We were new in town. When my dad realized the little league where I was playing baseball - where he was coaching - was segregated, he decided two things: "I'll finish this season. And then I'll destroy them." And he did.
Spent a lot of time with
@theTylerTrent
these last few months, and really loved that young man. Knew I’d have to write this one day. So terribly sad that day is here. A tribute, to Tyler:
Purdue coach Matt Painter with a bomb here at his NCAA title game news conference:
“Name, image, and likeness wasn’t put into place so the schools with the most money could get the best players. But if you want to be honest, that was happening before.”
🤯
My man Tyler Trent changed the world. Rest in peace
@theTylerTrent
. Not one I ever wanted to write, but I have one more Tyler story in me. It’s a column. And it’s coming.
I've been busy with Purdue, so I don't know but ... is UConn coach Dan Hurley always like this with the officials? Not just complaining, but pleading and gesturing and stomping and pouting and running onto the court and looking on the verge of tears at times.
This what he does?
Tony Dungy is ignorant. Millions are just like him, because they simply don't want to know how the world really is. As a father of two, as a man who knows my way around the LGBTQ community and a suicide ward, I have zero tolerance for this bigotry:
Colts QB Andrew Luck retired because football, once his refuge, had become his dark place. No paywall here. Open to anyone who wants to read about the most shocking retirement in NFL history. Jim Brown is now No. 2.
Today in my uniquely oafish way, while welcoming
@CaitlinClark22
to Indy, I formed my hands into her signature 🫶. My comment afterward was clumsy and awkward. I sincerely apologize. Please know my heart (literally and figuratively) was well-intentioned. I will do better.
Jim Harbaugh's program was caught cheating *twice* to get this Michigan team into tonight's
#NationalChampionship
against Washington. That's not part of the Michigan story. That is the Michigan story.
IU AD Scott Dolson indicates one rich booster paid the $10 million to buy out Archie Miller, and another booster paid to help hire the next coach.
Two boosters, total.
Do yourself a favor, if you don’t know much about U.S. soccer journalist Grant Wahl, and search his name here. See the response to his death yesterday at the World Cup in Qatar, at 48. It is overwhelming. His death is overwhelming. His life was overwhelming. A thread on that:
1/
Don't say Biggie Swanigan grew up "poor." Poor would’ve been better. He was penniless, homeless, living under a bridge in Utah. None of his siblings graduated high school. Three faced criminal charges. Biggie overcame so much, but couldn't overcome it all:
I write about anti-vaxxers lying about Damar Hamlin and Bert Smith, and lose scores of followers. Write about Tony Dungy mocking LGBTQ youth, and same thing happens. What's wrong with you people? Do you just not want to know the truth?
IU is hiring former Butler and Ohio State coach Thad Matta as associate AD for men's basketball administration. Matta will assist an IU staff that will be led by new coach Mike Woodson.
Spent a lot of time with
@theTylerTrent
during his final months, and dreaded having to write this story. A tribute to a young man who prayed that his cancer fight would make a difference. And saw his prayer answered.
Am I in the minority of people who WANT to see Taylor Swift's reaction to a big Travis Kelce play? I only see highlights on ESPN, so I see it just a few times per game. But I enjoy that.
Happiness is good. Glee is fun. Not sorry for wanting to see someone feeling it.
Tennessee and its fans are getting an unfair wrap. That media-schmoozing fake Currie - he tried once with me - caused this mess. Fans fixed it. Now with Currie gone, the school has a chance to end this thing well.
Source tells me Jeff Brohm accepted the jobs today at Tennessee, Arkansas and the US men’s national soccer team. Plans to coach all three next season and also teach media ethics at whatever school produced some of these boobs in the Volunteer state.
Why, Diana Taurasi? Why can't some of women's basketball's biggest names enjoy and hell I don’t know, maybe even appreciate what Iowa star Caitlin Clark is doing for their game?
Wasn’t easy - he knew the procedure would hurt terribly, and did it anyway - but
@theTylerTrent
donated his tumor for research. Wants to change the world, and who knows? He might just do it.
@DanaBenbow
wrote this:
Ex-Pacer Al Harrington’s journey to $1 billion marijuana mogul started with a single step: Giving his grandma some pot so she could read her Bible. Oh, this is a true story.
I think Dabo Swinney is one of the best two coaches in college football. And if my son were a five-star recruit, Dabo Swinney is the last coach I’d want coaching him.
I'm getting text messages from competing coaches, THRILLED, for Purdue and Matt Painter. I promise you, this is the most popular result of this season - Matt Painter to Final Four - in the national coaching community.
A pen just came flying from the UConn bench out to halfcourt. Purdue's Braden Smith saw it, picked it up, gave the proof to a game official and shouted:
"From the bench!"
The official returned the pen to the UConn bench with a warning.
Ethan Morton started 29 games last season. Gets in game vs. Gonzaga only because Purdue has two fouls to give before halftime. He gives them, comes back to bench smiling and laughing and high-fiving teammates.
This is the unselfish culture I talked about here. Purdue not normal.
People ask: Why do I like Andrew Luck SO much? Well, it has nothing to do with football. It’s what he’s done for my friends at their lowest moments. It’s what he did for Colton and Noah.
