Football For Dummies® [Paperback]

At last, the Dummies series is tackling football. Former Raider all-pro defensive end and current Fox TV analyst Howie Long calls the signals, and if he doesn't always go deep--he's got a lot of ground to cover--at least he connects. With all its X's and O's, football is a complicated sport, and Long works hard to smooth the way: "Once you break through that initial fear of being overwhelmed by football and what you don't understand," he counsels, "I know everything else about the game, like dominoes, will fall into place." In his role as guide, Long plays those dominoes, from peewees to the pros to the fantasy leagues, explaining positions, analyzing offenses and defenses, and detailing strategies. As with all Dummies guides, the fun part is the "Part of Tens," the series of top-10 lists that dig in for the final chapter. He scores big with his inclusions of John Hannah and Hugh McElhenny among the greatest offensive players ever, but should be penalized for overemphasizing tight ends and forgetting the electricity that wide receivers bring to the game. This, of course, reflects a defensive end's natural bias; since they muck it up more with the hulkier tight ends, they simply let the speedballs fly by. --Jeff Silverman

Get in on all the play-by-play action of professional and college football. Eight-time Pro Bowl defensive end, award-winning TV commentator, and action-adventure movie star Howie Long takes you into the huddle and onto the playing field with Football For Dummies, a complete look at all the plays, positions, and penalties of the game, along with plenty of game-day insight and playing-field strategies. Baseball may be America's favorite pastime, says Howie, but football is America's passion. From the first kickoff of the preseason to the final seconds of the Super Bowl, you'll have a greater understanding of the game after you've read Football For Dummies. From the basics of the game (Are footballs really covered with pigskin? And what's a "gridiron," anyway?) to offensive and defensive plays, armchair quarterbacks, and the art of staying fit, Long tells all. Plus, check out Howie's Part of Tens, with his hits on the ten greatest coaches, offensive and defensive players, and teams of all time -- along with a "Dream Team" roster and complete "Football Speak" glossary.

"Howie's book has got it all!" Jimmy Johnson, Former Head Coach, Miami Dolphins Praise for Football for Dummies "Full of insights, strategies, and me!" — Terry Bradshaw, FOX NFL Commentator and Former NFL Quarterback "Howie's passion and enthusiasm for football comes through on every page!" — John Elway, Quarterback, MVP, Super Bowl XXXIII "Football For Dummies has all the answers and more!" — Bill Cowher, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Steelers

Your playbook for positions, rules, and penalties

Decipher the Xs and Os — from the Zone Blitz to the Run-and-Shoot You won't have to fumble around for expert football advice using this friendly guide. Tackle the intricacies of the game with these tips on everything from plays and strategies to youth teams and fantasy football leagues. Whether you're a player, fan, parent, or coach, you'll find these pointers from one of football's greats invaluable.

Discover how to: Decipher football terms and lingo Understand basic run formations Interpret referee signals Understand defense and offense Gear up with pads, shoes, and more Get in game shape

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John Czarnecki has reported on the last 19 Super Bowls and has consulted for the NFL Today and currently for FOX NFL Sunday. A former newspaperman with such dailies as the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and the Dallas Morning News, Czarnecki is a frequent pro football contributor to Sport and Inside Sports magazines.; Howie Long is a former Oakland/Los Angeles Raider defensive end with eight Pro Bowl appearances, a Super Bowl XVIII victory over the Washington Redskins, and many other accolades to his credit. His size (6'5", 275 pounds), combined with his speed, strength, intensity, durability, and explosive quickness, set him apart. Long retired from the NFL after the 1993 season.

Long currently is a commentator on the Emmy Award-winning FOX NFL Sunday program, which is the most-watched NFL pregame show in America. His previous television broadcasting credits include ESPN's Up Close, on which he had a regular segment discussing current sports issues; HBO's Inside the NFL; the weekly NFL Diary; NBC's NFL Live as a guest studio analyst; and Costas Coast to Coast. He also wrote the opening chapter to Bo Jackson's book, Bo Knows Bo.

Long is no stranger to the limelight, as he's been involved in many commercials and campaigns for Nike, Hanes, Coca-Cola, and Pizza Hut. He also made his big-screen debut in the action-adventure film Broken Arrow with John Travolta and Christian Slater and was featured in the 1998 film Firestorm.

At Villanova University, Long was a four-year letterman in football as a defensive lineman. He was All-East and honorable mention All-American as a senior, and was tabbed the Most Valuable Player in the 1980 Blue-Gray Game. He was also a champion boxer as an undergraduate and graduated with a degree in communications in 1981.