The Ones Who Hit the Hardest by Chad Millman and Shawn Coyne
Reviewed by Lori Twichell, Radiantlit.com
Genre: non-fiction, sports, football
Publisher: Gotham Books
Publication Dates: September 2, 2010
I love football. No, actually, check that. I don’t love football. I love Steelers football. I’ve said it before and I will say it again; it isn’t football if the Steelers aren’t playing. To add a little fuel to the fire, I am a displaced Steelers fan. You see, I live in Texas. Smack dab in the middle of Cowboys country. So every Sunday, Thursday or Monday (whenever my team may be playing) I don my black and gold with pride and let those here in the great state of Texas know of my feelings for my team.
That being said, when the opportunity arose to review The Ones Who Hit the Hardest, I couldn’t resist. (C’mon! With a subtitle like “The Steelers, The Cowboys, the 70’s and the Fight for America’s Soul” how was I supposed to pass that up?!)
As a Steelers fan, I enjoyed this book a lot. There were moments while I was reading that I felt as if I were watching a game play out in front of me. Seminal moments in football history were recounted and held up (the Immaculate Reception anyone?) by facts and behind the scenes information people might not realize. Like Mr. Rooney missed the whole thing because he was waiting in the tunnel to greet the team?! Wow.
As for the book as a whole, growing up in Pennsylvania gave me a strong grasp of history. Particularly history in Western PA. I was born and raised in Titusville, the birthplace of the oil industry. I know where Pennsylvania millionaires got their money and how industry developed through the region. I think this helped me to appreciate the historical facts covered in the book a little more than the average reader, but in many places throughout the book, these historic facts and moments took away from the story. I know that this was meant to be a story about the 70’s ‘and the fight for America’s soul’ but the main reason I requested the book was for the Steelers. It didn’t feel like the portions of Pennsylvania’s history that are discussed blended seamlessly with the Steelers struggles. It felt uneven and sometimes jarring to end a chapter in the 70’s and then bounce back to the 1800’s with seemingly nothing to connect them beyond geographic location.
All in all, for those who love football (perhaps not Cowboys fans) this is a fun book with a lot of information about the NFL, the start of the league and background on many of the teams still playing today. If you’re a football fan, it’s definitely one you might want to pick up. If you’re a Steelers fan, it belongs on your bookshelf. If you’re a Cowboys fan, I’m sorry. We’re ahead. J
*PG – There’s some language sprinkled throughout, but it’s mostly about the men who play football and the fans that love the sport.
*Review copy was provided by Gotham Books. Thank you!
