Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (1st ed) [Hardcover]

Bob Carroll (Editor), John Thorn (Editor), Michael Gershman (Editor)

Book Description

Series: 1st ed | Publication Date: September 1997

The most authoritative book of its kind ever created, "Total Football" is crammed with stories, scores and stats from 77 years of NFL action. For the first time ever, fans can examine a complete Player Register, with personal and statistical data on every one of the more than 17,000 players who wore an NFL uniform from 1920 through the 1996 season.

All the greats come alive. Johnny Unitas... Jim Brown... Joe Namath... Brett Favre... in stories that explore the humor and heartbreak, the guts and the glory of professional football from a Pro Bowl team of writers. Packed with notes, quotes and anecdotes about coaching legends like Lambeau, Lombardi and Landry; strategy, histories of every NFL team (even the Tonawanda Cardex); the 25 greatest regular season games; and summaries of every NFL playoff game and Super Bowl, "Total Football" is an absolute must for football fans.

"The best football book ever." --Keith Schleiden, Pro Football Weekly

"This is one of the best sports reference books ever published. Without a doubt this is the best pro football book ever published." --John Duxbury, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"The only reference book (football fans) may ever need." --Denver Post

"The ultimate resource guide for journalists or serious fans." --Jeffrey Flanagan, The Kansas City Star

"The publication of "Total Football" validates the careers of players who played from 1920-1932 because statistical records from that time were never recognized as official by the league. The league (because of "Total Football") now accepts those records... If you are a fan of pro football, we suggest you take a look at this staggering work. It's worth every penny." --Bob Wolfley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"The first of its kind... a heck of a book for pro football fans." --Bob Colon, Oklahoma City Oklahoman

"A great book." --Frank Krauser, President and CEO, NFL Alumni Association

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Total Football is the ultimate football reference, the most exhaustively complete tome of football knowledge available on the market, and the heaviest, too. Within its 1,652 pages are articles on football history, strategy, leagues, and the men who made the game. But the real meat and potatoes of the encyclopedia are its player register and team rosters, which include complete statistics on every individual who's played even a single game in the NFL. Rounded out with appendices that cover NFL rules, stadiums, and game scores from 1920 to 1996, this volume will flex the biceps and warm the heart of any true football fan.

Review

The best football book ever. -- Keith Schleiden, "Pro Football Weekly"

The first of its kind...a heck of a book for pro football fans. -- Bob Colon, Oklahoma City "Oklahoman"

The only reference book (football fans) may ever need. -- "Denver Post"

The publication of "Total Football" validates the careers of players who played from 1920-1932 because statistical records from that time were never recognized as official by the league. The league (because of "Total Football") now accepts those records...If you are a fan of pro football, we suggest you take a look at this staggering work. It's worth every penny. -- Bob Wolfley, "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"

The ultimate resource guide for journalists or serious fans. -- Jeffrey Flanagan, "The Kansas City Star"

This is one of the best sports reference books ever published. Without a doubt this is the best pro football book ever published. -- John Duxbury, "St. Louis Post-Dispatch"

A great book. -- Frank Krauser, President and CEO, NFL Alumni Association

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1664 pages
• Publisher: HarperResource (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062701703
• ISBN-13: 978-0062701701
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9 x 3.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,753,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is the ultimate in reference guides, August 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (Hardcover)

I recently purchased this book (unfortunately, not through amazon.com - I'd have saved $ 18!), and it is amazing. Everything I ever wanted to know about NFL, AFL, and AAFC players - from the hall of famers to the obscure - was easily found and easily read.

The only drawback? Virtually no statistical information on the "other" leagues (WFL, USFL, and the 1930's versions of the AFL). But as it is, Total Football II is a phenomenal resource.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for Football Fans, October 28, 2001

By 

C. Baker "cbaker" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (Hardcover)

This book is a must have for all serious football fans. It is the most complete one volume source of information about professional football.

My favorite sections include:

History of the game: The introductory essays on the history of pro football and the complete histories of each team is fascinating and an important context for many of the conventions and the culture of today's game.

History of players: Not only is there a complete roster of every player who has ever played in the National Football
League and it's antecedents, there are more detailed biographies of the "500 greatest players" as determined by the panel of writers responsible for this encyclopedia.

Complete game summaries of and statistics for all the playoffs, Super Bowls, and most important games in league history: I personally found this the most nostalgic reading, as I could remember where I was and who I was watching the playoffs and Super Bowls with.

And much, much more -- some more mundane (essays on player equipment) and some more interesting (history of defunct leagues like the United States Football League (USFL)).

I do have two complaints about the encyclopedia -- one minor and one a glaring omission.

My minor complaint is that they need a better copy editor. I found many typos, especially the detailed information about playoffs and Super Bowls.

My major complaint is that is has a woefully incomplete section detailing the individual records (most rushing yards in a game, etc.) which is a terrible omission. I can find a more complete listing of individual and team records in a sports almanac. A book purporting to be TOTAL FOOTBALL shouldn't need a companion book to round it out and have all the facts one might want at hand. I strongly recommend they improve on this in the next volume.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good reference, April 20, 2003

By 

Jerry Fry (Freeman, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League (Hardcover)

Don't expect to find a football book you can use exclusively from the rest. This is a good supplement to books like "The Pro Football Encyclopedia" (by Maher/Gill). If you're into statistics this is one of the best to have. Whereas "Pro Football Encyclopedia" has players longest gains, which this book doesn't, this book gives you kickoff and punt return stats for all players, the encyclopedia doesn't. This book is mainly about the NFL. I bought it for the statistics. It's also a good book to use if you want to find out more about a specific player (statistically speaking). Chapters like "The 25 Most Memorable Regular Season Games" and "The 300 Greatest Players" etc.. are not what I got this book for. I would prefer a book that leaves out author's opinions. I've seen games I'll never forget that I knew wouldn't make the list and also players. Although these chapters are somewhat interesting along with others I could live without half this book easily but like I said, it's a good season by season individual stat book that has information other books don't. It mainly depends on what you're buying this book for. There are statistics here excluded from other books but there are stats left out that ARE in other books, like blocked punts for instance, which may not seem to matter to most, but it all depends on what you're buying it for. It has stats other books don't, that's what I bought it for.