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Cancer

FWIW, anyone remember Ben Sasse? He was a US Senator from Nebraska and then President of the University of Florida. I ran into this article about him having terminal pancreatic cancer.

Former Sen. Ben Sasse, Bleeding from His Face, Shares Brutal Reality of Terminal Cancer at Age 54​

Sasse was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer in December 2025
  • With blood on his face, former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse sat down with The New York Times to open up about his painful experience with terminal cancer
  • The father of three, 54, was diagnosed with stage 4 inoperable pancreatic cancer in mid-December and said he learned his "torso is chock-full of tumors"
  • A new drug he's been prescribed has greatly improved his condition, but it causes him to "bleed all out of a whole bunch of parts of me that shouldn’t be bleeding" because his body can't properly grow new skin
Former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse is shedding light on his painful journey with terminal cancer.

The former Republican senator and brief University of Florida president, 54, appeared on The New York Times' podcast with significant amounts of blood on his face, less than four months after revealing he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. At the time, Sasse described the diagnosis as a "death sentence."

Speaking with podcast host and columnist Ross Douthat, Sasse got candid about his own mortality, and why he's chosen to speak out publicly in his remaining time.

"In mid-December I got a three- to four-month life expectancy, and I’m at Day 99 or something since then, and I’m doing a heck of a lot better than I was doing at Christmas," Sasse shared. "But even at three to four months left to live, you have to redeem the time."

The father of three added, "There’s only so many bits of unsolicited advice I can give my children," so he's happy to impart what he can to journalists willing to listen. He and wife Melissa share daughters Corrie and Alex, in their 20s, and son Breck, who was 14 at the time Sasse announced his diagnosis.

Sasse said he first noticed something was wrong in late October 2025. His preferred method of staying fit, he said, was sprint triathlons, and when he was training at that time, he realized he was experiencing much more back and abdominal pain than usual. At first, he thought he had just pulled a muscle.

By November 2025, the pain was severe enough that he decided to seek medical attention. His physician ran several tests that didn't reveal anything, so Sasse's doctor referred him to a gastroenterologist, believing the cause could be undiagnosed celiac or lactose intolerance.

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Some information on Pancreatic Cancer:
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SEC (It just means more.. even its losses are wins)


I’m totally okay with them seceding. It may be their best chance at success. And take Notre shame with y’all.
Re: "I've said this for a long time to our president," Smart said on Tuesday. "I've been a huge advocate that if we can't find rules that everybody plays by, then we should play our own. I'm not afraid of that. I'm not afraid to break away and say that our conference is strong enough to go out and play.

Just sayin': Smart can say what he wants; he's just blowing hot air. The SEC will never try to "go it alone". Think about it, if they succeeded you would have everybody else and the SEC. In all the NCAA sports you would have a National Champion and an SEC champion. Everybody outside of the South wouldn't give a "rats ass" who the SEC champions are. Their TV viewers would diminish and be limited to those in the SEC states which would significantly reduce their TV money. The best athletes would follow the money too.
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2027 tOSU Recruiting Discussion

  • 5-star RB David Gabriel Georges, the top back on Ohio State's board for 2027, and a must-get for the Buckeyes' class
  • 5-star DL Marcus Fakatou out of California, who could turn an already impressive OSU defensive line class into an incredible one
  • Top-50 WR Benny Easter, Jr., a Texas Tech commit who could give Cortez Hankton his first huge recruiting win in Columbus
  • Braydon Parks, a 4-star defensive tackle out of Chicago, who would bring size and impact to the interior of Larry Johnson's 2027 class
Some big visitors this weekend
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DE Khary Wilder (Official Thread)

Khary Wilder looks like the next defensive end Ohio State fans will obsess over

Ohio State’s newest edge rusher already flashes the explosiveness, motor, and physical tools that have defined the Buckeyes’ elite defensive end pipeline for years.

The “Rushmen” traits that make Wilder so intriguing

That motor consistently shows up on tape. Wilder chases plays downfield, works through blocks aggressively, and rarely looks satisfied after simply engaging his assignment. The effort level feels very “Rushmen” stylistically, think a Caden Curry or Jack Sawyer, which is part of why so many evaluators inside and outside the program believe his long-term projection is extremely high.

And historically, this is exactly the type of player Ohio State tends to maximize. The Buckeyes do not necessarily need freshman defensive ends to become stars immediately. In fact, the program’s developmental structure at edge rusher is built around gradual growth. Ohio State rotates defensive linemen heavily, keeps players fresh, and allows younger pass rushers to carve out specialized roles before eventually taking over full-time jobs.

