badgers_6

Badgers Chapter VI - “shocker” TIME: WINTER 2008 SETTING: MANDY, AN ATTRACTIVE ATHLETIC HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL RECRUIT FROM JANESVILLE CRAIG HIGH SCHOOL IN WISCONSIN BEGINS HER SECOND YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. SHE IS COMPETING FOR A STARTING STRIKER POSITION AGAINST A SENIOR. HER MAJOR IS ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND SHE HAS MOVED INTO THE DG ( DELTA GAMMA ) HOUSE ON CAMPUS. MANDY HAS A HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, MAX, WHO ATTENDS RIPON COLLEGE - AN HOUR AWAY. MANDY IS CATHOLIC, THOUGH SHE HAS STOPPED ATTENDING MASS, HAS CLOSE FRIENDS - ALEX - WHO IS A BACKUP QUARTERBACK ON THE UNIVERSITY TEAM AND JAN - HER TALKATIVE AND ATTRACTIVE SORORITY SISTER. FOLLOW ALONG AS THE TURBULENT YEAR OF A SORORITY GAL AND ATHLETE AT THE UW IS EXPOSED. THERE IS RARELY A DULL MOMENT AS ACADEMIC, ATHLETIC, AND GREEK COLLEGE LIFE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN IS OPENLY EXPOSED. MANDY YES JAN LIFE DOES GO ON. ALEX SAID THIS WOULD TAKE A FEW WEEKS FOR ME TO RECOVER. AND I’M OVER RICH WELLMAN - I THINK ANYWAY. JAN YES LIFE DOES GO ON. WE ARE ALL DEALING WITH MAX’S DEATH THE BEST WE CAN. BUT RICH WELLMAN AND CAROLYN WON’T LAST. SHE IS TOO MUCH OF A YOU KNOW WHAT. MANDY AGAIN I REALLY DON’T CARE - WE GOT BOPPED OUT IN THE FINALS OF THE BIG 10 TOURNAMENT BY A BUNCH OF HUNGRY OBNOXIOUS BUCKEYES. JAN AND THE FINALS IN THE NCAA REGIONALS DIDN’T GO SO WELL EITHER. STANFORD ABSOLUTELY KILLED US. WHAT DID THE COACH SAY ?

MANDY WE JUST NEED TO IMPROVE A TON - THAT’S ALL - WE’RE QUITE YOUNG. JAN I AGREE - NEXT YEAR WE’LL HAVE MORE BLOCKS, DIGS, BETTER SETS, AND MORE SCORING.

2

MANDY AND OUR SERVING WILL BE MUCH BETTER AS MANY OF THE SERVERS INCLUDING CAROLYN CAN REALLY SERVE WELL. JAN SUPERB - ALL OF US DG PEOPLE WILL REALLY HAVE SOME GAMES TO GO TO NEXT SEASON. MANDY YOU BET. AND THEN SOME EVENINGS AFTER THE GAMES AT THE KK. CANNOT WAIT. JAN THEY ARE THINKING OF CLOSING THE KK - DID YOU HEAR THAT ?

MANDY NO I DIDN’T - IT HAS BEEN A UW INSTITUTION FOR OVER 58 YEARS. WHAT WILL WE DO ?

JAN OH - WE’LL JUST USE THE UNION FOR A HANGOUT. IT’S SUPERB BACK THERE AT THE OUTDOOR TERRACE. ALEX HEY I HEARD ALL THAT. NO WAY THEY WILL NEVER CLOSE THE KK. JUST WON’T HAPPEN. WHERE WILL WE GET THOSE SPECIAL BRATS ?

MANDY WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALEX ? IS YOUR HEAD OK AFTER THE LAST FOOTBALL GAME ?

