I would recommend this novel because it was an entertaining story and it had several life lessons embedded in it. There is a lot to learn from successful teams that have had to work together and work hard to accomplish these thngs. Nothing great comes without hard work, and that is important to remember. I don’t think that there is really anything i would change in this novel because the story captures the theme it is trying to show and the author presents it in a well organized way.

“No piece of ground in Messina was more revered than The Field” (3). This statement emphasizes the importance of the stadium to the town. Everything revolves around the stadium and its beloved Coach Rake. Spartan football players are legendary all around the country for all of their wins. The green uniform is a symbol of pride and dedication. It is a constant reminder of the glory they once had. All of the money earned in the town goes towards new stadiums and locker rooms. Other groups may have to go without for a while just so the football team can have the very best. They come above and beyond any other part of the town.

Neely Crenshaw goes through a major change in this novel. He blamed himself and Eddie Rake for the way his life turned out; for his injury. This controls his life for a while, but he begins to understand things more. He finds that he may be able to forgive himself and Rake for everything that has happened. Him and Rake have always went head to head since the game of ’87, but they both have to move on. Rake dies however, leaving the decision up to Neely. He can either choose to live in the past, or he can move forward and have a better life. Crenshaw had to decide what he wanted to do after his injury as well. He had always been a cocky and careless boy with the world laid before his feet, but now he was faced the the cruel reality that he could no longer play football. This had been his life for so long, but he had to grow up and find some other purpose in the world.

Neely Crenshaw is the main character in the novel “Bleachers.” He is a strong leader and a true All-American, but he has his flaws too. He is not very forgiving and is unwilling to let go of the past. He hasn’t been back to his hometown of Messina in almost 15 years because he can’t bare to face the memories. He despises Rake and blames him and himself as well for his “career ending injury.” These flaws hold him back from reaching his full potential as a person. He has always been a fighter though. All through his years of high school football he was willing to do anything to win. He pushed through a broken nose and a broken hand for his team and to prove a point to the coaches.

The setting of this novel is in a small town called Messina, which would explain how they are all so involved in their high school. This is a fiction novel, however it is also realistic. It happens today all the time in some towns that have tight knit communities. Football is an American tradition everywhere, but some places are more involved than others. The time period is set in the early 21st century, but their stories range all the way from the 60’s. Those were the golden years of football and the time at which Eddie Rake became the caoch in the novel. The time period helps kick start the Spartan tradition that will last forever in this small town. The story in this novel may be fiction since it has not occured, but stories of glorious football teams are seen all the time. A winning streak such as the one mentioned in the book would be difficult to accomplish, but not impossible.

John Grisham’s novel “Bleachers,” has a very relevant title. This is a football novel about reliving previous experiences on the field. All these past ‘Spartans’ are sitting in the bleachers reminiscing in memories of their golden days. The bleachers in which they are sitting held fans of whom shed sweat and blood themselves cheering for the team they believed in so much. Bleachers are a symbol of dedication and hope. They represent a way of life. Neely “climbed up thirty rows and sat all alone in the bleachers, high above Rake Field with a view of the valley to the east” (11). Basically the stadium is the center of the town, the bleachers raising high above it for all to see. Everything in this town is related to football in some way. Every single member of the town could be found sitting in the bleachers full of team spirit every Friday night. The author’s use of this as the title emphasizes the importance of this.