MGS Chat: Derek Jeter

Well.

A little while back I wrote about how a tweet about Alex Rodriguez stopped a commercial shoot.

You can imagine what happened when Yankees shortstop sat down for a quick (less than 15 minutes) interview discussing being shut down for the season. Here's the full interview...

How disappointed are you having to sit out the remainder of the season?
DJ: “Yeah, it’s very disappointing. I mean, to not to be able to play, especially this time of year. This is when you want to play. This is when I want to play the most and unfortunately that’s not the case. The entire year has been pretty much a nightmare for me physically, so I guess it’s fitting that it ends like this, huh?”

Does any part of you think it’s not going to heal?
DJ: “No, no, no. It’s healed.”

I mean, might the ankle never be the same again?
DJ: “No, I don’t think that. I’ve talked a lot with both our doctor, Dr. Anderson, and I think it’s – we think – that it’s just a matter of just haven’t had any strength. I haven’t been able to work out my legs, or lift my legs, since October of last year. The first time it broke, you can’t do anything weight-bearing, you can’t work out. I was cleared in spring training and then it was only a couple weeks before I had the second incident and we really think it’s just from a lack of strength. I’ve never been able to work out my legs, because when I came back I had two other legs issues because there was weakness and I think just having a normal offseason, getting back to being able to work out, no one foresees any other issues. [Jeter knocks on table].

Will you be able to do your normal workout this offseason?
DJ: “Yeah. That’s’ the key, to get the opportunity to have a normal offseason in terms of physically having an offseason to work out and strengthen things, which I was unable to do for obvious reasons.”

How much time will you take off now?
DJ: “I don’t know. I think it’s just like a normal offseason – is what I’ve been told. We really haven’t sat down. I mean, look, I was told this was the final decision an hour and a half ago, two hours ago, so it’s really not something I’ve given a lot of thought to. But I have been told it’s going to be a normal offseason. Take a few weeks, however long that it is to rest – I’ve had plenty of rest – but to rest and get back at it.”

Were you surprised by the decision to shut out down?
DJ: “No, I’m not. I’m not surprised because if you can’t play how you’re capable of playing, what you’re used to doing, then you’re really not helping out. I wasn't moving how I was supposed to be, or should be moving in order to help us. I wasn't running the way I was supposed to run, so if that was different, then it would probably be different circumstances here. But if I’m not able to play how I want to play, then I’m not benefiting the team.”

When did it become clear you couldn't play?
DJ: “When I wasn’t moving the way I wanted to move. I wasn’t hitting the way I wanted to hit. I wasn’t doing anything. I wasn’t throwing the way I wanted to throw. I’m sure some of it probably was a little bit mental as well. Before I broke it the second time, there was some normal soreness there, and I was told there was going to be soreness, you have to work through it -- and then it broke again. Then this time, when there was soreness, I never really wanted to speak on it, so I’m sure I was a little hesitant, so that’s why, when we took the latest CT scan [which was negative], I think everyone was happy with the results of that.”

What will you do for next three weeks? Stay with team?
DJ: “Have pom-poms and go out there and root for my teammates. There’s been plenty of times when they’ve been sitting there rooting for me.”

How dedicated are you to coming back and being at shortstop, despite the injury?
DJ: “Well, I’m not thinking about getting hurt again. It sounds kind of funny saying it now because of considering how many times I’ve been hurt. But I truly believe, with the full offseason, working out and getting my strength back, that I can get back to doing what I’ve always done.”

Will you exercise your $9.5-million player option for 2014?
DJ: “I haven’t thought about that. Like I said, I just found out that this was the result a couple hours ago, so I’ve never played a season thinking about the next one. I haven’t thought about next year, really at all. Now it’s just trying to digest this, I guess, and figure out what the next step is.

Do think there’s any possibility that you just can’t be the player you’ve been in the past and can’t play? You mentioned the ankle issues being in your head?
DJ: “No. Let me clarify the mental part. The mental part was feeling the soreness and wondering if this was going to happen again. Not knowing, because I haven’t spoke on it. But once you get the tests, and realize everything is fine, then no, mentally I won’t think about this again because I’ll have an opportunity to strengthen it, like I said. Everything is attached. I think a lot of times people hurt something. When that heals, you figure that everything is all good and dandy, but you have to work out your other areas of your body , too. So no, there’s no doubt in my mind I’ll be back to where I was.”

Any thought to moving on and doing something else with your life?
DJ: “Why? Just because of an ankle injury? No. Look man, people have had a lot of injuries throughout the course of their careers, and I’ve been pretty fortunate to play what, 21 professional years, I think it is. And really only have one significant injury, that was a dislocated shoulder, so I’ve been fortunate to not have these injuries but there’s been a lot of players that have had injuries over the course of the years and they don’t think about what they’re going to do next. You just move on from it. So yeah, let me tell you, it’s bad that I’ve had this year, it’s been a nightmare like I said, but you don’t just start thinking about the end just because you have to deal with an injury that most players throughout the course of their careers have had to deal with something.”

How did it feel to not to be able to play the way you’re capable of?
DJ: “it’s frustrating. But at the time, you just think you fight through it, and you figure it’s going to turnaround, but it just didn’t get any better and it’s just something I really couldn’t hide.”

You’ve seen end of Bernie, Posada, etc? Any thought about how you want career to end?
DJ: “There’s a lot of ‘end’ talk here, man. You guys want this to be the end for me? Seeing that’s why everyone’s asking. Have I thought about it? No. I don’t think you think about the end of anything. You think about, our job is to get ready to play. It’s always been that way. I tried to come back this year as quickly as possible every time I came back. Looking back, maybe that wasn’t the best thing to do. But my job now is to get ready for next year and I’ll do that.”

Looking back, do you think you took too big a risk playing at the end of last season?
DJ: “No. My job is to play, man. Play, you try to do your job as well as you can, and I’ve always said, if it’s not broke, keep playing. And it broke, so I couldn’t play. Then it broke again, and I couldn’t play. So … I’ll be ready.”

Any second thoughts about pushing yourself in spring training to be ready for Opening Day?
DJ: “Don’t take it as I had second thoughts. I think it was a learning experience for me. I’ve never been hurt. You get the test results, hey, you’re ankle’s fine, let’s go. I never really took into consideration how many other things you have to take care of in order to play.”

Has everyone been too optimistic about being ready by certain dates?
DJ: “I don’t know if they necessarily told me I’d be ready by a certain date. I’m the one who put dates out there. I’m the one who said Opening Day. They told me how long they thought it would take for the bone to heal, which they were right. I’m the one that said, listen, I‘m going to play on this day, I probably wouldn’t have said that if I could go back. I don’t ever like to miss games. I want to get back and I want to play as soon as possible.”

How can you be so confident you’ll be ready for next season?
DJ: “Because I’ll have an entire off-season to strengthen legs. And that’s what we’re talking about – strengthening legs. We’re not talking about going back in a boot and making the bone heal. It’s all about strengthening legs, and that shouldn't take any longer than it would in a normal season.”

What was your initial reaction when Yankees told you of the shutdown?
DJ: “Just disappointment. This is the most fun time of the year. No one enjoys playing this time of year more than I do. And to not be able to help is something that’s new to me because I’ve never had to deal with it.”

Can you embrace the ‘pom-pom’ role?
DJ: “I’ve had pom-poms for a lot of this season already, so it’s, you just try to help out as much as you can in any way that you can and root for your teammates. My teammates have rooted for me enough over the years. Now it’s my turn.”

Writing Tips from the Master (Not Me!)

#5. “Never write more than two pages on any subject.”

Many days it seems, I am asked how to be a good writer. To be sure, I don't know why people come to me. Humbly I say, you either love my writing or you hate it (but geez, I hope more love it than hate it). Anyway, who knows? I've made a living for nearly thirty years putting word to paper or film or audio so I guess I did something right.

How did I learn? 

It surely wasn't from Norman Mailer's school of hard knocks where the motto was "Writer’s block is only a failure of the ego."* (However, maybe it was.) I should definitely give a nod and a tip of the cap to David Ogilvy.

Wait! You don't know who Ogilvy is? The original Mad Man? The man whom in 1962 was called "the most sought-after wizard in today's advertising industry" by Time Magazine? The man who seemed to invent unorthodox imagination in advertising? If you don't know Ogilvy, you need to. Today.

I remember attending an intimate evening with Ogilvy where I sneaked a plus one from a viscous corporate ladder climber I was dating at the time. Ogilvy's words still echo in my vacuous mind. He could still bring the heat late in his life. He spoke uninterrupted for 53 minutes. Even to this day, his philosophies and methodology are timeless:

The better you write, the higher you go.
Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches.
Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well. 

I remember reading a memo that he sent around in the early eighties to his peeps. The memo -- it was it a mission statement? -- was simply titled How to Write.** with these pearls of wisdom:

1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing. Read it three times.
2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.
3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.
4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.
5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.
6. Check your quotations.
7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning — and then edit it.
8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.
9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.
10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

You know who could have used a better copywriter? Folger's Coffee in the 1960's. Take a peek at this ad (Women...you've come a long way. Keep it rolling.)



(*) You don't know who Norman Mailer is? Norman Mailer? The author of 40 books and the chronicler of the American Century? Oh my. Well, start here.

(**) You can find more of Ogilvy’s timeless advice in the 1986 book (you remember those things, right?) The Unpublished David Ogilvy. I found a copy on Amazon, right next to this classic:

Only a few hundred thousand left unsold.

What does the book jacket say?: A book of photographs of the royal family with humorous captions. Ogilvy said it best. Less is more.

A Little Ditty About Kerri and Nikki: Part Two

Part one can be read here.

ALL ABOUT NIKKI IN 11 QUESTIONS

Nikki Sixx. What hasn’t he accomplished?

He’s a legend of rock. A fashion designer. A photographer and a bestselling author. And, oh yes, he’s (naturally) a record label president. Nikki Sixx wears many hats; just don’t mess up his perfectly messed-up ‘do. His accomplishments as the founder, bass player and songwriter of Motley Crue, by themselves, are enough to make him an icon. But Sixx's voracious quest to just be himself has taken him down the much-less traveled path well past “music superstar.”

Besides the 80 million albums Crue has sold worldwide, Sixx also topped The New York Times Best Seller list for more than six months with his autobiography, The Heroin Diaries. The book's soundtrack from his supergroup Sixx: A.M. spawned the song "Life is Beautiful," the most played rock track of 2008. Nikki is the president of the record label Eleven Seven Music. He's a photographer, a philanthropist and the co-founder of the rock couture fashion line Royal Underground.

On radio’s “Sixx Sense,” he talks a mile a minute, but during our interview, he’s a quiet burn, reflective and sharp in tone.

MG: Platinum albums, bestselling books, syndicated radio shows. What's next? 

NIKKI SIXX: Television.

MG: As a rocker, the type of music you play attracts a certain audience. Do you get resistance from certain regions or countries around the world?

NS: No, I think people who are open-minded attract open minded people.

MG: In the studio do you feel like kissing Kerri or duct taping her mouth?

NS: A little of both. No, we have a great energy between us, and we’re both learning from each other daily how to have an on air relationship.

MG: What made Kerri the perfect co-host?

NS: It just clicked.

MG: Your last tour was an amazing success. Are there plans to go back out? 

NS: Yes, Europe and America this summer. Hopefully a little time off in the fall just doing radio and writing music.

MG: What inspires you?

NS: Adversity.

MG: Have you ever been in the Middle East?

NS: No, but it’s a dream.

MG: Who knows more about music? Kerri or you? 

NS: Me for sure. I think.

MG: What do you say to the critiques who think your type of music leads to drug use and violence?

NS: I am sure they are correct on some level.

MG: You seem to be a fan of tweeting and social media. How has that affected your career and life?

NS: I use it to interact with people; people are what we are. It’s what we do; it’s important.

MG: Dream living. Where would you live? 

NS: If I lived outside the chaos (say in the middle of South Africa) and was completely unplugged from the world for a few months, I might never come back. I need the madness to push me forward. Someday I might just disappear into the shadows, only a camera in hand. Oh, and a microphone so I could still do radio.


The original article appeared in ALO magazine (print) and can be found online here.

