What is it like in a community in which the life-blood is high school football?

In some ways, this in-depth look at high school football in the Texas town of Odessa in the late 1980s is timeless-I'm sure most of us have been to a high school football rivalry game and can appreciate the vibe that Bissinger describes during the games. But the passion and the inexplicable notion that the game is bigger than it is was always a factor in every game in Odessa. Because of this, this story will always be a bygone history, the glory days of Permian football, that will never be replicated quite the same again.

I enjoyed reading about the great lengths the players, their families, coaches and the community took to keep the football culture sacred. Some of it is downright shocking how absurd it gets and it can be easy to be quick to judge and think oneself more rational than these people. Bissinger reminds us that football was a way of life and permeated into the community far beyond the field, and was the source of hope that many of the downtrodden clung to during a period of socioeconomic troubles. A worthwhile read.