Last Sunday, the Detroit Lions played on Sunday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints. The young team, comprised of talented young draft picks, committed eleven penalties, including three personal fouls and were shredded by the efficient Saints who exercised control in their precise offensive sets and discipline on the field. Tonight, the Pittsburgh Steelers are playing the Cleveland Browns. While the physical defense has struggled with league rules regarding hits to the head, the team has been remarkably consistent over the past twenty years, frequently making the playoffs and winning two Super Bowls. The Steelers have drafted late in …
Instant Replay and the Green Bay Packers
Instant Replay by Jerry Kramer and Run to Daylight by Vince Lombardi helped popularize the sport novel – a famous author partnering with an athlete or coach to bring fans into the locker room – whereas Vince by Michael O’Brien is a regular biography that benefited from popularity of those other works. Lombardi’s report of a week during the regular season is the most succinct and provides the best coaching advise and Kramer’s account presents the viewpoint of a thoughtful player throughout a championship season. On the other hand, O’Brien’s cursory biography does not introduce any new information or anecdotes …