A Little Ditty About Kerri and Nikki: Part One

After a few decades in the business, Nikki Sixx is still scrambling our brains with his misnomers and his mania, still talking about life and music like it’s his last seconds behind the mic. We could say he’s one of the few constants in our music-listening lives. He’s been up to every challenge life has offered him. Our question, however, is, how does he manage to handle Kerri Kasem?

They joined forces in 2010 cohosting radio’s “Sixx Sense,” heard coast to coast from New York to San Francisco for five hours every weeknight. With their live celebrity interviews in their Los Angeles studios and their irreverent takes on music and lifestyle, their no-holds barred radio has taken root. Sixx has been known to take his now classic on-air battles with Kasem to the Twitter scene, tweeting about the day’s topic. However you slice it, these two have carved out an incredible hunk of listeners and fans nationwide.

KERRI!

She’s got the talent, the sparkling personality, the looks of a Hollywood siren, the endless quick wit and the kind of laugh we keep coming back for. The only question is who really is Kerri Kasem?

It's hard for a writer not to sound more like a bag of wind when he's attempting to elevate musicians and especially radio personalities to the status of artist. But if you're thinking of Kerri only in the context of music, or even in the context of her and Nikki’s “Sixx Sense” radio show, then you're missing the more fundamental and exciting thing about her: When she's on the mic or in front of the camera, she's as beautiful as any human expressing her-orhimself verbally in any way.

Turns out it's not so easy to bring this up in your typical celebrity/personality interview though. We have 10 more minutes? Hmmm, okay, let me just see.

Anchoring a top rated iTunes podcast, “The Kerri Kasem Podcast” with Ashley Marriott. Teaching America about motorcycles via the nationally syndicated “Racing Rocks” radio show for nearly a decade. Going toe-to-toe with the big boys hosting Ultimate Fighting Challenge specials. Yep!

Oh, yeah, there is this one other thing. I was thinking that when you say whatever you feel like, tweet to the universe that your co-host should be in a headlock courtesy of World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Chris Jericho, and when you paralyze your listeners with your voice rather than your immense beauty—well, it seems to me that at those moments you've transcended radio.

MG: Kerri Kasem, you invaded the entertainment scene through radio? Are you more at home in radio? Or is a return to TV in your future?

KERRI KASEM: Television hosting has always come in and out of my life, and I’m definitely not finished, but I love radio, and I do feel at home behind the mic. Don’t laugh, but I’d love to be on “Dancing with the Stars” and end up hosting it like Brooke Burke.

Right now, I have three radio shows, and I am also on the “Sixx Sense,” radio show that I do with Nikki. We are on over one hundred FM stations, XM Radio, iHeartRadio and the Internet. And now we get to listen to our show five days a week right here at home in Los Angeles on 98.7! Plus, we have “The Sideshow Countdown” that runs on the weekends as well.

MG: You have a unique partnership with Nikki Sixx. How did you know this would be a fit?

KK: Actually, getting this job was not up to me, I had to audition like everyone else. However, Nikki and I had instant chemistry when we did our demo tape, and it was just a perfect fit.

MG: Who is the real Kerri? We hear some comments from colleagues and friends that you are quite special. What differentiates you from the rest?

KK: Wow, thank you for that compliment. Now how much do I owe you? I’m genuinely interested in people, and I think that shows. I have a strong work ethic, and I believe that kindness is one of the most important traits in a human being.

MG: Many would never think you are of Middle Eastern heritage? What impact has this made in your life?

KK: Actually, many people do ask me if I’m Middle Eastern or Persian. My dad Casey Kasem is very proud of his heritage. The Lebanese side of my family is made up of very warm, hospitable, fun people that are always trying to feed you. I think that I absolutely inherited those traits.

MG: You visited many countries in the Middle East. What will you embrace, and what would you change?

KK: I would give the Middle East the gift of tolerance and acceptance. And I embrace the rich culture and beauty. There is so much beauty in the Middle East that so many people will never see because of fear and propaganda. Some of the most beautiful historic sites that I’ve seen were in Syria, where I felt like I was experiencing a part of history.

MG: You have shown us that you are all about the rights of the living―women, children, animals, the underprivileged. What made this such a passion for you?

KK: Most people don’t know about the Declaration of Human Rights, signed by 53 countries and stating: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” It’s very important that people know their human rights. It empowers them. And I am passionate about empowering others.

MG: You have the voice, the gateway and the audience to deliver a message. What is that message today?

KK: There are many messages I deliver depending on what show I'm doing. With my real estate investment show and my mortgage show, those topics are exactly what I talk about, and with “Sixx Sense” we talk about our lives, pop culture, music etc. The podcast is where I get to really send my message about health and wellness and questioning what we deem to be "authority." I love diving into conspiracy theories as well!

MG: We have had the privilege of hearing you sing, and you are impressive. A career there?

KK: I’ve been singing since I was a little kid, and one of my dreams is to be on Broadway. Who knows, maybe you’ll see me there one day.

MG: A place that Kerri finds her inner peace? Where is that? 

KK: When I’m with people that I love, and when I’m doing what I love.

MG: Nikki in one word? 

KK: Determined.

MG: The role model for you―personally and professionally?

KK: My dad for both.

MG: Entertainment lacks inclusion when it comes to Middle Eastern celebrities. What are your tips to "making it." 

KK: I don’t agree with you there. Here’s a list of people of Middle Eastern descent who have “made it”: Jerry Seinfeld (Syrian mother); Shakira (half Lebanese); Salma Hayek (Lebanese); Sammy Hagar (partially Lebanese); Vince Vaughn, rock musician and former lead singer of Van Halen (partially Lebanese); Paula Abdul (Syrian Jewish father). Just to name a few. And, of course, my own well-known father.

MG: The public image that you like to portray?

KK: I think there’s a bunch of different sides to me depending on what show I’m doing. Fun and outgoing for the “Sixx Sense,” serious and savvy for my mortgage and real estate shows, and bold, smart and a bit out there for my podcast.

MG: How is your private life different?

KK: My private life is private.

MG: The most adventurous thing you ever did?

KK: I’ve done a lot of adventurous things in my life like skydiving, riding motorcycles, scuba diving, bungee jumping etc., But the biggest adventure and the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done was grabbing my backpack and sleeping bag, buying a ticket to the Dominican Republic and hopping on a bus that broke down on its way to Haiti a week after the earthquake. When the earthquake hit and devastated that country, I had to help, and nothing was going to stop me. I’m planning my next trip now.

MG: A woman of wisdom is:

KK: Wise.

MG: An independent women is:

KK: Sexy.

MG: What is next for Kerri Kasem?

KK: To keep doing what I can to help others.

MG: Your dream accomplishment in the next five years?

KK: To have the number one show in radio and to be on Broadway.


Part Two can be read here.

The original article appeared in ALO magazine (print) and can be found online here.

Aw fawk!

The studio came to a complete halt.

My decidedly New York-union commercial crew was mesmerized by a post that hit the grip’s Twitter account. "Cashman just told A-Rod he should just shut the fawk up on Twittaw. He’s a badass."

From there it was wall-to-wall Noo Yawk Tawk, because after all, there are only two places where sports will stop a commercial shoot: Boston and New York.

Before you get all sideways and call your local Teamsters rep, let it be known that I am a decidedly union guy. My grandfather worked a union job for thirty plus years and I’ve never crossed a picket line; never will. That being said, I was super pissed because the only thing worse than an actor that can’t remember his lines is an unprofessional crew. Unprofessionalism turns art into soap opera.

I called for the mandatory break on the set and needed to break free so my head wouldn’t explode. Luckily Manhattan has just a few Starbucks close to filming. Now the only decision was to go to the shop on the southeast corner…or the one on the northwest corner…or the one, well you get my drift.

I opted for the fancy mom and pop shop three doors down mainly because the line wasn’t out the door. Still with a dozen people in front of me, I had some time to simmer down and wonder why my proofer Monica was always upset at me, craft a guide to coffee dating in my head, AND wonder where all of these fu-fu coffee orders were coming from. Here were the first three orders taken (give or take):

• Large café mocha, no sugar, no whip, extra dry please, with half skim and half whole milk, one pump hazelnut, extra hot.
• Medium caramel macchiato in a large double cup, triple whipped cream with three shots of espresso and three extra pumps of caramel.
• Small soy mocha, half iced, not blended with six pumps of vanilla, stirred not shaken. 

