𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒕 𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵𝑺 𝒊𝒕 𝑷𝑶𝑼𝑹𝑺⛑️ 𝐺𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑙~𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡 2 😇🙏... After a botched summer assignment to a new collegiate league in Texarkana, TX that saw Grant Scholzen sleeping in his car and no host family provided as promised, Grant came home and waited patiently for a summer league call. The MGF Marshalls (who by the way is one of the best run orgs in the country, more on that in a future post!) called and in his 1st game and 2nd AB with a 1-2 count in a left on left matchup with the shadows in play, Grant took a 92 mph FB off the shoulder and into the right side of his face. The only time in 5 years w/o a face shield on his helmet, it’s the only time he’s been hit above the shoulder. Was watching the game on live stream, and it was hard to tell where it actually hit him? Grant immediately started walking to the dugout and I couldn’t figure out why he was doing that, because he should be either staying at home plate gathering his bearings or going to 1B. What you don’t see is the catcher and pitcher who are close friends of Grant’s growing up facing each other in HS and teammates throughout their CBA summer/fall travel ball experiences, looking on with what just happened? The pitcher and catcher who I’m close with as well, are in shock and the pitcher then walks into the opposing dugout to see if Grant is okay? Grant was okay, but he wasn’t okay?! That helpless feeling again when you’re not there and your son has something almost tragic happen?! I was calling friends who I knew were at the game and they said he had ice on his cheek in the dugout. After the game Grant was going to drive 4 hours home and get home at 3am to attend his cousin’s church service to listen to him speak at his 2 year church missionary farewell. He got home late as I said and woke up yesterday with his face extremely swollen and his eye already black, so we saw his uncle at church, who is a pediatric dentist and he scheduled a CT Scan with an oral surgeon buddy. Grant went in this morning for the scan and to our surprise, NO broken bones. Thank you to the countless people who text and reached out with worry and wanting updates. The baseball circle is small, but big at the same time and is a comforter! Once again his mother Heidi was working overtime to protect her kids, just like my daughter’s car accident 3 weeks ago. When it rains it pours! #SwarmingBees 🐝show more

𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒏’𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑫1 𝑯𝑰𝑻! 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦: 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑑... 𝑃𝑎𝑝𝑎 𝑀𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡! Everyone by now knows Grant Scholzen story of losing his Mom at 9 years old?! After getting 3 defensive innings in the first week of play, Grant waited patiently for his 1st collegiate at bat… As a pinch hitter in the top of the 9th @ UC-Davis, Grant took a FB right down the middle for K one. The next pitch was another FB in the same location and he put the barrel to the ball and recorded his 1st collegiate hit to CF! 𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚: I was watching the box score and didn’t think he was gonna get in, so I closed my browser on my phone after the 8th inning and 15 minutes later, the Pacific starting pitchers Dad, who had been a longtime successful HS coach in the Las Vegas area, and I had scouted his players extensively and even drafted one in the 3rd Rd in 2012, text me: Yes! congrats to Grant! I knew what that potentially meant, so I hurried and turned on the TV to ESPN+ Shortly after the game, I received this text from my son 👇 “I was saying a little prayer in my head, when I was in the hole waiting to hit, to let mom put her hands on the bat. Not a thought went through my head during that AB, it was not me up there! These are the moments that dreams are made of! Atta Kid Grant 👏show more

The vet had been honest with the Hollands. Baxter... didn't have much time left, and the kindest thing they could do now was make whatever he had left count. So on a warm Saturday in June , instead of a normal quiet day at home, they loaded the old Bernese into the back of the van and drove him two hours to the coast. Baxter had never seen the ocean. He was 13, and his whole life had been the backyard and the same worn spot on the living room rug. The kids wanted him to see something big before he went. He moved slow getting out of the van. His back legs weren't what they used to be, and the boys had to help him down onto the sand. For a second he just stood there at the top of the beach, nose up, taking in all that salt air and open water like he couldn't quite believe it. Then something in him shifted. He started down toward the surf on his own, stiff and determined, the way he used to trot to the door when the kids came home from school. When the first cold wave washed over his paws, his whole face lit up. He didn't run, he couldn't, but he waded in up to his chest and stood in the shallow water with the sun going down behind him, and the whole family just watched. Nobody said much. They didn't need to. They stayed until the light was almost gone, taking pictures, letting Baxter rest against their legs, giving him one perfect afternoon to hold onto. The vet was right about the time. Baxter left them a few weeks later, at home, surrounded by the people who loved him. But he saw the ocean first. And every one of them is glad they gave him that.show more

