Customer Reviews (7)

Gotta love it!
This is easily one of the better Bama books out there.I also like the Tailgater's Guide To SEC Football as a freak SEC fan.I recommend both.

Tradition is here!
This book lets any fan know that alabama football is a lifetime of hardwork and achievements.I am proud to own this book.This is the same author that wrote the book "Forrest Gump", and he does a great job of illustrating Alabama's history of football.May tradition continue and the tide roll.

As an Auburn fan, I was somewhat puzzled when I received
this book for a birthday gift. Naturally, I was reluctant to read it at first - it sat on my nightstand for months - and yet it seemed to call out to me in clarion tones of The Truth. When I finally indulged these entreaties, I realized I had undergone something of a conversion. At last, I can freely admit that Alabama football is the most complete expression of excellence in collegiate athletics. Roll Tide Roll

A stellar look at a stellar program
Alabama has a football history that is truly second to none. Groom brings a storyteller's touch and a fan's enthusiasm to an exhaustive and impressive look at the Crimson Tide.

And to the reviewer who mentioned the lack of Central Florida being mentioned: the book was released in September, the UCF game was in October.

Book should include chapter on UCF win in 2000!
This book did not include a chapter on UCF Golden Knights spoiling Alabama's homecoming in 2000! Obviously, Alabama is afraid and has pie in their face andCANNOT ADMIT IT!

UCF has been in I-A football for only 5 years. ... Read more

Product Description
The Alabama Crimson Tide have played more than 1,100 games since 1892, earning 12 national championships in the process. Most of the passes, tackles, kicks, and touchdowns have passed into history with little fanfare, but a select few are destined to be remembered for the ages: these are plays that won games, turned around a season, or put the exclamation point on a career. Game Changers: The Greatest Plays in Alabama Football History digs deep into the annals of Alabama football lore and extracts these very best moments, bringing them back to life with a rich clarity that will delight every fan who thinks of Bryant-Denny Stadium as his or her home away from home.

Author Kirk McNair has painstakingly researched the team s history and assembled the plays that clinched victories, won championships, or earned bragging rights in the annual Iron Bowl. Readers will relish player and coach profiles, quotes from participants, and game statistics, as well as a generous selection of memorable, full-color photographs.

Guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment, Game Changers: The Greatest Plays in Alabama Football History brings the team s biggest stars to life. Relive the incredible performances of players such as Joe Namath, Ken Stabler, Cornelius Bennett, and Shaun Alexander; Jay Barker, Steve Sloan, and Jeff Rutledge leading the team to national championships; and, of course, the plays that cemented Paul Bear Bryant s place as one of the greatest coaches in college football history. The memorable exploits of these incredible men and many others including Palmer, Prothro, Lassic, and Newsome will remind Alabama fans why they bleed crimson and white.

Guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment, Game Changers: The Greatest Plays in Alabama Football History brings to life the most memorable moments in the long and storied annals of the Crimson Tide. This full-color volume describes the action, profiles the participants, and reveals the rich story behind each memorable moment, making this the most comprehensive and unique book ever written about the Alabama Crimson Tide.

It was one of the all-time great games I ve ever seen a quarterback play.
Joe Namath, on Andrew Zow s performance against Auburn in 2001
It still amazes me the number of people who will tell me about seeing the run in the mud.
Ken Stabler, on his memorable touchdown run against Auburn in 1967
Derrick Thomas played the game of his life today, and that s saying a lot.
Bill Curry, on Thomas three-sack performance against Penn State in 1988 ... Read more

Product Description

THE ESPN SEC FOOTBALL ENCYCLOPEDIA INCLUDES

• expanded profiles and histories of all twelve Southeastern Conference football programs, as well as former SEC schools Georgia Tech and Tulane
• original essays on what makes each SEC program unique written by such experts as Winston Groom (Alabama), Lou Holtz (South Carolina), and Buster Olney (Vanderbilt)
• two-page record books for each school, with all-time and annual leaders
• all-time teams, college and pro football hall of fame inductees, first-round draft choices, and retired numbers for every school
• a complete bowl history for each team, including box scores
• a history of the Southeastern Conference written by Chuck Culpepper, and the all-time SEC team as selected by Ivan Maisel, author of A War in Dixie ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

