OT: Paul Zimmerman, aka Dr. Z, dead at 86

That sucks. He hadn't been in good health for a few years, though; I remember he dropped his SI column after his stroke.

I always enjoyed his columns, and often learned from them as well.

I assumed this thread was about a rapper?

Sad.  I loved his SI columns back in the day, and he was one of the first writers to really elevate my understanding of the game.  I know he's been a bad place physically since the stroke but still really sad to hear.  

He was really good, and ahead of his time. I read his stuff pretty faithfully until his stroke. I enjoyed his mailbags a great deal, even when I disagreed with his opinions. 

More than anything, this is an eye-opening indication of what it's like to deal with a serious stroke. I don't believe he ever regained his ability to speak (I'd be happy to be wrong, but after several years he certainly hadn't, per Peter King), and it has been years. Bless his wife, who stayed next to him for all of this time. 

Superb analyst and I'll always remember him tilting at windmills trying to get people to stop referring to Bill Walsh's dink-and-dunk scheme as the "West Coast Offense," which he (rightly) pointed out was already spoken for by the innovative downfield passing schemes of Don (Air) Coryell and the Chargers among others.

When evaluating the '84 draft, he mentioned that Dan Marino had a funny delivery like he was "pushing" the ball. Don Shula mercilessly teased him about it for years after Marino turned into... well, Dan Marino. "What do you think of my Pusher now, huh?"

When I was a kid (or a young adult, maybe) I sent him a letter for the mailbag feature he added to his columns. I asked "what are you looking at as you're watching a game?"  He answered it in the next column, more or less saying that his focus was entirely on the center then guards at the snap of the ball, but as the QB dropped or turned to hand off, his view pulled back from inside to the outside of the line, seeing what the action was on the corner with tackles vs. DEs. It was only then that his eyes might go look for the ball. I still use that technique on every play, and it's changed how I see the game. 

He was an excellent read and cared about his craft. Old school in the best sense. 

Loved his SI column and apparently so did Brian as he's mentioned him on Mgoblog before.

Loved Dr Z’s stuff.

Now we have to read that kiss ass sanctimonious blowhard Peter King in SI

I had the good fortune to represent him in the 80’s when he and SI were sued for libel.  Not only was he an excellent writer, but he was way, way more intelligent than the average journalist out there, which no doubt contributed to his ability to write as effectively as he did.  It also made him a hell of a good witness.  Good dude.

SI had articles chronicling his choices for all-time offense and defense teams.  

It is incredible reading with amazing stories for each player.  

The players he chose for many of the positions are not players most writers or talking heads would choose.  He was able to see the game differently than most.