Mike Sherman

Age: 41

College: University of Central Oklahoma, 1986

Why SMI? APSE and SMI gave me access to some of the best minds in journalism, not just sports.

Journalism highlight: Getting the sports editor's job at the Daily Oklahoman.

Journalism lowlight: Was fired as a part-time agate clerk for the Oklahoma City morning paper for typing Baltimore at California into the advance Sports TV log and then forgetting to change it when Milwaukee beat the Orioles, my favorite team, on the last day of the regular season to win the AL East.

Athletic highlight: Beat Lefty Driesell's son in a one-on-one contest at the University of Maryland basketball camp with Lefty watching when I was 12 years old.

Last book read: Moneyball.

Best advice you ever received: Take everybody out to lunch before you start telling them what to do.

Journalism role model: Tim Chavez, a news columnist at the Nashville Tennessean. He has great empathy for people and is a great listener and is by far the wisest person I've known in journalism.

Dream job: Used to think it was covering the Orioles for the Baltimore Sun, but the job I have now is getting pretty close to it.

Fun fact: Through a family friend, I played catch with Johnny Unitas at a practice before Unitas' last game as a Colt.