NFL Analyst Brian Billick Discusses New Book "More Than A Game"

By Preston Bounds, Staff Writer

There will be dozens of NFL-related books published in the U.S. this year, but few are likely to cut as broad a swath across pro football as Fox and NFL Network analyst Brian Billick's "More Than A Game: The Glorious Present And Uncertain Future Of The NFL." The former Super Bowl-winning coach collaborated on the 229-page book with Michael MacCambridge, who wrote the '05 best-seller "America's Game." The new release examines everything from the current CBA negotiations to a coach's daily life to X's and O's. Billick said the work came out of the desire of both he and MacCambridge to offer the average fan and the business community a view into the game during a "pivotal time in the evolution of the NFL." This "confluence of events" includes new leadership at the league and union, a new breed of billionaire owners, the evolution of on-field strategy and the global economic crisis. Billick wanted to make fans more aware that the business and football aspects of the NFL are interconnected and that "decisions made on the field can't be made in a vacuum." He feels that the current group of 32 owners "have expectations for their teams and their league that are very much bottom-line oriented, maybe more so than at any other time in the history of the league."

CBA TALKS LOOM LARGE: Billick addresses the looming CBA talks between the NFL and the NFLPA in the book, and he views that as the key issue overshadowing all others facing the league. A work stoppage would mean, as Billick and MacCambridge wrote, "all the momentum that the league has enjoyed for the past twenty years is shot to hell." When asked if the parties involved understand how high the stakes are, Billick said, "Absolutely, but the problem is that may not prevent them from doing what you typically do with these negotiations, which is take shots at one another. Both sides recognize the fans have no interest in hearing billionaire owners argue with millionaire players over their money." Billick added he was surprised to find how many team officials are "comfortable with the idea that the salary cap can go away" following this season, a fact which may take away a key point of leverage for the players.

NETWORK NEWS: "More Than A Game" also addresses the advent of NFL Network and its subsequent disputes with cable companies. Billick, whose TV work made possible many of the conversations with NFL players and execs recounted in the book, said he was "not at all" uneasy writing about one of his employers. Billick lauded NFL Net for striking a deal with Comcast and said he is "confident the network will get something done" with Time Warner. But until the net gets in more homes, it "will have a hard time finding its niche."

COMING ATTRACTIONS: Below are some of the other NFL-themed books being released this season.

NFL BOOKS BEING RELEASED DURING THE SEASON
"When The Saints Came Marching In: What The New Orleans NFL Franchise Did Wrong (And Sometimes Right) In Its Expansion Years" -- by George Becnel
"Nothing Comes Easy: My Life In Football" -- by Y.A. Tittle
"Every Day Is Game Day" -- by Fran Tarkenton
"Dick Vermeil: Whistle In His Mouth, Heart On His Sleeve" -- by Gordon Forbes and Ron Jaworski
"Notes From A 12th Man: A Truly Biased History Of The Seattle Seahawks" -- Mark Tye Turner
"Total Patriots: The Definitive Encyclopedia Of The World-Class Franchise" -- by Bob Hyldburg
"From Baltimore To Broadway: Joe, The Jets, And The Super Bowl III Guarantee" -- by Ed Gruver
"Then Madden Said To Summerall: The Best NFL Stories Ever Told" -- by Matt Shepatin
"Gridiron Gauntlet: The Story Of The Men Who Integrated Pro Football" -- by Andy Piasick
"The Catch: One Play, Two Dynasties, And The Game That Changed The NFL" -- by Gary Myers
"Soldier Field: A Stadium And Its City" -- by Liam Ford
"No Substitute For Sundays: Brett Favre And His Year In The Huddle With The New York Jets" -- by Steve Serby
"Sports Illustrated Monday Morning Quarterback: A Fully Caffeinated Guide To Everything You Need To Know About The NFL" -- by Peter King
"That First Season: How Vince Lombardi Took The Worst Team In The NFL And Set It On The Path To Glory" -- by John Eisenberg
"The First Star: Red Grange And The Barnstorming Tour That Launched The NFL" -- by Lars Anderson