"Yesterday on our way home, we broke down 2... hours away from home... on a busy interstate with three kids in tow. It wasn't exactly ideal, especially with a hungry newborn. I wouldn't get the baby out of his seat to feed him incase we got smacked by another vehicle on the highway, he was the safest in his seat. We called dispatch and AAA and an Alabama State Trooper showed up to help. I thought he was just going to divert traffic away from our lane, but he did so much more than that. He loaded the kids and I in his car and got us off the highway and to the closest rest stop. Sean stayed with the car to wait for the tow truck. He checked the bathroom for 'boogieman so Madeline could use the restroom. He shot illuminating helicopters in the sky with the kids while I made calls to try to get home. Major got really fussy when I was trying to wrangle my other children and calm them down from the evening's happenings. Without hesitation, he took Major out of his seat and gave him the bottle I had prepared from earlier. It seemed like he does that every day, knew how to hold him and when to burp him. Major even filled his pants during his feeding and the trooper laughed and continued feeding him. He then helped unload all our stuff from our car to his and drove our family to the nearest hotel. It was late, nothing was open, and we couldn't get a rental car until the morning. He helped unload our unruly amount of crap into our hotel room, told us where all the rental car places were, gave the girls a hug, and told us to call if we needed anything. That my friends... is humanity." 🙏show more

My friend who bought a new Model 3 today... was convinced that the 3 couldn’t be quieter than his Genesis. He had an injury that basically made his voice the volume of a whisper years ago Talking in the phone in the car is trouble for him because he can’t speak louder than a quiet whisper. I told him to try voice command in the Model 3 and the look in his face as the car picked up every word he said precisely was so fun to see the surprise on his face! He called me on his way home saying this is the best most quietest car he’s ever driven. Before today he has never driven any tesla and now 8 hours later can’t enjoy driving anything else!🔥🔥🔥show more

🚨 Ajinkya Rahane revealed the story behind his decision... to send Yashasvi Jaiswal off the field. 🗣️ " I sensed the situation and also I felt it was going out of hand, both the players were going out of hand and it was my responsibility to control my teammates. You respect the umpires, the officials who are on field, who are controlling the game, who are officiating the game and also the situations. Mistakes can happen to anyone, but you, as a player, you be in that limit. So, I sensed the situation, what can happen next, it was my instant reaction to send him off the field. As a player, I also felt that he must have felt bad, I said, okay, if he felt bad about me, it's okay. But I think, that point in time, it was a good thing for him. The thing which I told him about, go in from the back, put ice on your head and come back "show more

Alex Collins was so special man. Amazing teammate and... a guy everyone was down to kick it with. This man invited me and wifey out one time in Baltimore and I will never forget it. We show up to the spot and AC is no where to be found. We are looking around for him for 20 min and finally I feel a little nudge on my shoulder. I turnaround and AC is walking behind me, drops his shades to his nose and signals with his eyes to follow him. It was so funny and smooth, we forgot he was 20 min late. AC told us he had to be discreet because he couldn’t have everyone knowing he was there. The rest of the night, we found out why. Everywhere AC went that night everyone knew him. Everyone was excited to see him, laughing when he came around and showing him love. You see everyone loved this man and his energy was contagious. To end the night, he hit this dance with all the fans watching him on the dance floor. WHAT A NIGHT and WHAT A GUY AC WAS. Shared more laughs than people know and I’m blessed to have been your teammate my brother. Rest In Peace.show more

