Joe Drape

I don’t know what I expected of a New York Times reporter, but Joe Drape definitely wasn’t it. He was approachable. He was personable. He seemed way more down-to-earth than I imagined.

Drape had many interesting insights to offer to the class, but the thing that intrigued me the most was his discussions about writing his books.

The entire time I read “Our Boys” I wondered what the people in town thought about his portrayal. I wondered if he took notes to get quotes, and how that affected his writing.

It was interesting to hear that he had to duck around corners to write down information for his story, and also fascinating how he noticed part of the way into writing his book that there was something missing: Him. Amazingly, his publishers allowed him to put himself in the story, and that was one thing that made the book so intriguing.

Moving to Smith Center seems like it would be a huge leap, especially when you’re used to the hustle and bustle of New York. Drape’s anecdotes about his wife and her reactions to small-town Kansas were amusing. I imagine I’d feel the same way if I walked into town and saw literally nobody on the street.

I wonder how he feels about leaving his family behind to travel the world for stories. I wonder how much of his time is devoted to travel, and how much he gets to choose where he will go.

His insights on writing were thought-provoking. He really understands that telling a sports great story isn’t always about the sport; often it’s about the emotion, the inner turmoil, the drama.

I think it’s fantastic how he’s stayed involved with Smith Center, still keeping up with people in town and the games. It shows a writer who is truly passionate about his work.