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On Sept. 5, 2015, Braxton Miller made a play Buckeye Nation isn't soon to forget. Going against Virginia Tech in the season opener on Labor Day night, with the whole country watching, Miller, the two-time Big Ten GrieseBrees Quarterback of the Year, made his debut at H-Back in Urban Meyer's offense.

The story is well known by now. Miller suffered a shoulder injury just days before the start of the 2014 season and had to have surgery on the shoulder for the second time in eight months. Miller was sidelined for the year as he watched J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones lead Ohio State to a national championship.

After returning for his fifth year with the Scarlet and Gray, Miller elected to move positions, becoming a wide receiver in one offseason. When he stepped on the field at Lane Stadium that night in 2015, Miller was just happy to be healthy and back playing.

Recently on FOX Sports' Ring Chronicles series, Miller and Meyer joined host Rob Stone and discussed that game and the spin move, which Bucknuts remembered on Labor Day 2020, that had the college football still hasn't forgotten.

"I think that was the first time I opened up and cried in front of a whole group of men like that," Miller told Stone. "Because, you know, I didn't know what to expect and I think the good Lord willing, I was praying the whole week ahead of time and having the guy that we're talking to tonight, the king of college coaching (Meyer), have him behind you and just telling you how good of a game you gonna have, I believed him but I've got to go out there and perform myself. And he gave me chance after chance after chance and every chance that I got I took advantage of. I don't know what it was, man. I think I was just so determined to showcase my talent. I think coach Meyer was too. He knew what was inside of me, man, because he is one of the greatest coaches."

Miller was relatively quiet leading into the third quarter, and with just over two minutes to play in the period, Eli Apple recovered a fumble, giving Ohio State the chance to build on its 21-17 lead.

It didn't take long for Miller to take advantage of this chance. The H-Back took the ball to his left and found a hole. The play might have been done after about 12 yards except that Miller had other ideas. He wanted to find the endzone. That's when he hit the spin move.

"I remember we were coming out the huddle," Miller began recounting the play. "It was an H-Back sweep but who knows what to expect, man. I was supposed to go to the C-gap and I went way out there to the Z-gap. So it's like, here we go. And I just turned it on, man. It was just like a moment in my life that slowed down for me and honestly I did see those two guys coming and something just told me to spin and that was honestly I think like the spirit that hopped inside of me and that's what it was. And if you remember, when I put my feet down, I'm looking like, woah, I ain't touched. So I just kept running. So I'm like, 'Wow, this is crazy.' Then having that whole game just in my hands. I'd scored a regular touchdown. I'd been doing that in practice, little league, it is what it is. But when somebody sees you do that at a different position, the whole world erupts."

Standing on the sideline, Meyer was overjoyed. After coaching players at the position like Percy Harvin and others, Miller was a unique athlete who he envisioned making plays such as this one. But Meyer also knew what Miller had overcome with the two shoulder surgeries and the position change and was happy to see him doing his thing on the field again.

"Well, to this day, the worst part of coaching to me is when a player gets hurt, the injury factor," Meyer told Stone. "And Braxton's like family, man. I love Braxton Miller. I always will. That's my guy. I used to yell '5' at him all the time and I love Braxton Miller. So I'm always that way. When I see a player do what he did, the selflessness, he changed positions, and to have him rewarded. You know, at the end of the day why do you coach? That's why I coach. That's why I was doing this for 33 years because of guys like that and to see that."

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For Buckeye Nation, that was a special moment and one fans will likely think of any time the 2015 Virginia Tech game is mentioned. For Miller, that game, that play meant a whole lot more.

"It was probably one of the best moments of my life, honestly," Miller said. "Because without that, I don't know if I would go as high as I did in the draft as a receiver/athlete. That was like an emotional game for me. So it was a blessing, I'm very thankful and I'm always grateful."

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Continue reading here:
Miller on the spin move: 'One of the best moments of my life' - 247Sports

Having previously travelled the world as a flight attendant and designed hats in Kerry, Niamh Stack has made Madrid her home with her family of seven.

Stack, originally from Killarney, studied banking and insurance at the Cork College of Commerce in the late 1980s, before taking up a job at the ill-fated PMPA insurance.

Cork was an amazing place to be in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Michael Jackson came there. So did Nirvana. There were great clubs and nightlife. It was a great vibe.

