Living the Dream - A Real Life Dynasty

[Senator]

Originally Posted by thealmighty

Will you be going to the games, or some of them anyway? I think we at FOFC need to take a tired, overused and, IMHO, not funny anymore statement and go one better...

StReaMVideO, plz. K, thkz (or whatever). Film at 11.

Yes. I don't know how many, the home games are 6 hours away, but I will make as many as humanly possible. Two games that I know of will be webcast games, and I will let you guys know when those are. I am videotaping all the games I attend, so I will upload some good/bad clips when I get back from each game. I am still wondering how a 235 pound guy is going to cut it on the DL. He says after awhile he can really start feeling the weight of those heavy lineman on him. Still, he has only been in 2 a days for a couple of weeks, he still has awhile to get his football legs under him. He was off them for almost 10 years.

[Senator]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

..and they call him "old man".

Great stats, even from a scrimmage.


Todd

The coaches call him Colonel, which is pretty typical.

[Icy]

Amazing read, just read this and i realy love it, will follow it for sure. I really admire you brother and what he is doing, he has the balls that mostly of us haven't. I'm pretty sure that this is going to help us to think on our lives and how far we can go if we are strong enought to go for it.
Thanks a lot for this Senator, this is why i love FOFC.

[mattwakeman]

Originally Posted by Icy

Thanks a lot for this Senator, this is why i love FOFC.

This is exactly what I was going to say. Great story and it is so cool for someone to have the courage to take a chance on themselves and really push for their happiness rather than just giving up on their dream. Whatever happens to your bro then he will be able to look himself in the mirror and know, not just think, but know, that he did everything that he could. He will truly have no regrets. As far as I am concerned the man is a success regardless of what he manages to achieve on the field.

And major kudos to his wife and you for being so supportive. Like the man says, 'Live in the moment until the moment is gone...'

[Senator]

Some really nice things you guys are saying. When I pass them onto him, he says they really help his mental attitude knowing that there are people that understand.

I agree with the major kudos to the wife. She is really supportive. She has to keep a full time job now, and still manage the kids and they really only saw him a few minutes a day during two a days.

Tomorrow at 4 in the morning, the Texas contingent is convoying up to Kansas to see the game. We want to visit our nieces and sister and law, and then the big game starts at 7. I don't know who will be more nervous, him or my family. I can't stress how this is such a long time coming for everyone. Setbacks and dashed hopes for almost a decade, where you almost..... almost just give up on thinking it will ever happen. This is a big day, just for the simple reason of following through on something you wanted to do your whole life. Sure, he is not at a monster program like huve playing for Miami, and all that, but tomorrow it will sure feel like he is.

Will update the game on Sunday night.

[Senator]

MUST STOP THIS GUY:


Smith, Ryan
Number: 12
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'1
Weight: 200
Classification: Senior
Hometown: Noxapater, Miss.
HS: Noxapater (Miss.) High School College Experience
has started the last three seasons at quarterback.
High School Info
earned MVP, all-state and all-district honors at Noxapater (Miss.) a class 1A public school ... participated in Mississippi All-Star game as a quarterback ... had a record of 13-2 as a junior with a state championship appearance ... team went 10-3 his senior season.

Personal Info
secondary education major.



Monday, Smith was chosen as the Central States Football League Player of the Week. Now, Smith has been selected as the Full Impact National Player of the Week.

The Full Impact Network was created to serve as a national sports news service for NCAA competition.

Full Impact released the following about Ryan Smith on Tuesday, "Smith racked up over 500 yards of total offense and added five touchdowns in a 56-7 victory. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 430 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 89 yards on eight carries, with two going for touchdowns. His longest pass for the day was a 72-yard touchdown strike."

[Alf]

Update, Update . I want my fix !

[mattwakeman]

Yeah me too! Out of all the sports that were taking place this weekend this is the game that I have been waiting for the most...

[hhiipp]

I did some hunting yesterday while I was bored and found the site to check for scores.

Found this. Doesn't look like the good guys had much luck. http://www.tabor.edu/athletics/progr...edule.php?id=1

Unfortunately I can't find the actual game stats anywhere.

[Senator]

Guys, just got back home from the 6 hour drive.

They won 43-7 in dominant fashion. My brother had a pretty good game, with a sack that caused a turnover. Game thoughts and video clips in a little bit.

[Senator]

Wow, a day we thought might never come, did indeed. I am just a lowly spectator, but to witness firsthand someone living a dream in front of my eyes was a thing of beauty, and something I will remember with happiness as long as I live.

