Football for Dummies (Paperback)

by Howie Long (Author), John Czarnecki (Contributor) "Baseball may be America's pastime, but football is America's passion..." (more)
Key Phrases: blocking wedge, offensive receiver, zone blitz, Super Bowl, San Francisco, Dallas Cowboys (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
At last, the Dummies series is tackling football. Former Raider all-pro defensive end and current Fox TV analyst Howie Long calls the signals, and if he doesn't always go deep--he's got a lot of ground to cover--at least he connects. With all its X's and O's, football is a complicated sport, and Long works hard to smooth the way: "Once you break through that initial fear of being overwhelmed by football and what you don't understand," he counsels, "I know everything else about the game, like dominoes, will fall into place." In his role as guide, Long plays those dominoes, from peewees to the pros to the fantasy leagues, explaining positions, analyzing offenses and defenses, and detailing strategies. As with all Dummies guides, the fun part is the "Part of Tens," the series of top-10 lists that dig in for the final chapter. He scores big with his inclusions of John Hannah and Hugh McElhenny among the greatest offensive players ever, but should be penalized for overemphasizing tight ends and forgetting the electricity that wide receivers bring to the game. This, of course, reflects a defensive end's natural bias; since they muck it up more with the hulkier tight ends, they simply let the speedballs fly by. --Jeff Silverman

Product Description
"Howie's book has got it all!" Jimmy Johnson, Former Head Coach, Miami Dolphins Praise for Football for Dummies "Full of insights, strategies, and me!" — Terry Bradshaw, FOX NFL Commentator and Former NFL Quarterback "Howie's passion and enthusiasm for football comes through on every page!" — John Elway, Quarterback, MVP, Super Bowl XXXIII "Football For Dummies has all the answers and more!" — Bill Cowher, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers

Your playbook for positions, rules, and penalties

Decipher the Xs and Os — from the Zone Blitz to the Run-and-Shoot You won't have to fumble around for expert football advice using this friendly guide. Tackle the intricacies of the game with these tips on everything from plays and strategies to youth teams and fantasy football leagues. Whether you're a player, fan, parent, or coach, you'll find these pointers from one of football's greats invaluable.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 407 pages
• Publisher: Hungry Minds; 1st edition (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764550543
• ISBN-13: 978-0764550546
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #283,431 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

129 of 131 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Satisfying, January 20, 2000

By	G. Remelius "Gremel" (Keedysville, MD United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The only thing I knew about football was from watching it on TV. I picked up enough information to enjoy the game, but occassionally I got perplexed by commentator remarks and wished I knew what they were talking about. So I bought the "Idiot's Guide to Football", learned a lot more, but still felt unfulfilled. Then I broke down and bought another book, the "Dummies" version, and got exactly what I wanted. This book covers much more detail and doesn't talk down to you. The Idiot's version, while trying to be humorous, succeeds only in insulting your intelligence. If one were to absorb all that is contained in "Football for Dummies", you may not get any calls for head coaching jobs, but you'll certainly better understand the jargon and the meaning behind a lot of the decisions that are made during and before a game. It even covers team motivation, player training and diet, fantasy leagues, the draft, game scheduling, high school and college football information, and a fairly large football- speak section that covers more ground that most other glossaries I've seen. This book contains everything you need know about football to understand and enjoy the game.

138 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lifesaver!, October 29, 2002

By	Sara (New York) - See all my reviews

I used to HATE football, mostly because I just didn't understand what was so exciting about watching a bunch of guys chase an oblong-shaped ball and pile on top of each other every time the whistle blew. But, after a life of sitting through high school football games as a marching band member, after attending a Division I college where football was a big deal, and after having a boyfriend who lived and breathed the sport, I finally decided to learn about football and understand what the all hype was about.

I'd like to say that, after reading "Football for Dummies," I finally get it.

Football is one of those sports you have to understand in order to appreciate. This book is a great starting point for those who know absolutely nothing about the sport. Howie Long (the cute guy from the Radio Shack commercials) explains every aspect of the game clearly and with great enthusiasm. His passion for the sport comes right off the page, and you can't help but feeling the same. Howie touches ALL the bases...from the rules to terms, positions, plays, penalties, referee hand signals, the history of football, uniforms, coaches, even fantasy football. He leaves no stone unturned.

The book opened my eyes to America's most popular sport. Now when I watch a game, I actually ENJOY it. It managed to erase my prejudices against the sport and instill a new love for it. And believe me, that was no small task. This book demystifies a complex, yet fascinating, sport.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT SOURCE OF INFO FOR THE NOVICE!, April 6, 1999

By A Customer

I cover high school sports and received my first football assignment the past year. While I've always been a football fan as far back as I can remember, I've never played the game and could never understand the Xs and Os like those who play or played the game. My first game I covered, I was lost. I needed a source to go to that I wouldn't be embarrassed to ask what must seem the most obvious of questions, especially when it comes to things I'd need to use for scorekeeping, recognizing penalties, and the location and purpose of the players. This book was the answer. I feel much better versed in football, even though I thought I already understood the game sufficiently. This book is a credit to the "Dummies" series. Kudos to the "Dummies" for including Football in their many subjects.