Podcasts about Oak Hill

Sam Gray specializing in new developments and high-end properties, Sam combines strategic insight, a competitive drive, and a client-first approach in every transaction. His work is rooted in a genuine commitment to serving and uplifting others; he views real estate as a platform to guide clients through significant life decisions with care, confidence, and clarity. Recognized for his exceptional service, creative sales strategies, and modern marketing methods, Sam consistently delivers outstanding results and long-term value for his clients. His dedication and expertise have earned him industry-wide recognition, including honors as a Rising Star in Nashville Real Producers Magazine, as well as features in Redfin, the Nashville Post, and New York Weekly. After attending Belmont University, Sam now resides in Oak Hill, Nashville. Family and Faith are his foundations. That is where Sam learned his personal warmth, serving others and unwavering focus on results.

In this episode, we speak with Tyler Wolfram, a Managing Partner at Oak Hill Capital, a longstanding private equity firm that has been investing in the North American middle market for nearly 40 years. Oak Hill applies a specialized, theme-based approach to investing across services and digital infrastructure.  Since 1986, Oak Hill and its predecessors have raised over $23 billion in initial capital commitments and co-investments and have invested in more than 110 companies. Tyler has been a Managing Partner at Oak Hill Capital since 2012 and has been with the firm since 2001. Previously, he was a Managing Director at J.H. Whitney and spent the early part of his career at DLJ.   I am your host, RJ Lumba. We hope you enjoy the show. If you like the episode, click to follow.  

In this episode of the Just Schools Podcast, Jon Eckert interviews Christina Crook, author of The Joy of Missing Out and founder of JOMO Campus. Christina shares how a 31-day internet fast sparked a global movement around digital wellness. She discusses the impact of tech addiction on attention, relationships, and mental health.  Christina shares the transformation happening in schools that embrace phone-free environments. Through strategic programs and student-driven goals, she shows how embracing JOMO empowers young people to live with purpose and become light in dark digital spaces. The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Be encouraged. Mentioned: The Joy of Missing Out: Finding Balance in a Wired World by Christina Crook experience JOMO Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen Connect with us: Center for School Leadership at Baylor University Jon Eckert LinkedIn Baylor MA in School Leadership     Jon Eckert: All right, Christina, welcome to the Just Schools Podcast. We've been big fans of your work for a long time. So, tell us a little bit about how you got into this work. Christina Crook: Yeah. Thanks for having me, Jon. This has been a long time coming, it's a joy to be here. So, yeah, how did the work of JOMO begin? I began my career in public broadcasting based here in Canada at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. And my education was a pretty critical look at mass communication, that was my background. And so, when social media started emerging early in my career in journalism, I was pretty keyed into the negatives early on. I was always asking the question, even when Facebook, and this is obviously dating me, emerged on the scene, that is the earliest major social media platform, I was always asking the question, "What is this displacing? Where is this time going to come from? How is this shifting my creative behaviors and my relationships?" And so, around that time, early in my career, I actually made a major move from Vancouver to Toronto. So, think just like West Coast to East Coast, essentially. And in one fell swoop, all of my relationships were all of a sudden mediated by the internet, because I'd made this major move, I only had really one close friend in the area I was moving to. And so, I started to notice my own digital behaviors shifting, and I was becoming more and more uncomfortable with my own social media habits. I was sort of creeping on the lives of my friends and family back home. Remember the good old Facebook wall? We would just do that now through snaps or whatever, see what people or the stories they're sharing. So, I was doing a lot of that and not going through the deeper, harder work of connecting directly with the people that I loved. I was also not getting to just creative projects that I was really passionate about, like writing. I'm a creative writer, so poetry and these different things. And so, I had a curiosity about what would happen if I completely disconnected from the internet for a large chunk of time. And so, I ended up doing a 31-day fast from the internet to explore what it was like to navigate the world, a very increasingly digital world, without the internet. And so, basically, off of that experiment, I wrote a series of essays and I had to publish a reach out to me about expanding off of that into a book, and that book became the Joy of Missing Out. And that is where the work of JOMO began. Jon Eckert: And when did that book get published? Christina Crook: 10 years ago. Jon Eckert: Yeah. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: See, I feel like you were way ahead of the curve. This is before Jonathan Haidt had made this his passion project and other people were talking about it. So now, I think back then this would've been an early alarm. And so, I guess as you look at the future and where you're at, you've had 10 years, I'd love to hear about some of the success that you've seen and some of this shifting narrative, because I think what you shared, any adult can connect with that feeling of that being inbondaged to your device. I deleted my email from my phone in January and that has been unbelievably freeing, because I check that 70 to 80 times a day. And I tell everybody, it's embarrassing because at least Facebook and social media, there's something fun about it. Email's not fun. Hearing from your finance director that you need to do something different at 11:15 at night, it's no fun. And I was addicted to that and I got rid of it. So, I think we all have felt that, but I'd love to hear some of the success you've seen with schools, particularly, or anyone else, because I think there's a value in this for all of us. Christina Crook: Yeah. So, when I started in this