Rating: 
Summary: A Good Effort
Review: I used to enjoy Tim Green's commentaries on NPR and broadcasts on Fox (I believe he's a college coach, now) so I did enjoy this work. By breaking his ideas into non-chronological topics, it flows well - you can read this over a series of weeks and not lose anything. As some of the commentators have noted, one can read man of his insights elsewhere - but for the average fan wanting to know what it's like, this is probably the best place to start. Also as others have noted, he does seem a bit protective of the league. As he was employed by Fox at the time, I'd like to know if he'd do anything different now that he is not. He does take some stands that many readers will take exception with (myself included). Among them are: * NFLers aren't more apt to commit crime than the public at large * NFLers have as tough a time as you to get a (non-groupie) date * Soccer causes many more injuries than pro football * The whole NFL pre-season could be conducted in 1/3 the time. Yet he also points out how being eliminated in the playoffs can be a tremendous relief for many players, the differences in mindset between the offense and the defense and how players and their money are soon parted. In short - the perfect NFL insider book probably has yet to be written. This would make for a good start.
Rating: 
Summary: Drops few names, vague, not well written
Review: I was disappointed by this long, winding, dull account of life in the NFL. Tim Green, who keeps telling us how smart he is, rarely gives us the scoop. He'll say, "Someone I knew did this once." On groupies, he tells us that NFL players stay away from them, and can't get girls -- yeah, right. In a book about the dark side of the game, he fails to address the type of violence demonstrated recently in the Rae Carruth, Ray Lewis, and Fred Lane situations, nor does he explore the NFL's drug culture -- Bam Morris, Andre Rison -- nor does he get into the real problems with college football and how so many players with college educations can be so dumb. I was hoping for something better.
Rating:
Summary: Drops few names, vague, not well written
Review: I was disappointed by this long, winding, dull account of life in the NFL. Tim Green, who keeps telling us how smart he is, rarely gives us the scoop. He'll say, "Someone I knew did this once." On groupies, he tells us that NFL players stay away from them, and can't get girls -- yeah, right. In a book about the dark side of the game, he fails to address the type of violence demonstrated recently in the Rae Carruth, Ray Lewis, and Fred Lane situations, nor does he explore the NFL's drug culture -- Bam Morris, Andre Rison -- nor does he get into the real problems with college football and how so many players with college educations can be so dumb. I was hoping for something better.
Rating:
Summary: Green should have punted.
Review: I've been waiting for a dry-eyed look at the current state of the NFL, its players, coaches, front offices and officials. Unfortunately, this book isn't the one. The title entices us with a promise of a "look behind the scenes," but most chapters (in reality, many are 1-2 pages long [!?]) contain information that could be easily obtained from the local newspaper or USA Today. A typical chapter might begin, "People always ask me what it's like to [insert activity here] in the NFL. In reality, it's no different from any other job." Well, if that's the case, why write a chapter, let alone a book? I understand that Green is trying to demystify the league and its players, but it's difficult, if not impossible, to praise and criticize the league simultaneously. Say what you want about Howard Cosell, but he didn't flinch when it came time to lower the boom on pro football, a sport that he loved and covered for so many years. Green pulls way too many punches in this book. Green keeps too many people anonymous in his "exposes" of incidents involving former teammates, coaches, or front office types. Nobody likes sour grapes, but after a while all the shadowy figures start to look the same. How 'bout a name or two to help us visualize, Tim? Most humorous is the (unintentional) contradiction drawn by Green himself between the book's title and his introduction, in which he states, "I have no agenda here." Seems to me that the subtitle of the book would dictate that Green address directly problems like steroid use and 'name names.' I read passages like "it's a problem, the league knows about it, and there's no easy solution" too often for my taste. I'm not laying all the blame at Green's feet for the lukewarm nature of this book. He has a TV job, his friendship with former teammates and coaches, and future books to protect, and I understand that he's not willing to jeopardize all or even some of that. However, a look at the "dark side" has to go beyond how to skip 3 weeks of training camp.
Rating:
Summary: interesting reading for NFL fans
Review: If you follow the NFL or pro sports in general, you'll enjoy reading this book. There are no major revelations here - it does confirm some of what is speculated in terms of bending the rules with equipment, athletes pushing their bodies to the limit and then some, and players taking a range of medications to block pain and stay on the field. The best parts of the book give a glimpse of life in the NFL. Written before the HBO series on training camp, Green's book describes how tough the summer ritual can be and what it is like from week to week. He writes in a straightforward style and the chapters are arranged topically. Green wrote this nonfiction book before his series of fiction.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Read, Engrossing Inside Look At The NFL
Review: In his book, The Dark Side of The Game, Tim Green disproves the stereotype that all NFL jocks are as dumb as a stump. Green's book is engrossing, I just could not put it down. Each chapter is short (2 to 3 pages), covering a different topic in the life of an NFL player, including topics such as training camp, sleeping during team meetings, playing with pain, drug usage, and an insight to players from the perspective of a player. Green, player turned broadcaster, has seen the game from both sides of the field, and understands (and explains) why players hate the media and vise versa. This is not your typical "My Story" as told by a former player to a writer. Rather, this is an excellent book giving a rare and fair look at the inside of the NFL. Any fan of the game of football should love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Good Read, Engrossing Inside Look At The NFL
Review: In his book, The Dark Side of The Game, Tim Green disproves the stereotype that all NFL jocks are as dumb as a stump. Green's book is engrossing, I just could not put it down. Each chapter is short (2 to 3 pages), covering a different topic in the life of an NFL player, including topics such as training camp, sleeping during team meetings, playing with pain, drug usage, and an insight to players from the perspective of a player. Green, player turned broadcaster, has seen the game from both sides of the field, and understands (and explains) why players hate the media and vise versa. This is not your typical "My Story" as told by a former player to a writer. Rather, this is an excellent book giving a rare and fair look at the inside of the NFL. Any fan of the game of football should love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Tim Green reveals the hidden truths of the NFL.
Review: In The Dark Side of the Game, Green reveals the negatives and positive outlooks in the NFL that will truly surprise the heck out of anyone. It reveals the truth about agents, money, size impact, and facts about Deion Sanders that will make you like him. Because of Tim Green's excellent ability to accurately talk football life; I was vastly hooked on this book. I was never hooked that bad before! I recommend this book to total hard-core fans, players and men who wants the truth and nothing but the truth. THIS BOOK IS THE REAL DEAL. Enough said.
Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT!!!!!! CAPTIVATING and WELL WRITTEN!!!!
Review: Mr. Green is an excellent writer. He sticks to the facts and conveys his experience in a professional manner
Rating:
Summary: I KEPT SAYING "YES, YES, " HE IS SO RIGHT ON!!!!!1
Review: My husband played for the Atlanta Falcons at the same time as Tim Green. His wife is a good friend of mine and an equally special person! I've never met anyone so intelligent in my life! Tim wanted to room with my husband, Scott Fulhage, because he is quiet and Tim would have been able to read and write. I can't say enough good about Tim Green. Super Guy, GREAT husband, unbelievable father and just an all around nice person!
Love ya Tim, Cyndy Fulhag
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