Download or read book The Dancing Bear written by Ron McDole and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2018-10 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the early sixties to the late seventies, defensive end Ron McDole experienced football's golden age from inside his old‑school, two‑bar helmet. During an eighteen‑year pro career, McDole--nicknamed "The Dancing Bear"--played in over 250 games, including two AFL Championships with the Buffalo Bills and one NFL Championship with the Washington Redskins. A cagey and deceptively agile athlete, McDole wreaked havoc on football's best offenses as part of a Bills defensive line that held opponents without a rushing touchdown for seventeen straight games. His twelve interceptions remain a pro record for defensive ends. Traded by the Bills in 1970, he was given new life in Washington as one of the most famous members of George Allen's game‑smart veterans known as "The Over‑the‑Hill Gang." Through it all, McDole was known and loved by teammates and foes alike for his knowledge and skill on the field and his ability to have fun off it. In The Dancing Bear McDole the storyteller traces his life from his humble beginnings in Toledo, Ohio, to his four years at the University of Nebraska, his marriage to high school sweetheart Paula, and his long, accomplished professional career. He recounts the days when a pro football player needed an off‑season job to pay the bills and teams had to drive around in buses to find a city park in which to practice. The old AFL and NFL blitz back to life through McDole's straightforward stories of time when the game was played more for love and glory than for money.
Download or read book From Darkness to Dynasty written by Jerry Thornton and published by University Press of New England. This book was released on 2016-09-06 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Love them or hate them, what the New England Patriots have been able to do over the past fifteen years is nothing short of remarkable. In addition to their four Super Bowl championships, the Patriots have the best coach in the league, a smart and savvy front office, and a future Hall of Fame quarterback who is internationally recognized as the face of the NFL. The longer the Patriots continue to dominate on the field as well as in the media and the American pop culture landscape, the harder it becomes for anyone to remember them as something other than a model franchise and the ultimate paradigm of success and accomplishment. Anyone, that is, except for Jerry Thornton. It wasn't always sunshine and roses for the Patriots; in fact, for the bulk of their existence, it was exactly the opposite. Though difficult to fathom now, the New England Patriots of old weren't just bad - they were laughably bad. Not so long ago, the Pats were the laughingstock of not only the NFL but also the entire sporting world. From Darkness to Dynasty tells the unlikely history of the New England Patriots as it has never been told before. From their humble beginnings as a team bought with rainy-day money by a man who had no idea what he was doing to the fateful season that saw them win their first Super Bowl, Jerry Thornton shares the wild, humiliating, unbelievable, and wonderful stories that comprised the first forty years of what would ultimately become the most dominant franchise in NFL history. Witty, hilarious, and brutally honest, From Darkness to Dynasty returns to the thrilling, perilous days of yesteryear - a welcome corrective for those who hate the Patriots and a useful reminder for those who love them that all glory is fleeting.
Download or read book Outside the Lines written by Charles K. Ross and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2000-01-01 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the often overlooked role of the NFL in the American civil rights movement Watching a football game on a Sunday evening, most sports fans do not realize the profound impact the National Football League had on the civil rights movement. Similarly, in a sport where seven out of ten players are Black, few are fully aware of the history and contributions of their athletic forebears. Among the touchdowns and tackles lies a rich history of African American life and the struggle to achieve equal rights. Outside the Lines traces how football laid a foundation for social change long before the judicial system formally recognized the inequalities of racial separation. Integrating teams to include white and Black athletes alike fifty years before the reversal of Plessy v Ferguson, the National Football League served as a microcosmic fishbowl of the highs and lows—the trials and triumphs—of racial integration. In this chronicle of the important stories of Black NFL athletes in the early twentieth century, Charles K. Ross has given us an important insight into the role of sports in the fight for racial justice.
