Football
An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture
Published on 1. November 2009
Book
Paperback/Softback
456 pages
978-0-8032-9012-9 (ISBN)
Description
Football. Far more than a game, America's favorite spectator sport is an intrinsic part of the nation's popular culture-a proving ground for high school athletes, a springboard for stars, a multimillion-dollar business, and a vast entertainment enterprise. Football: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture provides a detailed look at America's pastime through the lens of pop culture, a fascinating A-to-Z inventory of how certain aspects of the game affect and reflect broader society. From African Americans in football to the meaning of Zero in the sport, this volume profiles players and personalities, teams and events, games and football concepts, and sociological and technological changes in the sport. The goal is not to name every Hall of Famer or to retell the game's entire history, but to give a clear and detailed account of where, in football history, the importance of people and events extends beyond the playing field. Its wide-ranging entries examine such names as Joe Montana and Byron "Whizzer" White and phenomena from concussions, mascots, team names, and literature to U.S. presidents and football's presence in television commercials. The encyclopedia covers all levels of play-professional, collegiate, high school, and youth-offering a from-the-ground-up, gridiron look at the game of football within the matrix of American culture.
Reviews / Votes
"Armchair quarterbacks as well as pop-culture junkies will enjoy diving into this informative and wide-ranging A-Z rundown on the players, teams, epic match-ups, concepts, equipment, expressions and other assorted gridiron odds 'n' ends that have made football an intrinsic part of American life."-Neil Pond, American Profile "From African Americans to the number Zero, this clever and informative book is designed to acquaint you with the developments in the game, the major players, coaches and innovators, and the cultural influences on (and from) the great game of football."-Doc Kirby, Book Bit, WTBF-AM/FM "A treasure trove of information for fans and history/culture lovers alike."-Kevin Holtsberry, Collected Miscellany "For those who want a better overall understanding of the gridiron game, Football: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture . . . is an excellent starting point."-Ron Kaplan, ForeWord "[Football: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture] is an interesting collection of items and essays. . . . It is a reference work worthy of a library, whether university, public, or personal."-Richard C. Crepeau, AreteMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Nebraska
United States
Publishing group
University of Nebraska Press
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 226 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
607 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8032-9012-9 (9780803290129)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Edward J. Rielly is a professor of English at Saint Joseph's College in Standish, Maine. He is the author of several books, including Baseball: An Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, available in a Bison Books edition.
Content
Preface
African Americans (College)
African Americans (Professional)
Agents
All-America Football Conference
American Football League (i, ii, iii)
American Football League (iv) American Indians
Apparel
Arctic Football
Arena Football
AstroTurf
Autry, Carlos Alan (b. 1952)
Baugh, Samuel Adrian (Slingin' Sammy, the Texas Tornado) (19142008)
Bednarik, Charles Philip (Concrete Charlie) (b. 1925)
Belichick, William Stephen (b. 1952)
Big Hit
Black College Football
Bowden, Robert Cleckler (Bobby) (b. 1929)
