Troy Pieper

My @SleeperHQ HR Parlay for the day. #HomeRunPicks #Sleeper #MLBBets

This weekend watching these games at State has shown even more how bad we need a shot clock in High School basketball.

19 years ago, a high school basketball coach put his team manager into a game for the final four minutes. The kid had never played a single minute of competitive basketball in his life. He scored 20 points. Jason McElwain was diagnosed with severe autism at age two. He didn’t speak until he was five. He couldn’t chew solid food until he was six. He wore a nappy for most of his early childhood. As a baby, he was rigid, wouldn’t make eye contact, and hid in corners away from other children. He tried out for his school basketball team every year and got cut every time. Too small. Too slight. Barely 5’6 and about 54 kilograms. But he loved the game so much that his mum called the school and asked if there was any way he could be involved. The coach created a team manager role for him. For three years, McElwain showed up to every practice and every game. He wore a shirt and tie on match days. He ran drills, handed out water, kept stats, and cheered every basket like he’d scored it himself. On 15 February 2006, the last home game of his final school year, the coach let him suit up in a proper jersey and sit on the bench. With four minutes left and a comfortable lead, the coach sent him in. His first shot missed. His second missed. Then something shifted. He hit a three-pointer. Then another. Then another. His teammates stopped shooting entirely and just kept passing him the ball. He hit six three-pointers and a two-pointer. 20 points in four minutes. The highest scorer in the game. When the final buzzer went, the entire crowd rushed the court and lifted him onto their shoulders. His mum tapped the coach on the shoulder, in tears. “This is the nicest gift you could have ever given my son.” McElwain won the ESPY Award for Best Moment in Sports that year, beating out some of the biggest names in professional sport. He’s 36 now. He works at a local supermarket, coaches basketball, has run 17 marathons including five Boston Marathons, and travels the country speaking about never giving up. When asked about that night, his coach still gets emotional. “For him to come in and seize the moment like he did was certainly more than I ever expected. I was an emotional wreck.”

Bad call to end it… but screw it!! #USA

Someone check on DR’s biggest fan @hen_ease 2-1 USA!!

#AWL Gunnar Henderson ties it up!!! Sorry @hen_ease I know you are upset that #USA tied it up! @PardonMyTake @BarstoolBigCat

Let’s Go… Congrats Cameron Young!!! Great finish! #ThePlayers

Cameron Young… HUGE putt! This is awesome! The brackets will have to wait! #ThePlayers

March Madness brackets revealed soon and until then watching a crazy final round of The Players, been a crazy final round! I’m rooting for Aberg or Cam Young… this is a crazy final round. #PGA #ThePlayers #MarchMadness

@BarstoolBigCat Rapp!!!!!!!! This team just doesn’t quit!

Running out of gas.

RAPP!!!!!!!!! On fire!!

Low scoring… the over isn’t looking good, but two solid defensive efforts in the first half. Let’s go Bucky! #BadgerBasketball #BadgerMBB

@BarstoolBigCat Not a fan of the colors of the sprinkles on the model two… Too much like Packer colors. Why would you do this @BarstoolBigCat

Best backcourt in America 1️⃣

Holy hell Dickie V noticing a team not in the ACC lol

Best backcourt in the country… try to argue it. Blackwell and Boyd! 66 of their 87 points so far. #Badgers

The Badger assistant coaches would dominate any other staff in a game. Size and guard play and they are young as far as coaching goes. Just a random thought. #Badgers

All 4 very deserving of being recognized.

Best time of the year… we’re ready, can’t wait for tip off, let’s go!

Awesome halftime tribute to Pat Riley. Those teams of the 80’s are why I’m a Lakers fan. That was cool, and seeing all the greats there for him was pretty sweet.