Bob Topper

stuff and stuff

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

Cannot say thank you enough to everyone who supported us these past several months. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given. Thank you all, can’t wait to get to work!

[Zach Blackstone @blackstone76531]

Beau Blackstone - 4th Grade Connellsville Falcons - 3/4 Court Buzzer Beater!!! PA State Championship Tournament!! @SportsCenter #SCTop10 @ESPNAssignDesk #marchmadness
Get this on espn top 10!!!!

[Jack @jackunheard]

Holy smokes. This might be the most American thing I've ever seen.

Congrats to these guys 🇺🇸

[Coach Nixon T&F/XC @CoachNixonTF]

Here are my top six WPIAL track & field athletes I’ve seen compete from 1998 to 2026.

Madison Wiltrout – Connellsville
Maddie Holmberg – Hempfield
Lauryn Williams – Rochester
Jordan Geist – Knoch
Ayden Owens-Delerme – North Allegheny
Drew Griffith – Butler

[𝐍𝐒𝟗 @NorthShoreNine]

. @fangraphs just released their Top 100 prospects list and the write-up on Konnor Griffin is BANANAS.

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@SleeperHQ

[The WPIAL Wrestling @WPIALwrestle7]

It’s an all Westmoreland County state finals match in AAA!

Franklin Regional beats Beth Catholic University. Norwin beats CR South.

Norwin Vs FR round 3 for the championship! WPIAL dominance

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@danielclara8 @wpial7 Connellsville looking darn good! 💪🏻

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

Even worse than just his general crappiness as a coach/oc, don’t forget he made them bring in Jonnu Smith too. Arthur Smith is a major problem and needs to go.

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

Aaron Rodgers 🤝 old guys in Pittsburgh yelling at them to get their stuff together.

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@NGivasDC @BennettWiseWSBT Thank you for this!

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@NextNetworkJosh Been watching this rivalry for decades, you’re young, plenty of Baltimore moments to come in this one. Enjoy the ride.

[Dan El Captain @Mrstanleycup]

January 4th BOTD
1925 Johnny Lujack, American College Football HOF quarterback (Heisman Trophy 1947; National C'ship 1943, 46-47; Notre Dame; Pro Bowl 1950-51; Chicago Bears), born in Connellsville, Pennsylvania (d. 2023)
Johnny Lujack was the quintessential "Golden Boy" of the post-war era. Born in 1925, he was a multi-sport legend at Notre Dame and a superstar for the Chicago Bears, known for his incredible versatility as a quarterback, defensive back, and kicker.
He remains one of the most decorated players in the history of the sport, often cited as the personification of the "All-American" athlete.

The Notre Dame Legend
Lujack’s college career is the stuff of myth. He was the field general during the "Leahy Era," one of the most dominant periods in college football history.
Three National Titles: He led the Fighting Irish to national championships in 1943, 1946, and 1947.
The 1947 Heisman Trophy: After finishing third in the voting in 1946, he won the Heisman in 1947. That same year, he was named the AP Athlete of the Year, beating out baseball legend Ted Williams.
The "Tackle": Despite his offensive brilliance, his most famous college play was defensive. In the 1946 "Game of the Century" against Army, Lujack made a touchdown-saving, open-field tackle on Doc Blanchard to preserve a 0–0 tie and Notre Dame's #1 ranking.
Four-Sport Star: He was one of the last true "major" four-sport lettermen at Notre Dame, competing in football, basketball, baseball, and track.
WWII Service
Like many of his generation, Lujack's career was split by the war. After his sophomore season in 1943, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving as an ensign on a sub-chaser in the English Channel. He returned to South Bend in 1946 without missing a beat, immediately reclaiming his spot as the nation's top player.
Professional Career with the Chicago Bears
Lujack was the 4th overall pick in the 1946 NFL Draft but didn't start his pro career until 1948. Though he only played four seasons, they were statistically staggering:
Passing Records: In 1949, he set an NFL record by throwing for 468 yards in a single game (a Bears record that stood for decades).
Rushing Threat: In 1950, he set a record for quarterbacks with 11 rushing touchdowns in a single season.
Two-Way Star: As a rookie, he tied the NFL record with 8 interceptions as a defensive back.
Early Retirement: He stunned the sports world by retiring at age 26 in his prime to return to Notre Dame as an assistant coach.

Legacy and Later Life
Lujack was a successful businessman for decades, running a well-known car dealership in Davenport, Iowa. He was a staple of early sports broadcasting, working as a color commentator for CBS and ABC.
When he passed away in 2023 at the age of 98, he was the oldest living Heisman Trophy winner.
Did You Know? Lujack was so popular in the late 1940s that he starred in his own radio adventure show called "The Adventures of Johnny Lujack," where he played a fictionalized version of himself solving mysteries.

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

As a Skowronek alum, this is fantastic!!

[Brian Batko @BrianBatko]

Aaron Rodgers just left the Steelers locker room in a Skowronek Landscaping & Excavating hoodie. You love to see it.

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@PeteSampson_ So is this just more crying or something substantial coming from this?

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@WildcatNation_1 Was always leaving, good choice of gif tho

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

For all who want to talk about the Wisconsin game to open NDs season- that was a game to be played during the 2020 season (moved due to COVID). Was announced (scheduled) in August of 2017. In 2016 Wisconsin was 11-3, lost in B12 CG and won Cotton Bowl.

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@SSN_USC Wisconsin and MSU were carried over from when the Big10 cancelled from COVID. Had to make those games up this year. Schedules are made years in advance. Maybe if their opponents *cough got better they’d have a better schedule

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

Teams have turned down a bid to the NIT, it happens, that’s what they’ve created

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

College football is throwing more money around than some small countries, paying teenagers millions of dollars, coaches tens of millions, companies buying players, TV deals and conferences .. but ND is the one that is supposed to play by some imaginary rules?

[Bob Topper @Bobtopper]

@LonghornLads Miami’s 2026