For as long as I can remember, I have been reading Paul Zimmerman's football columns in Sports Illustrated. Dr. Z, as he is known, affectionately, writes in a direct, personal style that cuts through media spectacle and brings analysis back to the sporting enterprise, itself. But in online features like his weekly picks and especially in his "mailbag" and his "power rankings," assessments of the relative strength of all National Football League teams, Dr. Z allows himself running commentary about his wife, his love for travel and fine wine, and his life in the American northeast.
About six months ago, seemingly without warning, and in the middle of the football season, Dr. Z suffered three strokes, blows that left him with serious impairments. His writings disappeared from SI, and it was not until Peter King, his fellow sportswriter, updated the web readership that we learned what had happened.
I felt the shock of Dr. Z's illness profoundly. I could count on at least three regular postings a week, and I knew exactly when and where to look for them. When he was silenced, it was like losing regular conversations with a friend. So, as soon as Mr. King announced that there would be a fundraiser, I bought a ticket for the event in New Jersey, an event I could never find the time to attend. I am thrilled that the event and related auction raised more than $150,000 for the "Nothing Is Impossible" foundation to get intensive therapy for Dr. Z. Following his wife's blog, it is clear that he has come a long way already, and who knows how much more he might improve.
In any case, my point here is less about stroke therapy and more about how effective the internet can be in creating a sense of community. The foundation was announced online, and an online auction fueled the fundraising. The immediacy of Dr. Z's writings, the ways in which he engages directly his readership, demonstrates a real strength of the online form. And with print media losing traction, this warm response to a personal tragedy might underline something about how journalists can thrive in a new environment.
Comments