TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield rubbed both arms with his hands as the story was being related, the one where his timely donation turned around the fortunes of a high school football team that lacked the necessary equipment to start the season. It’s the nearly made-for-Hollywood script of how Space Coast High in Cocoa went from 1-8 a year ago to 10-3 and the first state championship in program history. “I’ve got chills thinking about it,” Mayfield said. Jake Owens had been Space Coast’s head coach from 2012-17 but stepped away for a few years, moving to Kentucky and starting a young family. He returned to his old job to find the program in disrepair. “Obviously, the program was struggling,” Owens said. “I think in those six years they’d only won, like, four games. When I walked in, a struggling program like that, nothing was really being done behind the scenes as far as equipment and stuff goes. It was a lot of older equipment.” Stephanie Starkey, whose son, Jacob, plays linebacker and long snapper for the Vipers, graduated from the University of Oklahoma and had followed Mayfield closely. She knew about the Baker and Emily Mayfield Foundation, and reached out to the couple for help. The Mayfields responded by donating $17,900 for equipment, including 70 Riddell SpeedFlex helmets that retail for nearly $500 each, along with shoulder pads. “There was kind of narrative that we were not going to have a season,” Owens said. “That’s not the case. We were going to play no matter what. But it was in bad shape, and that’s obviously expensive. When the program ended last year, there were only 40-something kids. They didn’t have a need for a lot of equipment. “When I took over in February, there was a huge influx. We had over 70 kids come out. Not only did we have older equipment, but we also didn’t have enough. We were going to make sure we had it one way or another, but it’s expensive and funds are hard to come by in high school.” The team was among the youngest Owens had ever coached. His quarterback was a freshman. Four of the five offensive linemen were sophomores, along with the top receiver. Building a culture of winning is usually the most difficult task for any head coach. But Owens said the players were galvanized by the fact that an NFL quarterback had invested so generously in their future. “We were just floored,” Owens said. “It’s been an incredibly humbling experience to have someone like Baker to reach out and say, ‘Hey, what do you need to get this done?’ I don’t think they know how much of an impact they’ve made. “We knew we had a talented team. We knew if we did things the right way and we built the right culture, I’d won there before. I have an incredible coaching staff. They knew what it takes to win. It’s one of those incredible things that came together like a perfect storm, and Baker and Emily are a big part of that because it took so much stress out of that situation so the focus could be on football.” There is some irony that it was Mayfield who rescued the Vipers. Owens is an unabashed Cincinnati Bengals fan and rooted against Mayfield when he played for the Cleveland Browns. In fact, Owens is a Bengals season ticket holder who still hosts a podcast dedicated to talking about the team. “I will tell you that I have never rooted for another team or another player outside of Cincinnati,” Owens said. “That changed after this year. I’ve become a huge Baker Mayfield fan. He changes people’s lives. “At the end of the day, winning is very important at every level. What Baker has done more than anything is shown our players what it means to pass it along. To pay it forward. That’s going to impact our players. When they get that opportunity, they will remember that. What they’ve shown our boys is you’re never too big to help out.” Mayfield’s play on the field was inspiring as well. Starkey held a few watch parties for Bucs games on Sundays. The Mayfields’ gift ignited a Space Coast team that went 7-3 in the regular season, then advanced past Tradition Prep and Umatilla in the playoffs. “Snake Pit” signs, referencing the team’s home field, started popping up on lawns and in store windows all over town. Last weekend, the Vipers defeated Bell, 21-14, at home to claim the Sunshine State Athletic Association Atlantic 1A championship. The team that didn’t have enough equipment is now being sized for championship rings. “I tell them all the time, don’t forget about the journey it took to get here, and Baker and Emily will always be part of that journey,” Owens said. Standing inside One Buc Place during his weekly news conference Thursday, Mayfield could not stop smiling while thinking about another football team he already had helped win a championship this season. “It’s just a cool story,” he said. “I have an unbelievable platform to be able to give back, and obviously they were in the predicament of probably not having a season. Not just for the varsity. The JV, they didn’t have enough equipment. So, just being able to give back and then seeing that turn around. “All we did was get some helmets. They did the rest. They turned it around, they believed in it, and that’s what football is all about. It’s teaching life