J
ames White settled into a deep-cushioned leather chair while Melvin Gordon
joined some teammates who were throwing darts. Both were utilizing the players
lounge adjacent to the Wisconsin football locker room in the lower level of the retooled
McClain Center.
Offering an informal scouting report on some
team strengths within their inner sanctum, White
suggested that you don���t want to get lured into
picking up a ping-pong paddle against Curt Phillips, Jared Abbrederis or Joel Stave. Chris Borland
and Tyler Dippel are pretty good, too, he noted.
On the pool table, White singled out Warren
Herring, Kenzel Doe and Dez Southward. Advised
of who was on White���s list, Gordon conceded that
Herring can handle a stick, but volunteered, ���I���ve
beat Warren before,������ eliciting this response from
White, ���Everyone is competing every day.������
White observed that Gordon and Doe are among
the most competitive at darts; at least he has seen
them playing the most. ���But I would say Dallas is
the best,������ interjected Gordon, citing 6-foot-6 of28 �� VARSITY
APR I L 11, 2013
fensive lineman Dallas Lewallen. ���He���s got those
long arms and can reach over the line.������
In sum, the free-time diversion options are a
measurable upgrade, including the flat-screen TVs
that are mounted on the wall of the video game area
of the lounge. Prior to the McClain renovation, the
players were mostly limited to playing foursquare
on the floor in the old, outdated locker room.
Surveying the landscape, the new digs, White
said, ���We���re in here every day, and it kind of helps
the team bond a little bit. Everybody gets to know
each other a little more instead of just going home.
���Before class, you may just come in here and hang
out with some of your teammates. When you get
to know them that much better, it helps you that
much more on the field.������
By getting to know each other on a more personal level, he continued, ���You know how to talk to
somebody when they���re down and you know how
to lift their spirits and things like that.������
White can be as playful as anyone, especially
when he���s with his close friend and roommate,
Montee Ball. But he���s more serious than ever about