But Stack had itchy feet so she got a job with Ryanair in Dublin in 1992.

At the time they only had a few routes to the UK, and I worked in the office for a year. It was short, but it gave her an introduction into life in the skies.

When Virgin Atlantic Cityjet started operating a business-class flight between Dublin and London City airport, Stack was on the plane as an air stewardess. It was a fantastic service. People would get Champagne and hot towels before take-off. It was a different experience than it is now.

After two years she spread her wings and started working for BA in 1995, first out of Gatwick Airport, then out of Heathrow.

It was an incredible time to fly. I was doing long-haul routes, often going on seven to 10 day trips. Wed fly to Antigua and then lie on a beach for seven days, then fly home. It was just before mass tourism and low-cost flying changed aviation for ever.

Stack commuted at first, but moved to the UK in 1996, living in Guildford in Surrey. Its nice and leafy but has easy access to London for a night out. There were lots of Irish girls commuting, but I was happy to live in London during that time.

Stack says she worked mostly in business or first class and particularly enjoyed an occasion when Jude Law took over on-board service, much to the joy of travellers in coach. On another occasion, the late Princess Diana was travelling home from Antigua.

The upstairs of the 747s were often economy, while first class was up the front. She sat upstairs, and I was looking after her and the boys. Upon seeing her, paying guests in first class wanted to swap seats but she insisted upon staying. She didnt want the boys to think life was that simple. So after chatting to guests and having dinner, she settled them across the three economy seats and she lay on the floor below. She flew with us regularly. People just loved her.

Now, the princess and the BA Boeing 747 are gone.

Stack says she stopped flying when she was pregnant with her first child and had an emergency landing into Heathrow her second in total. Overhead lockers flew open and that sort of thing.

She moved back to Killarney in 2004 to look after her dad and have three more children all boys.

I really wanted to do something creative and founded Hy Brazil Creations designing hats and jewellery. I was very busy with all the horse-racing events taking place across Ireland designing huge hats. It was fabulous.

But in 2009 the family six decided to move to Spain. We always wanted the kids to have a second language, so we flew over there on a whim.

It was a bit crazy, to be honest. We ended up renting an apartment with no furniture in it. When we landed we had to go to the furniture store. But everything just fell into place. We just clicked with the place and fell in love with the lifestyle and the people.

The move was tough for the boys at first. The first six months in school were the hardest, but suddenly they got the language and now you wouldnt even tell they were Irish.

Stack got a job teaching English conversation at the Montealto School in Madrid in 2010, which she still continues. It piqued an interest in education, and in 2015 she went on to form life-coaching enterprise Think Communicate Lead, which helps increase success at school, at work and in personal life.

We help increase self-awareness, set and pursue meaningful goals and develop positive personal qualities such as self-esteem, a positive attitude, self-discipline and self-motivation.

I also had a fifth child in between a daughter, who is more Spanish than Irish.

Things were going well, until 2020 came along. My husband was working in Ireland, so when the lockdown occurred in March, I was alone with five children in an apartment, trying to work and home-school with bad internet.

It was pretty intense. Our only highlight each day was clapping at 8pm for the health workers on the balcony.

Stack and her family had to stay indoors for six weeks as Madrid was hit hard by Covid-19.

My two youngest didnt leave the apartment during that time. Id go shopping every two weeks and not touch certain shopping bags. Wed have to ration everything. Because there was no traffic, youd just hear all the sirens and see people getting stretchered out of buildings by people in hazmat suits. It was beyond belief. I was terrified Id get sick and no one could look after the kids.

Once lockdown ended things went back to normal, but Stack fears they arent out of the woods. I still havent bought the kids uniforms just in case they dont go back.

Stack, who is a director at her husbands company OpticalRooms, an optical testing company based in Ireland, says she is working on reducing digital exposure.

So many of us especially children are spending more time in front of screens for the purposes of home-schooling and entertainment so we offer tips on how to find better home working solutions.

Despite the pending winter of uncertainty, she and her family are happy in Spain. Even though we endured the worst of a pandemic, we still love it here, and have chosen to stay, despite the odds. Its just such a great place to live and we are prepared for whatever comes next.

