Mark Conley

Age: 30

College: Attended San Francisco State.

Why SMI? I frequently have questions that I would love to pose to people who have been where I hope to be going. And I needed some license to bug them.

Personal athletic highlight: Ran for four touchdowns in a junior high football game.

Personal athletic lowlight: Found out the hard way I needed glasses during a crucial Little League All-Star game, completely losing a pop fly to the outfield late in the game. We lost.

Journalism highlight: Helped launch an alternative golf magazine (Fringe Golf) as managing editor.

Journalism lowlight: 17 years old, covering my first prep football game for a "real" newspaper, the long-gone San Clemente (Calif.) Daily Sun-Post. Had detailed notes, good quotes, everything in order, until I returned to the car ... to find my keys locked inside.

Last book read: Friday Night Lights.

Best advice: "Do what makes you happy," from parents and a few other wise souls.

Journalism role model: Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times. Contrary to a few early English teachers, he helped me realize reading and writing were supposed to be fun.

Dream job: Whichever one I'm doing at the time. (Though I wouldn't pass up Rick Reilly's gig, if offered.)

Fun fact: Anyone who's seen me swing a golf club wouldn't know I have an ace to my credit. But somehow I do. Age 19, 7-iron, from 156 yards.