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Touchdown Alexander: My Story of Faith, Football, and Pursuing the Dream
The NFL's Most Valuable Player for the 2005 season, Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander has gained a reputation that's one for the record books. And now in his inspiring autobiography, Shaun shares his amazing journey to success both on and off the field. Written with award-winning author Cecil Murphey, Shaun recounts how God first gave him the dream for the achievements that have made him a household name among football fans everywhere. He also shares his passion for helping other young men through his Shaun Alexander Foundation, focusing on improving the lives of fatherless young men through education, athletics, character programs, and leadership training, inspiring them to reach their God-given potential.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 26, 2014
I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did. I thought it would be good, but not this good. It was truly a page-turner to read the life story of NFL MVP running back Shaun Alexander, and how he lived his life for Christ growing up, especially his days at Alabama University and then with the Seattle Seahawks. One of the great highlights of the book is how committed to purity he and his fiance were before they married each other. I highly recommend this book for the spiritual lessons it contains as well as the inspiring miracles that will amaze you as you read about the life of this humble man of God.
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November 14, 2023 This is an inspirational true story about Shaun Alexander who became one of NFL’s greatest football players for the Seattle Seahawks written by Gene Stallings.
This is a true story about a young man who used his faith, integrity, and athletic ability to become the first running back in the history of the NFL to score at least 15 touchdowns in 5 straight seasons. It explains the life of Shaun Alexander from the beginning of his career to holding the highest record for most touchdowns and the obstacles he overcame to achieve that goal
This is a book that would appeal to athletes or anyone trying to achieve a goal or looking to be inspired. Reading about somebody who has worked hard to become one of NFLs greatest athletes is inspiring. The strengths of the book is the author did a great job explaining Shaun Alexander's strengths, weaknesses and obstacles he overcame. The author also did a good job in keeping the reader engaged and wanting to learn more about Shaun Alexander. However, the author could have done a better job with going deeper into the ups and downs in his training and ability to reach his goals.
Hearing the crowd go crazy and feeling the energy in the stadium is so empowering for anyone working hard to make their dreams come true. This story gives encouragement to anyone looking to achieve their dreams.
This is a true story about a young man who used his faith, integrity, and athletic ability to become the first running back in the history of the NFL to score at least 15 touchdowns in 5 straight seasons. It explains the life of Shaun Alexander from the beginning of his career to holding the highest record for most touchdowns and the obstacles he overcame to achieve that goal
This is a book that would appeal to athletes or anyone trying to achieve a goal or looking to be inspired. Reading about somebody who has worked hard to become one of NFLs greatest athletes is inspiring. The strengths of the book is the author did a great job explaining Shaun Alexander's strengths, weaknesses and obstacles he overcame. The author also did a good job in keeping the reader engaged and wanting to learn more about Shaun Alexander. However, the author could have done a better job with going deeper into the ups and downs in his training and ability to reach his goals.
Hearing the crowd go crazy and feeling the energy in the stadium is so empowering for anyone working hard to make their dreams come true. This story gives encouragement to anyone looking to achieve their dreams.
May 27, 2022
I typically prefer my athletes to remain on the field or the court and away from microphones and keyboards. Most athletes are painful to hear and listen to. Alexander is not most athletes. Alexander is so much more and a blessing to every community he gets involved with.
I am a lifelong Seahawk fan and knew nothing about Alexander's faith. This is a great man, not for what he did on the field, which is legendary, but for the life he lives and the people he touches. I am so proud of the man he is and the lives he touches. Alexander is an example of what we can achieve if we remain humble and place others before ourselves.
I will likely never meet Alexander himself, but there is a good chance I will encounter someone whose life he has changed for the better because he lives his faith and does not keep it bottled up.
I am a lifelong Seahawk fan and knew nothing about Alexander's faith. This is a great man, not for what he did on the field, which is legendary, but for the life he lives and the people he touches. I am so proud of the man he is and the lives he touches. Alexander is an example of what we can achieve if we remain humble and place others before ourselves.