Bowl Games
Bradshaw, Terry Paxton (b. 1948)
Brady, Thomas Edward, Jr. (b. 1977)
Brown, James Nathaniel (b. 1936)
Brown, Johnny Mack (the Dothan Antelope) (19041974)
Brown, Paul Eugene (19081991)
Bryant, Paul William (Bear) (19131983)
Camp, Walter Chauncey (the Father of American Football) (18591925)
Canadian Football League
Canton Bulldogs
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Celebrations
Cheating
Cheerleaders
Coin Toss
Commercials and Advertisements
Commissioners
Concussions
Cosell, Howard William (19181995)
Crime
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Davis, Allen (Al) (b. 1929)
Davis, Ernie (the Elmira Express) (19391963)
Disabilities
Ditka, Michael Keller, Jr. (Iron Mike, Da Coach) (b. 1939)
Dogfighting
Downtown Athletic Club
Draft
Drive, The
Dropkick
Education
Eliot, Charles William (18341926)
Elway, John Albert (b. 1960)
Equipment
Extreme Football
Eyeglasses
Falwell, Jerry Lamon (19332007)
Fantasy Football
Favre, Brett Lorenzo (b. 1969)
Films
Fitzgerald, F. (Francis) Scott Key (18961940)
Flag Football
Flying Wedge
Forward Pass
Four Horsemen of Notre Dame
Friday Night Lights Gambling
Gangs and Street Violence
Gibbs, Joe Jackson (b. 1940)
Gifford, Frank Newton (the Giffer) (b. 1930)
Gil Thorp Gipp, George (the Gipper) (18951920)
Globalism
Golden Dome
Graham, Otto Everett, Jr. (Automatic Otto) (19212003)
Grambling State University
Grandfathers
Grange, Harold Edward (Red, the Galloping Ghost) (19031991)
Greatest Game Greene, Charles Edward Joseph (Mean Joe) (b. 1946)
Gridiron
Gun Violence
"Hail Mary" Pass
Halas, George Stanley (Papa Bear) (18951983)
Hall of Fame (College)
Hall of Fame (Professional)
Hay, Ralph E. (18911944)
Hayes, Wayne Woodrow (Woody) (19131987)
Heffelfinger, William W. (Pudge) (18671954)
Heisman, John William (18691936)
Heisman Trophy
Hirsch, Elroy Leon (Crazylegs) (19232004)
Hnida, Katharine Anne (Katie) (b. 1981)
Holy Roller
Hornung, Paul Vernon (the Golden Boy) (b. 1935)
Hudson, Donald Edward (b. 1929)
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Ice Bowl
Immaculate Reception
Instant Replay
Internet
Ivy League
Jackson, Vincent Edward (Bo) (b. 1962)
Jewelry (Bling)
Katrina (Hurricane)
Kennedy, John F., Assassination of
Kerouac, Jack (Jean Louis Lebris de Kerouac) (19221969)
Kickoffs
Korean War
Labor-Management Relations
Landry, Thomas Wade (19242)
Language
Leahy, Francis William (Frank) (19081973)
Literature
Little Rock Central Tigers
Lombardi, Vincent Thomas (19131970)
Madden, John Earl (b. 1936)
Magazines
Manning, Peyton Williams (b. 1976)
Marino, Daniel Constantine, Jr. (b. 1961)
Marshall University Air Tragedy
Mascots and Team Names
McNally, John Victor (Johnny Blood, the Vagabond Halfback) (19031985)
Middle Age
Monday Night Football Montana, Joseph Clifford (the Comeback Kid, Joe Cool) (b. 1956)
Moss, Randy Gene (b. 1977)
Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside
Music
Nagurski, Bronislaw (Bronko) (19081990)
Namath, Joseph William (Joe Willie, Broadway Joe) (b. 1943)
Newspapers
Newsreels
nfl Junior Player Development
Nicknames
Obesity
Officials (Zebras)
Ohio League
Olsen, Merlin Jay (b. 1940)
Oorang Indians
Page, Alan Cedric (b. 1945)
Parcells, Duane Charles (Bill, the Big Tuna) (b. 1941)
Parseghian, Ara Raoul (b. 1923)
Paterno, Joseph Vincent (JoPa) (b. 1926)
Payton, Walter Jerry (Sweetness) (19541999)
Peanuts Perfection
Perry, William Anthony (the Refrigerator, the Fridge) (b. 1962)
Plimpton, George Ames (19272003)
Poe, Edgar Allan (18091849)
Politicians
Pollard, Frederick Douglass (Fritz) (18941986)
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Practice Squad
Presidents of the United States
Professional Football Origins
Punt, Pass & Kick
Purdue's Golden Girl
Quarterback
Radio
Radio Helmet
Religion
Retirement
Rice, Grantland (18801954)
Rice, Jerry Lee (World) (b. 1962)
Rivalries