The rest is here:
We wanted the kids to have a second language so we flew over on a whim - The Irish Times

The summit of Camelback Mountain rises some 2,700 feet above Arizonas Salt River Valley, accessible by a trailhead that attracts serious hikers and aspirational amateurs alike. The journey takes about an hour. The climbers range from pre-teens to AARP members. On mornings in the winter before the 2012 baseball season, the bottleneck included a 30-year-old man whom many in Major League Baseball never expected to see again. Oliver Prez scrambled across the mountains brown rocks and caked his sneakers in its red dirt.

By his side was his friend and trainer Rafael Arroyo. Atop the mountain, they gazed across the desert sprawl of suburban Phoenix. After enough trips, Prez started to talk, about mistakes he had made, about lessons he had learned. He needed to cleanse the venom and humiliation he had endured during his last few years as a failed starting pitcher with the New York Mets. The hikes almost became like therapy sessions, Arroyo...

Read more here:
The second baseball life of Oliver Prez - The Athletic

On a night designed to recognize his accomplishments as an athlete and longtime coach, Jim Vukovich took the podium at the 2002 Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, but rather than talk about himself and his decorated career of more than five decades, he redirected praise toward just about everybody else.

His former Flint Northern teammates, his fellow coaches and his Burton Bentley players made prominent appearances in Vukovichs induction speech in front of 500-some attendees on Dec. 7, 2002 at the Genesys Banquet and Conference Center, and the fact that hed rather talk about them than shine the spotlight on himself was classic Jimmy, said longtime friend Bill Troesken.

If you talked to 50 people in this area who knew him, everyone would have a Vuke story, Troesken said. In his induction to the Greater Flint Area Hall of Fame, he almost deflected being the guy and wanted to talk more about his teams, the teams he played on and his players. In his program bio for the ceremony, he mentions more about the people around him than stuff about himself. He was more interested in talking about the accomplishments of the team and his players than himself.

That night, everyone said thats typical Jimmy.

Vukovich died of a heart attack Monday at age 85 and is survived by daughters Ellen (Jim) Klobuchar, Arlene (Stephen) Hildensperger and Jane Vukovich, sister Jennie Calakay, plus five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by wife Barbara Vukovich.

The longtime baseball skipper leaves behind an unmatched coaching legacy at Burton Bentley and an impressive rsum as a player at Flint Northern and the University of Michigan.

A 1953 graduate of Northern, Vukovich starred for the Vikings basketball and baseball teams, earning All-Saginaw Valley Conference honors on the hardwood and helping the ball club win City and Saginaw Valley Conference championships.

On the summer baseball circuit, he played for American Legion Fisher Post 342 and led many of those same Northern players to consecutive state championships in 1951 and 1952.

After graduating from Flint Northern, he earned three varsity letters as a first baseman at the University of Michigan, then guided Montroses boys basketball team to a district title during a three-year run with the Rams, before ending up at Bentley, where he spent the final 37 years of his coaching career.

He coached just about every sport Bentley had to offer at one point or another, but the majority of his success came on the baseball diamond, where he collected a 575-361-5 record, which ranks 31st on the Michigan High School Athletic Associations career wins list.

Bentley High School baseball coach Jim Vukovich watches the action from the dugout. (File | MLive.com)

During that span, Vukovichs teams captured 11 conference championships, seven district title, three regional crowns and Class B state championships in 1973 and 1975.

He earned All-District Coach of the Year honors 10 times, All-Region Coach of the Year recognition twice and was the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association statewide Coach of the Year in 1974, the followed it up with Associated Press Class B Coach of the Year honors in 1976.

In addition to his individual induction into the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, Vukovich was inducted as a player with the 1953 Flint Northern baseball team and as a coach with his two state champion Bentley squads.

He was also part of the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Associations inaugural Hall of Fame class in 1987 and was inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2001.

During his induction speech for the Greater Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame, Vukovich expressed his love for coaching baseball and what sports in general meant to him.

I liked every day because I was working with young people, he said. I had fun, even on those cold, rainy spring days which were more like winter than baseball weather. Athletics was the center of my universe as a youngster. We had no TV or computer games, so the alternative was to get involved in sports.

That passion for sports and helping young athletes made him one of the most respected members of the community, said Troesken.

He has a great representative for the entire Flint area, and I never heard an individual say that he was even OK. He was perfect, and thats hard to imagine in the day and age we live in now, but he was first-class all the way, Trosken said.

Current Bentley athletic director Scott Bednarski played for Vukovich and described him as the type of coach who never had to scream to get his point across.

