Are you a football fan? This one book will change the way you view the NFL and the price players pay for your enjoyment and dollars. Kevin Fixler on why he can’t watch a game the same way anymore.” – The Daily Beast

“I’m unable to watch football these days as I used to. I desperately wish I could, but I just can’t. And after you finish reading this book, you won’t be able to either.

“The book is League of Denial, from brothers Mark Fainaru-Wada (co-author of Game of Shadows) and Steve Fainaru (2008 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting), and it is one that the National Football League probably wishes was never written. The book explores the football factory that was the city of Pittsburgh, why it became the epicenter of the NFL’s concussion crisis, and how an improbable character by chance flicked the first domino to set off a devastating chain reaction with which the league is still grappling. Since assisting these two ESPN investigative reporters with research on their book, I’ve replaced my weekly excitement waking up in anticipation of an autumn Sunday morning filled with football to one of mostly disgust.

Early on in League of Denial, we are introduced to Mike Webster, the Hall of Fame center and linchpin for the dominant Steelers teams of the 1970s and early ’80s that won four Super Bowls. “Iron Mike,” as he was known, was a fan favorite because, dating back to his modest, workman-like Midwestern upbringing, he absolutely epitomized the hardhat population that made up the blue-collar community of the era. He went on to became a nine-time Pro Bowler and five-time First-Team All-Pro, at one point after a contest was held even owned the title of ‘The Strongest Man in Football,’ and is unquestionably one of the greatest to ever play professionally.

Click here to continue reading this Daily Beast article.

Be sure to read this BehindTheSteelCurtain article too.

[Columbia news, views & reviews EDITOR’S NOTE: In my life, I’ve watched hundreds of football games, in NFL-stadiums, in big-time and small-time college and high-school stadiums; on little league fields and on TV. In the past 15 years, I have watched only a few. Perhaps it’s because of the gladiator-like extreme violence? Perhaps it’s because of the senseless player celebrations following nearly every play? Maybe it’s the ignoring of steroids and drugs in the game? Maybe it’s watching parents and family members exhorting kids playing a game with parental transfer of expectations of collegiate or NFL stardom? And maybe, it’s because the kids caught up in the hype of football are just like the kids caught up in the hype of combat? Napoleon, you may recall, said: “A soldier will fight long and hard for a bit of colored ribbon.” So it is with young men; they see only the glory of moment or the moment of glory … they forget that life will be long. Except, we now know, that life can be very hard and not necessarily long for warriors and gladiators. RIP, Mike Webster and the brotherhood.]