At that point I was screaming “shut the fawk up” in my head, but really unsure if I had just let those rude, yet truthful four words fly out of my grill. Please eat what’s left of my brain and take my order for six large regular coffees, Holy A-Rod I need a cell phone scrambler on my next New Yawk shoot! My mind slipped away as the poor girl struggled to get those orders right while openly mumbling about covering someone’s morning shift after staying up all night studying for her LSAT’s.

How many of us have been on coffee dates? How many of would have run if your speed date would have ordered one of those beauties. Yeah I know she’s cute, but the maintenance and upkeep may make yours look mighty easy. This is why they invented the Coffee Date. It’s essentially a reason to have an inexpensive 30 minute conversation with your crush buddy a midst the sweet aphrodisiac of coffee aromas. You don’t have to worry about deep convos or shaving your legs because this is not about s-e-x. It’s a quick assessment where you don’t have to worry about pickups, being too late or too early or deciding between the scampi appetizer or sharing a Caesar salad. And, just like reading the directions on the side of the shampoo bottle, do this:

Get the drink order. Order the drinks. Pay.

Then:

Sit. Drink. Talk. Flirt (level two and lower, only). Repeat.

Keep it short. When you hit your high note, say your goodbyes (like George Costanza):



Make sure you follow-up and plan a real date if you have any semblance of chemistry and your crush buddy is not a coffee snob.

Speaking of coffee snobs, the carnage in front of me continued…

• Large no-foam half-caf non-fat mocha soy latte. 
• Medium half-skinny half-one percent extra hot split quad shot latte with whip.
• Fill a large halfway with one hundred forty degree coffee; fill the rest with cold milk, sugar-free hazelnut syrup.

Yikes. This is some serious coffee drama. What does it all mean?

I remember a talk with author James Moore who surmised that coffee picks go past personal taste. He said that these mind-boggling complicated drinks reach a much deeper psychological level relating to self-esteem issues, stress and a “search for the comforts of childhood." Here’s the breakdown on the sociology of coffee orders:

• Black coffee: The Minimalist. Likes things one-on-one. Competitive. The lone wolf who can mix in quite nicely when prompted.
• Espresso: The Leader. Instant indulgence for the moody whom has no time for gossip or low standards.
• Cappuccino: The Optimistic Extrovert. Appreciative of style and expensive gear. A starter, but not a finisher.
• Latte: The Passive Aggressive. The latte fan waters down their danger with bubbly foam and milk. Prefers cuddling to sex. Comfort over spontaneity.
• Instant coffee: The Under the Radar. No frills, straightforward and in no hurry to get things done. Unadventurous in career and sex.
• Decaf soymilk: The Narcissist. An eco-worrier with dab of fussiness and a heavy dose of ego.
• Non-coffee drinker: The Teatotaller. Someone who rejects the brown gold is said to have been frightened of life as a child.

Now up at the front, the poor barista was relieved to have my low maintenance order. She whispered “thanks” under her breath as she slipped me a gratis chocolate croissant on my way out which I polished off just in time to spring through the doors of the set where everyone was magically reinvigorated. The sports talk had died down and my actors had kissed and made up. [Yes, literally kissed and made up in their trailer – but that’s a story for another blog.] Filming resumed and things were on the right track.

All of the sudden Twittaw reared its ugly head: “Aaron Hernandez was just arrested!”

Aw fawk!

---

Don't act like this at your coffee place:

MGS CHAT: Tom Brady

Tom Brady is the timeless quarterback of the New England Patriots. Married to THE supermodel and a three time Super Bowl Champion. A quick chat to get us ready for football.

Hopefully part II, where he discusses Giselle, will be on the horizon...

Q: What is your reaction to the signing of another quarterback in Tim Tebow?

TB: I think that any time, I don't really make decisions and transactions – whether we cut players or sign players or trade players. My reaction is very much like everyone else on the team. [I'm] just trying to focus on what I need to do and what I need to do to be a better player and certainly any time a new teammate comes in, you welcome them, try to do whatever you can to help them fit in and understand what we need to do. It's been a fun couple days.

Mr. and Mrs. Brady

Q: What were your impressions of Tim Tebow before he got here and does that match up with the first two days?