Robeson, Paul Leroy Bustill (18981976)
Robinson, Eddie Gay (19192007)
Rockne, Knute Kenneth (18881931)
Rooney Rule
Rugby
Saban, Nick Lou (b. 1951)
Sanders, Barry David (b. 1968)
Sanders, Deion Luwynn (Neon Deion, Prime Time) (b. 1967)
Sayers, Gale Eugene (b. 1943)
Scouts
September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Sexuality
Shotgun Formation
Shula, Donald Francis (b. 1930)
Simpson, Orenthal James (O.J., the Juice) (b. 1947)
Six-Man (Eight- and Nine-Man) Football
Stagg, Amos Alonzo (the Grand Old Man of the Midway) (18621965)
Substance Abuse
Subway Alumni
Suicide
Super Bowl
Tailgating
Tank McNamara Taylor, Lawrence Julius (b. 1959) Television Broadcasting Text Messaging/Instant Messaging
Thanksgiving
Thorpe, James Francis (Wa-Tho-Huk) (18881953)
Tillman, Patrick Daniel (19762004)
Title ix
Tittle, Yelberton Abraham (Y.A.) (b. 1926)
Tomlinson, LaDainian (lt) (b. 1979)
Touch Football
Touchdown Jesus Trades
Trading Cards
Trick Plays Triple Crown
Unitas, John Constantine (Johnny U, the Golden Arm) (19332002)
United States Football League
Upshaw, Eugene Thurman, Jr. (19452008)
Vietnam War
Walker, Ewell Doak, Jr. (the Doaker, Dynamite Doak, Dauntless Doak) (19271998)
Walsh, William Ernest (the Genius) (19312007)
Ward, Arch (the Cecil B. de Mille of Sports) (18961955)
Warner, Glen Scobey (Pop) (18711954)
Wheaties
White, Byron Raymond (Whizzer) (19172002)
White, Reginald Howard (Reggie, the Minister of Defense) (19612004)
Wild Card
Wildfires
Williams, Errick Lynne, Jr. (Ricky) (b. 1977)
Wine
Women Players
World Football League
World War i
World War ii
X's and O's
Yost, Fielding Harris (Hurry Up) (18711946)
Young, Jon Steven (Steve) (b. 1961)
Zero
Index
African Americans (College)
African Americans (Professional)
Agents
All-America Football Conference
American Football League (i, ii, iii)
American Football League (iv) American Indians
Apparel
Arctic Football
Arena Football
AstroTurf
Autry, Carlos Alan (b. 1952)
Baugh, Samuel Adrian (Slingin' Sammy, the Texas Tornado) (19142008)
Bednarik, Charles Philip (Concrete Charlie) (b. 1925)
Belichick, William Stephen (b. 1952)
Big Hit
Black College Football
Bowden, Robert Cleckler (Bobby) (b. 1929)
Bowl Games
Bradshaw, Terry Paxton (b. 1948)
Brady, Thomas Edward, Jr. (b. 1977)
Brown, James Nathaniel (b. 1936)
Brown, Johnny Mack (the Dothan Antelope) (19041974)
Brown, Paul Eugene (19081991)
Bryant, Paul William (Bear) (19131983)
Camp, Walter Chauncey (the Father of American Football) (18591925)
Canadian Football League
Canton Bulldogs
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Celebrations
Cheating
Cheerleaders
Coin Toss
Commercials and Advertisements
Commissioners
Concussions
Cosell, Howard William (19181995)
Crime
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Davis, Allen (Al) (b. 1929)
Davis, Ernie (the Elmira Express) (19391963)
Disabilities
Ditka, Michael Keller, Jr. (Iron Mike, Da Coach) (b. 1939)
Dogfighting
Downtown Athletic Club
Draft
Drive, The
Dropkick
Education
Eliot, Charles William (18341926)
Elway, John Albert (b. 1960)
Equipment
Extreme Football
Eyeglasses
Falwell, Jerry Lamon (19332007)
Fantasy Football
Favre, Brett Lorenzo (b. 1969)
Films
Fitzgerald, F. (Francis) Scott Key (18961940)
Flag Football
Flying Wedge
Forward Pass
Four Horsemen of Notre Dame
Friday Night Lights Gambling
Gangs and Street Violence
Gibbs, Joe Jackson (b. 1940)
Gifford, Frank Newton (the Giffer) (b. 1930)
Gil Thorp Gipp, George (the Gipper) (18951920)
Globalism
Golden Dome
Graham, Otto Everett, Jr. (Automatic Otto) (19212003)
Grambling State University
Grandfathers
Grange, Harold Edward (Red, the Galloping Ghost) (19031991)
Greatest Game Greene, Charles Edward Joseph (Mean Joe) (b. 1946)
Gridiron
Gun Violence
"Hail Mary" Pass
Halas, George Stanley (Papa Bear) (18951983)
Hall of Fame (College)
Hall of Fame (Professional)
Hay, Ralph E. (18911944)