It was like a dam of emotions breaking, as all the heartbreak and missed hopes to get here finally were silenced into the dark, only to leave behind the joy of opportunities fulfilled.

Being the lowly brother, I got in free, but was given the most horrible seats ever. So, I aplogize, I tried to get some good pictures and film, but I was so into watching the game I got very little.

The school reminds me of a big Texas high school in size, (not BIG like Odessa Permian, but big like a typical 5A school). The team was not expected to do well as 40 players from last year's squad left, and a bunch of unknowns, including my brother arrived.

He was a nervous as I arrived at 10 am Saturday morning. I awoke at 3 and gathered the family that were camped out around various parts of my house. When we arrived, he was studying his 60 page scouting report, and talking about the Ryan Smith, the QB he had to face and the 6'6 320 pound offensive lineman he was up against.

He said he had alot of fear about if he could even play at this level, and especially with guys 7-8 years younger. He said he had nightmares about the scene in "Everybody's All American" where the character came back after retring and played for the Denver Broncos because he missed the game so much. But the game had passed him by, and the realization of it broke his heart. He was afraid he was going to be slapped with the same realization.

To be honest, when I saw him on the defensive line, he looked tiny. I still don't think they are utilizing him in the correct position, but beggars can't be choosers. I could tell he was a little stiff early on, but as the night progressed, you could see the rust start to fall off and the instincts of a lifetime amongst the game showing itself.

The team played great, the coach is a super prepared guy, and the other team had no answer. I was about as impressed as a cynical bastard can be. As the gun sounded, the team had a surprising 43-7 win, and tears of joy were shared by all.

This morning as I packed to leave he said, "In the grand scheme of things, this is about as small potatoes as it gets. But, for all it took to get here, and for all I put my family though, I can't imagine the Super Bowl feeling this good." I liked that summation.

He was a sore boy this morning, but it was the good kind that only victory of the soul can bring.

I am pretty tired, but I threw up a few pics and his sack/fumble for those of you that were nice enough to ask and give him your well wishes. They were very appreciated by him, as well as myself.

http://braindeposit.com/game.htm

[JonInMiddleGA]

The video brought a tear to my eye, no lie.
Absolutely outstanding.

[duckman]

Senator, your brother moves like a cat. He is one fast SOB.

[thealmighty]

They are UNDEFEATED!!

Tell the coach to put your brother at linebacker and watch, with 'shock and awe' as he leads them to victory after victory.

Tell your brother I will now fulfill my dream of climbing a mountain (or maybe just a Mountaneer SUV). Good stuff happens to good people. Pat him on the butt, er, back for all of us.

[Thul]

Wow...I'm late to this story, but I'll be following it with interest now!

[mattwakeman]

Yay! Mark one up for the good guys who dare to dream. Pass on the congrats to your bro from this side of the pond

[JeeberD]

Awesome video, Sen. I'm happy that your bro is finally getting his chance to shine...

[MizzouRah]

Very nice! I bet you're so proud!!


Todd

[JAG]

Outstanding stuff. That strip was a thing of beauty. Please pass on my congrats and well wishes for continued success.

[ur_land]

Amazing. Simply amazing. Best of luck to your brother, his family, and his team, and let him know that we're all pulling for him!

[Senator]

As the weekend draws closer, I find myself wiped out from constant travel, but I gear up for another drive to Kansas. Thank God my wife totally understands this. My brother and I married some pretty wonderful girls.

Southwestern was billed as one of the top 3 pre season teams. This will be a big test for them. Was last week a fluke or the real deal? I was most impressed with the defense. They kept SWAG to a three and out scenario until late in the third quarter and also had 2 touchdowns and 5 turnovers. Anytime you do that, you are giving your offense a great chance to shine.

I will try to do better on the video/pics - I am going to try to get higher in the stands. If you want to listen to the game on the internet, I believe our opponents will have it live at:

http://www.buildersports.com/

Clay is pretty sore in the shoulder still, and I have had only a few minutes to talk to him this week. My own schedule has been a zoo. I hope to have more info before the game as regards to the scouting of Southwestern.

[Senator]

Email Report 9-15-04

"This team this week seems very cocky and undisciplined. The QB, Bradie, is 6'7" and moves like a turtle...have to get coverage sacks on him this week, HAVE TO!

I feel like I have never been happier, for real.

