[1] 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.

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.

In the second half of the 1989 Gator Bowl, Crenshaw comes off the bench for Tech, throws for three touchdowns, runs for one hundred yards and leads a last-second comeback.

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.

At the funeral while giving the eulogy, Neely ends up forgiving coach after all those years of debating whether he likes or dislikes Eddie Rake.