After leukemia survivor Andrew Jones hit the free throws that lifted Texas past Purdue, Jones spoke reverently about another kid who stared down cancer, a kid who did it right here at Purdue. Jones spoke with me about Tyler Trent.
This is the story I never wanted to write, because once upon a time I saw the best in Dan Dakich. I don't see it anymore. Instead I see — we all see — a mean-spirited bully disintegrating one tweet, one rant, one controversy at a time:
Former Avon runner Ben Harmon has died of cancer. His mom Marcia just texted me and said Ben "passed peacefully. We were all with him holding his hand and talking to him." I wrote this three weeks ago. A tribute I wanted Ben to read before it was too late:
I saw two or three things that I’ve not seen written anywhere else. I was sitting front press row, straddling half court. Great seat, and I saw what I saw. Unbelievable class from Matt Painter … and just ridiculousness from Dan Hurley. Ball don’t lie.
#Purdue
and Matt Painter showed the nation its class. While Dan Hurley was really just kind of an ass.
@GreggDoyelStar
on
@BoilerBall
's memorable March run and the impression it left on the nation:
Getting notes from parents of LGBTQ children who have tried suicide. Got a note from one whose child succeeded. It's because of bullying words like what Tony Dungy tweeted. Am I intolerant of his beliefs? Yeah. Because his beliefs are hateful, and hurtful. Guilty, your honor.
Tony Dungy is ignorant. Millions are just like him, because they simply don't want to know how the world really is. As a father of two, as a man who knows my way around the LGBTQ community and a suicide ward, I have zero tolerance for this bigotry:
My dear friend Tyler Trent. It’s been one year since cancer won the battle, but here’s the thing: That amazing young man might just win the war - for everybody. An incredible update to his story, and it’s a free read for everyone. Too important not to be:
I don’t need the cameras on Josh Allen like this was his fault. Put cameras on the two Bills who blew the sack. Or the two blown blocks on previous Buffalo drive. Or the penalty on the blindside block. Leave Josh Allen alone.
No accountability with Patriots. Destroy that phone, Tom Brady. Work to prevent the release of that video tape, Bob Kraft. Walk away from questions after being the one who thought it was OK to sign Antonio Brown, Bill Belichick.
Louisville's David Padgett on Purdue in Mackey Arena: "I’ll be surprised if anybody beats this team in this building. It’s one of the toughest environments I’ve ever seen."
Gene Keady desperately wants Matt Painter to lead Purdue to the Final Four that Keady never could. I spoke with both, and many more, for a glimpse inside their close relationship.
Evil Larry Nassar is about to be sentenced, but don’t be distracted from this truth: Michigan State could have stopped him 20 years ago. And again and again since. In so many ways, this story is worse than Penn State and Jerry Sandusky.
This is actually the Colts' diabolical way to get even with Tom Brady: Let Drew Brees throw so many TD's, he'll put the NFL career record out of reach.
The amazing
@theTylerTrent
has been named a winner of ESPN’s Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award, and will be honored posthumously in July at Sports Humanitarian of the Year Awards in Los Angeles. That kid. Loved him. This is who he was. Who he forever will be:
It's a Sagamore of the Wabash award for cancer-fighting marvel
@theTylerTrent
of Purdue, and Carmel. For those outside the state, understand: The Sagamore is our state's highest civilian honor. The Governor gives it out, and not lightly.
by
@Clarky_Tweets
Good update on Zach Price, the Ryan Blaney crew member injured Sunday at the Brickyard 400. He has a leg fracture but won’t need surgery, and could return this season! My story about the emotional incident is below. Pic has Zach update from his wife Tasha:
Purdue dominates the series
“But banners”
Purdue goes to NCAA’s every year
“Banners”
Purdue doesn’t have to keep looking for a new coach
“Banners”
Purdue is No. 1 in the country three years in a row
“Banners”
Purdue basketba—
“Banners”
Make it stop. Tonight.
A national championship banner would be the Boilers' breakthrough, the end once and for all to the stupid idea that Purdue is the No. 2 basketball program in this state.
Purdue is playing a crap Minnesota team, and locked into the No. 3 seed at B1G tourney, and Mackey Arena is standing-room-only more than 20 minutes before tip-off. This is how you send off your seniors.
There’s a freshman scoring 30 ppg. There’s a coach who just turned 83. There’s a team that was literally the worst in the state, and now is 8-1. And there’s a shrinking town coming back to life. Only in high school basketball. And only in Indiana.
Anti-vax leaders are liars. Their videos are lies. Their “facts” are false. I prove it here in my story about Damar Hamlin and Bert Smith, the NCAA official who fainted. They lied about Bert, and I caught them red-handed. Why can’t some people understand?
Pretty damn impressive that Mackey Arena is sold out for this Purdue-IU women’s basketball game. Pretty damn impressive that one of those fans is Matt Painter. Not sure how many coaches in his exact shoes today would be there. Biggest crowd of year in Big Ten.
The Big Ten screwed IU football today. I'm not saying Ohio State doesn't belong in the B1G championship game. I'm saying: IU was screwed by its own conference ... for the second time this week:
Why have I been all over Wentz for being unvaccinated? This is why. Because he's got the No. 1 leadership position in sports, and not leading at all. Not the team, not the community, nobody. What I wrote: