America’s Passion: How a Coal Miner’s Game Became the NFL in the 20th Century

If you like the NFL you should check out America’s Passion: How a Coal Miner’s Game Became the NFL in the 20th Century

 
This book was written by our good friend Evan Weiner, TV and Radio pundit, newspaper columnist and public speaker.  The book is filled with stories and interviews of some of the greatest players in the history of the league.
The book traces the league from a meeting in a Canton car dealership to the multi-billion dollar business it is today and Evan provides analysis of exactly why the NFL grew when so many other sports leagues failed to do so.
It is a fascinating work that every NFL fan that has an interest in the history of the game should read.
     The National Football League (NFL) is the premier fan sport in the United States. But it wasn’t always like that. Author Evan Weiner takes us back to the days when the NFL was a mom and pop store operation with the players and others who witnessed the league’s growth first hand. The game of football started in the dark coal mines in western Pennsylvania (PA) and is today a multi-billion dollar business.
The work is available
Read more at FryingPanSports

New Jersey Gains Advantage in Federal Court Battle to Legalize Sports Gambling

Federal Court Battle to Legalize Sports Gambling

The state of New Jersey and the four major professional sports, the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA along with the NCAA are engaged in a knockdown winner take all fight over legalizing sports betting. New Jersey wants a piece of the $500 billion bet on sports in the United States on a yearly basis. Of this total, only about one percent of it takes place through legalized betting in Nevada.

For the state of New Jersey, legalized betting could help their battered economy which is suffering from the prolonged impact of the US recession and the traumatic devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy. Governor Christie of the state of New Jersey wants to take sports betting out of the hands of the criminals and into the control of the state.

The sports leagues and the NCAA have argued that the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act prohibits gambling in all but four states. Sports gambling is permitted in only Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon. In 2007 Oregon ended its association with sports gambling and the betting in Montana and Delaware is limited to fantasy football and multiple bets within one wager on the … Read more at FryingPanSports

Special edition of News, Notes and Rumors Thursday at 6PM EST

SBurtonThursday Feb. 28 at 6PM EST join Samantha Bunten, Senior Sports Editor at CineSport, and me as we discuss the Browns coaching staff changes, the team needs, and outlook for free agency.  We might get into a little Indians talk as well.

You can listen to the show live at and listen to the archive of the show the next day at https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/.

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com.  He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.

He also edits .

Read more at FryingPanSports

Want to know how American Football got started?

How American Football Got Started

Our good friend Evan Weiner of NewJerseyNewsroom.com has written an E-Book entitled America’s Passion: How a Coal Miner’s Game Became the NFL in the 20th Century.  Here is an excerpt:

The National Football League is the premier sport in the United States. But it always wasn’t that way. Author Evan Weiner takes us back to the days when the NFL was a mom and pop store operation with the players and others who witnessed the league’s growth first hand. The game started in the coal mines in western Pennsylvania and is a multi-billion dollar business today.

The NFL started in 1920, teams came and went. That history would repeat itself in the 1930s and the 1940s. Stability finally occurred in the 1950s with the arrival of television. Television transformed North American sports. In 1950, Baseball, Boxing and Horse Racing were among the most popular sporting events in the country. Within 10 years, football, the NFL, would begin its ascent and by 1965 become the country’s most popular sport.

In the old days, you could find Chicago Bears owner and coach George Halas at the Chicago Bears offices in the fall and part of winter, … Read more at FryingPanSports

Browns post season special tonight on NNR

Browns post season special tonight on NNR

Samantha Bunten will join us to talk about the Browns season and coaching change pending.

Cleveland Sports legend Bob Karlovic will join us to talk about the season, the potential coaches and the draft and free agent needs in the off season.

Check out the new instructions on how to listen to the show

Bill Smith is a former coach of several semi-pro teams, has officiated both football and basketball, done color on radio for college football and basketball and has scouted talent. He edits https://fryingpansports.com.  He has also published several novels on and a non-fiction work at http://www.merriam-press.com/.

He edits .  Listen to the show Mondays 6-7:30 PM EST on or http://mooheadradio.com/2.5/?page_id=21. 

Click on the UNITED STATES room then right click on the blue member of the room (that will be you) and click on “watch as video 1” to hear the show.

You can catch any interviews you missed on https://fryingpansports.com/radio-show/ the day after the show.

Read more at FryingPanSports

The Social Force Of The National Football League

Marine Corps Maj. (Ret) Mike Fonteno got a sur...

NFL Fans Among Most Social

American football as it is widely referred to in many quarters is one of the most celebrated sport in America and the National Football League (NFL)  is arguably the most profitable sports business on this planet. The American population is widely renowned  for the love of football, if it is not watching an NFL game on the television with a couple of friends or family then you will probably find them on the stadium cheering  on their favorite NFL team. That in itself goes a long way to show the social impact NFL has on the lives of many people.

Well, a number of factors come into play when you consider NFL fans among most social. Firstly, the NFL is usually associated with a lot of fun fare that goes a long way in attracting large audiences. Talk of the color and pomp usually seen on the game day inside and outside the stadiums, the cheering squads and the entertainment the fans get to enjoy inside the stadium during recess period. Those who opt to enjoy the game at the comfort of their living rooms are not left out as well, they get to  … Read more at FryingPanSports