As someone who knows Paul Zimmerman well, I can tell you Dr. Z would love this book. Doug Farrar has written about this great game like he was in the gameplan sessions with Bill Walsh and Joe Gibbs. Savor this book. It's a great contribution to the comprehension of a deep, deep game. Peter King, NBC Sports
The best book ever written about the NFL's on-field evolution. If you're a football geek, this book is for you. If you're a fan of good writing and journalism, this book is also for you. Mike Freeman, Bleacher Report
An exceptional deep dive into what makes football, football. Trey Wingo, ESPN
I have never read a sports book that does such a seamless job of synthesizing statistics and the personalities who bring the numbers to life. In a series of vignettes that span NFL history, Farrar shows how desperation is the true mother of invention. Dave Zirin, sports editor for The Nation
Doug Farrar is my favorite NFL writer. I always look forward to reading Doug's work because of his dedication as well as the massive amount of research he conducts for all of his projects. His love for football and his proclivity for preparation have never been more evident than in The Genius of Desperation , in which Doug explains the design of many of the great innovations in football tactics, as well as who created them, and when, where, and why. Tony Khan, Jacksonville Jaguars' senior vice president of football administration and technology
Comprehensive and compelling, thoughtful and thought-provoking, interesting and insightful. Irrespective of your level of knowledge and understanding of the game of football, you will benefit from and enjoy reading this book. Tremendous information, tremendously presented. Amy Trask, CBS Sports/former CEO of the Oakland Raiders
If you love footballwhether you have been in it your entire life or are a fan who appreciates the chess match of the gameyou must read this book. Joe Banner, former Philadelphia Eagles president and Cleveland Browns CEO
It's often said the NFL is a copycat league. If a play works for one team, another tries it. But someone came up with that play in the first place, and this fascinating account tracks key innovations back to their sources. Farrar, the lead scout for Bleacher Report, finds a similarity among the innovators they were all desperate for something new. We learn, for example, that the modern passing game owes its existence to Sid Gilman, a coach in the upstart American Football League, which was struggling to survive. Gilman developed timing pass patterns in which a quarterback would throw to a spot with the expectation the receiver and the ball would arrive simultaneously, That's the cornerstone of the modern NFL offense today. Defense changed forever with the arrival of New York Giant rookie linebacker Sam Huff in the late fifties. His talents were so special that the Giants needed a new scheme to showcase them; thus, the invention of the 4-3 defense, predicated on the physical and mental skills of the middle linebacker. An entertaining and deep dive into the evolution of the modern game. Booklist
