Put this in the movie thread, but guess it fits here, too.

"The Mandalorian and Grogu"

Meh, it was essentially just an episode of the series stretched out over 2+ hours, and it suffers for it. Really liked the series and enjoy the characters, but this is a money grab. I think Star Wars on the big screen is done. This was the worst of the films, IMO, and if anyone knows my opinion on "The Phantom Menace", that should tell ya something. The kids did enjoy it, so there's that.

3/10 for me.

Thelast movie I watched in the theater was Straight Outta Compton but I'm tempted to go see Backrooms

I mentioned, in Julian's thread, I have the 2025 season All-22. I'm making great use of it.

I did want to convey my main bullet point about the 2025 Offense as it relates to 2026- It felt like the opposite to their counterparts from 20 years ago. That 2005 team got better as the season wore on and saved their best ball for the last few games of the season. If not for some special teams blunders and an ill-advised turnover, they would have ending the bowl season putting up a 45 spot and 600 yards on Notre Dame.

The 2025 squad left SO much on the table it's painful. Not just the players, I'm calling out the Coaching staff as well. ( Shout out to the WR's for their lack of intensity in blocking with the running and screen game. A pick six running a stalk block? Embarrassing)

I didn't want to make it seem like I'm picking on Julian alone, so I'm going to point out the OL & the Play calling. This post is all of the stuff the players & coaches need to get away from in 2026 if this team is to contend.


The OL I got nasty with here...

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In terms of the play calling and pre-game preparation, I really have to ask where our offensive coaching staffs heads were at. The Miami defense was pretty well understood in being a 1hi dominant squad that feasted off of their weakside pressures from 2nd and 3rd levels while being aggressive on the perimeter. The Bucks early designs to attack that were RPO's to outside, playing to the aggressive CB nature. Later countering with much more lower percentage throws.

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If that wasn't enough, designing something like boundary flood off waggle just screams 'unaware'.
Twice in this game Carnell was open for what would have been a huge gain or a home-run TD. First one I put on the OL. This one I put on the coaches.





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It was just such a complete hodge podge of play calling that felt like there was no rhythm & consistency. Largely because the opening sequences and designs were so piss poor or badly executed that the coaching staff collectively lost their heads. The Canes defense was in their heads early and often.

Like I said, these are things the offensive coaching staff simply cannot afford to do moving forward. We gave no reason to back these corners off early, while at the same time making giant execution mistakes between QB, OL & WR. To the tune of 4 punts, 1 missed FG and 1INT in the Bucks first 6 possessions.

If not for an outstanding defensive effort and good fortunate, the Cotton Bowl should have been 31-7 Miami.


I'm hopeful, but I'm also bullish. Cautiously optimistic, if you will, for this upcoming season.

20 years ago, I was just a wide-eyed kid. Now I have 10s of thousands of hours poured into football. That 2006 squad, while talented, had some self-destruct button, type of flaws. I'm grateful to them, as painful as that season ended. Since then, I've only increased my command of the game, learned how to emotionally step back, widen the gaze and remove ones self for a more clear picture of the greater issue(s) at hand.

That issue boils down to me having doubts about this teams ability to contend late in the seeason unless the holy trifecta of QB, OL & Coaches find a greater application and consistency in/of their respective abilities.

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Another former Ohio State standout has officially put pen to paper on his first NFL contract. Former Buckeye tight end Max Klare signed his rookie deal with the Los Angeles Rams on Friday.

The Rams selected Klare in the second round with the No. 61 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year rookie contract projected to be worth just over $8 million, including a $2.3 million signing bonus.

Better Know a Buckeye: CJ Sanna’s Rise In Just Two Years at Middle Linebacker Shows His Raw Ability and Potential​

Scouting Report​

In the middle of the Olentangy defense, Sanna showcased his football IQ, awareness, and instincts. With his ability to run downhill, he excels as a QB spy and run stopper. He uses his eyes and elusiveness to avoid opposing blockers and make plays on the ball.

Sanna made a habit of trucking opposing ballcarriers over with his strength and size in high school, but he must wrap them up more consistently as he goes against bigger and stronger players at the collegiate level.

