Amy Dowell

[the Sports ON Tap @thesportsontap]

Johnnie Jones is 18 years old. Everybody calls him DJ.

He is a freshman offensive lineman at Missouri, out of Venice, Florida. He was the highest rated recruit in the Tigers' 2026 signing class, number 108 in the country.

He has not played a snap this season, and today his coach explained why.

During routine freshman medical intake over the summer, doctors found something wrong with his heart. Two weeks went by with no improvement. He was sent to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville for a second opinion, and there doctors found what Missouri described as a much more significant issue.

DJ Jones has been placed on the heart transplant list. He is still in the hospital.

Here is what Eli Drinkwitz said today.

"It's tough right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as they go through this. It's just hard, an 18 year old with everything in front of him, and you're just never prepared for that kind of news."

"Our team was not prepared for that news. We're praying for him, and we hope that Mizzou fans are joining in with us because he needs help in a hurry."

Missouri is ranked 14th in the country. On Saturday they beat an undefeated Florida team 45 to 17.

Drinkwitz said DJ was watching that game.

So this is not a football post.

We thought about whether to run this at all. Not every story we come across is a feel good one, and this one is not a feel good one yet.

We are running it because DJ Jones is 18 years old and he needs help in a hurry, and because we are praying for him and his family right along with everybody else.

If you pray, he could use it. His family could use it too.

And we hope that the next thing we ever write about this kid is nothing but a happy ending.

And if you have ever thought about registering as an organ donor and never got around to doing it, this would be a good week.

[Duzz💖💕💰 @thani80862]

Do people with ADHD really have music playing in their heads all the time?

Yeah. It’s a literal nightmare. Here’s what’s actually happening:

[Duzz💖💕💰 @thani80862]

Turns out, if you get good grades and learn to hold your sh*t together because you’re not supposed to cause a scene, you can raw dog ADHD until perimenopause sends you into a full-blown breakdown. Here’s why:

[OkieMaga_Patriot46 @Okie_Patriot46]

I need to make a very PUBLIC announcement on behalf of younger GenXers and older Millennials.

If you see someone in their 40s or 50s who seems a little boring now, I need you to understand something...

We already got it in.

Like...GOT. IT. IN.

We are not sitting home on a Friday night because we never knew how to have fun.
We are sitting home on a Friday night because we have seen enough.

We went to parties in houses that should have been condemned and were almost certainly owned by the local drug dealer.

We saw police lights and RAN and not across a nice, flat field.
INTO THE WOODS.

Do you understand the athleticism required to hurdle uprooted tree roots in platform shoes while simultaneously trying to keep your low-rise jeans from sliding completely off your ass?

And somehow...we never spilled the Zima. We never spilled the Boone’s Farm.

That was TALENT.

We slept on floors in strange houses because the designated driver either never showed up or, in a shocking turn of events, was drunker than everybody else.

There was no Uber, Life360 or Find My Friends.
There was just somebody named Mike saying, “I know a shortcut.”

And we FOLLOWED MIKE.

We closed down bars and then decided the night was still young, so we drove to Atlantic City, where we somehow managed to get drunk, sober up, get drunk again, sober up again and then get drunk a THIRD TIME before breakfast.

And according to our parents? We were at Michelle’s house.

Eating pizza and watching movies.

Michelle’s mother unknowingly covered for approximately 17 people every weekend. If there even was a Michelle.

We drank things called Purple Passion, Mad Dog 20/20 and whatever somebody mixed inside a giant plastic garbage can. Nobody asked what was in it. You grabbed a red Solo cup and trusted the process.

We went to clubs until the lights came on. Do you know the psychological damage of seeing a nightclub with the LIGHTS ON? Nothing good happens after those lights come on.

We danced for four straight hours in shoes that permanently altered the structure of our feet.

We made entire plans without cell phones...no texts, dropped pins or group chats...just an extremely questionable sense of direction.

