No comments about The Senior: My Amazing Year as a 59-Year-Old College Football Linebacker.

3 comments about Still Roaring: Jim Phillips's Life in Broadcasting.

1. Jim Phillips trusted Ken Tysiac to help him tell his life story, and the trust was well-placed. Although Phillips has passed away, you can hear his voice again in this well-organized, fast-paced book. If a book can feel like a football Saturday afternoon in the fall, this one does. All Clemson fans will get a big kick out of it.



2. Jim Phillips' autobiography "Still Roaring" tells the life story of Jim Phillips -- the Voice of the Clemson Tigers for over 30 years. Although it was written with the assistance of Ken Tysiac, but you can hear Jim Phillips' conversational style come across in the narrative.
   
   After a short history of Phillips' childhood and early broadcasting days in Ohio, Phillips tells how his hiring at Clemson was almost a fluke and was certainly unexpected. Phillips tells his stories about some of Clemson's most memorable football, baseball, and basketball games, interspersed with personal anecdotes from his travels with the teams. For an avid Clemson fan, though, Phillips' selective storytelling leave you wanting to read a game-by-game and year-by-year history of Clemson's sports teams, which this book is not.
   
   Phillips also gives insight into the coaches and personalities in the Clemson athletic department during his tenure: Danny Ford, Ken Hatfield, Tommy West, and Rick Barnes especially. However, at times Phillips tells the story as an insider and whitewashes some of the failings of these coaches.
   
   Finally, Phillips tells some interesting stories about his days covering the Greenville Braves, Masters golf tournaments, and other sporting events. His stories hearken back to a bygone era in sports broadcasting, and his nature as a true gentleman comes through in these stories.
   
   This book is a must-read for any Clemson fan - and I would recommend it for any fan of South Carolina sports or for anyone with an interest in college sports or sports broadcasting.



3. I miss Jim Phillips. As the voice of the Clemson Tigers, Jim filled the rooms of my house growing up more often than some of my relatives did. In fact, for the first 30 years of my life, Jim Phillips was the only "Voice of the Tigers" that I knew. His genuine warmth, friendliness, and passion for Clemson athletics made him the perfect ambassador for the university.
   
   Jim was working on Still Roaring at the time of his sudden death in 2003. He shares his memories of growing up in Northeast Ohio, his start in broadcasting, his unexpected hiring at WFBC in Greenville, South Carolina in 1968, and his 36 years of covering Clemson athletics. In those 36 years, Jim broadcast more than 2,000 sporting events, including men's and women's basketball, baseball, and 401 football games. For a while, he was also the voice of the Greenville Braves, the longtime AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and he covered The Masters golf tournament for 13 years. He had a remarkable career.
   
   Those who are familiar with Phillips will instantly recognize his friendly, easy going style in the pages of Still Roaring. It's like he's sitting there, talking to you again. The text is loose and conversational as Jim shares some of his favorite memories from his long tenure at Clemson. In his 36 years at Clemson, the school grew from having a regional presence to having a national presence, including winning a football national championship in 1981. Jim witnessed it all.
   
   Listening to a Clemson football game isn't quite the same now that Jim is gone, but, of course, life goes on. We were truly lucky and blessed to have Jim as long as we did.

2 comments about When It's Fourth and Long: Keeping the Faith, Overcoming the Odds, and Life in the NFL.

1. Football and sports fans will love this book (esp. those from Oregon)! Josh is a small-town Oregon athlete who eventually attends U of O and then reaches the NFL. He credits his dad, coaches and others along the way who encouraged him. Most of all, he clearly notes how his faith in Jesus Christ not only helped him through the trials of cancer, but also gave him purpose and meaning in life.



2. When It's Fourth and Long by Josh Bidwell is the autobiography of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers punter and former member of the Green Bay Packers. Bidwell was struck down by testicular cancer when he was 23 and had just signed on with the Packers. He kicked the cancer and it strengthened his faith in God and his love for then girlfriend now wife Bethany. The child of a divorce, Bidwell has lived through some rough times in his life, and he's very honest about his mother's battles with addiction and his own struggle with anger. His pride in his wife and two sons brings a smile to my face. He tells a few good tales about playing with the Packers, but really focuses on his deep friendship with Ryan Longwell. His story is inspiring and very moving; his writing isn't poetic, but he's the type of guy you would want your daughter to bring home. This would be an excellent book for someone who loves sports but normally wouldn't read a book about faith and God. It's nice to read about an athlete who recognizes the impact his celebrity can have and wants to do good with it.