ALEX YES - I’VE BEEN WORKING ON MY ¬PRE DENT REQUIREMENTS. IT IS SO TOUGH. A TON HARDER NOW THAN IT WAS FORMERLY TO GET INTO DENTAL SCHOOL. MY HEAD IS OK PER UW NEUROLOGY. JAN YOU SOUND GOOD - I’M HAPPY FOR YOU. I HEAR ORGANIC CHEMISTRY HERE IS AN ABSOLUTE BEAR. ALEX IT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE. IN FACT MANY OF THE PRE MEDS AND PRE DENTS REALLY STRUGGLE WITH THIS COURSE, DROP IT, AND TAKE IT CRAMMED INTO THE SUMMER. MANDY WELL I APPLAUD YOU. THE WORD ON THE STREET IS THAT IT IS MORE DIFFICULT NOW TO GET INTO A DENTAL SCHOOL THAN A MEDICAL SCHOOL. 3

ALEX YES - IT IS MORE DIFFICULT IT SEEMS EVERY YEAR - BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO - ONLY DO YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST AND LIVE WITH IT. JAN AGREED - DO YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST AND MAYBE YOU’LL SUCCEED. I KNOW - HECK I’VE FAILED SO MANY TIMES IN THE PAST BUT KEEP COMING BACK. MANDY YES - I’VE HAD A ROOMMATE WHO ACTUALLY GETS A HORRIBLE FIRST GRADE ON A TEST AND DOESN’T DUMP THE CLASS. YOU FIGHT THROUGH IT JAN AND GET A B-PLUS. UNBELIEVABLE. ALEX YOU ARE OK JAN. WE ARE ALL JUST FUN LOVING HARD WORKING BADGERS. WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY. VERY IMPRESSIVE JAN. MANDY NOT ENOUGH IMPRESSION FOR A FOLLOW UP DATE AFTER THE FALL BALL ALEX ?

ALEX HANG ON - AGAIN WE ARE THE BADGERS - JAN AND I ARE FRIENDS. WE’RE ALL FRIENDS. MANDY OK - I’M SORRY - I REALLY WAS JUST KIDDING - I REALIZE WE ARE ALL FRIENDS AND......

JAN BADGERS. ALEX WELL HOW ABOUT WE ALL HEAD DOWN TO THE KK AND CATCH A BEER. MANDY WHY DON’T YOU TWO GO AND I’LL CATCH UP WITH YOU. I NEED TO GET AN ON LINE PSYCHOLOGY TEST IN TONIGHT. JAN SOUNDS GOOD. MY HOMEWORK IS ALL CAUGHT UP. ALEX I’M GOOD - A BEER SOUNDS GREAT. SEE YOU IN A BIT MANDY.

4

JAN WOW - THE KK HAS QUITE A BIT OF HISTORY. ALEX 58 YEARS WORTH. JAN LOOK AT THAT KK TEE SHIRT SAYING: “ DON’T LET SCHOOL INTERFERE WITH YOUR EDUCATION.“ ALEX THAT IS PRETTY COOL. I HOPE SOME OF OUR PROFESSORS DON’T SEE THOSE SHIRTS. JAN I’M SURE THEY KNOW ABOUT THEM. ALEX I’M CERTAIN THEY COULD HANDLE IT BECAUSE IT IS SO UNBELIEVABLY LIBERAL AT THIS UNIVERSITY. JAN THE OLD SAYING - YES ONE OF THE GREAT UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD - HOWEVER WE ARE TEMPERED WITH A PAST HISTORY OF RIOTS, STUDENT VIOLENCE DATING BACK TO VIETNAM, AND NOTED AS THE BEST AND WORST FOOTBALL STADIUM TO PLAY AT - DEPENDING IF YOU ARE HOME OR AWAY. ALEX WELL - ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT BEING OUT THERE WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WELL - THE FAN SUPPORT TO A BACK UP QB AND TEAM IS GREAT. JAN YES - THAT SOUNDS GREAT - BUT IF YOU ARE ON THE OPPOSING TEAM......