We rode in cars with 11 people when the vehicle legally seated five. Someone was always sitting on someone. Someone was always in the hatchback.
And there was always one friend yelling, “DUCK!” when we passed a cop.

So yes...now we like being home.
We like sweatpants.
We like cancelling plans.
We like saying, “That sounds fun!” with absolutely no intention of attending.
We like restaurants at 5:30 because we can get a good table.
We like being home by 8:17.

And if someone texts at 9:30 PM and says, “What are you doing?”
Sleeping...we are sleeping.

Because this is not boring my friends...this is retirement.

We already played, partied and danced on the bar.
We already ran from the cops through a wooded area dressed like a Spice Girl.

We have stories that cannot be posted because there are still people with careers, marriages and reputations to protect. And thank GOD there were no camera phones.

So kids, when you look at your Gen X and older Millennial parents sitting peacefully on the couch watching Dateline at 8 PM and think:
“God, you guys are boring.”

Sweetheart...oh sweetheart.
You are looking at retired legends.

Put some respect on our names. We're probably the reason Life360 was invented.

xoxoxo (posted from someone else on FakeBook) 🤣 #genx #oldandtired

[Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol]

🚨#BREAKING: Outrage is erupting after a Virginia mother of FIVE has been CONVICTED of a crime, sentenced to 6 months in jail, and placed on the CHILD ABUSE REGISTRY for 7 years...

...because she let her 5-year-old son walk half a mile to the pond in their GATED community to collect goose feathers.

Yes, you read that right...

Her name is Karyann Parkinson and she is probably the furthest thing from an "unfit mother" you will ever meet.

She has a degree in family science. She was a family life educator. She spent three years as a live-in behavioral specialist caring for 35 troubled girls. Her husband is a family therapist.

They moved to Virginia so she could go to William & Mary LAW SCHOOL.

This past June, eight months pregnant and studying for the bar, she took her boy Sam on their usual bike ride to the pond.

When they got home, he asked to walk back for more feathers.

Just a half-mile walk home on a sidewalk with ten feet of grass between him and the road.

Two crosswalks he'd used hundreds of times, inside a gated neighborhood with 24-hour security and a 25 mph speed limit.

She said yes, and she made lunch.

A stranger saw a kid walking and called security.

The guard marched Sam home and told this 5-year-old that his mommy did something wrong

His mother says it "scared the crap out of him."

Then the guard called the cops. Then the cop called backup.

Within minutes: THREE police cars. Three officers. A security vehicle. Two CPS workers. All at one mother's front door.

For a kid walking home on a sidewalk

CPS told her husband, "a 5-year-old child can never be unsupervised."

Never. Not for one minute. Not in a gated community. Not on a sidewalk.

That is the government's position on YOUR children.

They put her on the child abuse and neglect registry.

Seven years.

They charged her with "contributing to the delinquency of a minor."

A charge meant for parents who let their kids do drugs and skip school.

Last week, a judge convicted her and she got six months in jail, suspended and a permanent criminal record.

She can likely never volunteer at her kids' school again.

She may never be allowed to practice law.

What are we doing here????

Kids used to walk to school ALL THE TIME.

I used to ride bikes with my friends until till the streetlights came on... no one ever knew where I was and it didn't matter because this WAS AMERICA.

Now a five-year-old can't walk to a pond without three squad cars and a criminal conviction for his mother???

We've criminalized childhood...

[Dolly Parton @DollyParton]

Global icon and humanitarian, Dolly Parton, known to the world as a beloved singer, songwriter, philanthropist, actress, playwright, and author died peacefully today in Nashville, Tennessee. She was 80 years old.

Dolly is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 59 years Carl Thomas Dean (1942 – 2025), her mother Avie Lee Caroline Owens (1923 – 2003), and father, Robert Lee Parton, Sr. (1921 – 2000).

A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.

