Football is a sport steeped in a culture of violence, intimidation, and brutality, but players have learned to navigate through the minefield of its physical demands by adhering to an honor code of sportsmanship known simply as "the code." As mysterious as it is sacred, the code is an unwritten set of rules that has been handed down from generation to generation. While the code has been around since the early days of the National Football League, it remains a taboo subject shrouded in secrecy. Under the threat of penalties, fines, and suspensions, players have to use stealth and ingenuity when retaliating against dirty players out on the field. Sure, bench clearing brawls will occur from time to time, but most of the revenge that goes on is behind the scenes. Patience must be exercised when settling old scores, and the veterans will wait until the time is right to exact the justice they feel fits the crime. While the game has changed immensely over the years, one thing remains the same--the players still police themselves. They know that if they break the rules of the code, then there will be hell to pay. At its core, football is all about respect and disrespect, and if a teammate is cheap-shotted, blind-sided, or is chopped at the knees, then the wheels of retaliation will be set into motion. The code is not just about head-slaps, verbal taunting, and the many unseen horrors that can occur under the pile. It is also about running up the score late on a team, excessive celebrations, head-hunting after interceptions, bounties, eye-gouging, and rookie initiations. The old adage "if you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin" has always applied out on the gridiron and includes things such as stick-um, siliconed jerseys, cold showers, and of course, steroids. And let's not forget all of the espionage that goes on both on and off the field as well. Everything from "Spygate" to dummy play-books to lip-reading is fair game--unless you get caught.

Hockey has always been a sport steeped in a culture of violence, and players universally calibrate the level of physical contact by adhering to unwritten rules known simply as The Code. As mysterious as it is sacred, The Code is the bible of hockey sportsmanship that is handed down from generation to generation. The Code picks up where the rulebook leaves off and fills in the gaps, all in an effort to govern the game and its players--allowing them to compete in a manner deemed fair and respectful. To fully understand the significance and history behind The Code, Ross Bernstein, author of more than 30 sports books, interviewed more than 50 current and former NHL players, coaches, and media personalities. Their insights and stories explain why fighting is allowed in the National Hockey League and how The Code allows the players to police themselves both on and off the ice. That is what The Code is all about--respect, accountability, pride, and honor.