I will likely never meet Alexander himself, but there is a good chance I will encounter someone whose life he has changed for the better because he lives his faith and does not keep it bottled up.
February 27, 2009
The book is Touchdown Alexander and it was written by Shaun Alexander. I believe that the purpose that Shaun wrote this book is, because he wants to share his life to young adults so that he can inspire them. He shares what god has done in his life and how the decisions he made changed his life forever. I believe that the audience is meant for young adults. They chose that audience because when you are that age you are still trying to decide your future and if he can make an impact on your life now then you will grow up with good decision making abilities
The story is non-fiction and is told in a first person point of view by Shaun Alexander by himself. I think first person is the best choice here, because it is his life and nobody can tell his story better than himself. I believe that this book made and impact on my life and it probably impacted others, because it will help me to make better decisions in my life. I can connect with Shaun very easily, because he is tempted to do things or go places that is not the right thing to do at that time. Sometimes I am tempted to do bad things too, but knowing that I’m not the only one that has to deal with temptation.
I would recommend this book to my friends and all of the other teens that like football. Even if you don’t like football you can still enjoy the book as long as you like to read about the success stories of people. I find success stories very inspirational. The title gets you interested in the book alone. It has a few meanings touchdown Alexander obviously means that he has scored the most touchdowns in one season. He set many Seahawks records, but the major NFL records that he set was the first running back to score fifteen or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons, Alexander appeared on the cover of sports illustrated, he was also on the cover of Madden NFL 07, and he had a lot more. “You only lost by one yard” a reporter said to Alexander after he was one yard short to breaking the rushing title and he was trying to make him slip up so that he could post it in the news.
Overall I rate the book five stars, because he didn’t just talk about himself the whole time like in most books. In touchdown Alexander he tries to help you more than he tries to brag about himself. He talks about his wife and family. I really liked the book it kept me interested the whole time. The ending flowed with the rest of the book. I believe that Touchdown Alexander can and will change not only the way you think about things but also give you a better idea of what god thinks about different things that you may have to decide to do or not to do.
The story is non-fiction and is told in a first person point of view by Shaun Alexander by himself. I think first person is the best choice here, because it is his life and nobody can tell his story better than himself. I believe that this book made and impact on my life and it probably impacted others, because it will help me to make better decisions in my life. I can connect with Shaun very easily, because he is tempted to do things or go places that is not the right thing to do at that time. Sometimes I am tempted to do bad things too, but knowing that I’m not the only one that has to deal with temptation.
I would recommend this book to my friends and all of the other teens that like football. Even if you don’t like football you can still enjoy the book as long as you like to read about the success stories of people. I find success stories very inspirational. The title gets you interested in the book alone. It has a few meanings touchdown Alexander obviously means that he has scored the most touchdowns in one season. He set many Seahawks records, but the major NFL records that he set was the first running back to score fifteen or more touchdowns in five consecutive seasons, Alexander appeared on the cover of sports illustrated, he was also on the cover of Madden NFL 07, and he had a lot more. “You only lost by one yard” a reporter said to Alexander after he was one yard short to breaking the rushing title and he was trying to make him slip up so that he could post it in the news.
Overall I rate the book five stars, because he didn’t just talk about himself the whole time like in most books. In touchdown Alexander he tries to help you more than he tries to brag about himself. He talks about his wife and family. I really liked the book it kept me interested the whole time. The ending flowed with the rest of the book. I believe that Touchdown Alexander can and will change not only the way you think about things but also give you a better idea of what god thinks about different things that you may have to decide to do or not to do.
January 16, 2012
If you think Shaun Alexander had an easy life you are wrong! I say this because as a child Shaun, his two brothers,mom, and dad had to live in a two bedroom apartment. They were very poor, but his mom pushed him to do good in school. Shaun also believed in God very strongly in which guided him trough his rough life. I liked this part because if you believe every thing happens trough god and everything will workout in the end.
