Football America

1996 book by Phil Barber and Ray Didinger

Football America is a 1996 American sports history book by Phil Barber and Ray Didinger.[1] It was later adapted into a film series that was released by the National Football League in 1996.[2] It was also the name of a follow-up series that aired on NFL Network from 2003 to 2005 on a regular basis.

## Content

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The books and TV shows feature stories about various players and teams, including:

* A 65-year-old semipro football player in Agoura Hills, California, who beat opponents a fraction of his age.
* Dot Easterwood Murphy, wide receivers coach at Hinds Community College in Raymond MS.
* The football rivalry between members of the New York City fire and police departments.
* An Arab-American football star at Azusa Pacific University who uses football to overcome increasing hostility against his people following "9/11."
* Players at Linfield College in Oregon caught in the crossfire of the Pearl Harbor attack.
* A single-wing offense run by a small college and a high school.
* "Turkey Bowl" flag football games in Massachusetts and North Carolina.
* A "Turkey Bowl" full contact football game set in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
* The Gallaudet College team.

## Production history

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Turner Network Television, which then held partial rights to NFL games, telecast the original film in 1992. The 2003–05 series was hosted by veteran sportscaster Charley Steiner. It aired on Sunday and Monday nights, at the same time ESPN and ABC presented their prime time games.

Football America was "cancelled" by NFL Network in 2006, when the network revamped its lineup; there is now more emphasis on live programs and major projects like America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions. But the show still appears very occasionally; the show aired at the same time the Thanksgiving Day games were played in 2006.

In 2014, Football America returned as a one-hour special that aired during  Fox's coverage of Super Bowl XLVIII. The revamped special focused on the NFL's "Together We Make Football" campaign. Another edition of the special aired during NBC's coverage of Super Bowl XLIX the following year.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bjorkgren, David (2023-09-01). "Ray Didinger at Neumann University: 50 years of Philly Sports". VISTA.Today. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
2. ^ Stewart, Larry (1996-10-18). "NFL Films Is Positive About New Show". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-01-07.

* v
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NFL Network

On-air talent|

| Current|

* MJ Acosta
* Brian Baldinger
* Judy Battista
* Kyle Brandt
* Bucky Brooks
* David Carr
* Jeffri Chadiha
* Stacey Dales
* Chase Daniel
* Charles Davis
* Rich Eisen
* Jamie Erdahl
* Cynthia Frelund
* Pep Hamilton
* Scott Hanson
* Daniel Jeremiah
* Maurice Jones-Drew
* Andrea Kremer
* Rhett Lewis
* Steve Mariucci
* Jason McCourty
* Gerald McCoy
* Randy Moss
* Shaun O'Hara
* Tom Pelissero
* Scott Pioli
* Ian Rapoport
* Michael Robinson
* Chris Rose
* Emmanuel Sanders
* David Shaw
* Jane Slater
* Matt Smith
* Steve Smith Sr.
* Joe Thomas
* Robert Turbin
* Sara Walsh
* Kurt Warner
* Ari Wolfe
* Colleen Wolfe
* Steve Wyche
* Mike Yam

|

Former|

* Kay Adams
* Jennifer Allen
* Marcus Allen
* Bobby Beathard
* Michelle Beisner
* Brian Billick
* Tiffany Blackmon
* Albert Breer
* Paul Burmeister
* Nate Burleson
* Charley Casserly
* Fran Charles
* Cris Collinsworth
* Erin Coscarelli
* Jeff Darlington
* Dave Dameshek
* Butch Davis
* Terrell Davis
* Spero Dedes
* Jamie Dukes
* Heath Evans
* Marshall Faulk
* Alex Flanagan
* Leslie Frazier
* Akbar Gbaja-Biamila
* Jay Glazer
* Dennis Green
* Rebecca Haarlow
* Kara Henderson
* Derrin Horton
* Michael Irvin
* Kimberly Jones
* Seth Joyner
* Lincoln Kennedy
* Aditi Kinkhabwala
* Jason La Canfora
* Michael Lombardi
* Mike Martz
* Mike Mayock
* Jim E. Mora
* Willie McGinest
* Jim Nantz
* Brad Nessler
* Ken Norton Jr.
* Bob Papa
* Glenn Parker
* Bill Patrick
* Mike Pereira
* Lindsay Rhodes
* Tony Romo
* Molly Qerim
* Dan Reeves
* Deion Sanders
* Warren Sapp
* Danyelle Sargent
* Adam Schefter
* Peter Schrager
* Shannon Sharpe
* Darren Sharper
* Andrew Siciliano
* Emmitt Smith
* Melissa Stark
* Amber Theoharis
* Charissa Thompson
* Mike Tirico
* LaDainian Tomlinson
* Tom Waddle
* Solomon Wilcots
* Rod Woodson
* Nicole Zaloumis

Lore|

* 2007 New England Patriots–New York Giants game
* 2022 Indianapolis Colts–Minnesota Vikings game

Programs|

| Current|

* America's Game: The Super Bowl Champions
* A Football Life
* College Football on NFL Network
* Good Morning Football
* NFL GameDay
* NFL Replay
* NFL Top 10
* NFL Top 100
* NFL Total Access
* NFL Network Exclusive Game Series

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Former|

* College Football Now
* College Scoreboard
* Football America
* Friday Night Football
* NFL AM
* NFL Cheerleader Playoffs
* NFL Films Game of the Week
* NFL RedZone
* Point After
* Put Up Your Dukes
* Thursday Night Football

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