Next Man Up

I recently read a good book, and probably one of the biggest as well. I'm a sports fan, and enjoy reading a good sports book. Baseball is my favorite sport, then football. This is the 2nd football book I've read, and I picked it up on the "bargain rack" at the Council Bluffs Barnes & Noble this fall.

I think John Feinstein is a great author, and he did a great job in NEXT MAN UP. If you don't follow the NFL, or aren't interested in it, this book isn't for you. Now I'm a Minnesota Vikings fan, and this book is about the Baltimore Ravens. I read it anyway. He sparked my interest in the Ravens, and Pro Football as a whole.

John Feinstein "shadowed" the Ravens for the entire calendar year 2004 - from the wrap up of the 2003 season, the '04 draft, the preseason and season - game by game. It's more a chronicle of what goes on behind the scenes with the GM, coach, players, contracts, politics, etc. I really liked this book. Mindy was amazed I read a book that was nearly 500 pages!