It was a real joy Saturday to see again many of you who I have come to know and treasure through this project. Ordinary Fans, Stadium Workers, Football Moms, Bandsmen and Bandswomen, Ushers...the list goes on and on. You all are wonderful. Of course, everyone asked, "How's the book?"

The answer is the book is coming great. Obviously, I did not meet my target of bringing it out for this season. Last winter, the gates suddenly opened to many really unique and important story opportunities and I saw the opportunity to improve on what I already had. I made a conscious decision to pursue that with my available time and do this book better rather than do it rushed. A couple of years ago I thought I would be retired from my day job before now. Like many of you, I am not, so I am still at this project which I thought would be done by now.

When the OSU book field became quite crowded this summer...Coach T, Ken Gordon, Jack Park, Bob Hunter, John Porentas, to name a few...I didn't regret my decision to take another six months. This was especially true when my broken arm put me out of commission for more than six weeks.

I do have a book now and am making steady progress. I hired three wonderful ladies to transcribe the nearly 200 recorded interviews I have done with many of you, and they spent the entire summer working on these. It was a huge leap forward. I am now arranging, editing, and compiling both the transcripts and all the additional web material people have submitted, doing the heavy lifting of sweating each word to transform just a collection of words into a cohesive and worthwhile literary work. It will be ready for next years selling season.

I can always find room to work in another good story. If you have something, continue to submit it, but don't delay...the bar grows higher and the window shorter with each passing day

Thanks to all of you who have believed in and patiently supported this project. I am confident in what is coming together and I look forward to the day you and the marketplace will ultimately judge the success of my work.