Skull Session: Lathan Ransom Has “So Much Love for Ohio State,” Jeremiah Smith Was Cut From His Youth Football Team and Davison Igbinosun is an Inspiration to All
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Wish i could be there for tonight's festivities but I have a h.s. game tonight so will head out bright and early in the a.m. Maybe I'll catch you at the Portland club's tailgate. Look for me, I'll be the one wearing scarlet.
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Looking forward to it - should be a boatload of fun. I also can't wait til we meet up at Udub - maybe I'll be sailgating with a few friends - yeah I sail sailgate.
Always try to look for the positive ........... in the midst of a crisis !!
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Demonstrating such mental toughness at the age of seven is rarer than Smith's physical abilities. He has a smart dad for letting that moment turn into a valuable lesson rather than coddle his son.
To err is human. Really sucking requires having yellow stripes on your helmet.
JJ Smith got cut but instead of letting that moment bleed him out, he used it as motivation to NEVER let that happen again. That's how natural talent plus hard work ethic equals greatness. MHJ is another example. Cudos to the elder Smith for teaching his son the right way!
As many have articulated here already, I bow to Chris Smith for excellence as a parent. When a kid turns out so mature and skilled, that kind of parentage usually plays a significant role.
"The minute we stop expecting greatness, we become Wisconsin."
It’s a crying shame that every kid doesn’t have a dad like that but unfortunately we don’t. You can’t buy a life lesson like that for any amount of money
Who would have guessed our #1 trash talker is a stutterer? I hope Iggy (my nickname for him) has a big game. Him and Denzel are going to face their biggest test, so far. I'm also hoping that Coach Knowles doesn't have them line up 8 yards from the LOS.
This has been my issue with Knowles allowing so many 3rd and long conversions. You know these teams are going to throw the short or crossing route pass.
If you have an issue with the #1 stop rate then you must have real issues with the teams that are worse. That would be all the other teams including Oregon.
It doesn't count because Ohio State has mostly played cupcakes even though all the other top teams have also mostly played cupcakes. Also, Ohio State's defensive stats are skewed positively by playing cupcakes but the cupcakes' offensive stats are not skewed negatively by having been completely shut down by Ohio State in one of their 5 games.
I don't mind the stop rate. It just gives me anxiety when a team can move the ball down the field at will until the 40-35 yard line. Then we finally stop them or kick a field goal all while eating the clock for 7-8 minutes.
Great work this morning Chase! In our fandom, we tend to elevate these players to superhero level expectations and forget they have stories of their own—paths that they have walked to reach this moment on their journey. As has been said “there is always, always something going on in someone else’s life that we know nothing about”. Thank you for reminding us that these young men have worked incredibly hard to achieve their goals—despite the obstacles they’ve encountered.
Let that be a lesson for all of us with everyday people we come across, whether we admire thier accomplishments or think less of their character: there's always things going on in their lives we know nothing about.
The Bucks are going to face some adversity tomorrow. With attitudes like Lathan, JJ, Davison, and Will behind them, I'm OK with it. Just take it a play at a time, fellas. The Ducks will feel you.
Speaking of birds...the mute swan story. Between the teens who killed the female and a meddling state, this is why we can't have nice things. I'll just leave it at that rather than face 11W jail this morning. SMDH.
Don't credit the U7 coaches for Smith. And don't even credit Smith himself. Credit his father Chris. It's really hard as a parent know what's right, especially when your kid is hurting, but that day in 2013 Chris Smith gave his son an amazing gift.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24
I do and have witnessed it. With tackle football you only have so much equipment available. It forces you only keep a certain number. At least that was the case where I grew up. I also remember players not making a Little League baseball team. Don't know if that happens now.
I don't buy one goddam drop of gas in the state of Michigan!
Football is unique in that the team league typically supplies the equipment. Hockey & lacrosse are 2 sports with similar safety equipment the expectation is the player supplies. Baseball might supply catcher equipment.
No. I just think it is revisionist history. Maybe he didn't make the one team he wanted, but I certainly don't believe 7 year olds are completely denied playing youth football. Just don't think the whole story is being told.
