Len Pasquarelli
Encyclopedia
Len Pasquarelli is an American
sports writer and analyst with The Sports Xchange and a 25-year vet of covering the NFL
.The Sports Xchange is a network of professional, accredited reporters and analysts who cover each team or sport full time.
Prior to joined the Sports Xchange, he wrote for ESPN.com starting in 2001 and was a frequent contributor to the other ESPN
outlets, including SportsCenter
, ESPNEWS
, ESPN Radio
and ESPN The Magazine
. Before ESPN, Pasquarelli served as a senior writer for CBS SportsLine.com. He has also covered the NFL for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1989 to 1999, the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel from 1985 to 1989, Pro Football Weekly
from 1982 to 1985, and Pittsburgh Steelers Weekly from 1978 to 1982.
Pasquarelli is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America
and has twice won national awards as the Best NFL Reporter of the Year. He also has won several writing awards, including a Associated Press
Deadline Sports Reporting Award in 1988.
Pasquarelli has been on the committee that selects inductees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. During the annual selection meeting on February 2, 2008, he fell ill and was taken to an area hospital. The following day he had quintuple bypass surgery.
Unfortunately, while in rehabilitation for the quintuple bypass surgery, he began to experience new symptoms which were later diagnosed as Guillain-Barre Syndrome
.
Pasquarelli is a Pittsburgh
native and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh
in 1972. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA.
Pasquarelli's candid writing style has generated controversy at times, particularly his condemnation of the Washington Redskins franchise. He has openly admitted his distaste for the Redskins organization, including coach Joe Gibbs
, to whom he referred derisively as "Ordinary Joe" during his second tenure. Moreover, he has confessed to disliking Redskins owner Daniel Snyder
. His speculation that former Redskins safety Sean Taylor
was slain on account of his precarious lifestyle sparked additional resentment.
In the 2006 NFL Draft the Houston Texans were expected to take Reggie Bush. However, the night before the draft the Texans announced there intentions to take Mario Williams, Defensive End from North Carolina State. Pasquarelli claimed that Houston's selection of Williams ahead of Bush was one of the "biggest mistakes made in NFL Draft history".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sports writer and analyst with The Sports Xchange and a 25-year vet of covering the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.The Sports Xchange is a network of professional, accredited reporters and analysts who cover each team or sport full time.
Prior to joined the Sports Xchange, he wrote for ESPN.com starting in 2001 and was a frequent contributor to the other ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
outlets, including SportsCenter
SportsCenter
SportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
, ESPNEWS
ESPNEWS
ESPNEWS , launched on November 1, 1996, is a 24-hour-a-day sports news television channel...
, ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
and ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine
ESPN The Magazine is a bi-weekly sports magazine published by the ESPN sports network in Bristol, Connecticut in the United States. The first issue was published on March 11, 1998....
. Before ESPN, Pasquarelli served as a senior writer for CBS SportsLine.com. He has also covered the NFL for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1989 to 1999, the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel from 1985 to 1989, Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly
Pro Football Weekly is an American sports magazine, founded in 1967, that covers the National Football League...
from 1982 to 1985, and Pittsburgh Steelers Weekly from 1978 to 1982.
Pasquarelli is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America
Pro Football Writers Association
Technically known as the Pro Football Writers of America, this organization purports to be "The official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public." Goals of the organization include improving access to practices and locker rooms,...
and has twice won national awards as the Best NFL Reporter of the Year. He also has won several writing awards, including a Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
Deadline Sports Reporting Award in 1988.
Pasquarelli has been on the committee that selects inductees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. During the annual selection meeting on February 2, 2008, he fell ill and was taken to an area hospital. The following day he had quintuple bypass surgery.
Unfortunately, while in rehabilitation for the quintuple bypass surgery, he began to experience new symptoms which were later diagnosed as Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain–Barré syndrome , sometimes called Landry's paralysis, is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy , a disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system. Ascending paralysis, weakness beginning in the feet and hands and migrating towards the trunk, is the most typical symptom...
.
Pasquarelli is a Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
native and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in 1972. He currently resides in Atlanta, GA.
Pasquarelli's candid writing style has generated controversy at times, particularly his condemnation of the Washington Redskins franchise. He has openly admitted his distaste for the Redskins organization, including coach Joe Gibbs
Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
, to whom he referred derisively as "Ordinary Joe" during his second tenure. Moreover, he has confessed to disliking Redskins owner Daniel Snyder
Daniel Snyder
Daniel M. Snyder is the current owner of the Washington Redskins American football team, owner of the Dick Clark Productions television production company, and primary investor in Red Zebra Broadcasting, which is home to the Redskins Radio Network. Snyder has a net worth of $1.05 billion...
. His speculation that former Redskins safety Sean Taylor
Sean Taylor
Sean Michael Maurice Taylor was an American football free safety who played for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Taylor was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Redskins...
was slain on account of his precarious lifestyle sparked additional resentment.
In the 2006 NFL Draft the Houston Texans were expected to take Reggie Bush. However, the night before the draft the Texans announced there intentions to take Mario Williams, Defensive End from North Carolina State. Pasquarelli claimed that Houston's selection of Williams ahead of Bush was one of the "biggest mistakes made in NFL Draft history".