They are accountants, educators, lawyers, sales executives, policemen, dentists, business owners, corporate executives, or firefighters.

They are also NFL game officials.

Their lives resemble Clark Kent's; they live a mainstream life Monday through Friday. On Sunday, they don uniforms that afford considerable power. They make decisions affecting lives, careers, and fortunes. On their best day, they are anonymous and unappreciated; on their worst, they are despised. They perform a job from which fans, coaches, players, and even they themselves demand perfection.

 

But they will never achieve it.

 

Though having an essential part in the nation's most popular game, they prefer a low profile. Their anonymity evokes curiosity about who they are beneath the stripes. 

The Third Team takes timeless stories and reflections from interviews with 25 National Football League officials, including some among football's greatest, to give the reader a look into a job that is far more exacting than even the most astute fan appreciates. The stories reveal the kind of person who reaches the pinnacle. Though competitive, wanting to be the best among peers, each official recognizes that the crew's performance has higher value than individual achievement. Becoming a team player will bond each crewmember to one another. 
Their stories range from humorous to poignant, giving the reader insight into those working to keep NFL playing fields level for both teams. The perspectives are complemented by observations from former NFL coaches Tony Dungy, Steve Mariucci, Herman Edwards, and Jerry Glanville, along with former player Matt Millen.

The Third Team will appeal to the fan who is interested in the game's inner workings and who will appreciate stories from behind the scenes and inside the country’s most popular spectator sport.

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Available on Amazon, Nook, Kobo. and iBooks. 

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Purchase by clicking the above links