Hayes, Wayne Woodrow (Woody) (19131987)
Heffelfinger, William W. (Pudge) (18671954)
Heisman, John William (18691936)
Heisman Trophy
Hirsch, Elroy Leon (Crazylegs) (19232004)
Hnida, Katharine Anne (Katie) (b. 1981)
Holy Roller
Hornung, Paul Vernon (the Golden Boy) (b. 1935)
Hudson, Donald Edward (b. 1929)
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Ice Bowl
Immaculate Reception
Instant Replay
Internet
Ivy League
Jackson, Vincent Edward (Bo) (b. 1962)
Jewelry (Bling)
Katrina (Hurricane)
Kennedy, John F., Assassination of
Kerouac, Jack (Jean Louis Lebris de Kerouac) (19221969)
Kickoffs
Korean War
Labor-Management Relations
Landry, Thomas Wade (19242)
Language
Leahy, Francis William (Frank) (19081973)
Literature
Little Rock Central Tigers
Lombardi, Vincent Thomas (19131970)
Madden, John Earl (b. 1936)
Magazines
Manning, Peyton Williams (b. 1976)
Marino, Daniel Constantine, Jr. (b. 1961)
Marshall University Air Tragedy
Mascots and Team Names
McNally, John Victor (Johnny Blood, the Vagabond Halfback) (19031985)
Middle Age
Monday Night Football Montana, Joseph Clifford (the Comeback Kid, Joe Cool) (b. 1956)
Moss, Randy Gene (b. 1977)
Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside
Music
Nagurski, Bronislaw (Bronko) (19081990)
Namath, Joseph William (Joe Willie, Broadway Joe) (b. 1943)
Newspapers
Newsreels
nfl Junior Player Development
Nicknames
Obesity
Officials (Zebras)
Ohio League
Olsen, Merlin Jay (b. 1940)
Oorang Indians
Page, Alan Cedric (b. 1945)
Parcells, Duane Charles (Bill, the Big Tuna) (b. 1941)
Parseghian, Ara Raoul (b. 1923)
Paterno, Joseph Vincent (JoPa) (b. 1926)
Payton, Walter Jerry (Sweetness) (19541999)
Peanuts Perfection
Perry, William Anthony (the Refrigerator, the Fridge) (b. 1962)
Plimpton, George Ames (19272003)
Poe, Edgar Allan (18091849)
Politicians
Pollard, Frederick Douglass (Fritz) (18941986)
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Practice Squad
Presidents of the United States
Professional Football Origins
Punt, Pass & Kick
Purdue's Golden Girl
Quarterback
Radio
Radio Helmet
Religion
Retirement
Rice, Grantland (18801954)
Rice, Jerry Lee (World) (b. 1962)
Rivalries
Robeson, Paul Leroy Bustill (18981976)
Robinson, Eddie Gay (19192007)
Rockne, Knute Kenneth (18881931)
Rooney Rule
Rugby
Saban, Nick Lou (b. 1951)
Sanders, Barry David (b. 1968)
Sanders, Deion Luwynn (Neon Deion, Prime Time) (b. 1967)
Sayers, Gale Eugene (b. 1943)
Scouts
September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Sexuality
Shotgun Formation
Shula, Donald Francis (b. 1930)
Simpson, Orenthal James (O.J., the Juice) (b. 1947)
Six-Man (Eight- and Nine-Man) Football
Stagg, Amos Alonzo (the Grand Old Man of the Midway) (18621965)
Substance Abuse
Subway Alumni
Suicide
Super Bowl
Tailgating
Tank McNamara Taylor, Lawrence Julius (b. 1959) Television Broadcasting Text Messaging/Instant Messaging
Thanksgiving
Thorpe, James Francis (Wa-Tho-Huk) (18881953)
Tillman, Patrick Daniel (19762004)
Title ix
Tittle, Yelberton Abraham (Y.A.) (b. 1926)
Tomlinson, LaDainian (lt) (b. 1979)
Touch Football
Touchdown Jesus Trades
Trading Cards
Trick Plays Triple Crown
Unitas, John Constantine (Johnny U, the Golden Arm) (19332002)
United States Football League
Upshaw, Eugene Thurman, Jr. (19452008)
Vietnam War
Walker, Ewell Doak, Jr. (the Doaker, Dynamite Doak, Dauntless Doak) (19271998)
Walsh, William Ernest (the Genius) (19312007)
Ward, Arch (the Cecil B. de Mille of Sports) (18961955)
Warner, Glen Scobey (Pop) (18711954)
Wheaties
White, Byron Raymond (Whizzer) (19172002)
White, Reginald Howard (Reggie, the Minister of Defense) (19612004)
Wild Card
Wildfires
Williams, Errick Lynne, Jr. (Ricky) (b. 1977)
Wine
Women Players
World Football League
World War i
World War ii
X's and O's
Yost, Fielding Harris (Hurry Up) (18711946)
Young, Jon Steven (Steve) (b. 1961)
Zero
Index