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Damar Hamlin (DB Buffalo Bills)

Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin to make first start since cardiac arrest in 2023​

The safety appeared in three preseason games and five regular games last season.

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Bills safety Damar Hamlin will start for the team in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo announced Wednesday.

It will be his first start since suffering a cardiac arrest on the field in January 2023.

“What else can’t this young man do? He basically went through what he went through on the field, you guys have written about that over and over, and to come back from that,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said Wednesday. “It’s one thing to come back off of an ACL or a broken bone. It’s another thing to come back off of what he came back off of, right? Let alone just to decide to play football and contact football in full pads at the NFL level. I don’t think I need to say anything more. It’s incredible.”
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How Long Have You Been Married

Wifey and I hit 35 years in July 2024. Can't hold a candle to the above folk, but there it is. got a late start, as my first marriage lasted all of 18 months, and it took me 15 years to get over that first experience. I give most of the credit to my wife, as I'm not the easiest person to live with. Anyway, congrats to all of us, as it seems like the "till death do us part" seems to have been morphed into "till I get tired of it" or somesuch. PS, nowhere in our vows does it say anything about Yard Sales.....

Week 1 Games Discussion

Weirdest things that happened in week 1:

Louisiana Tech lost the turnover battle by 5

and won 25-17

East Carolina lost the turnover battle by 4

and won 42-3

That fact alone tells you that yes... they were playing FCS schools (Nicholls State and Norfolk State), but that is still incredible

And testifies even more than the 70-burgers posted by bigger schools that games against FCS schools need to stop

And oh by the way... One of those 70-burgers was Auburns "win" over Alabama A&M

Auburn lost the turnover battle by 2 and won 73-3
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Washington Nationals (2019 World Series Champions)

Anyone remember the incident with Dusty Baker's son in the 2002 World Series?

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It even resulted in a new MLB rule: The “Darren Baker Rule” was subsequently established, requiring that bat boys be at least 14 years old.

Well, Darren Baker is grown up now and got his first MLB hit:

Watch How San Francisco Legend Reacted to Son’s First MLB Hit with Nationals​

The whirlwind call-up of Dusty Baker’s son, Darren, ended with a great moment and social media reaction from former Giants.
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Dusty Baker said he had to “play it cool” with his son, Darren, when he told the San Francisco Giants legend that he was preparing to be called up to the Major Leagues for the first time.

Why? Because Dusty Baker, now 75, retired and serving as a Giants special assistant, already knew.

That’s because Washington Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo, who was once his boss when he managed the Nats, called him ahead of time so Dusty Baker and his wife, Melissa could arrange to get back to Washington D.C. on Sunday for their son’s first game.

Darren wasn’t in the starting lineup, but when the Chicago Cubs had a 14-1 lead in the ninth inning, Nationals manager Dave Martinez — who succeeded Dusty Baker — put him in as a pinch-hitter.

And Darren did this.

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Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler wins PGA Tour's FedEx Cup title, $25M payday​

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A Masters green jacket and an Olympic gold medal. A first-time father and his first time being arrested. A year Scottie Scheffler won't forget ended the best way possible Sunday when he won the FedEx Cup to cap off golf's best season in nearly two decades.
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The victory pushed his season earnings, including bonuses, to just under $62.3 million.

It was the greatest year since Tiger Woods won eight times in 2006, including six in a row and two majors, all while dealing with the death of his father. Scheffler's eight wins included the Masters, The Players Championship, an Olympic gold medal and the Tour Championship that enabled him to finally claim the FedEx Cup.

His seven PGA Tour titles are the most since Woods in 2007.

"We'll look back on 2024 and it's obviously one of the best individual years that a player has had for a long time," Rory McIlroy said.
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Just sayin': Scottie Scheffler is having on hell of a year (on and off the golf courses).
It has been so fun to watch Scottie this year, absolute dominance considering how talented the field is. He's gotta keep it up to get in the talks with all-time greats if you look at longevity, but the last couple of years have been so damn impressive.

Bill O’Brien (HC Boston College, aka BillyBob O’Buttchin et al)

Bill O'Brien and a new world of football at Boston College​

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On a sunny evening in early June, Boston College coach Bill O'Brien pulls out his iPhone and starts filming.

He catches a panoramic view of the Shenorock Shore Club, a private club for swimming, tennis and pickleball in Westchester County, a few out-routes from Manhattan. He captures a scene like something out of East Egg -- water lapping on the shore, Adirondack chairs at the ready and an American flag rustling gently in the breeze.

He sends it to his wife, Colleen, and chuckles as he reads her response: "I thought you were working!"

