Page 3 - Wayne Dispatch Pages

What if humanoids barnstormed the NFL?

How my husband’s unconventional idea materialized into a collaborative labor of love: A novel

By Courtney Conover which is located in a corner of our Newmark, who is the Editor-in-Chief
Whew. kitchen nook that I’ve carved out as of the Chicken Soup for the Soul
I’m going to be honest: I feel like my home office. It’s nothing fancy— book series.
I’ve just given birth. and it’s cluttered as all get-out, but it “Could ultra-sophisticated AI ro-
But, this time, instead of reveling passes muster. bots really replace flesh-and-blood
in that new baby smell, the pride and I’m about to write an article for a players?” she asks. “This delightful
joy I’m holding has 22 chapters, a client, but Scott has other plans. collaboration is filled with football
glossy cover, and an electronic sib- He pulls up a chair and gives me action, an insider look at the life of
ling. The Look. I raise my eyebrows. an NFL player, and a bit of suspense
It’s entitled AI Turf: Playing “So, I guess this is happening,” I too. Do the good guys win? The read-
Against All Algorithms, and it’s a say. ers certainly will. I couldn’t put it
novel which centers around shrewd Scott produces a piece of paper down.”
NFL owners, unyielding football play- bearing a prospective plot, and I’m Finally, columnist Neal Rubin of
ers, and a reimagined NFL. The immediately intrigued. the Detroit Free Press weighed in.
book tells the story of what happens AI Turf is Scott and Courtney Conover’s What ensues is a blur of common- “The football is as authentic as
when humanoid football players place activities: Seasons change; hol- humanly possible in AI Turf,” he
take to the field after collective bar- collaborative literary debut. idays come and go; and our children says. “As for using robots as players
gaining agreement negotiations be- overflowing with damp, heavy leaves graduate to new schools. to save a few dollars? Just give the
tween NFL owners and their human and push a pesty lock of hair behind And all the while, Scott and I NFL’s cheapskate owners time—or
players go awry. my ear. I’m flummoxed. I have a stick to the plan and write when we peek into the future, courtesy of ex-
And this book was a long time hunch about how he wants me to re- can, wherever we can—even while pro Scott Conover and his wife and
coming. spond, but I’m not certain. making the four-hour drive Up North co-author, Courtney.”
I humbly ask you, my dear Dis- Some background: to Mackinaw City last summer. I’ll stop there and refrain from
patch reader, to travel back in time As many of you may well know, You hear these beguiling stories— spilling any more details. But I will
a bit… I’ve been writing professionally for that sometimes border on whimsi- say that AI Turf would make an ex-
Before the Detroit Lions turned over 25 years. My work has ap- cal—about how writers close up cellent gift for the man or woman in
things around. peared in the Observer & Eccentric shop, head into the mountains, and your life who enjoys NFL football.
Before the price of eggs skyrock- newspapers, The Ann Arbor Ob- retreat from public life in order to I know, I know: That was a
eted to an amount that rivaled some server, and Metro Parent. I’ve written write and polish their novel. shameless plug. Forgive me.
folk’s car notes. a variety of cover stories for The Scott and I, on the other hand, Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got
Before the pandemic, even. Wayne Dispatch throughout the bantered about deadlines, character two loads of laundry to fold.
I’m talking more than five years years, and the Chicken Soup for the development, and historical accu- AI Turf: Playing Against All Algo-
ago. Soul book series will publish my racy between loads of laundry, par- rithms is available now on Amazon
That’s when my husband of 17 nineteenth story in 2025. ent-teacher conferences, and grocery in both paperback and e-book ver-
years, former Detroit Lions offensive In other words, nonfiction is my store runs. But, somehow, we got the sions.
lineman Scott Conover, corners me jam, and I’ve generally avoided the book published.
in our kitchen one morning and fiction sector. I write about adulting In the end, the process was time
takes me completely by surprise. humans—not football-playing robots. consuming, unorthodox, and exhila-
“So, I’ve got this idea,” he begins. “Let’s co-write a novel about this,” rating.
“Imagine if humanoids could actually Scott turns to me and says in One of the highlights was sharing
play football—NFL-caliber football.” earnest. our manuscript with old friends and
I don’t remember how I re- “Oh,” I reply. “You’re serious.” industry folk alike who provided
sponded to him back then. By the time the pandemic hits, feedback.
Our son and daughter were in el- Scott is all but consumed by all A former offensive lineman, Scott
ementary school at the time, so it’s things humanoid. played his entire NFL career with the
likely that my mind was preoccupied Anytime a humanoid movie is re- Detroit Lions (from 1991 until 1996)
with buying more Goldfish crackers, leased on a streaming platform, he’s and blocked for famed former run-
ordering our daughter’s new cheer all-in. Scott also becomes a vora- ning back and Pro Football Hall of
uniform, and brewing my coffee in cious consumer of technology-based Famer Barry Sanders during that
time for school drop-off. news, which, in retrospect, is com- time.
I thought that would be the end of patible with his personality. (He stud- He was the first of Scott’s team-
Scott’s fanciful thinking. ied technology at Purdue University mates to read our book.
It wasn’t. before being drafted by the Detroit “When my old teammate Scott
A week or so later, Scott brings Lions in 1991.) Scott’s information told me about his idea for this story,
up the tech-meets-turf concept again. gathering continues for the next year I thought it sounded pretty cool,”
This time, we’re removing leaves or two. says Sanders. “The idea of players
from our yard in an effort to spruce Fast-forward to a cold, blustery that could be replaced by robots is
it up for spring. morning in late 2022. mind blowing.” On Sale
“I’m serious,” he maintains. With a piping hot Americano in Next, I’m grateful for the input of now on Amazon.
I lower our wheelbarrow that’s hand, I sit down at my computer, my boss and mentor, author Amy
The Wayne Dispatch · December 2024 · 3