The Ancient Eight. John Feinstein.

 

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 Lions were rarely successful his spirit for covering Ivy League sports never wavered while attending school at Duke and beginning a career in journalism long after attending his first Ivy League football game.  

The author notes that he was set to write about this topic because the Ivies have had a special place in his heart, even though he was advised by some of his trusted influences rather to make this a magazine article instead.    For the readers’ sake, Feinstein did go through with it and put together an interesting story revealing some of the history of this traditional league but also chronicling the 2023 season from start to finish.  

Feinstein has said in many interviews that he is drawn to write about people which were evident from his early days as writer for the Washington post covering obituaries and through his many books telling the story of famous athletes including their trials and tribulations.    In fact, he often asserted that stories need not be about famous figures but just interesting people.   It does not take much imagination to believe that the author encountered many intriguing characters along the way to research this book including players from all over the country and as well as venerable, capable coaches, too.  

Feinstein notes that football players in the IVY League are driven to compete as much as their power four brethren.   A key difference, though, is that they do it in ten straight games without an idle week, do not participate in their divisional playoffs, receive little NIL benefits, are unlikely to transfer without graduating first and are only eligible to participate as an undergraduate.   That the story covers the 2023 season is a bit of anomaly.   In a league known for little coaching turnover, changes occurred early and continued through the end of the season.    By the end of the calendar year, the author observed, more than half of the head coaches would be either brand new or within their first few years on the job.   

The book contains its ad nauseum of discussing weekly games from the season.    This was probably not the strength or main attraction of the story.   Nevertheless, Feinstein always endeavored to edify the reader with information and facts about the topic or subjects that most fans likely would not have known.    For many readers of this last entry, there is no doubt this will be the case.    Learning about the players’ background, especially those coming from across the country to play Ivy League football is a highlight.   Another point of intrigue was learning about the backgrounds of the coaches including one that tragically dies before the season started and his connection to his best friend happening to be the head coach of another rival ivy institution.   Even another head coach within the league timed his retirement just before the fall practices would begin so that his long-time assistant would succeed him as  interim coach for at least the 2023 season.   

This is not likely to be deemed one of Feinstein’s greatest works although it is still a good story.   However, since it will be his last published book, it may be remembered prominently for that reason alone.      The book is barely two hundred and twenty pages, an easy read and filled with the little factoids that the author liked to drive home to the reader.  For many college football fans, it is a chance to learn more about the schools, the history, the background, the rivalries, the traditions, the culture and even a little about the attitudes pervading each campus.   That is not a bad deal.   There is something to reading about an “ancient league” set in its ways, depicting a throwback to simpler days of collegiate competition on the gridiron.     

·       You might like to read this book if you are a fan of author John Feinstein.

·       You might like to read this book if you are an Ivy League football fan.

·       You might like to read this book if you are a college football fan.

·       You might like to read this book if you are a sports fan.  

·       You might like to read this book if you like reading about interesting people. 

 

Learn more about the author:   https://www.feinsteinbooks.com/