A pc, oh, am we see a world where health education is fuelled by humanity. Our students are trained to ask the right questions and look beyond the symptoms to treat the whole person as a student, a pc, o m you'll enhance your skills and a supportive, innovative and collaborative learning environment. That empowers you to do more for yourself, your community and for the future of healthcare discover a meaningful career that is fuel humanity. Visit pc- oh I'm, not EU. To learn more. Our story today is about specialization in the labour market, exciting right. It's about one off, was invisible job inside a highly visible profession. It happens too

in the limelight this week with Superbowl. Fifty six, let's start by asking what is specialization exactly specialization is one of the things that makes us rich. That's Victor Matheson, I'm a professor of economics of the College of the Holy Cross. I specialize in all

things, sports economics. What is Matheson mean when he says it's specialization makes us rich. This goes all the way back to Adam Smith. Adam Smith said that specialization is the royal road to prosperity, because if people specialise, they can really good good at something. Adam Smith, famous example, was about, pin making. You know, like straight pins, that you put in a shirt and he said: look ten people in a factory making pins not very exciting job, but if they can each specialise on ten different aspects of how you make up in a group of ten workers in a factory in one day can make forty eight thousand pins. That means forty eight hundred pins per worker, while each of these individual workers, if they had to make these pins on their own baby, lucky to make maybe twenty Victor Matheson, has his own favorite example of specialization. I think back to the books and the tv series, IRAN, when I was a kid little house on the prairie and paw

not everyone was in love, apply angles. Cause you're like this guy can do everything. Is there anything that park aunt do and it turns out tat could do a lot of things, but he couldn't do anything well and his family was in poverty, essentially their whole life living at the edge of existence. You know we talk about the term. This guy's, a jack of all trades, The reality is being a jack of all trades kind of means: you're, a jack ass of all trades battery, Victor Matheson, just called the beloved part Ingles a Jack S, but he's an economist You expect here's, how Matheson describes his own work. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources across competing uses and sports economics focuses on anything where we use this in the sports world and, of course, that can apply in specialty positions like that snapper, the long snapper. Do you know what a long snapper is? Even if you are a football fans

you may not, and if you aren't the football fan well, no, you ve heard of the quarterback, maybe the wide receiver linebacker, but the long snapper. No, that is not the thing that people about today. On for economics, radio, we're gonna make you care we're going to explain what the law Fabric does and why he's super specialised labour is worth the investment downside is so high if you dont, do it accurately we'll find out where long snipers come from more and more I'm starting to get middle school and even elementary school kids, and what it's like to be along snapper. In the National Football League you have to in love with the monotony of the job. You have two monotonous perhaps, but the pay is pretty good

most of the veteran snapper they make around one point two or one point: three million a year and the job can hold some drama. All hell broke loose, oh my god. It was bad. Everything you always want to know about a job. You didn't even know existed coming up bread after this, I'm here This is written. Mix radio, the podcast but explores the hidden side of everything with your host in Dublin, we'll begin with Rich Mackay, seek Africa. A why I am the present ceo of the Atlantic Falcons Mackay, and around football, his whole life, his father, John A legendary coach with the Tampa Bay buccaneers in the NFL and before that at the University of Southern collar

where he won for national titles. So if you look at the history of long snapper, when my dad coach, that U S c and first got it pros, delongs tapirs were backup guards, that's who they work and they weren't greatest snapping and many a game was won or lost by a snap go in the wrong direction. Ok, let's unpack What Mackay just said on the off chance that you dear listener, are not an officially nano about. We Americans call football and what the rest of the world calls american football since to them. Football is what we call soccer and honestly football is a better name for suckers, since in soccer you do mostly kicked the bob, whereas in american football you mostly don't kick the ball, you mostly throw it. Run with it, but here's the twist. The story we are telling today does concern the rare occasions in american football, where the ball gets. Kit got it right here

American football works. Each team, as eleven guys on the field. At a time the team with the ball is on office and those play these include a quarterback receivers and running back and a bunch of very large men, including the guards that Rich Mackay mentioned, whose primary job is to block the defence players. Another of these large men is called the centre piece, the guy who crouches over ball on every play and snaps it between his legs tooth quarterback, spoiler alert the centre, even though he snaps a ball on every often of play. He is not the long snapper gay store? That away the mission of the office is to run and passed a ball down the field and get it into the opponents Enzo. That's a touchdown, but the team

It's on defence is, of course, trying to prevent that the orphans and defence are essentially like two opposing armies in the old days. American football is very warmly with much greater colours and somewhat fewer casualties, also cheerleaders anyway, the offence as for plays or die sounds to advance the ball ten yards. They get a new first down every time they do that. But if they face a fourth down, they have to make a decision They can run one more play in the hopes they get past that tenured mark. But if they fail, then they surrender the ball, the other team on that spot and the other team brings out their orphans what you really happens on for them is the orphans will choose to kick the bomb? There are two types of kicks.