Amazingly last week was good to me. I was the only one who didn't get ripped
up, and Coach Gardner made us watch the one where I tackled the RB for a
loss like 10 times and kept saying, "So Nice"

Shoulder...smoulder....I have the rest of my life to worry about that.

The team we play is supposedly on the verge of self imploding with mutiny, and what better time to put a team away than when they are at their lowest...BUT they are
dangerous...very dangerous."


Senator - Just a little note. My brother says he can't watch the clip of his sack without thinking he looks like The Waterboy.

[JAG]

Wish I was going to be around to listen to the game. Thanks for the updates Senator.

[mattwakeman]

Hurray. According to http://www.tabor.edu/athletics/progr...edule.php?id=1 it looks like a 22-20 win. Now all we need is the details Sen.

[Senator]

It is 4:30am. I just got back home after driving all night after the game. Left this morning at 10am - arrived at 6pm - watched the game - drove home. What a day. I will update this after I catch a few winks, and download the poorest video recording ever.

[stkelly52]

From http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=103377&rfi=6

[Senator]

For those that are still following this thread, a few thoughts.

First, the Southwestern campus and the town of Winfield is a beautiful place. My wife and I fell in love with it. I wish I had known about it back when I was younger, I wouldn't have minded going to school there I don't think.

Southwestern came out fired up, and I could tell they were wanting this game pretty badly. Tabor, to me, looked flat from the start. I don't know if they were still in big win mindset from last week, but you could see a difference in swagger. It was a humid evening, and I noticed alot of cramping taking place.

Tabor looked better on the field, but kept shooting themselves in the foot. A holding penalty after a 36 yard gain to the Southwestern 1, was called back. Two red zone misses, and a fumble at the Southwestern 2 kept them in it all the way through.

Things that stood out:

1) Impressive athletic ability at this level. There are some real quality guys, and the hitting was just really vicious.

2) The 6'7 QB for Southwestern had a nice little dump pass option every time he was threatened with a sack. It worked all game long.

3) 46 Tyler McKim LB 6'1 225 JR Red Bluff, CA is a monster. That kid is amazing.

4) Last week Tabor took the spirit away from SWAG. You could see it in their eyes, they gave up. Southwestern never gave up, and almost pulled out a win. My brother said he feels like they just missed a bullet.

5) The team lost 4-5 starters to some various injuries. The main one is to DT John Ohm, who rotates with my brother. His knee blew out in the third, and it was 3 sizes bigger at games end. If it is season ending, my brother will be expected to play almost the whole game without a break.

6) Butler - our running back reminds me of Quentin Griffin. Tough little runner.

Here is a link with a clip of my favorite play of the night from my brother. He ended up with 4 tackles, 3 assist, and 3 hurries but I liked this one because he did everthing right. Fired off the ball, fought through a couple of blockers and finished off the running back with help from his teammates.

He has gone from just wanting to make the team for a memory, to being a big part of it's success. This has been a nice month for our family.

http://www.braindeposit.com/dream.html

[MizzouRah]

He's looking really good. Thanks for the update!! Hopefully Ohm will make it back to the team sometime this year.


Todd

[Eaglesfan27]

Excellent news. Great video. I look forward to more updates.

[JeeberD]

Awesome, congrats on the win!

[Flasch186]

just got caught up....great job. Im rooting for you. Do they ever come to Florida?

[Senator]

Report from Tabor: 9-20-04

Preliminary Injury Report:

Out for sure this week...

Defense - DT John Ohm (Torn ACL & MCL pending tomm MRI), MLB Brent
Overmiller (Severe Concussion)

Offense - RB Roger "Quintin Griffith" Butler (ankles)

Special Teams - Deep Snapper John Ohm, Punt Returner Caleb Marsh (dislocated
shoulder)

We have several other players playing through pain like your boy Tyler McKim
(bruised tailbone) and SS CJ Hill (knee contusion).

We play a Nebraska type option team this week with me switching over from DT
to Nose to replace Ohm, probably for the rest of the season. We need to dig
deep because as long as we have a 0 in the loss column teams will be hunting
for us, plus this conference is up for grabs. Freakin Bethany upset a top 25
team this week by 40+ points. The time for me to be in awe is over, it's
time to start being an animal up front.

[kingnebwsu]

This is a place where people can understand what your brother is doing. Not many people in the world understand that itch...that competitive urge. The desire to finish something you've started. Hopefully he continues to tear it up!!!

[mattwakeman]

Originally Posted by Senator

The time for me to be in awe is over, it's
time to start being an animal up front.