When I first met him, he was legendary because he had already won two state championships, so he was almost larger than life and a very tall man, said Bednarski, who graduated from Bentley in 1994. He spoke softly, never really hollered or got too high or too low, but everything he said had a purpose, whether it was about baseball or life. He was a very positive guy, and it was an honor to take the field for him.

Perhaps no player knew the legendary longer than Bill McLemore, who served as Bentleys bat boy at age 8, played for the Bulldogs until he graduated in 1984 and later returned to Vukovichs dugout as an assistant coach.

It was the time on the practice field that I remember the most, McLemore said. He was as father figure to thousands of kids. We were blessed at Bentley. He always took the approach of being really laid back and not being that fiery Rah-rah type of guy, but we won a ton of games.

He was larger than life, but yet so personable.

Vukovichs impact extended well beyond the players he coached thanks to his dedication as an educator -- first as a teacher and later as a counselor at Bentley, where he played an instrumental role guiding countless kids to career paths.

But at the center of it all was his family, and his daughter, Ellen, recalls plenty of afternoons in the dugouts, visits to his classroom and backyard T-ball games.

Hed let us come to his games, and sometimes wed sit in the dugout and run the bases, she said. Hed take us to the school and let us write on the chalkboard in his classroom, and when we were older, hed support us and his grandchildren in sports. Everyone got to play some T-ball in his backyard, and every time, hed try to get them interested in baseball first.

In all the hours Vukovich spent talking with his players, his students and his family, he never brought up was his own personal accomplishments, so his daughter, Arlene, couldnt help but admire his humility when she started learning more about the unassuming coach who carved out a career as one of the best in Michigan high school baseball history.

He was the most humble man Ive ever met in my life, she said. In the past couple days, weve come across all these awards and honors that we didnt know about because he never talked about them.

MORE:

Bentley 1975 baseball state champions honored with hall induction

Beecher gives legendary basketball coach Mose Lacy send-off fit for a king

Flint native and former Detroit Lions DE Herb Orvis, a giant within giants, dies at age 73

Players remember Frankenmuth football coach Budd Tompkins as one of a kind

One of states winningest baseball coaches still going strong in 38th season

Read the rest here:
State champ baseball coach Jim Vukovich remembered as first-class all the way - MLive.com

Rutherford County, TNRutherford County Government recently awarded three employees with a $500 scholarship to continue their education.

Rutherford County wants its employees to be engaged and prepared with the tools essential to completing jobs effectively, efficiently, and professionally, said Sonya Stephenson, HR Director. We continue to look for ways to enhance employees abilities and skills and provide them additional training to ensure their success. Since Fall 2014, the County has offered the opportunity to apply for the scholarships to offset employees continuing education costs. Scholarships are awarded twice a year, in the spring and fall.

Sarah Blair, McKinzy Paturno, and Les Pearson were selected as recipients for Fall 2020. Each will receive $500 toward their education.

Blair has been with Rutherford County Sheriffs Office since October 2017 and serves as a Patrol Officer. Currently, shes a K-9 officer and wants to learn how to train other K-9 handlers and their dogs by becoming a Certified K-9 Fitness Trainer. She plans to attend the University of Tennessees College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville via an online curriculum, an in-person workshop, and three case studies. Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh stated, Deputy Blair trained her personal dog before becoming a police officer at Middle Tennessee State UniversityI highly recommend her to receive the scholarship that will benefit the K-9s and the Sheriffs Office.

Paturno has worked for the Probation Department since April 2016. She began as Admin Support but was quickly promoted to Probation Assistant. McKinzy says her experience in her current role has inspired her to pursue a degree in social work. To achieve her goal, she will be attending Motlow State Community College in Smyrna. During her time with the Probation Department, McKinzy and coworker Kelly Lane, developed an outreach program called Olive Branch to assist clients in their office with food and other essential items. Director Alissa Phillips expressed, McKinzy is always eager to learn and willing to step up to become educated in different positionsand has continued to prove herself to be a valuable asset to our team.

Pearson also joined the Probation Department in April 2016 as a Treatment Case Manager. Director Phillips recommended Pearson for the scholarship because he continues to seek out professional development opportunities to assist him with his position. Les assists clients of Probation with programs such as Batterers Intervention, Anger Management, Moral Reconation Therapy, Life Coaching, and Prime for Life DUI classes. Pearson plans to add Relationship Coaching to his certification as a BCC Life Coach through the Institute of Life Coaching. This certification will provide Pearson with an additional layer of training to help him provide counseling and guidance to his clients as a mental health professional.

