Inside the Locker Room

Author: Emma Gardner

When it comes to knowing your teammates, it sure helps if you live together - not to mention eat together, work together and watch primetime television together. As for Jamie Wheeler '09.5 and Brian Bush '09, the close quarters of the mod made for some particularly interesting - if not revealing - answers about soccer co-captain Baer Fisher '09.

So who studied Baer's late-night habits and early-morning rituals most adeptly? Who can predict his every move? The competition heated up off the field as Wheeler reflected on an intense moment of rivalry.

"Brian is one of the most competitive guys I know," said Wheeler. "He turns everything into a game. But he might be out of his element. We all know 'Inside the Locker Room' is a real chess match of wits."

But would this battle culminate in a stalemate? The odds lined up somewhat evenly for Bush and Wheeler, both veteran goalkeepers for the team. Sharing a position, the two interact similarly with midfielder Fisher on the playing field. At the same time, Bush, a Wisconsin native, has that certain "something" that distinguishes the true Midwesterner - much like Fisher, who hails from outside of Chicago. Still, Fisher and Wheeler are linked by similar pasts: they were both boarders at Connecticut prep schools Taft and Loomis Chaffee - but could this common adolescent bond determine the fight?

The battle culminated in a decisive save for Bush, who doubled Wheeler's score by correctly identifying Fisher's preference for Michael Jackson, as well as accurately recalling their first encounter on campus. The senior called the fight early on, noting that "Jamie might have his number in penalty kicks, but this is my fourth season playing with Baer, so I think I have the upper hand."

In an interesting twist, both Bush and Wheeler responded to several questions identically, though they did not match Fisher's final answers. Is Fisher hiding a serious addiction to Dawson's Creek? The suitemates might consider addressing this secret predilection by coaxing Fisher to face the music and own up to the '90s television teen drama. It's no Gossip Girl, but a little Dawson's Creek never hurt anyone - except maybe Dawson.

Bush and Wheeler also incorrectly looked to Alex Consalvo '09 as the culprit of the mod's untidiness, where Fisher pointed the finger to Bush himself. Is Fisher scared of getting on the wrong side of "Consalv-bro," or is Bush guilty of projecting the blame onto someone else? Either way, it seems that the three teammates know one another exceptionally well - whether or not they admit it.