For Shaun Alexander things don't come easy. He went to college but wasn't a regular student. When he was in college him and his Girlfriend were alone and she offered to have sex, But trough god and knowing its a sin before marriage he said no. I liked this oart because i am a christian but still i would not have said no if i were in college because it would be hard and it might end the relationship with that girl.
Another part of this book inspired me, this part was when he went to be a pro football player. It is more than him just playing pro ball it is he chooses #37. He didnt just choose #37 because he liked it, but because it was his life motto and favorite bible verse. It is psalms37:4, "Take delight in the lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I thought this was cool because God called him to do this. Another reason is because he didnt just like the verse he played every football game saying the verse before every play he recieved the ball. Shaun Alexander claims that God helped him when he said it. After reading this book it makes me want to find a bible verse and make it my number.
I suggest this book to you because it is a good life story and migh make you change you're mind if you don't believe in God. I also enjoyed this book because i like football and i have met one of his Seahalks teamated T.J Ducket.
For Shaun Alexander things don't come easy. He went to college but wasn't a regular student. When he was in college him and his Girlfriend were alone and she offered to have sex, But trough god and knowing its a sin before marriage he said no. I liked this oart because i am a christian but still i would not have said no if i were in college because it would be hard and it might end the relationship with that girl.
Another part of this book inspired me, this part was when he went to be a pro football player. It is more than him just playing pro ball it is he chooses #37. He didnt just choose #37 because he liked it, but because it was his life motto and favorite bible verse. It is psalms37:4, "Take delight in the lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." I thought this was cool because God called him to do this. Another reason is because he didnt just like the verse he played every football game saying the verse before every play he recieved the ball. Shaun Alexander claims that God helped him when he said it. After reading this book it makes me want to find a bible verse and make it my number.
I suggest this book to you because it is a good life story and migh make you change you're mind if you don't believe in God. I also enjoyed this book because i like football and i have met one of his Seahalks teamated T.J Ducket.
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October 30, 2015James Smith
Block 2
Maier
4. As Good as Gold
Touchdown Alexander by Shawn Alexander is an autobiography about the life of NFL Most Valuable Player of 2005, Shawn Alexander. The autobiography advertised itself as the story about the humble beginnings of a young man who found spirituality and enlightenment through football, and how he used what he found to better help people around him. It was accurate as it was from the point of view of Alexander himself, and it met my expectations of a book about a man finding god while also battling the struggles and obstacles that come with being a professional athlete.
5. Like Water in a Desert
In Touchdown Alexander by Shawn Alexander, Alexander’s tone and word usage is very soft and inspiring. Alexander’s word usage and righteous attitude makes readers feel like they could do anything with god on their side. One example is when Alexander writes,” I always play every game like my back is against the wall, and that this could be it.” (pg, 87) Another example of inspiring and motivational langauge is when Alexander says,” When the smoke clears, there will be more smiles.” (pg 134) This is Alexander’s thoughts as he was getting ridiculed by critics and attacked by sports analysts. His thought process was that when everything was set and done, he would be looked on as a legend. There is also a lot of talk about Christianity and religion in Touchdown Alexander. This makes it apparent that the target audience is for younger individuals that are religious. If you are not religious, this might not be the book for you. I am not religious at all, and consider myself very secular in thought, but I approached this book with an open mind and was intrigued by Alexander’s experiences.
Block 2
Maier
4. As Good as Gold
Touchdown Alexander by Shawn Alexander is an autobiography about the life of NFL Most Valuable Player of 2005, Shawn Alexander. The autobiography advertised itself as the story about the humble beginnings of a young man who found spirituality and enlightenment through football, and how he used what he found to better help people around him. It was accurate as it was from the point of view of Alexander himself, and it met my expectations of a book about a man finding god while also battling the struggles and obstacles that come with being a professional athlete.
