Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times
Written by Mark Leibovich
Narrated by Joe Barrett
3.5/5
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About this audiobook
From the No.1 bestselling author of This Town comes a thrillingly raw and hysterical account of the billionaires, crooks, charlatans and scoundrels that own and run the NFL.
American Football – with its celebrity players, billionaire owners, and cheerleaders with flawless teeth – is more American than apple pie. Which is why the celebrated New York Times journalist, Mark Leibovich, has chosen football as the vehicle through which to examine the troubled state of Trump’s America.
Big Game chronicles a four-year odyssey that has taken Leibovich deeper inside the NFL than anyone has gone before. From the owners' meeting to the draft to the sidelines of crucial games, he takes in the show at the elbow of everyone from Tom Brady to big-name owners to the cordially despised NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell.Ultimately, this is a story of what may come to be seen as ‘peak football’ – the high point of the sport’s economic success and cultural dominance, but also the moment when the dark side began to show. It is an era of explosive revenue growth, as deluxe new stadiums spring up all over the country, but also one of creeping existential fear. Football was never thought to be easy on the body – players joke darkly that the NFL stands for ‘not for long’ for good reason – but as the true impact of concussions become inescapable background noise, it’s become increasingly difficult to enjoy the simple glory of football without the buzzkill of its obvious consequences.
And that was before Donald Trump. In 2016, the NFL slammed headlong into America's culture wars. Big Game is a journey through an epic storm. Through it all, Leibovich always keeps one eye on Tom Brady and his beloved Patriots, through to the 2018 Super Bowl. Pro football, this hilarious and enthralling book proves, may not be the sport America needs, but it is most definitely the sport it deserves.
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Reviews for Big Game
18 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Some interesting nuggets about what the "Membership" (NFL Owners) are like, but mostly this book is just a dreary march through tailgates, stadiums, owners meetings, and parties.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5To be honest, finishing this book was a bit of a struggle. A great deal of this book was about the New England Patriots, Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and various NFL owners and management. This book had very little about on the field activities or even locker room talk. It dealt mostly with the business of pro football and its current status as the number one sport in America. I was hoping for more details or stories about the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl win but it was barely covered in the last chapter.
This was more of a sports management book than anything else. Leibovich did cover some of the controversy around concussions suffered by players. He describes talking to Tony Dorsett who has trouble remembering things. He also brought up a few other players including Mike Webster and Junior Seau who suffered horribly after their playing days were over.
This is not a feel-good book. I'd say the NFL's long-term prospects are dimmed by the concussion issues and the declining interests of high school and younger players to participate in football.