Q+A with Sean Jensen

Sean Jensen was born in South Korea then adopted and raised by his parents in California, Massachusetts and Virginia, mostly on or near military bases. After graduating from Northwestern University, he covered the Green Bay Packers for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel then the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press from 1999 to 2010. He broke many national stories, including the trade of receiver Randy Moss from the Vikings to the Oakland Raiders, and he’s penned award-winning profiles on many notable athletes like Moss, Cris Carter, Larry Fitzgerald, Jared Allen, Jay Cutler, Derrick Rose and Adrian Peterson, among many others. From 2010 to 2013, he was the Bears and NFL columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, also serving as the lead reporter for the paper’s coverage of the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club.

Sean and I have known each other for about 8 years but in the past 6 months, we've had various conversations about work, faith, and Sean's new book "The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher." I was fortunate to read an advanced copy and can't recommend it enough. It's the perfect book for children ages 10-14 who love sports, or just want to read a story about a boy who overcame adversity, worked hard, and never gave up to reach his dreams of being an NFL player.

Recently, Sean and I were able to sit down and have dinner and meet each other for the first time face to face. I've been fascinated by Sean's career path and thought he was the perfect person to do my first Q+A with on this blog.

Me: How did you get started in journalism?

Sean: Before my sophomore year of high school, my parents and I relocated from Massachusetts to Alexandria, Va. As we filled out my class schedule, I needed one more elective, and I didn’t know what to take. My mom said, “You’re a good writer, why don’t you sign up for journalism?”She’s regretted saying that ever since!I did sign up. And while the class wasn’t that exciting, one of my classmates invited me to join her at a journalism workshop on Saturday mornings. I decided to give it a shot.Little did I know that the program was through the Washington Association of Black Journalists, and it was held at Howard University. But I went, and I was blown away by the credentials and the passion from the mentors who ran it. Ken Cooper worked at the Washington Post. Pierre Thomas, who is now at ABC, was there. I believe other luminaries like Carole Simpson, Joe Johns and Kevin Merida were also very involved. Unlike my high school journalism class, I looked forward to attending the workshop. We got a chance to interview fascinating people and learn the basics of print, radio and television journalism.Though I was the only non African American student, I was embraced and encouraged like everyone else. So that is where my interest was stoked.It was so cool to hear Mr. Cooper talk about writing from the Middle East, and Mr. Thomas being involved in national stories, and Ms. Simpson ascending into the anchor ranks.I was very active in my high school, playing sports and leading different student groups. But I never really felt comfortable there. But I really looked forward to each and every Saturday morning at Howard – plus we always had really good lunch!Me: What was it like covering an NFL team on a regular basis? What were the pros and cons?Sean: I never intended to cover the NFL. When I graduated from Northwestern, I had a couple of different opportunities. One at a small television station, one at a national business magazine, and one at a weekly about the Packers for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. I chose the latter because it would provide me the greatest opportunity to write, write, write. I knew I needed practice, and Packer Plus would allow me to write 120-inch profiles on players and try all different types of stories, from columns to analyses and game stories.After covering the Packers in 1998, I was given an opportunity to cover the Minnesota Vikings, where I would be mentored by Don Banks. The goal was for him to show me the ropes during the 1999 NFL season, then for me to become the lead beat writer and allow him to transition into writing columns and takeouts about the Vikings and the NFL. Well, I did learn a lot from Don, but he was hired by CNN/SI after that season, and I was elevated to the top spot. It was sink or swim, and I knew I wasn’t ready. But I worked hard, and I had developed some strong sources in my first couple of seasons on the NFL.I’m proud of my breaking stories, profiles and many features and blog posts in 10 years at the Pioneer Press.Among the pros of my time as a beat writer: Interacting with some very talented and accomplished people. It was inspiring to see what some of the players I covered had to overcome