That pathway could fit Wilder perfectly. Entering 2026, Ohio State still has experienced edge players ahead of him, including Kenyatta Jackson Jr. Beau Atkinson, Qua Russaw, Zion Grady, and several other highly talented defensive ends competing for snaps. That depth is important because it allows Wilder to develop without being forced into unrealistic expectations too early.
But at the same time, opportunity always exists in this room because Ohio State consistently sends defensive linemen to the NFL early and often, and the Buckeyes rotate enough that even younger players can earn meaningful situational snaps if they prove trustworthy.

Particularly on obvious passing downs where explosiveness matters most. And Wilder’s current strengths already project naturally into that type of role. As a freshman, the clearest pathway for him is becoming a specialized third-down pass rusher capable of affecting games in smaller bursts while continuing to physically develop within Mickey Marotti’s strength program.
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WR Devin McCuin (Official Thread)

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Unpopular opinion: Devin McCuin will finish second on Ohio State in receiving this season

Ohio State may already have its superstar in Jeremiah Smith, but UTSA transfer Devin McCuin could quietly become the Buckeyes’ most important complementary receiver as a polished veteran route runner with a real path to WR2 production in 2026.

Proven production matters more than people want to admit​

Ohio State has recruited elite receiver talent for years, but there is a difference between recruiting projection and proven college production. McCuin arrives in Columbus with the latter already established.

At UTSA, he became one of the most productive receivers in program history, finishing his career with 152 receptions, 1,696 receiving yards, and 16 touchdowns while ranking top five all-time at the school in both catches and receiving yardage.
In 2025 alone, despite battling injuries during portions of the season, McCuin posted 65 receptions for 726 yards and eight touchdowns while operating as the focal point of the Roadrunners’ passing offense.

Those numbers matter, but the context around them matters even more. McCuin was not simply compiling easy production through manufactured touches or scheme inflation. His tape consistently shows a polished, experienced receiver capable of winning in multiple ways.

He understands leverage, he adjusts naturally to coverage rotations, and he creates separation through pacing and route detail rather than relying solely on athleticism. And perhaps most importantly for an Ohio State offense built around timing and spacing, he already plays like a quarterback-friendly receiver.

That last part is critical. Quarterbacks trust receivers who arrive where they are supposed to arrive, when they are supposed to arrive there. McCuin’s game is built around consistency and efficiency. He is not necessarily the flashiest receiver in the room physically, but he may already be one of the most dependable.

tends to matter a lot more than recruiting stars once the real games begin.
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SEC (It just means more.. even its losses are wins)


I’m totally okay with them seceding. It may be their best chance at success. And take Notre shame with y’all.

So, the SEC is that big bully kid who takes their ball and runs home when the other kids are finally able to fairly compete? Classic. "We are so big and tough we are going to make our own league and only play amongst ourselves because all of our advantages have evaporated!"
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Deciding When to Retire

So... serious questions here. And don't answer if the question is too personal. But how have you saved for retirement and when did you start?
When I was about 22, they sat me down and showed me the consequences of waiting even 5-10 years to start saving. "Start saving and investing now, and save/invest as much as you can." As a result, 25+ years later, the interest is WAY more than any contributions I make from month to month. WAY more. So I've already been telling my kids - save as much as you can, as early as you can.
I've heard people say that they can't afford it now. And I say that's bullshit - unless you plan to work until you die (not me!) then you can't afford NOT to start saving now.
Another one I heard is a guy who is planning on retiring off what he inherits from his parents. I guess that if that's your thing, then cool.

We started day 1 and attempted to maximize 401Ks, IRA every year. Over the weekend my wife and I were looking at some details regarding our contributions this year. Since we're 55 we're allowed the catch up 401K and we had to put our catch up amounts in to Roth 401Ks. She dug out the amount of our portfolio that was based on principal and growth in her 401K that was tied to only company match. Suffice it to say, she could easily afford to pay cash for a new Ferrari with it. 30-years of working and just a moderate matching contribution in the 401Ks is flipp'n huge. The fact that she and I both did this? It probably is the difference between she and I retiring at 55 as opposed to 60+.

To your point, save as much as you can. I don't think that we ever really sacrificed (and I'm forever grateful for that, I realize it's not common), but we also tried to live well below our means. We never were house poor, car poor, etc. For the past few years we've been living off of less than one of our incomes and saving the rest.

Once we hit that inflection point where the portfolio is kicking out more than we are, that's the idea behind the FI part of FIRE. FI is awesome, looking forward to the RE in a couple of weeks.

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