lessons, how to handle adversity, how to deal with it and push forward. Congrats to them. It’s pretty special.” ©2024 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Team New York played Team London in GOLFZON Tour's third match. golfzon This article was produced in partnership with GOLFZON. What began as a 12-team simulator-golf match-play competition for a $150,000 grand prize is now a nine-team battle to the finish. Matches 1, 2 and 3 have been completed on GOLFZON Tour — a new league in which regional teams of five players each from 12 selected GOLFZON host facilities (nine are in the U.S., three others are from London, Toronto and Mexico) compete against each other in a series of matches, with one team earning the grand prize payout. Team Orlando defeated Team Louisville in Match 1, while Team Minneapolis defeated Team Chicago in Match 2. (You can read the full match recaps here .) The Format Single-elimination bracket play is now in progress. Female competitors play 85 percent of the yardage of their male counterparts. Teams of three compete head-to-head by linking their simulators together over the Internet in a match-play format, with two of the best three player scores for each team counting on each hole. If, after 18 holes, there’s a tie, the match goes into a sudden-death playoff where all three players’ scores count. The first team to score lower than the other on a hole wins. GOLFZON Tour Match 3 Recap: New York vs. London In this GOLFZON Tour international matchup, Team New York and Team London battled on El Camaleon , a longtime PGA Tour host course which has most recently served as a host venue for LIV. The teams competed against each other in real time from their regional simulator locations. Team New York started strong, winning the first two holes to take an early 2 up lead. But then a back-and-forth battle began, with Team London winning the 4th hole, Team New York winning the 5th, and Team London getting on a roll, winning the 6th, 7th and 8th holes to take the lead in the match for the first time, going 1 up through 8. A Team New York victory on the 9th hole, however, brought the match back to all square at the turn. On the back nine, it was Team New York’s turn to make a run. With wins on Nos. 10, 11 and 12, Team New York regained control of the match, going 3 up with six holes remaining. Team London fought back with a win on the 13th hole to cut the deficit to 2, but Team New York’s lead proved to be too much to overcome. A win on No. 15 brought New York back to 3 up, and when Team London failed to win the 16th hole to extend the match, it was over, with Team New York winning the match 3 and 2. That means Team New York is one of nine teams still in the running for the grand prize of $150,000, and will face Team Detroit next in GOLFZON Tour’s quarterfinal round. The Teams The 12 teams competing in this edition of GOLFZON Tour are: East Division Detroit – Tee Times London – The Golf Rooms – ELIMINATED (Match 3) Louisville – Tee It Up Golf USA – ELIMINATED (Match 1) New York City – Golfzon Social Orlando – Golfzon Leadbetter Toronto – Golfplay West Division Chicago – The Green – ELIMINATED (Match 2) Houston – The Daly Round Los Angeles – Golf Envy Mexico – Mulligan’s Monterrey Minneapolis – Element Indoor Golf Tulsa – BirdieBay Follow the action You can watch the matches in their entirety on GOLFZON’s YouTube page , where new episodes and match recaps will be released weekly. The tour is in the midst of single-elimination rounds, so you can follow along each week to see which team ends up making it to the finale in January. To learn more about GOLFZON Tour — and follow the match-play bracket progress — click here . Latest In Lifestyle Golf.com Editor As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her original interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.Google renews push into mixed reality headgearOdronextamab ASH Presentations Underscore Impressive Potential in Earlier Lines of Treatment and Additional Types of Lymphoma
, son of the legendary , has been under the spotlight since his arrival to the , facing the pressure of being the heir to the "King" on one of the most iconic teams. , Bronny proved that he has more up his sleeve than just on-court skills. , a mentalist selected Bronny to participate in a trick that left everyone in attendance speechless. Young James, with his eyes closed, managed to accurately describe where a card touched a teammate's face, following the mentalist's instructions. , including veterans who are not usually easy to impress. . With few opportunities in the rotation and modest stats so far, Bronny faces criticism and high expectations alike. However, both he and his father have made it clear that there are no special privileges. and dedication, a lesson LeBron has passed on not only as a father, but also as a mentor. Bronny James faces criticism and limited opportunities , and it's clear Bronny still has a long road ahead to fully find his footing in the NBA. But this measured approach speaks to the organization's commitment to nurturing his potential, allowing him to grow at his own pace in a professional setting. . Spots like that have to be earned through grit and