DARK SIDE OF THE GAME - Tim Green An autobiography published in 1997. The BUCPOWER.COM review Tim Green is a former Falcon defensive lineman, turned TV-commentator who offers his opinions on a wide range of NFL matters from taunting on the field to drugs off it, from interviews in the locker room, to the Oakland fans. The format is easy to read with no more than a few pages on each subject, but his views are interesting and eye-opening to say the least. You might not agree with some of his opinions, such as why Jerry Glanville and Deion Sanders are good for the game, but Green makes his points in a positive and believable manner. Not many players have made the conversion to journalism successfully, but here is one who has done so very well. Other reviews Tim Green is proof that all football players aren't meat-headed Neanderthals. Green, an ex-player who has made his mark as a commentator on National Public Radio and the Fox Network, shows both his love of the game and his insights into its problems in this collection of some 70 essays on his experience in the National Football League. From the physical brutality of the sport -- he suffered 12 concussions as a player -- to the use of performance enhancing drugs, to the sport's connections with the mob, Green writes clearly and evenly about the dilemmas and deals the most professional football fans know nothing about -- the dark side to America's favorite pastime. Amazon.com A former player for the Atlanta Falcons and now a TV broadcaster on the Fox network, Green has an enduring love for football, but that does not prevent his seeing the unlovelier aspects of the sport. Chief among them are the physical tolls the game exacts: every player, he stresses, suffers discomfort in every game of every season. The injuries are usually temporary but are sometimes permanently disabling, including concussions (Green had 12 during his career). There are the hardships of training camps and exhibition games, which sap athletes' energies even before the regular season starts, violent players and team doctors who urge even wounded players to stay on the field. Enemies may be teammates, since offensive and defensive units each have special bonds. Other obstacles include performance drugs, artificial turf, rowdy fans and the media, resented because reporters have never played pro football and, in Green's view, don't know what they are writing about. The author also provides insights into good and bad venues, superstitions, agents and the realities of play: "If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'." Eye-opening for grid fans. Publishers' Weekly What you thought of it Add your comments on this book If you want to add a review for this book or any other book, please e-mail us at the contact address shown on the front page of BUCPOWER.COM.