Paul Loeffler, current voice of Bulldog Baseball, gets the chance to step into the huge shoes of Bill Woodward and is very graceful when he calls Mr. Woodward the "only voice of Bulldog sports." He covers not only that but also his new book coming out, some memories about the College World Series and the performance of one Steve Detweiler.
The Red Wave: Talk about the book "Underdogs to Wonderdogs" and at what point did a book become an idea?
Paul Loeffler: The book was an absolute blast to put together. It was a pretty intense month working hard to get it done, but it was worth it. In the weeks after the Bulldogs won the championship, I received a call from a publisher I had encountered when his company put out a book on local veterans of World War II. His name is Kent Sorsky, and his company is Linden Publishing. He asked if I’d be interested in writing a book about the Diamond Dogs and their magical season, and I told him I would be, as long as Fresno State was on board with the idea. Paul Ladwig at Fresno State had already been examining the idea of a book, and when he said he wanted to team up with us, it was full speed ahead. I think we’re all really pleased with the finished product. It’s a big, coffee table-style hardcover book with a sharp full-color dust jacket. 200 photos squeezed into 168 pages, taking you from the season opener to that unforgettable dogpile and beyond. I learned a lot by going back and interviewing the coaches and players, and a lot of those behind-the-scenes stories really add to the book. Quite a few radio calls are included, and the bold red typeface for those really makes them stand out and makes the book flow. The final chapter is made up of comments from three dozen other voices, from Dr. Welty and Bob Bennett to Chris Berman and Erin Andrews. It’s a pretty wide-ranging mix, and I think it really helps put the significance of this incredible underdog story in perspective.
The Red Wave: Take me back to the WAC Tournament, at what point did it look like this team just might be able to do something?
Paul Loeffler: I’m a bit ashamed to admit this, but heading to Ruston, I wasn’t convinced the Bulldogs would win the WAC Tournament. They had struggled on the road all year, had just split with the team they’d be opening against (6th place Sacramento State), and I thought the hitter’s park that Louisiana Tech has would favor Nevada or New Mexico State. One thing Mike Batesole said after that Memorial Day win over Nevada to send the Dogs back to the NCAAs stuck with me. He said “we aren’t a very good team right now… but these guys know how to win.” His whole quote is in the book, but that’s the gist of it. The biggest thing was their bullpen was starting to come around, and that would really be a difference-maker over the weeks ahead.
The Red Wave: I'm sure you saw the players as they made their way to Omaha. What was their demeanor and how awestruck were they when they arrived?
Paul Loeffler: I actually had to rely on their accounts of that process because I wasn’t there to see that moment in person. My grandfather had passed away and we had his funeral the day after the Bulldogs’ first game in Omaha. Bill Woodward was kind enough to handle that blowout win over Rice, and I made it to Omaha in time for the first battle with North Carolina. The book does cover those welcome to Omaha moments for the team, with one player commenting on how the crowd for batting practice was larger than any crowd they’d played a game in front of all year.
The Red Wave: Was there ever any comments, either from opposing fans or media about Fresno State to the extent of "what are they doing here" or "they won't last the weekend?"
Paul Loeffler: A lot of the players overheard people making comments to that end, and I can tell you that just in terms of marketing and what souvenirs were available initially, it was clear that the Bulldogs weren’t expected to stick around that long. A few days later, Fresno State items were going like hotcakes and the “neutral” Omaha fans had really started to fill up the bandwagon.
The Red Wave: Talk about the gutsy performance of Steve Detwiler. Will his performance, in the National Championship game against Georgia, go down as being one of the best of all time?
Paul Loeffler: I think it has to go down in history that way. To struggle at the plate the way he did for most of the CWS, only to come up huge with that kind of superhuman effort, was absolutely incredible. The best moment came in the post-game news conference when Detwiler tried to downplay his contributions. Brandon Burke had to pick up a box score and point out that Detwiler had driven in all six Bulldog runs. Steve’s energy really made a difference throughout the season. His performance in the final game was spectacular, but in the book I detail my favorite play of his in 2008, and it actually happened at Beiden Field, long before the Dogs even sniffed Omaha.
The Red Wave: I can't let you go without asking you about the man you're going to be taking the place of. Talk about Bill Woodward and what he has meant to Bulldog sports and talk about stepping into his shoes as the new Voice of Bulldog football and basketball as well as baseball.
Paul Loeffler: Bill is the only “Voice of the Bulldogs” many of us have ever known. He’s been doing this longer than I’ve been alive. Growing up in Los Banos, I listened to Bill call games like Kevin Sweeney breaking the NCAA record, the College World Series in 1988 and 1991, and some memorable moments from the likes of Carl Ray Harris and Dave Barnett on the basketball court. After my four years at Syracuse, I came back to the Valley and got to hear him call buzzerbeaters from the likes of Courtney Alexander and Demetrius Porter, the magic of the 2001 football season, and one of my favorites, Stephen Spach’s winning TD in the MPC bowl against Virginia. Anyone who has ever worked around Bill knows that he handles himself with class, he cares about the student-athletes, and he’s committed to making his broadcasts about them and what they’re doing, not about himself. Those are all qualities that I admire and hope to mirror as I follow in his footsteps. It is an honor and a privilege to be chosen for this role, and to be trusted with the responsibility of being the eyes and ears for Bulldog fans everywhere. I’m excited about what the future holds, and am already excited about this young but athletic and energetic hoops squad that Coach Cleveland has assembled.
The Red Wave: Lastly, give the fans the release date of the book, will you be doing a book signing and if so, when and where?
Paul Loeffler: We will have some book signings, and Coach Batesole will be at some of them with me. I’m really looking forward to that. I’m a rookie in the book business, but apparently, getting a book like this turned around this quickly is extremely rare. We are expecting the books to arrive in late December. We’re hoping they are here before Christmas, but with the variables of trade winds, customs, etc. we can’t guarantee that. As soon as the books arrive, we will start to set up some book signings and get the word out ASAP. I think it would make sense to have the first signing on campus, perhaps at the Bulldog Shop, and from there we’ll schedule more, in Fresno and beyond, as long as the demand for the book remains strong. For now, you can preorder the book at http://wonderdogsbook.com/ or by calling (559)233-6633. Ordering by the end of November gets you a $5 discount of the cover price of $34.95. Since Underdogs to Wonderdogs is officially licensed, a portion of the proceeds go back to the Fresno State program, so you’re supporting the Bulldogs when you buy the book for yourself or for a friend. Don’t forget to pick up season tickets for 2009 too. The Dogs open at home on February 20 against the Washington Huskies, and I hear there’s a possibility of Governor Schwarzenegger coming to Beiden Field to throw out the first pitch. The Governator isn’t in the book, but his Conan sword does make an appearance, and you’ll get a kick out of what Mike Batesole was doing with it.
Thank you for the chance to talk about the book and the Bulldogs. It was a thrill and a privilege to be along for the wild ride, and I hope you’ll enjoy reading Underdogs to Wonderdogs as much as I enjoyed writing it.
A big thank you goes out to Paul Loeffler for doing the interview. If you want to get the book, you can go to http://www.wonderdogsbook.com/ or call (559)233-6633 to get your copy of "Underdogs to Wonderdogs."
This is arguably the biggest victory in Fresno State history and getting your copy of this book will ensure that you have the memories to cherish. It'll also give the chance for future Bulldog fans to know what this Wonderdog team did and how they overcame injuries and a slow start to the season to become the 2008 National Champions.
No comments:
Post a Comment