Aldon Smith passed away this weekend. Most people are talking about his incredible ability, potential, and performance as a football player. Even though that is all true. He was so much more than that. He was a great friend and his kindness changed my life forever. I met Aldon our freshman year at Mizzou. He was redshirted and relatively unknown as an athlete. His giveaway was the biggest hands you'll ever see and his ability to dunk at 250lbs, but his size in many ways didn't match his personality. He was relatively quiet and in most scenarios would try to shrink into the room vs stand out in it. Over the course of the next year, we became close. We were very different people, from different places, but we both connected on the feeling of being a bit lost in the beginnings of adulthood. That year, I never really thought about him as a football player. He was just this gentle giant who loved to play video games and talk about life. His sophmore year he broke the single season sack record at Mizzou, became an All American, and his life changed forever. He became a celebrity on campus. He became a household name in Missouri. He became a top NFL draft prospect. I remember how crazy his life became, and how quickly. ESPN doing interviews. Fancy cars being "loaned" to him. And people everywhere inserting themselves into his life. Despite the craziness, my friend was always a text away. My junior of college, I decided to take my first stab at entrepreneurship. I wanted to launch a chapter of Camp Kesem. Kesem is a summer camp for children whose parents have been affected by cancer. The camp would be totally free and be a chance for a kid to experience the magic of being a kid again. As a son of a breast cancer survivor the idea of being able to create this camp in Missouri meant the world to me. The Livestrong Foundation was hosting a nation wide contest to win $10,000 as seed capital to get started. To win, you had to have the most votes. I tried really freaking hard to win that competition. I was going up against some really influential people at huge schools. As a somewhat awkward kid in Columbia, MO I had no chance. So I asked my friend Aldon for a favor. I asked him if he would help me out and promote the link to vote. He did more than just posting about Kesem on Facebook, skyrocketing us into the top place in the country. He kept supporting me the next 3 years while I was working on building Kesem. He showed up to have fun with the kids. He helped me fundraise. He helped me get Kesem to become an official organization sponsored by the NFLPA so he could publicly endorse us as as a player. Since then Torry Holt, Larry Fitzegerald, and many others have supported Kesem. But Aldon was the first. Kesem led me to move to Austin to work for the Livestrong Foundation. Kesem is how I met my wife. Kesem gave me the confidence to start Workweek and continue the path of building something from scratch. But in reality, Aldon enabled all those things. Throughout the years we had many amazing memories together. Having my wife and I vacation to his house in San Jose. Going to New Orleans for the Super Bowl and seeing his entire family make the trip. Meeting his son and watching him be a dad. The hilarious night we met Derek Jeter. Having the most intellectual conversations about life while playing Call of Duty. I also saw him struggle. There's no doubt he was a complicated person. Truthfully, I don't know if he ever really figured out who he wanted to be. I know just because your'e 6'4, 250lbs, and get 5.5 sacks in a single NFL game doesn't necessarily mean you want to be a football player. No matter the reasons, he made many bad decisions in his life. Some of those mistakes made it hard for me to stay as close as we'd once been. One day, not too long ago, I just decided to text him. It had been years since we really chatted. I just wanted to say thank you for all that he had done for me and that I was sorry I wasn't there for him more through his struggles. We FaceTimed after that, and it was like the old days all over again. Aldon was more than the headlines, the mistakes. He was a generous, gentle soul, a kid at heart, someone who was endlessly curious about life... all in the body of a world class NFL player, bearing the weight of professional pressure and personal circumstances that most of us can't even imagine. People are complex. People who make bad decisions can also do great things. A person can be hated by almost everyone and, yet, there are people in that person's life who still love them deeply. I learned many of these lesson due to Aldon, and I'll carry them with me forever. Rest in peace, Aldon. You won't be forgotten.

As we enter another year! Our program is steadfast to fulfill this standard! PROCESS! In every aspect of life you will REAP WHAT YOU SOW!!! Galatians 6:7 Lebanon High School Football

Say brother. This is cold. I appreciate you doing this, this has been on my mind heavy. I have a few questions for you, do you have an email or phone number where I can contact you.

New account for the Harrisburg Bulldogs! Make sure to give them a follow and support MOHSFB 👉 @HarrisburgFB

🚨 NEW EPISODE ALERT — and I don’t say this lightly: This is one of the best conversations we have ever had on the NSGB Podcast. @ClintHurdle — three-time World Series participant, National League Manager of the Year, 27 years of sobriety, and one of the most genuine human beings I have ever spoken with — came to PLAY today. We talked about: 🔹 Honoring exits you didn’t choose 🔹 Discipline as the greatest separator 🔹 The 18-step plan that only needed two steps 🔹 What it means to climb the second mountain 🔹 How 12 texts became 10,000 daily messages 🔹 And what to say to your kid on the car ride home This episode will stay with you. 🎙 Go listen now. Link in bio. And if it helps you — share it. There’s somebody in your circle who needs this today. Never Stop Getting Better.

Two Open Spots for our Tournament. Contact me if you want to come get some work in.

South Shelby is looking for a Week 5 Opponent for the 2027 Football season. Away game Preferred. missouriscoop.com/2025-open-…

Everyone is doing their part to promote John Perry's (@jperry_nixa) new book and from all over the world! His book is traveling more than I am this summer that's for sure 😂

If Montana State ends up being the choice, you'll definitely need a helmet for the background of the videos! Current or throwback, your choice. I can't compete with that fire FIU jersey from last season, but I'll bet us MSU fans can put together a pretty sweet swag package!

Aug. 13 at Creekmoor Golf Club.

The kids will never experience the joy of having the all star ballot handed out at a baseball game

I see what you did there 😉

New look #⃣2⃣9⃣ for the '26 season; the King City Wildkats! Going away from their Kat head logo and back to the paw 🐾 Great looking lid for Coach @toddps_22 and the Wildkats. Huge thanks for letting @417helmets be a part of it! King City opens '26 at Stewartsville-Osborn

Congratulations coach

We're here! #NACDA26

June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness month, and one phrase I’ve heard time and time again is, “It’s ok to not be ok”… And I believe that (to a point), but there’s SO MUCH MORE!

If it’s not God’s plan, you can’t force it! If it IS God’s plan, YOU CAN’T STOP IT!

New look #⃣2⃣8⃣ for the '26 season; the St. Charles Pirates! New white shells, new ☠️ decals and new ⚓️ stripe! SWEET new look for the Pirates who open their season with a home game against the McCluer North Stars on 8/28!

Several mature Ex Bulldogs gather during an evening social for Bill Cox’s 17th annual Truman State Football alumni golf event in Springfield Mo! Headlined by Paley Mills (57-60) front row center in green polo & Bulldog cap. Paley set 11 individual NCAA rushing records!! 👀

The California Pinto Football Program has launched its fundraiser! There are several things we want to do within the program and you can help! Thanks so much for taking the time to help the future of our community. raise.snap.app/donate/califo… raise.snap.app/donate/califo…