Sports For Dorks: College Football [Paperback]

Mike Leach (Editor), Ferhat Guven (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2011

REVIEWS

"What do you get when you combine an astrophysicist, a world champion backgammon player, some respected economists and a few other brilliant minds? This fascinating book and the reason I'm hoping to watch Mike Leach on Saturdays instead of coach against him on Sundays." -REX RYAN, Head Football Coach, New York Jets

"Sports for Dorks is an exciting collection of ideas and trends shaping the world of college football. Mike Leach proves, once again, that he is a step ahead of the rest." -GIL BRANDT, former Vice President of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, current Senior Analyst for NFL.com

"One man's dork is another man's intellectually curious, envelope pushing pioneer. Mike Leach is the most original thinker I've met in three decades as a sportswriter. With this provocative, nourishing, all-you-can-eat buffet of intriguing ideas, Leach reminds us why football needs him more than he needs football." - AUSTIN MURPHY, senior writer, Sports Illustrated


ABOUT SPORTS FOR DORKS

Sports for Dorks College Football provides ground-breaking, innovative content to readers seeking unique insights into the world of college football.

Co-edited by National Coach of the Year Mike Leach and Ferhat Guven, Sports for Dorks aims to address the information needs of college football fans who seek a deeper understanding about the game and its intricacies.

Sports for Dorks looks inside the mind of Mike Leach, asks why football coaches deserve to be paid more than the governors of their state, offers a solution that would make the BCS system actually work, and examines the rise of college football in Great Britain, of all places.

Readers learn why going for it on fourth down generates wins and why punting is, in most cases, a fool's errand. The book also reveals how the no-huddle offense makes conventional defensive statistics irrelevant, why Davids pick on Goliaths, and how teams can improve recruiting outcomes "simply" by looking a prospect in the eye.

Intriguing, complex, cutting-edge, and provocative, this unique compilation is one of the smartest sports books to hit the market this year.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Please visit our blog at sportsfordorks.com.

You can also find us on Facebook at facebook.com/sportsfordorks or follow us on Twitter @sportsfordorks

About the Author

MIKE LEACH is considered one of the most innovative coaches in college football history. Leach is the former National Coach of the Year and all-time winning coach for Texas Tech University. He is a native of Cody, Wyoming, graduate of Brigham Young University and the Pepperdine University School of Law; and author of the best-selling autobiography, Swing Your Sword: Leading the Charge in Football and Life.

FERHAT GUVEN is a full-time finance professional and life-long sports dork. A native Texan of Turkish origin, Ferhat has lived in London, England for over eight years. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University and the London Business School.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Sports Dorks CFB, LLC (September 18, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0615484972
• ISBN-13: 978-0615484976
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 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: #853,176 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is fascinating. October 23, 2011

By RollTideforlife

Format:Paperback

I really don't even know where to begin. This book has it all. I ordered this book because I enjoyed "Swing Your Sword" by Mike Leach and then later heard he had written this one too so I thought I would give it a shot. Once again he didn't disappoint.

"Sports for Dorks" basically takes various topics of College Football like going for it on 4th down and the No-Huddle offense from the point of view of multiple professionals from varying backgrounds and sees how their views correlate to the game. The result is a mind blowing page turner that is easily the smartest book on college football by far. If you love college football you'll love this book. It covers in depth analysis of strategic parts of the game on the field and then turns right around and outlines FBS v FCS school match ups and the economic advantages motivating those decisions. Every chapter is interesting and well thought out. My favorite chapter was the analysis of the No-Huddle offense. That Chapter is written by Mark McElroy who is the authority on the No Huddle offense. You ge the history of the style, how it's evolved, and what makes it successful and how it changes the entire mindset of the program. This type of book is sorely needed for college football fans who want more than just the kind of cake pieces you get on ESPN and sports blogs. This is the real deal 5 stars.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars New Ideas for a Changing Game November 5, 2011

By Tom Gleason

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Sports for Dorks attempts to bring critical thinkers from many disciplines to rethink the traditional assumptions of American Football. A great read and a great resource for coaches in need of a new perspective in an increasingly competitive environment. Get it! It could change your game and give you an advantage where it seems hardly likely.