IN FOCUS HARSH LIGHT Sam Dekker guards Purdue’s Ronnie Johnson on an inbounds pass during UW’s home finale last Sunday. Dekker scored 10 points, but the cold-shooting Badgers were bounced by the Boilermakers, 69-56. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA SENIOR MOMENTS The five UW men’s basketball seniors, (from left) J.D. Wise, Dan Fahey, Ryan Evans, Mike Bruesewitz and Jared Berggren, were honored at the Kohl Center prior to the Badgers’ game against Purdue last Sunday. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA IN FOCUS IN FOCUS LOOKING BACK Tiera Stephen watches a tribute video with her family at the Kohl Center during senior day ceremonies after the Badgers’ game against Nebraska last week. Stephen recorded a career-best 15 points in her final game at the Kohl Center. PHOTO BY GREG ANDERSON ON TO THE SEMIS! The women’s hockey team sings ‘Varsity’ following its sweep of St. Cloud State in the first round of the WCHA playoffs last Saturday at LaBahn Arena. The Badgers now travel to Minneapolis on Friday to take on North Dakota in the semifinals of the 2013 WCHA Final Face-Off. PHOTO BY DAVID STLUKA IN FOCUS IN FOCUS THINK SPRING Badgers sophomore Aaren Ziegler hits to the 14th green at Westbrook Village Golf Course last week during the Westbrook Spring Invitational. The UW women finished in a tie for eighth at the 54-hole tournament in Peoria, Ariz. PHOTO BY TAM FLARUP IN FOCUS BACK AT THE COLISEUM Wisconsin plays its final regular-season series as a member of the WCHA and closes out its celebration of its 50th anniversary of the modern era where many of the memories were made. UW hosts first-place St. Cloud State Friday and Saturday inside Veterans Memorial Coliseum looking for home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs PHOTO BY PAUL CAPOBIANCO MARCH 7, 2013 CONTENTS VOLUME 3, ISSUE 31 » PRODUCT OF HIS ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENTS Just like his teams, Bo Ryan is nothing if not con- sistent. He’s also a reflection of his father and late 18 LUCAS AT LARGE mother, who helped shape his approach to basket- by Mike Lucas 34 ball and life. ― 20 BEHIND THE DESK by Barry Alvarez « SPRING 22 THE VOICE by Matt Lepay 44 FORWARD The implementation 24 BY THE NUMBERS of Gary Andersen’s vision for 26 BADGERS GIVE BACK Wisconsin football begins this weekend as spring practice 28 5 THINGS TO WATCH kicks off for the Badgers. 30 ASK THE BADGERS 32 BADGERING » A LITTLE RESPECT? 54 INSIDE SPORTS 64 Basketball, hockey, A hot start to the sea- wrestling, softball, track son has Wisconsin doing its part to help raise the national profile 70 THIS WEEK IN HISTORY Bo knows winning of Big Ten softball. 15 Wisconsin Athletic Communications Kellner Hall, 1440 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711 Subscribe to Varsity View All Issues Brian Lucas Director of Athletic Communications Julia Hujet Editor Brian Mason Managing Editor Mike Lucas Senior Writer Matt Lepay Columnist Drew Scharenbroch Video Production Drew Pittner-Smith Advertising Andrea Miller Distribution Contributors Paul Capobianco, Tam Flarup, Patrick Herb, Ross LaDue, Diane Nordstrom, Anna Poulter-Hendrickson, Jeremy Wodajo Photography David Stluka, Greg Anderson, Neil Ament, Paul Capobianco Del Brown, Bob Campbell, Ross LaDue, Icon SMI Problems or Accessibility Issues? [email protected] © 2012 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved worldwide. LUCAS AT LARGE MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM Wild nights were a staple at Coliseum n light of this weekend’s UW ters raking his stick across the “The crowd got Norm going,’’ he men’s hockey series at the Plexiglass next to the visitor’s said. “When he’s out there killing a IVeterans Memorial Coliseum, bench; stirring up even more hatred penalty, he can open up a throttle it’s only fitting to revisit some of the out of the self-proclaimed “Mad and fly after the puck.’’ sights, sounds and squirts over the Dogs’’ who inhabited the CC-2 sec- There was the sound of the late 30-plus seasons that the Badgers tion. Butters, most recently a UW Phil Mendel, the longtime public played their home games at the assistant, was never a favorite. address announcer at the Coliseum, Alliant Energy Center venue previ- There was the sight of Butters’ and his warm greeting ― “Good ously known as the Dane County teammate, Mike Polich, stopping in evening, hockey fans’’ ― before the Coliseum. front of the UW bench (Polich had opening faceoff. Once play began, There was the sight of diminu- Bugs Bunny ears) and poking his there was the sound of Martha’s tive Michigan goaltender Robbie stick at a few