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erikakiana's review against another edition
5.0
This book is a great way to see how we treat athletes in the US. They don't get the experience of growing up as normal kids so when they become adults they don't know how to handle themselves and they are neither prepared for the real world nor the athletic world. It's incredible to see 20,000 people coming to a high school game. My college stadium held 25,000 and it wasn't always easy to fill it. It really highlights how we as sports watchers put all of our hopes and dreams on these athletes and then blame them and don't forgive them when they are wrong. It brought back memories from my own high school team. We didn't draw in 20,000 fans, but we were one of the best teams in the state. I could see parallels to my own school.
I was absorbed in this book. I read a lot of it on the train to work and I had to keep making sure I hadn't reached my train stop yet. I also loved the shock of seeing Odell Beckham Jr.'s dad mentioned in the book! The events of this book happened 30 years ago, but the issues are still relevant to this day.
I was absorbed in this book. I read a lot of it on the train to work and I had to keep making sure I hadn't reached my train stop yet. I also loved the shock of seeing Odell Beckham Jr.'s dad mentioned in the book! The events of this book happened 30 years ago, but the issues are still relevant to this day.
henskm's review against another edition
3.0
I have not seen the movie, but am a big fan of the TV series inspired by this book. The historical background, analysis of social issues, descriptions of the struggles of individual players, and story of the team's season included in this book were all interesting to me. However, the book gets bogged down in the details of the major plays of important games of the season. Having only a basic understanding of football and no visual to accompany the nitty gritty, all of this went over my head. You can be a big fan of the TV show without being a big football fan, but the same can not be said of the book.
annepw's review against another edition
3.0
Leans a little hard on clichés, but this book accomplished what I never thought possible: it made me care (at least a little) about football.
bethtmorris's review against another edition
4.0
I love the show so was curious about the book. It was very well written and, I thought, fair. the author's afterword very interesting b/c it was ten years after the book had been published. I was struck by all the correlations between Odessa's economy and our nation's currently. It not all football, ladies! Although I guarantee that Coach Gaines isn't nearly as cute as Coach Taylor!
littlegoliath's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
danieljudge's review against another edition
4.0
What an eye opening book about high school football in West Texas in the 1980s. We would all like to think that anyone in America can be whatever they want; with sports being the great equalizer. Sometimes being born on the wrong side of the tracks is still a burden that can't be overcome. I've been involved with high school sports for years but can't imagine 20,000 fans at a football game!
Favorite quotes:
1. "I'm gonna party, see how intoxicated I can get and how many rules I can flaunt. That's my motto."
2. "Have some fun, hustle your ass and stick the hell out of 'em."
Favorite quotes:
1. "I'm gonna party, see how intoxicated I can get and how many rules I can flaunt. That's my motto."
2. "Have some fun, hustle your ass and stick the hell out of 'em."
tittypete's review against another edition
5.0
Tore through this book. Arguably one of the most readable non-fiction books I've ever read. Loved the way it alternated between the story of the football team and the story of the town and region. And while it's a story of one town's disproportionate interest in children's football it's also a story the skewed values of Americans. Made me want to welcome death. And start watching football.