2 comments about Johnny Unitas: Mr. Quarterback (Great American Sports Legends).

1. THIS IS ABOUT JOHN UNITAS FORMER NFL GREAT. THE BOOK CONATINS MANY STORIES AND INSIGHTS BY VARIOUS RELATIVES TEAMATES AND FRIENDS OF JOHNNY U. SOME OF THE MANY WHO CONTRIBUTED THEIR STORIES ABOUT UNITAS ARE TOM MATTE, DON SHULA, LENNY MOORE AND SAM HUFF. I FOUND THIS TO BE A NICE BUT NOT TOO DETAILED BOOK ABOUT UNITAS. I THINK HIS TOUGHNESS, LACK OF EGO AND PURE TALENT WERE THE MAIN ISSUES IN MOST OF THESE INTERESTING STORIES. NOT A GREAT BOOK BUT A VERY INTERESTING AND NOSTALGIC TRIP FOR ALL COLT FANS. RECOMENDED.



2. This book may be about the Best Quarterback in the history of the NFL, BUT it is by far the poorest written book I have ever read. The grammer, organization, detail and writing in general is the worst I've ever seen. I couldn't figure out if the book was written for a six year old or by a six year old or both. I am still a huge fan of Johhy U. and have been since the mid 60's, but for future book buys, I'm watching out for this author.

2 comments about Giants and Heroes: A Daughter's Memories of Y. A. Tittle.

1. I LIKED SEVERAL THINGS IN THIS BOOK. I ALSO DISLIKED A FEW THINGS IN THIS BOOK. IT WAS INTERESTING WHEN IT STAYED FOCUSED ON THE CAREER AND LIFE OF Y.A. HIS EXPERIENCES WITH THE COLTS, 49ERS AND GIANTS IS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL DONE. THE BOOK IS WRITTEN BY HIS DAUGHTER WHO DOES A GOOD JOB OVERALL. BUT SHE RAMBLES ON AND ON ABOUT SOME BORING CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND NEVER REALLY DOES A GOOD JOB OF TELLING US WHAT KIND OF PERSON AND FATHER TITTLE IS. SHE TRIES TO BE TO TOO DEATILED AND CREATIVE DESCRIBING THINGS OF MINOR IMPORTANCE. BUT SHE IS TALENTED AND VERY SWEET. I DONT WANT TO BE TOO HARD ON THIS BOOK. I RECOMMEND IT FOR ALL GIANT FANS AND FANS WHO WANT TO READ ABOUT A GREAT QUARTERBACK.



2. Calling all LSU, SF 49er, and NY Giants fans. This book is a fun read, and leaves one with the feeling of having intimately known one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever wear a football uniform. As opposed to many sports books, the author's vantage point allows her to tell the story of this football icon with refreshing sensitivity. The author, through her lively descriptions, tells the story of how from his humble beginnings in East Texas, Y.A. Tittle rose to become the toast of New York, and a member of the NFL Hall of Fame.

   Y.A. Tittle's unique athletic abilities, and sense of humor are framed by the parables of Greek mythology. This unique treatment is appropriate, because the author provides an inside view of growing up with a legend.

5 comments about Last Call: Memoirs of an NFL Referee.

1. Jerry Markbreit is not only a veteran NFL official but an insightful author who knows how to make the game (and the rules) a wonderful read. So many "bios" are filled with fluff, but this one tells grat stories, the kind you wish you'd hear from the so-calld expert talking heads on TV. I loved this book as much as his first one, which is now rightfully a collctor's item. Anyone who considers themselves and NFL fan will enjoy this book as well as his feature "Ask Jerry Markbreit" on the Chicago Tribune's web site...Great stuf. Thank you, Mr. Markbreit.



2. At one point in Markbreit's book, he mentions being surprised when someone recognized him on the street. This shocked me. Does he not know he's the best ref in the league?

