Victorian Football: From Mob Rule to Class Rule

In the early 1800s, British football begins to slowly take a more orderly form, becoming a sport for privileged boys at elite boarding schools like Eton, Charterhouse and Rugby—several of these schools are in towns with long folk football histories. Middleclass and aristocratic young men take the past and forge a future. Britain’s political, theological, … Read more

From Elegant Ancient Chinese Footballers to the United Kingdom’s Crude Rabble

Over the last two millennia, humans have dotted the world with football. Connect these milestones and we eventually arrive at the birth of American football. In the shape of half-moons, two goals stand on opposite ends of an imperial field in ancient China. To their teammates, aristocratic young men kick an inflated round ball, which … Read more

Chuck Noll’s 1972 Steelers: How a Rookie and a Defense Built a Legacy

From 1933 (their first season in the NFL) through 1971, the Pittsburgh Steelers had only eight winning seasons and had never played in the Championship game. From 1964 to 1968, the team had a dismal record of 18–49–3. Changes were needed. In 1969, the Steelers replaced Head Coach Bill Austin with Chuck Noll, an assistant … Read more