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One last Schelling for your Thoughts
To the readers and editors of The Badger Herald, past and present:
Thank you all for giving me such an incredible opportunity as a sports writer and editor over the last three-plus years. Without you, all of you, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
More importantly, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
When I arrived on campus in August 2006, I was like any other freshman. All I really knew was that I wanted to major in journalism. Aside from that, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do, other than party three nights a week of course.
I knew I should write for a student newspaper to achieve my goal of becoming a sports journalist, but I was not ready to do so my first semester in Madison. After all, I had plenty of time for that, right?
Three years and three months ago, just before my 19th birthday, I had my first story published in The Badger Herald, titled “Wisconsin looks to get ahold of Big Ten competition.” Well, 1,187 days later, here’s my final column as Sports Editor.
I can only hope, for my sake and yours, the quality of my writing has gotten better since then.
In that time, I’ve written 313 other stories about nearly every varsity sport on campus, and I’ve learned plenty along the way. But not just in terms of writing and editing at this newspaper. I’ve become a better man, too.
Not long after I wrote my first article, I began something else that has played an equally significant role in my life over the same 39-month time span. A friend approached me shortly thereafter with the idea of starting a fraternity. I was hesitant to say the least.
I gave it a shot, though, and a year later, I officially became a founding father of the Alpha Theta chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma at the University of Wisconsin. At the very least, it was an impressive accomplishment. But I soon realized it was only the beginning.
Since then, both the newspaper and fraternity have become a far bigger part of my life than I would ever have expected. In turn, I’ve had a much greater impact on both than I ever would have thought as well. And though I’m not graduating next week, it certainly feels that way as I step down and Adam Holt, Max Henson and Mike Fiammetta take the reins.
But even as I prepare to spend the majority of the next five months in Racine and Milwaukee working as an associate reporter for MLB.com, it’s hard to imagine my life without The Badger Herald, in the past, present and future.
Certainly, I would never even have been qualified to be Sports Editor if I didn’t have such excellent editors pushing me to improve. And, there’s no way I would have gotten such an unbelievable opportunity to cover professional baseball if I had never taken the time to seek out the Herald Sports department and ask for something to write about.
And it really is hard to believe I’ve gotten such an opportunity.
Just last week I talked to a pair of Brewers legends, one of which was Jim Gantner, as a part of my first feature story for MLB.com. The other former Brewer was Stormin’ Gorman Thomas, who I was (sort of) named after — Gorman Thomas, Jordan Thomas… it’s close.
Plus, as I mentioned in my previous column, I had the chance to talk one-on-one with Mr. Baseball himself, Bob Uecker, when I began working with MLB.com, allowing me to truly understand what Uke meant to baseball when he announced his heart surgery last week.
Beginning Monday, I’ll have to say goodbye to my desk at 326 W. Gorham and begin working full time in Milwaukee.
It truly is hard to believe this day has finally come, because the BH has meant so much to me since the first time I set foot in this building.
What would I have done all these years at UW without the Herald (other than getting better grades of course)? Without all the wonderful people I’ve met and shared so much time with well into the wee hours of the night?
And what will I do without them going forward? Your guess is as good as mine.
I’ve written many stories over the last 39 months. Three hundred fifteen, in fact. But this was by far the most difficult. It really is hard to say goodbye to the people and places you love. But it’s better than having no one to say it to in the first place.
This week, six men whom I am proud to call brothers are graduating without me. As much as I don’t want to, I’ll have to say goodbye to them too, because being a Phi Kap is part of who I am. Without that, my life would certainly be different.
And all because I took a chance on something I thought might be worth checking out.
So to those of you reading and those editors I’m leaving behind, I give to you this advice: Take chances; don’t be afraid to try new things. You never know where they might take you.
Jordan is a senior majoring in journalism and political science. He needs a mere 13 upper-level credits to graduate and decided to spread them out over two semesters next year for a full victory lap. Have any Herald-related memories you’d like to share with him? Or perhaps a favorite article of his? Just want to let him know you’ll miss him? He can be reached atjschelling@badgerherald.com.
Q&A with Serah Maragos
By Jordan Schelling, Forward Report
Over the last four months, former UW safety Chris Maragos has spent much of his time preparing for this weekend’s 2010 NFL Draft. During that time, Maragos also planned for another part of his future: his wedding and marriage.
