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War on the Floor
He began with no athletic ability. His pass-catching skills were so bad that he was told he couldn't catch a cold if he were butt-naked. He fell flat on his facemask during a six-minute jog. He was tormented by referees, subjected to rookie initiation pranks, called Rudy by fans and intimidated by a 250-pound ex-NFL player.Welcome to Jeff Foley's adventure in the Arena Football League. A five-foot-six, 180-pound writer, Foley is every bit the average individual. But the AFL's Albany Firebirds agreed to let him join their squad as an offensive specialist/writer in 1999 and 2000. So, despite never having played a down of organized football ? no Pop Warner, high school or college gridiron experience ? Foley played in three professional contests, running pass patterns against seasoned athletes, competing in front of more than 10,000 people. He lived every fan's dream. Or nightmare?He endured grueling practice sessions, hits, injuries and road trips, and attended team meetings and meals. He was a part of locker room conversations. He was overjoyed by the thrill of success, and dealt with the disappointment that accompanies failure. Foley experienced all life in the AFL has to offer. And lived to write about it.
- GenresFootball
340 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 2, 2021
In the tradition of George Plimpton, author Jeff Foley joins the Albany Firebirds for a preseason game in 1999. After the Firebirds win ArenaBowl XIII that year, the fires are stoked in Foley and he makes arrangements to join the Firebirds for the entire 2000 season. Treated as much like a pro football player as possible, Foley experiences the trials and tribulations of the team and its players as they collectively struggle through the pain and pressure of training camp, with one goal in mind. The 2000 season would prove to be very significant in Firebirds history. Foley does a masterful job bringing the reader into the locker room and getting a full understanding and building up to the climax of preseason games. A fantastic read about what is sadly now a league that is lost to history.
February 15, 2022
The book is a bit dated now and the AFL no longer exists but it’s a fun read and a great behind the scenes look at arena football through the eyes of a writer/storyteller. The dynamics of training camp, the pains of two-a-days and the characters on the team. All on full display. Not to mention “the catch”!
December 13, 2015
This was a fantastic book worthy of George Plimpton himself. It recounts Jeff Foley's odyssey as writer turned football player with the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League. It is very well written and shows the ups and downs of training camp and the preseason.
As you read the book, you find yourself rooting for Foley. No matter what happens, you find yourself thinking do it Jeff! He is living out the dream of every Pop Warner and High School football player, who ended their football career then. He is the everyman playing professional football, a place afforded to him initially under the guise of writing a book. While this is akin to the movie Rudy, it is far more than simply that. It breaks down the barriers and shows what it is truly like in the world of professional football.
The author has a tremendous gift at writing to a crescendo. As you read the book, you start to believe that despite being in camp solely to write a book, that maybe, just maybe, he showed enough heart and courage to make the Firebirds as a legitimate player.
If you enjoy the adventures of George Plimpton, you will definitely enjoy this book. The bio for Jeff Foley mentions that he also did a piece for the Albany newspaper, where he played minor league baseball. I wish he had flushed that out into a second book as I want to read more. Alas, as this book was written 15 years ago, it would stand to reason that Father Time has visited Jeff Foley and there won't be any further adventures to come.
As you read the book, you find yourself rooting for Foley. No matter what happens, you find yourself thinking do it Jeff! He is living out the dream of every Pop Warner and High School football player, who ended their football career then. He is the everyman playing professional football, a place afforded to him initially under the guise of writing a book. While this is akin to the movie Rudy, it is far more than simply that. It breaks down the barriers and shows what it is truly like in the world of professional football.
The author has a tremendous gift at writing to a crescendo. As you read the book, you start to believe that despite being in camp solely to write a book, that maybe, just maybe, he showed enough heart and courage to make the Firebirds as a legitimate player.
If you enjoy the adventures of George Plimpton, you will definitely enjoy this book. The bio for Jeff Foley mentions that he also did a piece for the Albany newspaper, where he played minor league baseball. I wish he had flushed that out into a second book as I want to read more. Alas, as this book was written 15 years ago, it would stand to reason that Father Time has visited Jeff Foley and there won't be any further adventures to come.
September 4, 2013
Rated this book 8.4 out of 10. It made me realize just how much Arena Football players go through just to play the game they love. Training camp truly would be hell on Earth.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews