By Joe Perovich/Murphy News Service
Sean Jensen is a connector. The long-time NFL beat reporter, a.) took the life and playing experience of retired All-Pro Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, b.) mixed in his own creative writing and concepts, c.) added the illustrative skills of a 21-year-old University of Minnesota student d.) found a believer in the project who would help Jensen publish a children’s book e.) aimed at teaching life values to middle schoolers.
The result? “The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher.” The book was published last month and quickly sprinted to the top of the sales lists of several Amazon.com “young reader” book categories.
But wait, let’s go back a page, and look more closely at each piece to the playbook.
Brian Urlacher/The famous retired athlete:
Ostensibly, retired NFL linebacker Brian Urlacher was unbreakable in his 13 years with the Chicago Bears.
The four-time All-Pro patrolled Chicago’s Soldier Field for his entire career. He was revered for his business-like approach on the field, where he swallowed up one ball carrier after the next in the line of duty.
To the opposition, Urlacher’s strength was that of which they could see and feel, but his genuine strength came from within – from the values, lessons and shortcomings he was dealt during that mercurial, yet awkward time known as junior high school.
Sean Jensen/The veteran NFL beat writer and sports reporter
Enter former NFL beat reporter Jensen, who conceived the idea to work with Urlacher to develop a book that would promote the importance of values to children.
Jensen wrote each chapter as its own standalone, providing different snapshots of Urlacher’s childhood, in situations in which he learned many of the values and qualities that have defined his life and playing career.
“I think the heart of this for (Urlacher) was being able to share his story, that maybe his upbringing and the challenges he dealt with can help kids today, and that’s worthwhile,” Jensen said. “Before, it was hard to get Brian to talk about himself. But with this (the book) in mind, he was very candid and easy to work with.”
Jensen has covered the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and most recently the Bears, where he was able to cultivate his relationship with Urlacher while working as the team beat writer for the Chicago Sun-Times.
Some of the book’s content derives there – before either party knew they would be joining story-telling forces. The bulk of the stories though, were obtained during trips to Urlacher’s hometown – Lovington, New Mexico – and Urlacher’s present-day home in suburban Chicago.
“I spent time with him, got the meat of the story, gobbled up phone conversations, and then I spent time in Lovington to get a feel for the community he’s from,” Jensen said. “I spoke with coaches and teammates that he grew up with, his brother and his sister. I was really able to get a lot of different perspectives on his story.”
Carlton Garborg/The book publisher who believed
The Wisconsin-based BroadStreet Publishing Group LLC, headed by Carlton Garborg, bought into the idea for The Middle School Rules with Brian Urlacher because Garborg trusted Jensen.
“(Sean and I) just got to talking one day, and since he’s a sports writer, I said, ‘Hey man, we have to get you writing a book for us, you could be the next Mitch Albom,’” Garborg said.
Garborg and Jensen had worked together in the past, but this was the first time they’d partnered on a book.
“We’ve sold well. Most of the bigger chains have bought it and are supporting it, and sales are great so far,” Garborg said. “It’s exciting. Sean’s a great guy, he’s a good friend and I trust him … we’re just having a blast with it.”
That trust, Garborg said, was fostered by the consistently good impressions that Jensen made upon him over the years.
Max Smith/The upstart U of M illustrator
Concurrently, others had been leaving favorable impressions on Jensen – namely Max Smith, the illustrator of “The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher.”
Smith is a 21-year-old junior at the University of Minnesota, who enrolled in a journalism course that Jensen taught on the Twin Cities campus during the spring of 2013.
“At the time the semester ended we were looking for an illustrator, and I recalled that Max was a cartoonist at the Minnesota Daily,” Jensen said.
“We got a submission from a professional. I didn’t think it was that great, so I just messaged Max and asked him to do a rendering of an athlete as a little boy who would be looking at the older version of himself in the mirror.”
Smith produced a sample just two days later, and Jensen and Garborg said they were impressed.
“It was really, really good, so I text messaged it to [Garborg]. I didn’t tell him who it was, I said ‘Hey, what do you think of this picture?’ and he texted back, ‘Whoa, that’s really good. Who is this person?’
Smith is studying journalism with a minor in design. A self-described “quiet student,” Smith initiated several chats between he and Jensen before and after class time for advice on internships or how best to develop a given skill.
When Jensen asked him to be the book’s illustrator, “I was pretty much in right away,” Smith said.
The book is in full-color and has several of Smith’s detailed drawings scattered throughout to supplement the text. Smith said it took him two and a half months to complete the illustration project.
“Max did well in my class, but what stood out to me about him was he was somebody who was responsible, he was accountable, he showed up to class, he worked hard in class – so I had a really good impression of him,” Jensen said. “I wouldn’t have asked him to do this if I didn’t think he was great.”
The Book/Positive reviews, selling well
And the book IS doing well – “The Middle School Rules” sits at or near the top of three Amazon.com ‘teen’ categories – football, Christian inspirational and sports biographies.
It’s been featured on a Yahoo! Sports blog.
And retired Super Bowl-winning NFL coach Tony Dungy has blessed it, as have current and former NFL players.
“Even though it’s a sports book – the story itself is a bit more universally applicable than just football,” Smith said. “If there is a kid dealing with issues through school, in his personal life … this book deals with both. It has stories that anybody can relate to at that point in their life.”
Jensen said he had always envisioned himself writing a book at some point in his career – but he never anticipated it would be a children’s book. The idea first came to him while reading to his son, Elijah, in December 2013. He wanted children around the same age as his son – “an underserved age range” to be able to read a book that paired a likable character with positive subject matter.
“I hope this is my thing. I’m really hoping that I can develop this into a series so we can do a couple each year, because I have to tell you, I really enjoy the process,” Jensen said. “I developed an idea based off my son – some people are enjoying it, so we’ll just continue, you know?”
Reporter Joe Perovich is studying journalism at the University of Minnesota.