The Daniel Jones Achilles injury is awful in so... many ways. But I do want to shed a light on his toughness. He was already playing with a broken bone in his fibula… Then he ruptured his Achilles and still chose to walk off the field instead of using a cart. And later in the game, he was back on the sideline supporting his teammates and helping QB Riley Leonard. This man’s toughness, competitiveness, and love for the sport and his teammates are unquestioned. And that deserves respect.show more

"My brother called me at 2am from a gas... station parking lot. He said he wasn't okay. I mean really wasn't okay. I stayed on the phone with him for three hours. He wasn't alone in that car. Atlas was with him the whole time. My brother told me later — 'Every time I went somewhere dark in my head, Atlas would shift closer. Like he could feel exactly where I was going and he just kept pulling me back without touching me.' He's getting help now. He made the call himself Monday morning. He said Atlas kept him in that car until it was a different kind of night." I drove to that gas station at 5am when he finally said I could come. I stood outside the passenger window before I opened the door. Atlas was on the passenger seat. His head on the console. Watching my brother. Still watching. He had been watching all night. I stood in that parking lot in the cold and I looked at my brother alive in that car and I looked at the dog who kept him there and I couldn't open the door for a long time. I just stood there. Needing a minute to be grateful in the cold before I went inside the warm. My brother is okay. He's talking to someone. Atlas hasn't left his side since that night. If you have someone who isn't okay — call them tonight. Not tomorrow. Tonight. And if you ARE the someone who isn't okay — please call. There is a person on the other end who will stay on the phone for three hours. I promise you there is. Drop a ❤️ for my brother. And for Atlas who held that car together until morning.show more

In fifteen years of nursing I've watched countless patients... say goodbye to the people they love — but I'd never seen a goodbye like the one in that dim hospital room at 2 a.m., when a dying old man reached a trembling hand down to the dog they'd smuggled in for him, rested it on that grey head, and whispered four words I'll never forget: "Don't leave me, boy." His name was Frank, eighty-four, and he'd come to us in his final decline with almost no one. A widower. His kids scattered across the country, one on a plane that wouldn't land in time. He wasn't afraid, the way some are. He was just… alone, in that particular way that breaks a nurse's heart no matter how many times you see it. He talked about one thing more than any other. Not his children. Not the past. A dog. An old shepherd mix named Duke he'd had for twelve years, who was staying with a neighbor while Frank was in the hospital. "Is Duke okay?" he'd ask. "Somebody's feeding Duke?" Over and over. That dog was clearly the great love of his quiet later years. On his last night, when it was clear he had hours and not days, I made a call I probably shouldn't have. I phoned that neighbor at midnight. And bless her, she got in her car and brought Duke to the hospital, and we quietly walked that old dog up the back way and into Frank's dim room. Duke went straight to the bed like he'd been looking for it his whole life. He put his front paws up on the mattress and pushed his big grey head against Frank's side, and the old man — who'd barely moved in a day — slowly, slowly lifted one shaking hand and laid it on the dog's head. His eyes were wet. His voice was barely there. But we all heard it. "There you are," he breathed. "Don't leave me, boy. Stay with your old man." Duke let out a low sound and pressed closer, and he did not move from that bed. And what happened in the hours after is something none of us on that floor have ever been able to talk about without our voices giving out.show more

