In the summer of 2006, the NFL's most senior general manager, Ernie Accorsi, invited Tom Callahan "inside" the Giants organization to experience a ...
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reviews
Feb 26, 2011
David
rated it: 
Concerns New York football Giants' general manager Ernie Accorsi. Author followed him around during the last season of his long career. Game stories from that season are interspersed with recollections of other athletes Accorsi knew, big decisions he had made (e.g., the blockbuster draft day trade to get Eli Manning for the Giants), his tepid relationship with coach Tom Coughlin, etc.
I'm a big Redskins fan and was re-traumatized reading about Tiki Barber's last game when he ran rou More...
I'm a big Redskins fan and was re-traumatized reading about Tiki Barber's last game when he ran rou More...
Jul 15, 2010
Dave
rated it: 
I'm not much of a Giants' fan. For that fact, since I moved to New York from Seattle, I haven't been much of a pro football fan at all. But, when the Giants made their Super Bowl run and beat the perfect New England Patriots, I was transfixed.
This is a chronicle of the year before, Tiki Barber's last season and GM, Ernie Accorsi's last. Moreso, this is a story of the history of the NFL in the later half of the 20th Century. Long before we had players regularly being suspenede for More...
This is a chronicle of the year before, Tiki Barber's last season and GM, Ernie Accorsi's last. Moreso, this is a story of the history of the NFL in the later half of the 20th Century. Long before we had players regularly being suspenede for More...
Aug 15, 2010
Elisa
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I enjoyed this book mostly because it was about the Giants so I was familiar with many of the names that were mentioned throughout the book. Had this been about another NFL team, I would have stopped reading it. I don't like books that mention soooo many names it becomes confusing. And the book goes back and forth from the present to the past and not in a smooth way.
Mar 07, 2010
Dave
rated it: 
Fun insider's perspective on what it's like to be the GM of an NFL team. Ernie Accorsi is a great subject because he allows amazing access, is candid in his assessment of players and coaches, and has a wealth of anecdotes from his 40 years in sports.
I would have loved having more numbers and less sentiment, but I suspect I am in the minority in that.
I would have loved having more numbers and less sentiment, but I suspect I am in the minority in that.
Aug 07, 2011
Grant
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A good "year in the life" book about one of the great guys in football. The GM is not someone the average couch sitting, football fan will know well, but he is the guy who truly has to get the players, get the coaches, and keep the whole team on the same page. Ernie Accorsi is truly one of the last great guys to fill this role.
Jul 11, 2010
Eric
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I'm a big fan of "behind the scenes" books, especially about sports. I'm always curious to get a taste of how the many aspects (especially the business side) that I never get to see work. You probably like watching "Hard Knocks," so you're probably more like me than you know. When I first saw this book, that's what I expected. It's a little unfortunately that it isn't what I got, however. This book was less a behind the scenes look at being an NFL GM than a biography of Ernie
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Feb 03, 2009
Amanda
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Good book, but I won't say it was one of my favorites as an inside look. Ernie Accorsi is a true lover of football and all sports, and I did appreciate the candor of the book and his willingness to speak on the record about his own players and those he was happy to leave behind in the draft, etc.
Feb 13, 2009
Zach
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If you are interested in the NFL and like to hear interesting stories from old guys that have been around the business for many years than this is a good book. Otherwise you might not find it all that interesting.
Feb 02, 2011
James
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I'm no Giants fan, but I did enjoy the book. It tends to meander at times, getting wrapped up in the backstory of every new character introduced. I think what takes away from the book most of all is the immense assault of names thrown at the reader. I am a huge sports fan and know plenty of history, and often times I'd find myself struggling to remember who is who, or why this person is important. Callahan seems to take joy in showing off how many historical figures he can cram into a single pag
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Jul 06, 2009
Dan
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Eh... if I wasn't a Giants fan I probably would pass. In the genre of sports books that follows the script of "behind the scenes" or "a season with" it wasn't bad. Better than Feinstein. That doesn't say much.
Oct 19, 2011
Joe
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It's been a while since I read this - it was an interesting look at running a football team but I think that I got lost many times reading this. Guess the presentation didn't work so well for me.
