32:
299:
In 1987, after trailing 31–0 at halftime to East Pike, and crippled by a broken hand, the gutsy quarterback rallies the
Spartans to a 34–31 victory for Messina's first state championship in seven years, achieved without the assistance of coach Rake. His hand injury is caused when Neely punches Coach
295:
Neely is a highly recruited quarterback with a golden arm, fast feet, plenty of size, maybe the greatest
Messina quarterback ever. When Neely was younger and playing football with his friends, a man watching him approached Neely, saying "You're going to play football for the Spartans."
136:
342:
In a letter revealed at Rake's funeral, the coach states the two regrets of his life were losing Scotty
Reardon and for striking All-American quarterback Neely Crenshaw at halftime of the 1987 championship game against East Pike.
331:
When the story begins, most of the 714 football players Rake had coached in his 34 years at
Messina High School return to the town for the funeral of the legendary coach, a man both beloved and reviled.
892:
335:
Rake ends his career with 418 wins, 62 losses, and 13 state championships. During a grueling unsanctioned Sunday morning practice in 1992, Messina player Scotty
Reardon died of a
280:. The book focuses on whether the famous Eddie Rake, former coach of the Messina High School football team, was loved or hated by his former players.
1189:
433:
303:
After graduation, Crenshaw had received 31 scholarship offers and chooses Tech, a fictional university. He receives $ 50,000, a violation of
1199:
1194:
850:
339:. Rake's brutal training methods are called into question and the superintendent of education, who also is Reardon's uncle, fires Rake.
49:
1155:
213:
115:
314:, Crenshaw comes off the bench for Tech, throws for three touchdowns, runs for one hundred yards and leads a last-second comeback.
1184:
96:
459:
53:
68:
1179:
926:
779:
769:
719:
549:
346:
At the funeral, Neely ends up forgiving coach after all those years of debating whether he likes or dislikes Eddie Rake.
956:
946:
819:
559:
235:
75:
966:
936:
589:
529:
321:. But against A&M later that year, he suffers a career-ending knee injury on a cheap shot hit after Crenshaw was
1086:
1056:
995:
916:
426:
20:
1145:
1114:
1076:
82:
1036:
1066:
871:
64:
42:
1135:
1046:
669:
699:
659:
509:
419:
273:
175:
1026:
739:
829:
809:
499:
1005:
579:
489:
389:
639:
599:
539:
479:
318:
220:
208:
292:, who has been Messina High School's 'golden boy,' expected to lead them to the state title.
89:
799:
519:
469:
317:
As a sophomore, he is national player of the week when he throws for six touchdowns against
246:
759:
569:
905:
679:
619:
300:
Eddie Rake in the face, after Coach Rake backhands him, causing him to break his nose.
1173:
749:
322:
1104:
789:
729:
709:
443:
277:
269:
265:
149:
336:
289:
135:
31:
272:, first published on September 9, 2003. The hardcover edition was published by
689:
649:
629:
311:
363:
227:
411:
328:
Crenshaw subsequently drops football for the real estate business.
304:
415:
25:
221:
288:
Neely
Crenshaw, born in 1969, is a high school All-American
247:
893:
The
Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
1126:
1017:
986:
904:
883:
862:
841:
450:
245:
233:
219:
207:
199:
191:
181:
171:
163:
155:
145:
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
427:
8:
128:
434:
420:
412:
134:
127:
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
355:
7:
54:adding citations to reliable sources
307:rules for signing with the school.
