At one point in Markbreit's book, he mentions being surprised when someone recognized him on the street. This shocked me. Does he not know he's the best ref in the league?

I remember my dad first learning to recognize Markbreit (though at that time we thought his name was Markwright), and knowing that if he was officiating the game, the calls would be accurate and fair. In this book, you find out why - because he cared deeply about learning his job and performing at the absolute top level. As my dad says, "Quality of officiating usually exceeds quality of play" - this in response to the occasional bad call by a well-meaning official. When Markbreit was in charge, the truth was that "quality of officiating ALWAYS exceeds quality of play".

This book takes you through Markbreit's entire career as a ref, beginning with covering intramural football at his college, and through the NFL and multiple Super Bowls. You'll also learn the basics about how officating works, how the NFL works to ensure accurate, consistent officiating (hint: if you saw an error on TV Sunday, they'll see it on tape on Monday), and how Markbreit made it to the top of his field.

If you're a Markbreit fan, this is probably already on your bookshelf. If you're a football fan at all, and have ever even thought about what it takes to ref an NFL game, this book is for you.

Markbreit is a five-star ref. This is a four-star book for the kinds of things that make a co-written autobiography not five-star fare. It's no worse than any other co-written autobiography, and better than most, but not quite five-star material. Still, the book is excellent and will be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates the game.

I'm not crazy about most Pro Ref's in any sport but Jerry Markbreit is one of the few that I always respected the way He called a game.nothing out of the ordinary when He was ref of a Game or a big game.I enjoyed the way He takes you too the field.

Jerry Markbreit is not only a veteran NFL official but an insightful author who knows how to make the game (and the rules) a wonderful read. So many "bios" are filled with fluff, but this one tells grat stories, the kind you wish you'd hear from the so-calld expert talking heads on TV. I loved this book as much as his first one, which is now rightfully a collctor's item. Anyone who considers themselves and NFL fan will enjoy this book as well as his feature "Ask Jerry Markbreit" on the Chicago Tribune's web site...Great stuf. Thank you, Mr. Markbreit.