Steve Wolf
5.7K posts
@swolfhoops
Husband, father and Coach. College basketball analyst for CBS Sports Network and retired owner at ILS Labels.
Luke Falk shared a Mike Leach story that stopped me cold: Two kids. One rich. One poor. Every training camp, Coach Leach told his team about these 2 kids. The rich kid has two choices. Get soft. Get entitled. Expect everything handed to him because he was handed more. Or take the resources, the coaching, the opportunities, and compound them into something greater. The poor kid has two choices too. Say nobody gave him anything. Blame the world. Make his circumstances the reason he never became what he could have been. Or outwork everyone in the room. Luke said the locker room had both. Kids from wealth. Kids from nothing. Kids with every advantage. Kids who scraped for every inch. Same choice for all of them. Ownership or victimhood. Fuel or excuse. The rich kid can waste the head start or build on it. The poor kid can drown in the deficit or weaponize it. Greatness doesn't come from where you start. It comes from which kid you choose to feed. Credit to @coachlukefalk for continuing to share golden nuggets about Coach’s legacy
Katie was killed on the streets of Urbana, Illinois. Fifteen months ago this Sunday April 19th, my youngest daughter died a preventable death at the hands of an illegal immigrant who should never have been in this state. Illinois chose to grant protections and privileges to those here unlawfully that many law-abiding citizens never receive, while ignoring the human cost of policies with no guardrails. Politicians keep winging it, and families like ours pay the price. Her death was the direct result of failed Illinois “leadership,” reckless sanctuary and criminal justice policies, and politicians who care more about protecting narratives, blindly serving ideology, and holding power than protecting families. My daughter was only 20 years old. She was put in the ground. Her killer received a plea deal and, if you do the math under Illinois release laws, Katie’s life was valued at roughly 10 years behind bars. That is the measure of justice they offered for a stolen future. Katie got a grave. He got a release date. Two young women died. Three others were injured. Families were shattered forever. And for fifteen months, the people elected to “lead” Illinois have said nothing. No accountability. No courage. No decency. Just silence. J. B. Pritzker, Juliana Stratton, Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Kwame Raoul, Alexi Giannoulias — say her name. Katie.
Opening Day in @CityOfCincy ends with police in riot gear breaking up large groups of unruly teens causing disturbances throughout downtown and in OTR. This video from Sam George shows the problems at The Banks
Per #Reds Reds former All-Star First Baseman and Franchise Icon Joey Votto has gifted the City of Cincinnati, the Reds and the fans a custom-built Verdin street clock as a thank you for their support during his 22 years with the Reds organization. “I am excited about giving the Clock to the city, the team and its fans,” said Votto. “Being the oldest professional team, I wanted this Clock to add to the charm and mystique of the Cincinnati Reds experience.” Crafted by Cincinnati’s The Verdin Company, the Clock stands 16 feet, 8 inches tall with four 36‑inch dials, and is located on Crosley Terrace, just outside the main ballpark entrance. “We are incredibly grateful and honored to have this beautiful Clock adorn the front gates,” said Reds President and CEO Phil Castellini. “Joey made us proud every time he stepped onto the field. And this one-of-a-kind gift from him will continue to inspire and excite everyone who sees it.” The Clock is finished in the official Reds Pantone red with white trim. The top finial is hand‑painted to resemble a baseball, and each Clock face includes “Cincinnati” across the top and “Reds” along the bottom. The faces feature Roman numerals and the iconic Reds wishbone “C” centered on each dial. “There will continue to be massive moments happening at the ballpark in the future, and people making new memories,” Votto said. “I hope that I can still be part of it in some way, knowing the Clock adds character to this special place.” Additionally, the clock head features speakers that can play hourly chimes and a wide range of music, including Take Me Out to the Ballgame. “Joey wanted the Clock to enhance our shared love of baseball, so we are collaborating with Joey and Verdin for fun ways to integrate it into our games,” said Castellini. At the base of the Clock, a bronze plaque honors Votto’s contribution. The plaque reads: “Thank you Cincinnati” with Joey Votto’s signature underneath it. “Joey was involved in planning every detail. He wanted his thank you gift to be a showstopper and we are thrilled with how it turned out,” said The Verdin Company CEO Bob Verdin III.