5. Like Water in a Desert
In Touchdown Alexander by Shawn Alexander, Alexander’s tone and word usage is very soft and inspiring. Alexander’s word usage and righteous attitude makes readers feel like they could do anything with god on their side. One example is when Alexander writes,” I always play every game like my back is against the wall, and that this could be it.” (pg, 87) Another example of inspiring and motivational langauge is when Alexander says,” When the smoke clears, there will be more smiles.” (pg 134) This is Alexander’s thoughts as he was getting ridiculed by critics and attacked by sports analysts. His thought process was that when everything was set and done, he would be looked on as a legend. There is also a lot of talk about Christianity and religion in Touchdown Alexander. This makes it apparent that the target audience is for younger individuals that are religious. If you are not religious, this might not be the book for you. I am not religious at all, and consider myself very secular in thought, but I approached this book with an open mind and was intrigued by Alexander’s experiences.
September 28, 2010
The Main Character in this book, Shaun Alexander, is a man who writes an auto-biography about his life up to the day he was drafted into the NFL. I loved this book because not only is he talking about all of the cool stuff about being a football player, he also talks about peer presure and how he delt with it. Shuan writes about his struggles from only when he was two, all the way up to today! If you are a football player who wants to learn what a NFL veteran had to face just like you do now, this book is for you!
November 29, 2011
Touchdown Alexander is a book that is written by former Seattle Seahawks awesome runningback Shaun Alexander. It explains his life and the issues he faced while trying to become a NFL player. His dream of playing the game is very strong and he is very passionate about the sport. He followed his religion immensely which got him through his teen years. He was indeed a christian and a good one at that. That is why I believe that he was so successful as a person even outside of sports. I overall think that this book was interesting and very inspiring.
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January 7, 2016Got this back in 2006; the year my Seahawks first made the Super Bowl. We're not gonna talk about the outcome. This was before the days of beast mode and Russell Wilson. We had Matt hasslebeck and Shaun Alexander and it put us on the map. Besides being an all-time great for the Seahawks Alexander seems like a genuinely nice person. The book does get into his religious upbringing but I never found it to be overly preachy which is good. We've come full circle first Shaun and now Russ leading the way for religious seahawk ballers. I have nothing to offer about the contents of this book.
March 24, 2008
If you have a son who is involved in team sports and you want him to grow more in his faith, this is the book for him. I read this book along with our 11 year old son for a terrific bonding experience. Mr. Alexander has liven his life on princples and morals instilled upon him. The way he has approached everything in his life, is even inspirational to me.
March 18, 2008
I learned the life of Shaun Alexander and what he does in his free time in while not playing for the Seahawks. Very good book and makes you want to meet him and appreciate the things he does for Seattle.
November 21, 2012
I was surprised to discover that the emphasis of this book was about being a man of God, of integrity, and of character more than it was about football, and I liked it better for that. (Don't worry football fans, I don't think you will be dissatisfied either.)
February 28, 2016
This book is about Shaun Alexander's experience in the NFL. His story is about faith, football, and pursuing the dream. This book is for anyone that believes in Jesus Christ and wants to accomplish great things in life.
April 20, 2008
You've got to read it. It's amazing!!!
June 10, 2008
I enjoyed reading this book . Very Good for young boys and teenage boys .
September 15, 2010
i thought it was ok it wasn't the best but it was ok. It real make me feel if you what something work for it.
August 4, 2011
I read this one for work. Great for young guys, and those who know them. I was really impressed with this one.
August 7, 2011
Every young man should read this book.
September 8, 2012
I love this man! He's such a great role model and has a cute way of telling his story which is so awesome btw
September 18, 2014
Inspiring book!
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January 9, 2013As a fan of Tony Dungy’s books, you may also enjoy Touchdown Alexander. It is a football player’s memoir with strong Christian themes.
September 10, 2016
Very inspirational book that documents the trials that a Christian football player faces in life.
April 19, 2017
Good story. I gave it 2 stars instead of 3 stars because while I enjoyed Shaun Alexander's inspirational story of his faith journey and his football career up through 2005, the book was not well written.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews