Bum Phillips

REMEMBER: BUM IS A NICKNAME, NOT A DESCRIPTION. Bum Phillips became head coach of the National Football League's Houston Oilers in 1975. He retired from the league 10 years later as one of its most colorful characters of all time. While fans of Luv Ya Blue remember Phillips for his cowboy hat and boots, for his down-home Texas yarns, most people don't know he survived deadly battles during World War II, stumbled almost accidentally into football and later gave his life, during a trip to prison, to Jesus Christ. The book chronicles his transformation from a beer-drinking cowboy, U.S. Marine and football coach to a devoted son of God. The complete story of a pro football icon. In it, you will learn: - Behind-the-scenes stories from his favorite NFL times. - How a small-town man ascended the ranks of high school, college and pro football. - Gripping accounts of his time during World War II. - His struggle to balance family life with NFL demands. - How a trip to prison catapulted this good ol' boy into a faithful Christian. "He is a Bum - only in name. One of the most generous, loyal, and caring individuals I have ever known in sport. He balanced leadership and friendship better than anyone who ever stood on an NFL sideline. We can all learn from him and his remarkable life." Jim Nantz, Emmy Award-winning CBS Sports broadcaster "People go through life never having the chance to experience special times and special people. I was lucky to have had the opportunity to share all of this with Bum Phillips and I feel blessed having done so. It is an honor to have shared my life with him." Dan Pastorini, Former quarterback of the Houston Oilers "Bum Phillips' book ... will be a blessing to you. He was a great football coach as well as a mentor to hundreds of football players. To me, his greatest accomplishment is the fact that he found the Lord Jesus as his Saviour at age 76. God helped him to succeed in his career because His gracious Hand was upon him. I love you, Debbie and Bum, and I salute you!" Dodie Osteen, Co-Founder of Houston's Lakewood Church "When you read this book, it's like being on the sideline with Bum Phillips, who coaches you up as only he can do. I love my coach and you will, too." Mike Barber, Pro Claim founder and former tight end for the Houston Oilers "This book blew me away! I am the No. 1 fan of Luv ya Blue and Bum Phillips, and I'm still floored with the Bum I never knew: Marine Hero, Coach, Southern Gentleman, Family Man! Add to the list: Born Again. And it shows. WOW DOES IT SHOW! It will leave you in awe of the real Coach Phillips. Three words sum up the impact and scope of this book: The Lord, The Love, The Legacy. It's much, much more than just one great read." Dr. John Bisagno, Paster Emeritus of First Baptist Houston

The Denver Broncos coach and Super Bowl champion recalls his life and lessons learned from his father, NFL coach Bum Phillips, in this football memoir. Decorated National Football League coach Wade Phillips demonstrates in loving detail how much of his success, on and off the field, he owes to his father. A beloved character in NFL history, Bum taught Wade how to have perspective on the game during tough times—and that “coaching isn’t bitching.” Wade has since passed these and other lessons down to his son, Wes Phillips, an NFL coach himself. Known for his homespun, plain-talking ways, Wade is a groundbreaking coach who has long believed in using support and camaraderie—instead of punishment and anger—to inspire his players. And though his defensive concepts are revolutionary, he would say they begin with common sense. Son of Bum is more than one man’s memoir—it’s a story of family and football and a father who inspired his son. “Having played for and against Wade Phillips, the first word that comes to my mind is respect. SON OF BUM is a great read about the Xs and Os from one of the greatest coaches in the league, as well as a loving tribute to the influence of family.”—Peyton Manning

Set in an easy-to-read Q&A format, this volume is full of the stories and firsthand accounts from many of the men who helped shape the 1970s into one of the most exciting and memorable eras in National Football League history.

"Historians, sports scholars, and students will refer to Benching Jim Crow for many years to come as the standard source on the integration of intercollegiate sport."ùMark S. Dyreson, author of Making the American Team: Sport, Culture, and the Olympic Experience --

The 466 men who have held the increasingly demanding and prestigious position of Head Coach in the National Football League and the two leagues that merged into it (the All America Football Conference of the 1940s and the American Football League of the 1960s) form an exclusive club. This book essentially answers three questions about every professional head coach since 1920: Who was he? What were his coaching approach and style, in terms of both leadership and gridiron tactics? How successful was he? Every entry begins with standard background information, followed by each coach's yearly regular season and postseason coaching record, and then his statistical tendencies toward scoring, defense and play calling. The entry then addresses the three questions noted above.

The Junction Boy is now a television movie produced by ESPN, starring Tom Berenger as Bryant. The legendary Paul "Bear" Bryant is recognized nationwide as one of the greatest coaches ever. So why did he always cite his 1-9 A&M team of 1954 as his favorite? This is the story of a remarkable team - and the beginning of the legend. The Junction Boys tells the story of Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's legendary training camp in the small town of Junction, Texas. In a move that many consider the salvation of the Texas A&M football program, Coach Bryant put 115 players through the most grueling practices ever imagined. Only a handful of players survived the entire 10 days, but they braved the intense heat of the Texas sun and the burning passion of their coach, and turned a floundering team into one of the nation's best. The Junction Boys is more than just a story of tough practices without water breaks. An extraordinary fellowship was forged from the mind-numbing pain. The thirty-five survivors bonded together like no other team in America. They profited from the Junction experience; the knowledge they took back with them to College Station, about themselves and what they were capable of, would be used for the rest of their lives. In vivid and powerful images reminiscent of Friday Night Lights, Hoosiers, and The Last Picture Show, these young men and their driven coach come to life. The Junction Boys contains all the hallmarks of a classic sports story, and it combines America's love of college football with an extraordinary story of perseverance and triumph.