Game Day: Texas Football: The Greatest Games, Players, Coaches and Teams in the Glorious Tradition of Longhorn Football [Hardcover]

Athlon Sports (Author), James Street (Foreword), James Street (Author)

Book Description

Series: Game Day | Publication Date: September 1, 2005

The University of Texas has long had one of the most feared and respected football programs in the country. It's produced such prolific NFL stars as Ricky Williams, Priest Holmes, and Roy Williams. From memorable rivalries with Texas A&M and Oklahoma to wacky conventions like Bevo the cow and the 'Hook 'em Horns', Longhorn football has one of the best followings in college sports. Learn about every amazing facet of Texas pigskin in this new book by Athlon Sports.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The numbers are impressive: 26 conference championships (and counting). Two Heisman Trophy winners. Three National Championships. Dozens of all-conference players. Countless statistical milestones. But the numbers alone don¹t do justice to the impact that Texas football has had and continues to have on its legion of fans. What takes place on fall afternoons in the storied confines of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium is more than simply a game, it¹s a way of life. If you¹ve experienced the passion of thousands of UT fans with hands thrust skyward flashing the familiar ³Hook ¹em Horns² sign, you know exactly what we¹re talking about. Game Day: Texas Football is a celebration of that passion, and of the decades of gridiron excellence that have inspired it.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157243760X
• ISBN-13: 978-1572437609
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,278,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars MAKE ROOM FOR A NEW CHAPTER!, January 9, 2006

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Game Day: Texas Football: The Greatest Games, Players, Coaches and Teams in the Glorious Tradition of Longhorn Football (Hardcover)

As of this writing, this book will soon have to be revised to add a new chapter into the rich tradition of the University of Texas as the Longhorns have just captured the National Championship in a thrilling win over USC in a game for the ages. This book shines the spotlight on UT's grand football tradition and covers some of their greatest players, games, and coaches in their storied history.

Inside you'll learn of the origins and history of things such as the "hook `em horns" sign, Bevo the steer, the Spring Jamboree and Big Bertha, the world's largest bass drum. The Drum's interesting history goes back to when UT purchased it from the University of Chicago in 1955 when they ended their football program. The drum is 8 feet in diameter and 54 inches across.

The book provides brief profiles and career highlights of players who are not only all-time Longhorn greats, but all-time NCAA greats as well. Included are Running backs Earl Campbell, Chris Gilbert, Cedric Benson, and Ricky Williams; Quaterback Bobby Layne who went onto become a Detroit legend as QB for the Lions, Linebacker Tommy Nobis, and Defensive tackled Brad Shearer. Curiously Roy Williams, perhaps the greatest Wide Receiver in Texas history is excluded. I suspect that quarterback Vince Young will be included if the book is ever revised.

The book spotlights the two greatest Texas coaches: Darrell Royal, who coached from 1957 to 1976, winning three national championships and had the team's longest win streak of 30 games from 1968 to 1970, and Mack Brown who has just one his first national title.

Some of Texas' greatest games are also featured. There's the 1958 game that Texas won 15 - 14, snapping a six game losing streak to the Sooners. Then there is the 1965 Orange Bowl in which Texas knocked off Bear Bryant's #1 ranked Alabama team 21 - 17, and then one I remember quite well as the Longhorns pulled a shocking upset of #3 Nebraska 37 - 27 in the very first Big 12 Conference Championship game. There are also histories and highlights from two of the team's greatest rivalries against Oklahoma and Texas AM.

Great color and black & white photography accompanies and complements the text. The book isn't meant as a comprehensive history of Texas football. Rather it's meant as a summary of highlights and traditions and in that regard it does it's job very well. There could not be a better time for Texas fans to check this book out as they are basking in that championship glow.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice for the pictures, but has lots of errors., January 4, 2006

By 

J. Nicar (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Game Day: Texas Football: The Greatest Games, Players, Coaches and Teams in the Glorious Tradition of Longhorn Football (Hardcover)

"Game Day, Texas Football" is a nice book if you'd like a brief overview of the highlights of Longhorn football, but the text is sparse and full of errors, especially in the areas of UT history and traditions. While James Street wrote a very nice foreward, no authors are listed for the book itself. It gives the appearance of something rushed together in time for football season to make some quick cash for the publisher.