ALEX IT IS MISERABLE - THE QUARTERBACK CANNOT HEAR ANY SIGNALS. EVERYONE IS CONFUSED INCLUDING THE CHEERLEADERS, COACHES, BAND, AND PLAYERS. JAN BUT IT IS SOMETHING YOU’LL OBVIOUSLY NEVER FORGET RIGHT ?

ALEX YES - I CAN HONESTLY SAY THE HOME WINS WERE GREAT I’LL NEVER FORGET THE ABSOLUTE PURE FAN SUPPORT IN EVERY WAY.

5

JAN DO YOU THINK PLAYING WILL HELP YOU GET INTO DENTAL SCHOOL ?

ALEX NO - ONLY AT THE MARQUETTE DENTAL SCHOOL MAYBE. JAN YOU MEAN IF ONE OF THE STAFF ADMISSION COMMITTEE GUYS WAS A UW FOOTBALL FAN - WELL THIS MAY HELP. ALEX PRECISELY - AT MOST PLACES WE UW PLAYERS MAY BE HATED BECAUSE OF THE TOUGH FANS. WHO KNOWS ?

JAN YES I UNDERSTAND. DO YOU HAVE BACK UP PLANS IN CASE DENTISTRY ISN’T YOUR CALLING ?

ALEX YES - I’LL PROBABLY GO BACK TO PLATTEVILLE WHERE I GREW UP, COACH FOOTBALL, AND TEACH. JAN THROUGH TEACH AMERICA ?

ALEX PROBABLY - I’M NOT CERTAIN. I’M ON THE BUBBLE WITH A 3.4 AND OK DENTAL ADMISSION TEST SCORES. JAN SOUNDS GOOD - SO CAN WE TALK ABOUT US ?

ALEX JAN - I THOUGHT WE WERE JUST THE BADGER GROUP - I MEAN THE FALL BALL REALLY SET THE TEMPO FOR BEING FRIENDS. JAN WELL ALEX ALL GOOD COUPLES THAT LAST START OUT AS FRIENDS....AND THEN IT TURNS INTO SOMETHING MORE. ALEX I THINK I’LL HAVE A KAMIKAZE DRINK AFTER ALL THIS. JAN WE HAVEN’T EVEN ACTUALLY DATED YET. JAN I THINK I’LL HAVE ANOTHER MILLER LIGHT. LOOK ALEX YOU NEED TO THINK AHEAD. I MEAN YOU’VE GOT THE NFL COMBINE IN A YEAR, STARTING QB NEXT YEAR, DENTAL SCHOOL, AND YOU’LL NEED A PARTNER FOR ALL THIS.

6

ALEX WELL I HADN’T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT MUCH OF THIS STUFF. I’M ONLY WORRIED ABOUT GETTING THROUGH ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. NOTHING MORE. JAN BUT ALEX - THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN JUST THESE SCHOOL MATTERS - YOU NEED TO SHARE YOUR LIFE WITH SOMEONE YOU KNOW, LOVE, AND TRUST. ALEX JAN, I KNOW YOU MEAN WELL - AND THE FALL BALL WAS GREAT - BUT I’M SOCIALLY IMMATURE - JUST ASK MY MOTHER. I’M PROBABLY 3 - 4 YEARS BEHIND YOU. JAN NO I’M NOT RUNNING AROUND LOOKING FOR A HUSBAND - I JUST WANT A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE I REALLY KNOW. ALEX NO ONE HAS EVER TALKED TO ME LIKE THIS BEFORE - NO ONE. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT NO GIRL WOULD EVER REALLY BE INTERESTED THAT MUCH IN MYSELF. JAN ALEX, THERE ARE TONS OF UW COEDS WHO WOULD NEARLY DIE FOR YOU - DON’T YOU KNOW THAT ?

