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  The Ancient Eight. College Football’s Ivy League and the Game They Play Today.    John Feinstein.   It is not often when we are in the middle of reading a book when the author unexpectedly passes away.     This unfortunately is what occurred when reading John Feinstein’s last book, The Ancient Eight .   Feinstein tragically passed away on March 13, 2025, at the age of 69, leaving behind a trail of at least fifty published books, many critically acclaimed  including Season on the Brink.    Although, I have read many of his publications over the years this is the first and only that has been reviewed for this blog.     Feinstein grew up in Manhattan and became an avid sports fan, long before becoming a well-known sportswriter.     He noted in the book that he would venture north to attend Columbia games, who happened to be a member of the Ivy League.     Feinstein admits that while the Lio...

  The End of College Football. On the Human Cost of an All-American Game. Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Derek Silva. The end of college football is not likely to come any time soon.   However, authors Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Derek Silva argue that the sport should come to an abrupt closure unless certain and several changes are made for the betterment of student-athletes.     There is no doubt the title of this book is a likely eye-catching and potentially engaging attraction for many college football fans, players and coaches around the world.    While the request is unlikely, the rational inside is an opportunity for growth in a sport that is changing rapidly in recent years.   The book is only 205 pages long but is not best described as an easy read.     The authors, both Canadian born, American professors, use a heavy academic writing prose to convey their messages and firmly, if not boldly, assert their many findings.   ...