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| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Upon Further Review Mike Pesca, 2018-05-15 From Mike Pesca, host of the popular Slate podcast The Gist, comes the greatest sports minds imagining how the world would change if a play, trade, injury, or referee's call had just gone the other way. Intriguing...thought provoking...delightful. --The Washington Post No announcer ever proclaimed: Up Rises Frazier! Havlicek commits the foul, trying to steal the ball! or The Giants Lose the Pennant, The Giants Lose The Pennant! Such moments are indelibly etched upon the mind of every sports fan. Or rather, they would be, had they happened. Sports are notoriously games of inches, and when we conjure the thought of certain athletes - like Bill Buckner or Scott Norwood - we can't help but apply a mental tape measure to the highlight reels of our minds. Players, coaches, and of course fans, obsess on the play when they ask, What if? Upon Further Review is the first book to answer that question. Upon Further Review is a book of counterfactual sporting scenarios. In its pages the reader will find expertly reported histories, where one small event is flipped on its head, and the resulting ripples are carefully documented, the likes of... What if the U.S. Boycotted Hitler's Olympics? What if Bobby Riggs beat Billie Jean King? What if Bucky Dent popped out at the foot of the Green Monster? What if Drew Bledsoe never got hurt? Upon Further Review takes classic arguments conducted over pints in a pub and places them in the hands of dozens of writers, athletes, and historians. From turning points that every sports fan rues or celebrates, to the forgotten would-be inflection points that defined sports, Upon Further Review answers age old questions, and settles the score, even if the score bounced off the crossbar. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: What If the Babe Had Kept His Red Sox? Bill Gutman, 2008-06-17 In this thought-provoking alternative view of history, Bill Gutman spins out the maybes and what ifs that might have followed if some of the most iconic sports moments of all time had gone another way. He imagines a world in which Lombardi returns a hero to take the helm of the New York Giants, resulting in a Packers team that never achieves dynasty status and a Giants team that stumbles to glory late in the decade, a world where Muhammad Ali can't struggle to his feet after a huge blow from Liston and winds up a floundering middle-weight who never makes it big, and yes, a world where Babe Ruth never dons Yankee pinstripes but stays in Boston and out of the record books. With a careful eye for detail and a handful of bold predictions, Gutman attacks the sports history books with gusto, outlining an alternate reality that will change the way fans look at sports forever. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Great Book of Philadelphia Sports Lists (Completely Revised and Updated Edition) Glen Macnow, Big Daddy Graham, 2019-10-29 When it comes to sports talk, no city has more to say than Philadelphia. With their 2007 The Great Book of Philadelphia Sports Lists, WIP sports radio hosts Glen Macnow and Big Daddy Graham compiled dozens of sports lists to stir up dialog and debate within the buzzing Philadelphia sports community (and beyond). A lot has happened in Philly sports since 2007 -- the Phillies' 2008 World Series win; the Eagles' record-breaking 2017 season, now-famous Philly Special play, and Super Bowl LII victory over the Patriots; the Sixers' Trust the Process campaign; and, of course, Gritty -- so now Glen and Big Daddy are back with dozens of new lists to keep the conversation fresh, ranking things like: The most overrated and underrated players in Philly sports history The top 10 Philadelphia sports quotes The 10 worst Eagles draft picks ever The greatest duos in Philly sports history The 10 best sports movies set in Philadelphia The worst bosses in Philly sports history and much more! |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Glory Game Frank Gifford, Peter Richmond, 2008-10-31 “Frank Gifford brings the contest so alive that you find yourself almost wondering, 50 years later, how it will turn out in the end.” —New York Times Book Review The Glory Game recreates in breathtaking detail the 1958 National Football League Championship Game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts, which many football fans feel was “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” This first-hand, field level, “behind-the-helmet” account by ex-Giant Hall of Famer and longtime “Monday Night Football” broadcaster Frank Gifford brings back to life all the sights and sounds of the momentous contest that changed football forever, and offers vivid, indelible portraits of the legendary players—including Sam Huff, Andy Robustelli, Art Donovan, Lenny Moore, and Raymond Berry. The Giants-Colts clash of ’58 was truly The Glory Game—and now readers can relive it in all its glory. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Book of Basketball Bill Simmons, 2010-12-07 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The wildly opinionated, thoroughly entertaining, and arguably definitive book on the past, present, and future of the NBA—from the founder of The Ringer and host of The Bill Simmons Podcast “Enough provocative arguments to fuel barstool arguments far into the future.”—The Wall Street Journal In The Book of Basketball, Bill Simmons opens—and then closes, once and for all—every major NBA debate, from the age-old question of who actually won the rivalry between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the one about which team was truly the best of all time. Then he takes it further by completely reevaluating not only how NBA Hall of Fame inductees should be chosen but how the institution must be reshaped from the ground up, the result being the Pyramid: Simmons’s one-of-a-kind five-level shrine to the ninety-six greatest players in the history of pro basketball. And ultimately he takes fans to the heart of it all, as he uses a conversation with one NBA great to uncover that coveted thing: The Secret of Basketball. Comprehensive, authoritative, controversial, hilarious, and impossible to put down (even for Celtic-haters), The Book of Basketball offers every hardwood fan a courtside seat beside the game’s finest, funniest, and fiercest chronicler. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: What If? Matt Brown, 2017-07-12 SB Nation's Matt Brown takes a look at the pivotal moments in college football history, and wonders what if things had gone just a little bit differently--Back cover. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy Vincent Bugliosi, 2007 Bugliosi, brilliant prosecutor and bestselling author, is perhaps the only man in America capable of prosecuting Lee Harvey Oswald for the murder of John F. Kennedy. His book is a narrative compendium of fact, ballistic evidence, and, above all, common sense. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: War: How Conflict Shaped Us Margaret MacMillan, 2020-10-06 Is peace an aberration? The New York Times bestselling author of Paris 1919 offers a provocative view of war as an essential component of humanity. NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW “Margaret MacMillan has produced another seminal work. . . . She is right that we must, more than ever, think about war. And she has shown us how in this brilliant, elegantly written book.”—H.R. McMaster, author of Dereliction of Duty and Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World The instinct to fight may be innate in human nature, but war—organized violence—comes with organized society. War has shaped humanity’s history, its social and political institutions, its values and ideas. Our very language, our public spaces, our private memories, and some of our greatest cultural treasures reflect the glory and the misery of war. War is an uncomfortable and challenging subject not least because it brings out both the vilest and the noblest aspects of humanity. Margaret MacMillan looks at the ways in which war has influenced human society and how, in turn, changes in political organization, technology, or ideologies have affected how and why we fight. War: How Conflict Shaped Us explores such much-debated and controversial questions as: When did war first start? Does human nature doom us to fight one another? Why has war been described as the most organized of all human activities? Why are warriors almost always men? Is war ever within our control? Drawing on lessons from wars throughout the past, from classical history to the present day, MacMillan reveals the many faces of war—the way it has determined our past, our future, our views of the world, and our very conception of ourselves. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Yucks Jason Vuic, 2016-08-30 Friday Night Lights meets The Bad News Bears in “a brisk, warmhearted reminder of how professional sports can occasionally reach stunning unprofessional depths” (Publishers Weekly): the first two seasons with the worst team in NFL history, the hapless, hilarious, and hopelessly winless 1976–1977 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Long before their first Super Bowl victory in 2003, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did something no NFL team had ever done before and that none will ever likely do again: They lost twenty-six games in a row. This was no ordinary streak. Along with their ridiculous mascot and uniforms, which were known as “the Creamsicles,” the Yucks were a national punch line and personnel purgatory. Owned by the miserly and bulbous-nosed Hugh Culverhouse, the team was the end of the line for Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida hero Steve Spurrier, and a banishment for former Cowboy defensive end Pat Toomay after he wrote a tell-all book about his time on “America’s Team.” Many players on the Bucs had been out of football for years, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to have to introduce themselves in the huddle. They were coached by the ever-quotable college great John McKay. “We can’t win at home and we can’t win on the road,” he said. “What we need is a neutral site.” But the Bucs were a part of something bigger, too. They were a gambit by promoters, journalists, and civic boosters to create a shared identity for a region that didn’t exist—Tampa Bay. Before the Yucks, “the Bay” was a body of water, and even the worst team in memory transformed Florida’s Gulf communities into a single region with a common cause. The Yucks is “a funny, endearing look at how the Bucs lost their way to success, cementing a region through creamsicle unis and John McKay one-liners” (Sports Illustrated). |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Last Cowboy: A Life of Tom Landry Mark Ribowsky, 2013-11-04 “An eloquent, honest tribute to a sports genius.” —Publishers Weekly, Best 100 Books of 2013 As the coach during professional football’s most storied era, Tom Landry transformed the gridiron from a no-holds-barred battlefield to the highly-technical chess match it is today. With his trademark fedora and stoic facade, he was a man of faith and few words, for twenty-nine years guiding “America’s Team” from laughingstock to well-oiled machine, with an unprecedented twenty consecutive winning seasons and two Super Bowl titles. Now, more than a decade after Landry’s death, acclaimed biographer Mark Ribowsky takes a fresh look at this misunderstood legend, telling us as much about our country’s obsession with football as about Landry himself, the likes of whom we’ll never see again. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Dallas Cowboys Jim Reeves (Sports columnist), 2016-09 Meet the characters and relive the games and controversies that captured the imagination of the nation's sports fans. Jim Reeves, for decades The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's award-winning columnist, goes behind the scenes to explain how the Cowboys battled for five Super Bowl titles, how Tex Schramm's creative genius forged them into America's Team, then becoming the richest NFL franchise under owner Jerry Jones--Page 4 of cover. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Walter & Me Eddie Payton, Paul T. Brown, Craig Wiley, 2012-09-01 Widely regarded as one of the best football players to ever tie on a pair of cleats, Walter Payton led a fascinating and ultimately tragic life. Told in the voices of those who knew him best, this biography of the Chicago Bears legendary running back tells the inspiring account of the reward of hard work and is an uplifting testament to the power of the human spirit. It is a story of inspiration, redemption, and the deep passion two brothers felt for the sport of football. More than a decade after the untimely death of Walter Payton, his older brother recalls the moments they shared and the continuing sting of the loss of a legend. This glimpse into Payton's life doesn't sugarcoat the issues or glorify the late superstar, but rather it addresses the subjects of suicide, drug abuse, and infidelity head-on with intimate knowledge of the facts. In this candid take, Walter's older brother discloses the true life of man simply known as Sweetness. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Lost Book of Adana Moreau Michael Zapata, 2020-02-04 *Winner of the Chicago Review of Books Award for Fiction* A Heartland Booksellers Award Nominee An NPR Best Book of the Year A BookPage Best Book of the Year A Library Journal Best Winter/Spring Debut of 2020 A Most Anticipated Book of 2020 from the Boston Globe and The Millions A Best Book of February 2020 at Salon, The Millions, LitHub and Vol 1. Brooklyn “A stunner—equal parts epic and intimate, thrilling and elegiac.”—Laura Van den Berg, author of The Third Hotel The mesmerizing story of a Latin American science fiction writer and the lives her lost manuscript unites decades later in post-Katrina New Orleans In 1929 in New Orleans, a Dominican immigrant named Adana Moreau writes a science fiction novel. The novel earns rave reviews, and Adana begins a sequel. Then she falls gravely ill. Just before she dies, she destroys the only copy of the manuscript. Decades later in Chicago, Saul Drower is cleaning out his dead grandfather’s home when he discovers a mysterious manuscript written by none other than Adana Moreau. With the help of his friend Javier, Saul tracks down an address for Adana’s son in New Orleans, but as Hurricane Katrina strikes they must head to the storm-ravaged city for answers. What results is a brilliantly layered masterpiece—an ode to home, storytelling and the possibility of parallel worlds. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: HBR's 10 Must Reads on Leadership Lessons from Sports (featuring interviews with Sir Alex Ferguson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Andre Agassi) Harvard Business Review, Alex Ferguson, Bill Parcells, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Joe Girardi, 2018-01-16 Leadership and management lessons from the sports world. The world's elite athletes and coaches achieve high performance through inspiring leadership, mental toughness, and direction-setting strategic choices. Harvard Business Review has talked to many of these high performers throughout the years to learn how their success translates to the world of business. If you read nothing else on management lessons from the world of sports, read these 10 articles by athletes, coaches, and leadership experts. We've combed through our archive and selected the articles that will best help you drive performance. This book will inspire you to: Improve on your weaknesses, not just your strengths Take care of your body for sustained mental performance Increase your confidence and manage your energy before an important event Turn a struggling team around Understand the limits of performance metrics Focus on long-term goals to overcome setbacks Understand where the analogy of sports and business doesn't work This collection of articles includes Ferguson's Formula, by Anita Elberse with Sir Alex Ferguson; Life's Work: An Interview with Greg Louganis; The Making of a Corporate Athlete, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz; The Tough Work of Turning a Team Around, by Bill Parcells; How an Olympic Gold Medalist Learned to Perform Under Pressure: An Interview with Alex Gregory; Mental Preparation Secrets of Top Athletes, Entertainers, and Surgeons, an interview with Daniel McGinn by Sarah Green Carmichael; SoulCycle's CEO on Sustaining Growth in a Faddish Industry, by Melanie Whelan; Life's Work: An Interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Major League Innovation, by Scott D. Anthony; Looking Past Performance in Your Star Talent, by Mark de Rond, Adrian Moorhouse, and Matt Rogan; Life's Work: An Interview with Mikhail Baryshnikov; How the Best of the Best Get Better and Better, by Graham Jones; Life's Work: An Interview with Joe Girardi; Why There Is an I in Team, by Mark de Rond; Life's Work: An Interview with Andre Agassi; and Why Sports Are a Terrible Metaphor for Business, by Bill Taylor. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The '85 Bears Mike Ditka, Rick Telander, 2015-09-14 The ultimate record of a great franchise's greatest season as told by none other than Da Coach himself In Ditka's own words, this 30th anniversary volume of The '85 Bears is packed with special features that make it the ultimate must-have treasure for every Bears fan. This updated edition features the authors' reflections on the incredible championship season as well as recaps and statistics for every regular- and post-season game bring the entire 1985 campaign to life. Interviews with fan favorites—from the Fridge to Buddy Ryan—as well as special commentary from Gary Fencik offer extra insight into the team's Super Bowl run. Capping off a truly memorable volume is a bonus audio CD that features an exclusive interview with Mike Ditka, providing even more memories from a truly golden era of Chicago football. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Express Robert C. Gallagher, 2008-09-02 “He could do it all, beat every opponent . . . except one.” –plaque honoring Ernie Davis, in the lobby of Elmira Free Academy Ernie Davis was an All-American on the gridiron, and a man of integrity off the field. A multi-sport high school star in Elmira, New York, Davis went on to Syracuse University, where as a sophomore he led his team to an undefeated season and a national championship in 1959, and earned his nickname, the Elmira Express. Two seasons later, Davis had broken the legendary Jim Brown’s rushing records, and became the first black athlete to be awarded the Heisman Trophy. The number one pick in the 1962 NFL draft, Davis signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns and appeared to be headed for professional stardom. But Davis never ended up playing in the NFL: He was diagnosed with leukemia during the summer before his rookie season and succumbed to the disease less than a year later. In battling his illness, Davis showed great dignity and courage, inspired the nation, and moved President John F. Kennedy to eulogize him as “ an outstanding man of great character.” An enduring story of a true scholar-athlete, The Express is a touching, impeccably researched, deeply personal portrait of Ernie Davis, and a vivid look at sport in America at the dawn of the Civil Rights era. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Unforgettable Buzz Earl Shores, Roddy Garcia, Michael Kronenberg, 2013-06 The Unforgettable Buzz is a thoroughly researched and cleverly written study of electric football. Every Baby Boomer who played the game - and that's all of us - will love this book. - Ray Didinger, Pro Football Hall of Fame Sportswriter and NFL Films Emmy Award Winning Writer and Producer This is such a great book. It immediately took me back to those special moments of my childhood. Shores and Garcia have done their homework in opening a sacred portal to the past. - Rick Burton, David B. Falk Professor of Sport Management, Syracuse University The Unforgettable Buzz is the first and only book ever written on the topic of Electric Football. Yet it's about much more than just a game. It's about receiving the best Christmas gift ever - that's what Electric Football means to millions of Baby Boomers who grew up between 1950 and 1980. Authors Earl Shores and Roddy Garcia have spent over a decade carefully weaving the timelines of Electric Football, Baby Boomer culture, and the NFL into perhaps the most complete toy story ever written. With over 300 images and a stunning cover-to-cover design by Marvel Graphic Artist Michael Kronenberg, Christmas morning is always just a page-turn away in The Unforgettable Buzz. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Who's Eating Your Pie? Erik Weir, 2022-05-10 Whether you’re just starting your career at twenty-two or quickly approaching retirement at sixty-two, Who’s Eating Your Pie? will give you the tools you need to grow a bigger, sweeter financial pie than you ever thought possible—and keep everyone else’s fingers out of it! “H-h-h-h-h-hello. M-m-my n-name is E-e-e-e-e-rik W-w-w-weir. H-how-how c-c-can I e-earn y-y-y-your b-b-business?” Believe it or not, that’s the opening line that drove a young investment broker with a near-debilitating, lifelong stutter into a $1-million-per-year income by age thirty. And that incredible level of success was just the beginning! In his debut book Who’s Eating Your Pie? leader and speaker Erik Weir opens the playbook that’s led him to unbelievable success as an entrepreneur, investor, film producer, and real estate developer. He tackles the tough questions today’s young professionals are asking, such as: Can anyone build wealth, no matter where they’re starting from? Is it moral for me to want to build wealth? What does it mean to be “rich”? How can I build real wealth as a salaried employee? How can I build wealth for myself and others as an entrepreneur? What steps should I take each day to ensure I’m moving forward toward my wealth-building goals? What is the stock market and how does it work? Can I get rich with just a 401(k)? How does real estate investing work? Where does philanthropic giving fit into my wealth-building plan? Erik Weir has helped some of the wealthiest people in the country answer these questions, from multi-Grammy-winning musical artists to CEOs of some of America’s biggest companies to world-renowned professional athletes. Now, he wants to do the same for you, offering you the same advice and guidance he’s given to millionaires and billionaires for the past three decades. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Agent You Nicole Lynn, 2021-07-13 What does it take to achieve your personal and professional goals? When is the right time to take calculated risks, and how do you prepare for the moment when opportunity presents itself? If anyone can show you how to do this, it’s Nicole Lynn. As the first Black female agent to represent a top three NFL draft pick, Nicole worked her way from childhood poverty to become a Wall Street financial analyst, then attorney, and now top agent to elite athletes and entertainers. In a male-dominated profession, her success was earned through a combination of hard work, preparation, self-advocacy, tenacity, and faith. In this book, Nicole reveals her incredible journey and how she got where she is today. -Gabrielle Union (from the foreword) Agent You shares Nicole’s key strategies for creating a plan and executing it, even in the face of self-doubt and external obstacles. In Agent You, Nicole will teach you how to: Discover and stay focused on your purpose. Develop your personal brand and advocate for yourself. Prepare for big opportunities. Land your dream job. Manage your workload and still prioritize self-care. Each chapter includes exercises to help you implement the strategies presented, so you can start working toward your goals today. You define what success looks like, unlock a plan to succeed on your own terms. What will your legacy be? Regardless of what life’s challenges you face, everyone can own their success story and walk in their purpose -- and Nicole believes you are your best agent. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Never Boring Ed Willes, 2024-10-05 Veteran hockey writer Ed Willes takes an irreverent look back at the sometimes thrilling, often infuriating and always fascinating history of the Vancouver Canucks. Cheering for the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks over the last half century has required patience, commitment and a forgiving nature. It’s not that the Canucks have been uniformly awful or drearily predictable. Far from it (as this past season would attest). But every time they seemed close to delivering the ultimate prize to their fan base—the indomitable faithful—they slipped on a banana peel and tumbled straight into the abyss. Most of their failings were self-inflicted. The franchise’s ownership history is as uneven as its won-loss record. But some have been so random and so accidental, the faithful can legitimately wonder what they did to anger the hockey gods. It started in 1970 with a spin of the carnival wheel, which gifted Hall of Fame centre Gilbert Perreault to the Buffalo Sabres and left the Canucks with Dale Tallon. And it’s continued uninterrupted for over 50 years. For decades, veteran Vancouver hockey writer Ed Willes has had his own vantage point on this team that has, in his words, “been haunted by dark and unnatural forces since its inception.” And Willes’s knowledge extends far beyond the most infamous chapters of the story. As this irreverent, often bitterly funny chronicle shows, the litany of woe stretches back farther and runs deeper than many Canucks fans realize, and stars several of the biggest names in hockey history. Willes’s account tells the story of a uniquely confounded franchise and its obsessive followers, who have thus far been denied the thrill of a Stanley Cup championship. Their consolation has been the dubious comfort of wallowing in collective misery. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Reckoning Linda Hirshman, 2019 History of the struggle leading up to #MeToo and beyond: from the first tales of workplace harassment percolating to the surface in the 1970s, to the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, when liberal women largely forgave Clinton, giving men a free pass for two decades. Many liberals even resisted the movement to end rape on campus. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: What to Do When Things Go Wrong: A Five-Step Guide to Planning for and Surviving the Inevitable—And Coming Out Ahead Frank Supovitz, 2019-05-03 Manage every business problem like you were born for it—from a problem customer to a career-threatening crisis It’s not being negative or pessimistic to assume that something will always go wrong in business and in your career. It’s being realistic. What you do when crisis hits is the only thing matters—and this proven guide delivers everything you need to take positive action with confidence, skill, and professionalism. In What to Do When Things Go Wrong, Frank Supovitz, the man who has been behind-the-scenes at major events like the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, and Indy 500 guides you through the process of making sure you handle inevitable problems as if it’s something you do day in and day out. Whether you’re revealing a new strategy to your team, presenting last year’s numbers to the C-suite, or opening your own business, What to Do When Things Go Wrong helps you think through and prepare for all potential problems. You’ll learn why things go wrong, how to best go about preventing crisis, and how to fix them when they happen anyway. Complete with stories from the author’s clients, executives, entrepreneurs, and others, What to Do When Things Go Wrong is your playbook for ensuring the results you deliver reflect the smart, hard-working professional you are. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Storytelling Animal Jonathan Gottschall, 2012 A provocative scholar delivers the first book on the new science of storytelling: the latest thinking on why we tell stories and what stories reveal about human nature. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Playmakers Mike Florio, 2022-03-15 The story of a modern NFL that can’t get out of its own way—and can’t stop making money In 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. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: In the Name of the Father: Family, Football, and the Manning Dynasty Mark Ribowsky, 2018-08-07 The story of America’s most sacred and carefully constructed football dynasty is revealed in this unflinching family portrait. For generations, American athletes have enjoyed the ever-escalating celebrity lavished upon them when they combine on-the-field talent with off-the field charisma, but never before have we seen as transformative a sports dynasty as the Mannings: a bloodline of strong arms, Southern values, and savvy business instincts—each man compelling in his own right, made whole by family. But how, in just fifty years, did this private trio achieve football immortality? A gripping and definitive account, In the Name of the Father traces Archie, Peyton, and Eli’s roots from red-clay Mississippi to the bright lights of the Super Bowl to reveal the truth of their grit and dedication, their inherent ability, and the drama they endured behind closed doors. As New York Times Notable biographer Mark Ribowsky meticulously chronicles, the road to football stardom was not paved smoothly for patriarch Archie. The most celebrated and beloved athlete to emerge from tiny Drew, Mississippi, Archie lost his father to suicide during his heyday at Ole Miss. Then, despite his playing through the pain, a string of surgeries prematurely ended a storied NFL career, most memorably spent with the New Orleans Saints. Similar savior-like expectations were passed to Archie’s eldest, Cooper, the most gifted of his brood, but the shocking discovery of a spinal condition prevented Cooper from ever playing a single snap of college ball. Luckily, Archie had been raising all three of his sons to love the gridiron, throwing deep balls to them off the front porch, and there were two more heir apparents in the wings. Raised watching dusty old game films in the family den, Peyton was swiftly hailed as a generational talent, his record-breaking tenure at Tennessee paving a clear path to the NFL. Winning Super Bowls with both the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos, he was able to overcome a debilitating neck injury—after barely being able to hold a football—to eclipse Archie in football success. It was Peyton who would first pair his football cachet with capitalism, selecting commercials and appearances to show off his humor and expand the now-ubiquitous Manning brand into mainstream popular culture. And finally there was quiet Eli, with an arm and a career to match his big brother’s but a reserved and enigmatic affect all his own. The good-boy who followed his father to Ole Miss, Eli entered the NFL even more carefully managed then his brother was, forcing a trade when the lackluster San Diego Chargers selected him with the first pick in the draft. Even with two dramatic Super Bowl wins with the New York Giants, Eli’s lows have been catastrophic, and he has never been quite the media darling his brother is. But even as their football careers wind down, the power of the Manning name only grows. Drawing on new interviews and research, Ribowsky reveals a family of transcendent talent and intense loyalty dedicated to maintaining an all-American façade that has, on occasion, shown cracks. From the family’s past steeped in problematic parts of Southern identity, to locker-room scandal turned lawsuit, to flashes of fraternal jealousy, Ribowsky leaves no stone unturned. Rich in gridiron dramatics and familial intrigue, In the Name of the Father is a quintessentially American saga of a multifaceted lineage that has forever changed the game. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: And Then All Hell Broke Loose Richard Engel, 2016-02-09 When he was just twenty-three, a recent graduate of Stanford University, Richard Engel set off to Cairo with $2,000 and dreams of being a reporter. Shortly thereafter he was working freelance for Arab news sources and got a call that a busload of Italian tourists were massacred at a Cairo museum. This was his first view of the carnage these years would pile on. Over two decades, Engel has been under fire, blown out of hotel beds, and taken hostage. He has watched Mubarak and Morsi in Egypt arrested and condemned, reported from Jerusalem, been through the Lebanese war, covered the whole shooting match in Iraq, interviewed Libyan rebels who toppled Gaddafi, reported from Syria as Al-Qaeda stepped in, and was kidnapped in the Syrian crosscurrents of fighting. He goes into Afghanistan with the Taliban and to Iraq with ISIS. Engel takes chances, though not reckless ones, keeps a level head and a sense of humor, as well as a grasp of history in the making. Reporting as NBC's chief foreign correspondent, he reveals his unparalleled access to the major figures, the gritty soldiers, and the helpless victims in the Middle East during this watershed time. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: 100 Things Utes Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die Patrick Sheltra, 2011-09 All sports fans want to see their team win the championship but being a fan is about more than watching your team win the big game. As part of an ongoing best selling series, 100 Things Utes helps Utah lovers get the most out of being a fan. Get ready to enjoy your team on a new, more involved, level. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: In Defense of Monopoly Richard B. McKenzie, Dwight R. Lee, 2019-02-28 In Defense of Monopoly offers an unconventional but empirically grounded argument in favor of market monopolies. Authors McKenzie and Lee claim that conventional, static models exaggerate the harm done by real-world monopolies, and they show why some degree of monopoly presence is necessary to maximize the improvement of human welfare over time. Inspired by Joseph Schumpeter's suggestion that market imperfections can drive an economy's long-term progress, In Defense of Monopoly defies conventional assumptions to show readers why an economic system's failure to efficiently allocate its resources is actually a necessary precondition for maximizing the system's long-term performance: the perfectly fluid, competitive economy idealized by most economists is decidedly inferior to one characterized by market entry and exit restrictions or costs. An economy is not a board game in which players compete for a limited number of properties, nor is it much like the kind of blackboard games that economists use to develop their monopoly models. As McKenzie and Lee demonstrate, the creation of goods and services in the real world requires not only competition but the prospect of gains beyond a normal competitive rate of return. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Pity of War Niall Ferguson, 2008-08-05 From a bestselling historian, a daringly revisionist history of World War I The Pity of War makes a simple and provocative argument: the human atrocity known as the Great War was entirely England's fault. According to Niall Ferguson, England entered into war based on naive assumptions of German aims, thereby transforming a Continental conflict into a world war, which it then badly mishandled, necessitating American involvement. The war was not inevitable, Ferguson argues, but rather was the result of the mistaken decisions of individuals who would later claim to have been in the grip of huge impersonal forces. That the war was wicked, horrific, and inhuman is memorialized in part by the poetry of men like Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, but also by cold statistics. Indeed, more British soldiers were killed in the first day of the Battle of the Somme than Americans in the Vietnam War. And yet, as Ferguson writes, while the war itself was a disastrous folly, the great majority of men who fought it did so with little reluctance and with some enthusiasm. For anyone wanting to understand why wars are fought, why men are willing to fight them and why the world is as it is today, there is no sharper or more stimulating guide than Niall Ferguson's The Pity of War. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Eagles Encyclopedia Ray Didinger, Robert S. Lyons, 2005 The first comprehensive history of the Philadelphia Eagles. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: This Day in Bengals History Geoff Hobson, 2018-10-05 |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Schrödinger Girl Laurel Brett, 2020-01-07 Set in the 1960s, this novel exploring the mysteries of the multiverse—and of human identity—is “a rare page turner that avoids the obvious traps.” —The New York Times Book Review Garrett Adams, an uptight behavioral psychology professor who refuses to embrace the 1960s, is in a slump. The dispirited rats in his latest experiment aren't yielding results, and his beloved Yankees are losing. As he sits at a New York City bar watching the Yanks strike out, he knows he needs a change. Then, at a bookstore, he meets a mysterious young woman, Daphne, who draws him into the turbulent and exciting world of Vietnam War protests and the music of Bob Dylan and the Beatles, and he starts to emerge from the numbness and grief over his father’s death in World War II. But when Daphne evolves into four separate versions of herself, Garrett’s life becomes complicated as he devotes himself to answering the questions about character and destiny raised by her iterations—an obsession that threatens to upend his relationship with a beautiful art historian, destroy his teaching job, and dissolve a longtime friendship. The Daphnes seem to exist in separate realities that challenge the laws of physics and call into question everything Garrett thought he knew. Now he must decide what is vision, what is science, and what is delusion. “[A] mind-bending experimental thriller.” —CrimeReads “An immensely interesting concept . . . dig[s] deep into psychology, philosophy, physics, and, most importantly, politics as Daphne shakes Garrett out of his indifference toward the cultural turmoil of the late ’60s.” —Kirkus Reviews “Brett's imaginative, amusing debut will appeal