If you are a long way from your opponents and zone, you will likely punt the ball to the other team. Punt is a capitulation. It means the defence has stopped your office. This means bringing on a specialist called upon, who kicks the ball very high and very far forty five or fifty yards down the field to the other teams. Punt return her, but if you ve got a fourth down, Oh sir, dear opponents and zone, you may try to kick feel goal. That means bringing on a different specialist. This one is not a punter ease of police kicker in the place. Kicker tries to kick the ball through the big, yellow uprights at the back of the Enzo. A few goal counts for three points, not as good as a touch down, which is six points, but still very valuable. More than one third of nfl regular season games are decided by three points for less your

also usually see the place kicker after a team scores. Touchdown kicking was called an extra point or a p. Eighty point after touchdown, which counts for one point. Ok, we got that the unit the executes these kicking plays is neither an offensive nor a defensive team. There called special teams of which the punter or place kicker are most critical, Rich Mackay again. If we were doing this podcast fifteen years ago, you would have said to me hey who were the specialists on the team, and I would have said to you, the partner and the kicker

and you were to set all the other two of them and then today, if you say to me, who is a special don T, my seat upon her, the kicker and snapper belong snapper than is unlike Paw Ingles. The long snapper does just one thing: he doesn't throw the ball, it doesn't run the ball. He doesn't kicked the ball. You doesn't play often sport defense. He doesn't even snapped the ball on regular offensive. Please all he does is snapped. The ball on punts feel goals, an extra points on a punt. He snaps it directly to the punter. Who stands about fifteen yards behind the long snapper

turn catches the ball round chest high and kicks it down field. Long snapper does now have a chance to run down field and try to tackle the punt return or, but since there are other players on special teams who are much better at running and tackling this rarely happens on a feel goal or extra point attempt. Meanwhile, the long snapper snaps above all to the holder, whose usually a punter or a backup quarterback. The holder is download one knee on the ground about eight yards behind the snapper. He deftly catches snap in places all on the ground, a slight angle for the kicker to kick the laces facing away from the kicker to minimize spin. So the long snapper will be on the field, for maybe just eight plays again out of an average of nearly eighty total plays run by his team and here's the thing

and I felt he is only allowed- have forty eight players on its game day, roster and yet every NFL team uses one of those valuable roster spots for along snapper. Is that really necessary? Is the task so difficult the position so specialised that it's worth a raster spot for just the handful of plays? Let's do the numbers Victor Matheson again that you ve got twenty two starters eleven on often so Levin on defence. You can have an entire backup crew on office in defence, and that gets you to forty four add a hunter and kicker that gets you. Forty six is having a third string right, tackle or seventh wide receiver worth more or less than having a guy. You can count on getting that snap perfect every time and what we see is pretty much every team says yap the more.

No value of that one play always doing well, is worth that few times a game I wish I had some sort of replacement on the defensive line and rich Mackay. Again, the downside is so high if you dont. Do it accurately that you're going to invest a player position in that and we ve done it as a league for at least fifteen years. Ok, let's consider downside of not having a dedicated, long snapper. What happens, for instance, when your long snapper gets hurt during a game. Now this doesn't happen. Often, even though football does produce a lot of injuries, long snapper is by nature a low risk position. Still it does happen. Let's go back to two thousand I sold out in Pittsburgh Giants in the Steelers in the third quarter of this game. The Steelers had to put the ball away to the giants. That was a fifty Arctic by MRS Berger

no answer. Dick Stockton noticed something had happened on that point: play avail Snapper Gregg warranted shaken up Gregg Warren. The Steelers long snapper tour ACL while running down field to pursue the punt return and he wouldn't be back midway through the fourth quarter. The Steelers were deep in their own territory and they had to Pont again with regular long snapper out they turned to James Harrison when the teams best players, but a linebacker trained, not in long snapping, but in chasing and tackling often of players. How did Harrison do stop her for a safety,

giant supply. The score at fourteen as great war and was carted off Harrison had produced was called a botched snap. The ball went clear over the country's head and the Steelers went on to lose twenty one. Fourteen when people talk about this game coming, you d think anyone talk about along snapper injured and then the backup along snapper sobbing it over. They headed upon a forsake, the auto they got came into the analysis of what again I thought it a negative for any coach tempted to use that final roster spot on another offensive or defensive player. This was the sort of nightmare confirmation of the long. uppers value, but as Rich Mackay was saying earlier, it didn't used to be this way. Some they were centres, but their use regards they had we began and they weren't greatest snapping. Then, all of a sudden, somehow the tide and get in

