Kyle Kriz

[Brendan Miller @brendan_cubs]

This high-tech camera view of Dansby Swanson’s diving stop is so cool. I need these views back at Wrigley.

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

"What you achieve is directly related to what you put in.

If your work ethic and goals don't line up, something has to change.

Most people sell themselves short and lower their bar.

Don't be most people.

Change what most won't: your work." @CoachYourKids

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

I can't stop thinking about this question:

Are you willing to sprint when the distance is unknown?

In 2021, Georgia Tech strength coach Lewis Caralla delivered this epic speech to the football team.

If it doesn't get you motivated, you may need to check your pulse...

He opens with a few harsh truths:

• Winning isn't loyal to you
• Winning doesn't care about you
• Winning doesn't care how sore you are
• Winning doesn't care how hard you work
• Winning doesn't care how much sleep you get

But it's his question that stuck with me:

Are you willing to sprint when the distance is unknown?

The willingness to sprint with no clear view of the finish line is rare.

It requires two things:

1. A deep belief in one's self
2. A deep belief in the mission

If you have 1 but not 2, you won't be able to do it.

If you have 2 but not 1, you won't be able to do it.

You need both.

In my observation, the greatest things in life are accomplished when you're willing to sprint when the distance is unknown:

The sprint to care for your loved ones in their time of need.

The sprint to build something meaningful.

The sprint to serve others and create positive ripples in the world.

Goal: Find those rare things in life that you're willing to sprint for when the distance is unknown.

That, to me, is the definition of winning.

"And why chase winning? Because the only thing that's guaranteed in life if you don't chase it is losing."

[The Winning Difference @thewinningdiff1]

“If you practice at a high level all the time, you’ll be able to play in a game at a high level all the time. If you don’t do it in practice and you think you’ll be able to do it in a game probably not going to happen,” Nick Saban

[Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. @hubermanlab]

The reason to deliberately do hard things is so that when non-self-elected challenges arrive (& they will), you can tell yourself: “I don’t know how this is all going to turn out, but I am certain I can do hard things.” Don’t self injure. But doing hard things is always worthwhile.

[Jason Helmes @anymanfitness]

Last year, my daughter got cut from her 7th grade volleyball team.

She made the first cut, and thought she had a good chance. But on the second and final cut, they called her name, and she put her head down and walked out to the car where her mom and I were waiting.

She opened the car door, sat down, and started bawling. It was so hard to watch. She wanted to be on that team more than anything. I thought she was good enough, but the coach didn't.

My heart went out to her. But we didn't sugarcoat things for her. We told her we understood how much it stings. I've been cut before. Her mom had been cut from sports before, too. It's an ego shot and a gut punch.

We told her to go ask the coach what she could work on for next year. The coach gave her good feedback. And told her she was the "first girl cut". Which sounded promising, but only added to the sting. She said to me, "If only I had been a little bit better and made a few more serves..."

We told her she had a few choices. She could let this be the end. Or she could use this as fuel and fire. And to use it as motivation to work hard to make the team next year.

For a solid year, she practiced 4-5 times per week minimum. She went to every camp, every practice session she could find, found a travel team she could play on, and spent her entire summer at camps, practices, or in our backyard smashing the volleyball against our house (and denting our siding lol).

She had her tryouts this week. In the first tryout, she unleashed her new jump serve and hit 20 straight volleyballs over the net. The coaches were stunned. She said all the coaches came up to her immediately in the first 5 minutes with their clipboards and said, "What's your name?"

They started using her as a demonstrator, saying "Hey, Brooklyn, can you show everyone how to do this?" Even over the returning starters.

I asked her how she did when she got back. "Hey, you've been around a lot of volleyball in the last year. How did you do? Were you in the upper half of the players?"

She's a humble girl. And she proudly said, "I was the best player on the court."

She made the team, obviously. I'm beaming as a father this week.

I told her how proud I was of her. But not just because she made the team, or she's a great player now. But because she didn't give up. She didn't cry about it (after that first day). She didn't ask mom and dad to go lobby for her to be on the team.

She got after it and worked hard for a full year, taking no breaks. Her other volleyball friends were for sure taking it easier. Chilling out and vibing during the summer. She was attending camps and practicing and getting better while they were relaxing.

Sometimes as a parent, you hope you're teaching your kids how to do things.

But this was a case where she taught me how to do things. 100%.

[BaseballHistoryNut @nut_history]

Everytime I get mad at my sports team for losing, I remind myself of what Giannis said. Arguably my favourite response to a reporter ever.

