As Harvard's self-proclaimed number one fan, Gigi has been to every game this season except for William and Mary and she had to work that day or she would have gone. At the games, Gigi almost always sits with halfback Scott McCabe's mother, with whom she has become very good friends. In fact, the whole McCabe family has sort of adopted the newlyweds, having the Schepers to their Westborough home for dinner and weekend stays. "We call them our Massachusetts surrogate family," Gigi says.
It was only logical that McCabe and Scheper should hit it off, as the two of them are always crowing around loosening people up. "In the senior class, I'm called the character," Scheper says. "And when I get with McCabe, everybody says, 'Oh no, there goes McCabe and Scheper."
"We've definitely got the reputation of being the characters on the team." McCabe says, "the guys who keep everyone loose. It doesn't affect our intensity. It's just the way we are.
"That Scheper. The kid is just crazy, you know."
They knew it back in Northridge. During Scheper's senior year, his high school baseball team played for the Los Angeles City Championship under the lights at Dodger Stadium. When Granada Hills won the game--"the highlight of my high school career"--Scheper went more than just a little crazy.
"He poured Dodger dirt all over himself," Gigi laughs. "He was out there rolling in the Dodger dirt." Says Scheper: "I wend nuts when we won." Craziness aside, it's interesting to note that the entire starting nine from Scheper's team is still playing baseball, four in the pros and five in college. And Scheper was voted most inspirational by his teammates. "Just for the Dodger dirt," he grins.
Scheper is, of course, one of those who still plays baseball. As a starting outfielder for Harvard last season, he hit .267--he's a singles hitter--and hasn't made an error in three years of varsity competition. He's enjoyed his baseball experience at Harvard immensely, but football is still his first sports love, and in football, the thrills haven't come that often.
Sophomore year had two really special moments, both of them associated with his brother Dave, a starting center for two years on the Harvard varsity who graduated in 1980. "I respect him probably more than anyone in the world," Scheper says.
First, there was the Princeton game of '79, in which Scheper scored his only touchdown of the season. "It was a trap play right over my brother's butt." Scheper says. "I gave him the ball afterward. That was such a big thrill for me." Second, there was Harvard's amazing 22-7 upset win over undefeated Yale in New Haven. "I was more excited for Dave than anything else," Scheper says.
Last season was cut almost in half by a knee injury, and you know about this year. Scheper runs his patterns and returns kicks (by running back two kick-offs in the Yale game he will break the Harvard record for most career kick-off returns), hoping each week that this will be his big game. He's got extra incentive for the final game of his varsity career.
His father, who has never seen him in a varsity uniform, and Dave are driving all the way from California for The Game. Scheper would like nothing better than to score a couple of touchdowns for the family and help the Crimson knock off the Elis.
I've experienced many emotions during my Harvard football career. Disappointment, confusion...elation too," Scheper says. "I've been happy being associated with many of the players in Harvard football and with the game in general. But overall I'm kind of disappointed about my football experience. It's tearing my guts out that I'm not getting a chance to contribute to the team.
"I know I have the talent. I've shown before, what I can do. Circumstances dictate the way things are. I hope the team does fine and I do the best with what I've got. I don't mind being a victim of circumstances as long as we win."