Varsity - The Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics

Varsity - November 14, 2013

Varsity is the free Official Digital Magazine of Wisconsin Athletics, covering Badgers football, basketball, hockey and more each week.

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E BEHIND THE DESK BY BARRY ALVAREZ // UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS All positives from first playoff meetings arlier this week, I spent two days in Washington, D.C., with the College Football Playoff committee. We went from 2-5:30 on Monday afternoon and we met all morning on Tuesday. Before we got there, we had a workbook with information and an agenda that we were supposed to read, and it got everybody prepared and ready to go. There was really good dialog and conversation. Everyone was engaged and got along well. These are good people, they're easy to talk with and they had different perspectives. Everybody shared their ideas and thoughts. In fact, every time we went some place, they kind of mixed us all up, so you sat around different people and got to know them a little bit. During our meetings, we talked a little about the recusal protocol for the committee. Do you leave the room? Do you stay, so you can add some information? That conversation will continue. We talked about how often the rankings should come out and how many teams we should rank. We talked about the procedure on how we will rank them. We talked about how everybody will be assigned a conference and teams and will be expected to report on them when we come together for a meeting. We had a mission statement. Is it the best teams? Or the most deserving teams? We're to select the best teams and rank them for inclusion 20 // VARSITY November 14, 2013 in a four-team playoff. We're scheduled to meet again in late January. After that, we'll meet in August and October and just about every week in November. We'll meet on Monday and Tuesday, so I can be at our games. • • • • I'm really looking forward to this weekend in Madison because we will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of our 1993 championship team that went on to win the school's first Rose Bowl. On Saturday, the players will be recognized during the football game at Camp Randall Stadium. We're going to have a pretty good turnover, upwards of 40 or more. ON THE '93 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM: THAT TEAM HAD A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED. ALL OF THE STUFF THAT WE HAVE TODAY CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO WHAT THOSE GUYS ACHIEVED. When you think about that team, you think about guys who bought in. It was a special group. They were tough guys; they liked to play and they were physical. They didn't back down from anyone. That '93 team built the foundation and set a standard for all of our other teams. It wasn't my most talented team, but it was really a complete team. We had a lot of weapons on offense. Defensively, we brought in some junior college players, Kenny Gales and Donny Brady, and they patched up the secondary. They made a difference. That team got people interested in football again. They filled the stadium again. When that happens, you're able to remodel and you're able to build a Kohl Center and other new facilities. It allowed the whole athletic department to take off. That team had a lot to do with what we've accomplished. All of the stuff that we have today can be attributed to what those guys achieved. But they'd get upset when I'd tell them they were overachievers. They thought they were great players. Some haven't been back. This will be the first time for Chad Cascadden since he left. I'm anxious to show him around. There have been a lot of changes; all for the better. I'm also anxious to see how Scott Tolzien plays for the Packers in Sunday's game against the New York Giants. Ted Thompson (the Green Bay Packers' GM) came through the office last week. I told him, 'You just signed one of my guys.'' He said he asked good questions, he really fit in, and he's smart. For him to execute the way he did last week after just getting thrown in there is amazing. I thought what he did and how he played speaks volumes that may allow him to stay in the NFL for a long time. He was a regular guy who got his chance and made it pay off. It's a great story.

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