TB: I never was around him much. Anyone who has played in the NFL has a high level of talent to make it this far; to play this long over the course of an entire life to get to this point you obviously have to be talented. I have a lot of respect for everyone that plays and certainly what I've seen him do in the past.

Q: Do you worry about any of this being a distraction?

TB: I don't worry about much these days. I've been around long enough to see all different kinds of things happen – like I said, trades, people being cut, guys joining the team, all the media attention with what happened in 2007, post-Super Bowls, tough losses. It comes with the territory. I think everyone is prepared to deal with some level of different things that happen on a daily basis and to be mentally tough enough to push through and still be able to do your job at a high level is most important. That's really what you owe the team is to show up every day and do your job the best you can.

Q: Would you say that everyone in the quarterbacking group brings something a little different?

TB: Honestly every player on the team brings something a little bit different. That's all in hopes of us winning games. We have to all be able to go out there and contribute in some way. Coach always says, ‘Your role is what you make of it.' My role is to try to go out there and be a great quarterback: consistent, dependable, someone that the team can rely on. That's my approach every day that I walk through the door.

Q: There are a lot of new faces on offense, especially among the wide receivers. How are they adapting to this offense?

TB: We've had a lot of turnover this year, especially at that position. Really there hasn't been anyone that we've thrown to in any game action. That's going to be really important as the process develops. The only thing we can really work on is what we're doing now. Guys have really tried to do exactly what we ask them to do, whether they've been out there or not through the meetings, the walkthroughs. It's really been a fun group that's been open to learning and open to understanding how we do things, because how we do things is quite a bit different than how other teams do things, on the field and of the field. To try to come in and fit in and do their job, I give those guys a lot of credit for really stepping up to the challenge.

Q: How do you develop the chemistry that is so important to a quarterback and a wide receiver?

TB: It takes a lot of time. You just try to stay after it every day, as much time as you can communicating about certain looks, coverages, defensive personnel and alignments, route adjustments. It's really a matter of how you, the effort you put into it. Guys have been working pretty hard. We've been here the whole offseason to try to get up to speed. Like I said, the guys that have been here, everyone has made a bunch of improvements. Hopefully we continue to make improvements as mini-camp ends and the beginning of training camp starts.

Q: Bill Belichick talked this morning that OTAs and mini-camp are a time to lay a foundation. Do you think that you guys have done a good job of that so far?

TB: He talks about, you think it's just an OTA in the spring time and it's not that important and all those things that probably could enter your mind. The truth is, this lays the foundation for the start of training camp and if you have a good training camp, it usually means a good start to the season. A good start to the season leads to good position entering the second half of the season. Everything ends up having some significance to it. You're not just out here running plays and going through different things that aren't going to mean anything. We're out here trying to get a lot of things accomplished. I think we have done that, but there's still a lot of work to be done. It's really never ending, especially when you play for Coach Belichick. Especially in practices when the offense goes against the defense, because if the offense makes a play then the defense sucked and if the defense makes a play then the offense sucked so someone is really going to get yelled at on every play. There's always lowlights when we come in on the next day. Even if it was a great offensive play, he's going to yell at someone on the defense. We've become a bit used to that now and that's part of the learning process and also learning how to play for the Patriots and understand the criticism that you're getting and hopefully use it constructively so you can improve as a player.

Q: How inquisitive has Tim Tebow been with you since he's been here? Has he been trying to pick your brain just to get the basics down?

TB: Yeah, there's definitely been communication and there's been that with Tim [Tebow] and with Ryan [Mallett]. We constantly talk. I've been lucky to play with so many good quarterbacks over the course of my career and I've learned from every one of them, starting with Drew [Bledose] and Damon Huard and John Friesez and Michael Bishop and Jim Miller and Vinny [Testaverde] and [Doug] Flutie and [Matt] Cassel and [Brian] Hoyer, it's really been... We've always have a really strong group and a very close group. I'm excited to have Tim.

Q: Ed Reed said he thought his hip injury was caused by the kick slide you did in the AFC Championship Game. Do you have any reaction to that?

TB: No.

Q: He said you apologized right after, is that true?

