{"product_id":"hell-with-the-lid-off-inside-the-fierce-rivalry-between-the-1970s-oakland-raiders-and-pittsburgh-steelers-9781496214676","title":"Hell with the Lid Off: Inside the Fierce Rivalry Between the 1970s Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers","description":"\u003ci\u003eHell with the Lid Off\u003c\/i\u003e looks at the ferocious five-year war waged by Pittsburgh and Oakland for NFL supremacy during the turbulent seventies. The roots of their rivalry dated back to the 1972 playoff game in Pittsburgh that ended with the \"Immaculate Reception,\" Franco Harris's stunning touchdown that led the Steelers to a win over the Raiders in their first postseason meeting. That famous game ignited a fiery rivalry for NFL supremacy. Between 1972 and 1977, the Steelers and the Raiders--between them boasting an incredible twenty-six Pro Football Hall of Famers--collided in the playoffs five straight seasons and in the AFC title game three consecutive years. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Both teams favored force over finesse and had players whose forte was intimidation. Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain defense featured Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, and Mel Blount, the latter's heavy hits forcing an NFL rule in his name. The Raiders countered with \"The Assassin,\" Jack Tatum, Skip Thomas (aka \"Dr. Death\"), George Atkinson, and Willie Brown in their memorable secondary. Each of their championships crowned the eventual Super Bowl winner, and their bloodcurdling encounters became so violent and vicious that they transcended the NFL and had to be settled in a U.S. district court. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e With its account of classic games, legendary owners, coaches, and players with larger-than-life personalities, \u003ci\u003eHell with the Lid Off\u003c\/i\u003e is a story of turbulent football and one of the game's best-known rivalries. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEd Gruver\u003c\/b\u003e is an award-winning sportswriter and the author of several books, including \u003ci\u003eHairs vs. Squares: The Mustache Gang, the Big Red Machine, and the Tumultuous Summer of '72\u003c\/i\u003e (Nebraska, 2016) and \u003ci\u003eFrom Baltimore to Broadway: Joe, the Jets, and the Super Bowl III Guarantee\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cb\u003eJim Campbell \u003c\/b\u003ehas worked at the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was a member of the Steelers' organization during their dynasty decade in the 1970s. He has written for numerous NFL publications and has authored several books on the NFL. \u003cb\u003eAndy Russell \u003c\/b\u003eis a former NFL linebacker who played his entire twelve-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, with whom he won two Super Bowls. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University of Nebraska Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50566582829330,"sku":"9781496214676","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_66fd75ea-0bc1-4716-b97a-ab72b83bbe22.jpg?v=1731902587","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/hell-with-the-lid-off-inside-the-fierce-rivalry-between-the-1970s-oakland-raiders-and-pittsburgh-steelers-9781496214676","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}