PENN STATE FOOTBALL: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports By the Numbers) [Paperback]

Daniel J. Brush (Author), David Horne (Author), Marc CB Maxwell (Author), Jared Trexler (Author), Mike Poorman (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2009

WE ARE . . . SPORTS BY THE NUMBERS. The new, exciting, and completely original book series continues with an in-depth look at the proud history of Penn State football.

THE TEAM: Rooted in success achieved through dignity and situated amongst the rolling farmland of Pennsylvania's "T" region, the Penn State football program has won two national championships and posted seven undefeated, untied seasons as far back as 1887. The Sports by the Numbers franchise combs through the program's rich history, from Rip Engle's glossed-over tenure to Joe Paterno's legacy as the face of a university and a football juggernaut. By the book's conclusion, the SBTN guys will have Nittany Lion nation chanting in chorus, "WE ARE . . . PENN STATE!"

THE FORMAT: The presentation created by the authors distinguishes Sports by the Numbers from everything else available today. Penn State Football is composed of ten chapters, each offering one hundred numbered "mini-stories"-facts, anomalies, records, coincidences, and enthralling lore and trivia. Each chapter begins with an introduction that highlights the many exciting stories detailed in that chapter.

INTERACTIVE: Numerical entries tagged with SBTN-All Star or SBTN-Hall of Fame logos are scattered throughout this book. These logos indicate that more information is available at our web site www.sportsbythenumbers.com. Readers and sports fans can then visit our site and participate in the SBTN blogs and conversations regarding those numbers, creating an interactive community.

Sports by the Numbers books are not just for diehard sports fans, but for every fan and sports history reader who loves sports and wants to know more about their heroes and favorite teams.

About the Authors: Daniel J. Brush, David Horne, and Marc CB Maxwell, also known as the Sports by the Numbers Guys, are the award-winning authors of the Sports by the Numbers series. Other titles include University of Oklahoma Football, New York Yankees, Major League Baseball and NASCAR. Jared Trexler is a Penn State graduate and an award-winning journalist for his work in print, radio, and Internet sports reporting.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Months and months combing through Penn State's proud football history was a story in nostalgia. It took me back to a simpler time, when Penn State's football heritage was rooted in plain uniforms and plain-spoken values.

Although accelerating through the years, that "simpler time" is still apparent in each spoken word, each success story, each great player and great game. Penn State football has not changed much...and that's as high a compliment as you can make about a football program in today's age.

The testament to that is the head coach hasn't changed either. Joe Paterno may be a little older, a little grayer (you have to admit -- the man has great genes!) but he still remains a football visionary, a man who prides himself on the great players, great teams and great statistics found in this book as much as his players' graduation rate and his program doing things the right way.

This book will take you back and bring you forward, detailing Penn State's football history in a unique way. I was proud to write it, and by the end, hopefully all readers will be PENN STATE PROUD!

About the Author

Jared Trexler is an award-winning journalist who has followed the Penn State football program from a young age, first as a fan, then as a student at Penn State and finally as a journalist for the university's School of Sports Journalism and as an intern for the voice of Penn State Football, Steve Jones.

Trexler is also the national college basketball columnist for The Sports Network, a staff writer for The Phanatic Magazine (daily.phanaticmag.com) and the author of "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before...Filling Out Your Hoops Bracket" (99 Series, 2010-2011).

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Savas Beatie (September 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932714529
• ISBN-13: 978-1932714524
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,957,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful. Detailed. An Instant Hit, October 21, 2009

By 

David Jones "David" (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: PENN STATE FOOTBALL: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports By the Numbers) (Paperback)

Numbers tell stories, and this book by Jared Trexler delivers well past what any reader would expect. This is not a numbers-filled statistical book, but rather a numbers-oriented tale of a football program full of anecodotes and writing that captures the story's setting and the program's success since 1887.

This is a must-read for any Penn State football fan and a perfect holiday gift for any Penn Stater. The author's writing style brings these numbers to life, and it's a book you can read time and time again.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, great team, great authors, great GIFT!, March 4, 2010

By 

Sam Hendricks "Author of Fantasy Football Gui... (Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: PENN STATE FOOTBALL: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports By the Numbers) (Paperback)

I am a big fan of the "Sports by the Numbers" series. I loved the MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports By the Numbers) and New York Yankees: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports by the Numbers) editions and was over the moon when the Mixed Martial Arts IQ: The Ultimate Test of True Fandom (Volume 1) came out. So I am a little biased because I like the system these books run on. Basic premise is give the sports fan a statistic that coincides with every number from 1 to 1000. Along the way include memorable photographs and stories to compliment the history of the sport or franchise. So the reader gets a fun filled history lesson that builds and builds and this is complimented by an online guide.

Having said that, I admit I am a fair weather Nittany Lions fan. Don't get me wrong; I love Papa Joe and the history there, but I grew up in Virginia and went to the University of Virginia so there is another institution pulling at my sweatshirt sleeve. But after reading this book I have a renewed appreciation for the Penn State football program. Their 1987 Fiesta Bowl win over Miami may just be the best David versus Goliath story ever. And this book reintroduced me to that game and some of the stats that made it all the more powerful. Thank you gentlemen!

A great book for a Nittany Lions fan and for a fair weather fan as well.

Sam Hendricks, Author Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Guidebook