SI MMQB - Dr. Z Week

Submitted by travelingblue on

This excerpt SI's MMQB ran from Dr. Z's unpublished memoir is awesome. I loved reading Dr. Z in the early years of SI.com, he was the only NFL writer worth a damn.

That is all.

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ca_prophet

June 28th, 2016 at 4:27 PM ^

His continual focus on parts of the game I thought were unimportant helped me understand how the game works and appreciate how much the success or failure of a play or team is dictated by things that happen off-camera, away from the ball. His strokes robbed him and us of that gift. The Thinking Man's Guide to Football is still around and worth reading, at least, and his SI columns are in the SI Vault. Hang in there Dr.Z!

Joined: 09/07/2010

MGoPoints: 7113

Sopwith

June 28th, 2016 at 5:24 PM ^

I actually wrote in for his "Mailbag" feature one time and asked him "how" he watched games.

He put the letter into the magazine and explained that he trains his eyes on the center snap, but post-snap doesn't follow the ball around, at least at first. He keeps his eyes on the interior of the line, then widening focus to the battle of tackles/TE vs. DEs and OLBs. Then he's watching lead run blockers (FBs or pulling OLs) or backs in pass pro. Only when the pass is away or the RB is past the line do the eyes start searching out the ball.

I've been watching games that way ever since and it totally changed my appreciation of the game, much as UFRs have on MGoBlog. His column was the main reason I subscribed for many years until they turned it into a sports version of People magazine.

Joined: 06/29/2010

MGoPoints: 61137

nappa18

June 28th, 2016 at 5:22 PM ^

Let me be the first, and apparently only, respondent. Loved the article. Alas, I must be a good deal older then you because I remember reading Paul' s work at the NY Post in the 60's and 70's.

Joined: 07/08/2011

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