This book probably should be handed out to new fathers when their babies are born in the hospital. Not kidding. It's really a philosophy book disguised as a book about a high school football team. The coach, a former player for Baltimore Colts (now the Indianapolis Colts) ended up coaching this team, and he brought a unique perspective on masculinity to his coaching style. He points out that boys are constantly measured - - first by their athletic prowess, then by the number (and hotness) of girls they date (sleep with), and later by the money they make - - and that these traits are not good measures of a man. His whole coaching approach emphasized the importance of love, bringing your best self to the situation, leveraging your personal traits, etc. The book's author followed this team for a year and does a nice job of weaving these life lessons into a compelling story about a young team. In the process, he manages to further his relationship with his own father.

It's definitely a moving book that imparts important lessons. It's unfortunate that many men don't really read (my sons being among those) because honestly, it's a book that deserves a much wider audience. I think it would benefit a lot of families.

As an interesting side note, my sons attended the high school of the team featured in the book, making it that much more interesting for me, but the events pre-dated their arrival. ( )

This is an outstanding book about sons and fathers and what it means to be a man. I'll be reflecting back on the messages of this book for some time to come, I imagine. An excellent book that I recommend for all men. ( )

fantastic perspective on competition and the importance of youth sports in molding character