Synopses & Reviews
The Vietnam War . . .
Nixon . . .
Kent State . . .
The late 1960s and early 1970s were a time of total turmoil in America-the country was being torn apart by a war most people didn't support, young men were being taken away by the draft, and racial tensions were high. Nowhere was this turmoil more evident than on college campuses, the epicenters of the protest movement.
The uncertain times presented a challenge to two of the greatest football coaches of all time. Woody Hayes, the legendary archconservative coach of Ohio State, feared for the future of America. His protégé and rival, Bo Schembechler of the University of Michigan, didn't want to be bothered by these "distractions." Hayes worshipped General George S. Patton and was friends with President Richard Nixon. Schembechler befriended President Gerald Ford, a former captain and team MVP for the Wolverines.
In this enthralling book, Michael Rosenberg dramatically weaves the campus unrest and political upheaval into the story of Hayes and Schembechler. Their rivalry began with Schembechler arriving in protest-heavy Ann Arbor, Michigan, at the height of the Vietnam War. It ended with Hayes wondering what had happened to his country. War As They Knew It is a sobering and fascinating look at two iconic coaches and a different generation.
Synopsis
For many, the late 1960s and early 1970s meant a country in total turmoil. Campus sit-ins. Vietnam War protests. Kent State. Don't trust anyone over 30. Nixon was not a crook - or so he claimed. At the other end of the spectrum was the intense rivalry between Woody Hayes, the legendary Ohio State football coach, and his nemesis, Bo Schembechler from Michigan. To them, the American heartland was still pure and sacred, and they were totally in command of their football troops. Hayes idolized General Patton, the great American war hero. Schembechler idolized President Ford, a former All-American football player from Michigan. Michael Rosenberg sets the stage brilliantly for this coming clash of cultural differences, as Hayes and Schembechler try desperately to win a national football championship while coping with a shifting political landscape. It all leads to a climatic, and in part tragic, downfall of an important era gone by. This is far more than a sports story. This is an American coming of age story, as experienced by two of the most successful coaches of our time. Rosenberg's extensive research and interviews perfectly captures what life was truly like on two major college campuses during this remarkable time.
About the Author
MICHAEL ROSENBERG is a sports columnist for the Detroit Free Press as well as a featured columnist at foxsports.com, making him one of the best-read sports writers in the country. Rosenberg's work appears in the 2005 edition of Best American Sports Writing and he has received numerous awards for his work.