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A true Odyssey comes into being
By JACK SHEPPARD
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 26, 2001
Jack Sheppard, Sports Editor
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Our look to the future started nearly two years in the past.
Seeking a fresh approach to our Super Bowl commemorative magazine, we brainstormed over strombolis at JJ's in downtown St. Petersburg. The idea came quickly:
2001: A Football Odyssey.
And an odyssey it has been.
Instead of rehashing the heroes and goats of the past 34 Super Bowls, which has been done 33 years in a row, we chose to whimsically look ahead. Imagine what the NFL, its championship game and the galaxy might look like 100 years from now.
And, this being the Super Bowl, we shot for the moon ... and beyond. First, we went to the experts. We called NASA. What better way to link football, Florida and the nation's biggest sporting event than to photograph two astronauts playing catch in the space shuttle? For a while, they actually sounded interested. The idea was strange enough, and the event was big enough, that we seemed to have a chance.
Alas, shuttle delays and other such priorities must've shoved our request to the bottom of some pile in Washington because after that initial interest, communication stopped.
We shot equally high for the centerpiece story, the futuristic essay that we'd need to set the tone for the entire section. First choice: famed science-fiction author Ray Bradbury. We contacted his representatives, found out he indeed would write for us, negotiated a price and eagerly awaited his creation.
Alas, upon its arrival, the work wasn't really what we had hoped. When several editing suggestions were met with stern refusals, we chose to pass.
Instead, we turned to the best writer we know: sports columnist Gary Shelton. He did not disappoint, as you will see on pages 10-13G.
From there, we were off and running. Times news artist David Williams was assigned the project, and he spent months brilliantly creating and illustrating all aspects of Super Bowl CXXXV. His imagination and dedication to the work you hold cannot be overstated.
Williams arranged for a local artist to create the football and Lombardi trophy of the future. He made all the arrangements for the cover photo (see About The Cover on the following page). He spoke with several companies for advice, and arranged for adidas to supply its vision of the football shoe of the future on page 19.
Along with sports design director Jim Melvin, assistant sports editor Mike Stephenson and many outstanding writers, reporters, photographers, artists, researchers and production professionals, we believe we have created a truly unique window into the future of football.
We hope you have as much fun as we did.
- Jack Sheppard, sports editor
Today's Odyssey
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