Books in Glory Days series

Providing detailed tales and anecdotes from the players and coaches responsible for some of the school’s greatest victories, Glory Days focuses on pivotal moments in Crimson Tide history. From the 1969 game against Ole Miss to the 1979 Sugar Bowl victory over Penn State during the team’s perfect season, up through the 2012 BCS national championship game, this book takes the reader on a journey through the last forty-plus years of the Alabama football team in all its glory. With stories covering everyone from legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, to the Miami Dolphins’ two-time Player of the Year Don McNeal, to current NFL phenomenon Julio Jones, and many more, columnist Tommy Hicks builds on the insight from Alabama players and coaches alike to provide the color and emotion surrounding the best games. Crimson Days is sure to captivate and enlighten Crimson Tide football fans past and present.

The Pittsburgh Steelers rank as one of the NFL’s truly legendary franchises, and this book, written from the fan’s perspective, provides readers with unique stories about the players and coaches who took part in many of the greatest and most euphoric victories in the team’s history. Among the games covered are Franco Harris’s “Immaculate Reception” that beat the Oakland Raiders in the playoffs, the four Super Bowl and AFC Championship Game victories in the glorious decade of the 1970s, and the incredible 2005 playoff run that was capped by the team’s fifth Super Bowl title. Grdnic notably delivers credit to Chuck Noll and acknowledges his remarkable talents in draft selections; taking Hall of Famers from 1969–1972 and finally in 1974 selecting four Hall of Famers in one draft year. The Pittsburgh Steelers 1974 draft year, to this day, has not yet been surpassed. Among other games reviewed are Bill Cowher’s first victory as Steelers head coach in 1992, a stunning overtime win against rival Cleveland Browns in 1976 under rookie quarterback Mike Kruczek and Ben Roethlisberger’s first win as a starting quarterback in Miami. This newly revised edition examines the Steelers’ most recent Super Bowl win in 2009 as well as their agonizing defeat in 2010. This is not just a book about one team but a highly detailed examination of an American legacy through the eyes of its devoted fans.