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Nebrasketball: Coach Tim Miles and a Big Ten Team on the Rise
by Scott Winter Tom IzzoWhen fall rolls into winter, most sports fans in Nebraska long for spring football. But Coach Tim Miles has given hibernating fans a reason to cheer through winter for the first time in twenty years. Since taking over the men’s basketball program in 2012, Miles has gone from being relatively unknown outside college coaching circles to a big name on the national stage as an up-and-coming, funny, and fan-friendly college coach.Miles scores big with Nebraska’s fans with his social media acumen—he tweets during halftime—and his fan interaction—he applied (and failed) to become the leader of the student section at Pinnacle Bank Arena. But on the court and in practice, Miles is all about winning. His combination of toughness, togetherness, and humor has rejuvenated Nebraska basketball.Nebrasketball provides a full-access account of Tim Miles’s path to Nebraska and his team’s inaugural season in the $186 million Pinnacle Bank Arena. With full access to Miles and the team, Scott Winter provides basketball fans with an intimate look at a rising star in college basketball, detailing what it’s like to coach an NCAA men’s program today with all of its triumphs and struggles, along with Miles’s larger story as a transformational coach who has made Nebraska basketball, and other college programs, relevant. The book also shows the small-town legacy and tenacity that created Miles, including his mother’s prodding, his benching as a college player, and his significant history of losing, which he claims was his most important mentor.
Necessary Roughness
by Julie BrannaghTanner Cole’s football career was over in less than thirty seconds one Sunday afternoon. After a lifetime playing the sport he loves he’s been forced into an early retirement. Between figuring out his plan for the rest of his life and dealing with the pain of his injuries, this grouchy hottie isn’t in the mood for the perky physical therapist who makes him in ache in more than one place. Jordan Mueller doesn’t have time for a sulky ex-NFL player, even one who looks like Tanner. She’s done with falling for the bad boy without a heart. When she’s forced out of her apartment and offered an opportunity too good to pass up, she agrees to move in with Tanner. She’s only there to speed up his recovery. No funny business, even if her body is telling her otherwise. As Tanner and Jordan spend more and more time together, they begin to see each other in a new light that threatens to change everything. But when the ghosts of girlfriends past reappear, Tanner must decide if he’s willing to put everything on the line for a shot at a future with Jordan.
Ned and the Great Garden Hamster Race: A Story About Kindness
by Kim HillyardMeet Ned, a determined little hamster ready to win a big race!3, 2, 1, go!Ned the hamster has been in training for the Great Garden Hamster Race. But when race day arrives, the route is cluttered with critters in need of help. Will he realize that a few small acts of kindness are more important than winning at any cost?This positive picture book from author-illustrator Kim Hillyard will inspire readers big and small to look up and offer help to those who might need it.
Need for the Bike
by Paul FournelA book like no other, Paul Fournel&’s Need for the Bike conducts readers into a very personal world of communication and connection whose center is the bicycle, and where all people and things pass by way of the bike. In compact and suggestive prose, Fournel conveys the experience of cycling—from the initial charm of early outings to the dramas of the devoted cyclist. An extended meditation on cycling as a practice of life, the book recalls a country doctor who will not anesthetize the young Fournel after he impales himself on a downtube shifter, speculates about the difference between animals that would like to ride bikes (dogs, for instance) and those that would prefer to watch (cows, marmots), and reflects on the fundamental absurdity of turning over the pedals mile after excruciating mile. At the same time, Fournel captures the sound, smell, feel, and language of the reality and history of cycling, in the mountains, in the city, escaping the city, in groups, alone, suffering, exhausted, exhilarated. In his attention to the pleasures of cycling, to the specific &“grain&” of different cycling experiences, and to the inscription of these experiences in the body&’s cycling memory, Fournel portrays cycling as a descriptive universe, colorful, lyrical, inclusive, exclusive, complete.
