Take Your Eye Off The Ball: How To Watch Football By Knowing Where To Look (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
If you spend 6+ hours on the weekends watching football, definitely get this book!A basic understanding of football is required for this book: 11 players on the field, first down is 10 yards, the yellow first down line on TV isn't on the actual field, etc. I picked up this book after listening to Jim Miller and the author, Pat Kirwan, on SiriusXM radio all season long and was blown away at their analysis of how the games would play out on Sunday. This book, like the show, is very insightful and a great resource for football knowledge.The book covers 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, and the different roles the front seven has in each system. You will also learn the difference between 4 buzz and 4 sky when a safety comes into the box for run support. There are charts the author uses to analyze the games and easy concepts to help understand what is going on and who is on the field (21 personnel, 12 personnel, etc). If you follow the draft, there is a draft section to help make sense of the combine and all the information that surrounds the off-season. (Explosion numbers, production ratios, etc). You'll also learn the differences between zone and angle blocking and how the LG should be more agile than the RG. Another favorite lesson was learning how to tell if the DBs are in zone or man coverage in pre-snap reads.Excellent book for someone who loves the game, understands the basics, and wants to learn more. A really outstanding book for people who know the basics of football, but want to take their understanding to a deeper level. As the title suggests, Kirwan takes you deep into the action that's happening all over the field when you're not looking--the offensive line, pass coverage, defensive schemes, and a whole lot more. There's also a lot of information about what happens off the field: scouting, the draft, and coaching. I have to say, that part of it felt like getting a glimpse inside the sausage factory. Coaches and staff at the college and pro level have football down to a science--an incredibly complex one at that--and the players are essentially glorified livestock (to call them "chess pieces" sounds more dignified, but that was not at all the feeling I got from descriptions of the NFL combine and draft, and the continuous horse trading that goes on between teams). I have a feeling I'll be coming back to this book again and again during football season. Highly recommended for fans!
What do You think about Take Your Eye Off The Ball: How To Watch Football By Knowing Where To Look (2010)?
It can get a little technical, but a must for those who want to understand the game.
—patrice
An informative eye opener, it takes you to another level of watching football.
—Tam123
This is a very good football book. Very readable.
—Amanda
