Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.
Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/41637
10 YEARS LATER On Sept. 11, 2001, Mike Lucas was covering the Badgers for the Madison Capital Times. Piecing together some of the stories that he wrote following the 9/11 at- tacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, he provides this retrospective look on how the UW coaches and players dealt with the national tragedy. interrupted by his administrative assistant, who instructed him to turn on his TV. Neither could believe their eyes. On the dawning of this day — Sept. 11, 2001 — W Alvarez was living in a different world than most of us. He was worrying about different things; taking on different challenges. Like figuring out the second-half collapse against Fresno State. Like preparing for the triple option attack of Western Kentucky. Like finding a way to wake up the home crowd. This was his world. By the end of this day — Sept. 11, 2001 — we were all living in the same world; feeling the same things, asking the same questions. Alvarez watched the video of that hijacked commercial airliner flying into the World Trade Center and wondered aloud if he wasn't watch- ing a bad Bruce Willis movie, a Hollywood cre- ation. The early news reports were sketchy. And then a second plane crashed into a second tow- er. There was no turning back now from a world that had been changed forever by terrorism. Our trivial pursuit is the games people play; the games high school, college and pro athletes play. They must go on, but not without interrup- tion, delay or cancelation. Alvarez huddled with his co-workers — his as- sistant coaches — throughout the day, soliciting reassurances and support and some meaning to the unthinkable devastation and death. Alvarez battled with his own emotions, rang- ing from numbness to sadness to anger to help- isconsin football coach Barry Alvarez was breaking down tape of Western Kentucky in his office when he was "I don't know about you, but I just feel numb, my whole body,'' Alvarez confided. Pausing to collect his thoughts, he added, "I'm sure the players feel the same way.'' lessness. He was not alone. Mil- lions ran that same emotional gamut with no answers or clar- ity. Alvare z sought out his family, imme- diate and oth- erwise. In the latter case, he tended to the needs of his Badger football players, includ- ing Johnny Sylvain, whose dad worked in New York City. The early word was that he was OK. Throughout the afternoon, Alvarez debated in his own mind how he wanted to handle practice and whether he would conduct a practice at all. He felt the best thing to do was pull back a little bit. The post-practice interview sessions were canceled. Alvarez wasn't sure what the following days would hold. He wasn't sure about canceling and postpon- ing college football games. Wouldn't we be sending out the wrong mes- sage to the terrorists? Wouldn't we be surren- dering our freedom? Wouldn't we be acknowl- edging their victory at our expense? Alvarez wasn't sure. He wasn't sure about anything at that moment, 9/11.