the tide end is a hybrid position on the offence, big enough to block the defence, but athletic enough to catch some passes. They were viewed as being better fleets years having better hands, they could throw it back faster because, all of a sudden, these special teams, coaches, are back there. Actually timing snaps, nobody time, snaps Hitler sixty these and seventys all of a sudden. They were timing snaps in the eightys. The reason coach started timing. The snaps is that they want to get the ball back to the kicker as fast as possible to minimize the chance of a kick being blocked by as soon as the long snapper snapped the ball. The defence is trying to bulldoze Was the kicking teams, big, guys and block the kick. That is a very costly outcome for the kicking team. So the speed of the snap matter

but his rich Mackay was saying. Size was also important, we're a couple times what they were doing was. They were actually putting two players in angling them. Ok, so two players angled at the long snap so picture this. You are the long snapper bent over the ball about to snap, it between your legs to the kicker, while knowing that not one but two very large defensive players were about to crush you that long snapper was getting feisty and when he got vice, you got hit. Absolutely, I don't have your lot allowed to say this on the radio. Can you say ass over teacup anything? He was ass over time and then they try to run right up the mill and try to blacken scenario. Looked at it. You said: that's not right. Rich Mackay is not just president and ceo of the land falcons

He has also been on the NFL's competition committee for nearly three decades. Most of that time, as its chairman, one role of this committee is to propose rule changes to improve. the game to make it more entertaining for fans but also safer for players. Yet we start with their health and safety said in a way to make. You guys feel better think that that's a good you know tagline or anything else. That's just the truth. In recent years, the competition Committee has adjusted a lot of rules, most of them having to do with how a defensive player can hit an office of player. You can no longer clothes line. A player or use was called a horse collar tackle pitting above the neck is generally discouraged. Quarterbacks are particularly well protected, so were wide receivers, as they are often in what is called a defenceless position right after they ve caught the ball for years, the NFL overlooked or played down the danger.

of concussions Mackay insists they are working hard now to improve player safety, especially with technologies like the tracking chips implanted in players shoulder beds, we get data all the time. We know where the injuries are common from. We know the type supplies we the engineers and are looking at load and capacity at me impact, and what about those long snapper is getting vice as Mackay put it well that to wound up being addressed by the competition into doesn't six a new rule required that on field goals and extra points, the defensive players couldn't line up directly across from the long sapper, but had to line up outside his shoulder pads. This allowed the snapper a split second to get up,

after snapping the ball and to keep himself from going ass over teacup. All of a sudden, we begin to find teams that were going after the snapper on punts, and so we said. Ok, let's extend this to the snappers on punch to this rule took hold in twenty ten. Now the long snapper was protected on punts an kicks least to some degree. So now we ve got him lined up where they're supposed to be, but then their first step was to go for the head. It in these are people try to make a difference. We said none of this a was platter, so that prompted another rule change in twenty thirteen further protecting the long snapper by deeming him a defenceless. player in the immediate aftermath of the step, as with many rule changes- and this is something you often see with government policy- there were some unintended effects? I dont think we designed it where I know we didn't cause. I was in the room.

we didn't design? We said. Ok, you know what this will make. The snap or two hundred twenty five pounds and they'll be better cover, guys that was never the end and that has been one of the outcomes. What Mackay is this I've been here is a shift in body type for the long snapper position no longer at risk. Of getting run over by defensive Lyman. The long snapper didn't need to be gigantic, Two hundred and twenty five pounds isn't small, but the average lineman in the NFL ways more than three hundred pounds in when Mackay says smaller long snapper will be a better cover guy. That means he's more athletic and able to run downfield faster on a punt to try to tackle the other team's punt returner. A three hundred pounder can't do that. I was a bigger snapper and then I play to seventy five, my first few years in the league in that is well I'd like him to introduce himself

yeah. So my name is Louie. Philip led serve ladder. Sir, is the Montreal native, who just retire, after long snapping. Sixteen years for the Dallas Cowboys, but even cowboys fan will not know him by name. It was Lou errors, Louie LP, Captain oh yeah. Lp was usually the one, and I would never even get a last name was, is and how is Europe name pronounced when it was pronounced. So went to school in Berkeley? There was a high school coach neighbouring school he added exact, same l, a deal you see you are, and he said Bob Lattices, I'm gonna. Do Lp Ladysmith, so you are in one sense, Louis Felipe ladies from moral and in the other, Censier LP later from Fort worth same person. That claimed one make clear in case enemies. China track you down for unpaid