ALEX NO I DO NOT - IN FACT I HAVE NO TIME FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH A GIRL IN MY LIFE - BECAUSE OF SCHOOL AND SPORTS. JAN I SEE - I MUST MEAN VERY LITTLE TO YOU ALEX. ALEX NO I DON’T MEAN OR IMPLY THAT - NOW IS JUST NOT THE TIME. IT MAY COME. IN FACT YOU HAVE SCHOOL ALSO. DON’T KID YOURSELF. JAN OK - I CAN LIVE WITH THAT - I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW MY FEELINGS. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND ALEX THAT MEN ARE TOTALLY IN CONTROL OF ALL RELATIONSHIPS THEY DIRECT EVERYTHING FROM THE FIRST DATE UNTIL THE ASKING FOR OUR HAND - AND EVEN GETTING RID OF US. MEN CAN ALWAYS ELECT NOT TO DO ANYTHING, AND WOMEN ARE LEFT HANGING.

7

ALEX WELL I’LL GIVE THIS SOME SERIOUS THOUGHT - WHERE WERE WE BEFORE ALL OF THIS ?

JAN BEFORE THE NFL COMBINE ALEX I’M NOT GOING TO THE NFL COMBINE UNLESS I THROW THE BALL ALL OVER THE FIELD NEXT YEAR. THIS WON’T HAPPEN. JAN BUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IN FACT PUT YOU AS A SLEEPER FOR THE COMBINE - A POSSIBLE BROOKS BERRINGER TYPE GUY. ALEX OH YOU MEAN THE GUY WHO CAME OFF THE BENCH TO WIN A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR NEBRASKA BACK IN THE 90S. JAN YES - BUT ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE BROOKS DIED IN A PLANE CRASH THE NEXT YEAR. ALEX I GUESS THAT IS WHY YOU NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERY DAY. JAN DID YOU KNOW ALEX THAT THE KK IS RATED THE MOST LIKELY SPOT ON THE UW CAMPUS TO FIND YOUR LIFE LONG MATE ?

ALEX WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT - THE BADGER HERALD ?

JAN NO THE CARDINAL - AND THEY’VE GOT STATS FROM ALUMNI. ALEX WELL I GUESS WE MET HERE DIDN’T WE ?

JAN AND ACCORDING TO OUR SERVER OF THESE BRATS WITH KRAUT - THE KK HAS SEEN RELATIONSHIPS BEGIN FOR....

ALEX 58 YEARS - THAT IS A LONG TIME - PROBABLY NOT AS LONG AS THE UNION.

8

JAN OK - I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE ARE ALL AT LEAST LIFE LONG FRIENDS - I DON’T WANT COLLEGE TO EVER END. WE’VE ALL HAD SUCH A GREAT TIME TOGETHER - EVEN CONSIDERING THE MAX DEATH. ALEX WOW - I DON’T KNOW HOW MANDY WILL EVER GET THROUGH THIS - EVER. JAN IN FACT THAT IS MANDY ON HER CELL SAYING SHE IS LEAVING THE DG HOUSE AND WILL BE HERE SHORTLY - HAS SOME HOT NEWS. ALEX I WONDER WHAT IT IS ? NOTHING IS STABLE IN HER LIFE RIGHT NOW - I MEAN WITH CAROLYN STEALING HER POSITION, LOSING OUT TO RICH WELLMAN, AND WELL THIS DOESN’T SOUND GOOD. JAN NO IT DOESN’T - IN FACT WHEN MANDY SAYS POUR HER SOME KEG BEER - ANY TYPE. SHE’S DONE WITH HER ON LINE EXAM IN PSYCHOLOGY. ALEX COOL - SO SHE’S JUST CELEBRATING OVER THE EXAM BEING DONE. THAT IS ALL. JAN NO IT IS MORE - MUCH MORE - THERE WAS STRAIN AND PRESSURE IN HER VOICE. IT’S BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE MAX’S DEATH AND WELL....I KNOW AS A ROOMMATE THAT SHE IS REALLY OVER THIS QUITE A BIT. ALEX OH LOOK - HERE SHE COMES. HEY MANDY !

