Stateside, a gas station. I drank a frozen blue beverage too quickly, and was struck down by a punishment this entire nation knows, and accepts, and has named.
The drink is called a slush. Ice, sweetness, and a blue that does not occur in nature. The day was hot. I was thirsty. I drank like a soldier at a river.
The pain arrived in my skull like a war horn.
Behind the eyes. Above everything. Total. I gripped the roof of my car. I may have made a sound.
"Brain freeze," said the cashier through the door, with no urgency whatsoever.
It has a NAME. The affliction is so common it has a household name, like a cousin.
"Tongue on the roof of your mouth," called a man at the pumps. He did not look over. He prescribed the remedy mid-pump, casually, the way one mentions weather.
I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth. The war horn faded. The healer nodded at his pump, finished, and was gone in a Chevrolet.
In my land, punishment follows crime by way of courts and seasons. Here, the sentence is instant. Drink with greed, and the ice strikes the mind directly. No trial. No appeal. Perfectly fair.
And here is what moves me. EVERYONE has felt it. The cashier. The healer. Children. Elders. An entire nation united by the same small lightning, all taught the same cure, all passing it on to strangers at gas stations, free of charge.
You cannot fully distrust a country once you know it shares one pain.
The freeze does not punish thirst. It punishes haste.
I finished the slush slowly, like a scholar. Blue tongue. Clear mind.
Then at the door I forgot everything, drank deeply, and was struck down again.
"Tongue, hon," said the cashier, without looking up.
Discipline is a journey.
Spent some time with Johnny Morris and @BassProShops leadership from across North America this morning in Springfield.
The Bass Pro brand represents the very best of Missouri values: hard work, love for the outdoors, and a commitment to conservation.
@jacksmith023@officer_Lew Yes, you can get in line for airline bag check anytime; family can sit within 15’ of the line. Frankly, at some point I’d have them head over to the TSA line to hold a spot, and then you head over after the bags are checked.
I flew out Saturday morning (6:20 am flight). Arrived at 1:30 am — wished I would have arrived at midnight. Took advantage of confusion at AA self-check, saving an hour there. Then spent a couple of hours in TSA line. (TSA employees were on it!) Arrived at my gate at 5:15 am. I would have missed my flight had AA had any organization. Don’t sleep on the airline counter wait; it’s as brutal.
@BWI_Airport Google says that BWI terminals open at 3:30 am, and TSA opens 4 am. Is that correct?
I have a 6:20 am departure on Saturday morning. Happy to get there as early as possible.
There’s a growing narrative that veteran coaches can’t keep up in the evolving landscape of college basketball—but this year’s Sweet Sixteen tells a different story.
Leaders like Rick Pitino (73), Tom Izzo (71), Rick Barnes (71), Kelvin Sampson (70), and John Calipari (67) continue to compete—and win—at the highest level.
Experience hasn’t become obsolete; it’s become a differentiator. The game may be changing, but leadership, adaptability, and the ability to develop talent still matter.
For seasoned professionals in any field, this is a powerful reminder: your value doesn’t diminish with time—it evolves. The ability to adapt, mentor, and lead through change is more relevant than ever.
Old coaches can’t survive in the new era of college basketball.
Sweet Sixteen coaches:
Rick Pitino (73 years old)
Tom Izzo (71)
Rick Barnes (71)
Kelvin Sampson (70)
John Calipari (67)
From the time Rick Pitino was let go at Louisville until he was hired at St. John's - dozens of power conference jobs opened
Any of those schools could've hired Pitino and I'm convinced he would've done what he's doing now at any of them
SJU pulled the trigger
And theyre Sweet 16 bound
Being bold pays off.
Remember when the X feed would refresh while you were reading a banger that you’d never find again.
Well now it just refreshes with the exact same content you already scrolled through.
Anyone else experiencing this?
While attending Springfield’s Salute to Legislators, I visited with the leadership of the University of Missouri’s School of Medicine.
L-R: Dr. Kevin Kane, Senior Associate Dean; Dr. Richard Barohn, Executive Vice Chancellor and Dean; and Dr. David Haustein, Associate Dean.
Clark Hunt’s decision to move the @Chiefs to Kansas reminded me of Mark Twain’s quote about gratitude:
“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." #moleg@NFL
https://t.co/KxUeqez4Lc
Spent a few minutes chatting with legendary football coach Bobby Petrino and his daughter Katie Petrino Beard, at the Missouri State University Football Players Association Golf Tournament. We raised a good chunk of change for the NIL program.