Inside The Pylon works to deliver quality football content to our readers. This Week in Football Writing collects some of our favorite pieces from friends and colleagues last week and shares them with you.
Purdue Fires a Champion of Athletes’ Rights
Joe Nocera asks whether Purdue University fired their offensive coordinator for being too supportive of the rights of student-athletes in the wake of the Missouri strike.
What Killed Editorial Sports Photography?: You’ve Got To Hustle As A Sports Shooter These Days
Maria Piscopo with an excellent read on how crowd sourcing, season tickets, and the changing business market has affected the editorial sports photographers who have captured some of you favorite pictures at Sports Illustrated and elsewhere.
Meet the NFL’s Best Method Actor
Kevin Clark of the Wall Street Journal profiles the NFL’s breakout star of 2015, Josh Norman, and how his film study doesn’t stop at opponents. The Carolina cornerback is playing a role on every snap.
Why Students Foot The Bill For College Sports, And How Some Are Fighting Back
Will Hobson and Steven Rich deliver an excellent look at how student fees are used to subsidize the athletics, and football, programs and how some students have begun to address these unnecessary costs to their education.
The Super Bowl Through The Eyes Of King Of The Hobos
Chris Ballard of Sports Illustrated tells the story of Rick Telander, the King of the Hobos, Super Bowl XXIX, Steve Young puking, and why Peter King’s scoop didn’t make publication.
Returning To The Factory of Sadness
Matt Waldman watched Monday Night Football all the way to the bitter end and then penned this wonderful piece about what sports frustration feels like.
What Does It Take To Stay In The NFL? You Don’t Want To Know
Eben Britton is a former Jacksonville Jaguar and and Chicago Bear offensive lineman who details what he went through to be an NFL player.
How Stanford Kicker Saw Comeback vs. Irish Before It Happened
Bruce Feldman details how Stanford kicker Conrad Urkopina won the game because he’s been using virtual reality visualization to help him with his technique and confidence.
How Ryan Allen’s Mom Gave His Career Kick-Start It Needed
Ryan Hannable looks at New England Patriots punter Ryan Allen and how his mother played a crucial role in getting him to the NFL.
Marshawn Lynch ‘Saved My Life,’ Says Man Who Lost 170 Pounds
Matt Calkins of the Seattle Times speaks to a man who was inspired by Marshawn Lynch‘s “I’m just about that action, boss.”
Inside the Pylon’s Football Fan Holiday Shopping Guide
Mike Freeman’s new book, “Two Minute Warning”
Alex Kirby‘s New England vs Seattle (Every Play Revealed)
Matt Waldman‘s 2015 Rookie Scouting Portfolio – An amazing resource of player evaluation. Good for the hardcore fan, or fantasy guru in your life. Plus, ten percent of each purchase is donated to the Darkness to Light charity.
And for the true football obsessive in your life, consider the spring semester of The Scouting Academy.
The Must Follow List: @ITPylon’s Favorite Twits
ESPN’s Robert Flores takes shot at First Take over Travis Kelce and Cam Newton pic.twitter.com/nKo5LB6pyB
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) November 30, 2015
*blank stare* pic.twitter.com/cN533SsWx4
— Shaun Church (@ShaunChurch84) December 1, 2015
This new coverage had the nickel and or outside LB carrying vertical routes up the seam rather than their normal hook/curl/dig drop in
— Stephen White (@sgw94) December 3, 2015
Inspired by @KingFavre pic.twitter.com/l21u3ouVZB
— Arif Hasan, bewares the Ides 🍀🔪 (@ArifHasanNFL) December 5, 2015
Follow us on Twitter @ITPylon.