to reach the NFL. It was inspiring to see the sacrifices some of the coaches had to make to become coordinators or head coaches. And the more seasons I covered, the more I saw players, coaches and scouting executives grow and ultimately achieve their dreams.As a newspaper reporter, I don't have the benefit of any sponsorships or big-money contracts between my employer and a club or athlete. So I have to build trust the old fashioned way. That was a challenge but it was also gratifying.Among the cons: The emphasis on sensational stories and “look at me” columns and social media posts. Growing up, I delivered the Boston Globe, then I closely followed the Washington Post. There were superstar columnists and writers at both papers, but I didn’t feel they looked at themselves as “celebrities.”Many have become that, but I’m not sure that was their goal or intention. Nowadays, I feel that’s what people aim for, not so much the meaningful stories and exposes that make a real difference.I also don't like the obsession with social media and trying to out-scoop someone else by milliseconds. You’re also on the clock 24/7, it seems, given the never-ending cycle of stories and interest in all things NFL.Days after the Viking season ended in 1999 – my first year on the beat for the Pioneer Press – my sports editor called me into the office. He said something to the effect of, “You worked really hard this season. Good job. Now I don't want to see you again for two months.”The point is, there was a distinct NFL offseason, a time when players sometimes took on internships or even jobs. But as the NFL has grown – particularly with the arrival of the NFL Network – the league’s calendar has grown more robust, key dates pushed back, “voluntary” workouts added. Now the “offseason” is over in a blink.Me: Who are the most engaging athletes you've ever been around?Sean: I’ve been fortunate to cover some real characters.When he wanted to, Brett Favre could just own a room. I recall once, during a casual moment, he and a few of the writers were just shooting the breeze. His cameo in Something About Mary came up, and one writer jokingly made fun of Favre’s “acting.”Favre quipped, “Oh yeah, how many movies have you sucked in?”In Green Bay, during the 1998 season, I was very fortunate that Reggie White showed a lot of kindness to me. I have no earthly idea why, but he would talk to me, oftentimes about anything but football. I did a huge package for Packer Plus on Reggie, and he connected me with his wife and other key people in his life. He was such a fascinating man, and he just had a regal presence about him.Honestly, I’ve covered too many great guys to list them all. Plus, I have a pretty poor memory, so I surely would forget someone. But, by and large, I’ve covered more good guys than bad ones.Me: You seemed to have the perfect job covering sports on a daily basis as a reporter and columnist and then you walked away from it. Why?Sean: I loved my job. I got paid handsomely to report on the NFL, travel to games, including the Super Bowl, and write news stories, features and columns. But for me to excel in my job, I’d have to be all-in, working the phones constantly and writing stories perpetually. With two young children, though, I just couldn't be all-in. Months before the 2014 NFL season, I got a very lucrative offer to cover the whole league. Sure, I could be based in the Twin Cities, where my wife had a good job at a Fortune 100 company. But I would travel a couple of times per week, jump in on the “hot stories” and cover the top games from week to week. There would be no set schedule, with travel often booked days in advance.The job would have been a dream at 24, or 26, or even 30.But I believe young children need consistency, and they need routine, and I wouldn't be able to provide that by being on call 24/7 and making last-minute business trips. That would obviously also put a lot of pressure on my wife.I recall telling the person trying to hire me: “This isn’t a win-win situation. Your company and my family can’t win. And right now, my family has to come first.”Ultimately, I realized it was impossible for me to continue getting paid well to cover the NFL but not travel that much or work around the clock. So I decided I had to make some changes in my professional life.It’s hardly been easy or smooth, but I have no regrets. I drive my son to and from school nearly every day, and I eat dinner and put my kids to bed almost every night. There have been so many memorable experiences that my flexible schedule has allowed. One day, on our drive to school, Elijah asked me, “Dad, can you eat lunch with me today?”I had a meeting with a local sports executive, but I figured I could move it. “Sure, Elijah.”At lunch, one of Elijah’s friends whispered to him, “Why is your dad here?”Elijah paused and said, “Because I asked him to.”All the boys