tickets, so as Louise Leap was saying he was on the big side. Furlongs number one two hundred seventy five pounds, his first NFL season was two thousand five before the rule changes that protected the law. snapper. My first few years in the league, most of the time I would just discretion you there's nothing. You can do He appreciated the new rules because you're not getting whiplash and gadgets bulldozing June so that helped By doing that, you invited some snap errors that warn us big. That can block as well to come into the sleek as well, which Mackay again officer rule? Changes came in here come up, but you different players, but it wasn't just the body types that were different

as the modern game sped up the demands of the long snapper job were also evolving. Now they throw the ball back there. They got through faster, they gotta be more accurate because a garter coming off the edge fast- and I'll cover on the punt, and so there is a little more to the position than just thrown back there. In other words, the job was becoming more specialised, less PA, Ingles Joy, ass of all trades and more Adam Smith, pin factory worker and the specialization of the long snapper job lead to further specialization in the form of the long snapper agent, I think the niche of representing long snapper kind of found me that's Kevin Gold, I'm an attorney and also an NFL agent or what they call a certified contract adviser. I've done over a hundred contracts for about thirty different guy. The vast majority of which are long snapper? As gold said this specialty found him when I came out here,

school. I wanted to be an NFL agent now agent in Harris. Pennsylvania and there happen to be a player at a small division to school, called Shipping Burg University, and he had this unique skill which, as he could snapped the ball to the partner very fast, and he could snap into the holder on fuel goals and extra points with perfect laces. So the kicker could do their job. so he became my first client and honestly, I didn't know much about the position. I didn't even know that NFL teams really use guys just to do this role not only had NFL team started using guys just for that role, but occasionally they would spend one of their valuable college draft picks to select a player who an accord aback or linebacker but along snapper, Patrick Manly, is one the first pure snapper to be drafted. Just snap by the bears back in the late nineties. Patrick Manly played sixteen seasons, airs without a single botched snap, if you ever find yourself

in a situation where you need to prove that you understand the art of the long snap, just in tone those two words Patrick Manly, the award for the best collegiate long snapper is called the Patrick Manly award. There is no award for best nfl long snapper, at least not yet following Patrick families. Success in the NFL. It is now common for one or two tee, each year to use a draft pick on along Snapper Kevin Gold says: NFL teams have fully bought in to the value of the position. Games got to be so close and often decided by an extra point or three points that decided if I have one guy- and this is their sole job- if they could do it? A hundred percent accurately, I'm gonna debt, Roster, spot so you're talking about a player who's gonna play eight to ten, plays a game but you're buying peace of mind, and there was one

One consequence of the specialization of the long stamper position. The entire kicking game is just so much better. Today, then, we ve seen in the past. That again is the economist Victor Matheson today about eighty two. Eighty five percent of feel goals are made that weigh up from the old days when you just took any one. You wandered off the roster and made him along snapper, that's in part because of specialization of the kicker himself, but it's also the fact that the entire kicking game is much more practised and much more efficient. Now now you may be thinking Victor Matheson is a bright guy for sure, but he's also a sports economist. A hundred percent convinced he's right,

I'd like to hear from someone closer to the game at a question at the lower left, the old at a press conference. This pass season, the Boston Globe, football reporter Ben Vulcan had a question for build. Belgic head coach of the New England. Patriots is loss. Adding that difficult that you need to use our roster on one pillar does only that kid you're just prostrate. If you guys do longstanding and more flexibility, Bela chick is widely considered. The best coach in NFL history, history, as well as an historian of the game, he's also famous for hating press conferences. He will dismissive particularly ill informed question with a grunt, a scowl, maybe one syllable, but in this case fashion of whether a long snapper is worth a roster spot. Belgic spoke for nearly ten minutes. That's an interesting conversation. One. That's really travel that long and winding road from one

came in ITALY that whole unit has really evolved into a specified, snapper, specified, kicker specific partner and Roy upon her as the horrors of the three those guys to work. The other all practice guys are all available. Bela chick also happens to have graduated from Wesleyan with an economics degree. What he's describing here is what an economist might think of as a positive externalities of specialization, this case. Each specialised player in the kicking game can make the others better, because they have more opportunity to practice together back whatever came in a way you worked on vehicles, and I was maybe five minutes, because I was here time the started centre and backup quarterback were available to practice that and the accuracy of the place characterised, which has gone up dramatically. Part of that's the servers par. That's not kickin. Outdoors part of it is