14:
30:
310:In the second half of the 1989
41:needs additional citations for
1190:Novels about American football
976:Theodore Boone: The Accomplice
1:
927:Theodore Boone: The Abduction
276:and the paperback edition by
957:Theodore Boone: The Fugitive
947:Theodore Boone: The Activist
203:Print (Hardcover, Paperback)
1200:College football in fiction
1195:Doubleday (publisher) books
967:Theodore Boone: The Scandal
937:Theodore Boone: The Accused
1216:
917:Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer
21:Bleachers (disambiguation)
18:
16:2003 novel by John Grisham
1115:Christmas with the Kranks
133:
842:Short story collections
1185:Novels by John Grisham
1127:Television adaptations
65:"Bleachers" novel
253:PS3557.R5355 B58 2003
1180:2003 American novels
50:improve this article
19:For other uses, see
1087:The Gingerbread Man
996:The Gingerbread Man
140:First edition cover
130:
580:Skipping Christmas
1167:
1166:
1037:The Pelican Brief
640:Playing for Pizza
600:The King of Torts
540:The Street Lawyer
480:The Pelican Brief
319:Purdue University
257:
256:
192:Publication place
187:September 9, 2003
126:
125:
118:
100:
1207:
1160:
1156:The Innocent Man
1150:
1140:
1119:
1109:
1099:
1091:
1081:
1071:
1061:
1051:
1041:
1031:
1018:Film adaptations
1010:
1000:
979:
971:
961:
951:
941:
931:
921:
897:
876:
855:
834:
824:
814:
810:The Judge's List
804:
800:A Time for Mercy
794:
784:
774:
764:
754:
744:
734:
724:
714:
704:
694:
684:
674:
664:
654:
644:
634:
624:
614:
604:
594:
584:
574:
564:
554:
544:
534:
524:
520:The Runaway Jury
514:
504:
494:
484:
474:
464:
436:
429:
422:
413:
406:
405:
403:
401:
396:. Goodreads, Inc
386:
380:
379:
377:
375:
360:
249:
223:
183:Publication date
138:
131:
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
58:
34:
26:
1215:
1214:
1210:
1209:
1208:
1206:
1205:
1204:
1170:
1169:
1168:
1163:
1153:
1143:
1133:
1122:
1112:
1102:
1096:A Painted House
1094:
1084:
1074:
1064:
1054:
1044:
1034:
1024:
1013:
1003:
993:
982:
974:
964:
954:
944:
934:
924:
914:
900:
890:
879:
869:
858:
848:
837:
827:
817:
807:
797:
787:
777:
767:
760:The Rooster Bar
757:
747:
737:
727:
717:
707:
697:
687:
677:
667:
657:
647:
637:
627:
617:
607:
597:
587:
577:
570:A Painted House
567:
557:
547:
537:
527:
517:
507:
497:
487:
477:
467:
457:
446:
440:
410:
409:
399:
397:
388:
387:
383:
373:
371:
362:
361:
357:
352:
286:
238:
200:Media type
184:
141:
122:
111:
105:
102:
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1213:
1211:
1203:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1172:
1171:
1165:
1164:
1162:
1161:
1151:
1141:
1130:
1128:
1124:
1123:
1121:
1120:
1110:
1100:
1092:
1082:
1072:
1062:
1057:A Time to Kill
1052:
1042:
1032:
1021:
1019:
1015:
1014:
1012:
1011:
1001:
990:
988:
984:
983:
981:
980:
972:
962:
952:
942:
932:
922:
911:
909:
906:Theodore Boone
902:
901:
899:
898:
887:
885:
881:
880:
878:
877:
866:
864:
860:
859:
857:
856:
845:
843:
839:
838:
836:
835:
825:
815:
805:
795:
785:
775:
765:
755:
745:
735:
725:
715:
705:
695:
685:
680:The Litigators
675:
670:The Confession
665:
655:
645:
635:
625:
620:The Last Juror
615:
605:
595:
585:
575:
565:
555:
545:
535:
525:
515:
505:
495:
485:
475:
465:
460:A Time to Kill
454:
452:
448:
447:
441:
439:
438:
431:
424:
416:
408:
407:
381:
354:
353:
351:
348:
285:
282:
255:
254:
251:
243:
242:
239:
234:
231:
230:
225:
217:
216:
211:
205:
204:
201:
197:
196:
193:
189:
188:
185:
182:
179:
178:
173:
169:
168:
165:
161:
160:
157:
153:
152:
147:
143:
142:
139:
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1212:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1177:
1175:
1158:
1157:
1152:
1148:
1147:
1142:
1138:
1137:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1125:
1117:
1116:
1111:
1107:
1106:
1101:
1097:
1093:
1089:
1088:
1083:
1079:
1078:
1077:The Rainmaker
1073:
1069:
1068:
1063:
1059:
1058:
1053:
1049:
1048:
1043:
1039:
1038:
1033:
1029:
1028:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1008:
1007:
1002:
998:
997:
992:
991:
989:
985:
977:
