The War Room

by Michael Holley

This is a study of New England Patriots Bill Belichick and two former assistants, Scott Pioli and Thomas Dimitroff, and their approach to drafting new players and to designing professional football teams. Holley’s lively book is accessible to casual fans, but these are unlikely to be interested in the topic. Holley offers some choice insider gossip, but those who really care about this gossip will now have read the best quotes in newspapers and magazines. What is missing here, really, is a clear analysis of team construction and of its interaction with game and in-season management.