Football Magic

This was supposed to be the last time Buddy would have to move for a while. At least, that's what his dad had promised when they first arrived in Salem, Massachusetts, a town still deeply rooted in its bewitching history. Buddy doesn't ask for much: become starting quarterback, make friends, always try my hardest, dream big, repeat. He just hopes that maybe he can help the school's team make it to league championships. But when he discovers an old football and a mysterious spell book, things in Salem get downright magical. Being the new kid isn't easy, but will Buddy finally learn what it means to belong to a team?

Footballers Essomba and Ashu, team manager Kalla and spiritual adviser Zé are the key characters in this anthropological study of football in Cameroon, which is based on research carried out in 2003. It might seem that a well-organized club with professional executives, a team of talented players and an experienced coach would be sufficient to win a match. However, a successful team also requires a powerful African 'big man' of specific ethnic affiliation, a considerable budget for 'motivation' (bribery) and the right kind of spiritual assistance (magic). But even then internal struggles within the club and team caused by corrupt executives, coach's players and godfathers, witchcraft and sorcery, and/or other factors such as spectator violence may mean that the team still loses. The book consist of seven chapters that correspond to the days of the week. During this week, Olympique de Buea is preparing for a match on Sunday. Each chapter is devoted to one theme: 'Monday' is about the different football leagues in Cameroon; 'Tuesday' deals with expenditures, club sponsorship and the role of the African big man; 'Wednesday' discusses tribalism in the football leagues and the teams; 'Thursday' explains aspects of bribery, nepotism and corruption; 'Friday' elaborates on the spiritual forces in football, particularly witchcraft and sorcery within the clubs; 'Saturday' focuses on match preparation and the role of spiritual advisers; and 'Sunday' discusses a match between Olympique de Buea and Bamboutos de Mbouda, and considers the role of ancestors, supporters and referees during football matches. [ASC Leiden abstract].

The Oklahoma Football Encyclopedia is an historical description of every University of Oklahoma football game from the beginning in 1895 through 2004. Learn how the team got its start and how coach Bennie Owen laid the foundation for the Sooners to become one of the most respected teams on the college football scene.Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer and Bob Stoops later directed the Sooners to college football's elite prize. Wilkinson was a great teacher of the Split-T formation, which guided the Sooners to three national championships, 72 consecutive conference games without a loss and a major college winning streak -- a record that may never be broken. Switzer, a master recruiter, implemented the Wishbone formation, which brought another three national titles and 12 conference crowns to Norman. After the Sooner football program had dropped to mediocrity status, Stoops turned the program around and won the national championship in his second year at the helm.This book provides insight into "Sooner Magic." Many OU football teams appeared to have a supernatural force carry them to victory when victory was not assured. Was it sleight of hand? Smoke and mirrors? No, just pure talent and inspiration helped push the Sooners to the overwhelming tradition the teams have displayed on the gridiron.

Football 4 Every 1 by Paul Cookson, is a brilliant collection of funny upbeat poems about football – playing it, supporting it, living it, breathing it. It's perfect to enjoy as you follow your team in Euro 2020. From the excitement of going to your first game, to the thrill of playing with your mates in the park, this book captures all the emotions involved in following the beautiful game.

Fantasy Football's Big Six brings you a complete collection of draft tips and strategies from six of the most successful fantasy football players in the world! Content covers all types of fantasy football leagues including redraft, salary cap, auction, IDP, and dynasty/keeper leagues.

When studying the social phenomena in and around football, five major aspects of globalisation processes become evident: international migration, the global flow of capital, the syncretistic nature of tradition and modernity in contemporary culture, new experiences of time and space and the revolution in information technologies. In an exploration of these themes the collection provides insight into academic studies of football in Portugal, Germany, England, Spain, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA. At examining football-related phenomena under the headings of nations and migration, myths and business, the city and the dream, it shows how modernised football itself is object and subject in processes of both neo-liberal globalisation and counter hegemonic globalisation. While the contributions highlight characteristics of particular local and national contexts, the volume focuses on global centre-periphery-relations and migration trajectories of football professionals by analysing recent developments in post-colonial Portuguese speaking areas: The high ranking of "Portuguese football" not only serves in national(ist) discourses or in order to emancipate the country from a marginal position, it also turns Portugal into a football-talent exporter, confronting it partly with the same ambiguous consequences as Brazil and the African countries, who "lose" their football talents to the European centre. The receiving countries, again, include Portugal. This book was previously published as a special issue of Soccer in Society

The No.1 football series - over 1 million copies sold! This is the story of Declan Rice, the young midfield destroyer for West Ham United and the England national team. Discover how the player who was released by Chelsea's youth academy didn't let that get in the way of his dreams; of one day representing his nation. Discover how the two-footed, high energy pressing, combative midfielder, decided to represent England over Republic of Ireland and proved his skill at the highest level, becoming a West Ham hero and a star for his country. Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to superstar professional player. Written in fast-paced, action-packed style these books are perfect for all the family to collect and share.