This is why American Football is such a strange game from this side of the pond. In most any other sport this kind of attitude would have you marked out as being some kind of psycho! Congrats to the team and your bro though Sen. Its great to see them doing well.

[Senator]

Originally Posted by mattwakeman

This is why American Football is such a strange game from this side of the pond. In most any other sport this kind of attitude would have you marked out as being some kind of psycho! Congrats to the team and your bro though Sen. Its great to see them doing well.

Yes, I can see where someone might think that! What he means is that he believes he is hesitating at the position because he is still in awe at being on the field at all. He is playing a brand new position, and he knows he is not giving it all that the position requires. He feels now the time has come to say, "ok the rust has been knocked off, and I am really here so I need to be aggessive every play and do better than what I have."

Defensive Line is a battlefield. Every play there is contact with the biggest guys on the field. If you are not mentally prepared to accept this and return in kind the punishment you are going to take, you are going to get beat.

[mattwakeman]

Must require some real mental stuff because just looking at the footage you can see how much your bro is outgunned in a physical sense. Better hope that all the extra playing time coming his way due to the injuries aren't going to wear him down too quickly. Just too tough a game...

[Senator]

Exactly my thoughts. The guy is perfect linebacker size, but they are so limited on the DL that he is basically playing in an emergency capacity there. His speed is his greatest hope to get by the linemen, who are all over 300 pounds that he has faced.

[SirFozzie]

did you see the story about the 39 year old suiting up for South Carolina? It's on today's ESPN page.

Both people get much props from me

[JeeberD]

Strange that they're putting an undersized DL in at nose...it's going to be difficult for him to utilize his speed there, won't it?

[Senator]

JeeberD,

Who knows? I think we all think so, but this coach seems to know what he is doing, so I am just going to watch and report. I think this will be a tough game for Clay.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JeeberD

Strange that they're putting an undersized DL in at nose...it's going to be difficult for him to utilize his speed there, won't it?

FWIW, I don't quite understand the how/why of it, but it's a tactic I've seen used several times to pretty good success at the upper high school level in Georgia.

And just FTR, I'm not for a minute making any real comparison between any college level & Class AAAA in Georgia -- I'm just sayin' I've seen this sort of thing work from time to time. Apparently it's a case of the speed/quick being able to generate the occasional sack while hoping they can hold their own against the run.

[FrogMan]

to me, I'd think it's not only a question of speed, as of quickness, quickness of his hands, especially, in order to shed the block and get to the play. That tackle off the block was a good example of that. One thing that shouldn't happen and should help him is, other teams may not have a big tendency on double teaming him. That way he can sometimes get away from the big one in front of him and generate the surprise sack, as JIMG refered to...

Anyway, this is still a great read, best of luck to your bro Senator!

FM

[mattwakeman]

But won't the opposition simply run staight at him all game long? Speed won't be that much of an advantage if it comes down to brute force and strength.

[Senator]

Maybe that is the reason. He is the strongest guy on the team in terms of bench press, and one of the fastest guys on the team in the 40, so he is a really strange athlete.

I will be really interested to see what happens, and whatever the outcome, good or bad, I will tell it like it is. One thing I have learned over the years, people who underestimate my brother always seem to regret it later. That has inclulded myself at times, but I have learned better.

But I have yet to see a guy 230 lbs dominate the inside of the defensive line. But this is important, DL is the shallowest depth on the team, they have no choice but to put him there, there is no one else that I can see that can do it. I wish Ohm was ok, he and my brother were a pretty good combo. What a shame.

[Glengoyne]

Just wanting to pile on the bandwagon here.

Great Story Senator! Tell your brother he has another fan.

[Fonzie]

My shoulder hurts just reading this.

Give my best to your brother, Senator.

[mattwakeman]

Can anybody say 3-0?!?! That '0' just keeps on looking sweeter and sweeter Sen. Looking forward to the details as and when...

[Senator]

Yes, 3-0 but they have alot of work to do and the true test arrives in the form of six weeks against opponents that will win if turnovers are not toned down. Full report later, here is the highlight reel.

http://www.braindeposit.com/dream.htm

[JonInMiddleGA]

Damn Sen, great job on the Sterling highlight reel.

Bro's reaction on the last play in the clip says it all -- that ain't no old man ...
that's a football player.

[CamEdwards]

awesome. Awesome awesome awesome. I'm really glad you (and your brother) are keeping up with this.