space, definitely I could count on one hand the people that were actively talking about this. If I even suggested to a person that they had an addictive relationship with their phone, they would get their backs up, like, "How dare you even suggest this to me?" And since then, of course, just the acceleration of the conversation, the long-term studies showing the negative impacts on our attention spans, mental health, all of the things that we talk about on a daily basis now. But the expression of JOMO in schools came about a number of years ago when the head of the wellness department at Virginia Tech reached out to me. Unbeknownst to me, she'd been following my work for years, through my podcast and books and these sorts of things. And in her own words, their best and brightest students were coming back to campus languishing before classes had even started. And as a department, we talk about the wellness wheel, the eight dimensions of wellness, and they were seeing, across their department, how digital overuse or misuse was impacting all of these different dimensions of student well-being. And so, they'd gone looking for a digital wellness program for their students. They came up empty, one didn't exist, and so the invitation from them was to co-create a program with them. And so, that became four months of just discovery, first hand reading of the college health assessment, looking for the most recent college health assessment at Virginia Tech, looking for threads and needs and opportunities, for 10 interviews with staff and students. And there we concepted a four-week digital wellness challenge for their first year students. Through our pilot programs, we saw a 73.8% behavior change. Students not only had made a change to their digital habits, but they intended to continue with those changes. And their changes, just like you're describing, Jon, like the one you did, which is tactically, for example, in our week one building better focus, is removing those things. We know that environmental changes are the most powerful to change a habit in our digital and our physical spaces. So, things like removing an app that is an absolute time sack, or it's just created a very unhealthy habit is the power move. And so, the reason why it was so successful for students is because they'd maybe thought about making a change to their digital habits, but they've never actually done it. And here they were being incentivized to take the action. And when they did, they felt immediate benefits. So, we knew we were onto something and that's where the work of the campus work began. Jon Eckert: Well, and so I think if adults feel that, how much more important is that for kids? Mine happened as a part of a 28-day digital fast that Aaron Whitehead, the book he put out on that, that our church went through it. And when I did it, the idea was, just take 28 days free of it and then you can introduce things back in. Why would I introduce that back in? Christina Crook: Totally. Jon Eckert: So, it's been great. I also do not look at my phone until after I've spent time in the Word and praying and writing each morning. And I don't even look at the phone. It used to be my alarm clock. I got an old analog alarm clock, I moved that out, that was powerful. So, as an adult, I feel that. So, I cannot imagine how 13 and 14-year-olds could deal with that. That feels like not just an uphill battle, that feels like the hill is on top of them. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: So, I'm curious. You mentioned Snapchat and I don't know if you saw this. This week, Jonathan Haidt on his substat came out with the court proceedings where he's done it to TikTok, now he's done it to Snapchat. And we've always said hard no to Snapchat, because Snapchat just feels like it was evil from the beginning, with disappearing content that you can't track but then can be screenshotted and any number of bad things can happen. But I just wanted to read this quote to you, because this is why I think your work is so important on so many levels. This was from a New Mexico court case. He said this: "A Snap's director of security engineering said, regarding Android users who are selling drugs or child sexual abuse material on Snap. These are some of the most despicable people on earth." This is his quote, this is a director of security. "That's fine. It's been broken for 10 years. We can tolerate tonight." That blows my mind. And so, this is what parents and educators are up against, because in my mind, that is evil. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: That is pure evil. So, that's where it's not just addiction to things that are relatively harmless in moderation, this is pushing back on something that is really, really invasive. And Jonathan Haidt talks all about this, the predators that are online, we worry about the people in the real world and the real challenges are virtual. So, where, in your current work, are you seeing some of this success paying benefits in protecting kids, A, but B, more importantly, leading to flourishing? Christina Crook: Yeah. So, Jon, as you know, our work has shifted from the college space down now into high schools, primarily with private Christian high schools. And where we're seeing wins and gains is at the base level of education. We talk very early on, with students, about the different systems that are at work in each of the platforms they use on a daily basis. So, let's use a TikTok or a Snap, for example. We talk about gamified systems, we talk about hook modeling, all of the mechanisms that are there to keep them. We talk about streaks. And then we have them assess the different platforms they're using and they need to identify what are the different models and how are they functioning within the platform? I think many of us can remember when the live updating feature showed up on the early social media platforms, but many of those platforms were out for many years before the live updating feature came into play. Of course, streaks, which is just the most terrible design feature ever, but students don't really stop and think about it. But when you actually invite them to look critically, and this is why the foundation of my own education was so critical, is because I was always, and I continue to come to each of these platforms asking those hard questions. So, the gains we see with students actually looking critically at the platforms they're using on a daily basis, that's where the big wins are coming. Also, we have students