This is all part of the work of the modern coach, a window into the new-age challenge for an old-school mind. O'Brien's appearance at the Shore Club includes more than an hour of glad-handing, introducing himself to graduates and students of all ages. It comes amid a jam-packed multistop trip through Westchester and Manhattan that includes meetings everywhere from Winged Foot to the Downtown Athletic Club -- old haunts for a new era.

The role of coaches as fundraisers isn't new, as they have been passing the leather helmet long before NIL, NCAA lawsuits and conference television networks. But as O'Brien sips on a Miller Lite and presses the flesh, the scene marks a compelling intersection of coach and moment.

O'Brien arrives at Boston College was the most qualified coach in Boston College's nine decades of football. He led the Houston Texans to four playoff bids -- and two wins -- in seven seasons and went 15-9 in two seasons as Penn State's coach.

He's worked under the two modern GOATS -- Bill Belichick in the NFL and Nick Saban in college football. He's called plays in the Super Bowl and for both a Heisman winner (Bryce Young) and an NFL MVP (Tom Brady).

He's also been around long enough to have been fired from the Texans, been hailed as the savior of Penn State in the wake of searing scandal, and he even parachuted into both Notre Dame (under George O'Leary for a few days) and Ohio State (under Ryan Day for less than a month) for stints that never saw a down of football.

The totality of the experience has power, and O'Brien appreciates the collective knowledge accumulated from the wins and losses, the climb and fall, and he feels those lessons have him ready for the journey.

"I feel very prepared," O'Brien said in his office a few days before the start of summer camp. "At the core, I am who I am. I'm passionate about football. I'm passionate about the guys I coach. I'm passionate about the guys I work with. But I've learned a lot. And I think I am calmer. I'm more thoughtful in certain situations. I have a lot of great people around me.

"I realize how important delegating [is]. I think when I was at Penn State, I tried to do everything. I tried to do everything. And I learned. And even in Houston, I tried to do everything at times. And there were some successes, but over time, you have to delegate."

The challenge at BC is significant. It's in the lower tier financially of the power leagues, it's located outside traditional recruiting hotbeds and is a program that hasn't won eight games since Frank Spaziani's first season in 2009. The school's last coach, Jeff Hafley, abruptly left for an NFL coordinator job in part because of all the changes swirling in the sport.

O'Brien is confident BC will have a place in the revenue-share world and have access to NIL, and he's comfortable knowing it will look different from Georgia and Ohio State.

BC officials have been thrilled with O'Brien, with athletic director Blake James offering a pithy summary of why they are so optimistic. "He's done it," James said. "So he knows. There's not a lot of learning."

He's here for both the opportunity and the tug of home. He's from nearby Andover, Massachusetts. His wife, Colleen, is a BC grad, and he has family scattered around the area. But him taking the job is also a bet that BC can win, as he's ready to take an old-school philosophy and merge it with a new era.

"I really think that this is a place where you can win consistently -- I really have a strong belief in that," O'Brien said. "If you have a bunch of guys that really take pride in representing BC, you've got good football players, you've got a really good quarterback, you got a couple special players on the roster, and then a bunch of guys that are just tough hard-nosed guys. You can win. You can win."
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Just sayin': Yeah, but can he win in Tallahassee tonight?
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QB Cornelius Greene (1974 Rose Bowl MVP, 1975 Big Ten MVP)

The Scarlet and Gray remained at #1, building a perfect 10-0 record as they headed into their annual grudge match against Michigan. Just like in Corny's first three Ohio State-Michigan games, a Big Ten title and Rose Bowl berth were at stake2.

In the first quarter, the visiting Buckeyes went up 7-0 on a touchdown pass from Green to Johnson. Then, thanks in part to a few turnovers—including two interceptions—and a staunch Wolverine defense, Ohio State failed to pick up a first down for two quarters. Michigan took a 14-7 lead in the fourth quarter, but #7 marched his team down the field for the tying score. On that pivotal drive, the once stagnant offense gained 80 yards with a balanced attack of both pass plays and carries.

Shortly thereafter, Ohio State retook possession when Archie's brother, Ray Griffin, picked off UM quarterback Rick Leach. Another Pete Johnson touchdown gave the Buckeyes the lead again with just over two minutes left in the game. That's how it would end, with Ohio State emerging victorious, 21-14.

Just sayin': It brings back great memories as I was at that game.

For the fourth year in a row, the Buckeyes earned a trip to Pasadena. Their struggles on offense that day in Ann Arbor, though, foreshadowed what was to come on January 1, 1976.

In a rematch with UCLA on New Year's Day, #1 Ohio State was the clear-cut favorite. Yet, a national championship would elude them once again. Losing 23-10, Cornelius Green's last game in Scarlet and Gray was nothing short of a disappointment. He threw two interceptions and admitted that neither he, Archie, Pete, nor the offensive line had a great day.

