Behind the Scenes

the C ollegiate Fall 2014

The Cover That Was… and Wasn’t

Since The Collegiate went to full color in 2011, courtesy of Paul Zimmer (‘66), and Allied Printing, we have tried to make the cover of each issue special. A stand-alone photo that says something unique about De La Salle and Lasallian education. But what to put on the Winter cover? We had a story about the DLS archives, and our plans to digitize the photos, programs, and yearbooks. How about a cover with a careful arrangement of DLS and St. Joe items. A woolen St. Joseph’s Commercial baseball uniform, circa 1930’s. Trophies. Plaques. We think it’s an important project. So, we staged the photo. Cover done. Or was it? In early October, the varsity football team had a 3-3 record, with those three L’s coming in the final moments. Heartbreakers for Pilot fans at the game, and for alumni around the country listening in to the live play-by-play from our Student Broadcast Club. But then the team turned a corner, finishing the season at 6-3, earning a spot in the Division 2 playoffs that began on October 31. The Pilots easily won the opening playoff game against Grosse Pointe North, and followed up with the District Championship win over East English Village. Now we were in mid-November. A regional championship game against Brother Rice. A stunning DLS upset of the two-time defending Division 2 State Champions on November 15.. Four days to print. Should we swap out the archive photo for a picture from the game? A game played in cold, blowing conditions? A game with lots of heroes. And what if we were to win the semi-final against Southfield? And go to the State Finals? Our Advancement Team gathered and talked through the pros and cons. If we delayed for the cover, how much later would the 13,000 on our mailing list receive The Collegiate? But if we won the state championship, we would be forever kicking ourselves, having lost an opportunity to show our Pilot Pride. State Championships are elusive. De La Salle had never won a state football championship, despite two previous trips to the title game in the past ten years. The rest, as they say, is history. The Pilots defeated Southfield in the semi-final, and won a spot at Ford Field for the Championship on November 28. Gregg Mack, who takes thousands of sports photos through his business MrMack.com, was on the field as De La Salle rolled over Muskegon Mona Shores 44 -8. The following Monday, he brought in several shots of the team holding up the trophy. In the first few, the trophy was facing away from the camera, until Gregg caught the attention the C ollegiate

of Senior Captain Mike Danna. Trophy held up in the air, facing the camera. A perfect cover photo. Send the files to Allied. We’re done. But not quite. The euphoria over winning the State Championship was electrifying. We started getting requests for state championship apparel. Sweatshirts. Hats. T-shirts. And so we decided that the trophy photo would make a nifty poster. Something a student could pin up in his room. A point of pride for an alumnus with an office bulletin board. A framed souvenir of a glorious run. We still have a few State Championship 2014 posters left in the Pilot Hangar, but only a few. And that other cover? Maybe we’ll make a poster of that sometime, too. Vicki Granger Director of Communications The Collegiate Editor

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