More than a Game: The Glorious Present and Uncertain Future of the NFL

by Brian Billick, Michael MacCambridge (Contributor)

A Super Bowl-winning former head coach provides an insider perspective on how off-field battles affect playtime competitions, sharing the additional insights of influential NFL figures to discuss how team building is negotiated and the economic pressures facing coaches and players.

Genres: Sports, Football, Nonfiction, Leadership

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am enough of a football fan to like the book despite its weaknesses. It does not really deliver on its promise to show you a behind the scenes look at offenses, defenses, etc.

The more interesting parts were his comments of the evolution of the game and its future. Clearly the NFL is king, but just as clearly, there are potentially rocky times ahead. Because I am a nerd, in some ways the NFL reminds of the Roman empire. Among the potential problems:

1. Just as the empire expanded under Augustus at a time when consolidation was called for, so too the NFL has pushed new stadiums that increase the debt load of many teams. This done at a time when labor negotiations will be at their most precarious in more than 20 years.

2. Monetizing the game - if for the owners it becomes 'less than a game' and a money making venture primarily, they will squander their connection with fans and players - i.e. new stadium experiences for fans which are alienating, the 18 game season for players. Again - during the empire, one gets a sense of expansion for expansions sake.

3. As the stakes get higher and there is more to lose for both sides - the danger is that change will have to be managed and the NFL will be managed more by bureaucrats and less by 'sportsmen.' One thinks of the army of administrators under some of the 2nd century AD emperors that controlled and harnessed all information. Few organizations are as control oriented as the NFL (witness the fines for wearing wrong shoes, coaches can only wear league gear, etc.)

None of these are death sentences, but extricating themselves from this will require some creative leadership. Does this current situation allow for creative action? Will Godell and the Union have it in them? Will they play chicken? If so, the loser will be embarrassed and seek revenge later.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A terrific book written by someone who knows the in's and out's of the NFL. Brian Billick does a great job of walking the reader thru what the behind the scenes look like for an NFL franchise. As a former coach for Baltimore as well as working for S.F. and Minnesota he covers such topics as: salary cap (teams have a Capologist?), drafting, contract incentives, evaluating talent (especially QB's), the mystery behind the cryptic play terminology, GM's, owners, and the league in general. Billick has proven to be a winning coach (won a Super Bowl), a football broadcaster and now a very competent writer. He uses lots of anecdotes, quotes and insider info to look into the current NFL. Rarely if ever does he personally attack players, coaches or other league officials, he chooses rather to use positive examples instead. This is not a tell all memoir, rather an informative collection of NFL thoughts. I definitely recommend this for all NFL fans (both the rabid and casual) as it will enhance your football knowledge helping you enjoy Sunday afternoons more without giving you more to be disappointed in concerning professional sports. Nicely done Mr. Bellick

[Cory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent look at football behind the scenes. Billick goes over almost every aspect of what's involved in coaching an NFL franchise, as well as valuable insights about how different GM's run their teams. It goes far beyond the X and O's, though there's plenty of breakdowns of common defensive (Tampa/Cover 2 defenses, zone blitzing, etc) and offensive (spread offense, power running game, etc) philosophies. He delves into the issues surrounding the end of the current CBA (the book was written two years ago.. wish it would've come out sooner and been required reading for owners and players) and offers solutions how he thinks they could be resolved.

Billick also goes into great lengths about the future of the game, offering up different scenarios of what could happen.. as long as the NFL keeps running and avoids the total breakdown that would be caused by a work stoppage. The book is a must-read for any NFL fan, serious or casual.

[Mahlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you combine one of the most respected offensive minds in the game, with one of the top sports authors working today? An engaging whirlwind tour of the modern NFL, combined with keen insights into it's possible future. It's a must read for every fan of the game. Given that the book is short, no subject is covered in depth, but the book is well crafted to disguise this fact, and you'll feel as if you've really learned something by the end of each chapter. Every football fan, from NFL neophyte to hard-core fanatic will get something from this book.

[Beyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coach Billick does a fine job of explaining how all aspects of the NFL must work together: owners, coaches, players, media, etc.

[Shahwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book. This book was written by someone that really enjoys the game of football and understands. If you like then NFL this is a great book since it talks about the current state of NFL teams and the history of NFL. This book gives a excellent view on what happens behind the scenes of a football team. This book has excellent information on being a football coach since it talks about all the aspects of a football coach.

[Regan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Brian Billick discusses the history of the NFL, the current state (including details about the lockout) of the NFL, and where the NFL is headed. He talks about major changes in the industry and how they have positively and negatively affected the owners, coaches, players, and even the fans. Every aspect of the industry is reviewed in great detail. From filthy rich owners who could afford all the expensive changes the National Football League was facing at the time this book was written, from greedy players to unqualified coaches, this book covers every bit of information you wouldn't expect to be going on behind the scenes.
Brian Billick was the former coach of the Baltimore Ravens, whom he led to a Superbowl victory before he became a sport analyst for ESPN. These positions help him to describe what's really going on with the industry. He holds inside information along with a different perspective that really does allow fans to understand why football is "more than a game." Billick also goes into great detail about the NFL's past and how it got started. He even quotes many old coaches who made the game what it is today and includes details about ex players and scores on noteworthy games from 20+ years ago. This valuable knowledge helped me as a fan realize so much more about the game. It made me realize why people paint their whole bodies and lose their inhibitions on game day, why you hear about coaches and players losing sleep and losing their mind when a season starts to fall apart, and why owners even want to buy a professional football team in the first place.
I rated the book four out of five stars because although it was very insightful, at times the numbers and statistics could get a little dry. As a fan, I am more interested in the excitement of game day rather than all the business behind it. I'm happy I read it and improved my football knowledge though. The author made me understand so much more about the game.

[C Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian Billick was the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens for nine years and his team won Super Bowl XXXV thanks mostly to its great defense. Prior to that he was the offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings, at the time one of the most prolific offenses in league history.

Having stepped away from the game for a while Billick has written a nice little monograph on today’s game. This is not a biography of Billick or the inside scoop of what it’s like to be a head coach in the National Football League, although a little bit of that is in here. Instead is a topical “conversation” about issues facing the National Football League today.

Billick does a nice job explaining some of the modern day offensive and defensive schemes proliferating around the NFL and gives a nice synopsis of the progression of the now pass oriented game of professional football and how that has changed the modern game. He also briefly discusses the “wildcat” offense where the running back takes the snap directly and can either pass or throw the ball. Billick does not think the “wildcat” offense will be around too long as defenses are likely to catch up with it.

The most concerning part of the book is where Billick discusses the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), the player’s union. If an agreement is not reached there could be a lock out and no football in the near future. Hopefully it will not come to that as professional football has been able to avoid the damaging play stoppage that has plagued other leagues, most notably the National Hockey League, which has yet to recover from its lost season.
There are many other tidbits of football knowledge in this book and it is well worth a read by fans of the National Football League.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picture yourself in one of the top spots of the largest sports network getting paid millions of dollars. Crazy right? And not just that! Coaching about 30 - 50 players, and in charge of many other coaches and coordinators. Brian Billick, former 9 year Baltimore Ravens, Head Coach, describes his fun yet tough years in the NFL.

This autobiography was actually pretty challenging. If you are not a football fan, I recommend you look for something else. There are many tough parts in the book that could require you to go back and reread. Brian Billick is basically talking about how his career was in the NFL, so if you like first person books, this could be a good book for you. Brian Billick never gave up even when things were tough. He always had his team’s back as well. This is pretty much the theme of the book, never giving up even when times are tough.

In general, I thought the book was pretty good. I love football, so that basically contributed to the fact I like sports books. I also love reading about real stories that happened. Fictional stories aren’t my thing, so this being true was a big factor as well. I love how Brian wasn’t afraid to tell his story even though he was let down and had tough times now and then. This is definitely a high quality book because of the detail and first person perspective. I would encourage those sports and autobiography lovers to check this book out. Now that this book is out there, it is definitely more than a game. Another whole career for Brian has approached him. “... I was reminded of how much I love the game of professional football.”

[Paul Schulzetenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite surprisingly, this is the rare football book cowritten by a major figure that isn't a self-indulgent memoir. Billick instead has penned a book about the external factors of the game. He chose a well-regarded coauthor who is more than a mere ghostwriter, and it shows. This result is a treat for the intelligent football fan.

