Next Man Up

Next Man Up: A Year Behind the Lines in Today's NFL, John Feinstein, Time Warner Book Group, New York, 2005

There is some mystical draw to "behind the scenes" books, and that appeal often exists in unusual places or ways. For example, I was never a Cleveland Browns fan and that did not change when they became the Baltimore Ravens. If anything, my dislike for them grew as they developed an image as thugs and criminals with drunken driving charges, the Ray Lewis/nightclub murder situation, Jamaal Lewis and the drug charges...and topping all that was their boring football games in which points were a premium.

But Feinstein does an excellent job of working to change that image. Having been given unprecedented sideline access to the Ravens for the entire 2004 season, he then wrote a book that takes you behind those doors fans never get to open to look at how a team with Superbowl aspirations can end up at .500.

The book is laid out more or less chronologically. He does dig into the reason Modell sold the team, a bit into why Bisciotti was successful in business and how his ownership would affect the team, and how the Ravens approach the draft.

Pre-season job battles are highlighted, off the field incidents discussed (and Feinstein does an excellent job of showing how Lewis has been unfairly portrayed in the media, stressing that the charges were dropped, though it is usually reported there was a plea bargain...though not so good a job of explaining why Lewis needs a knife-wielding entourage), and coaches decisions shown.

I say shown because they are not analyzed, debated, or mentioned as good or bad. Feinstein simply relates the conversations, the desired outcomes, and then what the outcomes were without addressing whether the "right" decision was made.

He makes things very intimate indeed as he tells the story of how Terrell Owens forced a trade, how the Ravens were misinformed by the league...and how not landing Owens cost them another receiver whom they let go when they thought they were getting Owens. He also shows how Deion Sanders was lured out of retirement and the impact that had on the team.

As the pre-season progresses we get a look at how it is decided who makes the team, who is cut...and why. Individual plays take on added significance as you see how it determines the careers of multiple players.

Once the season starts the meaning and emotion of each game are looked at. Individual plays gain significance as you realize what is meant for not just that quarter or game but for the entire season.

The development or deterioration of players is also seen as Kyle Boller makes positive steps and Corey Fuller nears the end of the line. It is a fascinating look at how just 1 year can be the difference between Pro-Bowl type years...and the unemployment line.

In the end, though the season was unsatisfying for the Ravens as they missed their goals, it was an excellent one for the fans as they see not just occasional anecdotes about a team or player but instead get a look at how those incidents fit within the framework of a season and a franchise.