ESPN SEC Football Encyclopedia.
A must for all College Football fans, not just SEC fans.As with other ESPN books I have purchased over the years, this is a well researched book.Worth the price! ... Read more

Product Description
This is the complete history of Monday Night Football's 35-year run on ABC, from its inaugural 1970 season through 2005, when the network announced that its longest-running series would move to cable. Chapters cover Monday Night Football's inception, its many lineup changes in the announcers' booth, how it influenced sports coverage on other networks, and the relationship between the NFL and ABC. Appendices provide a list of Monday Night Football cast and crew and seasonal ratings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Read!
Kicking Off the Week by Wesley Hyatt is not only a good, concise history of the successful, long running Monday Night Football game and show, but also throws in a lot of meaty history and information of television networks, as well as the NFL and other professional football leagues in this time period as well.

Mr. Hyatt even gives a brief history of pre Monday Night Football network television in his first chapters which I found very informative. He covered in the first two chapters with the same amount of meaty information, what many other books take entire volumes to cover.

Mr. Hyatt gives insights on the varied personalities of MNF. For those of us who grew up watching Howard Cosell on Wide World of Sports and even his ill conceived variety show, it was great to learn more about the man.

If there is a weakness to the book, it would be the lack of a photographs section. Normally books of this type have a section in the center with photographs of the personalities involved. I'm not sure if this was the publisher's doing, or the author, but having a photo section would have made this book much better.

The only photos are on the front cover of this book. While images of Dandy Don Meredith, Frank Gifford and Fran Tarkenton doing the show are etched into my mind, I couldn't bring to mind some of the others announcers. It would have been great to see at least one photograph ofshort-time announcer Fred Williamson, as well as some of the other less well known sideline reporters.

But overall, "Kicking off the Week" is a fine history of the Monday Night Football show and is an excellent read. I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Product Description
And God Said, "It's Good!" takes the sport of football and compares this favorite Sunday pastime to the Bible--and it works. Once again, Gary Graf combines his love of sports with the Bible, resulting in an amusing and fun-loving book that delights any sports fan.

Comparisons include Hail Mary passes and answered prayers; immaculate receptions and Immaculate Conceptions; football stadiums and cathedrals; biblical verses and double reverses, plus good books and playbooks. These and many more parallels fill this lively and entertaining 192-page hardcover.

On any Sunday, you can bet some are brought closer to the spirit of the sport while others are more connected to the bible. The twenty chapters in this book compare football and the bible--with remarkable results!

"Forgiveness and good works were just pre-game drills for the Lord's true purpose here on earth."

"God rested on Sunday. Football is mostly played on Sunday. Coincidence? I think not."


Any author who can find similarities between the dazzling colors of a football team and the colorful vestments of a priest--needs to have his book read cover to cover. A delightful read for everyone--even if you're not remotely interested in football. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

And God said, "It's Good"
This book is absolutely fantastic. I actually bought it as a gift for my son in law but couldn't give it until I finished it. It has fantastic football knowledge and wonderful references to the Bible. I would recommend it to anyone. I am not a big football fan but I had a hard time putting it down.

Graf's Work is a Masterful Piece of Teaching
I played football from elementary school all the way into college. While I didn't know much about the Bible when I was young, I did become a student and avid reader of scripture later in life. And as God's plan for me has unfolded, I now teach people interested in joining our Church how to use, understand and appreciate the Bible.

So, when a close friend told me about Mr. Graf's book, I was intrigued about how he might combine my all-time favorite sport with the Bible. Well, just let me say that Graf has done a masterful job. In his second book (the first was on baseball and scripture), he becomes teacher, theologian, historian and story teller. He has woven and combined treasured and important parts of the Bible with some of the greatest plays, players and stories from football history. Importantly, he does in a very enjoyable, entertaining and thought provoking read.

Graf captures my interest and attention right from the beginning. He quite adroitly shows how Lambeau Field in Green Bay Wisconsin was indeed an "awesome place," just as the Bible says the home of God's chosen people was also such a place as is noted in Genesis 28:17. Honestly, when I was a quarterback in the third grade little leagues, there was no more awesome place on earth than the place (Lambeau Field) where the Green Bay Packers played.

