Title/Author:
“Gridiron
Genius: A Master Class in Winning Championships and Building Dynasties in the
NFL” by Michael Lombardi
Tags:
Football
(American), professional, 49ers, Patriots, coaching
Publish
date:
September 11, 2018
Length:
288 pages
Rating:
4 of 5
stars (Very Good)
Review:
One of the most demanding jobs in all of sports is
the head coach of an NFL team. It takes meticulous planning, people skills
sharp enough to handle scores of large egos, attention to detail on everything
from offensive plays to the menu for the training table and of course,
intelligence. This book by Michael Lombardi tells how two of the greatest
coaches in the history of the league, Bill Walsh and Bill Belichick, were able
to build the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots respectively into the
best teams of their era.
Lombardi breaks down the duties of the head coach
into each aspect of building a team. Whether it is the madness that is draft
day in the NFL, the rigors of training camp, game preparation, or the nuances of
each unit, Lombardi tells the philosophy of these legendary coaches in each of
these parts of the job in an informative and easy reading style. There are
enough passages that are story-driven so that the reader can easily relate to
some part of the anecdote even if they have never played or watched
football. The best example of a passage
like this was when Lombardi was describing his driving duties for Walsh. The
travel time was far from quiet – indeed, Lombardi was comparing it to the
popular Carpool Karaoke skits. However
instead of singing, the two would be talking football and what the 49ers needed
in order to improve.
If instead of stories, the reader is interested in
hardcore football talk including strategy, game planning and execution, there
is plenty of that type of writing as well.
For a novice or casual fan, this can be slightly overwhelming,
especially when Lombardi is discussing Belichick’s eleven main points for
defense. Fortunately, it is written in
the same style that can be digested easily by any reader, but those with a
passion for the game will especially enjoy those chapters. The chapter on Belichick’s game preparation,
which takes the entire week and is started even before a playoff opponent is
known, made for some of the best football reading in the entire book.
This book comes highly recommended for football fans
of all levels, especially those who are highly knowledgeable about the
intricacies of coaching and running a team. Lombardi’s various duties –
everything from Walsh’s driver to searching for a head coach for the then-St.
Louis Rams – will give the reader an inside look at the sport away from the
field and into the war rooms of coaches.
I wish to thank Penguin Random House for providing a
copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Book
Format Read:
E-book (PDF)
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