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War Without Death: A Year of Extreme Competition in Pro Football Kindle Edition

by Mark Maske (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 11 ratings
See all formats and editions
In this masterpiece of sports reportage, Washington Post staff writer Mark Maske--one of the most respected journalists working both on and off the field--draws on unprecedented access to produce a behind-the-scenes look at the NFL's bitterest rivals: the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys.

Relentlessly reported from the leadership level, War Without Death delivers all the dramatic personality conflicts and unexpected changes in personnel and fortune, creating a complete narrative of four intensely competitive organizations locked in a steel-cage match with each other over the course of a year--nothing less than nirvana for sports fans.
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  1. Print length
    420 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Penguin Books
  5. Publication date
    August 16, 2007
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. File size
    1067 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
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  10. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The four teams in the NFC East have won 10 Super Bowls, and Maske, a sports columnist for the Washington Post, offers an up-close look at these storied franchises throughout 2006. Legendary Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs struggles in his second stint with the team; controversial receiver Terrell Owens tries to make nice with his new employer, the Dallas Cowboys; the New York Giants surge and then struggle under disciplinarian coach Tom Coughlin and young quarterback Eli Manning; and the Philadelphia Eagles adjust to a slow start and a season-ending injury of their star, quarterback Donovan McNabb. The book excels when Maske profiles key characters—such as Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells or Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Too often, however, Maske offers breezy accounts of games and interviews. He looks at how running an NFL team has become a major endeavor, and while his extensive (if not overwhelming) coverage of the collective bargaining agreement shows how the league has become a big business, it takes away from the stories of a new generation of driven men with limited time, limited earning potentials and big dreams of winning a Super Bowl. That kind of personal touch is missing far too often in this ambitious but anticlimatic book. Photos not seen by PW. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Late National Football League Commissioner Pete Rozelle's vision for the league was parity, defined as a razor-thin distance from success to failure among the franchises season to season. His vision has been realized, and the result is an extraordinarily competitive environment in which it has been very difficult for any team to achieve extended dominance. Maske, a sports columnist for the Washington Post, trains his perceptive eye on the often bitter rivalries among the four teams constituting the National Conference's Eastern Division: the Washington Redskins, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, and the New York Giants. His year-long examination of the quartet begins in January 2006 in an environment in which the fans expect success and view anything less than a Super Bowl win failure. He bounces between teams and profiles the owners—from the Giants' decades-long Mara family ownership to the aggressive meddling of Redskin owner and self-made billionaire Dan Snyder. He dissects the draft day strategies of each team, the cagey and delicate free-agent signings and the preseason training camps, which are brutal and Darwinian as physically gifted rookies push battle-scarred veterans into unwelcome retirement. Then, of course, there's the season, in which injuries are common and the teams that overcome them often have the most adaptable and fearless coaching staffs. Maske is a discerning and intuitive journalist who captures the broad-stroke machinations of the teams as well as the nuances of ego and personal relationships. A superb book that belongs in every serious football collection. Lukowsky, Wes

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000W4RFG6
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books (August 16, 2007)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 16, 2007
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1067 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 420 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 11 ratings

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Mark Maske

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Customer reviews

3.4 out of 5 stars
3.4 out of 5
11 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

TravellingCari
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books I've read on pro football..
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2009
One of the better books on pro football that I've read. While it's true, little of the information is new to those who followed the NFC during the 2006 season, it's still a great read for the memories and the little stuff. I like how it bounced back and forth between individual team issues at particular times i.e. the draft, free agency, particular games on their schedule to whole league issues -- the labour agreement and revenue sharing.

It allowed the reader to get into the season without getting bogged down in too many details that would made it too dense of a read. I like the discussion of the salary cap -- especially how the players' salaries are counted against the cap and how there is wiggle room within the cap to make moves. Interesting to see Parcells' take on TO and Vanderjagt - yes the author didn't like Dallas but with Dallas playing at the Meadowlands, I got *my* Parcells from the days of him here with LT, Simms, etc.

Interesting to see how frequently some of these issues come up and now a year + into Goodell's tenure as commissioner and with the recent death of Upshaw.
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Kevin McGuire
4.0 out of 5 stars For the NFC East Lover
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2007
Few divisions in all of sports are as storied as the National Football League's NFC East Division. The Dallas Cowboys. The New York (football) Giants. The Washington Redskins. The Philadelphia Eagles. Together they own a quarter of the NFL's Super Bowl championships (ten) and have been the team of many legendary football players. The competition in the division is highly regarded as the toughest not only in the NFL, but in all of sports. Mark Maske took the opportunity to chronicle a year in the life of the NFC East in the book, War Without Death.