Need to Know: Aqa A-level Pe Epub
by Kirk Bizley Ross HowittExam board: AQALevel: A-levelSubject: PEFirst teaching: September 2016First exams: Summer 2017 (AS); Summer 2018 (A-level)Find what you need to know, when you need it, with key facts at your fingertips for AQA A-level PE.Keep this course companion by your side throughout your A-levels so you can check content, review your understanding, use quick tips for success and improve your exam performance.Written by an experienced teacher, author and examiner, this book will help you to:- Build on your learning throughout the course by reinforcing the key facts, terms and concepts from the AQA A-level PE specification- Put the content into context with synoptic links between topics and exam tips on technique, mistakes to avoid and things to remember- Revise with confidence using 'Do you know?' questions at the end of each topic and synoptic questions at the end of each section
Need to Know: Higher PE
by John Millar Janice SmithExam board: SQALevel: HigherSubject: PEFirst teaching: September 2018First exams: Summer 2019 What do you really need to know for the SQA Higher PE exam?This revision guide covers the essentials in less than 100 pages, so it's perfect for early exam preparation or last-minute revision.- Find key content at your fingertips with quick summaries of the factors, concepts and terminology that you need to understand- Get a better grade in your exam with tips on exam technique, mistakes to avoid and important things to remember- Revise and practise using end-of-topic questions and in-depth questions at the end of each section - with answers provided online - Benefit from the knowledge of experienced teachers and examiners John Millar and Janice Smith
Negotiating Fatherhood: Sport and Family Practices (Palgrave Macmillan Studies in Family and Intimate Life)
by Thomas FletcherThis book examines the tensions and ambivalences which men encounter as they negotiate contemporary expectations of fatherhood and fulfill their own expectations of what it means to be a ‘good’ father. There is little doubt that today’s fathers are responding to new expectations about fatherhood and fathering practices. The remote, detached, breadwinning father of the past, once lauded as a masculine ideal, has faded, and men are now expected to be ‘involved’, ‘intimate’, ‘caring’ and ‘domesticated’ fathers. Using a family practices lens and a case study of sport, Fletcher elucidates the changes and continuities in family and fathering practices in different historical periods and contexts. Negotiating Fatherhood will be of interest to students and scholars with an interest in family and fathering practices, sport, leisure, and gender.
Negotiating Femininities in the Neoliberal Night-Time Economy: Too Much of a Girl? (Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences)
by Emily NichollsThis book explores the ways in which young women negotiate gendered and classed identities in nightlife venues. With a particular focus on the under-researched phenomenon of the ‘girls’ night out’, this text explores tensions around what it means to be ‘girly’ in bars, pubs and clubs, examining throughout the ways in which being a ‘girly girl’ is simultaneously desired and derided in a postfeminist context. Drawing on research conducted in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, this original and comprehensive book explores the value and meaning of the ‘girls’ night out’ for young women, and its instrumental role in the negotiation of friendships and femininities. Nicholls covers a range of themes, including alcohol consumption, dress, and risk management, providing engaging and timely insights into women’s leisure as a site for the negotiation of gendered identities. Negotiating Femininities in the Neoliberal Night-Time Economy will be of interest to students and scholars across the social sciences with an interest in gender, class and the Night-Time Economy.
Negro League Baseball: The Rise and Ruin of a Black Institution
by Neil LanctotThe story of black professional baseball provides a remarkable perspective on several major themes in modern African American history: the initial black response to segregation, the subsequent struggle to establish successful separate enterprises, and the later movement toward integration. Baseball functioned as a critical component in the separate economy catering to black consumers in the urban centers of the North and South. While most black businesses struggled to survive from year to year, professional baseball teams and leagues operated for decades, representing a major achievement in black enterprise and institution building.Negro League Baseball: The Rise and Ruin of a Black Institution presents the extraordinary history of a great African American achievement, from its lowest ebb during the Depression, through its golden age and World War II, until its gradual disappearance during the early years of the civil rights era. Faced with only a limited amount of correspondence and documents, Lanctot consulted virtually every sports page of every black newspaper located in a league city. He then conducted interviews with former players and scrutinized existing financial, court, and federal records. Through his efforts, Lanctot has painstakingly reconstructed the institutional history of black professional baseball, locating the players, teams, owners, and fans in the wider context of the league's administration. In addition, he provides valuable insight into the changing attitudes of African Americans toward the need for separate institutions.
Nemasket River Herring: A History (Natural History)
by Michael J. MaddiganEvery spring, the Nemasket River welcomes thousands of migratory river herring that thrash and leap as they fight their way upstream from Mount Hope Bay. Of all non-domesticated animals, the river herring--or alewife--has arguably had the greatest impact on the towns along the river in southeastern Massachusetts. The area was called "Nemasket," or "place of fish," by Native Americans, and its earliest English colonists were dependent on river herring for their very survival. They provided a livelihood for generations of families in Middleborough and Lakeville, shaping their culture and the course of the region's development. Today, herring fishing is banned, and the community is working toward protecting and preserving the river so the herring have a place to return each year. Join historian Michael J. Maddigan as he explores the big story of the small fish that shaped life along the Nemasket River.
