Inside the Meat Grinder: An NFL Official's Life in the Trenches [Hardcover]

Chad Brown (Author), Alan Eisenstock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 1999

Chad Brown did hard time in the National Football League, playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Oilers, and New Orelans Saints. But for the past five seasons, he has been one of the NFLs top officials, working the middle of the line of scrimmage, known by those who do battle there as the "meat grinder". Chad has gone head-to-helmet with the biggest, baddest, and most offbeat players in the league, making calls that can make or break seasons and sometimes careers. From his early days playing pickup football in the sandlots of South Dallas to Super Bowl XXXIII, "Inside The Meatgrinder" follows one of the NFL's most prominent officials both on the field and off.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

How many people would apply for a part-time job that took them away from their family for most weekends, where they were videotaped on the job (from three different camera angles) and their performance was critiqued and graded every week, where they had to take grueling open-book tests once a week, and where they were vilified by the public, the participants, and the media just for doing their job. The answer to that question is the 113 people who officiate at NFL football games. Brown and Eisenstock give us an insider's view of what it takes to become one of the top NFL officials. For he it started with a love for the game, a mediocre career in the NFL, and a course in football officiating. Step by step, he worked his way from his first Pop Warner game to officiating at the Super Bowl. This entertaining view from inside a much-maligned profession belongs in most sports collections.ATerry Jo Madden, Boise State Univ. Lib., ID
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Interesting perspectives on Lions, Panthers, Rams, Colts, and other pro football creatures from the zebra's view. Brown's halting climb toward NFL officialdom is told by Eisenstock (a journalist who has written for the Los Angeles Times Magazine and Referee). The book follows a spectacularly bad year for officials, but at least the infamous Lions-Steelers coin-toss gaffe is explained as Jerome Bettis first softly saying ``Heads,'' then yelling ``Tails.'' Brown's story only confirms how easy it is to ruin a drive, game, or season on a bad call, given the speed, brutality, and emotions (profanity included) of football's linebacker wars in the ``meat grinder.'' In one pass play, when ``Rocket'' Ismail is ``using the umpire as a pick,'' the six-foot-five, 250-pound Brown ``lowers his shoulder and levels him.'' No blind, fat, stereotypic nerd in stripes, Brown gives notice that the meat grinder is his house. He contends with the fury of players, coaches, and media pundits and many attempts to curry favor with the inner fan that he must suppress. Half the narrative is Brown's rocky way up from a Texas ghetto to college, the pros, and officiating Pop Warner. This rule enforcer began as a rule breaker, tossed from one of his three colleges for beating up a bigot. (Racism is justifiably a major theme here.) Brown had just brief stints with the pros; his better NFL encounters have been as an umpire. The book ends with a lame roundtable of men in black and white. In bounds, although nothing to dance the ``Dirty Bird'' to. The fan discovers the many tedious duties of NFL officials, who are not ``just dropped off at the stadium each week and handed a striped shirt.'' -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (September 23, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312246587
• ISBN-13: 978-0312246587
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,155,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ON THE FIELD FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, January 16, 2000

By 

NICOLE WILLIAMS (CALIFORNIA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside the Meat Grinder: An NFL Official's Life in the Trenches (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book because it gave me (a woman) a different view of the game. I was unaware of the time officials are away from their families and the preparation involved with being a football official. It was also informative to know of the many "conversations" that take place between the players and the players and officials.

I particularly enjoyed the round table discussion which included one of the great officials of our time Mr. Red Cashion.

I believe Mr. Brown and Mr. Eisenstock have done an exceptional job of enlightening its readers on events that go unoticed in the NFL.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting look at a part of the game we take for granted., September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Inside the Meat Grinder: An NFL Official's Life in the Trenches (Hardcover)

It's refreshing to read a book about professional sports where the love of the game is the central focus, not dollars and cents. After all the harping about bad officiating, Inside the Meatgrinder clarifies what NFL officials go through to get to that level, and what they have to do to stay there. Most of us wouldn't keep our jobs under this type of scrutiny and review.

Although I try to focus on what's happening all over the field when I watch a football game, my attention is inevitably drawn to the ball. As an umpire, right in the middle of the most violent interior line action, Chad Brown explains what goes on in the "meatgrinder". This is a very readable book, an excellent way to start the football season. It's smart, witty, and leaves you rooting for the guys in striped shirts.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great look at other side of game., January 12, 2000

By 

Gregory Pilon (Chino, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inside the Meat Grinder: An NFL Official's Life in the Trenches (Hardcover)

I thougth the book gave a great insight to the game we love. We forget that the players and the refs are just regular people playing a game. The players comments are quite funny when you consider that. I thought the book was very entertaining and gave a great view inside of what the refs go through day in and day out. I would highly recommend the book to anyone who loves the game of football and to anyone who has ever critisized a ref for making a bad call.