Moreover, I believe Graf's gift with this book has been to create a marvelous teaching tool that will help with religious education for generations to come. As an example, in one of the early chapters he tells us in his words after quoting Proverbs 3:5-6, 23 that "there are two components to trusting God. One is to prayerfully discern his will for us in how we live our daily lives. . ."

Graf cleverly connects religious subject matter in a manner that is unusual and at the same time unexpected. He explains in one paragraph how God wants us to trust our instincts. Then as I am beginning to digest the power of his scriptural analysis, he turns the tables and suddenly introduces former the Detroit Lions great running back Barry Sanders into the story.

Graf seems to be a master at uncovering factoids and details about America's most famous sport, reporting that the first pro football draft was held in 1920 and that the first official transaction between teams when tackle Bob Nash was sold from the Akron Prosto the Buffalo All-Americans for $300. You won't be surprised, and nor was I, to read in several following paragraphs that Jesus also drafted his team of apostles.

The true spirit and soul of Graf's work is revealed as he is both teacher and commentator, when he says, "In football, a fumble can lose a game. In faith, a stumble can lose a soul. Through the game, we are taught to learn from our mistakes, to pick ourselves up off the turf, remove the clumps of grass from our facemasks, and play on. Through the gospels we learn that though we may stumble time and again, all we need to do is seek forgiveness."

One might think Graf is attempting to use this literary platform to force his views of religious topics and espouse his positions on important theological issues. But I don't think that is the case. Instead, Graf demonstrates that he is indeed a true fan of football, obviously the competent researcher and most important, he is a true student of scripture.

He proves with this book that he loves life, loves God, and loves his sports. And what can be more commendable than that.

... Read more

Product Description
2000 marks the 40th anniversary of the Buffalo Bills.Tocelebrate this historic milestone, the Buffalo Bills in cooperationwith Quality Sports Publications, are proud to announce the publishingof RELENTLESS, Volume II.RELENTLESS II is not a repeat of thespectacular 35th anniversary book, RELENTLESS.It is a companion tothat best-selling book.

Written by Sal Maiorana, RELENTLESS II continues the game-by-gamecoverage complementing the original book.It also features a largesection profiling the Bills' 40 all-time greatest players with theirbiographies, photos and achievements.Top this off with a recap ofthe 40 most memorable plays and a complete stats and records section,and you have a terrific and timeless record of the Bills' first 40years.

This hard-bound collectible measures 9" x 12" with 304 pages and over200 photographs, in both black and white and color.No otherprofessional sports team has a more complete set of history books thanthe Bills.Football fans just love this companion set. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

must have Book on the Buffalo Bills
i have been a Buffalo Bills fan for the longest time and myself and other Bills fans love to debate and talk about past Bills teams, players and overall views of past coaches,etc.... Sal Maiorana has presented the Best Book ever on the Buffalo Bills. very complete and in depth.

The "Bible" of Bills' Football
Buffalonians take their Bills' very seriously. Heck, the Bills aren't just a football team, they're part of the community, part of the family, and they make many of us western New Yorkers proud. Truly devout fans oftenrefer to themselves as "Disciples." And in my family, we like tocall "Relentless" the "Bible." It is the ultimate inBills' info and history, overloading you with stats and quotes from theteam's very inception. Sal Maiorana -- a life long fan -- and excellentwriter I might add, left no Bills' game, touchdown, tackle or happeningunturned in this very thorough and entertaining historical documentary ofour heros.

Great Book for any Bills fan
Any diehard Bills fan should have this book. A ton of photos and stats, but I wish the book had more color picture thoughtout.

No Bills fan can breath without a copy of Relentless
If you're a die hard Bills fan, or just a regular fan looking for some good reading. Pick up Relentless the book that takes you game by game up through the 1994 season.

this book is great
hey. If you love Buffalo Bills football, this book is for you.this book takes you through every game, through the entire Buffalo Bill history in 400 some pages..full of color, and grat photos.I can't think of a book I've been happier to just pick up on a sunday afternoon, and flip through. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

"Down Through The Years"
Paul Hemphill has passed away now, but fortunately for Auburn football fans he completed this book first.It's a bit unwieldy due to its coffee-table size, but this reader believes it to be the most complete history of Auburn football he's come across.It treats McKissick, Petrie, Heisman, Ducote and Hitchcock just as thoroughly as it does Tidwell, Jordan, Sullivan, Dye, Bo, and Tuberville.

