Robert Young

Okay, we have two great shots, but only one front cover. What to do? I know what some of you are saying: “Put the other one on the back cover.” Sorry, but that doesn’t work. There are front cover shots and there are back cover shots. Don’t try to mix them up.

It was a difficult choice between the two photographs. One has the complete overview of the stadium at the beginning of a game; the other, with the motorcycle, flags, and the team, is a closer look at the same point in time.

Even though the full stadium shot more closely resembles the cover shot of my Game Day: Behind the Scenes of a Ballpark book that I did earlier, I wanted something different for this book. Something more dynamic. More eye-catching. So, I chose the closer look. To make it look even closer, the shot will be cropped and enlarged a bit.

I feel comfortable with the choice. But, what to do with the other shot? I didn’t want to leave it “on the cutting room floor.” It’s just too darn good. That shot will be in the book, right across from the cover page to complete that layout. Perfect!

Thanks to those who made comments and sent e-mails and messages. All of you made good points, which I carefully considered in making a decision. I appreciate your input, and I hope you like the final product.

The winnah! (still to be cropped and enlarged)

Do book covers matter?

Yes, I think they do. It’s what catches a potential reader’s eye, and it can make the difference of someone picking up the book or not. I know that as a reader.

So, when it came time to deciding on a cover for Game Day with the Oregon Ducks: An Insider’s Look at a UO Football Game, it was important to take the time to consider the possibilities. And, there were many. More than 3,000, to be exact.

Yes, ace photographer Jack Liu took that many for the book. Why so many, when fewer than 100 will be used? Because there are so many variables involved, including lighting, facial expressions, and what the action is. The more photos you have, the more options you have in choosing.

From the 3,000 photos, we narrowed it down to two:

Which would you choose?

Three Questions is a periodic feature of this blog. The focus is on three questions asked of everyday people involved in curious pursuits.

Joel Booren is the feature of Three Questions today. Joel is a fourth grader at Ridgeview Elementary School, in Mrs. McCornack’s class. He was the recent winner of the Human Hall of Fame Writing Contest, in which students nominated a person to be in the Human Hall of Fame. Joel’s entry was about Martin Luther King, Jr. (see previous post).

1. How did you come to select Martin Luther King, Jr. as the person to nominate?

I remember watching videos about black people and the way they were treated, and what some people were doing about it.

2. Of all you learned about Martin Luther King, Jr., what should people know about him?

They should know how important he was to the civil rights movement and how he helped to fight racism.

3. Two parter: What do you like best about writing? What do you like least about it?

What I like best is that when I write I get to use my creativity. The worst part is how long it takes.

Good job, Joel! Keep writing.

Had a great visit at Ridgeview Elementary yesterday in Springfield, Oregon. The occasion was to celebrate the recent Human Hall of Fame Writing Contest. I asked kids to nominate and then make a case for that person to become a member of the Human Hall of Fame. (Of course, there is not a HHoF at this time, but hopefully one day there will be.)

I received entries from several different schools, but I’m pleased to announce that Riverbend had the most entries which, of course, provided them with the best odds of winning. And they did! Joel Booren, a fourth grader in Mrs. McCornack’s class, wrote the winning entry about Martin Luther King, Jr. He made a strong case for King, using interesting details in an easy-to-follow organization. There was a strong voice in his writing and I could tell Joel’s commitment to his choice.

Congratulations to Joel, and to everyone who entered. There were many strong entries, which made it very difficult to select a winner. But I think all who entered are winners because they researched and discovered. That’s what learning is all about.

Joel won a signed copy of The Magic of A.C. Gilbert for himself, and a set of the books for his class to use. These books will be shared with the other fourth grade classes as well, so all the students will be able read the book and participate in the activities that go with it.

Congratulations as well to the teachers who guided students in this project. With all the classroom demands these days, I know how challenging it can be to do a project such as this. However, the quality of the writing and the excitement of the kids I saw leads me to believe it was worth the effort.

As I mentioned to the group, Ridgeview is a special place for me. It was there that I did my very first Author Visit during the winter of 1989. Since then, I’ve done hundreds of Author Visits, from as near as my local school to as far as Argentina. But it was that first visit that I remember best, and what a great experience it was!

Addressing the 4th grade troops

Joel Booren, winner of the Human Hall of Fame Writing Contest

Gum has a way of sticking with me. For the past week I’ve been working with a producer for CBS’s Sunday Morning program. They’re going to do “something” about gum this week (April 10), and I’ve been providing them with statistics, information, and resources on the topic.

As to what exactly the piece will be about, I don’t know. Maybe I should have asked before getting involved. But what I’ve seen of the show, they do a good job handling topics, even sticky ones!

CBS Sunday Morning airs at different times around the country. Here in Eugene it’s 7 a.m. Other places it’s 8 or 9. Check local listings if you want to take a watch.Chew a piece of gum while you’re at it!

I met with the magical 4th graders at Guy Lee Elementary School in Springfield, Oregon. Mrs. Skoog is their teacher. The kids read The Magic of A.C. Gilbert, wrote letters to the business (Pathways Physical Therapy) that sponsored the book, and drew pictures for a timeline that highlighted A.C. Gilbert’s life.

What a great pleasure it was to hear what the students learned about this fascinating man. He was an famous Oregonian during his life, but many people today haven’t even heard of him. Feel free to share what you know about this interesting and accomplished guy in the Comments below.

Teachers learning about A.C. at a conference.

Three Questions is a periodic feature of this blog. The focus is on three questions asked of everyday people involved in curious pursuits.