Is there u7 travel club football? I could see that being a cut sport but not rec league.
But if this was as the story indicates and hedidnt get to play, that seems like a problem. Eliminating the
opportunity for kids to play that young is going to turn more kids off of sports than working harder. At 7 physical and mental maturity can vary a lot. A lot of kids quit by the age of 12 due to playing time. I have seen kids that mature early dominate thru middle school but they are just average in high school when the other catch up. I have also seen late developers as bench warmers in middle school develop late if they stick with it. But for most the incentive isn't there.
I do think that in middle school there is more of an expectation to win and the best players will play in the games. But I think at practice there needs to be an emphasis on development which means less skilled need to get reps.
Maybe in Florida. Around here they a begging boys to play. Now the sign-up for girls on the youth cheerleading is nuts. Of course its young girls so they don't do tryouts. They used to do 1st in line, and you'd have moms camping out overnight Friday for Saturday noon signups. Then someone camped out Thursday and so on... of course, that's absurd so they went with a lottery...
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Loved the story on Igbinosun. My son stutters and he is a Lead Pastor. The church is packed. A lot of distractors along the way. Sometimes the adults were worse than the kids.
Lathan Ransom should be an inspiration to us all. Appreciate what you have. So often, we don’t until it is gone. And then, it could be too late.
Now let’s feast on some duck!
It seems odd to me that seven year olds get cut from football- or any sport to be honest. It would seem there’s enough space to play for all the kids who want to play.
I have not been involved in youth football but I have been with soccer and baseball and flag football. Nobody is turned away. If there is an overflow of kids they form another team(s).
To the 11W community involved with youth over the past ten years- is getting cut from the team at age 7 common or are you surprised like me. I understand with football there might be x number of helmets and equipment and maybe not enough budget for more. But in my experience cutting the teams at age 7 is outside of what I expect.
I would like to hear what others think. Thanks. Go Buckeyes.
I think it's like Philly said above, there's a limited amount of equipment to go around. And, having a kid currently involved in it, the equipment is freakin' expensive. I know it's different for little kids, but for high school, the helmets alone are pushing $1K each for a new one, and several hundred bucks just to recondition one (don't recall the exact figure this year, I should have paid more attention) which they have to do every season. Then there are pads, another couple hundred, etc, etc. Don't get me started on 'drip.'
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
It does happen in some communities. As others have said, equipment costs are one limiting factor. Other factors, especially in larger communities, is the amount of fields available and amount of willing coaches. One of the fastest growing issues is also the amount and availability of referees for youth sports.
if you want to help keep youth sports available to all kids who want to play, donating to your local youth sports associations is a noble cause. If you really want to help, offer to assist with upkeep of the fields, sign up to be a coach if you're qualified or take some referee classes and become a referee.
At the minimum, the next time you attend a youth sporting event, don't demean or yell at the coaches and referees. Nobody's perfect and they are doing the best they can. Coaching the kids is a ton of fun. Dealing with the parents can be a nightmare. Ask any high school coach what the biggest challenge they face is and they will point to the parents without fail. It's always good to let the Little Mikey's of the world learn to face adversity at the youth level to help learn valuable life skills.
Let’s give credit to Smith’s dad for allowing his child to fail safely and have a learning experience, and then creating an environment for J.J. to improve and be in control of his life.
No blaming others, no special treatment. Great parenting, Papa Smith.
Both the DI and WH videos prove once again how ez it is to root for these high character guys, I love the makeup of this team and the countless good dudes that have rolled through C-Bus. They make being a Buckeye fan an absolute pleasure! I know there are good guys all across sports, but these are OUR guys and we love them.
"I don't want to be around average, why be around average!" -UFM
The link to the raccoon lady in Washington State hits close to home! That property is less than a mile from our house. The lady has been feeding raccoons for over 30 years. What a mess.
I saw that story yesterday. That's a heck of a lot of raccoons! Yet another proof that no good deed goes unpunished.
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Disappointed that one of the bullet points was Igbinosun's stutter and the song of the day wasn't The Who's "My Generation," the song that made stuttering cool.
Comments Show All Comments
Happy Friday !!
Love the behind the curtain stories that we normally don't hear about.
Cardale was great in that trailer - picking the duck killer was perfect.
Go Buckeyes - time to go duck hunting.
Always try to look for the positive ........... in the midst of a crisis !!
Cheerish every single day
Hearing rumors circulating around the WHAC that JJ Smith is going to use 2 hands this week. Big if true.
Go Bucks
Wake me when he catches one with no hands. That will be real news and, yet, surprisingly not surprising.
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke
Twice as many catches. Or just evening out the load...
My last words will probably be: "It seemed like a good Idea at the time..."
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." - Steven Hawking
Great Song. Buckeyes are going to ROCK Eugene Saturday evening!!!!
JoeZipp
Are you going, SL?
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Sure am - we leave in about an hour for Salem, that's where our Air BNB is located.
Always try to look for the positive ........... in the midst of a crisis !!
Cheerish every single day
Wish i could be there for tonight's festivities but I have a h.s. game tonight so will head out bright and early in the a.m. Maybe I'll catch you at the Portland club's tailgate. Look for me, I'll be the one wearing scarlet.
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Looking forward to it - should be a boatload of fun. I also can't wait til we meet up at Udub - maybe I'll be sailgating with a few friends - yeah I sail sailgate.
Always try to look for the positive ........... in the midst of a crisis !!
Cheerish every single day
We've got some boat-related plans. Stay tuned!
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
Demonstrating such mental toughness at the age of seven is rarer than Smith's physical abilities. He has a smart dad for letting that moment turn into a valuable lesson rather than coddle his son.
To err is human. Really sucking requires having yellow stripes on your helmet.
JJ Smith got cut but instead of letting that moment bleed him out, he used it as motivation to NEVER let that happen again. That's how natural talent plus hard work ethic equals greatness. MHJ is another example. Cudos to the elder Smith for teaching his son the right way!
"Put ya' weight on it"
why is a little kid get cut from a team...?
As many have articulated here already, I bow to Chris Smith for excellence as a parent. When a kid turns out so mature and skilled, that kind of parentage usually plays a significant role.
"The minute we stop expecting greatness, we become Wisconsin."
No preferential treatment accepted is unusual in this day and age. Congrats.
It’s a crying shame that every kid doesn’t have a dad like that but unfortunately we don’t. You can’t buy a life lesson like that for any amount of money
bobbyd
O-H-I-O....Beat them Ducks!
JG
Who would have guessed our #1 trash talker is a stutterer? I hope Iggy (my nickname for him) has a big game. Him and Denzel are going to face their biggest test, so far. I'm also hoping that Coach Knowles doesn't have them line up 8 yards from the LOS.
I'm squeamishly optimistic.
This has been my issue with Knowles allowing so many 3rd and long conversions. You know these teams are going to throw the short or crossing route pass.
GO BUCKS!!! *ichigan sucks!!!
As long as the defense keeps giving up less than seven points/game, Coach Knowles can line up the secondary any way he likes.
If you have an issue with the #1 stop rate then you must have real issues with the teams that are worse. That would be all the other teams including Oregon.
It doesn't count because Ohio State has mostly played cupcakes even though all the other top teams have also mostly played cupcakes. Also, Ohio State's defensive stats are skewed positively by playing cupcakes but the cupcakes' offensive stats are not skewed negatively by having been completely shut down by Ohio State in one of their 5 games.
I don't mind the stop rate. It just gives me anxiety when a team can move the ball down the field at will until the 40-35 yard line. Then we finally stop them or kick a field goal all while eating the clock for 7-8 minutes.
GO BUCKS!!! *ichigan sucks!!!
"I I ichigan st st still ssssucks!" - Iggy (probably)
David Peck
Today I learned... of a cool musical collaboration that I would never have expected. Thank you.
Our people are everywhere, Esto Dignus.
TIMH needed to explain the history and background of this collaboration, whether it’s related to today or not.
I may come out of retirement for that, Grateful.