With just two years of full-time linebacker play under his belt, Sanna has shown the ability to be a dominant playmaker in the middle of the defense while having plenty of room to learn and grow at Ohio State.

Depth Chart Outlook
Just like he was in the latter two years at Olentangy, Sanna is projected to be a Mike linebacker for Ohio State. With that, his first season as a Buckeye will certainly be a developmental one. Payton Pierce will lead the depth chart at Mike linebacker for Ohio State in 2026, while Riley Pettijohn, fellow freshman Cincere Johnson and rising sophomore Eli Lee are among the other Buckeyes who will likely be ahead of him on this year’s depth chart.

Sanna must develop well to become a future starter in the loaded linebacker room that James Laurinaitis has built, but playing for one of the best linebacker coaches in the country will give him a chance to maximize his potential and become a difference-maker for the Silver Bullets.

Player Comparison: Tommy Eichenberg​

After redshirting his first season as a Buckeye in 2019, Eichenberg received very minimal playing time in his second season in Columbus, totaling just two tackles. But he started to make a name for himself in his third year at Ohio State and became a dominant linebacker as a redshirt junior in 2022.

In his fourth season with the Buckeyes, Eichenberg notched 120 tackles (12 for loss), 2.5 sacks, an interception and three pass breakups. The 6-2, 235-pounder totaled 268 tackles (21 for loss), 2.5 sacks, two interceptions (one pick-six), five pass breakups, a forced fumble and one fumble recovery in his final three seasons at OSU. He was a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft following his fifth season with the Buckeyes.

Sanna, like Eichenberg, is an in-state linebacker prospect who was a four-star recruit. Also like Eichenberg, Sanna will likely need multiple years of development before he plays a major role for the Buckeyes. But if Sanna can continue to develop into a do-it-all middle linebacker after switching to the position before his junior season in high school, the 6-2, 230-pounder could follow a similar path as Eichenberg to eventually starring in the middle of Ohio State’s defense.

Just sayin': Here's the ugliest Ohio State helmet that I've ever seen...

Remember When: Ohio State, Not Michigan, Introduced Winged Helmets to College Football in the 1930s


Who was the first college football team to wear winged helmets? The answer might surprise you.

Nowadays, the idea of Ohio State wearing winged helmets would be considered blasphemy. Over the past 88 years, the winged helmet has become synonymous with Michigan, Ohio State’s hated rival. The only time you’ll ever see a Buckeye wear a winged helmet in modern times is during the practice week leading up to The Game, when Ohio State’s scout-teamers don maize and blue helmets and jerseys to help the Buckeyes prepare to play the team up north.

For five years in the 1930s, however, Ohio State was the team wearing winged helmets in The Game.

Sam Willaman’s Buckeyes were the first college football team to wear winged helmets when they adopted the design in 1930. Their version of the winged helmet, designed by Spalding, had more to do with safety than aesthetics; according to SpartanJerseys.com, the lighter-colored wing, placed on top of a dark-colored leather helmet, was put in place as extra padding to help protect players from collisions.


Ohio State wearing the winged helmets during a 27-0 win over Navy in 1930.

Ohio State wore the winged helmets through Francis Schmidt’s first season in 1934 – when the Buckeyes earned their first of four straight shutout wins over Michigan under Schmidt – before switching back to solid-colored helmets in 1935.

The Buckeyes weren’t the only team to wear winged helmets before the Wolverines. Indiana, Georgetown and Michigan’s other rival, Michigan State, also wore versions of the winged helmet in the early 1930s. Indiana’s winged helmet design looked similar to Michigan’s, with three white stripes running across the top of the helmet from front to back, but the direct inspiration for Michigan’s helmet design came from Princeton.

Princeton began wearing its winged helmets, with three orange stripes on a black base, during its undefeated national championship season of 1935. The Wolverines began wearing winged helmets three years later, in 1938, when Michigan hired Fritz Crisler away from Princeton to be its new head coach. Nearly nine decades later, the blue helmets with maize wings remain a staple of the Wolverines’ uniforms.

Ohio State never wore winged helmets again after the 1934 season, but the modern-day Ohio State helmets that now rank among college football’s iconic designs weren’t introduced until 1968. After Woody Hayes and athletic trainer Ernie Biggs introduced the concept of awarding Buckeye Leaf helmet stickers to players in 1967, Ohio State switched to silver helmets with a scarlet, white and black stripe in the center for the following season. The “Super Sophomores” led the 1968 Buckeyes to a 10-0 season and a national championship, and Ohio State’s now-emblematic helmet design remains nearly unchanged 58 years later.

RB07OSU said:

Howard was about damn perfect in deciding to run or throw. He was a decent athlete, but his decisiveness was the key. I think that can be learned, so I think Julian can get that decision making skill down. Lord knows the talent is there and he's a decent enough athlete.

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RE: Julian Sayin's 77.0 completion percentage in 2025 is the best in single-season program history, is a Big Ten Record and also is third highest in FBS history (Bo Nix in 2023 at Oregon (77.4 pct.) and Mac Jones in 2020 at Alabama (77.4 pct.)).

Will Howard was a 5th year senior and had 4 years of experience at K-State under his belt when he came to Ohio State. Julian Sayin pretty much sat of the bench in 2024 as QB3 watching Howard play. In 2025 Ohio State didn't have the best OL or QB2/QB3. Besides not always having a lot of time to set up in the pocket and he was told not to run (to minimize his chances for an injury)he threw a lot of passes away just to avoid a sack. With a year of actual experience/more film watching/additional coaching I would expect him to be able to read defenses much faster and he should be able to see when he has an opportunity to run for a first down, not be hit, and just go out of bounds or take a feet first slide. He's the most accurate passer that has ever been at Ohio State, the WR room could very well be the best in the nation, and overall the RBs much are better than average. If Ohio State can fix last year's "Achilles heel" (i.e. the OL) there's a very high ceiling in what Julian Sayin should be able to accomplish in 2026.

I must say, my biography on Netflix is a must watch. Unfortunately they cut the interviews of the ladies discussing my immense penis.

Ohio State makes final top three for Big Walnut 2027 star Sydney Mobley​

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She was also named Ohio's Ms. Basketball award winner for 2025-26 after leading Big Walnut to the Division II state final four.

According to a report by The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio State was the first of Mobley's whopping 42 scholarship offers. And OSU women's basketball coach Kevin McGuff made that offer when Mobley was in the sixth grade!

As a junior, Mobley averaged 20.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists to lead the Golden Eagles (23-5). In her career, Mobley has amassed 1,508 points, 835 rebounds, 228 assists, 186 steals and 145 blocks.

"When you watch a kid work like she's worked … I've had the privilege of knowing her since she was in fourth grade, so I've seen the progression, and to see what it has progressed to, this type of award and achievement is pretty cool," Big Walnut coach Carey Largent told The Dispatch.

Mobley starred at Lewis Center Olentangy as a freshman, when she averaged 17.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals and earned first-team all-state in Division I after helping the Braves to their first district championship in 26 years.

She moved to Big Walnut for her sophomore year and led the Golden Eagles to their first state tournament with 20.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks.

As a junior, Mobley scored a career-high 38 points twice, against 2024-25 Division I state runner-up Cincinnati Princeton and Olentangy, and one-upped that with 42 points in Big Walnut's first district tournament game against Dublin Scioto.

"I just think being more aggressive offensively and knowing when to turn it on when my team needs me to really put the ball in the hole [has been key]," she said. "[Then there are] other times when it's not as necessary and I can be more of a passer.

"I really worked on my conditioning. That's always something I'm working on. Playing without fouling offensively, too. In high school basketball, I get a lot of offensive fouls just from being a bigger player, so I've definitely worked on shooting over people and not always going through people."

It's unclear when Mobley will announce her college choice. Rising seniors can sign letters of intent/scholarship papers in November.

Ex-Mets manager Bobby Valentine dons famous disguise again​

Bobby Valentine was just trying to keep things loose -- and perhaps save his job -- when he donned a makeshift disguise and returned to the New York Mets' dugout after being ejected from a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 9, 1999.

