Rough and Tumble

Rough and Tumble

by Mark Bavaro

This best-seller is a "must read" for any sports fan. The main character is an aging pro football player. In one week, his girlfiend rebuffs him, the team's star defensive player is severely beaten and left in the parking lot dashing his hopes to play in the Superbowl, and he discovers that he has a career-ending injury. Confronted with the reality of life without football, he must also deal with conflict between players, drugs, gambling, and the parasites that hang around the team. The author was former New York Giants tight end consequently writes a very realistic tale. Easy.

Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports

Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports

by Alden Carter

This is a collection of interrelated short stories set in a Wisconsin high school. The football team is the glue which holds these stories together. The realistic characters often resurface in several stories. The first story is a witty "A Girl's Guide to Football Players" which is written by the female editorial staff of the school's literary magazine and compares the different positions in football and with the players' typical characteristics. This would be a very easy and engaging selection for sports fans.