[Landon Reinhardt @landonian87]

If you listen to nothing else tonight, make it this

Junction City head football coach Randall Zimmerman preaches life beyond the field every time we talk

Tonight, it was how adults prep students

Just 7.6% of HS athletes play in college

"God-willing, 100% of them be adults"

[Jon Finkel📚💪 @Jon_Finkel]

Dads and 90s kids, here's a fact:

We had it so good with SportsCenter and we didn't know it.... How could we?

We didn't know what was on the horizon that would try to take it down: first, league passes and TiVo and DirecTV... then the Internet and social media and YouTube...

During that brief, bright spot in sports media in the 1990s, SportsCenter was the only way to get the day's highlights...

We had black and white photos and box scores and features in the newspaper...

We had brilliant writing and reporting and pictures in Sports Illustrated and Sporting News and ESPN: The Magazine...

But for the day's highlights...

To watch Ken Griffey Jr. make a diving catch or Jordan hit a game winner or Barry Sanders twirl through a defensive line...

If you didn't catch it live, the only way to see it was on SportsCenter (maybe your local news sports show - maybe)...

And into this void stepped Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann and Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen and Craig Kilborn and Linda Cohn and Robin Roberts and crew...

And all the catch phrases every kid in high school and college would repeat: "cool as the other side of the pillow"... Jumanji... En Fuego....

We'd watch SportsCenter at night then again in the morning.

It was a monolith. You'd show up at school and you'd have the same frame of reference for the highlights you saw. It was a shared experience.

It was awesome. And even though the show still exists and works, it's not a cultural touchstone anymore... it can't be... not with every highlight available from 1,000 sources across social media instantly...

And there are bright spots to be sure... My man and Top 10 Randy (@RandyScottESPN) is terrific. So are plenty of others.

But classic SC, man. It was a shared experience. By everyone.

These kids don't know... Sitting there, retweeting highlights, sharing reels, scrolling their feeds... Doing the work to find what they like with no commentary or context.

Times change. I get it. And we always glorify what we grew up on. Maybe that's all this is.

Still, I miss Stu Scott. He ruled.

If you agree, share this and follow me @Jon_Finkel.

Boo-Yah!

[Kyle Kriz @krizkyl]

Sometimes nothin’s a real cool hand.

[Kyle Kriz @krizkyl]

@hagertony Tate/Arnold/Walrath round robin

[Owen Siebring @owensiebring]

Championship wrestling runs through eastern Iowa. Here’s a breakdown of tonight’s finalists by TV viewing area:
Eastern Iowa: 37 (13 in 3A)
Central Iowa: 19 (13 in 3A, 0 in 1A)
SE Iowa: 9 (2 in 3A)
SW Iowa: 6
NW Iowa: 6
North-central Iowa: 6
Quincy (IL): 1 (Keokuk)
#iahswr

[Allyson Schwab @allysonschwab]

Session ✌🏻 in the books at @IHSAA wrestling! @JaceHedeman with a first round win! @IAwrestle

[Allyson Schwab @allysonschwab]

One of the worst things you can do to an athlete is to think you are the only one that can help them. That it can only be done one way. That’s not wanting what’s best for your athlete that’s fear of not being recognized when they succeed.

[Panther Sports Talk @PantherST]

Get tough with @UNI_Wrestling
As tough as Derek @Holschlag2

Full Show: https://t.co/x3Jw8NmtOM

[K.J. Pilcher @kjpilcher]

Seeing Max coaching, I went informal and texted him that he seemed to get uglier now that he's in the corner.
His replied, "I'm still better looking than Jack." Both claimed to be better looking than Logan. :) :)

[IAwrestle @IAwrestle]

Tangled

[David Goggins @davidgoggins]

It’s not your fault that you make people feel like shit when you continue to grind regardless. Never allow anyone to deter you from giving your all.

There is no secret to this. It is just having the will to want more.

Stay hard!

[Kyle Kriz @krizkyl]

The moment I became a Rampage fan for life!

[UFC @ufc]

#OnThisDay in 2004, Rampage recorded the slam heard 'round the world 🌎

[ Watch more PRIDE classics now only on @UFCFightPass ]

[Cody Goodwin @codygoodwin]

Big result this morning: Union’s Jace Hedeman over PA’s Aaron Seidel 6-5 at 106. Seidel led 3-3 on criteria after one, then Jace went step-out, takedown + strong defense late. Seidel is ranked #3 nationally at 106 by MatScouts and is a top-100 prospect in the 2025 class. #iahswr