Freakonomics is a weekly podcast that studies the behavioral economics of every day things. This week's episode discusses the economics of specialization, specifically, the long snapper. So many interesting things in this episode, including:
- Changes to the rules of football overtime that led to the specialization of the long snapper
- Bill Belichek explaining why he spends a whole roster spot on the long snapper
- An extended interview with Chris Rubio, who is the best long snapper coach in the nation, and the go-to long snapper resource for college recruiting services and college football coaches
- Interviews with some of Rubio's pupils, many of whom have gotten scholarships to Bama, LSU, etc
Rubio's comments are particularly interesting.
On what he looks for in a long snapper:
Number one, a big head. I'm talking physically, the larger a human being's head, the better long snapper they're going to be. Second, the bigger the butt, a better long snapper they're going to be. That's to do with power. Longer arms, that helps. And fourth, and usually the most crucial part, the dumber a long snapper, the better.
A scouting report Rubio gave to LSU coaches on a recruit:
"One of the most dominant long snappers I've ever had with me. He has exceptional form, and his body is perfect for Division-One long snapping and beyond ... Moves well, and he is thick ... When he snaps, people notice ... Terrific work ethic."
Click to listen, or read the transcript
Hopefully, some of you find this as fascinating as I did.
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