973:
969:
968:
963:
959:
958:
953:
949:
948:
943:
939:
938:
933:
929:
928:
923:
919:
918:
913:
912:
910:
907:
903:
895:
894:
889:
888:
886:
882:
874:
873:
868:
867:
865:
863:Short stories
861:
853:
852:
847:
846:
844:
840:
832:
831:
830:Camino Ghosts
826:
822:
821:
816:
812:
811:
806:
802:
801:
796:
792:
791:
786:
782:
781:
780:The Guardians
776:
772:
771:
770:The Reckoning
766:
762:
761:
756:
752:
751:
750:Camino Island
746:
742:
741:
736:
732:
731:
726:
722:
721:
720:Gray Mountain
716:
712:
711:
706:
702:
701:
700:The Racketeer
696:
692:
691:
686:
682:
681:
676:
672:
671:
666:
662:
661:
660:The Associate
656:
652:
651:
646:
642:
641:
636:
632:
631:
626:
622:
621:
616:
612:
611:
606:
602:
601:
596:
592:
591:
586:
582:
581:
576:
572:
571:
566:
562:
561:
556:
552:
551:
550:The Testament
546:
542:
541:
536:
532:
531:
526:
522:
521:
516:
512:
511:
510:The Rainmaker
506:
502:
501:
496:
492:
491:
486:
482:
481:
476:
472:
471:
466:
462:
461:
456:
455:
453:
449:
445:
437:
432:
430:
425:
423:
418:
417:
414:
395:
391:
385:
382:
369:
365:
359:
356:
349:
347:
344:
340:
338:
333:
329:
326:
324:
323:out of bounds
320:
315:
313:
308:
306:
301:
297:
293:
291:
283:
281:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
262:
252:
250:
248:LC Class
244:
240:
237:
236:Dewey Decimal
232:
229:
226:
224:
218:
215:
214:0-385-51161-2
212:
210:
206:
202:
198:
195:United States
194:
190:
186:
180:
177:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
151:
148:
144:
137:
132:
120:
117:
109:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: –
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
22:
1154:
1144:
1134:
1113:
1105:Runaway Jury
1103:
1095:
1085:
1075:
1065:
1055:
1045:
1035:
1025:
1004:
994:
975:
965:
955:
945:
935:
925:
915:
891:
870:
849:
828:
820:The Exchange
818:
808:
798:
790:Camino Winds
788:
778:
768:
758:
748:
740:The Whistler
738:
730:Rogue Lawyer
728:
718:
710:Sycamore Row
708:
698:
688:
678:
668:
658:
648:
638:
628:
618:
609:
608:
598:
588:
578:
568:
560:The Brethren
558:
548:
538:
528:
518:
508:
498:
488:
478:
468:
458:
444:John Grisham
398:. Retrieved
393:
384:
372:. Retrieved
367:
358:
345:
341:
334:
330:
327:
316:
309:
302:
298:
294:
287:
284:Plot summary
270:John Grisham
266:sports novel
260:
259:
258:
150:John Grisham
112:
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
1139:(1995–1996)
1067:The Chamber
987:Screenplays
884:Non-fiction
851:Ford County
590:The Summons
530:The Partner
500:The Chamber
390:"Bleachers"
364:"Bleachers"
337:heat stroke
290:quarterback
1174:Categories
1136:The Client
1047:The Client
690:Calico Joe
650:The Appeal
630:The Broker
490:The Client
370:. WorldCat
350:References
312:Gator Bowl
241:813/.54 22
129:Bleachers
106:March 2023
76:newspapers
872:The Tumor
610:Bleachers
442:Works by
394:Goodreads
274:Doubleday
261:Bleachers
176:Doubleday
172:Publisher
1146:The Firm
1027:The Firm
470:The Firm
400:18 March
374:18 March
368:WorldCat
228:52644759
156:Language
159:English
90:scholar
1159:(2018)
1149:(2012)
1118:(2004)
1108:(2003)
1098:(2003)
1090:(1998)
1080:(1997)
1070:(1996)
1060:(1996)
1050:(1994)
1040:(1993)
1030:(1993)
1009:(2004)
1006:Mickey
999:(1998)
978:(2019)
970:(2016)
960:(2015)
950:(2013)
940:(2012)
930:(2011)
920:(2010)
908:series
896:(2006)
875:(2015)
854:(2009)
833:(2024)
823:(2023)
813:(2021)
803:(2020)
793:(2020)
783:(2019)
773:(2018)
763:(2017)
753:(2017)
743:(2016)
733:(2015)
723:(2014)
713:(2013)
703:(2012)
693:(2012)
683:(2011)
673:(2010)
663:(2009)
653:(2008)
643:(2007)
633:(2005)
623:(2004)
613:(2003)
603:(2003)
593:(2002)
583:(2001)
573:(2001)
563:(2000)
553:(1999)
543:(1998)
533:(1997)
523:(1996)
513:(1995)
503:(1994)
493:(1993)
483:(1992)
473:(1991)
463:(1988)
451:Novels
146:Author
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
264:is a
167:Novel
164:Genre
97:JSTOR
83:books
402:2023
376:2023
305:NCAA
278:Dell
222:OCLC
209:ISBN
69:news
268:by
52:by
1176::
392:.
366:.
325:.
435:e
428:t
421:v
404:.
378:.
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.