Leslie Craven

As my youngest son’s sophomore season ended, one of the big-name travel ball orgs dropped their new rankings I logged in to check his profile In his class they had him as the 8th-best catcher in the country No. 2 in Florida Not gonna lie I was a proud dad The following summer, we chose a different route No chasing invite-only events, no living on planes He spent the summer training Getting stronger Cleaning up his swing Catching better arms He played in just three tournaments, none of them affiliated with that ranking organization He played the best baseball of his life and earned a scholarship to a top‑25 D1 program That fall, out of curiosity, I checked his profile again Ranked No. 221 Did he really get that much worse? If he did, I never saw it Maybe 213 guys just “got better” Or maybe the formula changed He went on to have a great college career Conference and regional champ MVP of the Gainesville Regional His team came a couple of plays short of Omaha Then he got a couple of years in pro ball for good measure The ranking never predicted any of that The game still rewards work, toughness, and development more than any list ever will Rankings are a great marketing tool Not a great predictor of future success

@mitchgoldich @TylerCollins53

The biggest game of the first round is on Friday, when Long Island battles Arizona for iced tea supremacy

@aynii_00 7587

Who wants it? 👀 RP for your chance to win this signed @_TJWatt jersey!

@MrPitbull07 Salad

If you grew up in a “vegetables at every meal” household….what did you eat with spaghetti?

@charlieputh It was beautiful!

Thank you everyone for your kind words. It was an honor to sing The National Anthem. I wrote the arrangement in a very specific way to honor Whitney Houston- I hope that was heard. Thank you to the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, the Sainted Choir, the Color of Noize Orchestra, Steve Hackman, and Kenny G for joining me on stage. And thank you Adam Blackstone for writing such a beautiful choir part. I love music so much.

@KDKA And some attorney actually took the case. It should be illegal to file such a frivolous outrageous lawsuit.

The Lions fan who was involved in an altercation with Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf has filed a $100 million lawsuit. cbsloc.al/49VxHgq

@AnnieAgar Not great. What the heck

steelers fans how are you feelin?

130 schools said no. He led the losingest program in college football history to a national championship anyway. Fernando Mendoza was a 2-star recruit from Miami. He tried to walk on at his hometown school. They passed. So did FIU. So did FAU. So did everyone else. At 17, he was sitting in his bedroom, crying over a silent recruiting inbox—after driving to 18 camps with his dad and sending highlights to more than 100 programs. Not one FBS offer. His only option? Yale. No scholarship. No NFL path. Everyone told him to be “realistic.” “Know your place.” “Be grateful.” He didn’t listen. Because Mendoza understood something most people miss: The worst outcome isn’t failing. It’s never getting the chance to try. Two weeks before signing day in 2022, his phone rang. Cal needed a body. One offer. Out of 134 schools. He took it. He arrived as the third-string quarterback. Spent a year on the scout team. Lost his first four starts. Got sacked 41 times behind a broken offensive line. Still got up. Every time. Then Cal brought in a transfer instead of building around him. So Mendoza left the only school that had ever said yes. He transferred to Indiana—the losingest program in college football history. People laughed. “Career suicide.” “Graveyard program.” “Nobody wins there.” One coach told him something different: “I’m going to make you the best Fernando Mendoza possible.” That was enough. Mendoza wasn’t just playing for football. His mother has battled multiple sclerosis for 18 years. Before every snap, he thought of her. “My mother is my why.” Indiana went 16–0. Beat six Top-10 teams. Won their first Big Ten title since 1945. Mendoza threw 41 touchdowns. Won the Heisman—first in school history. First Cuban-American to ever do it. Then came the title game. Miami. Near his hometown. Fourth-and-4. Season on the line. Quarterback draw. The kid 134 schools rejected spun through defenders and dove into the end zone. Game over. Indiana—national champions. The losingest program became the best team in America. All because a 17-year-old refused to believe “no” was the end. Rankings don’t decide your ceiling. Gatekeepers don’t write your ending. Being overlooked isn’t a verdict—it’s a starting point. Sometimes all you need is one shot… and the courage to bet on yourself when nobody else will. Don’t quit. Credit: Barclay Mullins

@HawkEmDownChris True

True or False: Someone that attended your high school became a professional athlete.

PLAYOFF GIVEAWAY: Want an Aaron Rodgers jersey for the playoff run? If Rodgers throws 2+ touchdowns AND the Steelers beat the Texans. I will giveaway 10 (!!!) Rodgers jerseys to followers. All you have to do is A) Follow Me and B) Retweet this post. Tell a friend. Here. We. Go.

REPOST THIS for a chance to win FOUR tickets to Opening Day 2026!  Reminder: Single Game tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 14!

@RyanDeto Yinz in this case meaning the dolphins

Look, we all appreciate seeing yinz out in the wild but this makes no sense

Pine Richland Basketball grinding 💪 #wpialbasketball #hsbasketball #pittsburgh

@Alex_Kozora @TylerCollins53

Take a minute to appreciate this *perfect* snap from LS Christian Kuntz on Chris Boswell's 56-yarder. Accurate with the laces out (yes, NFL snappers control the laces). All Corliss Waitman has to do is place it with the right lean and let Boz do his thing. This is A+.

@LauraLoomer @theAuntieAngie Horrible take by you.

@theAuntieAngie No. The Muslim woman is unsanitary for using a public bathroom sink at a US airport to wash her kids’ feet for their Islamic prayer. I am not mean. I am just honest. We can’t keep tolerating this 3rd world behavior. Our country is unrecognizable!

A friend of mine was traveling in Salt Lake City at the airport yesterday. She took this photo and sent it to me. A Muslim woman in a full burka was using the sinks of the airport bathroom to wash her son’s feet before praying. Airport bathrooms are now foot washing basins for Muslim invaders. The 24 year anniversary of 9/11 is in 7 days.

I’m back: I’ll be at PNC Park today to watch the best pitcher ever. If Skenes K’s 5 Dbacks a follower will get a Paul Skenes jersey. If he strikes out 5 and the Buccos win 3 followers will get Paul Skenes jerseys. All that you have to do: Is follow me and retweet this post. Fun!

Grove City Basketball will be attending the Steel City Jam Fest in Pittsburgh and Summer Jam Fest in Manheim this weekend.

@Mike_kim714 142

Hint:

Final US Open giveaway. You get this duffle bag, my US open credentials, a pair of my Footjoy premier shoes that I’ll sign (worn during my titleist shoot) Winner is first person to guess my locker number this week. 1-200 No cheating! Some of you asked insiders to look my locker number up 😂