wanted to sit near Elijah and I. Then, as we left the lunchroom, Elijah’s friends asked me, “Are you coming to recess with us?”I said, “That’s Elijah’s decision.”Elijah did want me to come, so he and I played basketball on six-foot rims against eight of his friends. I swatted all their shots, and Elijah and I won handily.That night, he recounted to his mother about the basketball game.I don't know how long he’ll think I’m cool and want to hang around with me. But I definitely want to enjoy that time now.Me: Tell me about your walk with faith and how that's impacted you both as a husband, father and in your job?Sean: I’m a Christian because of my wife. When we dated at Northwestern, she always said, “I’m not going to marry anyone who isn’t a Christian.” I would try to come up with caveats, suggesting I would become a Christian – which I was not growing up – but not show up to church on Sundays.But we continued to date after college. Then when I was 100 percent sure I wanted to marry her, I started to regularly attend a church.I’m perfectly imperfect, but I marvel at the spiritual maturity of my wife, and I’m constantly humbled by her – and His – grace towards me. I served as a deacon at my old church, and I started a men’s ministry at my current church. And while I’ve got a long way to go in my own walk, I’m proud that I’m a better man today than I was 10 years ago, or even five years ago.I take seriously my call to lead my family in Godly ways, not worldly ways. I find that too many of us are trying to become a man without having a clear definition of what a man is. We’re working with 33 The Series, and the definition they provide a noble one.Authentic men reject passivity, accept responsibility, lead courageously and invest eternally.I’m big on the word integrity, and I believe that’s one of the reasons I’ve been able to build trust with a lot of sources and contacts.And though Jesus taught us many, many lessons, one I’ve really focused on is thinking less of myself and more about others. Instead of asking, “What’s in it for me?” I try to think, “How can I bless someone else?Me: You wrote this book "The Middle School Rules" with former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher. How did it come about?Sean: My wife and I try to read to our kids every day, especially before bedtime. It’s one of my favorite parts of my day. Nothing gives me more joy than watching my kids really get into a story, seeing them laugh and smile. But I was often frustrated because my son Elijah seemed drawn to naughty characters.Of course, I wanted my son to read. But I also wanted him to get positive messaging from the book.As a sportswriter, I’ve been fortunate to really get to know some athletes. And more often than not, athletes had to overcome quite a bit to reach the NFL. Oftentimes, they have very inspirational stories.So that was the initial idea.I put together some thoughts on my concept, and I shared them with a publisher I knew. He loved the idea!After fine-tuning the concept some more, we started to consider the athlete we would start with. Brian immediately jumped to mind. Though he was the face of his franchise, Brian didn’t really like the attention, it seemed. I recall one Christmas when I discovered that he was basically playing Santa Claus at a South Side school. One day, I approached him and asked him to comment on it.Brian was horrified.“Dude, you can’t write about that,” he said.“Why not?” I asked.Brian explained that he and his children loved visiting that school and helping to bring joy into the lives of some students who may not be getting many gifts for Christmas, if at all.“This is a good thing,” I told him. “What’s wrong with some positive pub?”“I don't do it because I want the attention,” he said.It can be tricky. Athletes volunteer in the community or donate a significant amount to a non-profit. The attention can be critical for that organization and garner more interest. It’s a Catch-22 I recall discussing with Charles Tillman, the Bears standout cornerback.But sometimes, I’ve seen athletes donate money or “volunteer” someplace and just walk through the motions, clearly doing it for their image. That’s made some non-profits leery of working with athletes, because kids know when an athlete doesn't want to be there.So I thought Brian would be a good fit for my first book.I texted him and asked him to call me so I could bounce an idea off of him. He called, and I told him I wanted to develop a book series for middle schoolers based on the inspirational childhood stories of famous athletes. I thought today’s kids could relate to his upbringing in Lovington, New Mexico, where he was undersized and had to deal with a lot of challenges, on and off the field.After my spiel, Brian said, “I love it. I’m in.” Sean's new book "The Middle School Rules of Brian Urlacher" is available here. http://amzn.to/1zOvs5Z