War Without Death: A Year of Extreme Competition in Pro Football's NFC East is exactly what the title says it is. The storyline of the 2006 calendar year for the NFC East is divided into three sections. And instead of giving you just the game recaps from the NFL season, the reader is put right in the thick of things from the coach's office, to the owner's box, to the draft rooms, and the player's homes. You start off right in Oakland at the end of the 2005 NFL season, where the New York Giants had clinched the 2005 NFC East division in January. Stories of the legendary Mara family, owners of the Giants, are told and signify how special things were in the organization, as well as documenting the emotions of the Cowboys, Redskins, and Eagles.

Maske tells the story more from the angle of the owners of the clubs than anyone else. Dan Snyder comes off as a rich man who is looking for his next buck. Jerry Jones comes off as a man wanting his Cowboys to be "America's Team". John Mara comes off as a man who wants to respect the history of the Giants and NFL, as well as wanting to ensure the Giants mean something in the league. And Jeffery Lurie comes off as the owner who wants to be successful but wants to do it smartly, rather than being the over spender. Each personality is represented just as they appear to be in real life.

The three sections of the book are "The Planning", "The Build Up", and "The Payoff". Each section progresses through the year starting with the end of the 2005 season. In the first section the reader learns what each club is thinking coming off the end of the 2005 NFL season, coaching changes, free agents, and looking forward to the draft. "The Build Up" is all about the second half of the off season as the reader learns how the draft unfolds, the legacies of the owners and general managers that are defined by free agency and drafts, and the wonderful world of training camps.
"The Payoff" takes the reader through the up and down 2006 season, all of the division lead changes, the national exposure games, and the eventual playoff match-ups.

There are so many plot lines that are followed through out the entire book. One to pay attention too is the story of Adam Archuleta, a free agent who decided to sign with the Redskins for more money as opposed to going to Chicago, where he could play in a system that better suited him and was close to his old home. Archuleta tells Maske just how feels as he makes the decision and how his feelings turn bitter as the season unfolds. By the end you want to feel sorry for Archuleta, but at the same time you may feel like saying "Told ya so!"

Among the other story lines that are detailed more accurately and without bias is the Terrell Owens sage, which moved form Philadelphia to Dallas. Owens' image issues, coach Parcels battles, and overdose episode are discussed, as well as his road from Philadelphia to Dallas. Also detailed throughout the book is what happens above the club level.

A owners' meetings are discussed in an important year for the NFL. A new collective bargaining agreement was put in place, as was a new commissioner. Stadium deals are passed, coaches are scrutinized, and players are revived and dismantled.

Every topic thinkable is covered in War Without Death. I bought it a while ago and finally finished it over the weekend. If you are a football fan, especially of either of the NFC East teams, this is a must read when you get a chance. You will undoubtedly come away with a higher appreciation for the inner workings of the NFL and its teams, owners, general managers, coaches, and players.
2 people found this helpful
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John McCarthy
3.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea, Incomplete Execution
Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2008
Verified Purchase
Beginning with the title and throughout the accounts, the book lacks a focus regarding the NFC East. What was the author's desired outcome? What should readers gain about the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins?

Pro: In depth coverage of the owners, contract negotiations, and search for new commissioner.

Con: Little insight into the high pressured world of coaches and players in context of winning and losing games. Read Next Man Up by John Feinstein for a substantive view into the professional game of football.

If your interest is on off season trades and contracts you will love this book. Maske must have spent much time with the owners and top execs of the teams as he offers enormous details on their deals and candid thoughts. Almost 2/3rds of the book deals with off- and pre-season issues. One the NFL season begins, Maske continues providing insights into the inner workings of the executives and owners. Coaches are included, but mostly dealing with administrative issues, and less of strategy and coaching games. Game coverage are brief summaries that give little more than if someone watched the games themselves. I know, having seen many of them. John Feinstein, Maske's acknowledged mentor, is more satisfying in his sports books. Read Next Man Up as an example of what Maske could have achieved. War Without Death is a contradictory title that reflects a book that promises much but delivers below expectations.
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MsTrebek
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read for NFC East Fans!
Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2007
As an avid reader of the Washington Post, Mark Maske's "NFL Insider" is one of the most interesting, lively and to the point columns. While the book delves into behind-the-scenes nuts and bolts, it is Mark's personal profiles that are the most interesting to read. His writing conveys a particularly human touch to the NFL's bigger than life characters and that definitely comes shining through in this book. Interesting reading!
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr. Matthew Sheen
5.0 out of 5 stars I can not praise this book enough
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 7, 2011
Verified Purchase
Being a massive American Football fan I was looking for a book to read on holiday that would engage me thoroughly. I was not disappointed. It is important to note that I am not a fan of any of the teams that are at the centre of this book but I am now a massive fan of Mark Maske's writing.

The author takes you to the core of a world mere mortals. Especially English ones. Will ever have the luck to be engaged in. The players, the fans, the managers, the coaches, everyone in the NFL division at the centre of this book are discussed and fantastic pictures of painted of their personalities and the stories that surround them.

If you're an NFL fan buy this book. You won't regret it
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