LOVE, ZAC

A sportswriter and social commentator explores the culture of football through the story of a young man who suffered life-altering brain damage from playing the sport.

Zac Easter grew up in a family in which the men worshipped football. His father, Myles, was a high school and college football coach, and his brothers were respected high school players. Despite Zac’s reputation as “the toughest dude” on the gridiron, he was smaller than his teammates and had to work harder than others to build up his physique. Perhaps in response to these factors—an “intimidating hard ass” father and Zac’s own perceived physical inadequacy, especially in comparison to his brothers—Zac routinely led with his head on most plays. His strategy resulted in head pains that he discussed only with his trainer or in his journal. An exceptionally bad concussion ended Zac’s football career when he was a senior. When a doctor suggested that Zac may have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease found in the brains of many similarly troubled NFL players, it was too late. Zac had already begun an emotional and physical spiral that eventually culminated in his suicide at age 24. Forgrave adds a poignant intimacy to Zac’s tragedy by interweaving it with portions of Zac’s journal and personal correspondences. He also offers a detailed look at the evolution of football into “America’s most…lucrative sport” and a game that has defined American conceptions of masculinity over more than a century. Awareness about CTE continues to grow, but, as the author suggests, the American “obsession” with football is still far too complex to do away with the sport or negate the violence that is part of its enduring allure.

An intelligent, provocative tale that will give pause to many parents of football players at any level.