Main Characters

The three characters in this book that was very important were Boobie Miles, Mike Winchell, and Brian Chavez. Boobie Miles  was one of the six players Bissinger focuses on because he was the ultimate example of “woulda, shoulda, coulda” after a silly ankle injury during a scrimmage ends a promising career. Mike Winchell was the team’s quarterback whose lack of confidence in himself leads to mistakes that he questions the rest of his life. His hopes and dreams are to play college ball, but in the end, he knows that his dream will probably never come true. Brian Chavez was the only Hispanic who is a starter and unlike the other players to whom school and grades are incidental to football, his goals involve being accepted by Harvard. He is the valedictorian of his class, but also loves the thrill of the hits that come with football.