to fans of Nell Zink.” —Publishers Weekly “This absorbing novel vividly mines the physics and psychology of reality, and the reader’s reward is a moving story of love and loss.” —Hilma Wolitzer, author of An Available Man |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Berlin-Baghdad Express Sean McMeekin, 2011-01-15 The modern Middle East was forged in the crucible of the First World War, but few know the full story of how war actually came to the region. As Sean McMeekin reveals in this startling reinterpretation of the war, it was neither the British nor the French but rather a small clique of Germans and Turks who thrust the Islamic world into the conflict for their own political, economic, and military ends. The Berlin-Baghdad Express tells the fascinating story of how Germany exploited Ottoman pan-Islamism in order to destroy the British Empire, then the largest Islamic power in the world. Meanwhile the Young Turks harnessed themselves to German military might to avenge Turkey’s hereditary enemy, Russia. Told from the perspective of the key decision-makers on the Turco-German side, many of the most consequential events of World War I—Turkey’s entry into the war, Gallipoli, the Armenian massacres, the Arab revolt, and the Russian Revolution—are illuminated as never before. Drawing on a wealth of new sources, McMeekin forces us to re-examine Western interference in the Middle East and its lamentable results. It is an epic tragicomedy of unintended consequences, as Turkish nationalists give Russia the war it desperately wants, jihad begets an Islamic insurrection in Mecca, German sabotage plots upend the Tsar delivering Turkey from Russia’s yoke, and German Zionism midwifes the Balfour Declaration. All along, the story is interwoven with the drama surrounding German efforts to complete the Berlin to Baghdad railway, the weapon designed to win the war and assure German hegemony over the Middle East. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Think! Pete Murleen Goodrich, 2012-04 Pete is a very busy 6 year old tumbling through life with everyone shouting at him to THINK! Pete does think, only it's about more important things than what is the right thing to do with a half eaten sandwich, or why fish need to stay in water all the time, or if toilet water is as clean as faucet water. Pete can think up past the stars to where God lives. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Seven Seconds Or Less Jack McCallum, 2007-05 Chronicles the Phoenix Suns' 2005-2006 basketball season, discussing players, coaches, games, organizational changes, and more. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Power of Negative Thinking Bobby Knight, Bob Hammel, 2013 Using examples from his long career, a legendary basketball coach outlines the benefits of negative thinking, which helps build a realistic strategy that takes all potential obstacles into account. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs Chuck Klosterman, 2004-06-22 Now in paperback after six hardback printings, the damn funny...wild collection of bracingly intelligent essays about topics that aren't quite as intelligent as Chuck Klosterman'(Esquire). Following the success of Fargo Rock City, Klosterman, a senior writer at Spin magazine, is back with a hilarious and savvy manifesto for a youth gone wild on pop culture and media, taking on everything from Guns'n'Roses tribute bands to Christian fundamentalism to internet porn. 'Maddeningly smart and funny' - Washington Post' |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Intercepted Hearts Mika Jolie, 2020-01-19 The NFL's hottest quarterback sets his sights on me, he's the one guy I can't have. Hudson Baldwin is a player-in every sense of the term.The god of the gridiron has no lack of women throwing themselves at him.Football players have always been on my no-go list.Just because I have to cheer for him doesn't mean I want anything to do with his advances.Yet, here he is...telling me he wants me.He wants us.I'm not here to score with the NFL star player. But the more time I spend with the king of the turf, the more hits my defenses take.Can the connection between us be real?Or is believing love can exist in this brutal sport nothing more than a Hail Mary?Note: Intercepted Hearts is a standalone sports romance that will give you all the feels. It's filled with scorching banter, sexy scenes, and several laugh-out-loud moments. No cheating. No cliffhangers. Guaranteed HEA. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: The Giants , 1987 This is the ultimate book for dedicated Giants fans with vivid, dramatic shots by one of the best sports photographers in football. The perfect gift book for all football fans! 200 color and black-and-white photographs. |
| biggest what ifs in nfl history: Taboo Jon Entine, 2008-08-05 In virtually every sport in which they are given opportunity to compete, people of African descent dominate. East Africans own every distance running record. Professional sports in the Americas are dominated by men and women of West African descent. Why have blacks come to dominate sports? Are they somehow physically better? And why are we so uncomfortable when we discuss this? Drawing on the latest scientific research, journalist Jon Entine makes an irrefutable case for black athletic superiority. We learn how scientists have used numerous, bogus scientific methods to prove that blacks were either more or less superior physically, and how racist scientists have often equated physical prowess with intellectual deficiency. Entine recalls the long, hard road to integration, both on the field and in society. And he shows why it isn't just being black that matters—it makes a huge difference as to where in Africa your ancestors are from.Equal parts sports, science and examination of why this topic is so sensitive, Taboois a book that will spark national debate. |
NFL: 30 of the biggest what-ifs in NFL history - NFL Spin Zone
May 30, 2021 · With over a century of history to look back at, we’ve come up with the 30 biggest what-ifs in NFL history. Ultimately, in some of these scenarios, a team can shrug its shoulders …
NFL: The 30 most incredible duos in league history - NFL Spin Zone
Jul 17, 2019 · From wide receiver duos, to head coaches and quarterbacks, there were so many ways we could have gone in terms of ranking the best tandems in the history of the NFL. With …
Which players have the highest career earnings in NFL history?
Russell Wilson has the fifth highest career earnings of any player in NFL history, with earnings slightly above $300 million. Wilson's best days are clearly behind him, so he may be done with …
2025 NFL Draft: Shedeur Sanders tops biggest losers of 1st round
Apr 25, 2025 · Which teams and players were the biggest losers of the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft? Shedeur Sanders, Falcons major losers in 2025 NFL Draft (so far) 1. Shedeur Sanders, …
The NFL’s 8 Divisions statistically ranked in order ... - NFL Spin Zone
Oct 1, 2014 · Using the same comprehensive points system we’ve broken the NFL down to its eight divisions and ranked them based on all-time greatness. This is a ranking the best …
30 greatest NFL team rivalries of all-time - NFL Spin Zone
Apr 29, 2019 · From the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears to Peyton Manning facing Tom Brady, here are the 30 greatest NFL team rivalries of all-time.
The strength of three: The 30 greatest trios in NFL history - NFL …
Aug 30, 2019 · With the input of then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons trio of Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman and Julio Jones put together one of the most complete offensive …
Heisman Trophy: 5 Biggest NFL busts since 2000 - NFL Spin Zone
Dec 14, 2019 · The 20th Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 will be handed out on Saturday but that award does not guarantee NFL success, as these busts will tell you. There’s no debate …
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Jan 22, 2022 · The biggest names in the history of the sport show up on this list. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, and Patrick Mahomes are just some of the quarterbacks who …
All 32 NFL Franchises Statistically Ranked In Order Of ... - NFL Spin …
Aug 14, 2014 · NFL History: This a complex weighted system that ranks all 32 NFL franchises in order of all-time greatness. Where does your team rank? Check it out!
NFL: 30 of the biggest what-ifs in NFL history - NFL Spin Zone
May 30, 2021 · With over a century of history to look back at, we’ve come up with the 30 biggest what-ifs in NFL history. Ultimately, in some of these scenarios, a team can shrug its shoulders …
NFL: The 30 most incredible duos in league history - NFL Spin Zone
Jul 17, 2019 · From wide receiver duos, to head coaches and quarterbacks, there were so many ways we could have gone in terms of ranking the best tandems in the history of the NFL. With …
Which players have the highest career earnings in NFL history?
Russell Wilson has the fifth highest career earnings of any player in NFL history, with earnings slightly above $300 million. Wilson's best days are clearly behind him, so he may be done with …
2025 NFL Draft: Shedeur Sanders tops biggest losers of 1st round
Apr 25, 2025 · Which teams and players were the biggest losers of the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft? Shedeur Sanders, Falcons major losers in 2025 NFL Draft (so far) 1. Shedeur Sanders, …
The NFL’s 8 Divisions statistically ranked in order ... - NFL Spin …
Oct 1, 2014 · Using the same comprehensive points system we’ve broken the NFL down to its eight divisions and ranked them based on all-time greatness. This is a ranking the best …
30 greatest NFL team rivalries of all-time - NFL Spin Zone
Apr 29, 2019 · From the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears to Peyton Manning facing Tom Brady, here are the 30 greatest NFL team rivalries of all-time.
The strength of three: The 30 greatest trios in NFL history - NFL …
Aug 30, 2019 · With the input of then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Falcons trio of Matt Ryan, Devonta Freeman and Julio Jones put together one of the most complete offensive …
Heisman Trophy: 5 Biggest NFL busts since 2000 - NFL Spin Zone
Dec 14, 2019 · The 20th Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 will be handed out on Saturday but that award does not guarantee NFL success, as these busts will tell you. There’s no debate …
NFL: 25 Most Disappointing 1 Seeds In NFL Playoff History - NFL …
Jan 22, 2022 · The biggest names in the history of the sport show up on this list. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, and Patrick Mahomes are just some of the quarterbacks who …
All 32 NFL Franchises Statistically Ranked In Order Of ... - NFL …
Aug 14, 2014 · NFL History: This a complex weighted system that ranks all 32 NFL franchises in order of all-time greatness. Where does your team rank? Check it out!
