Sirs weren't always that nice either.

Ok. I didn't really always know what was going on in this book. You see, there were extended passages depicting football games. I've watched a lot of football in my time, but it was only because I liked being in band or it was the only way I'd see the guy friends. This doesn't mean I've ever really payed any attention. I get the basic stuff, the downs, the scoring, the penalties, but I'm lost to position roles or anything more in depth. I'm ok with that. Occasionally, I store some gleaned factoid away in order to surprise the boys, but really, they are just sweaty guys in tight pants running about. All that said, it was strange this past autumn not to have any football going on in the background of my life, no matter how inattentive I am. I was almost nostalgic. I drank some hot cider and felt better.

Always in search of good books for boys, Knights of the Hill Country by Tim Tharp certainly delivers. Hampton has always followed along behind his best friend Blaine. But when Blaine gets hurt and Hampton becomes the star player, his world starts to shift. Is he as dumb as everyone thinks he is? Is the man people expect him to be the kind of man he wants to be? Is Oklahoma football the be all end all? Is the unpopular Sara worth risking Blaine's anger over?

When you read it, brace yourself to be firmly entrenched in the male mind. Hampton was real. He does dumb things that made me yell at the book, but he was entirely believable. It kinda makes me think back to jocks I knew in the past, and wonder if maybe some of the 'dumb' ones just didn't really know how to express themselves. That really applies to most people who are awkward in social situations, myself included. Look below the surface. Still waters run deep and all that. It's a great read, whether a sports fan or not.