Blindsided: Why the Left Tackle Is Overrated and Other Contrarian Football Thoughts

by K.C. Joyner

Book Overview

ESPN.com Insider KC Joyner, "The Football Scientist," explores and explodes many of the myths of NFL football

Have free agency and salary caps put an end to football dynasties? Does it take an elite running back to win a Super Bowl? Which players belong in the Hall of Fame? What defense is the greatest of all time? Does playing creampuffs work for NFL teams? Do coaches have a ten-year shelf life?

In Blindsided, pro...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0470124091
• ISBN13: 9780470124093
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Trade Paper Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Another Way to Look at the NFL

This is a wide-ranging collection of football information and analysis by one of the leaders in football statistical analysis. The topics covered include a very intriguing study of left tackles and their effectiveness in relationship to other offensive linemen. I am not going to be giving anything away when I tell you he concludes that they are both overrated and overpaid. The analysis though is interesting as to the causes for this phenomena and effect this has on teams in general. The book also looks at football dynasties, various aspects of the Hall of Fame, and the history and business case of the NFL. The difference though is that KC backs up most of his work with some actual value-based analysis. You may not always like his conclusions but he can actually produce calculable values as a basis for what he has to say. There is plenty of room to debate the measures he has chosen but that is one of the fascinations of the book; it is thought provoking. This is also ostensibly the purpose of the book, which carries the subtitle ...Contrarian Football Thoughts. Joyner is one of several football writers trying to develop a more comprehensive statistical analysis framework for football, similar to what Bill James did for baseball. Improvement of football analysis is certainly desirable but it rates to be a much more complex matter in football than almost any other sport. The complexity of a play in football is amazing and breaking it down is almost impossible since a play has component plays within it, e.g. route options, blocking adjustments. This book though starts the process of applying analysis against some long held tenets of the game to prove or disprove so-called conventional wisdom. It is a worthwhile start in that direction.

The Bill James of Pro Football

Finished this book in two days and just about ready to go thru a second read . Ten years from now , when football fans are looking for the seminal moment for sabremetrics and pro football , this may mark the starting point . If your into pro football , fantasy football or football strategy , this book is a must . KC Joyner has a writing style that is reminiscent of Bill James with a perfect blend of commonsense , strategy and stats . For those of you who aren't familar with Joyner's work , check out ESPN's web site and don't ignore his excellent annual reviews/previews in his " Football Scientist " series . Trust me when I say you'll never watch football the same way again . '

An Excellent And Passionate Examination of NFL Issues

In this short and easy to read book, KC Joyner seeks to provide for football what Bill James provided for baseball--a set of analytical statistics that allow for a greater comprehension of the truth about football and the skills of its players and coaches among a broader section of the population, especially those who (like myself) are statistically minded and passionate fans of the sport. The book particularly excels in its examination of such interesting subjects as the ubiquity of dynasties in all eras of the NFL, the reasons why the left tackle is overrated, the reasons for success/failure among different coaching philosophies, the reason why the Pittsburgh Steelers defense of the 70's was the greatest defense of all time and why Jerry Rice is the best WR of all time, and other excellent essays. Mr. Joyner, a dedicated reviewer of videotape and a passionate innovator in football statistics also tackles the subject of which former football players, coaches, and officials are most deserving of a bust in Canton, as well as what statistical changes need to be made in order to bring football to the level of statistical excellence its fans deserve--especially forthright is the recognition by Mr. Joyner that the NFL needs to release its archives (for a price) to fans who wish to view old video footage, which would provide a great deal of benefit to the NFL and its fans. In short, this book is a must-read for the passionate fan of football who has an interest in listening and discussing some contrarian ideas whose time has come.