San Francisco Giants Book Is Out Now

by | Jun 7, 2013 | baseball, television

giantsbookAn updated edition of my book, “Giants: Where Have You Gone,” is available now. It’s a where-are-they-now book of former San Francisco Giants players and managers that my college friend Matt and I originally wrote in 2005.

The newly revised edition includes two new chapters, one on the World Series championships of 2010 and 2012 and the other on All-Star second baseman Jeff Kent and his post-baseball career as a reality TV star on the CBS show, “Survivor.”

It was fun to interview Kent, particularly since I’m a Survivor fan. (Yes, I still watch after all these years). I followed the 2012 fall season intently. As the season progressed, I rooted for him unabashedly, while taking mental notes of his strategic moves and performance on challenges since I knew I wanted to interview him for the book.

Fortunately, he agreed to a phone interview in December, which I’ve turned into a Q&A for the book. Kent admits that he wasn’t known as the most sociable guy in a baseball clubhouse, but he was incredibly social on Survivor. And he was incredibly nice, personable and funny during my 35-minute phone conversation with him.

For example, at the end of the phone call, I told Kent that that my brother purchased an autographed baseball bat of his at a silent auction fundraiser in San Francisco in 2000 or 2001. And that today, my brother keeps it in his living room, and if burglars ever break into this house, he’s going to grab the bat and start whacking at them.

Kent laughed and said, “You tell him to hit them in the sweet spot.”

The updated book is available on Amazon in hardcover, as an e-book, or as an audio book. Here’s the link.

TiVo in Vogue

by | Feb 9, 2007 | television

I’ve had TiVo for five weeks now, and a trend is clearly developing.

Before TiVo: I read about 3.5 books a month.

After TiVo: I’ve read six pages. Total. And that was waiting at the DMV.

It’s so wonderful to record stuff like Sleeper Cell, 30 Rock and every film ever made by Hitchcock (yeah!) — and to watch them at my leisure. Of course, I could have done the same with our dusty old VCRs. But I’ve been out of blank tapes for the last, oh, eight years. I suppose I could have purchased more blank tapes, but… what a hassle. Unless it was baseball or the news, I’ve mostly avoided TV and just cracked open a book.

But now, how can I possibly read the novel (now a coaster) on my bedside table when three thrilling episodes of 24 await me?