the operation between the snapper, the horror in the kicker. If you go back, you see balls, rolling back and the whole are coming out of a stance the ball or the kind of things you see in our times in a high school game, there's just a much higher level of skill which there should be international football league. So it's a really good question at its a good answer by coach boatyard that again is rich Mackay go back and forget the snap prefer. Second, the kicker became specialised first then. The potter remember that the partner in the fifties was not upon her. He played another position. Always you would have many a game where there would be three or four really bad points, and the reason was that player was actually playing. The game got beat up a little bit, hadn't practiced, always doing it and all of a sudden is gotta. Make something happened, so Kicker first

put her second snapper. Third, and special teams got better every time. One of those became specialised cause. Coach Belgic did nail on the head, but that little trio's over there, I'm not sure who those guys archives are always hanging out together. It snap whole kick they practice it every day and that's why you don't see it errors and very often its immensely important, and that is red Ferguson, the current long snapper for the Buffalo bills. The fact that we can baseless and now take just a normal Thursday practice, for example, were out their further hour and a half two hours of practice, basely together for the whole time, either warming up and practicing for a few go period or a pot period or were on the side talking through how the period when things we can work on is just a constant, never ending form of self improvement. If you well, I mean it's. Thousands of ours of practice is really

what it comes down to. Do you feel under appreciated, considering how hard it is to be that consistently good when you accept this lifestyle, and this position you have to fall in love with the monotony of the job. You have to you have to fall in love with chasing that perfect, you have to fall in love with chasing the perfect snap, with the monotony of the job. You have to accept the long snapper lifestyle who knew it was a lifestyle. At the very least, the job does require a certain humility. No one knows his name. No one wants to know his name. No one should knows they mix ever his girlfriend and his mom and dad that's Chris Rubio. They which want to get that job done in that of the coach is water,

what basically a hunter cord. It's not the flashiest, but you know what that damn things going over three thousand miles and it's gonna keep on whenever ever Chris Rubio. Is it well it's hard to describe I'm kind of like a private football coach, but private coach who coaches only long snapper is not in the NFL or even in college. I would say I'm kind of like the middle man if where to render the long snapper industrial complex as a supply and demand chart. Chris Rubio would indeed be right in the middle of it coming up after the break what he looks for it his recruits the dumber along snapper, the better and what you should look for

in the Superbowl, especially if you like to place the bet down again, also look more than you ever want to know about long snapping technique seriously and if you want a somewhat broader superbowl primer check out episode to seventy five from our archives called an egg heads guide to the Superbowl, we'll be right for economics, radio sponsored by future. What's the best work out programme the one that is custom bill. Just for you future is the you work out experience the Peres, you one on one with your own fitness coach. Your coach will map out a plan based on your goals with work out delivered to your phone each week, future your apple watch and the app all pair seamlessly

So you and your coach can track your progress, celebrate achievements and keep you accountable. Everyday get started right now with fifty percent off your first three months at try future dot com, slash free. Oh now makes I am going to tell you. The names of the long snapper is for the sins Eddie Bangles, in LOS Angeles, Rams teams playing insuperable. Fifty six for the Bangles Clark Heiress, ten year veteran for the Rams, Matthew or Zack, whose in his second year is a full time long supper in the NFL. If every those well. You will not hear their names during the broadcast. If you do here their names, it likely means they made a terrible mistake. Botch snap that may result in a blocked kick or worse. Remember that Steelers giants game from two thousand

so for a safe. Chris Rubio has seen this kind of thing several times the most when I remember was a rate or game private ten years ago now, where they're starting long step, regatta, concussion or something right out of the gate and all hell broke loose, I mean they had their linebacker command and it was just oh, my god. It was bad. My phone blew up at night. Rubio phone blew up because he is a reliable trainer and supplier of long snaps. Here's how he explains his job to a stranger ass. They do you know anything about football. You know that guy kicks the ball or upon the ball and the goat, yeah yeah. I know that guy the kicker, the partner, I teach the guys who snapped the ball to those people,

you probably don't know anyone that high now and all you ve ever seen of a long separatists, people that I teach is there, but and if you hear their name they're doing terrible Rubio was himself along snapper in college. At you see allay like many people who play the position he didn't set out to do so. I gets a high school Gus aright, Rubio opposition- do you wanna play this was in California in the early nineties nineties, and I'm super naive and I go quarterback. Obviously any looks it in a six foot to interfere, because this is not a good lookin to under fifty pounds at this point, because Rubio you'll never touch the football again, but it turned out that Rubio, while not quarterback material was very good at long snapping, a position that sometimes called upside down quarterback, because you have to throw the ball fast and accurately backwards in a perfect spiral, while hanging crouched over the ball head down, but in the air Rubio long snap