It turned into a defining moment, maybe the most memorable of his 40-plus years in baseball.

On the eve of his induction into the Mets Hall of Fame, Valentine reveled in that clandestine act Friday night when the former manager again wore sunglasses and a fake mustache while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch to a similarly disguised Mr. Met.

Valentine, 76, who will be honored Saturday alongside former Mets teammate Lee Mazzilli, emerged from the New York dugout and received a warm hand from a Citi Field crowd that included fans already adorned in the ballpark giveaway -- sunglasses and a fake mustache.

He moved a few steps in front of the mound and tossed a pitch to the team mascot, whose hat read: Not Mr. Met.


On the eve of his induction into the Mets Hall of Fame, former manager Bobby Valentine again wore his famous sunglasses and fake mustache disguise while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch Friday night at Citi Field.

Moments later, local children from John Lewis Childs grammar school on Long Island sang the national anthem -- with several of them wearing fake mustaches. Another group of kids in disguise pushed a button to activate the Home Run Apple beyond the center-field fence.

"Great memories for me," Valentine said through vice president of alumni public relations and team historian Jay Horwitz. "At the time I did the mustache, we were struggling and I wanted to let the guys know I was behind them."
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calibuck said:

This goes to MPhillips saying 'he was over weight on day two of the match'.

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One day tourney, one weigh in.
Three day tourney (NCAA) three weigh ins.
Weigh in at 8am on day three of a three day tourney you can weigh fifteen pounds over by finals...

Bouzakis wasn't 12+ over by mistake. He lost and said, "I'm done."

calibuck said:

As always, appreciate the updates Hope his game gets better. What's the PGA/USGA cut-off on the money list? For the 126 (?) players eligible for the tour?

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To retain a PGA TOUR card for 2027, a 2026 tour player must finish inside the Top 100 on the final FedExCup points list or win an official PGA Tour Tournament. which guarantees a two-year exemption.
Here are the specific requirements to continue playing depending on a player's FedExCup standing at the end of the 2026 season:

• Top 70: Players who qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs (Top 70 after the Wyndham Championship) are fully exempt for the following season and secure their 2027 PGA TOUR card.
• Top 100: Players ranked Nos. 71 through 100 on the final FedExCup Points List (including the FedExCup Fall) retain full exempt status for 2027.
• Nos. 101–150: Players finishing in this tier earn conditional status for 2027, with varying levels of access to Full-Field Events.
• Tournament Winners: Any player who wins an official PGA TOUR event earns a two-year exemption, regardless of where they finish in the FedExCup points.

For players who fall outside the top 125, the primary routes to regain full status are advancing through the PGA TOUR Q-School or competing on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Shipley missed the cut this week at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He was even par after 2 rounds and the cut was -2. Missed it by 2 strokes, i.e. close but no cigar.

Currently Shipley is ranked #181 in the PGA Tour FedExCup standings.


Needless to say, if he isn't able to improve his play; he could very likely end up back on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2027.

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Ohio State and men's basketball coach Jake Diebler have joined the rush to offer 2027 center Lewis Uvwo of Prolific Prep in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

It's not a surprise that Ohio State got involved with Uvwo, who played alongside OSU 2026 verbal commitment Alex Smith this past season at Prolific Prep.

The 6-11, 230-pound Uvwo, a native of Nigeria, has been one of the breakout stars of the spring. Uvwo has rocketed up to No. 19 nationally in the 2027 class. He is also ranked as the nation's No. 3 center and No. 6 player in Florida, according to 247Sports.

During one Nike EYBL weekend playing with the Nightrydas, Uvwo averaged 8.5 points on 72.7 percent shooting to go with 6.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 6.0 blocks. In his first two games of the weekend, against the Florida Rebels and Team CP3, he swatted 15 shots across those two games alone. Following his incredible start to the summer, 247Sports recruiting analyst Adam Finkelstein moved Uvwo up in the 2027 rankings and had this to say:

"With some of the most notable head coaches in the country lined up to watch him on the baseline, Uvwo's defensive dominance was glaring while starring for Nightrydas," Finkelstein wrote. "He swatted shots out of the air at an incredible rate. More than that, though, the 6-foot-11 big man showed quick reactions, leaping ability and quick-twitch reactions in the process, not to mention a true joy for the game.

