John U. Bacon's Fourth and Long: The Fight For The Soul Of
College Football is a review of the 2012 Big Ten college football season,
featuring the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of four various college
football teams. From the tragedy at Penn State, to the tribulation of Ohio
State not being able to play in a bowl game, to the triumphs of a rising
Northwestern program, Bacon whips from State College to Evanston to Columbus to
Ann Arbor to beyond, profiling each of these schools on and off the field.
For fans of college
football, Bacon provides a thorough critique of the changing face of college
sports, with playoff games soon to enter the landscape and the increased focus
on marketing; he also refers to college football as a brand and less a
tradition while universities increase what they charge fans for tickets and for
access to the program. Bacon shuns these
tactics and lifts up the ideal of what college sports has been looked to -- the
success of student-athletes at Northwestern winning despite having
"less" athletic talent, as well as how Bill O'Brien won over a
football team...and its fans...in his hard work in saving his roster and
rallying his team in light of what occurred in State College and the punishment
handed down to Penn State University.
Fourth and Long
provides a solid analysis of the state of college football from multiple angles
while not tackling too many issues at once. His deft ability to bounce between
school, situation, and scenario does not leave any stone unturned, yet leaves
the reader easily able to follow along without getting lost in the story. For fans of college football, especially Big
10 Conference football, Bacon's book is a must-read and one that will likely be
enjoyed by all.