through, must have high school and for three seasons at you see allay where he never botched a snap. I've been doing really well, I go up to tear down who has shown. Is that denting garment he's got his re bans on ice. A coach, any kind of looks at me: yes reveal that could show you. I don't know how I'm doing you don't ever talk to me need takes up his ribands stop students coming Rubio. If the head coach never speaks the long however, the logs neighbours doing perfect, and we little never spoke again until I graduate and we Kay with that healthcare. As long as I know what the criteria is, I find that Rubio hoped to long snap in the NFL, but it didn't work out. Yes, had a couple teams look at me, but between my junior and senior year I damaged my back pretty darn well Rubio played before the rule changes in

both the NFL an college football they were put in place to protect long sapper, which meant he was routinely getting voiced. They would literally just get the biggest ankara's meat as you, being on the defence and they would light up and just Dust Roy you before even get your head up Rubio his living these days with a company called Rubio long snapping he is essentially the master of a long snapping network. He maintained this network by conducting training camps, furlongs that yours and would be long, snipers. I've been in Florida state of Wash and in California, Texas, North Carolina Georgia than Illinois too big, Vegas events and then logs neighbours come. Me, I struck them. I rank them. I give my personal player profile in the website: Youtube videos all that good stuff and then the coaches use my rankings for recording. So an alibi Mercosur Lucille acreage. Both haunted me Rubia. I need another kid, here's what I'm looking for. They have to trust me and I have to be able to be trusted. Rubio S.

mates, use trained more than a thousand long snipers who went on to play in college, some of whom also went to the NFL college. Coaches want a good long zapper, but they also don't want to. and much time finding one and they may not know about long, snapping, anyways, so they're happy to rely on Rubio rankings. So what does Rubio look for in a long snapper number one, a big head, I'm talking physically the larger a human beings head the better long, safer, they're gonna be second, the bigger the but a bet Long snapper they're gonna, be that's it you, with power, longer arms that help and a fourth and usually the most crucial part, the dumber along snapper, the better. Because why? Because the smarter longs neighbours over think everything and it's not hard- were bending over throwing a dead animal really fast backwards. So when there, in the middle of a pressure, filled situation, it's just muscle, murmured simple describe one year

in camps- and just so I understand it's only long thing going on: no other football happening, God! No, I will not much time are you kidding? I barely can cut down what I'm talkin about two five hours but if I am a stranger and I just wander into this long snapping camp you'd be so confused because you see fifty kids all bent over snapping. Even if you knew while you re like there's no way this deeds running along sapping camp, and if you didn't know, if a boy the Hell's happening here. These are hey school players, you're working with correct. It actually says:

It is high school and now more and more and more I'm starting to get middle school and even elementary school kids get out of here. It's actually pretty smart, because it's one of those weird positions that you can work on and not be a giant are physically massive are strong. What I always say: if I get these kids pre puberty, add I can get their form down, because that's the most important thing was unhappiness. Therefore, if I can get that down and then puberty comes, it's basically just drop in an engine into the car and then as I oh, my gosh. I've got this fantastic form and now look at I've. Gotta be twelve engine. I always tell high school students learn along Snap- has never want to could get your college scholarship. That again is Kevin gold. The agent who represents nfl long snapper because Alabama Alice, you will give scholarships to long snapper, and if you can snap to three for years in college at a top level, then you have a good chance

data, be drafted by the NFL or get a shot after the draft through what we call an drafted free agent. The trajectory gold just described is the precise trajectory followed by someone. We met earlier Red Ferguson, long snapper for the Buffalo bills. When Ferguson was in high school in Georgia, he attended seven of Chris Rubio long snapping camps yeah, so he ran Alabama a shoe, Tennessee or again and maybe a hand. Of others. He really started the process of training, guys and planting them colleges and having coaches actually reach out. He was the guy who special coaches. Incidentally, I called to recruit snapper, hey, I'm looking for a big guy, hey I'm looking for a smaller fast guy did he say: okay. Well, this guy is forced our snapper disguise. A three starts now he's way more athletic, but he's not as good snapper. Red Ferguson was a five star. Snapper increase Rubio rating system. Here is the letter that Rubia wrote