Download or read book Between the Lines written by Sandra Neil Wallace and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-01-23 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A visually striking, enlightening picture-book biography.” —Booklist (starred review) “An absolutely indispensable illustrated biography.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “A well-sourced, stirringly told account of an artist.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “For sports fans and budding artists alike...a well-told, artfully illustrated story.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A 2019 Orbis Pictus Book Award Winner * An ALA-ALSC Notable Children’s Book * A SCBWI Golden Kite Honor Book Award * A Booklist Top 10 Biographies for Youth * A Booklist Top 10 Art Books for Youth * A New York Public Library (NYPL) Best Book for Kids * A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book Discover the remarkable true story of NFL star Ernie Barnes—a boy who followed his dreams and became one of the most influential artists of his generation—with this beautiful and fascinating nonfiction picture book illustrated by four-time Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier. “An artist paints his own reality.” —Ernie Barnes Ernie Barnes was an NFL football player who longed to make art. Finally his dream came true. When Ernie Barnes was growing up in North Carolina in the 1940s, he loved to draw. Even when he played as a boy with his friends he drew with a stick in the mud. And he never left home without a sketchbook. He would draw families walking home from church, or the old man on the sofa. He drew what he saw. But in the segregated south, Ernie didn’t know how to make a living as an artist. Ernie grew tall and athletic and became a football star. Soon enough the colleges came calling. Still, in his heart Ernie longed to paint. Would that day ever come? Ernie Barnes was one of the most important artists of his time known for his style of elongation and movement. His work has influenced a generation of painters and illustrators and can be found in museums and collections, such as the African American Museum in Philadelphia and the California African American Museum. Between the Lines is a story of inspiration, spirit, and of an American original who pursued his dream. This enchanting picture book includes pieces of artwork created by this little known artist who captured the truth and beauty of the world he saw around him.
Download or read book Indigenous People Race Relations and Australian Sport written by Christopher J. Hallinan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-06 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Indigenous peoples of Australia have a proud history of participation and the achievement of excellence in Australian sports. Historically, Australian sports have provided a rare and important social context in which Indigenous Australians could engage with and participate in non-Indigenous society. Today, Indigenous Australian people in sports continue to provide important points of reference around which national public dialogue about racial and cultural relations in Australia takes place. Yet much media coverage surrounding these issues and almost all academic interest concerning Indigenous people and Australian sports is constructed from non-Indigenous perspectives. With a few notable exceptions, the racial and cultural implications of Australian sports as viewed from an Indigenous Australian Studies perspective remains understudied. The media coverage and academic discussion of Indigenous people and Australian sports is largely constructed within the context of Anglo-Australian nationalist discourse, and becomes most emphasised when reporting on aspects of ‘racial and cultural’ explanations of Indigenous sporting excellence and failures associated anomalous behaviour. This book investigates the many ways that Indigenous Australians have engaged with Australian sports and the racial and cultural readings that have been associated with these engagements. Questions concerning the importance that sports play in constructions of Australian indigeneities and the extent to which these have been maintained as marginal to Australian national identity are the central critical themes of this book. This book was published as a special issue of Sport in Society.
Download or read book Investigation of Improper Activities in the Labor Or Management Field written by United States. Congress. Senate. Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field and published by . This book was released on 1957 with total page 1408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Game written by Dennis Cometti and published by Fairfax Books. This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For fans of the AFL and great sports writing, this collection provides a compelling look at events on and off the field.
Download or read book Time and Space written by James Coventry and published by HarperCollins Australia. This book was released on 2015-08-01 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An accomplished book about the genius and ingenuity of the game's greats (and the forgotten) and how they have shaped the game through the innovation of tactics. From Pagan's Paddock to Clarkson's Cluster, from Fitzroy's huddle to Sydney's flood, the tactics of Australian football have become part of the vernacular. In this groundbreaking book, ABC journalist James Coventry reveals the secrets behind them all. You'll meet the German gymnast who taught Geelong how to break the game from its rugby roots; the two Test cricketers who became footy's first great coaches; and the water polo player who shaped the modern AFL. Along the way you'll learn how South Australia pioneered the flick pass; how a rule suggested by Tasmania helped Collingwood win four straight flags; and how Fremantle revolutionised the use of the interchange bench. Time and Space is essential reading for any fan who wants to know why their team does what it does, and why it wins or loses.
Download or read book Once a Giant written by Gary Myers and published by PublicAffairs. This book was released on 2023-09-12 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The inside story of the Super Bowl champion 1986 Giants, the extraordinary friendships that resulted--and stunning revelations about the hardships they faced, based on new interviews with Bill Parcells, Phil Simms, Mark Bavaro, and Bill Belichick. The 1986 New York Giants are legendary. A championship team coached by Bill Parcells and his wunderkind assistant Bill Belichick, featuring future Hall of Famers and All-Pros like Phil Simms, Lawrence Taylor, Mark Bavaro, and Harry Carson. They were dominant on the field and formed a unique and lasting bond off of it. More than thirty years later, it's the friendships that have proved more important--a matter of life and death. In Once a Giant, bestselling football writer Gary Myers tells the story of that team and what became of it. Gridiron glory eventually faded; chronic pain, addiction, and in some cases crimes have followed. Many football players face these harsh realities, but the Giants have confronted and survived them together. With unprecedented access, Myers dives into such issues as Mark Bavaro's battle with injuries, the breakup and reconciliation of Parcells and Belichick, and Lawrence Taylor's struggles with sobriety. He creates a never-before-seen portrait of the team's run to the title, and their even more challenging fight to live after it ended.
Download or read book War on the Floor written by Jeff Foley and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2001-05-06 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: He began with no athletic ability. His pass-catching skills were so bad that he was told he couldn't catch a cold if he were butt-naked. He fell flat on his facemask during a six-minute jog. He was tormented by referees, subjected to rookie initiation pranks, called Rudy by fans and intimidated by a 250-pound ex-NFL player. Welcome to Jeff Foley's adventure in the Arena Football League. A five-foot-six, 180-pound writer, Foley is every bit the average individual. But the AFL's Albany Firebirds agreed to let him join their squad as an offensive specialist/writer in 1999 and 2000. So, despite never having played a down of organized football ? no Pop Warner, high school or college gridiron experience ? Foley played in three professional contests, running pass patterns against seasoned athletes, competing in front of more than 10,000 people. He lived every fan's dream. Or nightmare? He endured grueling practice sessions, hits, injuries and road trips, and attended team meetings and meals. He was a part of locker room conversations. He was overjoyed by the thrill of success, and dealt with the disappointment that accompanies failure. Foley experienced all life in the AFL has to offer. And lived to write about it.
Download or read book Smashmouth written by Elvin Bethea and published by Sports Publishing LLC. This book was released on 2005 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Smash-mouth football was just another day at the office during the heyday of professional football in the 1960s and 1970s. Elvin Bethea began his pro career with the Houston Oilers of the AFL in 1968 when the upstart league was filled with colorful characters and brilliantly gifted players who had finally proven they were good enough to compete with the NFL. After the AFL merged with the NFL in 1970, one of the most exciting decades in pro football history was underway. Smash-Mouth the story of Bethea's journey from a life of rural poverty in Trenton, New Jersey, to his All-American college football career at North Carolina A&T, where segregation still ruled the South. Smash-Mouth takes Bethea from potential Olympic track stardom in 1968 to his legendary pro football career where he earned his reputation as one of the most feared and dangerous defensive linemen in NFL history. From classic playoff battles with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1978 and 1979 to off-the-field exploits with some of football's most eccentric characters, Smash-Mouth culminates in Bethea's greatest ultimate honor--his long overdue induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. Along the way, Bethea's story is filled with candid assessments of the talents and personalities of some of the greatest names in 1970s football--Terry Bradshaw, Joe Namath, O.J. Simpson, Archie Manning, Earl Campbell, Dan Fouts, Franco Harris, Bum Phillips, Dan Pastorini, Billy White Shoes Johnson, Chuck Noll, Hank Stram, Art Shell, Anthony Munoz, Kenny Houston, John Mackey, and many, many more.