The subject of this Three Questions post is Hugh Fullagar, sports science coordinator at the University of Oregon. He works in the athletic department and his job is to collect data to help improve player performance and reduce injuries. One of his many duties involves attaching GPS units to the Duck football players’ shoulder pads and collecting information during practices and games that helps coaches make decisions.

1. What experiences did you have that made you want to become a sports scientist?

I’ve always been deeply involved and passionate about sports since I was a kid. As I got older, when I realized I was no good at playing sports, I became really interested in the behind-the-scenes work within elite sport (e.g. coaching, recruitment, tactics, fitness, medical) and during my studies at university I was able to experience and link up with many of these fields in numerous sports. The link between science and sport probably started with my lecturers and supervisors from my universities and then speaking and building relationships with people practicing in the field. Once I realized that much of being a sport scientist is not just about being knowledgeable, but also about how you interact with the people around you, I realized that this is something I love doing. Working and meeting with the variety of people and the different relationships built up around the world is both fun and extremely rewarding.

2. What are the most and least interesting parts of your job?

The most interesting would have to be sitting down with people who are far more experienced than me (i.e. head coach and medical staff, senior athletes, university supervisors) and discussing philosophies not just behind sport science but sport performance in general. Listening to people who are more experienced than yourself is critical to the learning process and continually improving. The least interesting part is definitely cleaning the porta-potty after football games (the Ducks have a collapsible bathroom on their sideline during games.) Don’t let sport science nerds fool you; we are a jack of all trades!

Okay, most of the pictures are done. Recorded interviews (60) have been heard, and notes taken. A rough (very rough) outline has been made. Now it’s time to get serious.

Well, not real serious. After all, this is going to be a book for kids, not an article for an encyclopedia. It’s going to have to be informative, engaging, WoW-producing, and fun.

The challenge, as with all faction (non-fiction) projects, is selecting the right material to include. I’ve gotten enough information to write a 100-page book, easily. However, this book will be 48 pages, and include photographs. So, this will require a special kind of selectivity, and always with readers in mind.

I have already started my draft, and each day I return to it to revise. This does not always happen in my office on the computer. This happens throughout the day. and night. Last night as I lay in bed, I contemplated some of the details I had included in my draft. Will they stay or will they go?

Only time will tell.

The past several weeks have been, indeed, crunch time for my latest project. With only three football games left on the home schedule, I’ve had to hustle to gather the information I need for my Game Day with the Oregon Ducks book. During the weeks, I interviewed key people involved in game day. And then, on the day of the games, I observed, took notes, and interviewed some more. Luckily, I had a great research assistant, so we could divide up the game day work.

To date, I have hours of recorded interviews and a stack of pages filled with notes. Oh, did I mention photos? I’ve got more than 3,000 shots done by the talented Jack Liu. We’ll be needing between 40 and 50 for the book, so there’ll be tons of editing to do. And we’re not done gathering, either. Jack still has more photos to take, and I’ve got interviews and follow-ups to do.

When all that’s completed, the writing comes. I have a good idea as to the format since I’m using my baseball Game Day book as a model. But, there will be differences with this book. It’ll be more specific to one team (the baseball book was more generic), and it will include more facts. I’ve even played with style and tone, but that’s really getting ahead of things. Still, it’s fun, and writing does not have to follow a strict linear path.

Here are some photos I took as I researched. These will be helpful reminders as I recall my observations and experiences.

Band warm-up, by groups

Special teams’ mat

Setting up the sideline

Coaches’ headsets

Five minutes to kickoff

Revving up the Harley

Halftime interview with the coach

A few years back, I wrote Game Day, a behind-the scenes look at a major league baseball game. I was pleased with how the book turned out, and at the positive response it got. Since then, I’ve been exploring other venues for behind-the-scenes looks. I completed one manuscript, Around the Clock at an Aquarium, that it now being marketed. Another idea percolating was a college football game.

Last spring I, along with Mighty Oregon magazine publisher Jerry Thompson, approached the University of Oregon to get the permission needed to gain access for the information I’d have to have. Permission did not come lightly. It took lining up a publisher (QSL) and obtaining a license. These took eight painstaking months.

Last week I got the official go-ahead and flew into action. Armed with media passes for my research assistant (Ava Litton) and me, we attended the UO vs. Cal game. The journey officially began. We met in the press box with the photographer for the project, Jack Liu, and brainstormed image possibilities. Then we were off, in and around the stadium, observing the goings-on.

The fantabulous Jack Liu, with his homemade camera rain protector.

Spectators had not be admitted yet, but there was lots going on. The band practiced, the bench areas were set up, the photographers connected their computers and readied them for uploading their pictures. Some of the players were on the field, stretching, running, and playing catch.

Linebacker Rodney Hardrick does his pre-game warm-up, despite the distraction.

Thanks to the generous help of Dave Williford, head of football communications, we got oriented to the many facets (and there are many!) of the press box. Thinking about all the behind-the-scenes parts of a game was a bit overwhelming, but we’ll have two more games to gather info. There’s also time during the week to interview people.

Starting Monday after the game, I got on it and have made contact with some players as well as the head athletic trainer, equipment manager, guys in charge of the food, and the head of tickets. There’s lots more to go, but the flow of information has started. The challenge before the next game is to replay the interview tapes and take notes. I’ll be making a timeline of game day to help me organize the information.

There’s lots of helmet choices.

Locker-room living-room

Gratefully, I’ll have all winter to work on the writing part. I’ll need it!