Rating: 
Summary: Long doesn't go deep, but picks up a lot of short yardage
Review: OK, a few details: I swore I'd never buy a "dummies" or "idiots" book because -- well, I don't consider myself either of these. I know a lot about football already (played some in high school, watched more than any person should be allowed to). And I really, really like Howie Long, so I'm a bit biased.Having said that, I'm getting into officiating high school football, and I wanted a book that covered everything I might need to brush up on, but not in such agonizing detail that I would never find what I wanted. There are a very few books available about officiating, rules, and penalties, but most of these are simply lists of rules -- no background or explanation. Then there are the "fan" books, on how to watch & appreciate the game -- fine, but I needed more detail than that. Long's book does just fine in giving me the level of detail I want (and that would be "not much"), but covering just about everything I could think of. This is not to say that he glosses over anything; he promises to keep it short and sweet, and he does just that. I also enjoyed Long's stories throughout the book; kind of helps tie things together and make them more understandable. I also thought there were two nice touches to the book: first, the list of "top ten" players, teams, and coaches will give old-timer football fans a little trip down memory lane, while educating newer fans about the history of the game. Second, the "football speak" appendix is a quick way to get a short definition of a word or phrase; very helpful not to have to look it up in the text of the book, when all you want is a definition. I recommend this one for fans who want a more thorough knowledge of the game, as well as for the poor spouses/girlfriends/boyfriends of those who are fans. Maybe, with this book, they can understand (at least a little bit more) why their loved one acts so goofy for half the year!
Rating:
Summary: Long doesn't go deep, but picks up a lot of short yardage
Review: OK, a few details: I swore I'd never buy a "dummies" or "idiots" book because -- well, I don't consider myself either of these. I know a lot about football already (played some in high school, watched more than any person should be allowed to). And I really, really like Howie Long, so I'm a bit biased. Having said that, I'm getting into officiating high school football, and I wanted a book that covered everything I might need to brush up on, but not in such agonizing detail that I would never find what I wanted. There are a very few books available about officiating, rules, and penalties, but most of these are simply lists of rules -- no background or explanation. Then there are the "fan" books, on how to watch & appreciate the game -- fine, but I needed more detail than that. Long's book does just fine in giving me the level of detail I want (and that would be "not much"), but covering just about everything I could think of. This is not to say that he glosses over anything; he promises to keep it short and sweet, and he does just that. I also enjoyed Long's stories throughout the book; kind of helps tie things together and make them more understandable. I also thought there were two nice touches to the book: first, the list of "top ten" players, teams, and coaches will give old-timer football fans a little trip down memory lane, while educating newer fans about the history of the game. Second, the "football speak" appendix is a quick way to get a short definition of a word or phrase; very helpful not to have to look it up in the text of the book, when all you want is a definition. I recommend this one for fans who want a more thorough knowledge of the game, as well as for the poor spouses/girlfriends/boyfriends of those who are fans. Maybe, with this book, they can understand (at least a little bit more) why their loved one acts so goofy for half the year!
Rating:
Summary: Great resource for any football fan!
Review: Previously having only a basic understanding, "Football for Dummies" significantly enhanced my knowledge of the game. Howie does an excellent job explaining out the intricacies of each of the positions, and offers helpful tips on how to enjoy the game - whether you are a player, coach, or just an armchair quarterback. More than an introduction to the game, this book will act as an indespensible resource for the many seasons to come.
Rating:
Summary: Great resource for any football fan!
Review: Previously having only a basic understanding, "Football for Dummies" significantly enhanced my knowledge of the game. Howie does an excellent job explaining out the intricacies of each of the positions, and offers helpful tips on how to enjoy the game - whether you are a player, coach, or just an armchair quarterback. More than an introduction to the game, this book will act as an indespensible resource for the many seasons to come.
Rating:
Summary: Very Satisfying
Review: The only thing I knew about football was from watching it on TV. I picked up enough information to enjoy the game, but occassionally I got perplexed by commentator remarks and wished I knew what they were talking about. So I bought the "Idiot's Guide to Football", learned a lot more, but still felt unfulfilled. Then I broke down and bought another book, the "Dummies" version, and got exactly what I wanted. This book covers much more detail and doesn't talk down to you. The Idiot's version, while trying to be humorous, succeeds only in insulting your intelligence. If one were to absorb all that is contained in "Football for Dummies", you may not get any calls for head coaching jobs, but you'll certainly better understand the jargon and the meaning behind a lot of the decisions that are made during and before a game. It even covers team motivation, player training and diet, fantasy leagues, the draft, game scheduling, high school and college football information, and a fairly large football- speak section that covers more ground that most other glossaries I've seen. This book contains everything you need know about football to understand and enjoy the game.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is clearly value adding your football experience
Review: This book is simple and yet it describes complex matters and delivers a valuable understanding of all need-to-know facets of the game. If you are a football fan you will easily increase your understanding of not only the rules and the game, but of all positions on the field, what it takes to play, defensive and offensive tactics and strategies, coaching roles etc. All this is coming with entertaining stories of Howie Long and a very user friendly illustration of the play books. IF YOU READ THIS BOOK THEN I PROMISE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR NEXT FOOTBALL GAME EVEN MORE due to your increased understanding. This is a book not only for beginners, but also for us couch-coaches who think's we know it all. Top rating - value for money.
Rating:
Summary: This Book is the best guide to the nfl.
Review: This book was a very good one. It had everything in it. If you wanted to find a bit on information fast, this is a book where you can do it.
Rating:
Summary: Second Edition is Good
Review: This is a good book for people who's understanding and following of football ranges from totally clueless to moderate interest. The second edition picks up some key things that were absent from the first edition like overtime and how it functions on the college and pro levels. Pretty easy read that isn't patronizing, and even people who understand football will find the facts and personal stories in the book exciting...if you're comfortable reading a book that says "Dummies" on the cover, that is.
Rating:
Summary: Good info, if a little too much
Review: This is a good, comprehensive book about all aspects of football. Howie Long goes into a HUGE amount of detail, especially on the defensive side of the ball. (Well, who can blame him? He's sticking to his expertise.) This avalanche of detail might be too much for someone who is looking for a brief overview. Great book for the casual-to-moderately-obsessed fan who wants to dig deeper, however.
Rating:
Summary: Good info, if a little too much
Review: This is a good, comprehensive book about all aspects of football. Howie Long goes into a HUGE amount of detail, especially on the defensive side of the ball. (Well, who can blame him? He's sticking to his expertise.) This avalanche of detail might be too much for someone who is looking for a brief overview. Great book for the casual-to-moderately-obsessed fan who wants to dig deeper, however.
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