The Dark Side of the Game : My Life in the NFL

Rating:
Summary: A very honest book about NFL football by a former player.
Review: "When I meet people for the first time, and they learn that I played for eight years in the NFL, their eyes glaze over with that far away look of a person dreaming about what he'll do if he wins the lottery." With these lines, Tim Green begins his autobiography. I must offer Mr. Green my heartiest congratulations because it takes a lot for this history major to buy an autobiography in hard cover. The last one I did buy was Lewis Puller Jr's moving Pulitzer Prize winning autobiography, "Fortunate Son" before it won a Pulitzer PRize. Bottom line: iit akes a lot to convince me to buy a book, written by a livng person about themselves. .. such as the book being interesting enough to have read about half of it in the bookstore. With his fourth book, Tim Green, a former defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons, has written an amazingly funny, refreshingly honest book about life in the "Big Time " of football. This is a book for fan (Both rab id & non), and non fan alike, irregardless of sex. It details the highs, lows, follies and foibles of football, both on and off the field, explaining such mysteries as what players really say on the field to one another after, ("Hi Ttim, how are you?... Good Brett, how about you?... Good."), racism ("Whenever a team travels anywhere, two large buses are needed to move them. It's not uncommon for one bus to be predominatly filled with blacks, and the other with whites.") what players eat (anything edible that's not moving fast enough to get away.) what it's like to play at the Meadowlands, ("football in a can"), right on down to what football players wear under their uniforms, ("The hard facts are that protective cups, as they are known, are as uncommon in the NFL as painted toenails.") Guess that's why there are no Dennis Rodman's in football. This is not howerver, a book for stuffed shirts, especially those in the NFL who are more used to the game of football being treated with the awe and admiration usually reserved for a WWII documentary of aircraft carrier warfare in the Pacific or the Battle of the Atlantic in WWII. IF your're such a stuffed shirt you certaily won't want this book since it's not a hagiography. IT is definitely not a Steve Sabol film with it's glowing commentaries and beautifully filmed sequences. Far from it, this book is real, funny, and sad in places, such as in it's description of former players having to start all over agian trying to get along on the average person's salaary after years of having had credit cards with $50,000 limits, huge bank accounts and being spoiled and fawned over. In short, it manages to transform football from the usual two dimensional cutout sport seen on weekend TV into a three dimensional sport which can live on after the TV has been turned off. Most fans probably never thought about the constant pain that it takes to play this sport, or what happens t players after the fame and money are gone. They probably don't consider what Deion Sanders is like after the cameras and kleig lights are turned off, the effect of stingers or how to shake hands with an NFL player. Bassically this is the sort of book that tells it like it is and makes fans think of thinkgs they normally woudln't they way a good book should. It's the sort of book the NFL needs and it should not cause either the NFl or FOXTV which has a long term contract to broaddcst nfl games to either blacklist or fire Time Green. While this book has been called ane xpose, I for one disagree with the characterization. The term expose is more appropirately applied to the Inspector General's report on the goings on at the now infamous "Tailhook" convention that the Navy had in Las Vegas. When this report was published it changed the way the Navy addressed a lot of things, especially it's relationshiops between the sexes and the participation of women in combat slots in air warfare. This book while no haiography will not measurably change anything. And as for Tim Green, while he may never be Ernest Hemingway, this is an exceedingly well written book. (Sorry Big Guy... to many compound sentences, forget those commas, find a war, try for Alexandre Dumas,.... even better yet... Tim Green!) This book remind us that football is a game, big time entertainment, an even bigger business and something few people rarely even thing aoubt... a really physically demanding job. And he even managed to stay away from mentioning the cheerleaders. Enough T&A!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My only problems. with the book... too short and he never addressed the issue of the "meaningless pension plan".