Several months ago I read an article entitled "Fart... walks save lives" and ever since I've been a fan of a post-prandial stroll... It is so good for the digestion and general health; it gets the blood circulating, burns calories and let's you talk through the day with your other half....(farting is optional). So tonight, after a home-cooked meal, I persuaded james to come along the river for a 40 minute walk- and-talk. It was pitch black on the towpath and we saw only 3 other people, all wearing earpods . On the way back we heard, " help! Help!"... and at first thought it was one of the many rowing coaches you hear on The Thames - even after dark. But then I saw a bicycle on its side and shouted after the voice. 20 ft below us, in the water, was a bloke who had come off his bike and fallen headlong down the banking. He had flattened some of the bushes and trees but was still very difficult to see amongst the thick foliage. James scrambled down as far as safely possible to get a better look. The chap was still in his bike helmet, waist deep in the water and thick mud but unable to get any grip at all on the sheer brick wall. James got back up and found his very long bike lock which he then dangled down to try and pull him up - while I nervously said, " please don't get pulled in too.." (eventually James said, " yes I heard you the first 3 times..."). He was too far down to pull up but was pleading with us not to call 999..."it's just so embarrassing " he said.... He sounded like he was in his 50s, well-spoken and very fed up with himself! I stayed talking to him while James ran to get a longer rope and torch from home (but also gave me the nod to call 999). I was worried that our friend might let go or try to climb out and lose his grip if he knew the lifeguard was coming so I kept him talking and asked if there was anyone else I could ring for him. He rather ruefully said no. James appeared back sprinting with the rope. But seconds after speaking to 999, the Chiswick Lifeboat appeared heroically through the dark. They scooped our water-logged Bradley wiggins up and took him down to Kew and off to hospital to get checked over. We walked his bike back to our house and hope to reunite them soon. The moral to the story is that you should never flop on the sofa after dinner when you could walk round the block. Because that article was right - fart walks do save lives! Great job Chiswick Lifeboatshow more

For those who don’t like Blockie, I’ve got one... for you that might change your mind: At the 2023 PGA where his life exploded, I followed him for ESPN in the final round (the one where he made the hole-in-one) and had the chance to speak to him on Sunday prior to the round when he was paired with Rory. Both he and his lovely wife Val gave me almost 20 minutes of their time and were so open and honest and offfered so many amazing stories I used on the air. No other person who was in his position with everything on the line would’ve done that. Nobody. I have also had him (and his son Dylan) on my podcast for Silver Club Golfing Society soon after that PGA and I didn’t have to jump through any hoops with his agent or anything. I even played a practice round with him at the ‘25 PGA Professional Championship and he couldn’t have been nicer. We all want athletes to speak their mind and let us in, and when they open up and say what’s on their mind they get ripped by social media. I don’t see the reason for the haters. My experience last have been nothing but 100% positive. Blockie is a star in my book.show more

