Best way to reply I can think of is an analogy. Resolved: You can't learn football (tennis, baseball, _________) from books and video/DVD.
Young boys, probably can learn enough from watching games on TV to play sandlot ball. We did. (Not really into books yet :uhyeah
Roughly
middle school age, or playing in first organized teams/games: about the only book is the coach's homemade playbook. And more pro games on TV. Learning football from books/media? Not really.
High school: Players now probably watch some film of other teams. Coaches undoubtedly do so, along with scouting reports, stats, etc., which could be called 'books' in some sense. Now the coaches, at least, are 'learning' football from books and media.
College: Increased film study, scouting, injury reports, who on the opposition you're likely to face (strategy), how to make the right adjustments during the game (change tactics)... In other words, much of the game is played based on what was learned from what others discovered previously. Yet the coach has no *teacher* to try all this out with. Maybe some trusted mentors, but they're all probably busy too. But he has his students, the players, to test the strategy with, to try his tactics out.
Pros: College coaching raised a notch. Much more money involved, so much more at stake, and being professionals and not students, the players have all day to prepare, simulate, practice (be in the dojo), as well as allot as much time as they wish to film study.
Can you learn football from a book/film/watching games? It all depends on what we mean by *learn football*. Sand lot football can be learned by watching TV and playing with friends afterward. Pro football can be
further learned by watching others, studying film and playbooks and old games, and trying it out with people of reasonably equal skill. And rumor has it, some college and pro coaches even read books by other, maybe more accomplished coaches.
