Advertisement

A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here.

Share

What: “ABC Sports College Football All-Time All-America Team”

Authors: Edited by Mark Vancil, foreword by Keith Jackson

Price: $40

If you’re a college football fan, the pictures alone in this 176-page coffee-table book are worth the price. There is lots of good information in the book, and lots of little nuggets from ABC announcers such as Bob Griese, Lynn Swann, Gary Danielson and many more.

As for ABC’s All-America team named in the book--naturally there will be disagreements. As Keith Jackson notes in the foreword, “No panel can pick a team upon which everybody will agree.”

ABC’s first-team quarterback is John Elway, which certainly will get some argument. Elway was a great NFL quarterback, but was he that good at Stanford? The second-teamer is another Stanford quarterback, Jim Plunkett, and there is a tie for the third-team quarterback spot between Archie Manning and Doug Flutie.

Advertisement

O.J. Simpson, who always will be a controversial pick, was named to the first team. The book is a reminder of USC’s glory days. Other Trojans on the first team are Ron Yary, Tony Boselli and Ronnie Lott. Swann, who has yet to be selected for the USC Hall of Fame, is on the second team. Third-teamers include Marcus Allen, Brad Budde and Bruce Matthews.

There are no Bruins on the first team, but Kenny Easley, Jerry Robinson and Jonathan Ogden are on the second team. Troy Aikman gets a page as an honorable mention pick.

But this book consists of a lot more than just an All-American list.

Advertisement