We Took Names

Follow the true five-year journey of a group of "Air Force brats" and their shared love for the game of football. The gridiron forever bonded them as brothers, and that bond has lasted a lifetime. They were shades of green and gold and from a small high school called Vanden. Their story is told through the eyes of one of those friends, and it details the wild and emotional times they shared on the field and off. They recorded 45 wins, 4 losses and 2 ties. They had three undefeated seasons.

How I went from an altar boy and Boy Scout to this personality on the football field I really didn't know. I knew when I shelved my shoulder pads and helmet for the last time, "Psycho" was going to be buried. There was no place for him outside the gridiron. He was created there and would stay there. As my feet left the grass for the last time he and I would part ways.

We were Vikings, name takers, and stuntmen, and football needed us. We gave it everything. We lived a secret life riding on the roof of speeding cars trying to record the fastest time. We were fearless on the gridiron and off. We'll be remembered, not for our victories but for our journey and our love for the game. It was made for guys like us. We honored it with our fight and our bond. We Took Names.

Thirty years after our championship season we returned to Vanden High School for our first reunion as men, fathers and grandfathers. Photos from that reunion are in the book. The book also contains quotes from some coaches and players and "Where are they now?" The book contains 300 plus images: consisting of newspaper article photos, headlines, and quotes, plus personal and game photos and more.