NFL Films piece on Paul Zimmerman

Unconventional approach, powerful video:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-presents/0ap2000000284904/NFL-Films-Presents-Yours-truly-Dr-Z

 

Holy crap, powerful stuff. At 50, my biggest fear (other than the final verdict, of course) is losing my ability to communicate.

Thanks very much for sharing, Smash.

Godspeed, Dr. Z...

 

That was awesome.
Fantastic.

 

I'm afraid to watch it.

 

It's excellent. Genuinely funny along with all the other emotions you'd expect to be in there.

 

I watched it, it was tremendous.

 

That was a great, great piece. Dr. Z was by far my favorite writer growing up reading SI, and I continued to enjoy and appreciate his curmudgeonly ways online. He knows that as younger generations forgot older football players, so too will younger writers forget him. And in each case, that's sad.

 

Here's a story about how it came together, for those wondering how the narration was written: http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/11/28/nfl-films-tells-paul-zimmerman-story-his-own-words/1gUmyzvvGkroZjzkgpxUrL/story.html.

 

Outstanding.

 

I had one conversation with Dr. Z. I was still covering colleges and I was at the combine and I found myself standing next to him in the hallway that separates the media area with where the players would work out.

I said, "Oh my God, Dr. Z! I used to watch the draft with my SI folded back to your mock and I would keep score as to how you did. I remember the year you missed two in the first 15 and correctly predicted two trades."

I immediately felt like a huge dork and I think he sensed that and he put his arm around me and said, "Thank you, you just made my day."

 

I've done that a number of times, not in a star struck manner but in genuine attempt to
tell people that I've enjoyed their work over the years. I've never come away with the feeling that I was imposing and I believe the people that I've spoken too are appreciative.
I try to be specific and not just say "love your work".

Zim was a true football pioneer. I followed him from his days at The New York Post when he was The Jet beat writer. I do think that part of his success was that he played the game and truly understood it. He could relate. Still have my original copy of "The Thinking Mans Guide to Pro Football.

 

I am not starstruck by sports writers but he would be an exception.