How Football Explains America (How...Explain)

 

Using some of the most prominent voices in pro sports and cultural and media criticism, How Football Explains America is a fascinating, first-of-its-kind journey through the making of America s most complex, intriguing, and popular game. It tackles varying American themes—from Manifest Destiny to "fourth and one"—as it answers the age-old question, “Why does America love football so much?” An unabashedly celebratory explanation of America s love affair with the game and the men who make it possible, this work sheds light on how the pioneers and cowboys helped create a game that resembled their march across the continent. It explores why rugby and soccer don t excite the American male like football does and how the game s rules are continually changing to enhance the dramatic action and create a better narrative. It also investigates the eternal appeal of the heroic quarterback position, the sport s rich military lineage, and how the burgeoning medium of television identified and exploited the NFL s great characters. It is a must read for anyone interested in more fully understanding not only the game but also the nation in which it thrives. Updated throughout and with a new introduction, this edition brings How Football Explains America to paperback for the first time.