TB: Yeah, there was nothing intentional about it. It was unfortunate that it happened.

Q: How do you feel physically?

TB: I feel great, I feel better than ever. I've had a great offseason to this point; it needs to continue. At this point, I have a pretty good understanding of how I need to prepare myself and I spend a lot of time, every decision in my life is based around how to be a better football player. I think I have a decent idea how to do that and we'll ultimately see how it pays off this year. It's been fun to be out there every day at practice and that's how you improve, is to be out on the practice field, especially with a bunch of new players. We'll see how it turns out when we put the pads on.

Q: Do you have to change or alter anything as you get older?

TB: You try to be a little more efficient with your time and things that you probably have tried in the past, you don't do much anymore. You try to do the things that you feel work and the things that help you improve. I feel like I've thought a lot of things about this past season and things that I can do better and things that I can do better as a teammate and as a leader and certainly things that I can do better on the field, my physical preparation. I think I've been successful to this point but ultimately you get paid to go out and play on Sunday and hopefully it pays off when it counts the most.

Q: How would you react to having to come off the field?

TB: I have no idea.

Q: You'd be OK with it?

TB: That's a very hypothetical question. Maybe we'll deal with it if it happens.

Don’t Sell Your Back Cover Short!

The number of self-published books has exploded, growing 287 percent since 2006, according to research by Bowker, the official ISBN agency for the United States.

“In 2012, more than 235,000 print and e-books were self-published in the United States, up from 148,424 in 2011,” says award-winning marketing strategist Catherine Foster, executive publisher/CEO of BlueSky Publishing Partner. 

Typos Matter

“This is an exciting time to be an author because the playing field is finally leveled – you can get your book published! You don’t have to beg an agent to take you on and you don’t have to deal with those heartbreaking rejection letters. There’s no longer a stigma associated with self-publishing -- in fact, many of my authors say it’s the very best option.”

CreateSpace was the No. 1 print self-publisher in 2011 with 39 percent of the market, and Smashwords was No. 1 for e-books, with 47 percent, according to Bowker’s most recent information.

However, while most readers no longer pay attention to where a book was published, authors should know they do pay attention to what it looks like, Foster says. 

“The most important overlooked element is not the front cover but the back cover,” she says. “That’s where potential readers will spend the most time deciding if they want to buy your book.”

Browsers spend 10 to 15 seconds reading the back cover. If you want to keep their interest, Foster says follow these four basic rules of book marketing.”

• Know your audience: You have to consider their point of view when you decide what to say on the back cover, and you need to know who they are in order to figure that out. This is your 10-second commercial, so be sure you give your audience what they’re looking for!
• Keep it simple: Many authors try to cram too much information on the back cover in the hopes that something will pique the reader’s interest. But too much information overwhelms browsers and their brain becomes sluggish. Rather than read everything, they read nothing and walk away. Treat the text on your back cover like poetry and keep the message condensed and poignant. 
• Choose the right fonts: Certain font styles appeal to different audience demographics. Whether your audience is mostly teens or college students, middle-aged adults or seniors, they’ll respond differently to the looks of different type faces. Choosing small red fonts on your cover is the worst thing you can do if your market is the reader older than 55 because red is one of the hardest colors to read when aging affects vision. Also, your fonts shouldn’t blend in with the colors on your back cover, or the words lose value to the reader.
• Typos will kill your book sale: If your back cover has a typo, even a small one such as a redundant word or two words with no space between them, it will doom your book. Authors are indeed “judged like a book by its cover” and readers will assume that your book wasn’t edited and that it will be full of errors. One of the most frustrating things for readers is finding typos in a book. It dilutes the meaning of the content, distracts them from reading, and most importantly, makes the author look amateurish. Even if the only typo in your book is the one on your back cover, readers will make critical assumptions based on that one fatal flaw.  

Foster recommends having your book professionally edited, cover to cover. If you can’t afford to do that, at least find a friend or family member with strong reading and writing skills to read it for you.

“No matter how good of an editor you are, you’re likely to read right over your own mistakes,” Foster says. “There’s a reason surgeons don’t operate on themselves; the same is true for authors editing themselves.

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Food for thought: 22 Books for Your Ultimate Summer Reading List