by Jon Eisenberg
This book is a play by play account how the NFL started from nothing to become a multi-billion enterprise. There were basically five men that started and developed the NFL into what we see today. These guys came from all different walks of life from being a laundry tycoon to being a professional gambler. They each had their own unique set of expertise they brought to the game. When they started the NFL college football, boxing, professional baseball, and horse racing dominated the public’s interest. They surrendered to each other at critical junctures in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s by making hard decisions and not folding. By sacrificing their own short-term success it benefited the long-term good of the League. Some of the issues they had to endure was the Great Depression, cheating scandals, and even WWII. But together these men pioneered a sport that is watched by millions every Sunday.