Customer Reviews

One Dollar League: Rise and Fall of the United States Football League

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I know a lot of people out there have been trying to get a copy of The $1 League for a while and I have two words of advice: don't stop. The book is amazingly detailed and gives first-hand insight into what made the USFL what it was: decent football, a good idea, and a cluster-.. of egos that blew the entire concept apart. If you're interested as to why the USFL failed, this book will set everything straight. If you want detailed game accounts, you won't find it here. Check out Paul Reeths' website instead.

Wow! If you want to read a book about the trials and tribulations of a person involved in something that is perceived to be world class yet is actually mickey mouse and held together with smoke, mirrors and a little crazy glue, then this is your book. I've read it 3 times and will read it agian. It is very informative about the rise and fall of the USFL as well as being in the unique position to laugh at the league and some of the 'low lights'. This is an honest portrayal of life in the USFL and worth the read.

Jim Byrne had a front-row seat to the wild, three-year ride of the United States Football League. He gets a little long winded at times, but all in all, this is a very good book and a must-have for all fans of the old USFL. Byrne sort of sets them up and knocks them down - telling the league's botching of a TV deal, the Donald Trump led campaign to go head to head with the NFL and the eventual "victory" in court. I thought he was especially colorful in the very beginning of the book when he describes Harry Usher trying to keep the 1985 championship trophy from falling apart on him while at the same time the league itself was falling apart all around him. Like I said, Byrne gets a little off the subject from time to time, but it's a great read for any fan of spring football.

In Anti-Trust cases, the 'winner' (in
this case we have to '-' the word winner!)
gets the award tripled! For a guy who cl-
aims to have been such an insider, Byrne
misses quite a bit (I had two tryouts w/
the USFL after being a college P/H). But
overall it's worth getting if you don't
have to pay an arm and hoof to get it.
There are also several great websites
dedicated to the memory of the USFL.
Check them out!

Very interesting book about the 3 seasons of the USFL from the business point of view. Lots of good inside information. If you are looking for a pure football book this is not it. I wish the author could have included a few pages at the end of the book with stats from the 3 years. I would also have appreciated a few pictures from some of the major events as well as pictures of the various uniforms of the teams or at least logos. Since this book seems to be popular enough to warrant such high used prices, if they bother to reprint the book, they should include a new afterward with updates. This book ends rather abruptly in 1986 with the USFL getting ready to appeal the case and several other things mentioned. Overall though, this is a very interesting read. I enjoyed it.

This is not really a sports book but a book on the business side of sports. Nothing wrong with that but it's not until year three of the USFL that the author writes anything of note about on-field play.

DO NOT waste over $100 on a used copy of this as it's waaaay too long, in need of serious editing and can be found in any large library.

The worst thing is I had to go online to find out why the jury awarded the USFL only a dollar in the anti-trust lawsuit they won over the NFL. I mean, why was the author unable to explain that when it was the title of the danged book?

If only I had not wasted my money on this spurious and unpallatable piece of tosh then I would have not wasted the better part of my Tuscan holiday asleep on the couch after an exhausting mental workout tryig to actually care about the subject matter or the ugly people involved in this unromantic tale of greed and deception. At best the author has taken artistic licence a step too far and in places it has wandered into the realms of fiction. The only benefit I can gage is to advise people not to buy this unworthy piece of literature.

P.S. I have not read this book