It all came down to one kick. With seven seconds remaining in Super Bowl XXXVI, the New England Patriots were locked in a 17-17 tie with the St. Louis Rams. Starved for a championship, Patriots fans rested all their hopes on kicker Adam Vinatieri. As hearts pounded throughout New England, Vinatieri booted a 48-yard title-winning field goal prompting howls of joy from Boston to Bangor.Little did fans know that Vinatieri s kick was the birth of a dynasty. But Patriots fans do know that the journey to that point was long and bumpy. This is the story told in New England Patriots: Yesterday & Today. It includes:  The birth of the team in 1959, when Boston businessman Billy Sullivan plunked down $25,000 and the Boston Patriots became the final team admitted into the fledgling American Football League  The Patriots struggles throughout the 1970s and 1980s, relieved only be the exploits of fan favorites like Sam Bam Cunningham, All World tight end Russ Francis, and perennial All-Pro guard John Hannah  Two heartbreaking Super Bowl appearances: in 1985 behind Tony Eason, when the Pats were trounced by the Chicago Bears, and in 1996, with Big Tuna Bill Parcells unsuccessfully coaching the team against Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers  The team s ascendance to dynasty status in the new millennium, when quarterback Tom Brady led them to Super Bowl wins in 2002, 2004, and 2005, earning himself a place among the greatest QBs ever and Bill Belichik similar status among coaches  The Patriots near-perfect but ultimately heartbreaking 2007 season and efforts to retain their glory after injuries to Brady, the Spygate scandal, and moreFew pro football teams have endured the highs and lows of the Patriots. But stars like Gino Cappelletti, Nick Buoniconti, Andre Tippett, and Ben Coates have given Pats fans reason to cheer in all eras. So will New England Patriots: Yesterday & Today.

New England Patriots Yesterday & Today

RICHARD A. JOHNSON

West Side Pub.

In 1925, Tim Mara was sidetracked from backing pugilist Gene Tunney s career, so he turned his attention to pro football with a $500 investment. Looking for a big-name player, he signed an aging Jim Thorpe, but the great one couldn t make it through a season. Mara made a run at Red Grange, but Grange joined the Bears instead. The Giants and Bears faced off that December in front of 70,000 fans in the Polo Grounds. Mara cleared $30,000 a huge sum for a money-losing franchise and the rest is chronicled in New York Giants: Yesterday & Today.This comprehensive, lavishly illustrated history of one of football s most famous franchise includes these stories:  The first NFL title game, in 1933, and the Sneaker Game in 1934, when the Giants switched from cleats to sneakers at halftime to negotiate the frozen Polo Grounds turf and beat the Cleveland Browns   The Greatest Game Ever Played, in 1958, when the Baltimore Colts defeated the Frank Gifford and the Giants in sudden death overtime, the first time that had happened in a league championship game  Super Bowl XXV, when the Giants wore down the Buffalo Bills but needed Scott Norwood s kick to sail wide right to secure a 20-19 win  And Super Bowl XLII, when quarterback Eli Manning and receiver David Tyree hooked up for Catch 42 en route to the Giants second Super Bowl win, over the previously undefeated New England PatriotsThe Giants offenses are known for their power running, led by the likes Tuffy Leemans, Rodney Hampton, Tiki Barber, and Brandon Jacobs. But it s the defense that s set the franchise apart, including Emlen Tunnel, Lawrence Taylor, and Michael Strahan. And with great coaches like Steve Owen, Bill Parcells, and Tom Coughlin and quarterbacks like Eli Manning and Phil Simms there s virtually no end to the talent profiled in New York Giants: Yesterday & Today.

