Mike Freeman (1) (1966–)

I love to read the behind the NFL scenes books, You're Okay It's Just A Bruise being still my favourite but this is another worthwhile addition to the genre. The book takes a look behind the scenes by telling the stories of a range of names including Tampa coach John Gruden, NY Giants star Michael Strahan, and anonymous player who talks of the difficulty in being a homosexual player in an anti-homosexual sport.

The insight into the American psyche is fascinating, particularly in covering attitudes to sexuality, race, and gender. This isn't football as a sociological study but it's deep enough to be thought provoking. The working hours culture is also covered, and the obsession with working longer than rivals is insightful for a non-American. An American football fan looking for another insider view is bound to enjoy the book.

Unforunately for the author, the parts of the book that aren't great are the parts where he himself is forwarding a theory rather than reporting on the theories of others. Naming Coach Gruden as the ccurrent best looks a little silly in retrospect, and the fawning over Mike Vick is ridiculous. If I were to make starting praising a current player, it would no longer be Vick, it'd be new kid Vince Young. The worship of the here and now is itself worth reading, as so much of American football is based on winning now and this author seems to be part of that failure.… (meer)