Bouncing Back is an Underrated Trait Marion Jones had the world eating out of her hands.  She was widely adored after having captured five medals in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.  As the world’s premier female track and field sprinter, she received $80,000.00 fees just to show up for races. Endorsement contracts poured in.  Few women in … Read more

Overshooting Where Your Kid Fits is a Common but Tragic Mistake Good or bad, right or wrong, in high school recruiting, every prospect fits into a box — its dimensions determined by college coaches based on what they know are the traits of the athletes who thrive in their sport at each position.  According to their … Read more

Florida Outside Hitter Finds Her Home in North Carolina Moving North and three states away was never a huge deal for Morgan Cary.  As a high school senior, she just wanted to find the college where she felt at home and got along well with the coach and team.  She was looking for that special chemistry a … Read more

We Can’t Explain It, but There’s No Question at This Point Let’s go ahead and say it:  2010 is “College Upset Year.”  We’ve noted it in two previous T*W*I*S pieces, but it continues to happen week after week.  It’s to the point where we have to recognize it for what it is.  In practically every … Read more

Oklahoma QB and former NSR prospect Landry Jones cemented his position as one of the Sooner’s all-time great signal callers on Saturday.  Landry took to the air in record fashion in a 43 to 10 mauling of the Colorado Buffaloes in Norman.  Throwing for a career-high 453 yards and four touchdowns, Landry’s total was the second-best … Read more

“Athletic Character” Puts Many Prospects Over the Top Ask college coaches this: “Would you prefer a kid with talent lacking in desire over a less talented one with an all-or-nothing approach?”  Almost every coach will opt for the kid who will practice and play hard every time they put on the uniform.  Talented prospects that don’t seem to be invested … Read more

West Virginia Star Tennis Player Shares Her Journey Dave Johnson, NSR’s Northeast Florida Area Director, immediately saw the extraordinary promise in Ashley Pilsbury.   A tennis “lifer,” Ashley came by her talent honestly.  Her dad, Eliot, was an accomplished tennis pro, at one point being ranked No. 22 in world singles.  Later, in what would eventually become an indelible influence on … Read more

Young Athletes Get More than W’s and L’s from Leading a Sports-related Life Let’s not forget where we were or where we could be.  Instead, let’s relish where we are.  There are a lot of options and distractions out there for kids and parents in this the fast-moving, Digital Age.  Yet, chances are that if … Read more

Shot in the Dark Was Literally That on Fourth Play-0ff Hole How we love cool endings and this is one deserving of our weekly award for what’s good in sports.  This time we head out to the Nevada desert and TPC Summerlin to find our TWIS recipient.  We would say it’s Jonathan Byrd’s lucky day, but … Read more

Jones’ 300+ Yard-Game Fails to Lift Sooners in 36-27 Loss Being rated #1 is turning out to be more of a curse than a compliment.  For the third consecutive week, the nation’s top-ranked FBS program was shut down by an underdog.  This time it was Missouri’s turn to spoil (and revel in) the day as … Read more