UW-Madison Athletic Director Barry Alvarez recently handed assistant AD Justin Doherty a copy of a letter he received from Bud Lea, the well-known former sports columnist and editor for the Milwaukee Sentinel.

In it, Lea described an experience he had during one of last month 's numerous snowstorms. He 'd had chest pains and breathing problems and ended up being taken from his doctor 's office in Glendale to Columbia St. Mary 's/Ozaukee Hospital in Mequon.

As Doherty tells it on his Badger blog (www.uwbadgers.com), Lea was examined and around 4 p.m. given the "all clear" to head home. But snow had halted public transportation and his car was back at his doctor 's office in Glendale. So he and his wife were stuck in the emergency room. The doctor who cared for Lea saw him there and offered to take him home when his shift ended, close to midnight.

The doctor made good on that promise and drove Lea to Glendale, refusing any payment for the gas or kindness. On the drive it came up that the doctor used to play football for the Badgers.

Turns out, writes Doherty, the doc was Michael Brin, who is perhaps best known for his heroism at the 1993 Wisconsin-Michigan game -- after it ended.

"That day the Badgers defeated Michigan, 13-10, on their way to a Big Ten title, " wrote Doherty. "After the game, however, students at Camp Randall tried to "rush the field " only to find themselves stacked up and hemmed in against railings and fences at field level. Brin was one of several Badgers who helped rescue injured students. In fact, Brin 's heroics that day became national news as he was named ABC 's "Newsmaker of the Week. "

Brin also told Doherty that he 's been back to Camp Randall for the last two Michigan games. Both, he notes, were Badger victories.

Move over, Rachael Ray

You might remember Shannon Payette Seip as the morning anchor from WKOW-27 or her stint on local radio.

Since leaving TV and radio, she has worked for American Girl magazine, and has written a syndicated column, with Kelly Parthen , called "Cinematters, " about films for families. Then last summer, the two women opened Bean Sprouts Cafe, a kid-focused, healthy restaurant in Middleton Hills.

As an off-shoot, Seip is drawing some skill from each of those varied professions to create "Bitty Baker Television, " which is airing Fridays at 11:30 a.m. on local access WYOU.

The idea came from a question her son asked.

"One day my 4-year-old son Isaac asked where he could find some EVOO, " says Payette Seip. "He told me Rachael Ray talks about EVOO all the time. I had no idea he even knew who Rachael Ray was. " (She later discovered he 's been watching her show at grandma 's house. EVOO, FYI, is extra virgin olive oil.)

The first installment of Bitty Baker Television was cooking Italian. Chef Carisa Dixon showed the dozen kids how to make Mama Matos (a baked tomato face with pasta hair), among other foods, while the narrator highlighted facts from Italy and even taught a few Italian words.

Shots of kids, ages 2 to 5, doing the baking are, predictably, adorable and the production quality is very good.

"I must say, as much as I loved working in television, I don 't miss the live shots with it 's 15 degrees, " says Payette Seip. "These days, I 'd rather shoot video of adorable toddlers learning to make pesto gnocchi in a warm and cute cafe. "

Governor who?

A quote from Gov. Jim Doyle made "Brett-time Stories " on page 73 of the special Brett Favre edition of Sports Illustrated, that is flying off newsstands despite its $8 price tag.

But it violated the standard rule of the cliche "all press is good press" slogan -- Doyle 's name is wrong.

As it appeared in SI: "I 've said many times it 's a lot easier to govern the state when the Packers are winning than when they 're losing. And with Brett Favre, they have won a lot more than they have lost, and they have done it with great style. " -- Jim Dolye, Wisconsin governor. "

Irish finale

Sunday at 1:30 p.m. when the annual St. Pat's Parade begins winding its way around the Capitol Square, I 'll be lucky enough to have the one role this Irish-blooded, Madison native has always coveted -- grand marshal in my hometown 's St. Patrick 's Day parade (www.stpatsmadison.org).

I can 't imagine a more suitable final act for my gig as Page Two columnist at the State Journal. It 's been a fun three years on this page and now you 'll find me in new locations in the paper, as I switch from columnist to reporting for the newspaper 's city desk.

For all of you who have shared your story tips, critiques and ideas: Thank you. And don 't think you 're getting off the hook. I expect to see you at the parade . . . and to hear from you again soon. Happy St. Patrick 's Day!

Get in touch with Melanie at mconklin@madison.com
or 608-252-6187.