Rutherford County has top-notch employees and these three are no exception, said Mayor Bill Ketron. I am proud of these individuals and wish them well in their quest for further professional development!

Original post:
Rutherford County Awards Three Employees $500 Scholarship for Continuing Education - Wgnsradio

Ohio State womens soccer head coach Lori Walker-Hock paces the sidelines in the second half of the game against Florida Gulf Coast University on Sept. 7, 2018. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Former Photo Editor

No amount of wins accumulated, players coached or practices held could prepare a coach to guide a team through a pandemic and postponed season.

Between adapting to a life of social distancing to shifting gears following the Big Tens postponement of fall sports, 2020 has brought a new set of challenges to coaching. From womens soccer coach Lori Walker-Hock, who is entering her 24th year as Ohio States head coach, to Jen Flynn Oldenburg, who was hired to be the womens volleyball coach in January, Ohio State coaches have been forced to adapt and lead their teams into the unknown.

Having to adjust to coaching at the university made Oldenburg feel like she was drinking through a firehose, but she said the pandemic shifted her mentality.

You kinda feel behind because youre trying to figure this all out, and then the pandemic hits and I feel like Im on the same page as everybody else. Were all dealing with the unknown and dealing with whats next, Oldenburg said Aug. 20.

In 1997, Oldenburg was entering the second year of her playing career at Ohio State while Walker-Hock was beginning her first year as head coach of the womens soccer program.

Walker-Hock has accumulated 254 wins in her time at Ohio State, but getting to 255 will require a slightly longer wait.

Describing going through the offseason process almost like a rookie coach, Walker-Hock said her lack of familiarity with the situation has not impacted her core leadership skills.

Im as solid as Ive ever been as far as what I believe in and what it takes to be a championship team and how do we get there, Walker-Hock said Aug. 19.

The leadership aspect was also echoed by Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day, who noted that it is the job of a coach to lead in times of uncertainty.

Being the head coach at Ohio State, theres a lot of things you have to work through, but the No. 1 thing is to be a leader and to take care of your players, show them some direction and how much you care for them, and be real, solve their problems, and advocate for them, Day said in an Aug. 12 Zoom conference with media members.

With Ohio State football coming off a 13-1 season and returning several key contributors for 2020, the postponement pushed back an opportunity for the team to fulfill its potential.

Ohio State mens soccer coach Brian Maisonneuve, who had improved on the teams 2018 record by winning six additional games in 2019, also said the postponement decision along with the lost spring training impacted the momentum built up by the previous years team.

We did have a lot of good momentum going. I thought the guys turned some corners and we were really coming together, Maisonneuve said Aug. 20. I thought last spring was going to be an important spring, and it was unfortunate that it got canceled and now the fall got canceled.

Maisonneuve said that they will fill the void left by postponed games with training.

The pandemic has not only impacted the coaches ability to interact with their current players, but it also has put a strain on the recruitment of future players.

Day and Oldenburg stressed the importance of building relationships with the recruits, an element which has remained unchanged.

Oldenburg said the use of virtual spaces, such as Zoom, has allowed the interaction to continue without the ability to host recruits at Ohio States campus. The available technology mixed with her staffs ability to identify talent has left the new coach with a sense of confidence when approaching recruiting.

We can evaluate talent and I feel pretty good about our ability to do that, Oldenburg said. Now its just about getting the right people that fit where we want to go.

The loss of spring sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Maisonneuves ability to see some 2021 recruits play soccer. Despite the added difficulty, the third-year head coach noted that everyone is in the same boat.

Its hard because youve got to see some of these kids live and see them compete with their club teams and high school teams, and we just havent had that ability, Maisonneuve said. Weve watched a lot of video, but its different when you see them live.

Although the situation is unprecedented, the common response from Ohio States coaches is to move on from the decision and focus on player and team development.

The games may not be in sight, but the preparation continues for Ohio State fall athletics.

The mentality is when we get a chance to play, we are going to be ready, Oldenburg said.

