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GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 6 60 MY FAVORITES It is times like these when I ponder of my favorite photo shoots and accom- panying memories in my 22 years with Gold and Black. It should come as little surprise that they start with Joe Tiller and Drew Brees. In Tiller's "Look of A Winner" cover back in August 1997, I remember it be- ing a seasonable July day, not a scorch- er. Still, Tiller's patience with wearing a black tux (not necessarily the coach's usual attire) in July was appreciated. Tiller had a way of letting you know that he was willing to play along, though you might be imposing on him just a bit. And he did it while sprinkling in a couple off-color jokes I still can't repeat some 21 years later. In the end, Tiller's amazing first team in 1997 proved us to be prophetic with our cover caption, and photographer Tom Campbell knew how to get the im- age and get out of Dodge. With Brees, you knew you were in the presence of greatness, even when he was just 20 years old. We featured him on the covers of our 1999 and 2000 football yearbooks. In '99, I drove him to Grissom Air Force Base near Peru, Ind. for the shoot, and I remem- ber him sleeping all the way. But when we got to the base, Brees came to life, and it made for a memorable summer evening. After about an hour of Campbell taking pictures among the planes at Grissom, our small group escort- ed take Brees to dinner (yes, within NCAA rules). Looking back, it was a chance get to see the other side of this regular guy who was about to become a superstar. And the fact we spent the 50-mile trip home laughing, quoting "Caddyshack" lines, will forever make Brees special in my book. The following year, Campbell locat- ed a map of the U.S. at a local school for the "Best In The U.S." cover. There was a strong thunderstorm at the scheduled shoot time. I assumed there was no way the shoot would happen that evening, but Brees didn't. Despite the storm, he showed up, and Campbell quickly took the images, taking advantage of a col- orful backdrop of clouds and sunset. I arrived just in time to tell Brees and Campbell thank you. Therein lies one of the many differences between Brees and me, I guess. And that type of time and access to an athlete simply doesn't happen in today's world. One track record we were not only proud of, but also was absolutely essen- tial, was the fact that no one was ever hurt during our photo shoots. But this one came close. Line- backer Bobby Iwuchukwu, who was known for his jumping ability, ran and leaped behind Brandon Villareal, Bernard Pollard and Ray Edwards to get the shot. He had to land on A Home Equity Line with Old National opens the door of possibilities, allowing you to get you where you want to be. Great Rates + Borrowing Options L O A N S T O F I T Y O U R L I F E