Just sayin': I was at that game too. We were #1, had beaten UCLA earlier in the year, were more than 2 TD favorite, and had a 2 time Heisman Trophy winner. It was disappointing to lose.
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Oregon Ducks

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Well, as a Buckeye fan I feel a little more confident in the Buckeyes today. Maybe Oregon puts it all together next week, and against OSU they're firing on all cylinders. But barely beating Idaho is not a good look. And though we like to complain about the OSU OL, Howard didn't get sacked once and he nor any of the RBs were tackled for loss. Gabriel was sacked 3 times and Oregon was tackled for loss 6 times... Gabriel also had to throw 50 times and put up video game numbers to even keep them in the game since the run game was non existent. But he still could only muster 2TDs.
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WR Michael "Cantguardmike" Thomas (B1G Champion, National Champion, Pro Bowl, All-Pro, 2019 OPOY)

Michael Thomas suspended one game for violation of NFL rules, per report

Thomas is still looking for a new NFL home​

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Free agent wide receiver Michael Thomas has been suspended for Week 1 due to a violation of NFL rules, per NFL Media. This is a violation of the league's personal conduct policy, which occurred in November.

Last year, Thomas was arrested on misdemeanor charges of simple battery and criminal mischief. The situation had to do with an altercation involving Thomas and a contractor that led to the wide receiver being taken away by police, according to WDSU in New Orleans.

The former Saints star, now 31, is still looking for a new NFL home after being released following eight seasons in New Orleans. But even if Thomas signed with a team tomorrow, he will not be eligible to play Week 1.
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Do you enjoy camping/the great outdoors?

Ohio's hidden gem: The best hiking trail in America almost never was

How Whispering Cave trail was brought back to life

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The 5-mile Whispering Cave hike in Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park claimed the top spot in the 2024 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards for Best Hiking Trail. This moderately challenging loop, comprised of two different trails, features a swinging bridge, a seasonal waterfall, and an impressive 105-foot-tall cave — all guaranteed to captivate visiting nature lovers.

Yet, this new hiker-favorite trail was only discovered in 2017, and its “rediscovery” is as interesting a tale as the cave itself.

Where is Whispering Cave?​

Whispering Cave is located in Hocking Hills State Park in Southeast Ohio, about 55 miles from Columbus. Although the park doesn’t have a gate count, as entry is free, the Hocking Hills Visitor’s Bureau figures that at least 4 million visitors worldwide come to hike, birdwatch, and enjoy the outdoors here every year.

Discovering Whispering Cave​

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Anyone who experiences Whispering Cave can thank Jim Schaefer, a Shaker Heights resident and Ohio native who has visited the park with his wife, Joan, since the early 1980s.

While hiking in the gorges of the park's Old Man’s Cave trail, he found a faint unmarked path with a fallen sign marked Gulf Trail that led up along the cliffs to the back side of the park lodge. Schaefer traced the approximate location of this route on his map and kept it for subsequent family visits, always overwhelmed by its natural beauty.

Some 30 years later, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources issued a media release asking for suggestions on improving Ohio state parks. Schaefer responded, suggesting restoring both the old Hemlock Bridge Trail (the Gulf Trail) and the Whispering Cave spur trail just off it. While Schaefer’s suggestion reached the park superintendent, the idea was vetoed at the time, citing the staff, money, and resources necessary to bring the trails back to life.
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Trivia Time

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Put on your thinking caps and grab a drink, it's time for Friday Night Trivia.

Eleven Warriors is home to the most knowledgeable Buckeye fans on the planet. It is now time for you to prove it.

We’ll put together a 10-question quiz each week to test your knowledge of Ohio State football and its upcoming opponent. To start the 2024 season, we see how much you know about the Buckeyes' first opponent, Akron.

There are two simple rules: Please use your brain (not a search engine) and only play once.

Note: After you answer all of the questions, you must click on "Finish Quiz" to see your results.
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Favorite Fast food restaurant

CHIPOTLE TEAMS UP WITH THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY TO FUEL BUCKEYE ATHLETES WITH REAL FOOD
  • For the 2024-25 school year, every scholarship and walk-on student athlete at The Ohio State University will receive a customized card granting them free Chipotle for the entirety of their respective athletic seasons
  • Chipotle has launched the second installment of an ad titled "THE" that features star football players TreVeyon Henderson, Denzel Burke, and Jeremiah Smith and is narrated by Buckeye legend Archie Griffin
  • The company's nonprofit, The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation, will introduce a new scholarship for a student enrolled in OSU's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) today announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with all student athletes at The Ohio State University that will grant them access to free Chipotle for their respective athletic seasons. For the 2024-25 school year, every scholarship and walk-on student athlete at The Ohio State University, approximately 1,000 in total, will receive a customized Chipotle card granting them one free entrée per week for 15 weeks.

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Great advertising for Chipotle!!
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