college coaches on Ferguson's behalf before his senior season in high school, one of the most dominant long snapper is I've ever had with me. He has exceptional form. his body is perfect for division, one long, snapping and beyond me was well and he is thick when he snaps people notice. Terrific work ethic, Red Ferguson wound up going to Ellis you who is in a state university one of the top teams in college football by then his younger brother Blake was also snapping increase, Rubio XXX My brother started when he was in seventh grade and a few years later, when Red Ferguson was done at Ellis, Une was trying to catch on with an NFL team. Blake Ferguson replaced his brother as the long snapper at LSD. Was it a scholarship for you or your brother? Yes,

both of us full right. Yes, furlong snapper, yes, Sir Blake Ferguson also made it to the NFL as twenty twenty draft pick by the Miami dolphins the dolphins play. In the area of sea. East division of Vienna fell same as the Buffalo bills, so fifty percent of the lungs neighbours in the area of Sea EAST are Ferguson's who trained with Chris Rubio and graduated from Ellis you on a full scale. Ship. You can see why young football players, and especially their parents, would be willing to travel to and pay for. Chris Ruby owes longstanding camps, not just for the instruction, but for the chance to be promoted by an expert with top terror connections to the college and professional long snapping.

work. This network by the way happens to be overwhelmingly white around sixty percent of the NFL players are black black longs. That, however, are practically non existent. Chris Rubio again I have a couple black logs average. I dont know why there are more. I really don't just seems to be one of those positions. I have no idea why, an rich Mackay of Yolanda Falcons? No, it's a good question and I wouldn't have known that until you said that I couldn't even venture reason. Here again is the long snapper agent cabin gold. The interesting thing is my very client, Rob Davis is an african American long snow and one of the last ed Perry Eustace now for the Miami Dolphins and then African America, kind of disappeared, and I am not sure that there's a reason a lot of times players snap, because they can't do anything else, no offence on the football He also becomes a position of default, so it's possible that it

Surly attract african american snapper as occupations go long, snapping, is about as reliable as it gets in professional sports. It's the oldest average position in the unofficial. That again is the sports economist, Victor Matheson, the average long snapper has lasted six years in the league that significantly more than an average NFL player, who has about a three year career long snapping is also, on average, the lowest paid position in the annex. Although lowest paid is relative, most long snipers earned the league minimum that's currently six hundred and sixty thousand dollars a year for a rookie, with escalation for every additional year of service, Red Ferguson, for instance, who just completed his fifth fur. time season is now earning over one million dollars a year, one want. There is some like that, IRAN, it let's say I came

from some other universe, and I didn't know much about the economy or sports or what not night here, you know, a teacher gets paid. Fifty thousand dollars police officer may be set. Two thousand and then the long snapper for the Buffalo bill. Guess who one point three million dollars, but you know there's lie in demand. So do you think that you, in the whole ecosystem of professional sports in the NFL, do you think that who was a long snapper? Are overpaid, underpaid or paid just right? That's a great caution. In our ecosystem guys reset the market every cop, years or every year, maybe so I think an hour long, snapping ecosystem nobody's really gonna break the bank. It's really just you know rising tide lifts all boats. What would you be doing if you weren't playing in the NFL now. Julie wanted to be an FBI agent that was plan B for a long time. But at this point-

like I've saved up enough money to where I kind of don't have to worry about finding something immediately. Ferguson may have several more good earning years ahead of him, my end, our goal is to set the most consecutive games, played a first snapper and or be for the Buffalo bills, so in our fifteen sixteen years at that's what it takes me to get there I'd love to play. As long as I can keep the job, you may recall that LP latticed her a k, a Louie, Felipe lead. You, Sir kept his job with the cowboys for sixteen seasons. How is this longevity possible in such a physical game? For one thing, long snapper is a relatively safe position. especially with the protective rules, the NFL added some years back, you just don't have as much opportunity to hurt, someone is running with the ball or trying to tackle the bulk carrier, but Victor Matheson says there is another reason he says: teams don't

have much incentive to bring in a new long, sapper, very often, especially because they are relatively low earners once you have a player that you can trust it's hard to break into that market, especially because this is a market that people generally do the job perfectly Intel they dont and because so few mistakes are made that a whole lot of openings for people trying to break it. In other words, once along snapper has mastered the technique he becomes increasingly valuable to the team. His skills don't deteriorate year to year as much as a player who relies on running fast, throwing far or hitting hard all the long stabber does bend over and snapped the ball. How hard can that be and because of the hyper specialization that Victor Matheson and build Belgic talked about earlier belong. Mapper, has a lot of time to keep mastering is technique