Rating:
Summary: A very honest book about NFL football by a former player.
Review: "When I meet people for the first time, and they learn that I played for eight years in the NFL, their eyes glaze over with that far away look of a person dreaming about what he'll do if he wins the lottery." With these lines, Tim Green begins his autobiography. I must offer Mr. Green my heartiest congratulations because it takes a lot for this history major to buy an autobiography in hard cover. The last one I did buy was Lewis Puller Jr's moving Pulitzer Prize winning autobiography, "Fortunate Son" before it won a Pulitzer PRize. Bottom line: iit akes a lot to convince me to buy a book, written by a livng person about themselves. .. such as the book being interesting enough to have read about half of it in the bookstore. With his fourth book, Tim Green, a former defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons, has written an amazingly funny, refreshingly honest book about life in the "Big Time " of football. This is a book for fan (Both rab id & non), and non fan alike, irregardless of sex. It details the highs, lows, follies and foibles of football, both on and off the field, explaining such mysteries as what players really say on the field to one another after, ("Hi Ttim, how are you?... Good Brett, how about you?... Good."), racism ("Whenever a team travels anywhere, two large buses are needed to move them. It's not uncommon for one bus to be predominatly filled with blacks, and the other with whites.") what players eat (anything edible that's not moving fast enough to get away.) what it's like to play at the Meadowlands, ("football in a can"), right on down to what football players wear under their uniforms, ("The hard facts are that protective cups, as they are known, are as uncommon in the NFL as painted toenails.") Guess that's why there are no Dennis Rodman's in football. This is not howerver, a book for stuffed shirts, especially those in the NFL who are more used to the game of football being treated with the awe and admiration usually reserved for a WWII documentary of aircraft carrier warfare in the Pacific or the Battle of the Atlantic in WWII. IF your're such a stuffed shirt you certaily won't want this book since it's not a hagiography. IT is definitely not a Steve Sabol film with it's glowing commentaries and beautifully filmed sequences. Far from it, this book is real, funny, and sad in places, such as in it's description of former players having to start all over agian trying to get along on the average person's salaary after years of having had credit cards with $50,000 limits, huge bank accounts and being spoiled and fawned over. In short, it manages to transform football from the usual two dimensional cutout sport seen on weekend TV into a three dimensional sport which can live on after the TV has been turned off. Most fans probably never thought about the constant pain that it takes to play this sport, or what happens t players after the fame and money are gone. They probably don't consider what Deion Sanders is like after the cameras and kleig lights are turned off, the effect of stingers or how to shake hands with an NFL player. Bassically this is the sort of book that tells it like it is and makes fans think of thinkgs they normally woudln't they way a good book should. It's the sort of book the NFL needs and it should not cause either the NFl or FOXTV which has a long term contract to broaddcst nfl games to either blacklist or fire Time Green. While this book has been called ane xpose, I for one disagree with the characterization. The term expose is more appropirately applied to the Inspector General's report on the goings on at the now infamous "Tailhook" convention that the Navy had in Las Vegas. When this report was published it changed the way the Navy addressed a lot of things, especially it's relationshiops between the sexes and the participation of women in combat slots in air warfare. This book while no haiography will not measurably change anything. And as for Tim Green, while he may never be Ernest Hemingway, this is an exceedingly well written book. (Sorry Big Guy... to many compound sentences, forget those commas, find a war, try for Alexandre Dumas,.... even better yet... Tim Green!) This book remind us that football is a game, big time entertainment, an even bigger business and something few people rarely even thing aoubt... a really physically demanding job. And he even managed to stay away from mentioning the cheerleaders. Enough T&A!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My only problems. with the book... too short and he never addressed the issue of the "meaningless pension plan".

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully written dramatic description of real NFL life
Review: After reading the introduction, I returned to the cover of the book to see with whom the author co-wrote this book. His fascinating use of imagery and metaphor give the most uninterested a real-life feeling of football in the NFL. The reader comes to appreciate how, contrary to our mis- conceptions, NFL players, aside from their size, and what must be a "recessive gene in their brains prone to violence," they are real people, with real lives, cares and concerns. Yet, for all of the ups and downs of the NFL, and the difficulties which Green so eloquently describes, I find it hard to commiserate with the hardships of the NFL, and the pitfalls of professional football. Green, while cogniznant of the money and fame that football brings the players, nonetheless tries to evoke empathy for them, something I find difficult to have...

Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING, REALISTIC, AND A REAL EYE OPENER!!
Review: I absolutely loved this book! The chapters are very short but extremely descriptive. It covers every aspect of the game after the x's and o's. I read this book in its entirity in less than three days, the most I have read in a very long time!! Excellent book!

Rating:
Summary: A very fast read
Review: I give this book a positive review but at least one criticism is well founded; the chapters are very short. I knew that somewhere in this book he would talk about football groupies. I wasn't disappointed. However, after those few pages, all I know is that groupies are more trouble than they are worth. Big deal. I wanted some good stories. Aren't there any? Still, I read the whole thing in 3 nights because it went so fast.

Rating:
Summary: Surprising and eye-opening, a fine overview
Review: I had hoped that Tim Green would've addressed some of the really dark topics of the game such as organized crime influence, throwing games, etc. But the subjects he hits on were very informative and give some good insight as to what it's like to play football in the NFL. He paints a good picture of all the ups and downs of playing and gives fair warnings to all young players fortunate to rise to the pro level. Alot of his opinions are colorful and relevant and the book is very readable with many short chapters each packed with unique information. This is a must read for anyone who loves the game.

Rating:
Summary: Intelligent and informing
Review: I really thought that Tim Green's "The Dark Side of the Game" is a great book and lets fans in on many details that they would not know from simply watching a game on television. It provides fans with information on almost everything from training camp to playoffs and everything in between. Although Tim gives his opinions on the greatnesses and drawbacks of the game, he does not mention why he quit the game and it is a quick book to read

Rating:
Summary: Tim Green shines on and off the field
Review: I recomend this book to everyone. From the hardcore fan to the most novice fan. My girlfriend loved this book and she knew nothing about football. It reveals the truth about pro football.

Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected
Review: I thought that a book entitled "The Dark Side of the Game" would present a no-holds-barred look at the underside of the NFL. Instead, Green comes off more as an apologist. Moreover, his prose is boringly simplistic. If you're looking for something more than light reading, look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and insightful!
Review: I thought this book was an excellent example of the prolitariat propaganda against the common man, uh, sorry, person. Especially the way Prof. Green describes the plight of the third world. There are very few examples of such profound profidity. Perhaps what makes the novel so compelling, is it's subtle lack of hypocrisy which, I for one, have found all too often in this cynical world that we co-habitate with our extra-terrestrial friends (and I do mean friends, not those evil bastards from Indpendence Day or Starship Troopers!!!!!). Not only is it a superb commentary on man and his, uh sorry, people, and their, ability to see beyond themselves, but the way that the novel wraps up is truly a finish that will inspire the masses. And when I say masses I don't mean in the physical sense, but rather, I mean the existentiality of human persistence. You know what I mean, G. In other words, this dang ol' book prutty darn good, eh, Boomhauer?