It's Dr. Sicuro: From Reading Defenses to CT Scans

Paul Sicuro acts like a coach now, advising the players on what to do next. It used to be the other way around.

The former Washington Huskies quarterback is the head of radiology at Seattle's Virginia Mason Medical Center, examining cancer screens, MRIs and CT scans, and passing along recommendations to his peers.

He's Dr. Sicuro.

"I've looked at thousands of images," he said. "It's incredible technology."

Thirty-five years ago, Sicuro was the starting signal caller against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, having won a season-long QB sweepstakes that also involved Hugh Millen and Chris Chandler.

It might have been the most competitive battle at that position in the history of Husky football.

"They graded everything you did in practice," Sicuro said. "Practice was intense. It was very competitive. It taught you how to fight through adversity, persevere and to just stick with it."

Sicuro came to the Huskies from Ashland, Oregon, the same city that provided the Huskies with quarterbacks Sonny Sixkiller and Gene Willis, plus safety Jimmy Rodgers and defensive tackle Steve Roberts.

Paul was the son of Natale Sicuro, then president of Southern Oregon State College. He was heavily recruited by Stanford and UCLA, with the Cardinal strongly encouraging him to come play alongside John Elway and later replace him.

The Sicuros, however, had a Husky connection that went deeper than all that. Paul's father was a professor and a dean at Kent State when Don James was the coach and Mike Lude was the athletic director there.

"We went to the Tangerine Bowl," Paul said. "My dad really wanted me to play for Don James."

Sicuro had his moments for the Huskies, throwing three touchdown passes against California in his first start. He outdueled Mark Rypien and Washington State in the Apple Cup. He turned in big plays early in the Orange Bowl, guiding the Huskies to a 14-0 lead that could have been more if not for a bobbled end zone pass, before Millen replaced him late when things bogged down and rallied the UW to a 28-17 victory.

Each quarterback was graded in practice on a critical error sheet. They'd receive plusses and minuses. James preferred you throw one touchdown with no interceptions rather than five scores with two or three picks. Mistakes didn't sit well with him.

"You could get yanked at any time," said Sicuro, shown in the photo playing against USC. "You had to perform."

He could have returned for a fifth year with the Huskies in 1985, but he elected to leave the quarterback battle to Millen and Chandler, and enter UW medical school. The other two eventually ended up in the NFL, with Chandler leading the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl. Sicuro had a brief camp trial with the Cleveland Browns.

"In retrospect, I should have gone back for my fifth year," Sicuro said of the UW. "I had experience. I could have played some. I was known for my leadership and work ethic."

It's how he's regarded now at Virginia Mason Medical Center, where he's worked for 22 years.