in June the details Chris Rubio again, you know how fast, as are snap going, does it look smooth, this is spiral going well and Red Ferguson for a pot I need to make sure I hit him in a sense window he knows every time he goes out there for a pot. This snap is gonna, be in this general area. That's one less thing he's got think about. I caught the Rubia zone basically, the lowest rib timidity armpit to armpit. The point is more of a caveman type. That way I say, don't stop to the punter. Sabbath threw him, but it's different for a field goal or phd where you're snapping to the holder, whose just eight are the way. The pity is a little bit more finesse or you don't want to burn it added. So then, you're just basically flicking it back with your arms correct the most important thing: be to make sure the laces are correct every time cause if their faced back at the kicker. You know that affects the kid I wanted to be accurate. With my laces and Lp Latticed, her. That means

when the ball hits. The holder the laces are already facing forwards with all the holder has to do is put the ball down at the spot. Can you explain that cuz I to me that sounds impossible at eight YD, You know how exactly how many rotations it takes to get to the holder's hand and saw the way you place your hand on the ball. You have always exact same rotation that lands into the holder's hand. That means you also need to be exactly consistent from snap to snap, the Lahti, etc always be the same target in velocity same all through yet I've released a ball exact same spot every time between your legs and does that mean that different long snappers have slightly different techniques? I always put my right hand on the laces. Just like I throw football there's, someone snipers out there that have to put their right hand on one other letter panels in an you know, I always played with distance, So I knew a film called a bow and rotate as much. I can the ball up and back out of my stance to have light, and so like exactly a yards, I'd, be like at seven in three quarters

and playing a long time and there's ways to move the liner scrimmage come on. Now so what you're saying really is that the long snapper is the most vital member of any football team I wish you so now were there to make sure that the kicker has the cleanest operation possible? So he can do his job. Ok, I Stan why special teams are important. I understand long snapping is sort of an art form, but still I come back to the question: is it really worth a roster spot Another player also learn to be perfect. At long snapping, a player who can also play an offensive or defensive position proposed, I realize I am asked needed, Disavow your entire livelihood, but I mean to great question in other parts. Now Fifteen yards is not a natural snap, for I guess, Centre longest snap centre will do as a shy, not snap at maybe five yards

feel go in all its timing, were No it's a good question I wouldn't have had a job is one for the specialization of long snapping. I promised at the start that this episode that we would make you care about a football position. You probably didn't even know about. I hope we succeeded, if not maybe it'll help you think about specialization in some other labour market, maybe your own. It happens in pretty much every corner of the economy. A new technology comes along found. For instance, we immediately worry about all the jobs and functions its replacing, which is worth thinking about for sure, but the time we see all the new jobs and functions. This technology makes possible jobs. We could imagined would even exist. Who gets your vote for belong snapper of the smartphone economy

nothing else, the next time you watch a football game, maybe it's Superbowl or maybe to high school game. You will have an inside detail to pay attention to and to appreciate, if not as a feat of great athleticism, then at least is a textbook case of specialization in the labour markets. and if you really care about the long snapper position now, let it be known that draft kings, the online sports betting company, has at our work. West created an unusual proposition that for this year's Superbowl, mobile in certain states were sports. Gambling is legal, but not all this bet. Isn't whether or not there will be a botched snap. That would be cruel. This bet asks will, along snapper record a tackle organist, as you recall, The long snapper does run down field on upon to try to tackle the pump Turner were released, assist in the tackle all the season

the Rams Long snapper, Matthew or had one tackle the Bengal Snapper Clark Harris had just one assist, so You should be able to get some nice long odds on this bet bet it for Our show today, thank you so much for listening coming up next time, economics: radio. Why does the richest country in the world? world have so many poor children, the United spends about one percent of GDP on family Bennett it's and France, for example, spends three and a half per cent of GDP. That's next time until then take care of yourself If you can someone else too,

friggin, I'm afraid he was produced by sticker and rent, but radio. We can be reached at radio at four economist not come. This episode was produced by Ryan Kelly who, by this point, pretty much deserves a phd in long snapping. We had held this week from Jeremy Johnston. Our staff also includes Allison Craig low Red ribbon Zack Le Pen scheme, Duke Rebecca, led Douglas Morgan levy. Jasmine, cleaner Eleanor Osborne, immaterial Weerdt Bout, its Jacob preventing, and leaned a our theme. Song is MR fortune. by the hitchhikers. All the other music was composed by, Louis Gara. You can get the entire Archive of economics, radio on any podcast app. If you like to read transcript or the show notes that for economic dot, com.

What did I not ask you that I should ever is only thing else about the role that I should know now. I think that you have definitely exhausted. Have I spent more time on this probably spent my twenty years on the competition committee the mixed radio network, the head inside of everything stitched up

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