"Have you ever considered writing a book?" a guy from the publishing company asked.

Interesting question.

"Sure," I thought. "Hundreds of times."

All of us—at least those of us who have spent most of our lives writing—have wrestled with the idea of doing a book.

Maybe not even one book. Many books. About many things.

"What kind of book are you looking for?" I asked the guy.

"Well, we’ve been publishing a series of ‘Tales’ books--like ‘Tales from the Nebraska Sidelines,’ ‘Tales from the LSU Sidelines’ and ‘Tales from Hog Heaven,’ which is about University of Arkansas sports. We also do ‘Tales’ books about professional teams—such as ‘Tales from the Yankees’ Dugout.’ The books have a distinctive format. They consist of 35- to 350-word vignettes.

"I don’t think there’s ever been a good book written on Iowa State sports, and I’d like you to do it. Dan McCarney has been doing well with the football program there, and Iowa State’s basketball teams have been pretty good. But before we definitely say it will be about Iowa State, I want to talk with other people from our company."

"Let me think about it," I told the guy. "Give me your phone number."

The publisher, by the way, is Sports Publishing L.L.C., of Champaign, Ill., the same company that did the popular "Hayden Fry—A High Porch Picnic" book that chronicled the career of the former Iowa football coach.

Although Fry did the coaching, former longtime Iowa athletic department spokesman George Wine did the writing of that book after interviewing the coach extensively.

Speaking of interviewing, I knew writing a book would be time-consuming. I knew it would sometimes be frustrating. I knew there would be deadlines.

But, a couple of days later, I called the guy from the publishing company back.

"I’ll do it," I told him.

"Great," he said. "Just one change, though, from the last time I talked with you. My bosses don’t want the book on Iowa State. They want it on Iowa. They’d like most of it to be on football, but also include some chapters on basketball and wrestling.

"No problem," I said, realizing that all authors need to be flexible. "I certainly can write a book on Iowa."

Thanks to the sensational 11-2 season Kirk Ferentz and his Hawkeyes had last season, and thanks also to a rich Hawkeye tradition, an idea has turned into a book that will be in a bookstore near you prior to Iowa’s season opener Aug. 30 against Miami of Ohio.

There was a significant change once I began writing the book and Iowa began building its eye-opening 2002 season.

I called Erin Linden-Levy, my editor, late last fall to suggest that maybe the book should be a football-only book because of how well the Hawkeyes were doing.

She said she’d talk to her bosses. They agreed it should be just about football. So the basketball and wrestling will have to wait until the next book.

I had a tremendous amount of fun researching and writing "Tales from the Iowa Sidelines." I was back in the Kinnick Stadium press box again. I saw and felt the magic on the field. I was in the Metrodome press box at Minneapolis when the Hawkeyes wrapped up their brilliant 8-0 Big Ten season.

I attended Ferentz’s Tuesday press conferences. I attended his postgame press conferences. I talked with him after the press conferences. I was in the press box at Pro Player Stadium in Miami when Iowa lost to USC in the Orange Bowl.

I picked the brains of those who told the stories of other Hawkeye football eras—radio announcers Bob Brooks, Jim Zabel and Ron Gonder—and longtime Iowa City columnist Al Grady. They helped me bring Iowa’s football memories back to life. Gary Dolphin, Iowa’s present play-by-play announcer, provided me with another strong perspective from the radio booth. George Wine was another man who provided very interesting historical background.

Highlights? Yes, many. Too many for one column.

Just permit to say for now that researching the Nile Kinnick era and the 1939 season that saw him become Iowa’s only Heisman Trophy winner was a special thrill for me. As I wrote in the book, Kinnick remains the most dynamic player in the 113-year history of Iowa football. At 24, he died much too young in the 1943 crash of his Navy fighter plane.

I regret never being able to see him play.