Bri's Roommate

NEW HAVEN, Conn. Nov. 20--We traveled here today to get an exclusive interview with Brian Dowling's roommate, Herman Quirm Jr.

Quirm is Brian's greatest rooter. "I like to consider Brian my very best friend," Quirm said, as he tucked in the bottom sheet of Dowling's bed. "I like to help Brian out. He's so helpless around the house, you know."

"I feel my main reason for being here at Yale is to help Bri," Quirm continued, tying the laces of Dowling's white buck shoes. "He's so busy with his football that he has very little time to do the little things, like laying his clothes out before he goes to bed so he can put them on quickly in the morning. This is where I come in."

"Last spring," he said, "I helped Bri fill out his application for summer school, and this year I am helping him with his Rhodes application. Brian has always said that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Bill Bradley of Princeton."

"I sometimes cook Brian meals right up here in the room, when he's too tired to go out at night. Then we sit down on the bed and watch television for the rest of the night, or I will go down to the White Tower and bring back a few hamburgers. He's a very healthy fellow and eats a lot," said Quirm.

On Saturday, Quirm will be up in the stands rooting Brian on as he has for every game Dowling has played since seventh grade.