Nerd Camp
by Elissa Brent WeissmanPack your sleeping bag, grab your calculator, and celebrate geekdom with this humorous and empowering middle grade novel by the acclaimed author of Standing for Socks. Nerd Camp, here we come!Ten-year-old Gabe has just been accepted to the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment. That means he'll be spending six weeks at sleepaway camp, writing poetry and perfecting logic proofs. S.C.G.E. has been a summer home to some legendary middle-school smarty-pants (and future Jeopardy! contestants), but it has a reputation for being, well, a Nerd Camp. S.C.G.E = Smart Camp for Geeks and Eggheads. But is Gabe really a geek? He's never thought about it much--but that was before he met Zack, his hip, LA-cool, soon-to-be stepbrother. Gabe worries that Zack will see him only as a nerd, until a wild summer at camp--complete with a midnight canoe ride to "Dead Man's Island"--helps Gabe realize that he and Zack have the foundations for a real friendship. This clever, fun read from Elissa Brent Weissman is full of great minor characters (like a bunkmate who solves math problems in his sleep) and silly subplots (like the geekiest lice outbreak ever). Adjust your head-gear, pack your camp bag, and get ready to geek out!
Nerd Camp
by Elissa Brent WeissmanPack your sleeping bag, grab your calculator, and celebrate geekdom with this humorous and empowering middle grade novel by the acclaimed author of Standing for Socks. Nerd Camp, here we come!Ten-year-old Gabe has just been accepted to the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment. That means he'll be spending six weeks at sleepaway camp, writing poetry and perfecting logic proofs. S.C.G.E. has been a summer home to some legendary middle-school smarty-pants (and future Jeopardy! contestants), but it has a reputation for being, well, a Nerd Camp. S.C.G.E = Smart Camp for Geeks and Eggheads. But is Gabe really a geek? He's never thought about it much--but that was before he met Zack, his hip, LA-cool, soon-to-be stepbrother. Gabe worries that Zack will see him only as a nerd, until a wild summer at camp--complete with a midnight canoe ride to "Dead Man's Island"--helps Gabe realize that he and Zack have the foundations for a real friendship. This clever, fun read from Elissa Brent Weissman is full of great minor characters (like a bunkmate who solves math problems in his sleep) and silly subplots (like the geekiest lice outbreak ever). Adjust your head-gear, pack your camp bag, and get ready to geek out!
Nerd Camp
by Elissa Brent WeissmanTen-year-old Gabe has just been accepted to the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment. That means he'll be spending six weeks at sleepaway camp, writing poetry and perfecting logic proofs. SCGE has been a summer home of some legendary middle-school smarty-pants (and future Jeopardy! contestants), but it also has a reputation for being, well, a nerd camp. Gabe isn't a nerd. Is he? He's never thought about it much, but compared to Zack, his hip, soon-to-be-stepbrother from LA, Gabe's not so sure where he falls on the cool scale. A wild summer at camp--complete with a midnight canoe ride to Dead Man's Island--helps Gabe realize that he and Zack may be different, but that doesn't mean they can't be brothers...and friends. eak ever). Adjust your head-gear, pack your camp bag and get ready to geek out!
Nerd Camp 2.0
by Drew Willis Elissa Brent WeissmanGabe's happily headed back to Nerd Camp--but can he handle a cool-kid invasion?For Gabe, the equation for ideal summer bliss equals six glorious weeks of vigorous learning immersion at the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment--aka, Nerd Camp. Last year was amazing, and this summer will be even better. At least, that's what Gabe thinks until a new variable is introduced: Zack, Gabe's cool stepbrother, was supposed to attend a camp nearby, but in the aftermath of a recent wildfire, Zack's camp and nerd camp will be sharing territory. As these two very different worlds collide, will both camps--and both stepbrothers--survive the summer?
Nerve
by Dick FrancisFrom a New York Times–bestselling &“master of crime fiction and equine thrills,&” a jockey investigates the source of the rumors threatening his career (Newsday). Dick Francis, Edgar Award–winning master of mystery and suspense, takes you into the thrilling world of horse racing. Rob Finn is a talented young jockey on the rise, though nothing can help him rise above the feeling that he is a misfit in his family of accomplished musicians. Especially when Rob&’s racing career takes a downturn and rumors begin to run rampant that he has lost his nerve. But when he takes it upon himself to investigate the source of the stories, he discovers that his troubling losing streak is caused not by a lack of skill or confidence, but something far more sinister. . . .Praise for the writing of Dick Francis: &“Dick Francis is a wonder.&” —Cleveland Plain Dealer &“Few things are more convincing than Dick Francis at a full gallop.&” —Chicago Tribune &“Few match Francis for dangerous flights of fancy and pure inventive menace.&” —Boston Herald &“[Francis] has the uncanny ability to turn out simply plotted yet charmingly addictive mysteries.&” —The Wall Street Journal &“Francis is a genius.&” —Los Angeles Times &“Nobody executes the whodunit formula better.&” —Chicago Sun-Times &“A rare and magical talent . . . who never writes the same story twice.&” —The San Diego Union-Tribune
Nerve
by Jeanne RyanFor fans of The Hunger Games A high-stakes online game of dares turns deadly When Vee is picked to be a player in NERVE, an anonymous game of dares broadcast live online, she discovers that the game knows her. They tempt her with prizes taken from her ThisIsMe page and team her up with the perfect boy, sizzling-hot Ian. At first it's exhilarating--Vee and Ian's fans cheer them on to riskier dares with higher stakes. But the game takes a twisted turn when they're directed to a secret location with five other players for the Grand Prize round. Suddenly they're playing all or nothing, with their lives on the line. Just how far will Vee go before she loses NERVE? Debut author Jeanne Ryan delivers an un-putdownable suspense thriller.
Nerve and Vascular Injuries in Sports Medicine
by Stanley A. Herring Venu AkuthotaThis book takes a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and treating nerve and vascular injuries in athletes. With guidelines written by experts in the field, readers will learn how to identify the symptoms and accurately diagnose injuries to the spine, including herniated discs, stingers and transient quadriparesis, in addition to peripheral nerve injuries and vascular entrapments in the extremities. Less frequent diagnoses, such as thoracic outlet syndromes, are addressed as well. Chapters cover anatomy and pathophysiology, mechanisms of injury, classification systems, and physical exam and diagnostics. Algorithms aid with differential diagnosis, and cases facilitate the ready integration of concepts into clinical practice. Treatment recommendations include nonsurgical options and therapeutic exercise regimens. Indications for surgical treatments are also discussed. Evidence-based support for recommendations is provided where appropriate. By presenting the essentials for managing nerve and vascular injuries, this book is an ideal resource for sports medicine physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists.
Nerve: Un juego sin reglas
by Jeanne RyanÚnete al fenómeno NERVE y descubre una historia trepidante, provocadora y muy, muy adictiva. Atrévete: no podrás para de leer. Cuando lo que más deseas está a tu alcance, ¿qué serías capaz de hacer para conseguirlo? Vee es una chica que no destaca demasiado, así que cuando es elegida para concursar en NERVE, un juego anónimo de retos que se retransmite online, decide probar suerte. Pronto descubre que el juego sabe cosas de ella: la tienta con los premios que más desea y la empareja con Ian, su chico ideal. Al principio todo es genial: los fans de Vee y de Ian los animan mientras ellos superan retos cada vez más arriesgados. Pero el juego da un giro inesperado cuando los mandan a una localización secreta con cinco jugadores más. De repente descubren que están jugando a todo o nada y apostando sus propias vidas a cada momento. ¿Hasta dónde será Vee capaz dellegar? La opinión de los lectores:«Nerve. Un juego sin reglas me ha enganchado desde sus primeras páginas. Con una gran intriga, un juego que saca lo peor de las personas y gran crítica social, la autora ha sabido mostrar la cara oculta de las redes sociales y la delgada línea que separa la cordura de la locura.»Blog Vorágine interna «Una novela trepidante donde realmente no sabes qué pensar, en quien confiar o lo que va a pasar a continuación. [...] Un thriller adictivo, oscuro y novedoso.»Blog Letras, libros y más «Lo he adorado, así, sin más. Nerve me ha cautivado y me ha tenido expectante. Curiosa, original y adictiva. Es una maravilla.»Blog Libros del cielo «Nerve. Un juego sin reglas desprende originalidad, intriga y acción en cada una de sus páginas. Una historia actual, fresca, trepidante y adictiva, con una fuerte crítica social, donde los personajes, a base de retos, arriesgarán su integridad y seguridad por conseguir sus más ansiados y costosos deseos. Toda una recomendación que no debéis pasar por alto.»Blog Dragonfly «Un libro que no solamente me ha encantado, sino que me atrapó desde la primera página y fue aumentando mi estado de nerviosismo conforme avanzaba en cada uno de los capítulos. [...] Una historia trepidante donde en un inicio parece ser que el fin justifique los medios, pero el verdadero reto será descubrir que a veces los medios no tienen justificación posible. Totalmente recomendado.»Blog Entre metáforas La opinión de la crítica:«Los lectores se sorprenderán pasando páginas como locos hasta el final del libro.»Kirkus Reviews