The book takes a while to get off the ground, meandering and talking a little bit too much about Billick's time with the Ravens. However, finally, Billick begins to talk about the dynamics of offensive and defensive strategy, and how they have changed over the last 30 years. Here's where the book really starts to shine. Billick explains, in an easy-to-follow yet in-depth manner, just how the 49ers of the 80s revolutionized the passing game, how the zone blitz was developed as a reaction to cut down on all the short passes, and how multiple wide receiver sets can give the zone blitz problems. It's exactly the kind of coverage the mouth-breathing daily sports media very rarely covers, and what is integral to really understanding the game.

Billick ends with dire predictions about the consequences of the possible 2011 work stoppage, and why the players and owners are likely to come to loggerheads. It's proved prophetic thusfar with the upcoming capless season, and it may be even more starkly realistic when we see some or all of the 2011 season lost. The dour message is well-delivered, and Billick raises some interesting points about what it could mean for the preeminence of football. Certainly worth reading for football fans.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brian Billick knows his football and presents a lot of insider information and anecdotes here. This probably isn't a book for beginners, but for fans who are looking for more advanced topics than Football 101, this will meet your needs.

My one criticism is a major one. The theme of the book is the "upcoming" collective bargaining negotiations between the NFL and the NFLPA. Billick has sort of a doomsday attitude about the work stoppages and rule changes that might occur and spends a lot of time discussing what might happen.

What's wrong with this is that the CBA was negotiated in 2010/11. This book was published sometime in 2009, giving it a very short shelf life.

Billick's doom-and-gloom for the CBA never came to pass, and many of his main points are already outdated. It would have been a better book if he had written about the union in general; not about specific wedge issues that would take place in 6-12 months.

For that reason, it was hard to really like this book, knowing ahead of time that there wasn't a strike and the salary cap didn't get eliminated, like Billick prognosticated. He should have kept those thoughts to a magazine editorial, not a book that would be out of date 6 months after it went to press.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billick and his ghost-writer write clearly and concisely, but this book was ultimately disappointing in that there isn't much that is revealed in the way of inside information. A significant portion of the book serves as a warning about ways in which pro football is bound to change, and some of those apocalyptic predictions have not worn so well eight years later.

[Brock Gobin]

I just started reading this book yesterday and i am already very into it. I think i like this book so much because it is about football. It is very interesting how the author talks about what has happend and what he thinks will happen in the future. He talks about all the problems he has had being a coach and how he solved them. it is very interesting to read about some of the games in the past that he has had a part in.


December 15th
I am only a week into this book and i am already almost done with it. I havent been able to put the book down because it is a very good book. This is my new all time favorite book and i think i like it so much because it goes so in depth about football. This book is very interesting because it comes from an old coachs' viewpoint on the nfl and what goes on. i am on page 180 already because it is so interesting and i cant put it down. I think i will finish this book within a few days and then i will review how the ending is, but so far it is a very good book overall.

[Zack Lett · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Than A Game- Brian Billick- Scribner- 285 pages What do you get when you combine one of the most respected offensive minds in the game, with one of the top sports authors working today?The book talked about the coaches and even how the owners can affect the team. The coaches have a lot of responsibilities such as getting the team ready, deciding what plays they want to run that week, watching and studying opponents film, and making sure the other coaches are doing their job.The book is dramatic about the future of the NFL. Billick, being a former coach, gives insights into the inner workings of the business from the players’ attitudes to the NFL Network. I enjoyed the book More Than A Game because it has to do with my favorite sport, football is very inspiring to me because when I was little I grew up watching it on TV and watching my cousin win a state championship in 2001, ever since I got introduced to this sport I’ve been playing it my whole life.

[Carianne Carleo-Evangelist · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fabulous and current read about the NFL. While there have been other books written in this vein, Billick's is unique in that it's current and written in a year where he's almost immediately removed from his coaching gig. It was also current enough to include important off season changes and situations, ie.e Lynch's gun issues. The book also went in depth into the game's history to touch on things such as situations - what would Archie Manning have been like if he played with teams that were as good as his sons? Billick touched on his background as HC with the Ravens and OC for the Vikings (especially relevant with the Vikings success here in 2009) to write a book that drew the fans into questions they may or may not have otherwise realized. He also touched on combine situations and drafting questions without getting deep into territory of other books that focus there, such as The Draft. A great read for all levels of football fan

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

And now a sports book about a sport I actually do like by an author who I had thought of as egotistical and arrogant (at least when he was a head coach). It turns out that Billick is actually funny and self-effacing, in addition to being very knowledgeable about football. He looks at lots of different aspects of football (coaching, being the GM, offense, defense, etc) and offers both his own opinions and the opinions of other professionals in the league. Almost all of it is interesting, and much of it is insightful. The book is short, so he doesn't go into too much depth in any one area.

The biggest quibble I have is how he manages to talk about player behavior and standards, and manages to not mention his best player was involved in a murder (he plead guilty to obstruction of justice).

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good, quick overview of the mechanisms of the modern day NFL. It's not too out of date but was written before this recent 2011 lock out. Billick did say that there would be some form of a missed season so his instincts are pretty on. Having been a casual football fan since the 70s, I understand the game from a casual fan perspective. This book reveals a little more than what the casual fan knows so I learned a few things. And it's nice that it isn't too in depth, since that would've probably not held my interest. Billick does NOT cover any fantasy football info but, if you are a fan of the game and either a casual or novice follower, this book will definitely give you some insight and I recommend it.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a decent - if superficial - overview of the challenges that all parties related to the NFL are facing. The players, coaches, owners and the league office are all sketched out, as is the current business problems and the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotations.

However, I found most of the analysis to be superficial and brief. I was hoping for more detail on how the business is conducted - contracts, negotiations, etc. The business content it did give seemed to be fleeting, and the book made no effort to follow up on broad statements of fact.

[Lenox Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an outstanding insight into the who-what-how of football coaching. billick is indeed a little bitter about leaving the league, but he appears to be most concerned with the 2011 collective bargaining agreement.

i was enthralled with the details of the game. without condescension and yet without dumbing it down, billick explained a lot of strategy that makes a football fan jump with glee. it was written well, conversationally, and a great read. I wish there were more like it.

[Mary Kruft · Rating 3 out of 5]

great learning experience for someone who just can't get enough NFL..3 1/2 stars......amazing to learn about the life of coaches & understand the business aspect more.....and of course, Billick is my fav coach & commentator......so I may be biased. Loved his devoted references to his wife & daughters.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billick does a decent job going over many of the details "behind the scenes" related to running an NFL football team. The book is a bit brief, though. I was constantly left wishing he'd have dug deeper and gone into more explanation. Some readers might get tired of the personal anecdotes Billick scatters throughout the book, but they didn't really bother me.

[Jim Melcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better-than-average sports book. This one pairs the longtime NFL coach with a veteran sportswriter to look behind the scenes at the National Football League. Some portions are dated as they come before the last labor agreement--the anticipation of which is a major topic in the book--but it still is a worthwhile read. It was definitely worth $1 at Dollar Tree!

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that discusses the business, future, and innovations of the modern NFL written from a former coach and football analyst's perspective.

I'd recommend this book to football fans looking to understand the game itself, the future of the game, and the marketing of the game.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview - interesting perspective. Includes summaries of current labor and management positions and personalities. Also includes his views on the upcoming possible work stoppage for the NFL - if compromise is not sought enthusiastically by all.

[Jocelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first chapter is a little dramatic about the near future of the NFL. Billick, being a former coach, gives insights into the inner workings of the business from the players' attitudes to the NFL Network.

[Anthony Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intelligent and insightful look into the modern NFL by an expert in his field, Brian Billick. The only reason I didn't give this five stars is that it is a little short and it felt like it was over before it really got going.

[Steve C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read for fans of the NFL. Describes the business as well as the game of professional football

[Ichael Otley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight into the current NFL structure and politics if you are into that kind of thing. Not for the casual fan!

[Nader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great insight into the world of professional football, some inside information, and information on the coming labor dispute.

[Jim Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read that serves as a solid introduction to the business side of the NFL. It definitely allowed me to appreciate another layer of the complex system that is professional football.