Recommended book to read.

MapleLeaf

Maple Leaf
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I have a recommendation for Zoners who are looking for a book to read this winter in the off season.

It's called, "America's Game - The epic story of how pro football captured a nation." by Michael MacCambridge.

It was published in 2004, but has many blurbs on the Cowboys all the way up to Parcells taking over the team.

It's fascinating look at the history of the NFL and how it transformed itself to the #1 watched sport in America.

Many parts of the book deal with the principle characters of the Cowboys - Tex, Landry, Jerry, Jimmy and Bill.

There's the usual suspects also: Wellington Mara, Lamar Hunt, Pete Rozelle, Paul Tagliabue and Gene Upshaw.

Much of the book predates when I started following the Cowboys in 73', but it's still a fascinating look into how the league and the shakers and movers played their roles in developing and marketing the events we know as football games.

They have alot of fascinating insights on the social and sports trends of the differing periods and how that motivated the top brass of the league to make the decisions we live with today as fans.

The draft, salary cap, league rules, competition committees, and the emergence of the coaching staff as an integral part of the team's on field success.

It's a well sourced book and very factual. Has alot of intimate quotes from insiders concerning some of the big events we have recently experienced as football fans.

Interesting comments on Janet Jackson debacle during the SuperBowl halftime show.

It's a little under 500 pages, but could be a nice way for a fan to pass the off season away with more than just the usual rumours and out of this world fantasy free agent signings.

What I found most fascinating is how much of it mirrors what the posters on the board have contributed as opinions to the decisions the league and teams have made. What this writer is encapsulating as a look into the past is material we have discussed on this board to some extent.

It really showed me how knowledgeable the collective of the contributors to this site are and what makes me come back day to day.
 
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