Black and Blue : A Smash-Mouth History of the NFL's Roughest Division

Formed in 1967, the NFL's Central Division, made up of the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings, quickly earned the nickname “Black and Blue Division” due to the teams' fierce, physical play. Through the years, many of the toughest men in pro football have played in the Black and Blue — from Butkus to Nitschke, Eller to Spielman, Favre to Singletary to Karras to the Purple People Eaters. Now known as the NFC North, the rivals still battle each other twice a year, celebrating their 40th season together in 2006. Black and Blue celebrates along with them, recalling the great plays and players, the memorable seasons, and the crucial games through first-hand interviews with players and coaches and first-rate photography. Capsule summaries of every game played in the division make this an essential reference for every football fan.