Coach Dave Thomas

Wise words!!!

I locked the classroom door and turned to twenty five high school seniors, the Class of 2026. They were supposed to be the digital generation, confident and plugged in. Instead, staring back at me under the glow of hidden phones, they just looked tired. I asked them to turn their phones off. Not silent. Off. On my desk sat an old olive green military rucksack that belonged to my father. For weeks they ignored it, assuming it was just junk. They didn’t know it was the heaviest thing in the building. I dragged it to the center of the room. Thud. I told them we weren’t doing the Constitution that day. I handed out blank index cards with three rules. No names. Total honesty. Write down the heaviest thing you are carrying. At first, no one moved. Then Sarah, straight A student, perfect everything, started writing. Then Marcus, the football captain, hunched over his card and wrote just three words. One by one, they folded their cards and dropped them into the bag. I zipped it shut and told them this bag was who they really were. Then I began to read. A father pretending to go to work after losing his job. A student carrying Narcan for their mom. A kid mapping exits everywhere. A teen trapped between parents screaming about politics. A girl with thousands of followers crying alone at night. Then the last card. I don’t want to be here anymore. I’m just waiting for a sign to stay. Marcus was crying openly. Sarah was holding the hand of a boy who usually sat alone. The cliques were gone. They were just kids carrying too much. I told them the bag would stay in the room so they wouldn’t have to carry it alone anymore. When the bell rang, no one rushed out. Every student stopped and touched the rucksack on the way out. I see you. That night, a parent emailed me. Their son hugged them for the first time in years and asked for help. Everyone you pass is carrying something you can’t see. Be kind. Be curious. Ask the people you love what they’re carrying. You might save a life.

**Kids these days will never understand…** How good SportsCenter once was. It wasn’t endless annoying arguments trying to entice reaction. It was poetry. And Stuart Scott was Shakespeare. #BOOyah

Seriously - WATCH ALL OF THIS! 🔥🔥👇🏼 “We got people literally camping in the streets, crying, lightning candles, holding signs, getting f*cking arrested, doing the most for people who broke into this country illegally, but when it comes to American veterans sleeping under the bridges, suddenly there’s not even a f*cking thought.” “Y’all will shut down traffic for someone who hopped the fence, but won’t block a single street for the Marine who hopped on the f*cking grenade and came home invisible. And you weird a** politicians love to say we don’t have the money, but somehow there’s always enough money for people who aren’t f*cking citizens. That’s not a lack of funds, that’s a choice.” “Fix our house first. Honor the people who built and defended it. Then we can talk about having guests over. Until that sh*t happens. Don’t talk to me about compassion.”

Gave me goosebumps 🙏 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength" 🙏

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

@dannykanell This is awesome!!! No love for them…ever!

My daughter’s school is allowing them to wear Canes gear today. She asked if I had anything she could wear so I gave her this shirt. She said “I don’t think I’m allowed. What if I get into trouble?” I told her I don’t care if you get expelled you are wearing what I give you!!

@mattvanswol I relate to this so much. I got a dog in early sobriety that saved me. My best friend for 10 years. He saw me marry, he saw my son born, and he loved our family. Lost him to lymphoma a few years ago. Much love to you and your family as you grieve him.

Struggling to not cry while writing this. Sadly, our 10 year old Golden Retriever, Winston, has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer. It is not survivable. I got Winston at the lowest point in my life, and in so many ways, he saved me. I was an alcoholic, single, so so depressed. I was a bitter, angry, selfish person. ...and I knew it So upon recommendation of a friend, I got Winston. And he changed my fucking life. I learned structure. I learned how to talk to strangers. I went outside every day on runs and walks. He gave me the discipline to wake up early. He gave me a reason to not stay out late. I learned that doing the right thing daily is what changes you, slowly. And because Winston needed me, I started becoming someone worth needing. But then, he didn't just become my dog. He became my wife's dog. My kid's dog. And he loved them with the passion of a thousand fiery suns. And I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain what it means to watch a dog learn to love your kids as much as you do. He's the greeter. He's my shadow. A peacekeeper. The one constant, no matter what kind of day we’ve had. I'm gonna miss you so much.

PJ Fleck 🔥 “Failing is growth. Failure is quit.” “The hard part of being the standard is you are the standard.” “Joy is never letting circumstances dictate your behavior.” 100% coaching gold. Bookmark and share. 🔖

Jesus died at 33. The human spine has 33 vertebrae. The same structure that holds us up is the same number of years He held this Earth. We have 12 ribs on each side. 12 disciples. 12 tribes of Israel. God built His design into our bones. He wrote Heaven into our anatomy. The vagus nerve runs from your brain to your heart and gut. It calms storms inside the body. It looks just like a cross. That’s the power source running through us. Every time your body heals, every time your heart slows in prayer, every time peace shows up when it shouldn’t…that’s Him. Jesus rose on the third day. Science tells us that when you fast for 3 days, your body starts regenerating. Old cells die. New ones are born. Healing begins. Your body literally resurrects itself. That’s not coincidence. That’s design. And it keeps going. Your heart has an electrical rhythm. Your brain lights up when you pray. Tears contain different chemicals depending on if you're crying from joy or grief. The blood speaks. The bones store memory. The body worships whether you realize it or not. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are walking prophecy. Walking tabernacles. Dust and divinity in one. God didn’t just create you. He carved Himself into you. You don’t need to look far to find Him. You just need to look inward. He’s been in the design since the beginning.

And we wonder why the cost of attending college continues to increase!!!

Votes count for x2! 🚨 Repost!! #ProBowlVote  + Ray Davis #BillsMafia  #GoBills

Hello, this is Fernando’s mom, Elsa! What a joy it is to have him as a son. Fernando — I wrote you this with all my love. theplayerstribune.com/fernando-mendo…

This is what greatness is supposed to look like!!! Faith, humility, passion, heart, and highly skilled!

Every single interview with an IU player I’ve watched included them thanking God. On top of that, they all seem to have a humility about them that is now rarely seen in football. So awesome to see them live their faith and love their teammates!

When God want to make man powerful…

@daschundlovers2 Why does this haircut make the dog look like Mark Davis that owns the Oakland Raiders? lol

Elkhorn North head coach Sam Stanley lost his son just days ago. His team just upset their rival in the final seconds for the first time in program history, 29-27.

My 13 year old Daughter died from #BrainCancer 4,679 days ago. 💔 I would LOVE to see my Ashley’s name 4,679 times in comments for all the days she’s been missing. When you lose a Child, the most beautiful word you can hear is their name. ❤️ A Repost & Follow would mean the world to us to keep our Ashley’s story alive. 💜 𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎 💜

Cats would never