Instead of just talking about it, I wanted to... go through it and really break it down to figure out the exact reason for the difference in Jalen Duren's play between the regular season and the playoffs. *LONG BREAKDOWN COMING* First, lets list how much the difference was: Iso in RS: 82nd %ile Iso in PS: 21st %ile Post-ups in RS: 88th %ile Post-ups in PS: 59th %ile PPP on drives in RS: 1.18 ppp PPP on drives in PS: 0.80 Layups in RS: 79th %ile Layups in PS: 19th %ile It was a staggering drop off. Shocking to many of us who watched him all season. So, what happened? Well, #1 I think mentally he was letting his struggles get to him and he started to play out of control. Something that suggests this to me is this stat: He started to figure some things out himself in isolation over the last 2 games against the Cavs. He had six isolation possessions in the final two games against the Cavs; he scored on five of those possessions and drew a foul on the other. Game 6 he started to look confident and really made them pay out of isolation. I really think a ton of it was he got hit with a punch early against ORL and really struggled to handle the pressure and struggles after, and just kept stacking and stacking. So, him being in his own head is #1 for me. #2: His handle got exposed quite a bit. In the regular season, he only had a 4.2 TO% in isolation, which is incredible. In the playoffs, though, that spiked to 20 TO%. On drives in the RS, he had a TO% of 4%. In the PS, it jumped to 13.3%. The first clip below shows how the right-to-left cross he loved doing all season was really taken away from him. Too loose of a handle, and he often got his pocket picked trying this exact move over and over. I think having his go-to move taken from him shook him a bit and left him scrambling a bit in his head to find a counter. The second clip shows, imo, him starting to lose trust in his handle. He immediately turns his back to the defender, which is what you do when you're worried about losing the ball. But, even then, he loses control of the handle and it ends up in a turnover. If I'm the Pistons, I'm showing all his turnovers due to his handle and working with him on tightening his handle and also helping him get comfortable with a counter/second move so defenders don't just sit on the right-to-left cross. #3: I think he really struggled to adjust to the playoff whistle. In the regular season, he drew free throws on 21% of his isolations and 31% of his post-ups. In the PS, it dropped to 14% and 11%, respectively. There were many possessions where in the RS he would've got free throws, but did not in the PS and he was frustrated. In the third clip, you'll see how physical he was being played by Mobley (which we all want physicality in the game). But, in the RS, he probably is getting FTA's here. There are many examples of this where it felt like a lot of his value during the RS was being able to draw FTA's on his drives, and in the PS, refs just allowed more physicality, and he struggled to deal with it. #4: Ausar-Duren duo. I believe in this duo, and I do not think this was the main reason Duren struggled. However, I am not blind to the fact that there were obviously some possessions that hurt Duren. In the regular season, Duen actually got less efficient when Ausar wasn't on the floor. However, in the playoffs, Duren went from 51 TS% with Ausar on the floor (302 minutes) to 64 TS% with Ausar off the floor (121 minutes). In the 4th clip, you really see how the lack of spacing caused a tough shot from Duren. He gets a step on WCJ going right, and probably would prefer to then just use his strength to create spearation. However, he sees Suggs sitting in the right gap off of Ausar, which forces him to spin left. Once he spins left, Paolo is completely leaving Tobias open. This is one of the reasons I really think DET needs a spacing 4 because this should be an easy kickout from Duren to a shooter. He still should've made this pass to Tobias, but a legit shooting 4 I think would relocate to the corner and make an easier outlet/easier to see for Duren. But, he still coulda made the pass, tbf. Either way, you see how the lack of spacing from both Ausar and Tobias forced Duren into a really awkward drive where he was forced into an extremely tough shot. I think if the passing returned from Duren, some of these situations wouldn't happen. Hitting Ausar early as he cuts into the space would work, or hitting Tobias (who again shoulda be making himself more available) beyond the arc results in better offense. But, also, having better spacing probably allows Duren to just get to his original move once he beats WCJ off the dribble. and lastly #5: He really just didn't play well. I can't include any more clips (I'll put some in the immediate thread reply to display), but he really just didn't play well. Missed *a lot* of looks we're used to him making. His touch around the rim left him, looked like he really felt rushed in the paint. He was struggling to secure rebounds after dominating the glass all season (during the RS, he averaged 4.3 second chance points a game, in the PS it dropped to 2.3). During RS, he had a 22.0 DREB%, which dropped to 16.0% in the playoffs. So, I think a lot of factors played into why he struggled so much in the playoffs. My takeaway is I don't think these things are unfixable; actually, I think they're very fixable. Experience of dealing with what playoff physicality is I think is going to help moving forward. All young players have to adjust to that--I think Cade really learned that from NY series to this playoff run. Tightening his handle and just having a second move to go to is not something that should be considered impossible. I'd like to believe it's pretty likely with how much he works and the raw skill he already has with his handle. Pistons adding a legit spacer at the four I think solves a lot and will make Duren's life a lot easier. The most concerning part is mental. And we won't know an answer to that until the next playoffs. Did this experience help him on his journey towards becoming mentally strong and prepared enough to move forward? Did this run help him find a routine that helps him lock in mentally, as many players have said they had to discover? Or will the pressure from struggling last postseason get to him this upcoming postseason? Will he let mistakes get into his head, compound them, and start playing rashly? I don't think the second option will be the case, but no one will know until the next postseason. Honestly, I'm more concerned and critical of his defense in the playoffs (which at times was pretty good and at other times was an incredible struggle), but that would require its own thread. My ending thoughts: I still very much believe in Duren. This playoff run showed he has areas he must sharpen up and learn from, but at 22 that shouldn't be a shocker. He is incredibly talented and made a large jump during the RS. The PS posed challenges he didn't quite have answers to yet. But another run of experience, another offseason of training, and another year older should lead him down a good path. I am fully supportive of paying Duren and extending him. I am not at close to 50 million dollars. 35-40 million is where I think they'll settle on, and I'm fine with that. But, he's gotta learn from these playoffs! Every offseason he's gotten better, I don't have a reason to believe Jalen Duren won't learn and improve again this summer. He's only 22.show more

i saw the phone hitting oli right in front... of me and the guy who owned the phone came up to security a few songs later and said another guy grabbed his phone and threw it so my assumption is someone got pissed that he was holding his phone up so high and threw it out of his hands?? the guy who owned the phone was confrontational with security and us at the front.. #bmth st louisshow more