MANDY HEY BADGERS - I KNOW I DON’T WANT TO UPSET YOU, BUT I RECEIVED A CALL FROM AN OLD GIRLFRIEND IN JANESVILLE WHO I’VE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH AFTER HIGH SCHOOL - AND THERE WAS A RUMOR AND NOW IT’S APPARENTLY A FACT THAT....

JAN HANG ON MANDY - I’VE NEVER SEEN YOU LIKE THIS. MAX IS IN HEAVEN - IT’S OVER. I KNOW HOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM CAN AFFECT YOU SINCE YOU KNEW HIM SINCE PRESCHOOL BUT...

9

ALEX YES CHILL OUT MANDY - I’VE NEVER SEEN YOU LIKE THIS YOU ARE SHAKING, AND YOUR FACE IS RED HOT, AND NOW YOUR ARE CRYING. JAN HAVE ANOTHER GULP OF THIS LEINENKUGEL BEER - TAP. AND THEN TELL US WHAT HAS HAPPENED ?

ALEX DID ONE OF MAX’S ORGAN DONATIONS COME BACK AS MAX OR SOMETHING ?

MANDY WORSE !

JAN OK RELAX A TRICKLE AND SPILL THE NEWS. WE AREN’T LEAVING UNTIL WE KNOW. MANDY OK - REMEMBER THAT GIRL THAT MAX WAS DATING...I MET HER IN THE ICU IN MILWAUKEE...WELL SHE’S....

JAN NO WAY. ALEX WHAT - SPILL THE REAL MEANING !

MANDY ALEX - GET A GRIP - THAT GAL THAT MAX WAS DATING IS PREGNANT AND WILL DELIVER IN TWO MONTHS. ALEX WHOA ! BUT I DON’T SEE HOW THAT AFFECTS US HERE. JAN ALEX - YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. THIS WAS ALL BEHIND MANDY’S BACK - AND NOW SHE HAS TO LIVE WITH MAX’S OFFSPRING COMING FROM ANOTHER WOMAN THE REST OF HER LIFE - ESPECIALLY THAT GAL SHERYL WHO IS A REAL YOU KNOW WHAT. HOW COULD SHE ?

MANDY ALEX - YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT A GIRL - YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND - IT IS ONE THING TO DATE BEHIND ONE’S BACK - BUT TO GET PREGNANT. THE WHOLE TOWN OF JANESVILLE IS ON FIRE. I’M SURE MY MOM IS THROWING UP AS WE SPEAK.

10

JAN DO YOU THINK SHE EVEN KNOWS ?

MANDY WELL UNLESS SHE HAS HAD HER EARS LOPPED OFF LIKE GEORGE CUSTER, SHE KNOWS. IN JANESVILLE IT TAKES ABOUT A MINUTE FOR STUFF TO GO FROM ONE END OF TOWN TO THE OTHER. ALEX ANYWAY I THINK I’M OUT OF HERE. JAN WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW ALEX. MANDY BYE BADGER. JAN OH MY GOD - HERE COMES THE CREW TEAM. SOME OF THESE GUYS ARE REAL HUNKS. MANDY WE NEVER GET TO SEE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS IN THE WATER. JAN LIKE CHEERLEADING AND SWIMMING, CREW IS RIGHT UP THERE FOR SUCCESS IN LIFE. MAYBE WE’LL GET LUCKY. I NEED ANOTHER LEINIES. PASS THE BEER PITCHER. MANDY HI GUYS - YOU MAY JOIN US SINCE WE JUST LOST OUR QUARTERBACK. WE KNOW YOU ARE ONLY CREW - BUT HOW IS THE TEAM DOING THIS YEAR - DID I ACTUALLY SAY THAT ?

END OF BADGERs vi

11