The snow's all melted but it's still cool for this time of year... a good excuse to kick back and finish reading a book I bought as part of my Christmas cum Birthday present from my sister, Shelley (thanks again)! (If I'd known the online prices were so much better than the store prices I would have shopped online!)
In this autobiography Bobby Ackles describes his career. He literally climbed from his first job as water boy for the earliest incarnation of the B.C. Lions football team, to the front office of the current Grey Cup champs/contenders, with some significant stops in the NFL and XFL along the way.
Like most sports memoires it won't win a Pulitzer, but it's an enjoyable read. I found it interesting to see the transparency that exists between the CFL and NFL. Bob describes working relationships amongst football teams and individuals that move easily across the national boundary and league lines. When teams are looking for the right staff and players, there seems to be a level playing field. The right person for the job, with the right professional team experience is usually considered. That's interesting.
Because he was so much involved with team building and player evaluations and so forth, I would have enjoyed more insights into the key differences at various positions that might determine a player's chance of success in one league versus the other. In the epilogue Mr. Ackles touches a little on this, but more would have been appreciated:
"The NFL is a different kettle of fish - because it is huge. It's a different game. The athletes are different: in general, they're about 20 percent bigger, faster and more powerful. Still the same values hold sway in each league."
"If you have quality Canadians, you can find American players for other positions. There is just such a huge pool of talent south of the border.... Finding talented Canadians who can play at a professional level was more difficult."
He shares some insights regarding how professional players have changed over the last few decades, for example:
"...Kids today are coached constantly and, as they get to higher and higher levels, especially in the U.S., they receive specialized attention. In college and university, they have 10 to 12 assistant coaches... there are as many as 20 assistant coaches in the NFL..."
He's vociferous about keeping the NFL out of Canada, as he believes it would kill the CFL:
"... I sure don't want to see the Grey Cup game disappear, especially just because a few people in Toronto need an NFL franchise to feel good - to feel they're "major league." That's really what it is, isn't it? Ego. ... You will eliminated the economic benefits, the players, the support staff, the money that the Grey Cup brings into each host city. The economic impact of the Grey Cup in Vancouver was between $46 and $48 million. ... Other than for a few people and one city, what is the advantage of a (NFL) franchise -- except, as I say, for a few greedy people to turn $1 billion into $6 billion, while screwing the rest of the country."
I guess that's pretty clear!
I enjoyed seeing how hard work, dedication, loyalty, luck and a little chutzpa propelled Bob through all levels of professional football. It's nice to know this still happens.
In this autobiography Bobby Ackles describes his career. He literally climbed from his first job as water boy for the earliest incarnation of the B.C. Lions football team, to the front office of the current Grey Cup champs/contenders, with some significant stops in the NFL and XFL along the way.
Like most sports memoires it won't win a Pulitzer, but it's an enjoyable read. I found it interesting to see the transparency that exists between the CFL and NFL. Bob describes working relationships amongst football teams and individuals that move easily across the national boundary and league lines. When teams are looking for the right staff and players, there seems to be a level playing field. The right person for the job, with the right professional team experience is usually considered. That's interesting.
Because he was so much involved with team building and player evaluations and so forth, I would have enjoyed more insights into the key differences at various positions that might determine a player's chance of success in one league versus the other. In the epilogue Mr. Ackles touches a little on this, but more would have been appreciated:
"The NFL is a different kettle of fish - because it is huge. It's a different game. The athletes are different: in general, they're about 20 percent bigger, faster and more powerful. Still the same values hold sway in each league."
"If you have quality Canadians, you can find American players for other positions. There is just such a huge pool of talent south of the border.... Finding talented Canadians who can play at a professional level was more difficult."
He shares some insights regarding how professional players have changed over the last few decades, for example:
"...Kids today are coached constantly and, as they get to higher and higher levels, especially in the U.S., they receive specialized attention. In college and university, they have 10 to 12 assistant coaches... there are as many as 20 assistant coaches in the NFL..."
He's vociferous about keeping the NFL out of Canada, as he believes it would kill the CFL:
"... I sure don't want to see the Grey Cup game disappear, especially just because a few people in Toronto need an NFL franchise to feel good - to feel they're "major league." That's really what it is, isn't it? Ego. ... You will eliminated the economic benefits, the players, the support staff, the money that the Grey Cup brings into each host city. The economic impact of the Grey Cup in Vancouver was between $46 and $48 million. ... Other than for a few people and one city, what is the advantage of a (NFL) franchise -- except, as I say, for a few greedy people to turn $1 billion into $6 billion, while screwing the rest of the country."
I guess that's pretty clear!
I enjoyed seeing how hard work, dedication, loyalty, luck and a little chutzpa propelled Bob through all levels of professional football. It's nice to know this still happens.
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