The Complete Idiot's Guide to Football, 2nd Edition

by Theismann, Joe; Tarcy, Brian

• ISBN13: 9780028641676
• ISBN10: 0028641671
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781101221976
• Additional ISBN(s): 9781615640423
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-07-01
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Football, Second Edition, provides new and intermediate football fans with all the information they need to understand and enjoy football. From high school to the NFL, coverage includes the basics of offense and defense, players, rules, strategies and even what to wear! New coverage for this edition includes: the draft - how it works for teams and players including parity, new technology on the field including instant replay, dangerous referee flags and rules changes for college and pro ball, XFL, arena league, expansion teams and NFL Europe, and the changing business and team strategy for professional football today.

Author Biography

Joe Theismann was the winning quarterback in Super Bowl XVII, a two-time Pro Bowl player, and the most productive quarterback ever for the Washington Redskins. In 1983, he was voted MVP of both the NFL and the Super Bowl. He co-hosts ESPN's popular NFL Countdown and Primetime. He has been inducted into the GTE Academic All-American Hall of Fame and the Sports Hall of Fame of New Jersey.

Brian Tarcy has authored or co-authored six books on both sports and business, including a biography of Mario Lemieux for Chelsea House.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Learning the Rules and the Lore	1	(72)
So You Want to Be a Monday Morning Quarterback	3	(10)
A primer on why so many people dig this game
Looking at the Field and the Ball	13	(14)
Explaining the weird-shaped ball and the proportional field
You Get Six Points to Do What?	27	(12)
Learn how to keep score and keep time
Every Player Has a Different Job	39	(12)
An overview of those big guys and what they do
Coaching: Win, Get Fired, or Go on TV	51	(12)
Study the coaches and the various ways they try to win
Understanding the Lore	63	(10)
Remember these words: ``The frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.''
Part 2: Learning the Offense and the Penalties	73	(90)
The Quarterback Is the Movie Star	75	(14)
Glamour, guts, and glory---or else he's a goat
The Offensive Line: They Called Mine ``The Hogs''	89	(10)
They protect quarterbacks and open holes for runners
The Receivers: Glue on Their Fingers and Rockets in Their Shoes	99	(12)
These guys perform ballet in a demolition derby
The Running Backs: Great Ones Control Games	111	(12)
Why teams must have a running game to win
Strategies: A Lot of Ways to Go Eighty Yards or One	123	(12)
You can go by air, you can go by land, and on rainy days, you can go by sea
Advanced Offensive Strategies: Like Rocket Science	135	(14)
Moving the ball with brains and supreme coordination
The Guys Who Control the Chaos	149	(14)
The men in striped shirts see everything
Part 3: Learning the Defense and Special Teams	163	(62)
The Defensive Line: Get the Ball, Hit the Quarterback	165	(8)
Why you need big, mean guys named Bubba
Linebackers Do Everything	173	(8)
The quarterbacks of the defense and the best athletes, too
The Secondary: The Last Best Hope	181	(8)
If these guys make a mistake, the score changes
Strategies: Attack or React	189	(12)
Both strategies work; both also fail
Advanced Defensive Strategies	201	(12)
Special schemes designed for certain situations. It's chess with giants
Special Teams Really Are Special	213	(12)
More than just guys with million-dollar feet
Part 4: College and Pro	225	(70)
College Football: More Than Marching Bands and Cheerleaders	227	(10)
Even an idiot knows where the NFL gets its players
The Draft: The Best Day for the Worst Teams	237	(10)
Those stars come from college
Alternative Football Leagues	247	(8)
Trying to copy the Best League isn't easy
The NFL: The Best in the World	255	(10)
This is the grand stage for football
The Road to the Super Bowl	265	(8)
A step-by-step explanation of how to get to the big game
The Business of the Game	273	(12)
Guess what? It's all about money
Television and the Media: The Show About the Show	285	(10)
A look at the star machine that doubles as a money tree
Part 5: The Essentials of Fandom	295	(34)
Game Gear: What to Wear	297	(8)
Paint your face or buy a shirt, but dress like a fan
The Joy of Being a Fan	305	(6)
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! Go Team!
Rivalries: The Essence of It All	311	(18)
When two teams don't like each other-a lot
Appendixes
A Gridiron Talk Glossary	317	(10)
B National Football League Team Addresses	327	(2)
Index	329