The QB

November 1, 2014

Welcome to the weird world of boutique preprofessional quarterback training, which starts in some instances as early as age eight. It's a niche field geared mostly to families in higher income brackets but attracts some middle-class participants as well, who envision the expensive private tutoring as an investment toward a future college scholarship. In these lively pages, Feldman (Cane Mutiny) describes the personalities, jargon, and techniques of several of the most prominent teachers: George Whitfield, the "Quarterback Whisperer"; Steve Clarkson, the expert self-marketer; and former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer, who manages the annual Elite 11 quarterback competition that is produced by ESPN and Nike. A great deal of focus is also given to Johnny Manziel, the leading quarterback phenomenon while the book was being researched in 2013. Along the way there are tales of stars including Aaron Rodgers, busts such as Jimmy Clausen, and many yet-unknown fledglings. The book is very well written and offers an in-depth view of this strange and somewhat creepy field. VERDICT A fast-paced read that will be of interest to both football fans and students of American culture and society.--John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, NJ

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2014
Feldman, Fox Sports football commentator, tackles the evolving nature of football quarterbacking in the era of social media, which have contributed to the emergence of such personalities as Johnny Football Manziel. This book is intended primarily for the subspecies of fan interested in the recruitment and draft processes, but as such it is compelling reading. The focus is on former pro quarterback and TV analyst Trent Dilfer, his associates (including Quarterback Whisperer George Whitfield), the quarterback training and evaluation machine Elite 11, and an abundance of other competing private coaches and camps. It painstakingly covers the complex mechanical and statistical (and cognitive and psychological) criteria used to evaluate young quarterbacks, the degree to which QB candidates like Johnny Football possess more subjective, in Dilfer's term, dude qualities. Quarterback being the most critical position in team sports, Feldman's highly informed and cogently explained anatomy of this sophisticated process may appeal to a (somewhat) broader audience than the draft-day geeks who cheer and boo executive decisions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)