The book is generous with photographs, the modern ones in color and many of them large.It also explores the political and sociological environments of Auburn football.The book captures the early rivalry with Georgia Tech, and later ones with Alabama and Tennessee.

My only criticism of the book is minor, having to do with errors in scores during games (not final scores) and confusion about players' names.For instance, Auburn's fourth touchdown against Georgia in 1971 is said to have made the score 28-10 Auburn, when actually it was 28-20.Also, the halftime score of the "Punt Bama Punt' game in 1972 is reported as 16-0 Alabama rather than 9-0.And one of Auburn's four first-round NFL draftees in 2004 is listed as Karlos Dansby rather than Carlos Rogers, an understandable error.The book is published by the University of Alabama Press, which might explain typos leading to incorrect scores.

Several professional writers who are Auburn graduates also contribute one- or two-page vignettes, including David Housel, Rheta Grimsley Johnson, and Cynthia Tucker.

You'll get your money's worth.

A Tiger Walk Through History
I ordered this book after reading an article on Paul Hemphill in the Auburn Alum magazine.I will be giving it as a Christmas present to my son.I scanned through the book and found it to be everything I had hoped for.It brought back a lot of memories of the time I spent there starting with the Sullivan/Beasley era.It would be a good reference for anyone who has remained faithful to Auburn through the good and not so good football seasons.
War Eagle!

A New Look at An Old, Old Story--Still, a Walk Worth Taking...
Paul Hemphill's cryptic but always loving style (toward anything Auburn)makes this oft-told story of Auburn Football worth reading again.Hemphill tells it well, warts, molds and all, always celebrating the triumphs in such a way that they remain part of the story, not the story itself.By having individuals share their "Auburn Story" as inserts into his text, Hemphill makes this work even more enjoyable. A "Must for the Auburn Football Fan.

Published by the University of Alabama Press under the new "Pebble Hill" seal, that of the Auburn University Center for the Arts and Humanities, this book, while published by Alabama, has the Auburn seal of approval.That alone makes this book noteworthy. (Maybe there is a chance for peace in the Middle East after all!!!) ... Read more

Product Description
The New York Giants returned to prominence with a Super Bowl victory in 2008, but the franchise has a long and proud history. This book focuses on six different eras of the team, from its 1925 inaugural season, through the "glory years" of the 1950s with stars Frank Gifford and Sam Huff, to its victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, one of the greatest upsets in football history. Players, coaches, general managers, and critical games are highlighted, along with the Mara family, which has guided the franchise since its inception. The growth of the team's popularity mirrors the rise of the NFL as America's most popular spectator sport. ... Read more

Product Description
Ohio State University played its first football game in 1890 and didn t register its first winning season until 1895, but once it got going, it really got going. It had a Big Nine title in 1916 its first perfect season and it s safe to say that by that point Ohio State had begun to forge one of the greatest college football legacies in history. It continues today.

Ohio State University Football: Yesterday & Today is the definitive chronicle of this legacy, capturing the drama of a team that has captivated and represented the great football state of Ohio for more than a century. Written by veteran college football writer Mike Beacom for the popular Yesterday & Today series, this full-color, lavishly illustrated 144-page book recreates the full Ohio State experience:
Great coaches, like the innovative Paul Brown, whose 1942 national championship team outscored its opponents by 3-to-1, and Woody Hayes, who guided the Buckeyes to five national titles and 13 Big Ten titles.
Great players, including Heisman Trophy winners Les Horvath, Eddie George, Troy Smith, and two-time winner Archie Griffin, possibly the greatest Buckeyes player ever.
Great (and not-so-great) moments, ranging from Hayes resounding championships and current head coach Jim Tressel s surprising national championship in 2002, to Hayes unraveling with The Punch, thrown at a Clemson player in the 1978 Gator Bowl.

