the book. The 2nd edition is a much better book because most of the errors are gone. You'll still come across some typos and some silly mistakes, but it's not a big deal. Here are four mistakes I have found- Marcus Dupree's birthplace is indicated as "Philadelphia PA". He is actually from Philadelphia, MS. The October 12, 1964 Monday night Colts-Cardinals game was shown as having taken place in St. Louis. It was actually played in Baltimore. Originally scheduled for St. Louis, the game was moved to Baltimore due to the World Series. The Bears played a home game at Dyche Stadium. That is not listed in the book. The Raiders played a home game in Berkeley. That is not listed in the book. I sold the my copy of the 1st edition for a couple bucks at a garage sale to a grandfather who was buying the book for his grandson who looked to be about 8. I thought that was pretty good because when I was that age I was reading old football magazines and books.
Meat on The Hoof is another really good one from awhile ago, although its about big time college programs, not the NFL. You'll probably give up football for a couple of seasons after reading it, though.
I haven't read that book but from reviews it seems it has a similar theme as "Out Of Their League" by Dave Meggyesy. I supposed I'd list that one as my favorite football book (excluding reference books). From amazon.com- "The University of Nebraska Press deserves a high-five for re-releasing this classic. . . . The book was an important milestone-innocent, then angry, but always fearless-and its sheer honesty exposes other sports books of that era as cheerleading fluff."-Rus Bradburd, Sports Literature Association (Rus Bradburd Sports Literature Association ) "The first critical look at the dehumanizing aspects of pro football."-Mercury News (Mercury News ) "Thirty-five years ago, a journeyman Cardinals linebacker shocked football fans with his explosive account of a league riddled with violence, drugs, and inequities against its players. . . . His book offers opinions and analogies that eerily apply to both the contemporary sports world and to America's current political scene."-USA Today Sports Weekly (USA Today Sports Weekly ) "Meggyesy''s book, almost as much as his person, is a most moving instance of a man's search to be honest and to find a decent alternative for this way of life."-New York Review of Books (New York Review of Books ) "Dave Meggyesy is an articulate, eloquent spokesman for his cause."-New York Daily News (New York Daily News ) "In a league of its own in its provocative view of the mentality and morality of American football. . . . Meggyesy rips through most of football''s myths to find only a frightening and deliberate inhumanity."-Newsweek (Newsweek ) Product Description Dave Meggyesy had been an outside linebacker with the St. Louis Cardinals for seven years when he quit at the height of his career to tell about the dehumanizing side of the game—about the fraud and the payoffs, the racism, drug abuse, and incredible violence. The original publication of Out of Their League shocked readers and provoked the outraged response that rocked the sports world in the 1970s. But his memoir is also a moving description of a man who struggled for social justice and personal liberation. Meggyesy has continued this journey and remains an active champion for players’ rights through his work with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). He provides a preface for this Bison Books edition.
Redundancy aside, nothing will teach you better than Kirwan's book. His Sirius show with Tim Ryan is excellent.
More Than a Game: The Glorious Present and Uncertain Future of the NFL Brian Billick, Michael MacCambridge Next Man Up: A Year Behind the Lines in Today's NFL John Feinstein
How bad is the first edition? I can get it on Amazon in the UK for about £4 including postage compared to £95 for the second edition! Is it worth a read at all or is it really, really bad.
That is significant enough of a difference in price that the errors could be tolerated. Just don't pay any mind to the yearly leaderboard section as some sort of editing problem or mix up with computer files messed up that section.
I thought there was going to be a 3rd edition released a year or two ago, but have not heard anything on it.