players in the front cowbell; Martha was the wife of the Moore sitting atop the cage dur- row, including Dean Talafous. Dur- legendary Badger Bob. ing stoppages in play. Moore was ing the ensuing melee, Polich had There was also the sound of an acrobatic, 5-foot-5, 150-pound his jersey pulled off. He left the ice whistles; over 8,000 whistle- showman, a fan’s favorite. Moore without it. blowers, serenading Michigan State wound up playing his last season as There was the sight of Norm coach Amo Bessone, who signaled a pro with the Milwaukee Admirals Cherrey scoring four goals against line changes by whistling. Bessone of the IHL. Minnesota-Duluth ― three of them referred to the Sieve-chanting, There was the sight of dastardly shorthanded. And there was the rubber-chicken-on-a-stick-waving Minnesota defenseman Billy But- sound of Bob Johnson afterward. fans as “Banshees.” Sports Illustrat- 18 » VARSITY MARCH 7, 2013 MIKE LUCAS • UWBADGERS.COM VIDEO: THE ‘WATER BOTTLE GAME’ ed even did a story on them. Sherven’s teammate, Cary Eades, Archibald’s teammates. “When I Despite all of these sights and joined the conversation and shoved got up,’’ Pearson said, “a policeman sounds, there was nothing that could Driver before the officials separated was holding me and their trainer top the squirt. Most will remember the players. punched me in the face.’’ the Jan. 30, 1982 matchup between As Eades skated past the Wiscon- Archibald then charged into the North Dakota and Wisconsin as the sin bench, John Newberry squirted Badger bench and began swinging “Water Bottle Game.” For the record, him with a water bottle. Eades wildly at Newberry, who was be- the Badgers won 3-0 behind the stopped and Newberry squirted him ing held back by UW trainer Denny goaltending of Terry Kleisinger. again. An enraged Eades charged Helwig. On the ice, North Dakota’s Also for the record, UW defense- through the open gate on the bench Dan Brennan sucker-punched Steve man Chris Chelios scored on what and UW defenseman Pat Ethier wel- McKenzie, who went down, popped was estimated as a 190-foot slap shot comed him with a punch to the head. back up and decked Brennan with a from the right circle in his own de- Game off, brawl on. left hook. fensive zone after Ken Keryluk won Wisconsin sophomore winger Order was eventually restored, but the draw. Chelios was just trying to Ted Pearson was not dressed for the not before Archibald and a fan mixed clear the puck which took a number Saturday night rematch because of it up over the Plexiglass and several of zany bounces and skipped past a knee injury. But he was a central UW players tossed North Dakota goalie Jon Casey. figure in the fracas that developed gloves into the stands. The WCHA But it was all overshadowed by the between the bench areas and moved suspended Newberry and Eades two squirt from a water bottle; actually it down a hallway which led to one of games each. Archibald drew a five- was two squirts. the beer gardens in the Coliseum. game suspension. After a third-period whistle, while North Dakota’s Jim Archibald By the way, Archibald, like Polich, the teams were in the process of a confronted Pearson, who grabbed skated off the Coliseum ice without line change, North Dakota’s Gord his facemask and dragged him about his jersey. Sherven and Wisconsin’s Bruce 10 feet. Pearson remembered be- The Banshees howled long into Driver began jawing at the blue line. ing knocked to the floor by one of the night. 19 BEHIND THE DESK BARRY ALVAREZ • UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Spring offers fresh start for players, staff s a player, I thought spring practice was a necessary Aevil. Most players feel that way. But as a head coach, I realized how important the spring is ― par- ticularly with a new staff. I always looked at it as a time for development. This is a time when you can really teach. This is a time when you want to see your young guys take that next step in their development. just want to see how they coach. strength coaches are doing a great In the spring, you want to see I try to do that with all the new job. who can get on the field. You want coaches when they come in. I try They are doing some things to see who are your leaders ― who to get around them and watch how differently. But the players have are the guys who can help you win. they teach and how they work with responded well. I know they’re You also want to try to establish kids. Those are the things that are not spending as much time in the some depth. interesting for me. weight room but they’re getting just The freshmen finally have their Secondarily, I want to see the as much done.