Great Story, Important Scholarship | War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a...

book: War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest | Michael Rosenberg

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	• War As They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest Michael Rosenberg Grand Central Publishing, 2008 - 384 pages view larger image
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An admirable piece of journalism

As a journalist, English teacher and librarian, I found War as They Knew It to be a noteworthy piece of journalism. The author does a great job of weaving the metaphor of football as war-- at least between Ohio State and Michigan-- throughout the book. The anecdotes are well placed and the information presented about the two coaches captured the essence of the two men. The writing is worth studying. The author' commentary is peppered with wry wit that is effectively juxtaposed to tense, riveting descriptions of Ohio State games. The game play does not get in the way of the two coaches' biographies or the overall theme of the novel. I think this is a book that all serious sports writers and aspiring writers in general should study. The critical reviews presented about the book no doubt come from zealous fans who know the story of the two colleges' rivalry and the coaches inside out. But a book has to be written for everyone -- those who already know the story and those who know nothing or very little. This is one of my favorite books.

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Great Story, Important Scholarship

Not only is this book a great read -- even for non-football fans -- it's an important contribution to the understanding of the impact of sports on culture ... and vice-versa. Take one of the greatest sports rivalries of all time, add two iconic coaches, some great games, political turmoil, a cadre of radicals, and a bunch of well-researched historical background ... and you've got a compelling story that's better than fiction.

The Vietnam War . . .

Nixon . . .

Kent State . . .

The late 1960s and early 1970s were a time of total turmoil in America-the country was being torn apart by a war most people didn't support, young men were being taken away by the draft, and racial tensions were high. Nowhere was this turmoil more evident than on college campuses, the epicenters of the protest movement.

The uncertain times presented a challenge to two of the greatest football coaches of all time. Woody Hayes, the legendary archconservative coach of Ohio State, feared for the future of America. His protégé and rival, Bo Schembechler of the University of Michigan, didn't want to be bothered by these "distractions." Hayes worshipped General George S. Patton and was friends with President Richard Nixon. Schembechler befriended President Gerald Ford, a former captain and team MVP for the Wolverines.

In this enthralling book, Michael Rosenberg dramatically weaves the campus unrest and political upheaval into the story of Hayes and Schembechler. Their rivalry began with Schembechler arriving in protest-heavy Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the height of the Vietnam War. It ended with Hayes wondering what had happened to his country. War As They Knew It is a sobering and fascinating look at two iconic coaches and a different generation.

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