In 1985, Zim profiled Los Angeles Raiders quarterback wrecker Howie Long and how he departed Boston’s streets for NFL stardom
This week at The MMQB is dedicated to the life and career of Paul Zimmerman, who earned the nickname Dr. Z for his groundbreaking analytical approach to the coverage of pro football. For more from Dr. Z Week, click here.
This story originally appeared in the July 22, 1985, issue of Sports Illustrated.
The headlights cut through the blackening gloom of the Charlestown section of Boston, and occasionally the car bumped a little as it ran over a patch of cobblestones or an abandoned trolley track.