This carefully researched history celebrates Buckeyes traditions, Buckeyes achievements, and great Buckeyes like Rex Kern, Jack Tatum, Randy Gradishar, Eddie George, Orlando Pace, and others. For a lively romp through the history of one of college sports greatest programs, look no further than Ohio State University Football: Yesterday & Today. ... Read more

Product Description
For over 100 years the Vaunted Buckeyes have beensteamrolling opponents, winning Big Ten and national titles and addingto their storied gridiron mystique.All of those great moments arecaptured in this remarkable coffee-table book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Greatest Moments in Ohio State Football History
Howard "Hopalong" Cassidy, Rex Kern, Archie Griffin and many more memories of Saturday afternoons in the "Shoe"

Well done
With so many Ohio State books out after the national title season, this book does a great job of capturing the essence of the final seasons. This is a must have for Ohio State fans to remember the greatest moments in Ohio State history, particularly the Fiesta Bowl season. ... Read more

Product Description
As France's oldest team sport, rugby football has throughout its 125-year history reflected major changes in French society. This book analyzes for the first time the complex variety of motives which have led the French to adopt and remake this rather unlikely British sport in their own image. A major site for the construction of masculine, class-based regional and national identities, France's tradition of "Champagne rugby" continues to be as subject to dramatic upheavals as the society that produced it. The game's precocious professionalism and endemic violence have not infrequently caused the French to be cast as international pariahs. Such isolation, exacerbated by internal politics, has led the French not only to encourage the extension of the sport beyond its British imperial base (into Italy and Romania, for instance), but also to engage in some uncomfortable tactical alliances, most obviously with apartheid South Africa. ... Read more

Product Description
When people ask the question, "What makes a football weekend at Notre Dame so special?" members of the Notre Dame family know that it could take an entire book to give the whole answer. This is that book. It tells the gameday story with over one hundred color photographs that bring the experience alive from the perspectives of many different groups, and its words add a context that is rich in the traditions, community connections, values, and spirit that make Notre Dame unique.

Writer Bill Schmitt and photographer Lou Sabo approached the question with the kind of wide-ranging curiosity that goes beyond sports books, guidebooks, and history books. Their work reveals that the answer comes from many sources and primarily from the people who share the experience. The book focuses on students, many of whom have no involvement on the field; Catholics and believers of all faiths; alumni; visitors from around the country and the world; South Bend neighbors and business owners; athletes; and the coaches.

The reader will enjoy deeper insights into Notre Dame football's connections to all sorts of traditions--some profound, some trivial, but always bringing people closer to each other and to the past, present, and future. As seen in chapters that explore the acts of faith, hope, and charity that surround the football program and reflect the nature and mission of the university, there is a real sense in which, regardless of the tally on the scoreboard, everyone who participates emerges from a Notre Dame football weekend as a winner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Football Weekends at Notre Dame
Anyone who has ever attended a Notre Dame home football game will LOVE this book!The pictures and commentary reflect the excitement and awe-inspiring weekends you've ever spent on campus!We are ND! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

An Excellent read
An excellent account of the Denver Broncos history by a wonderful man who was there!
From the vertical socks ( they look great now!) to the present day, this book is a must for all Bronco fans and football fans alike.
Follow the franchise from it's start in the AFL to the two time Super Bowl winners.
Very well written and hard to put down once you start.Keep it out as a reference book.
Also check out Mr. Saccomano's previous book;"Game of MY Life Denver Broncos: Memorable Stories of Broncos Football.Another great read in the words of the Bronco players from day one to present.
[...]

Denver Broncos: The Complete Illustrated History
It is a great history of the Denver Broncos. Lots of wonderful black/white and colored photos. Has a really nice Foreword written by John Elway. I would reccommend this coffee table hardback book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Denver Broncos and relive some special moments.

Great Book, but Major Error
I bought this book as a birthday gift for my husband, a die-hard Broncos fan. The minute he opened it, he flipped to the back of the book to see where the history "ended".On page 177, the very last page of the book, is a chart detailing the team's win/loss records for each season of the 2000's decade.He immediately noticed that the chart was totally wrong.The data was an exact copy of the win/loss chart from the 1960's decade that is printed earlier in the book.A careless copy/paste error by the designer, no doubt. All the detail had been updated for the "2000's" except the actual stats.Nice.

We contacted the publisher, MVP Books, who was very nice and receptive to our concern.They are aware of the error and will send an updated page with the corrected data. We would much prefer an entirely new book of course, but if this is the best they can do we will have to deal.They said they would not run a reprint until the entire stock is sold - that will take awhile.They also said that there should have been a card tucked inside the book detailing the error and instructions to receive a new page.The book we ordered from Amazon did not have this card.They said we were only the second customer to contact them about the error.

Other than that, this is a great book. If you're willing to overlook one mistake, there is a world of great information, photos, and unique perspectives inside.

Great treatise and resource about the Denver Broncos
Wonderfully illustrated and well written history of the Denver Broncos. The chapters about the Broncos' early history evokedmemories, with some not so fond, about the team's early struggles on the football field and front office. The later chapters bring the team's history right up to date.

Jim's book belongs in every Denver Broncos fan's library. Highly recommended.

A Good Company History
One would expect that a book chronicling the history of the Denver Broncos by its long-time and very capable Vice President for Public Relations, Jim Saccomano, would be a treasure.It is.This should be on the bookshelf of every serious Denver Bronco fan, especially those who are not aware of the growth of the Bronco Nation from its early, humble beginnings to becoming the prominent and successful franchise it is today.Saccomano tells a richly illustrated story of Denver football moving from cow town survival to the football pinnacle.He is on the inside of the franchise and he tells the story with family pride in a little over 175 pages of prose and pictures, including a warm introduction by its Hall of Fame Quarterback, John Elway.

Surprisingly, there are over a dozen books telling the history of the Denver Broncos, with editions running the gamut from being primarily coffee table photography souvenir books (gradually moving from black-and-white to color photography as the years go by), to books for grade school libraries, and a couple of books with few pictures written by talented journalists and writers.Most of these books are now out-of-print, but made the storytelling of the early years much easier for Saccomano. He nicely adds a modern touch to the story of the early years, for example, by revisiting modest former Broncos practice and administrative facilities during the writing of the book.

Saccomano chose to divide the history by decades, similar to the style adopted by Broncos: Three Decades of Football, which makes sense for a book celebrating the Broncos 50th Anniversary.Other books have organized the history by owners, coaches, or eras of accomplishment, i.e., getting to a winning season, getting to the Super Bowl, and eventually winning the Super Bowl.

While Saccomano celebrates the accomplishments of the Broncos franchise, it is clear that he is writing from the perspective of a spokesperson for the current Bronco organization. The reader will find little dissension in "Dove Valley" (the practice complex for the Broncos) even in 2009, the most melodramatic off-season soap opera year in Denver Bronco history.In the book, coaches rise with great applause in the beginning, yet fall most quickly. You will find not a scintilla of criticism of owner Patrick Bowlen, nor a complete examination of what truly unfolded for Bowlen's "coach for life" Mike Shanahan to lose his job after a .500 season.

So, to some degree, this is a positive company history, updating several earlier Broncos-sponsored books, not objective history written by an outsider. It is not the definitive, scholarly, annotated biography of the Denver Bronco Football Club that one may have hoped that Saccomano could have produced, given his knowledge and access to Bronco files.Oddly enough, while credit is given to Bronco photographers (like my fellow Golden High graduate, Eric Bakke), Saccomano gives little recognition to earlier Bronco historians or the legion of outstanding Bronco newspaper beat writers dating from the early days with Dick Connor and Chet Nelson to current Dave Krieger and Jeff Legwold.Some of the prior histories gave Jim Saccomano credit for his help on their books.Maybe the restrictions of the MVP book series, of which this is one team's part, prevented these acknowledgments or reflections, but I found their omission in a comprehensive Broncos history by its chief publicist disappointing.

Minor criticisms aside, Saccomano shows his professional, life long labor of love with the Broncos on every page of this book.It is somewhat unfair to expect him to write critically about the Broncos or its owner when he clearly loves the team and its current owner.This is a fun and very readable book.Every Broncos fan should buy and read it.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The best book on the game's esoterica
If any pro football book deserves to be expanded and updated, it's this jewel of an effort. Daly and O'Donnell have produced a fascinating retrospective of all that makes football what it is, and reveal some little-known bits and pieces that even the most studied fan won't be aware of. A pity it's over a decade out of date . . .