Great work this morning Chase! In our fandom, we tend to elevate these players to superhero level expectations and forget they have stories of their own—paths that they have walked to reach this moment on their journey. As has been said “there is always, always something going on in someone else’s life that we know nothing about”. Thank you for reminding us that these young men have worked incredibly hard to achieve their goals—despite the obstacles they’ve encountered.
I’m a mini van driver in a mega fun world
Right! Great content today.
Lathan Ransom, we appreciate you!
Let that be a lesson for all of us with everyday people we come across, whether we admire thier accomplishments or think less of their character: there's always things going on in their lives we know nothing about.
"Put ya' weight on it"
The Bucks are going to face some adversity tomorrow. With attitudes like Lathan, JJ, Davison, and Will behind them, I'm OK with it. Just take it a play at a time, fellas. The Ducks will feel you.
Speaking of birds...the mute swan story. Between the teens who killed the female and a meddling state, this is why we can't have nice things. I'll just leave it at that rather than face 11W jail this morning. SMDH.
Leave no doubt.
Go Bucks.
I survived Cooper and I hate Tai Streets.
Don't credit the U7 coaches for Smith. And don't even credit Smith himself. Credit his father Chris. It's really hard as a parent know what's right, especially when your kid is hurting, but that day in 2013 Chris Smith gave his son an amazing gift.
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24
Exactly. That article was as much about Chris Smith as JJ. We need more fathers like him.
Not sure i believe any 7 year old is cut from a sports team.
I do and have witnessed it. With tackle football you only have so much equipment available. It forces you only keep a certain number. At least that was the case where I grew up. I also remember players not making a Little League baseball team. Don't know if that happens now.
I don't buy one goddam drop of gas in the state of Michigan!
Football is unique in that the team league typically supplies the equipment. Hockey & lacrosse are 2 sports with similar safety equipment the expectation is the player supplies. Baseball might supply catcher equipment.
Are you suggesting that the Smiths made that story up?
No. I just think it is revisionist history. Maybe he didn't make the one team he wanted, but I certainly don't believe 7 year olds are completely denied playing youth football. Just don't think the whole story is being told.
Is there u7 travel club football? I could see that being a cut sport but not rec league.
But if this was as the story indicates and hedidnt get to play, that seems like a problem. Eliminating the
opportunity for kids to play that young is going to turn more kids off of sports than working harder. At 7 physical and mental maturity can vary a lot. A lot of kids quit by the age of 12 due to playing time. I have seen kids that mature early dominate thru middle school but they are just average in high school when the other catch up. I have also seen late developers as bench warmers in middle school develop late if they stick with it. But for most the incentive isn't there.
I do think that in middle school there is more of an expectation to win and the best players will play in the games. But I think at practice there needs to be an emphasis on development which means less skilled need to get reps.
Maybe in Florida. Around here they a begging boys to play. Now the sign-up for girls on the youth cheerleading is nuts. Of course its young girls so they don't do tryouts. They used to do 1st in line, and you'd have moms camping out overnight Friday for Saturday noon signups. Then someone camped out Thursday and so on... of course, that's absurd so they went with a lottery...
Gotta love this team! Go Bucks!!!
One more sleep.
then… duck for dinner Saturday night.
#GoBucks
"Y'all got a real purty mouth" - Dabo Swinny • BuckeyeJuggernaut.com
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
At least they're not eating cats and dogs like in Springfield. Welcome to America. Hide your cats and dogs and ducks.
I really want to hear Igbinosun tell the WR in front of him,”Don’t take this a$$ kicking poisonally”
Don’t hurt im champ!
Man a couple people struggling to understand your Jersey accent here.
It was a Harlem Nights reference. Too old for this crowd
Buck the Ducks!
I like Will emphasizing win them all.
JJ Legend grows
Iggy gonna get Jiggy in Autzen
Latham dawg!
If not now, when?
Loved the story on Igbinosun. My son stutters and he is a Lead Pastor. The church is packed. A lot of distractors along the way. Sometimes the adults were worse than the kids.
Lathan Ransom should be an inspiration to us all. Appreciate what you have. So often, we don’t until it is gone. And then, it could be too late.
Now let’s feast on some duck!
Who cuts a 7 year old from the team?
I didn't think they had any cuts for teams that young.