Nerves of Steel: How to improve under pressure
by Ger PostPerforming in the decisive moment is key, especially in sport. The difference between who excels and who succumbs to pressure, or chokes, is literally game-changing. Nerves of Steel reveals what we can learn from athletes about thriving when the heat is on. By combining insights from statistics, philosophy and neuropsychology, Ger Post shows that the secrets of famous clutch performances do not lie in Cristiano Ronaldo&’s iron will, the German soccer team&’s winning mentality or Matildas&’ goalie Mackenzie Arnold&’s self-belief. Succeeding under pressure is not some heroic story of exceptional character or a sense of invincibility. Nor is it about boosting confidence, getting into a flow or thinking positively. When we look beyond the hype, stereotypes and sexism, real-world models emerge showing that high-level achievement is about doing what is right and smart, regardless of how we feel in the moment. The difference between choking and triumph is in improving our response to adversity and focusing on the things we can control when everything falls apart.
Nervous Water: Variations on a Theme of Fly Fishing (Lyons Press Ser.)
by Steve RaymondNervous water has a meaning: while the fleeting crease or subtle wrinkle on the surface of a lake or stream could be nothing, wise anglers known that these small surface movements are nearly always signs of fish stirring below--as it is with the sport of fly fishing. With a reputation of tranquility and contemplation, it is sometimes hard to believe that, beneath the surface, fly fishing has a constant current of new thoughts and theories, is always in pursuit of new technologies, and entertains ongoing debates among prominent fly-fishing thinkers. Acclaimed fly fisher and author Steve Raymond has contemplated these issues in numerous articles and essays published in many magazines. Nervous Water is the collection of many of these reflections, detailing thirty-four variations on the theme of fly fishing. Tackling such topics as the very definition of fly fishing itself and how to dress for fishing, these variations form a selective opinionated chronicle of the trends, developments, and changes in fly fishing from the 1960s to the present. Steve Raymond also discusses some of the pioneers of the sport and the fish that make it all possible. Nervous Water is a book for everyone who loves fly fishing and all those who enjoy looking beneath the surface.
Net Work: Training the NBA's Best and Finding the Keys to Greatness
by Rob McClanaghanRob McClanaghan, the NBA’s most sought-after trainer, shares a behind-the-scenes look at how superstars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, and Kevin Love work to excel at the game.When Rob McClanaghan failed to make the Syracuse basketball team as a walk-on freshman, he asked the coaches what he needed to do to achieve his goal the following year. They all agreed: get stronger. So that’s what he did. For months, Rob traded fraternity parties and hanging out with buddies for hours in the gym lifting weights and shooting baskets. He was single-minded; the only thing that mattered was defying the odds. He returned to Syracuse for his sophomore year thirty pounds heavier and caught the coach’s eye. In Net Work, McClanaghan—referred to by many as “RobMac”—brings to the page what he brings to each of his training sessions: the same grit and spirit that got him into the college game. He calls it “the grind,” and he knows that without it, even the most talented players will come up short. McClanaghan pushes his clients hard; he does whatever he can to drive his players to the edge and to simulate fourth quarter, at-the-buzzer adrenaline and fatigue. An all-access pass to the practice courts of the NBA, Net Work combines McClanaghan’s hard-earned wisdom—both on and off the court—with rare glimpses into the dues-paying life of professional athletes determined to stay at the top. McClanaghan shares stories of working one-on-one with some of basketball’s greatest names, explaining how each athlete works to shore up his offensive and defensive weaknesses; perfect his nutrition; treat injuries; build mental toughness; and find occasional refuge from the glare of the spotlight. This book is life inside the NBA as you’ve never seen it, where players differentiate themselves by their willingness to put in relentless “net work.”