There are no canonisations and platitudes here (for instance, the book criticises in detail Vince Lombardi's late-sixties draft choices and suggests he might have handed Phil Bengtson something of a poisoned chalice - an interesting theory, if nothing else), and no tedious top-ten-this or worst-five-that lists for the more mentally challenged. Instead, there are decade-by-decade glimpses of the game which, taken together, produce the best historical, fan-level portrait of the NFL I've ever come across.

My only complaint - and it's a small one - is that the book does fall back on the inevitable statistical section and identifies what it believes to be the "greatest" players. There's enough of this junk in other books ("Total Football" leaps to mind); I would have preferred more pages of esoterica and amusing photographs.

This is a book really worth searching out for if your idea of a good read is something other than a fawning biography or Officially Licensed propaganda.

Great job O'D!
Great job on the book Mr. O'Donnell.We're very proud to see you represent Wakefield High School.Also, we don't think that you should stop writing.You're a great writer (as you can probably tell by all these wonderful reviews).Keep up the wonderful work.We love you! Best wishes from your favorite girls, Holly, Rahel, and Remela <-- (I wrote it)

Do not miss this book....
quite frankly, this is the most entertaining pro football book I have ever read, and I believe I have read the vast majority of them.It has inside stories that you will not find the details on anywhere.It is funny, historical, and factual.I just wish there was an updated version.I have worn out my original copy I bought 10 years ago and am now on my second copy.

Wow. No, WOW!
Boy oh boy, do whatever you have to do to get a copy of this in your hot little off-season hands. (Today is Feb 13)I've been a fan all my life, so I think I know a few stories, but every single page in this book is a joy ... so much I've never heard of, or have only heard of peripherally ... and ALL told in utterly entertaining fashion.I can't put the book down. I have just one complaint: when are the guys who wrote this going to do an update? When, when, when? I want the first copy.

My favorite sports book ever!
It's funny how you see baseball book after baseball book exploring the past, analyzing the statistics, and uncovering untold stories.Very few football books have ever come out to fill this void, except for this great work.This book is eleven years old, and I still find myself going to it at least several times a football season.Pro Footbal Chronicle profiles forgotten stars such as Big Daddy Lipscomb and Hardy Brown.It tells of the attempt to fix the 1946 NFL Championship and of the saga of Red Grange from college to the pros.It explores the unbreakable records, the big hits, the classic rivalries and....I could go on and on, but I won't.The reason is simply that you should buy it.It is the best sports book ever writen about the greatest sport ever played.I just hope there is an updated version in the works, which would shed some new light on the largely untold story of pro football's roots. ... Read more

Product Description
In 13-degree sub-zero weather, on New Year’s Eve, 1967, aclassic NFL championship game was played between the Dallas Cowboysand the Green Bay Packers. Sportswriter Ed Gruver weaves thefascinating details of this legendary game into a quick-paced,suspense-filled narrative that plunges readers into one of thefiercest football rivalries of all time.

The Ice Bowl details the history of two famous coaches—VinceLombardi and Tom Landry—and the coaching philosophies that madethem and their teams legends. Gruver successfully evokes manyindividual players’ stories of endurance, drive, and strategy. Amplebackground, personal interviews, action photos, and an undeniablepassion for the game all contribute to this compelling account of thelong-time rivalry that culminated on the "frozen tundra" of the IceBowl.

Includes diagrams, game and season statistics, and complete Ice Bowl play-by-play. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

The Ice Bowl is a wonderful read down memory lane for those of us who were Green Bay Packer fans in the 1960s.
This book about the 1967 Ice Bowl is an excellent read worth at least 4 stars. to read about what the two coaches Landry and Lambardi were thinking before during and after thegame was pescious.

Good story but characters are deified
If I am not mistaken, the playoff game between the Bengals and the Chargers was played in even colder conditions than the Ice Bowl.But that game was a blowout and neither team ever won a Superbowl.

That said, the book seemed like a reasonably researched story of this game.The game coverage seems fairly good.

But the incessant praise for anybody who had anything to do with this ballgame, from writers, TV directors (the CBS director could not hold NBC's Harry Coyle's headset), players, coaches, all got irritating quite quickly.