Maragos and his wife, Serah, were married April 9, in Racine, Wis. Before the two headed off on a cruise to the Bahamas, Forward Report talked with Serah Maragos, discussing a range of topics, including how the two met and their future together.
Forward Report: How and when did you and Chris first meet?
Serah Maragos: Chris and I met in college at Western Michigan; I lived on the floor above Chris and he lived on the one below. We originally connected on Facebook before school began, and actually ended up meeting just in our dorm building.
FR: What was the connection between you and Chris that led you to begin dating?
SM: Faith was absolutely the main connection between us. That was what was most important to both of us, and for both of us to understand that we were on the same page was big too.
FR: So you were dating Chris then when he decided to transfer from Western Michigan to Wisconsin, how involved were you with that decision at that time?
SM: I’ll never forget the day when Chris quit at Western Michigan. It was kind of like a black cloud was over us and we were just sitting there in my apartment like, “OK, what’s next, God?” We had no idea what was going to happen.
But Chris really just made that decision with the Lord after he thought out what was the best move for him. Once Chris made the decision, I supported him completely.
FR: Did you move with Chris to Madison right away?
SM: I moved to Wisconsin the semester after Chris, and that was a big decision as well. I think the biggest thing for me was that I wanted to be a part of Chris’ football career. That was really important to me because that was such a big part of Chris’ life.
FR: What is it like for you as his girlfriend, and then his fiancée, and now as his wife, to watch Chris play football?
SM: It’s just so much fun to watch Chris play. I have just absolutely loved every minute of Chris’ football career. It’s just such a blessing to share that with Chris. We’ve shared so many memories together that not a lot of people get to share. It’s just such a joy to watch him play.
FR: Before you got married two weeks ago, you and Chris had been engaged since the end of July. What was Chris’ proposal like and how surprised were you by it?
SM: It was just so sweet. Chris did a great job of planning. My family was in town and it was just a wonderful time. It’s funny because when he started, I knew he was going to propose. Chris really isn’t an ultra-romantic kind of guy, so when he started to get kind of romantic I was like, ‘oh, he’s going to propose!’ So it was just such a great, fun time.
It was a surprise, but I definitely knew it was coming at some point.
FR: After getting engaged, what was the entire process of planning the wedding like?
SM: Well, during the fall, we had the football season, so that took up a lot of time and really kept my mind off it. When football was over, we really started planning everything whenever Chris and I had free time together.
But, it was really more about preparing for our marriage together rather than our wedding. So, after the wedding it was like, ‘OK, it’s over, now we can start our life together.’ Our whole focus wasn’t this big ol’ wedding it was on starting this marriage together.
FR: Now that the big day has finally come and passed, what was it like? Did it live up to your expectations?
SM: Oh my gosh, it was amazing. I don’t know how to describe it any other way. It was just such a wonderful day. The Lord blessed every single aspect of our day. It just could not have gone any better. From the ceremony to the reception — the UW band and Bucky actually ended up showing up at our reception, which was really fun.
It was just a wonderful day that we would never want to do over because it went so well.
FR: If you had to pick, is there one moment from the day that really stands out to you as the best one and the one you’ll remember most?
SM: I know a lot of people say this, but the best moment of the entire day was when I started walking down the aisle. Just to see Chris’ face — he was bawling like a little baby — was just such a special moment to see your husband waiting for you.
Also, as a part of our vows, Chris and I washed each other’s feet out of servanthood to each other, just how Jesus served his disciples and washed their feet. So, that was just another really huge thing that I’ll always remember.
FR: Chris was telling me about your first dance, how did that go?
SM: We started it off slow with the Rascal Flatts’ song ‘God Bless the Broken Road’ and then it cut off like it was screwed up or something and everybody was shocked, but then it went into this series of songs that we made up a dance to.
Our thinking behind it was just to make everybody feel welcome and enjoy the reception.
FR: So, now that you’re married, how do you feel about Chris’ future in football and basing what you do in the future on how that goes?
SM: I think you just have to remember that very few people get this opportunity. So I’m just going to be Chris’ wingman for a while and support him through everything that life throws at him.
I think it’s exciting; I’m really excited for Chris and to see what the Lord has in store for him. I think we’re both just ready to see where it takes us.
A Schelling For Your Thoughts 