Robert Natt / photo editor

Mac & Cheese challenge and Football Dreams

JMU juniors challenge themselves to reach off-the-wall goals

"This isn't gonna be a 'let's make fun of these fools story,' is it?" junior Sean Walsh asked, grinning ear to ear, hiding the fact that he was serious.

Walsh, along with juniors Andrew Werner and Steve Bernacki are three serious guys with a serious mission: they want to play football. But wait, it gets better. They want to play football for JMU.

It seems like a pretty big challenge. With only their senior years ahead of them, you would think that the only challenge on their minds would be to graduate on time. But a good "challenge" is the name of their game.

Werner explained how last semester, he and his friends would often go to Buffalo Wild Wings for Leg Night after playing pick-up football games. Over several baskets of tasty chicken legs, they would brainstorm various ways they could challenge themselves.
"We came up with way too many bad ideas," Werner said, shaking his head. "Only a few we have actually tried to act on."

Like last semester's Mac & Cheese marathon, for instance. They decided to see how long they could last on a strict macaroni and cheese diet. Walsh didn't partake in this particular challenge. In his place was friend, junior Jeremy Bosdell.

"Outside a single meal of breakfast, we would have to eat macaroni and cheese, like you know, a midnight snack," Werner said. "So Jeremy and I, we'd wake up in the morning and make chicken dinners for breakfast."

Bernacki said, "I was just extremely lazy and became extremely deprived of any nutrients.

"We all pretty much just got horribly, horribly sick and quit within a week," Werner said, in between laughs. "We had this delusional idea that we would last a lot longer than we did. We thought we could be the advertisement, the Mac & Cheese guys or even get a T-shirt, but it didn't happen."

The Mac & Cheese challenge was not their first attempt at attaining the unattainable. "Our freshman year, Steve and I tried to see how long someone in our dorm could shave only one side of his face," Werner said. "He did it for about a week and then quit because he looked ridiculous."

Despite the failure of their first two challenges, they are pretty serious about their new idea.

"Sean's going out for quarterback," Bernacki said matter-of-factly. "I'm going out for anything they'll take me for. I'm just gonna try and run down the field like a crazed maniac. But preferably, fullback."

Walsh explained, "See, it starts as a joke. With any other people, it would have been dropped in three seconds. Instead, we mention something and we're like 'Hey guys ... what if?'

"About five seconds later, the whole idea should have been dropped, really," Walsh added.

What would ever provoke three ordinary college students to try out for the football team?

Bernacki is just curious to see what it is like to be on the field with Division I players. "I just think it would be incredible to be on the field with people who are getting scholarships to do this," he said.

Walsh said that when he is 40 years old, and his naïve 6-year-old asks him if he played football in college, he will get to say yes. "They won't realize that I'm scrawny and skinny and that I know that I am going to get killed."

Walsh added, "At least you try, you know? The worst thing they can do is say no, and what? We end up being in better shape than we were when we started.

"None of us, I think, realistically expect to actually make it," Walsh said with a chuckle.

"I do!" exclaimed Werner, with a playful glare at Walsh. "I think I'll make the team!"

Becoming a member of a college athletic team takes hard work and dedication. So what are they doing exactly to get themselves into shape?

"Our training consists of, well, eating to bulk up, lifting, running and watching 'Rudy,'" Werner said, referring to their favorite football flick. "We need to watch a little more 'Rudy.' We've been slacking off in that area."

The trio has been going to UREC two to three days a week for the past month to lift and workout. The father of Werner's girlfriend, Blair Elliot, volunteered to help train them in time for tryouts.

"I think it's great because they're going to get in great shape, I guess," Elliot said with a nervous giggle. "But I don't want them to get hurt, and therefore ... I hope they don't make the team."

With such a challenging mission ahead of them, one has to wonder if these guys have had any prior training on or off the field.

"We've never even put on a helmet in our lives," Walsh said of himself and Werner.

Bernacki played football all four years in high school but is still a little intimidated. "I've been to D-hall, I've seen the football players. They're big fellas, OK, I'm not going to lie, they're big fellas."

The guys agree that even if they make one good hit, it will be worth it, and it will be a good story to tell their kids one day. They also agree that it won't matter if not all of them make the team together.

"If anyone makes it, they get bragging rights forever," Werner said.

"I think this is probably the most commitment we've put into anything yet," Bernacki said.

Werner agreed. "It's the most dedication of any of the stupid ideas we've had."

"We're not too sure we even know what we're getting into!" Walsh said.