At Dolly’s request, a small, private service will be held for immediate family. Dolly’s fans and friends from around the world are encouraged to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging @DollyParton or by leaving a message at https://t.co/cLu9I7M2wC

In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at https://t.co/arzrqInqJA

[CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 @CBSSunday]

For incoming freshmen at Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it's hard to imagine a more mortifying tradition on first-day dropoff: All the seniors surround their cars and don't let them out until they do one specific thing – give their mothers a goodbye kiss.

@SteveHartmanCBS reports on how a tradition of senior pranks turned into a show of thanks, and an emotional milestone for kids and their parents.

[Jacob deNobel @Jacob_deNobel]

Our local classic rock station got sold and is being replaced by a Christian Contemporary station and I'm enjoying the shade in their final hour of programming before the switchover.

[DNI Tulsi Gabbard @DNIGabbard]

Today, on my final day as Director of National Intelligence, I’m releasing never-before-seen communications and documents exposing how Dr. Fauci provided millions in US taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research at the Wuhan lab, worked with politicized elements within the Intelligence Community to suppress the truth about his actions and hide the virus’ lab-leak origins, and lied to Congress while under oath in 2024. It’s time you know the truth.

https://t.co/3YJSstB7d4

[Playteaux @Playteaux1]

The Ocean Breeze

[Mike Lee @BasedMikeLee]

.@LeaderJohnThune, I hereby object to any effort to put the Senate into recess in August—at least until such time as the Senate has passed the SAVE America Act—and hereby request a roll call vote.

Do not assume you have my consent.

You do not.

[Mr PitBull Stories @MrPitbull07]

In 2019, a fourth-grade boy in Florida wanted to represent the University of Tennessee during his school’s College Colors Day. He did not own an official shirt, so he drew his own “U.T.” design on paper and attached it to an orange T-shirt.

Sadly, some students made fun of his homemade shirt during lunch. He returned to his classroom crying. His teacher, Laura Snyder, shared the story online and asked whether anyone connected with the university could help make the day special for him.

The post quickly spread. University of Tennessee supporters sent shirts, hats, and other gifts to the boy and his classmates. The university then turned his hand-drawn design into an official T-shirt. More than 110,000 shirts were eventually sold, with the proceeds benefiting the anti-bullying organization STOMP Out Bullying.

UT also offered the boy honorary admission to its Class of 2032 and a four-year scholarship covering tuition and fees, provided he chooses to attend and meets the university’s admission requirements.

A moment of bullying was transformed into kindness, support, and an opportunity for the future.

[Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol]

🚨#BREAKING: A 14-year-old boy on a bike ride is being hailed as a hero after he SAVED THE LIFE of a grandmother with dementia who was LOST, wandering the road in 103-degree Arizona heat.

The boy stopped, walked her into the shade and then he gently helped her remember her son's phone number and called him.

She has dementia.
She was MILES from home.
He saved her life. ❤️

The 14-year-old's name is Royal Cothrun, from Gilbert, Arizona.

He was riding his bike in triple-digit heat when he saw 75-year-old Teresa Morgan on the side of the road and something just told him to stop.

"She just looked like something was wrong, so I started talking to her."

Teresa was recently diagnosed with dementia, and she'd gone to the grocery store, gotten disoriented, and wandered miles from home in the intense heat.

Royal got her into the shade and sat with her... and patiently, gently, helped her pull her son's phone number out of her memory.

On the video, you can hear him: "Maybe we can try to call him on my phone?"

He called her son. Her son raced over. The fire department got there right after.

Her son's words: "It's incredible what he did. It's so fortunate that he ran across her... and he CARED enough to stay with her."

The fire captain said the outcome "would have been much, much worse" without him.

And his mama? "Super proud, obviously. He was calm. He was compassionate."

She says helping people is just who her boy IS.

The fire department and the Air National Guard are honoring him.

The next generation isn't lost, folks, some of them are out here saving our grandparents.

GOD BLESS Royal Cothrun and God bless the mamas raising boys like this.