Nether Attack: An Unofficial League of Griefers Adventure, #5 (An Unofficial League of Griefers Adventure #5)
by Winter MorganNoah and Violet, treasure hunters and protectors of the Overworld, are back in this fifth installment of the League of Griefers series. When skeletons corner Noah and Violet, the duo escapes through a portal to the Nether. Trouble brews as Noah accidently leaves the portal open and the mobs from the Overworld enter the Nether. Noah and Violet must battle hostile mobs from both worlds to survive. Taking shelter in a Nether Fortress, they befriend treasure hunters who help them battle the mobs. Just when they think they are about to defeat the mob attack, they realize their new friends might be setting them up for a bigger attack in this story of trickery and friendship. Are Daniel and the rainbow griefers behind this? Or is it an even more sinister enemy? Find out in this thrilling fifth installment of the League of Griefers series!
Neuro-fuzzy Modeling of Multi-field Surface Neuroprostheses for Hand Grasping (Springer Theses)
by Eukene Imatz OjangurenThis thesis presents a novel neuro-fuzzy modeling approach for grasp neuroprostheses. At first, it offers a detailed study of discomfort due to the application of Functional Electrical Stimulation to the upper limb. Then, it discusses briefly previous methods to model hand movements induced by FES with the purpose of introducing the new modeling approach based on intelligent systems. This approach is thoroughly described in the book, together with the proposed application to induce hand and finger movements by means of a surface FES system based on multi-field electrodes. The validation tests, carried out on both healthy and neurologically impaired subjects, demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed modeling method. All in all, the book proposes an innovative system based on fuzzy neural networks that is expected to improve the design and validation of advanced control systems for non-invasive grasp neuroprostheses.
Neuroathletics for Riders
by Marc NolkeUsing the power of brain science to unlock the equestrian body&’s full potential.Every movement of the rider's body starts in the brain. In these pages, Olympic competitor and coach Marc Nölke explains how to direct the specific areas of the brain that control stability, sense of rhythm, precision of movement, breathing, and vision. With his unique brain-focused exercises, riders learn how to change theinputsent to their brain to get healthier, more athleticoutput, which can include intentional and unintentional movement, and functions of circulatory, hormonal, or immune systems.The brain decides how you ride and how you feel when you ride based on theinputyou send it. Traditionally equestrians have worked to improve the brain'soutput(riding skills) by training theoutput(riding skills). Nölke's innovative &“Neuro-Rider Program&” is based on achieving betteroutput(better riding skills), not by endlessly practicing the movements, but instead by changing theinput—what you send to your brain for it to process and interpret.In a series of over 40 unique exercises, Nölke helps riders improve the signals they send to their brain from the:Proprioceptive systemVisual systemVestibular systemRespiratory systemRegular practice will improve the rider's overall performance as well as address specific issues, such as:Coordination and fine-tuning of the aidsBody symmetryHead postureHand positionAnxiety in certain situationsInappropriate emotions and emotional responsesDifficulties with rhythmUnlevel hipsShoulder crookednessFocus and concentrationIn time, Neuro-Rider training will make you feel lighter on horseback, help you follow the horse's movements more naturally, increase your relaxation in the saddle, and enable you to become more effective overall. With options to perform exercises on or off the horse, this book offers a practical way for any rider—regardless of age, ability, discipline, or time—to steadily improve in distinct and profound ways.
Never Ask "Why": Football Players' Fight for Freedom in the NFL
by Ed GarveyWhen pro football players formed a union to stand up against the NFL for their own interests, they chose lawyer Ed Garvey as their Executive Director. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA), would take on the NFL over player contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and antitrust suits. It lobbied for players’ free agency, contract rights, and impartial arbitration of disciplinary disputes. Garvey navigated strikes, lockouts, scabs, stooges, lies, as well as the sports media complex—to maintain players’ dignity. According to the league, the players were to take what they were given and “never ask why.” In Never Ask “Why,” journalist Chuck Cascio presents the late Garvey’s rich account of the early years of the NFLPA, taking readers among the players as they held the league accountable to play fair. Learning from their mistakes, the NFLPA would succeed in curbing commissioner Pete Rozelle’s disciplinary power and striking down the Rozelle Rule’s absolute control over free agency. Garvey tells the intimate stories of how pro football players, rivals on the field, rallied together to stand up for themselves. He worked tirelessly to change a system that exploited players and even controlled the media. In the end, Garvey shows how the NFLPA transformed the state of pro sports leagues today and how, even still, they work to keep down the players on whose backs they profit.