"The former NBA Academy product arrived at Prolific Prep earlier this year, but flew largely under the radar after playing on their second team in order to expedite his development. Offensively, it's clear he's still very much a work in progress. But his immediate value as an extreme lob threat and rim runner is clear ... The bottom line though is that his physical upside and vast defensive tools were too overwhelming to wait until our next ranking update."

Through 11 games on the Nike EYBL circuit, Uvwo is averaging 10.4 points, 8.6 rebounds and a league-best 5.3 blocked shots per game. He is hitting 66 percent of his shots from the floor (51 of 77). This past weekend, he had a game with 12 points, 15 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Nightrydas.

Here is what 247Sports.com's Eric Bossi had to say about Uvwo following the Nike EYBL in Kansas City last week:

"Uvwo, one of the spring's biggest risers, continued his rise to prominence. Now ranked No. 19 in 2027, the Nigerian big man is the best defensive big man in the class — full stop. He is a human eraser who blocks everything in sight, runs the floor with purpose and was absolutely dominant on the glass Sunday.

"His offense mostly comes off of putbacks and lobs at this point, but he does show some touch and looks to have plenty of untapped potential there. His rise in the rankings may not be done.
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Heck, if I was in his shoes, would have changed my last name to Maybach. Really impressed with his academic achievements. Guess he decided to 'play school'. Please, please save, invest, and otherwise put away some of that money for the future. Shelf life of a LB? Probably less than 10 years, which leaves you 50-60 years to go.

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Ohio Stadium gets a Wi-Fi upgrade ahead of Ohio State's football 2026 season​

Buckeye fans will have a better experience using their phones at games this fall.​

According to a recent social media announcement from Ohio State IT, crews are installing new network access points throughout the stadium to deliver significantly faster Wi-Fi speeds. For fans in the stands, this upgrade means smoother photo and video sharing, easier score checking across the college football landscape, and uninterrupted communication from kickoff to the final whistle.

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Looking forward to those early season 'body bag' games, and to watching the young talent get their reps. Hopefully this guy shines out (as well as many other young 'uns) this season, as appears to be many players running out of eligibility, and/or going pro early.

calibuck said:

Sorry, with the potential to land an uber class at DT feels a bit strange to me. We've had depth, certainly, but DEPTH in the recruiting ranks is a bit overwhelming. Sure, I get that recruiting is a very strange animal, and it ain't over till it's over is the watchword(s). And in this day of information overload, am certain that this recruit (as well as all the rest) are keeping up with current depth chart, and with recruiting potential, as well as rumors or even phone calls to other players - as in 'you feeling the Buckeyes'? etc. On one hand, feel sorry he's not even going to visit, but on the other hand, maybe he (?) has insight as to where these kids might land? Oh well, sometimes I get tangled up with potential outcomes.

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DT recruiting as a whole has lagged for the majority of my days following recruiting for whatever reason. Sure we've had some individual studs, but the units as a whole haven't been great many years. I'm a broken record here, but championship teams have dominant DTs almost without exception (and DL as a whole really). So this class needs to step it up. Parks seems like a long shot, so we're probably looking elsewhere.

Having spent 5-6 years in the Roanoke area I’d like to see the Hokies compete again. They’ve been brutal for about a decade now.

They were always quietly a fun team to watch. Great defense, special teams were terrific, offense had some names.

Pulling for them in the ACC that’s for sure.

Jaxbuck said:

I mean, that's a bad headline look but the details don't really support that he was betting on his team. I hope they wouldn't nuke his career over it.

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There’s just no room for betting on teams you’re involved with. If his punishment is only losing his final year that’s a pretty good trade off for what he was doing.

No way he should step foot on another college football field as a player. Question is will the NFL want anything to do with him?

Even in D3 football where I played they couldn’t have made it anymore clear what betting means for your eligibility. This kid knew the risk.

calibuck said:

As I have had two knee replacements, don't listen to those above! Jumping off anything, 4' or not, means that there is zero 'give' to one's knees. It hurts like heck, and gives one those lightening bolts of pain that shoot through you. Go to the edge, sit down, and slide off gently....

