Taking a peek inside

If there is one part of the sports world we all want to see for ourselves, it is the inner sanctum of a high-profile team--in the locker room, the meeting room, the study room and all the other places where the group comes together completely apart from the outside world.

That's where senior writer Mike DeCourcy stood for one of the more fascinating periods of his professional life. Mike shadowed Wisconsin assistant basketball coach Shawn Hood from the time the Badgers climbed on the bus to ride to their January 10 game against Purdue until they left the locker room after a bitterly disappointing overtime loss to Michigan State tour days later.

"We wanted to get inside a program preparing for an important game," Mike says. "This was particularly compelling because of the situation. Wisconsin lost to Michigan State four times last season, including in the semifinals of the Final Four. Plus you see an interim head coach, Brad Soderberg, who took over for Dick Bennett after the season began. And they're on a little losing streak. All that combines for a great story."

The Badgers couldn't have been more accommodating, and you'll see that reflected in Mike's story, which starts on page 42. "It's as far inside a game as I've ever been," Mike says. "They allowed me access to all meetings, practices, staff meetings, team meetings, pre-game and halftime locker room talks."

The story is told from the perspective of Hood, who works with the team's guards and is the program's master recruiter, though he went to some length to impress on Mike that he is as proud of his coaching as his recruiting.

"What impressed me is the total dignity in that program," Mike says. "Everyone has so much class. The players were respectful and disciplined. The coaches are all really solid people. I came away with tremendous respect for the way they operate the program."

E-mail John Rawlings at jrawlings@sportingnews.com

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