A tale as old as time

Great for you maybe

It was always Kingston Flemings. Acuff very well might go on to be an all-star, but Flemings perfectly fits the type of roster Dallas is building around Cooper Flagg. He also just might end up being the best player drafted when all is said and done.

New @MavsStepBack dropping tonight. @CoachDrew33 joined me today to talk about Darius Acuff vs. Kingston Flemings. 👀

Southern Miss Reveals Football Spring Practice Schedule: Key Dates to Watch @CoachDrew33 ✍️: si.com/college/southernmiss/…

Had some fun with this piece on @SouthernMissMBB’s @TylikWeeks performance vs Troy. Arguably the best half of basketball ever played by a Golden Eagle.

Never a doubt, fellas @CoachDrew33 @LanehartCharlie 😅🤙🏻

Happy Birthday, Coach @missybilderback! Have a great day! #SMTTT

With a new USM baseball season about to start, I caught up with @CarsonPaetow to talk about what makes right field so special at The Pete, his confidence in his successor & more on @NastyBunchPod. #SMTTT Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas… Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/33L…

Binet’s Big Night Not Enough in Southern Miss Heartbreaker at Marshall https:// @CoachDrew33 ✍️: si.com/college/southernmiss/…

It’s perfect

“Bully” Weeks (@TylikWeeks) was dominant down the stretch, scoring 18 of his 28 points in the final 10 minutes, as Southern Miss got a much-needed win over James Madison at RGC today. #SMTTT si.com/college/southernmiss/…

For my first piece, I decided to highlight @SouthernMissFB’s offering of local star QB @SmithStringer16. QB with elite intangibles, a big-time arm, and a sky-high ceiling. Would no doubt be an excellent addition to the Eagles’ 2027 recruiting class should he decide to stay home.

Christian Ostrander Has Omaha Goals For Southern Miss Baseball: 'You Gotta Believe' si.com/college/southernmiss/… #SMTTT

Awesome stuff from @dalton_trigg here. Huge thanks to Coach Ostrander for taking the time to talk USM Baseball.

In addition to being my co-host on @NastyBunchPod, my guy @CoachDrew33 will also be joining me at Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI. 🦅

This was a pretty cool day for eldest son here. I'm putting something together about Saturday, it's going slower than I wanted with school being out, but this photo was too cool not to share.

You can say what you want about Arkansas’ Trevon Brazile, but he’ll be in an NBA team’s rotation next year.

Fernando Mendoza went from being a barely recruited 2-star prospect, to a third-string college QB, to winning the Heisman trophy and College Football National Championship. It’s cool to care. Be yourself and go all the way. In an era where people are afraid to be called “cringe,” Mendoza led the Indiana Hoosiers’ historic turnaround with his heart on his sleeve and a captivating earnestness. After leading the Hoosiers to an improbable Big 10 Championship over Ohio State, Mendoza barely held back tears in an emotional post-game interview, which had a commentator opining, “Did Mendoza just lose the Heisman with that interview?” A week later, Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy. He cried during that speech, too. He said, “I want every kid out there who feels overlooked, underestimated, to know I was you. I was that kid too. I was in your shoes. The truth is, you don’t need the most stars, hype or rankings. You just need discipline, heart, and people who believe in you and you need to believe in your own abilities." Perhaps Mendoza isn’t the best player in college football in spite of how much he cares; perhaps he is the best player in college football because of how much he cares. And that he isn’t scared to be seen caring. Mendoza didn’t waste time or energy playing a certain part. He needed every heartbeat to rise from a little known afterthought to the best college football player in the world. The point isn’t that we should try to be more like Mendoza. It’s that we waste so much time and energy worrying about what others think and mimicking them instead of owning who we are and harnessing it for greatness. The variety of caring that living an excellent life requires is neither saccharine nor solely focused on outcomes. It’s a process of laying it on the line and giving something your full effort, and it must be renewed every day. It means that in success and even in failure you can be proud of the effort you gave, the guts you showed, and the person you are becoming. Fernando Mendoza is a great model for young athletes (and really, all people). Worrying about what others think is an enormous black hole of energy. It keeps so many on the sidelines and short of realizing their potential. Being comfortable with who you are and giving it your all is a superpower. At its best, excellence is an expression of authenticity. You pour who you are into what you do. You don’t need to fit someone else’s idea of what it means to be great. What you need is to put in the work. Be yourself. And go all the way.