Read more here:
Ohio State coaches new and old navigate unchartered territory - OSU - The Lantern

Over the last several years, the scouting department of the Dallas Cowboys has done an outstanding job filling the roster to the point where it almost becomes disquieting when a pick doesnt work out. There are many different factors that come into play concerning a player fitting the mold or not, but when things dont seem to be working, the player personnel department usually gets a big ol strike against them in terms of the evaluation of the player.

But what if thats not it at all? Lets suppose the evaluation wasnt that wrong after all, and its been deficiencies in the coaching staff that has attributed to the lack of success for the player. Is that something we can wrap our mind around? Why not. After all, there have been so many positive things said about the coaching staff where Cowboys fans feel more confident about this team maximizing their potential. And when that happens, there could be some forgotten names who suddenly reemerge along the teams depth chart. Here are three players who could be in for career years this season.

Well start with the easy one. For the first time since he was drafted, the news about Trysten Hill has been positive. Last years second-round pick, Hill did next to nothing make fans feel good about his selection. He was late to meetings and falling asleep because apparently listening to Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas was not interesting enough for him. But most importantly, his play on the field was just nonexistent.

But things are much different for Hill in year two. New defensive line coach Jim Tomsula has praised him for his willingness to learn, and relentlessness in asking questions. The dedication is also showing up on the practice field. Hill has been active in the trenches, more consistent in showing his strength, and unlike practices in the past, his name surfaces here and there as a guy making plays.

This is positive news for Cowboys fans because the raw ability of Hill is there. If he can be coached up, hes got real chance to be a difference-maker for the defense.

BEFORE: Possible roster cut

AFTER: Roster spot looks safe, and hes got a good shot at being a part of the DT rotation (although the Gerald McCoy injury aids his chances there)

When youre a fourth-round pick, nobody is overly-concerned if you dont pan out. Players like Ryan Switzer, Charles Tapper, B.W. Webb, and Matt Johnson are nothing but afterthoughts as they all cant be like Dak Prescott. And it was getting to the point where third-year player Dalton Schultz was drifting into purgatory as well. For the last two years, hes been the third wheel when it comes to tight ends. First, he was behind Geoff Swaim and Blake Jarwin a couple years ago, and then behind Jason Witten and Jarwin last year. And entering this season, it looked like once again hed be no. 3 on the depth chart behind Jarwin and recently acquired free agent Blake Bell.

Not so fast. Schultz has been showing a lot of improvement this year. It couldnt come at a better time because although there is excitement surrounding Jarwins ability in the passing game, the team still needs a reliable blocker. Schultz could be the perfect man for the job.

BEFORE: No. 3 on the depth chart

AFTER: No. 2 on the depth chart

Fans mostly just remember the teams three defensive backs when it comes to the 2017 draft haul as Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, and Xavier Woods have all carved out key roles in the secondary. But theres another guy from that draft class still hanging around on the roster, seventh-round pick Noah Brown. and he is making his usual training camp appearance. Typically around this time, hell be doing very ordinary things that will keep him on the bubble. That is, if he somehow manages to stay healthy.

So far, he hasnt gotten hurt this year, and whats even better is that he has been showing up and making plays. New head coach Mike McCarthy speaks highly of his progress as Browns battled his way through injuries. And with special teams appeal, all things are pointing to a roster spot for Brown.

BEFORE: On fringe for the last WR spot

AFTER: Earns that last WR spot

The rest is here:
The combination of great scouting and better coaching may provide new life for these Cowboys players - Blogging The Boys

Neighbors please be mindful of social distancing guidelines while you do your part to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. See the latest guidance from the CDC here.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Join here at 8:00pm PT on September 9th

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82858941579

Debs presents A LIVE SINGER/SONGWRITER SHOWCASE for your listening pleasure, in the warm, cozy, comfort, and safety of your own home. Delight and savor in marvelous musical talents** as they lift your spirit, touch your heart, illuminate your soul, inspire your mind, and brighten your night. Sit back, relax, rewind, restore, rejuvenate, and revel in the healing power of music. These stellar singer/songwriters are all at the top of their game.

**Erin Boheme, Vicki Burns, Tania & Jeff Grubbs, Teresa James, Jenna Mammima & Tom Castonzo, Sue Maskaleris, Maci Miller, Donny Most, Daniela Spagnolo.

This concert is being produced to support creativity and live music while giving back to the community. All proceeds go directly to the Innocence Project, an amazing organization that finds the necessary DNA evidence to finally free innocent victims from prison, after decades of being falsely accused, wrongly convicted, and unjustly incarcerated. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. Please send donations via PayPal to maxie.solters@gmail.com as a friends/family transaction so there won't be a fee!