Michigan. lol.
PSA: grayed out comments get read the most. Thanks!
Who is ‘they’?
Comment removed for violating the site's commenting policy.
Michael
It seems odd to me that seven year olds get cut from football- or any sport to be honest. It would seem there’s enough space to play for all the kids who want to play.
I have not been involved in youth football but I have been with soccer and baseball and flag football. Nobody is turned away. If there is an overflow of kids they form another team(s).
To the 11W community involved with youth over the past ten years- is getting cut from the team at age 7 common or are you surprised like me. I understand with football there might be x number of helmets and equipment and maybe not enough budget for more. But in my experience cutting the teams at age 7 is outside of what I expect.
I would like to hear what others think. Thanks. Go Buckeyes.
Michael
I think it's like Philly said above, there's a limited amount of equipment to go around. And, having a kid currently involved in it, the equipment is freakin' expensive. I know it's different for little kids, but for high school, the helmets alone are pushing $1K each for a new one, and several hundred bucks just to recondition one (don't recall the exact figure this year, I should have paid more attention) which they have to do every season. Then there are pads, another couple hundred, etc, etc. Don't get me started on 'drip.'
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
When I played Pop Warner, they had to take the 1st 35 kids who signed up. One of the area teams got suspended because they were having tryouts.
My son is playing tackle now in U12 and was U10 last year...there was no cuts. They make as many teams as they have kids for.
I'd assume it would depend on how the league was structured.
You're too stupid to have a good time. -Dalton
It does happen in some communities. As others have said, equipment costs are one limiting factor. Other factors, especially in larger communities, is the amount of fields available and amount of willing coaches. One of the fastest growing issues is also the amount and availability of referees for youth sports.
if you want to help keep youth sports available to all kids who want to play, donating to your local youth sports associations is a noble cause. If you really want to help, offer to assist with upkeep of the fields, sign up to be a coach if you're qualified or take some referee classes and become a referee.
At the minimum, the next time you attend a youth sporting event, don't demean or yell at the coaches and referees. Nobody's perfect and they are doing the best they can. Coaching the kids is a ton of fun. Dealing with the parents can be a nightmare. Ask any high school coach what the biggest challenge they face is and they will point to the parents without fail. It's always good to let the Little Mikey's of the world learn to face adversity at the youth level to help learn valuable life skills.
Let’s give credit to Smith’s dad for allowing his child to fail safely and have a learning experience, and then creating an environment for J.J. to improve and be in control of his life.
No blaming others, no special treatment. Great parenting, Papa Smith.
Gonna watch this game at my daughter/son in laws with 2 granddaughters on my 70th birthday. A win will make my day complete! Go Bucks!
Steelybuck54
It's Jeremiah Smith's world, and Chuck Norris is just living in it!
Both the DI and WH videos prove once again how ez it is to root for these high character guys, I love the makeup of this team and the countless good dudes that have rolled through C-Bus. They make being a Buckeye fan an absolute pleasure! I know there are good guys all across sports, but these are OUR guys and we love them.
"I don't want to be around average, why be around average!" -UFM
The link to the raccoon lady in Washington State hits close to home! That property is less than a mile from our house. The lady has been feeding raccoons for over 30 years. What a mess.
I saw that story yesterday. That's a heck of a lot of raccoons! Yet another proof that no good deed goes unpunished.
My aim, then, is to whip the Weasels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. - William Tecumseh Sherman (with apologies)
I hate to see Nadal give it up. He was in some EPIC battles with Djokovic!! One hell of an athlete. Job well done, Rafa!!
That Will Howard dude... Watch him. When he's done playing the game, I can picture him talking about it on TV.
"Any time you give a man something he doesn't earn, you cheapen him. Our kids earn what they get, and that includes respect."
W.W.Hayes
Disappointed that one of the bullet points was Igbinosun's stutter and the song of the day wasn't The Who's "My Generation," the song that made stuttering cool.
R.I.P. Simba
To tcun:
"Why don't you all f f f fade away..."
Go Bucks!!!
David Peck
Yes you have to credit Jeremiah, but his dad sounds pretty amazing too.