Twelve Mighty Orphans

I love reading. Heck, I’ve always loved reading. I remember when I was in elementary school as early as first and second grade and getting my school work done as quickly as I could so I could go to the back of the classroom and get a book to read. All of my classrooms had a little library in back full of books appropriate for our age level. I read every book a little boy could be interested in. So, I decided I would do a book review or two now and then.

A book that I read a few years ago and really liked is called Twelve Mighty Orphans by Jim Dent, the same man who authored The Junction Boys. Dent tells the Depression-era true story of the mighty orphans from the Masonic Home in Fort Worth, Texas. The scrawny orphan football team captured the hearts and minds of Americans as they beat all odds succeeding at the game of football as well as the game of life.

More than a century ago, a school was constructed in Fort Worth, Texas, for the purpose of housing and educating the orphans of Texas Freemasons. But a lean, bespectacled coach by the name of Rusty Russell showed up and changed everything. Russell looked more like a librarian than a football coach but as one reader put it “here was a man who could bring rain in the midst of a drought”. There are no diagrams of the offense or defense this team ran but it sounds like Russell was the father of the spread offense way back in the 1930’s. They were the scrawny kids from a tiny orphanage who wore scarred helmets and faded jerseys that did not match, kids coached by a devoted man who lived on peanuts and drove them around in a smoke-belching old truck. If you want to read an inspiring football story about maybe the toughest group of kids that ever played the game, then this book is for you. You will shake your head in amazement sometimes.

I highly recommend this book. Visit chiefpigskin.com for more high school and college football stories and videos.

Why Boys Love It

What is it about football that guys love so much? If you have a love for football it probably started when you were just a kid. Now, the reasons you love it at this point might be somewhat different than when you were six, but never the less, the love never goes away. My love for football and all sports is what motivated me to be a teacher and coach. But most of all, it was my love for football.

I recently just finished writing a book about the basics of football. It’s called “Understanding Football and Why Boys Love It”. My primary motivation in writing the book was to provide Moms a short book that gave a big picture of the game their boys (sons, husbands, grandsons, nephews) love. It had always been an interest of mine to give my views on the basics of the game. I didn’t want to delve into too many rules, penalties, and terms that would be boring and cause the book to be too thick and intimidating for the novice to read. I have seen a few books out there that explain the basics but they are 200 plus pages. I asked myself, “Who’s going to read that?” So, my book is under 70 pages with a lot of diagrams to help get my point across. With the help of my family, I think I ended up with the result I was looking for.

Understanding Football, not only gives the novice a basic understanding of the game but also some of the reasons why we boys/men love it. I know why I love the game and I figured most guys share my feelings based on what I’ve observed and heard from others. When we were kids any kind of rough housing was fun and football gave us a chance to run around, tackle, spin, fall down, and get dirty. As we got older those same things still appealed, but now other things probably drew us to the game. The strategy and preparation for “battle” can really get guys juiced.

Right now the book can be bought on Chiefpigskin.com. The cost is $8.95 for a single copy and for reduced prices when bought in multiples for a team. One of my ideas is that coaches can purchase them for their freshman moms as a gift at the beginning of the season. Whatever the reason you have for purchasing this book, just click on www.chiefpigskin.com to check out the book and see what you think.

It was a fun project and I’m really hoping that a lot of moms (and others) benefit from it. I’d love to get feedback from anyone who reads it and let me know what you think. I’ve never attempted anything like this before and would like to get your reaction. By the way, I learned that anyone can write a book if you’re willing to put the time in. Pick a subject that you’re passionate and knowledgeable about and jump in. It’s a lot of work but when finished, it feels pretty good. Enjoy the upcoming season. I can’t wait!