In consideration of the entertainers, please plan to join PROMPTLY AT 8:00PM PT. There will be no admittance during performances. It is mandatory that you are MUTED and OFF VIDEO throughout the entire concert. You can use the CHAT ROOM to applaud, comment, and kibbutz with other attendees. Please use only positive and supportive language. If you need to communicate with the host for any reason, feel free to text me at 818 326 9003.

For participation at a future event, contact Debs at sleeplessinstudiocity@gmail.com

Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Page "Sleepless in Studio City"Where You Can Revel in Past Showcase Videos Now Published For Your Viewing Enjoyment

Many of these skilled virtuosos are featured on DrDebzz' Call-In Talk Radio Advice Show "Sleepless in Studio City" Airing Nightly Sun-Fri 9PM PT / midnight ET at AmericanHeartsRadio.com. Hear them in live interviews revealing the meaning of music in their lives, advice for aspiring artists, what they believe is the key to finding and keeping love, and much more.

Celebrated columnist, lauded life coach, skilled family mediator, DrDebzz offers heartfelt help, inspiration, positivity, a nurturing spirit, and transformative tools.

DrDebzz has been deemed The new relationship GURUa West Coast Dr. Laura and East Coast Carrie Bradshaw! Fans describe her as a soulful gifted fun impressive radio personality; with a captive confident soothing melodious and simply lovely voice; an alluring way of telling her-story; so "spiritually alive and giving LOVE to humanity.

Free Phone Corona Coaching Sessions are available for a limited time. Set up a Complimentary Consultation at 818-326-9003; allthatdezz.webs.com; or sleeplessinstudiocity@gmail.com

Read more:
Debs' Jazz Vocalist Showcase & Benefit for The Innocence Project - Patch.com

New non-profit based in the Delaware Valley helps under-served individuals achieve their highest life potential.

Many individuals and families living in the Delaware Valley area have been struggling to work their way out of difficult circumstances to achieve their fullest potential. To Great Lengths is seeking to find those individuals and providing them with the tools required to change those circumstances.

Based on a firm belief that a positive mindset and willingness to work hard are essential to achieving ones full potential, To Great Lengths is partnering with a variety of local employers, health care service providers, life coaches and financial advisors to offer additional services to ensure each individual has a tremendous chance to achieve greatness. There will be scholarships as well as financial assistance offered to help aid the individuals skillset and potential. With all these valuable resources available, there is an exceptional opportunity for the individual to gain the knowledge necessary for a successful future.

The first event, the Silly Walk Contest and Fundraiser, will be held on Sunday, September 6, 2020 at Liquid Alchemy Beverages in Wilmington, DE from 1:00-4:00 P.M. It will pay tribute to the famous Monty Python skit Ministry of Silly Walks featuring John Cleese. Contestants will be judged on creativity, style, and of course, silliness! There will be loads of prizes, t-shirts and special silly libations will be flowing. To Great Lengths is currently looking for hardworking, deserving individuals to work with to help them reach to their highest potential.

For more information, please visit us at: https://www.togreatlengths.org

About:

To Great Lengths, LLC is a nonprofit organization committed to serving children, adults, families and the community at large. Through its uniquely designed programs and services, To Great Lengths offers a wide variety of opportunities and resources in education, mental health, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and much more.

Contact Information

To Great Lengths, LLC. Mike McGowan 610-909-5589 http://www.togreatlengths.org

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Non-Profit To Great Lengths Launches with 1st Annual Silly Walk Competition at Liquid Alchemy Beverages in Wilmington, DE - PR.com

Roger Budd Tompkins had plenty of impressive numbers.

He can claim two state titles, 88 wins and a four-year run of 34-1 in his first four seasons as the Frankenmuth High School varsity football coach. He added Class C Coach of the Year honors in 1969 and was inducted into the Michigan High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1993.

Tompkins, 86, died Saturday in South Boardman, near his hometown of Traverse City.

But Tompkins left his biggest footprints in Frankenmuth, taking over the varsity head coaching job in 1966 and putting together a 34-1 record in his first four seasons, including back-to-back undefeated state championship seasons in 1968 and 1969. In 14 seasons at Frankenmuth, Tompkins was 88-37.

