Coaching / Football

Fourth and Long: The Fight for the Soul of College Football John U. Bacon FIRST EDITION. Hardcover in DJ in Good Condition Why we love the game, what is at risk, and the fight to save it.In search of the sport’s old ideals amid the roaring flood of hypocrisy and greed, bestselling author John U. Bacon embedded himself in four programs—Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and Northwestern—and captured college football’s oldest, biggest, most storied league, the Big Ten, at its tipping point. He sat in as coaches dissected game film, he ate dinner at training tables, and he listened in locker rooms. He talked with tailgating fans and college presidents, and he spent months in the company of the gifted young athletes who play the game.None of Bacon’s discoveries is more poignant than this: the last, true defenders of the student-athlete ideal are the players themselves, who, even as money changes everything around them, are left to carry the future of the league, the game, and more than a century of tradition on their backs every fall Saturday.Fourth and Long reveals intimate scenes behind closed doors, from a team’s angry face-off with their athletic director to a defensive lineman acing his master’s exams in theoretical math. It captures the private moment when coach Urban Meyer earned the devotion of Ohio State’s Buckeyes on their way to a perfect season. It shows Michigan’s athletic department endangering the very traditions that distinguish the college game from all others. And it recreates the euphoria of the Northwestern Wildcats winning their first bowl game in decades, even as they do honor to the student-athlete ideal.Most unforgettably, Fourth and Long finds what the national media missed in the ugly aftermath of Penn State’s tragic scandal: the unheralded story of players who joined forces with Coach Bill O’Brien to save the university’s treasured program—and with it, a piece of the game’s soul.This is the work of a writer in love with an old game—a game he sees at the precipice. Bacon’s deep knowledge of sports history and his sensitivity to the tribal subcultures of the college game power this elegy to a beloved and endangered American institution. Fourth and Long: The Fight for the Soul of College Football John U. Bacon FIRST EDITION. Hardcover in DJ in Good Condition Why we love the game, what is at risk, and the fight to save it. In search of the sport’s old ideals amid the roaring flood of hypocrisy and greed, bestselling author John U. Bacon embedded himself in four programs—Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, and Northwestern—and captured college football’s oldest, biggest, most storied league, the Big Ten, at its tipping point. He sat in as coaches dissected game film, he ate dinner at training tables, and he listened in locker rooms. He talked with tailgating fans and college presidents, and he spent months in the company of the gifted young athletes who play the game. None of Bacon’s discoveries is more poignant than this: the last, true defenders of the student-athlete ideal are the players themselves, who, even as money changes everything around them, are left to carry the future of the league, the game, and more than a century of tradition on their backs every fall Saturday. Fourth and Long reveals intimate scenes behind closed doors, from a team’s angry face-off with their athletic director to a defensive lineman acing his master’s exams in theoretical math. It captures the private moment when coach Urban Meyer earned the devotion of Ohio State’s Buckeyes on their way to a perfect season. It shows Michigan’s athletic department endangering the very traditions that distinguish the college game from all others. And it recreates the euphoria of the Northwestern Wildcats winning their first bowl game in decades, even as they do honor to the student-athlete ideal. Most unforgettably, Fourth and Long finds what the national media missed in the ugly aftermath of Penn State’s tragic scandal: the unheralded story of players who joined forces with Coach Bill O’Brien to save the university’s treasured program—and with it, a piece of the game’s soul. This is the work of a writer in love with an old game—a game he sees at the precipice. Bacon’s deep knowledge of sports history and his sensitivity to the tribal subcultures of the college game power this elegy to a beloved and endangered American institution. &times Buy now and save! Shipping info Click the Shipping & Payments tab above the listing description for more info Click the Shipping & Payments tab above the listing description for more info! Additional delivery notes PAYMENT Immediate payment is required upon selecting « Buy It Now » or upon checking out through the cart. We accept payment via U.S. PayPal accounts and all Major Credit Cards, Debit Cards & Google Pay. eBay is legally required to collect sales tax in those states and localities where eBay maintains a physical presence (nexus). The applicable amount of sales tax charged to an order will be calculated based on the shipment destination’s state and local sales tax laws. Thank you for shopping with us on eBay! Additional Information No additional information at this time Ask seller a question You might also like 1977 Carl Hungness Racing Cars Magazine Vol.1 #3 THE POTENTATES by Ben B. Seligman (1971 First Printing) John Mayall: Blues Breaker by Richard Newman Webster’s New Explorer Large Print Dictionary by Merriam-Webster Contact To contact our Customer Service Team, simply click the button here and our Customer Service team will be happy to assist. Ask seller a question © Ex Libris Uséd Books Shipping & Payments Click the Shipping & Payments tab above the listing description for more info Payment Accepted Payment Methods PayPal Returns Returns are accepted Items must be returned within 30 days of the auction ending Buyer will pay for return shipping. eBay integration by