Download or read book Buffalo Bills written by Sal Maiorana and published by MVP Books. This book was released on 2010-09-03 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Buffalo Bills: The Complete Illustrated History is the ultimate celebration of a beloved team, complete with photos, stats, and stories from a half century of Bills football. From its origins in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League to the latest season on the gridiron, the team and its fans have seen their share of highs and lows, and author Sal Maiorana presents them all—the players, the games, and the personalities from 50 seasons of pro football in Buffalo. It is the perfect companion and reference for Buffalo’s “12th Man”—the fans.
Download or read book Monster of the Midway written by Jim Dent and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2003-10-20 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Junction Boys" explores one of the greatest untapped stories in American sports.
Download or read book It s Cool to be Conscious written by Harry O'Brien and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2013-11-01 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Harry O’Brien is widely recognised as an elite professional football player in the AFL. Less known is the fact that ... deep down ... Harry is a philosopher at heart. There have been many obstacles in Harry’s personal life. In dealing with these, Harry has developed an appreciation that his story may inspire others to overcome their own challenges. It’s Cool to be Conscious includes personal stories from Harry’s life, both on and off the field. He shares the four pillars that he believes can help anyone to achieve their very best: • Seek a wide range of experiences • Believe you can control the outcomes in your life • Be open to the potential that life has to offer • Meditate to clear the mind and calm your thoughts With the same passion that he applies to AFL football, Harry now wants to help others. His frank and engaging story just may be the inspiration you need you to follow your dreams, forge your own path and kick some goals!
Download or read book Mavericks Money and Men written by Charles Ross and published by Temple University Press. This book was released on 2016-05-25 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The American Football League, established in 1960, was innovative both in its commitment to finding talented, overlooked players—particularly those who played for historically black colleges and universities—and in the decision by team owners to share television revenues. In Mavericks, Money and Men, football historian Charles Ross chronicles the AFL’s key events, including Buck Buchanan becoming the first overall draft pick in 1963, and the 1965 boycott led by black players who refused to play in the AFL-All Star game after experiencing blatant racism. He also recounts how the success of the AFL forced a merger with the NFL in 1969, which arguably facilitated the evolution of modern professional football. Ross shows how the league, originally created as a challenge to the dominance of the NFL, pressured for and ultimately accelerated the racial integration of pro football and also allowed the sport to adapt to how African Americans were themselves changing the game.
Download or read book Birth of the New NFL written by Larry Felser and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2008-09-16 with total page 265 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The year 1966 marked the birth of the National Football League as we know it, when owners in the NFL and the upstart American Football League agreed to an unprecedented merger, to take place at the start of the 1970 season. They also agreed to play, beginning at the end of the '66 season, a game between each league's champion—a game that came to be called The Super Bowl. The Birth of the New NFL tells the story of that historic season, leading to the game between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. It also tells the off-the-field story, the one between warring owners and cities—a story often more brutal than the one on the field. Larry Felser has interviewed the leading men of the day, from Al Davis and Jack Kemp, to Wellington Mara, Art Modell, Lamar Hunt, Gene Upshaw, Dan Rooney, and many others. He presents the struggles of top teams for the chance to represent their respective leagues in the biggest game ever, while also offering a behind-closed-doors view of the wheeling and dealing it took to reach the agreement.
Download or read book 100 Things Broncos Fans Should Know Do Before They Die written by Brian Howell and published by Triumph Books. This book was released on 2016-09-15 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This updated version of 100 Things Broncos Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource guide for true fans of Broncos football. Whether you're a die-hard fan from the days of Dan Reeves and Steve Atwater or a new supporter of Gary Kubiak and Peyton Manning, this book contains everything Broncos fans should know, see, and do in their lifetime.