New York Giants Yesterday & Today

Marty Strasen

No other NFL team possesses the passion and fighting spirit of the Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of an unprecedented six Super Bowl titles. Pittsburgh Steelers: Yesterday & Today brings to life more than 75 years of drama and thrills. Reaching football s pinnacle was a long, hard climb, but after 40 years of struggle, the Steelers emerged as a powerhouse in the 1970s, featuring future Hall of Fame players Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and Mean Joe Greene. Three decades later, Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward, and Troy Polamalu led Pittsburgh to two more championships. With compelling text and photography, Pittsburgh Steelers: Yesterday & Today presents the Steelers triumphant story.Former Steelers linebacker Andy Russell kicks off this definitive chronicle with a foreword. Lavish pictorial spreads feature photos of Steelers artifacts and memorabilia. With 144 pages of colorful and insightful stories, readers will enjoy a thrilling presentation of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here are some of the subjects covered in the book:  Steelers legends Terry Bradshaw, Mean Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Lynn Swann, Jerome Bettis, and Ben Roethlisberger.  Franco Harris s 1972 Immaculate Reception, that gave the Steelers their first postseason win in 40 years of existence.  The legendary Steel Curtain defense of Mean Joe Greene, Ernie Holmes, Dwight White, and L. C. Greenwood.  Santonio Holmes s game-winning touchdown catch in Super Bowl XLIII.  Head coaches Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin.Pittsburgh Steelers: Yesterday & Today is a rich and dynamic look at one of professional football s most-storied franchises. The book is an worthy keepsake for Steelers fans and also makes an ideal gift.

Pittsburgh Steelers Yesterday & Today

Abby Mendelson

From glitzy uniforms to five Super Bowl trophies, the Dallas Cowboys evoke more passion than any other team in professional football. Since America s Team joined the National Football League, no other team has won more division titles, advanced to the playoffs more frequently, or played in more Super Bowls. With remarkable photos, rousing text, and memorable quotations, 'Dallas Cowboys Yesterday & Today' captures the colorful history of this storied NFL franchise.Kicked off with a foreword by former Cowboys cornerback Mel Renfro, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this book is the definitive Cowboys chronicle. From Mr. Cowboy to Captain Comeback, from Dandy Don to Hollywood Henderson, from Hail Mary to How bout them Cowboys! the Dallas Cowboys have never lacked for colorful characters and memorable moments, as documented in 'Dallas Cowboys Yesterday & Today'. Read and learn about:  The team s history, from humble beginnings to a swift ascent under legendary coach Tom Landry; its establishment as a perennial NFL power; and its return to glory under team owner Jerry Jones.  Cowboys greats, including Bob Lilly, Tony Dorsett, Randy White, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin; and modern-day stars, including Tony Romo, Marion Barber, and DeMarcus Ware.  Texas Stadium in Irving, longtime home of the Cowboys; the new Cowboys Stadium, a billion-dollar monument to the team; and the world-famous Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.  Dallas Cowboys statistics and records.Carefully researched and filled with historical and modern pictures, the 144-page book 'Dallas Cowboys Yesterday & Today' is for Cowboys fans and everyone else who appreciates football loves football. The book is part of West Side Publishing s popular Yesterday & Today sports series.

Dallas Cowboys

Jeff Miller

New York City: Juicy Tales from the Big Apple combines the knowledge of a tour guide with the inside information of a longtime local resident to provide tantalizing trivia and tidbits. Wander down the backstreets and peek around corners to learn about the city s legends, tall tales, and amazing anecdotes right from the comfort of your own armchair. See how much you really know about the city that never sleeps. Here is a list of some of the topics covered in the book:  Broadway s biggest hits and flops.  The long-ago battle for the sky between the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.  New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, New York Mets the city s rich baseball history.  Madison Square Garden Killer, Son of Sam, and other notorious figures.  Nathan s Hot Dogs, the moatless castle, 9/11 by the numbers, and John Lennon seeing a UFO, plus literature, museums, bars, and hundreds of fast facts that get to the heart of the New York City.New York City: Juicy Tales from the Big Apple, from the popular Armchair Reader book series, pulls together more fascinating information than you can shake a Battery Park beat cop s nightstick at. The book is an ideal gift for native New Yorkers, wannabe New Yorkers, soon-to-be New Yorkers, and anyone who finds the most vibrant city in the world a fascinating subject to study.

Armchair Reader: New York City Juicy Tales from the Big Apple

Jeff Bahr