In Bleachers, there are many examples of opposite words. Neely loves and hates his past. He loves the fact that he was once an amazing QB and all the girls wanted him. He hates how he can’t move on from his past though. Also, Neely loves how he gets the chance to visit his old girlfriend, Cameron, because he misses her and is still in love with her, but he hates that she doesn’t love him back and she deosn’t want anything to do with him. Lastly, he hates rake with a passion because of the halftime incident where he and Rake got into a fight, but he loves how mentally tough Rake made him and all the glory he brought to the Spartan football program. The entire book is filled with opposite words that Neely struggles with dealing with, but in the end Neely understands it all and moves on from his issues.

A truth in Bleachers is that even though a couple was once in love, it doesnt meen that they cant move on. Neely and Cameron were in love at one point in high school until Neely left her for another girl. They meet up again when  Neely visits Messina, but she wants no part of him because of what he did to her and she has moved on for good. Another truth that is evident is that some coaches are too hard on their players. For example, Coach Rake always makes his players run bleachers but one day he took it too far, making them run more than normal, and a kid died becuase of it. The last truth in Bleachers is that true heroes are never forgotten. When Neely comes back to visit Messina, he comes home to a warm welcome and people still remember his greatness and what all he did for Spartan Football. People still look up to him and are very grateful for his football abilities.

The setting of Bleachers takes place mainly in Messina. More specifically, Rake Field, because this is where the football games of the greatest football programs were played. Most of the book is covered throughout the sixties, seventies, and eighties. We know this book is fictional because in the book it said that Coach Rake had political power than all the leaders of the city combined. This would never happen and I think Grisham over did it a little by saying this. In today’s world, people worship high school football and are obsessed with it, but never would a coach be as influential as Coach Rake. Although, Bleachers is a realistic book, because many things could happen in real life that happened in the book. For example, Neely being an all-star QB in high school with eyes set on becoming pro, all of a sudden tore his ACL while playing at Tech. Instances like these can happen to any of us, even when we feel invincible. Also, in the book the Spartans go on an 84 game winning streak, which is extremely hard to do, can be attained. Non sports fans might think it’s impossible, but it has been done in real life. The UCLA Bruins men’s basketball team won 86 games in a row and won 11 championships in a row, much like the Spartans.

The quote that best represents the theme of the book is at the very end where it said “The past was finally gone now.” The entire book, Neely’s goal was to relive his past one last time, and then move on to his future life. It’s very difficult for him, but he finally overcomes his past and begins to face his future. At the end of Rake’s funeral, Neely’s burden of his past was lifted from his shoulders and he is at peace with himself.

I definately recommend the book to not just athletes, but to everyone, because its a really understandable story that creates the feeling of passion for the game of football. Every young athlete covets the feeling of being the greatest and reaching competitive greatness, like Neely Crenshaw did. I think the fact that Neely’s career ends the way it does keeps the reader interested and feeling sympathetic for Neely. The only thing I would’ve changed in the book is I would’ve had Neely and Cameron fall back in love with each other and get married. If they would’ve gotten married, I think that it would’ve been easier for Neely to move on from his football days.

1. “No piece of ground in Messina was more revered than The Field. Not even the cemetery.” (Grisham 3)

This shows how The Field was so important to the people and what it ment to them.

2. “In those days, Eddie Rake had more political clout in Messina than all the politicians combined.” (5)

This quote shows how popular and influential Rake was.

3. “Man, you were the greatest” (56)

This quote shoes us how good Neely was as a football player.

4. “Screamer looks like an arguing high-dollar call girl, which she probably is. Cameron is nothing but class.” (98)

Neely realizes the huge mistake he made for leaving Cameron.

5. “Rake Field was dark.” (138)

Once the field lights turned off, the men knew Rake had died.

6. “Most of the Spartans sitting quietly in the bleachers did not know Messina without Eddie Rake.” (138)

Rake was very influential and a very important part to all the former players because of the lessons he taught them and what he put them through.

7. “There’s something magical about the first love, Cameron, something I’ll miss forever.” (155)

Neely is telling Cameron that he still misses her badly, but she doesn’t wasnt to hear it because she’s still heartbroken from when Neely left her in highschool.

8. “Rare is the Coach who can motivate players to spend their lives seeking his approval.” (201)

Rake had a special way of pushing his players and getting what he wanted out of them.

9. “Eddie Rake allowed us, players and fans, to touch greatness, to be a part of it.” (209)

The closest thing to greatness in the town was Coach Rake and he brought the town and people along with him to so that they could get a little taste of greatness.

10. “Do I love Eddie Rake, or do I hate him?” (220)

Many in the town struggled with this question because almost everyone had been on both sides.

The major change with Neely Creenshaw was his maturity after his injury. All throughout high school, he was the star QB and the guy every girl wanted to be with. He had no care in the world other than his own little bubble of perfectness. At one point in high school, Neely had a sweet and innocent girlfriend, and they were madly in love. Then, all of a sudden, another girl popped in the picture. She wasn”t near the girl Neely’s previous girlfriend was, but at the time looked better and gave Neely what every high school guy wants. The reason Neely changed was because of all the fame he was getting in highschool for his football abilities. After Neely’s career ending injury, he had a different outlook on life and had to rethink a lot of things. Neely realized the huge mistake he had made in dumping his old girlfriend for a raunchy girl.

Neely Crenshaw was the best quarterback to ever come through the Spartan football program. I feel I have a connection with Neely because he is a good athlete and im a good athlete too. Neely is worth all the praise he gets because of what all he did for Spartan football. Also, I like the fact that he’s humble with his actions and doesn’t want a lot of attention. The only thing I dont like about Neely is that he left a really nice and sweet girl in high school for a sleezy girl that gave herself up to him. Neely got caught up in the moment  because he was living the dream in high school with all the attention he was recieving for his football abilities. He later finds out that the sleezebag is now a stripper and his first, sweet girlfriend was happily married with kids. Neely truly regrets his poor misjudgement of dating the wrong girl in high school and he realized how immature he use to be.

In the book Bleachers the title is very important and alludes to many things. The Bleachers in the book represent the thought and reflection of Neely and his teammate’s. During high school, they never sat in the Bleachers because they were the stars and always being watched and honored. Now, they are the observors and are honoring their old coach, Coach Rake. The Bleachers also show how important football is the town. Eight thousand people was the population of the town, but the Bleachers held ten thousand. The numbers don’t add up, but every friday night the Bleachers would be full of people. Also, the Bleachers represent all of the memories and emotions of the players. This is where the past players came together to vent and remember their great seasons. The Bleachers is the only place where these players can truly feel their brotherhood again.

A one-time Spartan great, Neely Crenshaw, comes back to the town where he grew up and played football for one of the most prolific programs in the nation. He cant get over his “glory days” and comes home one last time to try and get over his past. Neely, along with other players on his team, catch up with each other and discuss memorable moments they had shared with each other. Throughout the book, their famous coach, Coach Rake, is battling to fight cancer. When Rake finally dies, the players attend his funeral and they all realize how important Rake was to not only to the football team, but to each and every one of them personally. Neely must move on with his life because he will never be successful living in the past. This is why he seeks peace with himself and ends up doing so at the end of the book, when he finally realizes he must move on.