Dec 10, 2009
Jason
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Just not well written - it jogs all over the place and doesn't give any real insight. It's really the story of the author but told poorly. Stay away
May 28, 2008
{dvc}
rated it:
With a number of meanders, and the only story line, the 2006 football season of the New York Giants, seemingly an afterthought, this book never really seems to be about anything. Rather it's just a bunch of recorded reminiscing by a retiring General Manager of the New York Giants, which would all be well and good, but there's no back story given to a number of the names and events that come up in the process. An 'inside story' it is not, which left me wandering 'so what?' If you're a Giants fan,
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Jul 05, 2011
Justin
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Interesting view of life as an NFL GM and behind the scenes decisions, maybe a little too much life background on the guy.
Dec 09, 2008
David
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Interesting look into the inner workings of a Professional Football franchise from the early days to today.
Apr 17, 2008
James
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The GM is Moneyball for Football. Not in the sense that it looks at statistical analysis being applied to sport, but in the way it chronicles the thoughts and methods of a General Manager as he builds his team. A very well-written look at everything that goes on behind the scenes at a professional sports franchise, although given that the author and his subject (former Giants GM Ernie Accorsi) were close friends, at times it felt like the shining portrait of Accorsi and his talents might be a
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Mar 04, 2011
Jacob
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I Loved This Book Because It was Aboout My Favorite Football Team The New York Giants and Their AWESOME GM
Nov 08, 2009
Michele
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Football sunday--watching the game and reading this book makes for appreciation of the "work" of the game.
Nov 20, 2010
Cristobal
rated it:
I probably enjoyed it more than it deserved because I'm a New York Giants fan. It does have some interesting insights into what the job of a General Manager in the NFL entails, although it also lacks an engaging thread. The real shame about it is that it was written one year before the Giants magical 2007 championship.
Jul 30, 2010
Paul
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Pretty good book about the "behind the scenes" aspect of being an NFL GM
Jul 08, 2008
Noel
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this book was very blah. the passages about ernie accorsi's childhood were some of the most unstimulating written words I have read in quite some time - that the man grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania should start and stop all discussion of his childhood right there. The only parts I enjoyed were Ernie's scouting notes on players that crept into the book. He was right on with Eli Manning
May 09, 2008
Mike
rated it:
Every Giants fan would love this book, which means none of my friends should read it. Except maybe for you, Casey. It seems very similar to something someone might write about Carl Peterson (without the success, of course. Hah!). Great inside info, all made a little better by the fact that their devotion to the players involved pays off the next season when they won the Super Bowl.
Dec 29, 2007
Mike
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The best part of the book is when the tales are told of evaluatiing and drafting QBs. Elway, Kosar, Eli Manning - Accorsi's involvement with all three make for good reading. Perhaps the most surprising story was how close Brett Farve came to being a Jet (they were all set to take him but Atlanta grabed him one pick before them in the second round).
Feb 19, 2008
Robert
rated it:
Good book focusing on Ernie Acorsi and his time as the GM of the Giants. I learned a bit about a team I hate. And all the nice stuff they wrote about him, I still hate Jeremy Shockey. Some of Acorsi's stories growing up are good though (espeically the one about him playing football with the other kids in the neighborhood).
Jan 06, 2009
Ron
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Even though this books purports to tell us how a football General Manager works, it really is nothing more than a biography of the New York Giants General Manager Ernie Akorski. I wanted more in-depth everyday details on what a GM does, how he does it, not a running biography of the last year before a GM retires.
Oct 16, 2007
Mike
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This was a good, solid look inside the mind of a GM. I can't say I've read better because I haven't read any other books about sports GMs. This is a lot better for Giants fans but I think general football fans can appreciate Ernie Accorsi's knowledge and perspective.
Oct 17, 2008
Mike
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A well-written book and an interesting read, but the title is misleading. I was hoping for insight into the decision-making process of an NFL GM...this was more like a memoir of the Giants 2006 season.
Feb 08, 2008
Justin
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not the most absorbing but a quick fun read. more about the career of Ernie Accorsi (Giants GM) than the job itself. interesting stories from a lifetime in the sport-type of book.
Oct 22, 2007
For a Giants fan this book is indispensible. This is a work of old-school sports reporting that any NFL or sports fan would enjoy.
May 27, 2008
Jason_73
rated it:
Good insight into being a GM. Made me a fan of Accorsi. Made me root for the Giants to beat the Pat's in the Superbowl too.