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Yes, I baby myself these days. No more prancing around like Lord Flasheart

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I've always loved the game of baseball but I'd give almost anything to get back the time and energy spent caring about professional baseball.

Tyson Gentry Grateful As He Reflects on Life 20 Years After Ohio State Practice Injury That Left Him Paralyzed​

Twenty years after suffering a life-changing injury during an Ohio State football practice, Tyson Gentry is grateful.

Gentry has been paralyzed from the neck down since suffering a spinal cord injury during a spring scrimmage at Ohio Stadium on April 14, 2006. The former walk-on wide receiver eventually regained use of his biceps, but remains unable to walk or move his fingers or wrists.

Despite that, Gentry has a thriving life. He runs the New Perspective Foundation, which assists others who have suffered spinal cord injuries. He serves on the board and was previously the president of the National Football Foundation’s Columbus Chapter. He shares his life journey through public speaking, and has authored four books, including his new autobiography “Once A Buckeye…: A Story of Football, Family and Faith,” which was published this week.

Most importantly, Gentry is a husband to his wife Megan and a father to his two sons, 10-year-old Adam and 8-year-old Ryan. And it’s because of them that Gentry says he’d still choose to play football at Ohio State all over again even if he knew how his career would unfold.

“I really would. If I was able to answer that question while knowing that I would say I end up where I'm at with my wife and our two sons, Adam and Ryan, undoubtedly yeah, because I don't want to know what my life would look like without them,” Gentry told Eleven Warriors. “My wife is my angel. She makes things so much easier on me and helps me carry a lot of the burdens that come with my injury. So having her by my side is amazing. And then to watch our two sons, who are 10 and 8 now, grow up and to kind of show them so many things that they wouldn't otherwise be exposed to.”

In the immediate aftermath of his injury, Gentry questioned whether he’d ever have the opportunity to be a husband or a father. After undergoing fusion surgery three days after the injury, the pain was so intense that Gentry wished for death.

The following morning, however, Gentry’s parents showed him an inspirational note that told him to “Never give up, no matter how much adversity you face.” The note resonated with Gentry because he wrote it himself after a woman who suffered a spinal cord injury spoke to the Ohio State football team – eight months before his own injury – and asked them to write letters of encouragement to patients at Ohio State’s Dodd Hall, the same hospital where he’d soon undergo his own rehabilitation. Gentry took that as a sign from God, and it gave him the faith he needed to persevere.

“When I reached my lowest point and I was ready to give up, I honestly thought I was going to die. Just the amount of pain that I was in, I was ready to go, I was at peace with everything,” Gentry said. “And I woke up the next morning and realized that it's not the end of the road, and so just from that standpoint onward, my faith has increased.”

The coming months remained difficult for Gentry as he was told to “hurry up and wait” to see if he would regain more function in his arms and legs. But as he gradually came to accept that he would never be able to walk again or do many of the things that he loved to do before his injury, Gentry decided he didn’t want to spend the rest of his life dwelling on what he couldn’t do.

“I don't know that there was a specific point that I recall reaching that phase. But I do remember at some point coming to terms with the fact that like, OK, I obviously can't undo what happened, and I can't suddenly change my function and give myself hand movement or get up and walk or anything like that,” Gentry said. “So I think once I kind of realized like, ‘Hey, if this is what I have to work with moving forward, all I can do is make the best of it.’ Because the only alternative is to sit there and feel sorry for myself and spiral downward, and I didn't want that.”
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Lost 2-1. Guessing clay isn’t their preferred surface anyway.

Guessing they’ll be happier to get on the grass at Wimbledon.

MGMT said:

It wouldn’t surprise me — only because I don’t care as long as the offense is scoring like it should given the talent it has at its disposal.

My worthless opinion is that the best and most effective players should get snaps regardless of how long someone’s been in the program. If he’s better in the slot than Inniss and Henry/Parker get snaps on the outside, then so be it.

Score at any cost

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How does this approach give touches to David Adolph tho?