MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin football and basketball players have a running rivalry. Let the trash talk begin with the first annual battle for Wisconsin charity softball game in Madison.
"I talked to someone yesterday, I said having these big 6'8", 6'9", 6'10" guys in the infield would be scary," Sam Dekker says. "You know, kind of like, alright, try to hit it past us."
"A lot of guys have been very successful in football and basketball in professional careers and a lot of that has to do from Wisconsin," Alec Ingold says. "Everything has to do from growing up there, from going to college there, you develop there, right?"
"The last time I swung, I can't tell you when, but I remember I was like 6'9", like my height right now," Dekker says. "I didn't realize how long my swing had gotten because my arms are so long, so maybe that will work for softball, because it's so slow."
Both Dekker and Ingold are Wisconsin natives and that means something.
"I'm going to try to make it a full Madison day," Dekker says. "And so people in Madison will see me around town just trying to get that kid spirit again for the day and enjoy wearing some red and white again and having Wisconsin on my shirt."
"That's what you dream of as a kid growing up," Ingold says. "I just remember seeing Al Toon as a young kid and growing up and watching old ESPN footage. I just loved the Badgers on Saturdays and like that's where you wanted to get to."
Giving back to charities and the state that gave them so much is key.
"That's something that I didn't want to let slip away," Dekker says. "I want my fingerprint to be here within the state, and try to reciprocate the feelings they give me. That's what this is all about."
Just imagine when the talk ends and the games begin... Should be a lot of fun.