We said goodbye to our beloved Odom last night... as it was his time to go. To say I am devastated would be an understatement because that dog has saved my life more times than I could even begin to fathom. To be with him at the end of his amazing life was an honor I do not take for granted. Most of my days and routines over the last few years were centered around him and ensuring that he received what he needed. Whether it was receiving insulin for his diabetes at the same times every day or planning walks and meals to accommodate what worked best for him, my schedule revolved around what he needed. To some, this might seem like a nuisance. For me, it made me better. I made his routines my routines. Walking him twice a day gave me time to reflect and appreciate all of the good in my life. Planning time for his exercise ensured I did the same for myself. Being immediately anchored by his weight on a walk because he wanted to appreciate something he had noticed taught me to slow down and take in moments in a way I wasn’t used to. His routine was my routine, and it made me better. When I first saw him at the Edmonton Humane Society Society, I wasn’t ready for a dog. My brother Alec was there, and he saw me with Odom, and he knew that I was in love immediately. I didn’t find Odom, but Odom found me. I left, not taking him home and immediately knew it was a mistake, and that he was meant to be in my life. I went to the Edmonton Humane Society the next day, 30 minutes before it opened, to ensure that I would be the first person to go through the doors. I headed straight for where Odom was, and he came home with me that day. With all of the ups and downs I have had in my life since, my love and pride in that dog were a constant. I am terribly sad, and I am taking solace in this quote from Andrew Garfield on grief: “This is all the unexpressed love, the grief that will remain with us until we pass because we never get enough time with each other, no matter if someone lives till 60, 15, or 99.” I love that dog because that dog loved me. Bye Odom…You will always be my best friend.show more

Terry Francona on what he saw from Will Benson... on his at-bat in the 9th. “He hit a home run. And again, the idea was that Erceg has had some walks so the hope was Will could find a way either to get on or get a hit. I mean, obviously the home run is awesome, but I don’t know if that’s what you’re really expecting.”show more

In the 1800s, Scottish surgeon Robert Liston became infamous... for a surgery that led to an astonishing 300% mortality rate, losing his patient to infection, accidentally amputating his assistant's fingers, who also died of infection, and slashing a spectator who died from heart attack. While amputating another patient's leg, he broke his personal record by finishing the surgery in two and a half minutes. However, in the interest of speed, he chopped off the patient's testicles along with his leg. He also once mistook a lump in a young boy's neck for a skin tag and removed it suddenly at the boys home. The lump turned out to be an aneurysm of his carotid artery, and the boy died. Keep in mind that in those times there was no anesthesia and that speed and cleanliness were the only skills. Known as "the fastest knife on West End," Robert Liston was particularly skilled at quick amputations. Where most surgeons at that time lost one in four patients, due to his speed and skill, Liston only lost about one in ten.show more

This child, suffering from a rare disease, had been... in the hospital for a long time, and his parents were worried about his morale. So, even though the doctors were initially opposed, he was allowed to have his Golden Retriever with him. At first, it was only for short periods, but later—seeing the child's improvement—the dog was allowed to stay with him constantly. Now he is recovering and happy, and he can't wait to go home and play with his dog.show more

NEW: Man was brutally beaten and had his skull... crushed by a group of men following a car crash NOTE: I reached out to his family for an interview The man told investigators that he was "jumped" and "repeatedly punched and kicked" by six men after the crash The man said it was raining and he was attacked when he got out of his car to exchange insurance information He said he was knocked unconscious and thinks he was pistol-whipped on the head He said he suffered a fractured skull, a broken orbital bone, and a crushed sinus cavity and needed surgery to put pieces of his skull back together The victim said the men who beat him took his cell phone He said it’s possible the vehicle he hit was stolen According to the Memphis PD the suspects are still on the runshow more