Yes, the people are given the once-over, but their stories sound like they came right out of a press guide.Many interesting people were involved in that game, Gruver made them all sound alike.

If Gruver says that the game was such a landmark, he did little to say why.A good foreward and epilogue is needed desparately.Gruver makes no reference to this being the next-to-last-game of the Packer dynasty.The team collapsed the following year, the result of Lombardi's retirement from coaching and him not developing younger players.

Nor did the Cowboys return to the NFC championship until 3 years later.

The book could have been so much better.

Ice Bowl:I Was There
My uncle took me to the Dec 31,1967 NFL Championship game between the Cowboys and Packers, better known as the ice bowl.I was a high school senior.I have always remembered that it was -13 degrees with a 20 mph wind blowing into the open north end of the stadium.It wasn't until I read this book that I realized the wind chill by the end of the game was -56 degrees. Now I live in Texas where 100 degree summer days are the norm.On hot days I reread the book and watch the video.The Texas heat doesn't seem so bad.

The Real Deal
The year 1997 marked the thirtieth anniversary of the 1967 NFL Championship game between the Packers and the Cowboys.Two book were published around that time.One was by Mike Shropshire and the other was by Ed Gruver.Of the two books, Gruver's is superior.It looks briefly at the coaches, the organizations, the seasons, and then devotes the lion's share of the book to the actual game.Especially helpful were the diagrams of key plays that occurred during the game.The book devotes a chapter to each quarter.In addition to the players and coaches, the author looks at the game from sportscasters and referees.The author also covers issues that Shropshire ignored.For example: was Jerry Kramer offsides on the winning TD and did Donny Anderson score on the previous play.The author also does a good job on covering the discussion of possible plays that could be called on the final play.The Shropshire book was not bad, but this one wins hands down.

EXCELLENT RECAP
THIS BOOK IS TRULY A GREAT READ. THE INTERVIEWS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ANDRESEARCH IS REALLY EXCELLENT. THIS IS BOOK REALLY BRINGS BACK SOME MEMORIES. I WAS ACTUALLY COLD JUST THINKING ABOUT THE HARSH CONDITIONS OF THAT DAY OF SURVIVAL. WELL DESCRIBED AND A GREAT WAY TO LEARN ABOUT THIS LEGENDARY GAME. HATS OFF TO MR GRUVER, AND ALL ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MASTERPIECE. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Wayyyyyyyyyy Overpriced
The book is about 15 pages long, has very little text,some decent photos, but for $18.95+shipping it is way to much.Half that price would make sense for the amount of time/money it would have taken to make this book. I would spend your money on something else that is more worth the cost. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

Vikings History Review
As someone who's been a Vikings fan since 1967, it's very refreshing to read a history of how professional football used to be, and in particular, how the Vikings were.

Minnesota Vikings Book
Book was shipped promptly and securely.Book was a gift and was extremely well-received. A great transaction overall.Many Thanks!

Nice NFL team history
Patrick Reusse does a wonderful job combining strong historical research with the angst that comes with following the Vikings. He's able to make history entertaining rather than dry and the art is fun, too. With so many mediocre, quickie books out there that pretend to cover the history of sports franchises, it's nice to see someone who wrote one with real care and depth.

Wonderful Memories -
We lived in Minneapolis during the early days of the Vikings - even our 18-month son was a fan (have a photo to prove it). He's continued to this day, and even had the chance to meet a few Viking players in Phoenix when he was a bit older. The players were 'real people' that mostly lived in the area and even grew up there - kicker Fred Cox was a local dentist, Karl Eller was a UofM standout (and became a state supreme-court justice), Bill Brown was a never-say-die runner, coach Bud Grant a stoic in the land of snow and ice, etc. The 'bad news' is that the "Minnesota Vikings" book also brought back the painful trips to the Super Bowl. What a team, what memories, such a book -

Minnesota Vikings:The Complete Illustrated History
Excellent summary of the history of this franchise that has taken its fans on quite a ride for almost fifty years.Nice touch having a separate chapter for the NFC Championship loss to the Falcons as this was arguably the most defining and frustrating moment in team history.A little light on the statistics but that was not the purpose of this book.A must read for any true Vikings fan or anyone who enjoys NFL history. ... Read more