The reason he did not win 100 games or serve as a varsity head coach beyond 1979 says as much about Tompkins the person as Tompkins the coach, according to his former players.

Hes a major reason I got into coaching and who I became, why I pursued the career I did, former Frankenmuth player and coach Ralph Munger said. He often told me that if you spend eight years in one place, youre probably going to find its time to move on. In this case, we never talked about switching coaching jobs.

Tompkins left the Frankenmuth head coaching job, opening the door for Munger, who was coaching the freshman team. Tompkins remained a coach, taking over the freshman program for eight seasons. Munger went on to coach at Frankenmuth and Rockford, compiling a 335-109 record before retiring in 2019.

It shows the type of teacher he was, the fact that he really enjoyed networking and getting to know people on a very personal level, Munger said. Its a little easier to do that with ninth-graders. They are more impressionable. And back then, ninth grade was the first year that young men played football. He was their first coach.

Jeff Reinbold played for Tompkins at Frankenmuth, then went to Northern Michigan, thanks to Tompkins.

Budd told me it would be fun to play there he had played there, Reinbold said. That was in 1974, and they were winless so he thought I might be able to get playing time right away. The next year they won the national championship.

One of the most unselfish things Budd did was go down to the freshman level so that Ralph could come in and coach at the varsity level. Budd was a tremendous mentor to those young kids. He was a good motivator, but his follow-up after with guys that needed his help was what made him special. Even when things didnt go well for them after football or after school, he was there when they needed him.

Football was simply one vehicle for Tompkins, who starred at Northern Michigan University. Tompkins organized deer-hunting and fishing trips for students and taught a fly-tying class after school. He became a talented artist and woodworker, sending unfinished work to a special-needs son of a former player, asking the son to finish the piece.

Budd Tompkins saw things in people that they did not see in themselves, Bill Tucker said. Tucker, a 1979 Frankenmuth graduate, is a pastor at Concordia-San Antonio.

I talked to him a couple years ago for the first time in 35 years, and he remembered so many details, things like a gift I sent to his son that I had forgotten about. We hadnt talked for 35 years, but he knew details about me and what I had been doing because he really cared about people.

Not just football players.

He could reach young men, and it didnt matter if they were football players or not, Munger said. He had a real knack for bringing out the absolute best and making individuals believe they were capable of things they probably didnt think they were capable of.

You didnt have to be a 4.0 student or a star athlete. It didnt matter. What was important to Coach was your heart and you as an individual. He was one-of-a-kind.

Tompkins taught some classes, but his primary role at Frankenmuth was as a guidance counselor.

Coach was fighting hard for me to get an appointment to Air Force, because thats what I thought I wanted to do, Tucker said. But I wasnt sure. I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a pastor, and the first person I told was Coach.

But it wasnt a stress-free conversation.

We met and he started talking about the Air Force and everything he had done and what I had to do then he stopped talking and looked at me, Tucker said. He asked me if I had something on my mind. I told him I wanted to be a pastor. I wasnt sure how he would react because he had worked so hard for me to get into the Air Force.

So much depended on how he reacted because my decision was so fragile. But without missing a beat, he said, You know Bill, thats sounds like a great idea. By that night, he had already contacted colleges and got the ball rolling so I could go to Concordia-River Forest.

After he left Frankenmuth, Tompkins became an assistant coach for Jim Ooley at Traverse City, helping the Trojans win a Class A state title in 1988.

He was an old-school type of guy hard-nosed and tough, Munger said. We moved here when I was a junior, but we didnt have a house yet. My dad would bring me and drop me off. During the lunch break, I would go home with Coach, take a nap, eat a lunch, get to know the teammates.

He was always there to help.

Tompkins is survived by his wife Gretchen Tompkins.

We called Gretchen Ma Coach because she was right there with Coach helping us, Munger said. They were both willing to spend time with us. I would go over to the house and Ma Coach would always pour me a glass orange drink. We would just sit and talk football.

The thing about Coach though is that such a small part of what made him special was football.

Tucker graduated from Concordia-River Forest in 1983 and attended Fort Wayne Seminary.

Coach was an amazing person, and its sad that he died but Im glad for his life, Tucker said. Ive had lots of coaches and teachers and mentors who have had an impact in my life.

None have had as big an impact as Coach Tompkins.

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Players remember Frankenmuth football coach Budd Tompkins as one of a kind - mlive.com