All Madden : Hey, I'm Talking Pro Football

The former football coach turned TV sports commentator offers a fascinating journey inside the NFL, describing the best players at each position, football tactics, the All-Madden team, and the art of watching football. Reprint.

Football's a game and it's meant to be fun, which is what I hope this book is for you. You'll be reading stuff that's in my head, but that I don't really have enough time to talk about during the games. I'll take you around the NFL, from the sidelines to the Fox broadcast booth. I'll look at the players and coaches and owners and talk about broadcasting -- about what I do and how I do it.

What does it mean to be "All-Madden"? It's a whole range of things. For defensive linesmen and linebackers, it's about Jack Youngblood playing with a busted leg, Lawrence Taylor wreaking havoc on the offense and Reggie White making the other guy wish he put a little more in the collection plate at church. It's about a guy who's got a dirty uniform, mud on his face and grass in the ear hole of his helmet.

It's also the offensive genius of Joe Montana and the guts of Emmitt Smith playing a monster game with a painful separated shoulder. It's style and substance, like Jerry Rice, who feels, "If you don't look good, you can't play good." It's candy wrappers flying out of Nate Newton's pockets. It's Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson playing for Lonnie Lott's mantle. It's Bill Bates, the special teams expert who was a mean tackler even at 12 years old -- just ask his coach.

Then there are the guys who lead them -- like Jimmy Johnson, who loved the game so much he came back to take over the Miami Dolphins from the best coach in the NFL, Don Shula. Don and George Allen were the men I looked up to when I was head coach of the Oakland Raiders. Not to mention Vince Lombardi, who showed me there was a lot about football I still needed to learn when he gave an eight-hour lecture on one play.

So when you're not watching a game, crack this book open and enjoy!