Fresno State Athletics
Presale Begins for Underdogs to Wonderdogs Book
11/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Nov. 14, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - One of the most improbable and incredible college sports championships ever is captured in the new book, Underdogs to Wonderdogs: Fresno State's Road to Omaha and the College World Series Championship.
With 200 full-color photos packed into 168 letter-sized pages, this hardcover edition chronicles Fresno State's 2008 season from start to furious finish. Penned by Paul Loeffler, the team's longtime radio announcer, Underdogs to Wonderdogs also includes:
• Riveting radio play-by-play excerpts in boldface red type
• Telling quotes from players and coaches, captured throughout the magical season
• A foreword written by all-time saves leader Brandon Burke
• Comments from more than 30 other voices, including ESPN personalities Chris Berman and Erin Andrews, Fresno State president Dr. John Welty, former coach Bob Bennett, and several coaches from teams the Bulldogs eliminated.
Ordering is underway now by CLICKING HERE
The only book on the 2008 College World Series champions to be officially licensed and endorsed by Fresno State, Underdogs to Wonderdogs will hit shelves in late December 2008. It is available for preorder now at http://wonderdogsbook.com or by phone at (559)233-6633. The cover price of $34.95 is reduced to $29.95 for anyone ordering by November 30.
Q&A with author Paul Loeffler
1- What can readers look forward to when reading the book?
I think there's a little something for everyone. If you're one of those people who flips through and looks at all the pictures first, I think you'll love it. We have 200 color photos capturing everything from the exhilaration of the dogpile in Omaha to a 10-year-old Tommy Mendonca practicing his lefty swing on the family farm in Turlock. If you already know the main points of the story and are looking for a little more depth, you'll appreciate the stories behind the story, like how a painful point in Clayton Allison's past helped him forget about the pain in his shoulder and propel his team to the CWS championship series. When you glance at a photo of the starters kneeling in prayer before the final game, you can look over and read what was said in that poignant moment. And if you find yourself starting to get tired of reading my perspective on the whole thing, you can jump ahead to the final chapter to see what about three dozen other people thought of the Wonderdogs' incredible journey.
2- What did you learn about the team when doing research for the book that you may have not known before hand?
Quite a bit. As a baseball nut, the nuggets I enjoyed the most related to strategic moments in key games. Up in the radio booth, I just call what I see unfold on the diamond. I can't hear what Mike Batesole is telling a hitter when he pulls him aside. But to be able to go back and learn the secret to Steve Susdorf's success against San Jose State or who made the call for Brandon Burke's clutch pickoff move against Nevada, that was a real treat for me. I think everyone wanted to know what Justin Wilson said to Danny Muno after his error in the CWS championship game, and that topic is explored too, with corroboration from both players. One thing that really sticks with me is a great quote from Brandon Burke's mother that helped him keep his focus on the mound in all those pressure-packed situations.
3- What was it like calling the national championship game?
It was the most exciting and yet surreal moment of my broadcasting career. I remember listening to Bill Woodward call the games from Omaha in 1988 and 1991, and when I started calling the games for KMJ in 2001, I imagined what it might be like to follow the team all the way to the College World Series. The way they did it was better than anything I could have imagined. It was a great privilege to be there and have the responsibility of describing the action for all the folks listening back home. It was the perfect exclamation point to their against-all-odds story. I've listened to a few of the calls from that game, and I can hear in my own voice how delightedly dumbfounded I was by some of the unpredictable turns that game took. I was watching it unfold in front of my eyes, but I was still having a hard time believing it wasn't a dream. It's still hard to fathom sometimes how significant their accomplishment really is. Writing the book made it seem a little more real. I do remember getting back to the hotel that night feeling completely drained, as if I'd expended every ounce of energy I had.
4- What impressed you the most about the 2008 Bulldog Baseball team?
The unwavering trust that existed between those 25 players. That was the key. That's what allowed them to accomplish the unthinkable. To go from an RPI of 89 to the last team standing over the course of a month? That is unheard of! It is without a doubt one of the greatest underdog stories of all time, and it was fun in putting the book together to see some of the events and comments throughout the season that kind of foreshadowed the magic to come. They were so comfortable as a team, felt so much security and trust, that they were able to reduce the game to its purest form. No pressure, just play and have fun. As Coach Batesole puts it, they were like "sixth graders going out to recess," and I guess that dreaded bell never did ring.
5- What do you want readers to get from reading the book?
For Fresno State alumni and fans, I hope the book allows them to relive the magic over and over again, and hopefully learn a little more about the team and the Bulldog baseball family along the way. For those who aren't as familiar with the story, I hope it gives them an appreciation not just of how singularly significant this championship was in the context of college sports history, but also of how special the tradition of Fresno State baseball is. I think there are quite a few human elements to the narrative that will underscore what this meant to everyone involved, from the players and coaches to their families, fans, and the San Joaquin Valley as a whole. In general, I hope to give the readers the kind of connection with the characters involved that will make them want to follow the story from start to finish.
6- What did you enjoy most about the Bulldogs run to Omaha?
That's a tough one. There were so many incredible moments on the diamond, from Hedstrom's grand slam in Tempe to Ahmady's double play against North Carolina, to Jake Hower's turn in the spotlight, to the superhuman efforts of Wilson and Detwiler in the final game. It was really special to see the players and coaches experience that ultimate reward, and to see so many of them share it with their families there in Omaha. I don't think it's hyperbole to say it lifted up the entire Valley, and there's no question it inspired underdogs everywhere. Just to know that the longest of longshots really is possible is a powerful thing, and I feel tremendously blessed to have witnessed so much of it in person.
"Join the State - Fresno State"- Bulldog fans can preorder the Underdog to Wonderdogs book by logging onto wonderdogsbook.com.