THIS IS THE AMERICA I KNOW!!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[Matt Van Swol @mattvanswol]

A 4-year-old boy whose father left him, stood outside every single day for months waving at strangers... just hoping somebody would say hi back, in North Carolina.

Then one neighbor walked across the street to meet him.

Now an ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD shows up for his soccer games, his swim lessons, his birthday parties.

Roman Butzlaff is 4 years old, from Concord NC, just outside Charlotte.

His mom says he wakes up every single morning excited to say "hi" to somebody. It's the very first thing he wants to do.

But behind that big smile was a hurting little heart. His parents split about a year ago and his dad moved away.

Then a neighbor named Wade Fulgum did the simplest, most powerful thing in the world.

He just walked across the street... and met the little boy who was always waving at him.

And it spread.

Now about a DOZEN neighbors, people who barely knew each other's names, show up for Roman's soccer games.

His basketball games. His swimming lessons. Even his preschool open house. His birthday party guest list was basically a map of the block.

One neighbor said it best: "If the world was like this child, what an awesome, awesome place it would be."

[Cardinal Dolan @CardinalDolan]

I don’t know if you saw the letter our Holy Father sent us in celebration of the Fourth of July. It’s magnificent! Do you mind if I spend the next couple of days going through the beautiful lessons that he gives us? The first is the virtue of religious freedom. @thegnewsroom

[The White House @WhiteHouse]

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[National Park Service @NatlParkService]

You know it’s hot when you go outside and it’s hot.

[Crystal Hope @CrystalHope1979]

12-year-old bird-calling prodigy Samuel Henderson just dropped the ultimate patriotic flex. 🦅 🇺🇸

He kicks it off with a heartfelt “Happy 250th Birthday, America” — then unleashes an insane medley of bird calls so spot-on they summon the real deal.

After Samuel nails a cardinal call perfectly, a local cardinal in the background sings right back at him. 😆

That’s talent! This kid doesn’t just imitate nature — he talks to it. 🐦 💥

[Doctor Jack @DoctorJack16]

My grandfather, communism, and the tremor that never left. A story I rarely share.

He was the principal of a private school; respected, steady, a man who believed in books and order. Then, one ordinary afternoon, his world ended.

A squad of communist troops stormed on to campus grounds. They herded the children out like cattle, set every book ablaze in the courtyard. “Less educated people are easier to control,” they believed.

They dragged my grandfather and his staff to the side of a dusty road, forced them to their knees, hands bound tight behind their backs. One by one, the executions began. The crack of pistols split the air. Each body fell with a heavy thud into the dirt. Each crack of the pistol meant it was getting closer to his demise.

My grandfather stared straight ahead as the man beside him collapsed. He felt the warm steel of the pistol press against the back of his skull. Time slowed. This was it, the final second of his life.

Then, fate intervened. He lifted his eyes and saw a column of troops marching down the road. At its head walked a general. A childhood friend.

With a scream of desperation, he called out his name. The general was startled but recognized my grandfather and immediately spared his life.

Tears streamed down his face. His entire body shook violently as he sprinted home. He grabbed his wife and children with nothing but the clothes on their backs and fled that very hour, leaving behind their home, their belongings, their entire life.

Everything was taken away by the regime in a single afternoon.
From that day forward, an uncontrollable tremor gripped his right hand. It was particularly noticeable whenever his emotions got the better of him.

The shaking never stopped. It followed him across oceans and time until the day he passed.

That is communism.

It is not theory, not idealism, but the pistol at the back of the head, the burning books, the shattered lives. Do not let anyone sell you a nightmare dressed up as a wonderful dream.

The people now sowing socialist and communist poison in America are exactly what President Trump warned: the greatest threat to our free world.

On this 250th birthday of the United States, let one survivor’s grandson say it plainly and without apology:

COMMUNISM MUST NEVER BE ALLOWED TO SPREAD IN THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 🇺🇸​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA.