MMQB Mail (cont.)

Paul Zimmerman worked with SI swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker in the popular "Z Says, She Says" video for SI.com. Mel Levine/SI Related Links SEND A GET WELL NOTE TO DR. Z Peter King's Mailbag Peter King will answer your questions each week in Monday Morning Quarterback: Tuesday Edition. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Peter King on Twitter

You wrote from four continents, from Florida to Alaska, from Maine to Hawaii, from -- as SI.com NFL producer Dominic Bonvissuto reports -- "high school students to Pentagon employees, and from rabid football fans to wine connoisseurs,'' in your e-mails of concern for Paul Zimmerman. In the first eight hours that my column was posted on Monday saying Dr. Z was ill with the effects of two strokes, more than 2,000 get-well e-mails poured in.

"Simply put,'' Bonvissuto said, "Dr. Z's reach is vast.''

A few e-mails about the Z man, before we get to the wide-reaching mailbag:

• I LOVED SITTING WITH Z. From Brian Hyland [executive producer of NFL Network's "GameDay Morning'' Sunday pregame show), Culver City, Calif.: "That Dr. Z news is very sad. I love the old school guys, especially the curmudgeons. I got to watch the Chargers-Pats AFC title game game in the Green Bay press box last January with you and him and it was so cool. I disagreed with him a few times and LOVED when he gave it to me like I was some young punk. The only thing better than hanging with old sportswriters is hanging with old cops. But the old school sportswriters like Z are so, so few.''

• HEY! HEY! MY PICKS ROCK! From Paul, of Vancouver: "Hope you're back on the job soon as I hate to be stuck with just Peter King's NFL picks for the rest of the season.''

• CENTRAL AMERICA CHECKS IN WITH WARM WISHES. From Cesar Bustamante, of Tegucigalpa, Honduras: "I'm sorry and shocked to hear about Dr. Z. I didn't even know he was in such a delicate state. I guess the best I can do is pray for him and send him my greatest wishes and a speedy recovery. He's the reason why I've learned so much about football for the past 20-plus years. The way he funnels his knowledge and experience throughout so many writings and columns has made me love the sport in many ways.

"But the one thing that sticks up to me about him is the love he professes to his wife, aka The Flaming Redhead. It's not like he sends love letters to her on his mailbags, but she's a constant figure. I even have a mental picture of her. I hope she can muster as much strength as possible, because she seems like the rock and the foundation of Dr. Z's life. I'll appreciate it if you can tell him personally that a big fan of his is praying for him here in the heart of the American Continent, also known as Honduras."

• AS DOES JAPAN. From Hudson Murrell, of Shimonoseki, Japan: "Here in Japan, when someone is in the hospital, his/her friends make 1000 origami paper cranes. Well, since I've never met you, perhaps the thought is enough. I'll go to a temple and climb one of those big orange Tori gates and scream your name from the top if you think it'll help. Love your writing, especially your ever-present optimism. Ha. Get well soon."

• YOU KNOW IT. From Ben, of Washington, D.C.: "Hurry up and get well, Dr. Z! Your fans await. There is no other writer on the beat who makes the intricacies of football so understandable while educating us on wine, too.''

• WE NEED ZIM BACK. From Roberto, of Guatemala City, Guatemala: "What does it say about your work that when I read Peter's headline about "the best football writer of our time" I instantly knew he was talking about you? I sincerely cannot put into words what your weekly columns mean to me as a football fan. I am from Guatemala, where, as you may know, football is not necessarily our national pastime. Since I didn't grow up with football in my blood (unlike, say, soccer), your columns have helped me learn, understand and better appreciate all the little nuances that have made this one of my favorite sports.''

• AND THE LAST ONE, FROM MAINE. From JW, of Bangor, Maine: "Nice to see you can take a good hit. Go to the sideline for a play or two, shake out the cobwebs and get your cantankerous butt back out on that field, old man.''

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• THE PACKERS D HAS LET THEM DOWN MORE THAN ANYTHING. From Corey Livermore, of Green Bay: "It's obvious that trading Brett Favre and going with Aaron Rodgers didn't do anything to hurt the offense. But it seems that trading Corey Williams and going with Justin Harrell on the defensive line was a huge mistake, and the Packers have huge holes on kick coverage. I know you're not a scout, but are there any college players that the Pack should draft next year (based on their current performance)? Are their any players who are going to be free agents that the Packers should go after in the offseason?''

Interesting question. I think the Packers will want to look at three things in free-agency, though you have to be careful here because they haven't been a huge free-agent buyer in Ted Thompson's last couple of offseasons. (Remember the Frank Walker class of 2007?) But I think they need to look at corner, with Al Harris and Charles Woodson, both 33 or older in 2009, and at pass-rusher and run-stopper.

You'll certainly see the Panthers step up and re-sign Julius Peppers, I would think; ditto the Ravens with Terrell Suggs -- unless they decided to spend big to keep Ray Lewis and they don't franchise or re-sign Suggs. The most interesting unrestricted free-agent will be Albert Haynesworth, who will be a $9-million-a-year player. The question on him will be whether he'll stay motivated after getting truly big money. After that, the Pack should look hard at Tank Johnson, in my opinion. He's been quasi-reborn in Dallas, and on his best behavior. He could be part of a very effective defensive-line rotation for some team in 2009.

• LT'S LOST THAT LOVIN' FEELING. From Don Reyes, of Mountaindale, Ore.: "No question. Just a statement. I think you're right on point with placing the Chargers downfall on LaDainian Tomlinson. Watching him during the press interviews after games, it's clear his heart is broken and his love for the game is tarnished.''

Watch the game Thursday night, if you can bear it. And watch the Chargers' offensive line. That's been another disappointing part of their team. I'll have my eye on the front five against the Raiders.

• JOHN LYNCH AS THE NEXT UPSHAW? From Cam, of Felton, Del.: "Earlier this year, with the unfortunate passing of legendary player and NFLPA leader Gene Upshaw, the NFLPA has yet to name a successor. With John Lynch recently retiring from the NFL, do you think he would be a possible replacement for the late Upshaw. If not, who?''

Not Lynch. I don't think he's ready for that sort of political arena, though there are friends in his life trying to get him to enter politics in Colorado. The NFLPA leadership issue is muddled right now. There are some players and union officials who would want a former player like Trace Armstrong to get the gig; others want an outside labor leader, with no comfy-cozy ties to the NFL, to become the new negotiator. Your guess is as good as mine right now.

• PLAYERS HAVE TO WANT TO HELP FOR HELP TO ACTUALLY HELP THEM. From Grace, of Pittsburgh: "As a Steelers fan I wasn't too sorry when Plaxico Burress left. Talented receiver but very troubled. When the Steelers drafted Santonio Holmes, he immediately got into trouble, but it came out in the newspaper that a psychologist (or psychiatrist) who interviewed Holmes correctly predicted he would explode and made suggestions as to what the Steelers could do to help him. To Coach Bill Cowher's credit, he did it. The question is don't teams employ psychiatrists or behaviorists to continue to help them with players experiencing problems?''

Certainly. But they can't force players to seek help. Players don't want to feel big brother is looking over their shoulders. An equally sad thing is how players squander money when so many teams employ (either independent of the team or employees of the team) financial counselors to help them choose where money should be invested. But you make a good point. Burress could have avoided lots of the problems that have plagued him with the Steelers and the Giants had he simply taken advantage of the resources the team offered.

• DAN CALLS ME ON THE ANAHEIM THING. From Dan, of Dallas: "So you won't refer to the Angels as "Los Angeles" because they are [less than] an hour outside of L.A., but you'll refer to the Jets and Giants as New York? Seems a little like a double standard to me.''

Good point.