Of all the sports in all the world, none rivals football for building character. In the scorching heat of August two-a-days, the withering intensity of the locker room, the fierce combat of the gridiron, true leaders are born. Just ask Bill Curry. He snapped footballs to Joe Namath, Bart Starr, and Johnny Unitas. In Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle: Lessons From a Football Life, Curry shares the wit, wisdom, and tough love of his teammates and coaches, the men who took an unimposing high school center and turned him into NFL material, who launched him to two Super Bowls and an SEC championship as coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, and who sent him off in search of the rare genius that makes men excellent. Curry's supporting cast is truly astonishing: Namath, Starr, Unitas, Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Ray Nitschke, even the indomitable George Plimpton, with whom Curry once co-authored a book. If life is a journey, then Bill Curry's life is a nonstop adventure. Like Forrest Gump, Curry seems always to find himself in dazzling company. Fortunately for us, he brings with him a sharp eye for detail, an acute sense of what makes men unique, and a true raconteur's love of a really good story. Blessed with irresistible characters, rich personal history, and an endearingly simple, down-to-earth voice, Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle proves that football is much more than a game. To Bill Curry, it's a metaphor for life and a fascinating adventure that he tells here with great passion.

Blessed with irresistible characters, rich personal history, and a down-to-earth voice, "Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle" proves that football is much more than a game. To Curry, it's a metaphor for life and a fascinating adventure that he tells with great passion.

No sport rivals football for building character. In the scorching heat of two-a-days and the fierce combat of the gridiron, true leaders are born. Just ask Bill Curry, whose credentials for exploring the relationship between football and leadership include two Super Bowl rings and the distinction of having snapped footballs to Bart Starr and Johnny Unitas.

In Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle, Curry shares the wit, wisdom, and tough love of teammates and coaches who turned him from a next-to-last NFL draft pick into a two-time Pro Bowler. Learning from such giants as Vince Lombardi and Don Shula, Ray Nitschke and Bubba Smith, Bobby Dodd and even the indomitable George Plimpton, Curry led a football life of nonstop exploration packed with adventure and surprise.

Blessed with irresistible characters, rich personal history, and a strong, simple, down-to-earth voice, Ten Men You Meet in the Huddle proves that football is much more than a game.

It's a metaphor for life.

From the Trade Paperback edition.