effort. This was a powerful, unspoken response to critics who claimed Bronny's place was gifted rather than earned. And in true LeBron fashion, the lesson played out loud and clear: hard work, not handouts, is what defines success. This stunt, while anecdotal, showed a relaxed and human side of Bronny, something that can be just as important as his performance on the court. , moments like this remind us that magic can also happen outside of the game.SANTA CLARA — Neither Nick Bosa nor Trent Williams practiced for a third straight week, and that’s not great news for a 49ers team trying to shake a three-game losing streak in Sunday’s homecoming against the Chicago Bears. Bosa was able to show enough progress to not be ruled out Friday, but he is doubtful. Williams officially is out, as are running back Jordan Mason, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety George Odum. While Bosa has been sidelined since a third-quarter oblique strain Nov. 17 against Seattle, Williams’ hiatus is traced. mainly to an ankle injury but he’s also been coping with personal issues after his son was stillborn Nov. 24. Cornerback Charvarius Ward did not practice Friday because of a personal matter; he played last Sunday in Buffalo in his first game since the Oct. 28 death of his 23-month-old daughter. Ward is still expected to play Sunday, although the 49ers understandably could excuse him amid his grieving. Left guard Aaron Banks is questionable, having missed the 38-10 loss at Buffalo because of a concussion from the loss to Seattle. Safety Talanoa Hufanga is also questionable after returning to practice this week as the 49ers evaluate whether to activate him off Injured Reserve. RUNNING BACK OPTIONS Isaac Guerendo looks in line to start at running back, with Patrick Taylor Jr. as the next-best option, while the 49ers move past last Sunday’s season-ending injuries to Christian McCaffrey (knee) and Mason (ankle). The 49ers put McCaffrey back on Injured Reserve on Tuesday, having spent eight weeks on IR with Achilles tendinitis before his Nov. 9 activation. Mason is expected to move onto IR on Saturday. For further depth, Israel Abanikanda was claimed off waivers from the New York Jets, and Ke’Shawn Vaughn as re-signed to the practice squad. PURDY ALL CLEAR Two weeks since missing the 49ers’ 38-10 loss at Green Bay because of a shoulder injury, quarterback Brock Purdy had no setbacks in his return last Sunday at Buffalo and is full-go for this game. “He’s good. He had to wait a while give him rest and make sure it healed,” Shanahan said. “Glad to get him back to full speed and get him back to practice.” BEARS INJURIES Bears running back D’Andre Swift and wide receiver D.J. Moore are both questionable after quadriceps injuries forced them to miss back-to-back practices before Friday’s limited return. Center Ryan Bates (concussion) and safety Elijah Hicks (ankle) are out. Swift’s backup, Roschon Johnson, will not play because of a concussion. Wide receiver Keenan Allen (ankle) is fully expected to play despite missing Wednesday’s practice. Related Articles San Francisco 49ers | Six things that helped make the 49ers the NFL’s most disappointing team San Francisco 49ers | Kristin Juszczyk named one of New York Times’ most stylish people San Francisco 49ers | What reasons do 49ers give for allowing 19 rushing touchdowns? ‘All of the above’ San Francisco 49ers | Santa Clara Vice Mayor Anthony Becker found guilty of leaking 49ers report, perjury San Francisco 49ers | 49ers' Ricky Pearsall still a 'competitor' amid 3-game drought DEEBO ‘IS THE KEY’ Deebo Samuel may be enduring one of his most sideways seasons but that hasn’t diminished opponents’ respect. Said Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington: “Deebo Samuel, he’s a very versatile player, can play multiple positions: Tailback, slot, wide receiver. He’s the key to everything they desire to do.” Samuel has not unlocked the 49ers offense, either as a wide receiver (38 catches, 531 yards, one touchdown) or a running back (27 carries, 79 yards, one touchdown). HALL OF FAME COMPLIMENT In the wake of McCaffrey’s season-ending knee injury, he wrote an extensive message on Instagram this week depicting his love for the game, and it won the admiration of general manager John Lynch. “That deal he wrote was beautiful,” Lynch said on KNBR 680-AM. “I told him, ‘Hey you wrote your Hall of Fame speech, or an excerpt for it.’ He encompassed what football is all about and why we all love it, as much as anybody I’ve ever heard.” McCaffrey’s words on Wednesday: “Football is the greatest game on the planet to me. I love that you can find out exactly who you are without ever saying a word. It lifts you up and breaks you down and it can happen fast. It’s humbling in the best ways. You can do everything right and still fail. Thats life and that’s football. It’s a constant test of wills and those who just keep going tend to reap the benefits of their perseverance. This wasn’t my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours. You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder than ever to come back better from this. I love my teammates, I love the 9ers, and I love football. God doesn’t miss. Onward ➡️🙏🏼”