   I remember my dad first learning to recognize Markbreit (though at that time we thought his name was Markwright), and knowing that if he was officiating the game, the calls would be accurate and fair. In this book, you find out why - because he cared deeply about learning his job and performing at the absolute top level. As my dad says, "Quality of officiating usually exceeds quality of play" - this in response to the occasional bad call by a well-meaning official. When Markbreit was in charge, the truth was that "quality of officiating ALWAYS exceeds quality of play".

   This book takes you through Markbreit's entire career as a ref, beginning with covering intramural football at his college, and through the NFL and multiple Super Bowls. You'll also learn the basics about how officating works, how the NFL works to ensure accurate, consistent officiating (hint: if you saw an error on TV Sunday, they'll see it on tape on Monday), and how Markbreit made it to the top of his field.

   If you're a Markbreit fan, this is probably already on your bookshelf. If you're a football fan at all, and have ever even thought about what it takes to ref an NFL game, this book is for you.

   Markbreit is a five-star ref. This is a four-star book for the kinds of things that make a co-written autobiography not five-star fare. It's no worse than any other co-written autobiography, and better than most, but not quite five-star material. Still, the book is excellent and will be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates the game.




3. I'm not crazy about most Pro Ref's in any sport but Jerry Markbreit is one of the few that I always respected the way He called a game.nothing out of the ordinary when He was ref of a Game or a big game.I enjoyed the way He takes you too the field.



4. THIS BOOK BY JERRY MARKBREIT FORMER NFL REFEREE WILL HOLD YOUR INTEREST FROM COVER TO COVER. HE TELLS US OF SOME OF THE GAMES HE HASBEEN IN ALONG WITH MANY OTHER INTERESTING TIDBITS. SOME OF WHICH ARE GAME PREPARATION, HOW TO WEAR THE UNIFORM, OFF SEASON TRAINING AND MANY MANY MORE. HE ALSO HAS SOME STORIES ABOUT WOODY HAYES, HOWIE LONG AND MANY MORE. ANOTHER THING I LIKED ABOUT THIS WAS THAT JERRY COULD ALSO POKE FUN AT HIMSELF ALONG THE WAY. HIS USE OF JEWISH WORDS IS ALSO AMUSING ALONG WITH THE STORY OF HIS FAMOUS COIN FLIP AT THE SUPER BOWL. ALL IN ALL THIS IS A GREAT READ AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.



5. While parts of this book are fun and entertaining (eg: recalling Ben Dreith's "giving him the business" call), my overall reaction to this book was annoyance at Markbreit's mammoth ego. Yeah, you gotta have self-confidence to be an NFL ref (and Markbreit was one of the best ever). But the book is really just a long string of anecdotes in which Markbreit tells you how this scrappy undersize guy overcame the odds thru his strength of will. And it gets old quick, which is why I give it 3 stars.
   Football fans of the same era would be much happier reading John Madden's "Hey, wait a minute (I wrote a book)!" which if full of the happy fun stuff that made Madden famous.

4 comments about The Big House: Fielding H. Yost and the Building of Michigan Stadium.

1. I bought this as a Christmas present for my husband but then started reading it surreptitiously. It is very interesting and I am not even a Michigan OR a football fan. I am sure my husband will love it.



2. I cant put it down, My old coach gave me this for x-mas, Knowing that I was a huge U of M fan.. its great, a look into some of the greatest football ever...



3. I gave this book to my dad for Christmas. He couldn't put it down. It won't be turned into a movie, because the stories just aren't juicy enough but I would recommend the book to any Michigan fan. It was quick easy reading - great for a plane ride.



4. If you are a fan of U of M and a fan of football then you will love this book. It is amazingly written, and really holds the readers attention. It goes in dept into what a great coach and director Fielding Yost was. It covers the building of Yost Field House and the building of the BIG HOUSE. I was able to speak with the author of the book and I was amazed by his level of knowledge. He spent a lot of time reading about U of M at the archives and its evident in the book when you read it.
   I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested.

1 comments about Hep Remembered: Memories of Terry Hoeppner from Those Who Knew Him Best.

1. Coach Hep was an ephemeral flame, that lit up a dying flame of Indiana football. He was about to do the impossible when he was taken away, but the team continued his legend by going to a Bowl Game under Bill Lynch. They did it for Hep, as well-explained in this concise, but clear and complete, summary of Coach Hep.

5 comments about Turning the Thing Around: Pulling America's Team Out of the Dumps-And Myself Out of the Doghouse.

1. If you are a Jimmy Johnson fan or a fan of good football autobiographies, then check this book out. It starts with Jimmy living in Port Arthur and takes you all the way through to his days with the Cowboys. The best part of the book in my opinion was the behind the scenes of the different colleges he coached at.



2. Jimmy Johnson's life is a great story, this book tells that story with great detail from Johnson's boyhood in Port Arthur, Texas all the way through his days of restoring glory in Dallas. This book is not just for Cowboy fans, it's for anyone who loves a good book.



3. I read this book when I was 12 years old and the Cowboys had won their first of 3 Super Bowls in the 90's. I loved it but, then again, I would have loved a bottle of poison if it had a Cowboys star on it.
   
   I picked it up again about a year ago when I was thinking about what made that team (and champion teams in general) tick. The psychological edge those teams enjoyed is probably what made the difference, to which Jimmy Johnson deserves the ultimate credit.
   
   His approach to the mental side of football is evident in this book. For example, instead of telling a kicker "don't miss" before a good field goal, Jimmy will always say "make this." The difference is the seed, either positive or negative, that is planted in that kicker's mind.
   
   But the book goes beyond coaching philosophy to chronicle the interesting, if not a little whacky, life of an extremely sucessful football coach.



4. Straight forward, no nonsense book about everything from Johnson's college coaching days to the Cowboy's first super bowl under his staff. He spends several pages scattered through the book almost whining about certain calls of the official in certain games, but what coach doesn't (even I'm guilty). However, I read the book in one day because I just couldn't put it down. He does give insight into how he became (in my mind) the master motivator of NFL football. Recommened to any football coach or player who loves the game and loves learning pychological aspects of the game.



5. THIS BOOK IS ABOUT FORMER NFL HEAD COACH OF DALLAS AND MIAMI JIMMY JOHNSON. HE TELLS THE READER MOSTLY ABOUT HIS CAREER COACHING A BIT ABOUT HIS LIFE OFF THE FIELD. I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK AS HE TELLS US HOW HE WON A NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND A SUPER BOWL. HE GIVES HIS HONEST AND INTERESTING INSIGHTS ON MANY PLAYERS AND COACHES. I FOUND THE MOST INTERESTING TO BE HOW HE MADE THE COWBOYS INTO A POWER HOUSE DURING THE 1990'S. EVEN AFTER 15 YEARS, THIS IS STILL A GREAT BOOK. NOW JIMMY STILL USES THE HAIRSPRAY AND IS A COMMENTATOR ALONG WITH TERRY BRADSHAW AND HOWIE LONG ON THE PRE GAME AND POST GAME WRAP UP ON FOX AND ARE QUITE GOOD AND ENTERTAINING. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.

2 comments about Shoot for the Star.

1. Fans of the Dallas Cowboys will love this down-to-earth story of one of their greatest heroes, Bill Bates, but anyone who follows pro football can enjoy this inspirational story. Bates begins by describing how he had always wanted to be a Cowboy and goes into detail about how he never allowed anyone to derail him from his dream of wearing the star on his helmet, even when he is bypassed in the NFL draft. His hard work and determination enabled him to carve out a long career as a special teams standout and starting safety despite being labelled "too slow" to play professionally and having to prove himself all over again with each new coach.

   The book is exceptionally readable, and Bates is candid with both his emotions and opinions. Even if you're not a Dallas fan, and I'm not, you can't help but cheer for Bill Bates at each twist and turn his career takes. The story at times seems more than a little corny, but it is a nice antidote for the image of spoiled pro athletes that is so prevalent these days.




2. The story of Bill Bates is a story of overcoming the odds. What I found to separate this tale from other sports stories is that Bates provides great insight into his thought-process during the events of his life. He was the thinking man's football player. He changed with the team and with the game, constantly staying one step ahead and anticipating and filling the need on the Cowboys.
   He doesn't just tell us that he overcame a serious leg injury. He tells us how he overcame it, what goals he had and what his thought process was. It was fascinating to read how he viewed things.
   Often times the best sports stories are told by players who weren't huge stars. Bates was on a team of huge stars, but he certainly had his moments to shine and he candidly shares these moments with us.
   This is an interesting book, covering and balancing his personallife with his professional life.