Hayden Fry: A High Porch Picnic (Hardcover)

~ (Author), George Wine (Author) "We are all products of a time and a place..." (more)
Key Phrases: bowl berth, quarterback sacks, bowl invitation, Big Ten, North Texas, Ohio State (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A "high porch picnic" is a Texas expression for "an excep- tionally good time". And during Fry's glorious career as one of college football's most unique coaches, that's a good way to describe his life. Ranked 10th on the all-time coll- egiate list for Division I victories, Fry has successfully combined his football coaching savvy with a down-home charm to make him one of the game's most colorful personalities.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582610339
• ISBN-13: 978-1582610337
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #413,973 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable "Program Turn-a-Round" career of Hayden Fry., June 30, 1999

By A Customer

Easy reading book on the very successful career of legendary (ranks as 10th all-time winningest coach in NCAA history) college football coach Hayden Fry, known nationally as the long-time and much loved coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes ("Americas Team"). The book chronicle's his [unprecedented] success in "turning-a-round" hapless football programs at SMU, North Texas and Iowa. Highlights include his 17 bowl games (including 3 trips to the Rose Bowl), spending a lot of time with the Iowa Hawkeyes where he coached for twenty years, including 3 Big Ten Championships, but also recalls his days at SMU where he was the man responsible for integrating football in Texas (SouthWest Conference)- arguably his greatest achievement in his football career. His days as a high school and college standout player are also explored - a true "aficionado" for the game of football! Hawkeye fans and football fans alike will enjoy this "yarn" from one of the most colorful characters in college football in a generation!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When Iowa football became powerful again, May 16, 2003

By	Charles Ashbacher "([e-mail])" (Marion, Iowa United States([e-mail])) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

As a long-time fan of the Iowa Hawkeye football time, I watched them get repeatedly shelled during the late sixties and the seventies. Teams used to defeat them by thirty or more points and rarely have to throw a pass. In 1979, the savior arrived in the form of coach Hayden Fry, but at first it did not seem that that was the case. His statements like, "Scratch where it itches", at times sounded so homey that many people wondered if he was just another over-hyped coach who would add to the string of failures.
However, that all changed in the first half of the first game the Hawkeyes played under Fry. They stormed ahead of Indiana 26-3 in the first half, although they ultimately lost 30-26. From that point, everyone was a believer and his teams went on to give us some of the most exciting moments in our lives. This is Hayden's recollection of his life, although most of the ink is used to describe his years at Iowa, and there is very little of a personal nature that does not directly involve football. Reading it brought back so many fond memories of listening and watching, that I found myself reliving some of those times. If you are a Hawk fan, then this is a book that you must read.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Legendary, colorful coach looks back on career, April 13, 1999

By A Customer

Hayden Fry is a revered figure in the state of Iowa, and rightly so. He arrived in Iowa City in 1979 and quickly resusitated one of the worst football programs in the country. Under Fry's direction, the Hawkeyes went to the Rose Bowl three times in a nine-year span. Fry also integrated the Southwest Conference at Southern Methodist, and in this well-written autobiography, he brings his long, career successful career to life and recalls many colorful anecdotes. This is an entertaining and illuminating book from one of the most significant coaches of his generation.