The GM: The Inside Story of a Dream Job and the Nightmares that Go with It
by: Tom Callahan
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Product Description:
In the summer of 2006, the NFL’s most senior general manager, Ernie Accorsi, invited Tom Callahan “inside” the Giants organization to experience a season—Accorsi’s last—from the front office, the locker room, the sidelines, and the tunnel. Tom made no promises, except that he’d bring to the project the same fairness and thoroughness that characterized his acclaimed Unitas biography, Johnny U. The result is a remarkable book that is at once a chronicle of a tumultuous season and the story of the NFL over the last three and a half decades, told through the eyes of a man who has dedicated his life to football.
The Giants started the season with high expectations, hoping to ride the talent of players like Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey, and Tiki Barber to the Super Bowl, but the team quickly fell apart due to injuries.
The GM goes far beyond the specifics of a single season, though. In a marriage of two great raconteurs, one lobbing stories and the other neatly catching them, Callahan and Accorsi—writer and subject—show how the pro game (and the league that showcases it) really works, and the peculiar role of today’s general manager, who must be part seer, part accountant, balancing psyches and salary caps.
At its essence, The GM is the story of the job—of what it means to be the guy who makes the decisions . . . who’s second-guessed by fans and the media . . . who must deal with endless—and sometimes impossible—expectations.
Filled with the vivid anecdotes and storytelling that made Johnny U a surprise bestseller, The GM doesn’t just illuminate. It inspires with its portrait of a consummate football-personnel strategist who, over the course of decades, gave everything to the game he loved.
In the summer of 2006, the NFL’s most senior general manager, Ernie Accorsi, invited Tom Callahan “inside” the Giants organization to experience a season—Accorsi’s last—from the front office, the locker room, the sidelines, and the tunnel. Tom made no promises, except that he’d bring to the project the same fairness and thoroughness that characterized his acclaimed Unitas biography, Johnny U. The result is a remarkable book that is at once a chronicle of a tumultuous season and the story of the NFL over the last three and a half decades, told through the eyes of a man who has dedicated his life to football.
The Giants started the season with high expectations, hoping to ride the talent of players like Eli Manning, Jeremy Shockey, and Tiki Barber to the Super Bowl, but the team quickly fell apart due to injuries.
The GM goes far beyond the specifics of a single season, though. In a marriage of two great raconteurs, one lobbing stories and the other neatly catching them, Callahan and Accorsi—writer and subject—show how the pro game (and the league that showcases it) really works, and the peculiar role of today’s general manager, who must be part seer, part accountant, balancing psyches and salary caps.
At its essence, The GM is the story of the job—of what it means to be the guy who makes the decisions . . . who’s second-guessed by fans and the media . . . who must deal with endless—and sometimes impossible—expectations.
Filled with the vivid anecdotes and storytelling that made Johnny U a surprise bestseller, The GM doesn’t just illuminate. It inspires with its portrait of a consummate football-personnel strategist who, over the course of decades, gave everything to the game he loved.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Not a great read
After enjoying the author's book on Johnny Unitas, I was hoping for more of the same - interesting stories, gripping page-turning chapters.
What I got was a book that had some moments but seems to be going through the motions and was lacking that essential spark that makes a book ok and what makes a book great.
Perhaps the fact that the central character was about to retire had something to do with it, maybe someone who was newer to the role might add more fire and vigor ... Read More
Rating: 
- Just bad writing
The title was certainly intriguing and there's some great stories in there.If only there was someone to pull it all together.I've only gotten half way through and I'm not sure I'll finish.
There's not a true story-line to the book, just a bunch of old stories told too quickly without any glue holding them together.I have no doubt that there's plenty of material from a subject that's had such a long career.But, Callahan should have either told a whole life story or picked one really ... Read More
Rating: - Fantastic Book!
We are using this book as text book now, it's really fantastic! Great storytelling style and very funny! you can't miss it!
Rating: - i bleed blue
great book... shows insight and feelings of gm and his moves to make a team a better team.. shows class act of gm...
would read again...
Rating: 
- A must for football fans
The GM is a tad slow in the beginning, but really picks up the pace after a couple of chapters. It's a great behind the scenes look into the Giants, and really any NFL team. Every football fan, and Giant fans in particular, owe it to themselve to read this book.
- Not a great readAfter enjoying the author's book on Johnny Unitas, I was hoping for more of the same - interesting stories, gripping page-turning chapters.
What I got was a book that had some moments but seems to be going through the motions and was lacking that essential spark that makes a book ok and what makes a book great.
Perhaps the fact that the central character was about to retire had something to do with it, maybe someone who was newer to the role might add more fire and vigor ... Read More
- Just bad writingThe title was certainly intriguing and there's some great stories in there.If only there was someone to pull it all together.I've only gotten half way through and I'm not sure I'll finish.
There's not a true story-line to the book, just a bunch of old stories told too quickly without any glue holding them together.I have no doubt that there's plenty of material from a subject that's had such a long career.But, Callahan should have either told a whole life story or picked one really ... Read More
- Fantastic Book!We are using this book as text book now, it's really fantastic! Great storytelling style and very funny! you can't miss it!
- i bleed bluegreat book... shows insight and feelings of gm and his moves to make a team a better team.. shows class act of gm...
would read again...
- A must for football fansThe GM is a tad slow in the beginning, but really picks up the pace after a couple of chapters. It's a great behind the scenes look into the Giants, and really any NFL team. Every football fan, and Giant fans in particular, owe it to themselve to read this book.