do their own goal setting. So, when we work with a school, one of our first questions we ask students is, we get them to imagine, "Okay, it's graduation day, so congratulations, you've just graduated from the high school that you're listening from right now. You're wearing your cap and gown. You're looking back at your time at school and you have absolutely no regrets. What did you experience and what did you accomplish during your time here?" And students kind of get this far afield look in their eyes and they start to wonder and consider. And so, they start to tell these beautiful stories of, "I want to make lifelong friends. I want to make friendships that will sustain me into adulthood or into college. I want to get a great GPA, because I want to get into this school." I try and prompt them sometimes to think of more fun things like, "You want to get a boyfriend." There's play, like you were saying earlier. What are the fun elements also of the experience you want to have here? I say, "Great." Jon Eckert: Is there a JOMO dating app? Christina Crook: Not yet, but we are consistently hearing from our partner schools that dating is up because students are talking to each other, which is my favorite thing. But yeah, so students share all of these goals and aspirations they have. And I say, "Great. Is the way you're currently using your phone, your primary device, helping you accomplish or experience these things?" And so, we're connecting it to what they actually want. When you start talking to a kid about technology, all they hear is the Charlie Brown teacher. They just assume that an adult is going to hate on the way they're using tech and the tech that they're using. And so, we're trying to connect it to, "What are your desires, wants?" And that is where I believe the root to flourishing is, because it has to be. It's the desire within them. What is it that they desire, what is that core desire? And then how can they bring their technology use in alignment with that? Do I think that Snap should be thrown out the window? Well, yeah, mostly I do. I do think there are ways to strategically use almost every platform. We're a people that believe in redemption. These platforms, there are elements of them that can be redeemed. And so, yes, it is easier to eliminate an entire platform and I think there are some that, by and large, we should avoid. But I do think we also need to be asking the question, "How can these technologies be used to our benefit?" Jon Eckert: Okay. So, I want to start with, I love the question you ask about what would a life without regrets, when you graduate, look like? That's amazing. Love that. I also feel like I've gotten some traction with kids talking about the way the adults in their lives use their devices, because that opens the door for them to say, "Oh, yeah, I don't really like..." The Pew research study that came out last year that 46% of kids report having been phubbed, phone snubbed, by their parents when they want to talk. That's real, because everybody's felt it. And it really stinks when your primary caregiver is doing that to you. The only thing I will push back on is, I do not believe in the redemption of platforms. I believe in the redemption of human beings. And I absolutely believe that there are platforms online, some of them I won't even mention on air, but that release pornography to the world. Those do not need to, nor can they be redeemed and they should absolutely be shut down. And I don't know where on the continuum Snapchat fits, but when I see testimony like that from your director of security, I'm like, "Yeah, I have a hard time saying that that can be redeemed, nor should it be redeemed," when the in-person connection that Snapchat replaces and the streaks that it puts out there. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: Yes, if you eliminated those things, which are what monetize it, then maybe it could be redeemed, but then there is no financial incentive to redeem it. So, I would push on that, that platforms can be redeemed. And some of them shouldn't be. Now, can they be used for good? Yes. Some, not all. But Snapchat could be used to encourage a friend, could be used to... There are ways you could use it. But are there better ways? Yeah. Christina Crook: Absolutely. Jon Eckert: Let's do that, because I think that life without regrets would look differently than, "Oh, yeah, I really sent a really encouraging Snap in my junior year of high school, it made a difference." As opposed to, "I showed up for a kid in person when they were struggling." Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: I feel like we've gotten this proxy virtue signaling where like, "Oh, I posted something about that." Who cares? What did you do about it? Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: And that is where I think your question hits on. But feel free to react. Christina Crook: No, it's great pushback. I think the posture that we're always taking with students is, we're not starting with, "You need to eliminate this," because the assumption they have is that it's just detox. It's just the removal of something. And we're saying, "What are the joys?" That's the joy of missing out. That is our body of work. What are the joys we can enter into when we mindfully, intentionally disconnect from the internet, or use it in ways that support our wellbeing and our goals? Jon Eckert: Yeah, no, that's always the way. With any change, you always have to be moving towards something instead of moving away. And so, you've got to make it invitational and inviting. And that's why JOMO makes so much sense. So, what do you see, you can take this in whatever order you want, is the biggest obstacles and opportunities for the work that you're doing? So, you can start with opportunities or obstacles, but take them both. Christina Crook: Yeah. So, I think it's one and the same. It's parent partnership. I think it's schools' partnership with parents. We know that the majority of technology used, especially now that we've got mostly phone free or phone controlled... Majority of the schools are moving in the phone free or phone controlled. The school direction that the minute students walk off campus, it becomes the parental responsibility. So, one of the challenges schools are facing is parents communicating with their kids all day long through the exact tools that we've asked them to put away. So, the kid's excuse is, "Well, my mom needs to message me." And so, there is this security conversation. "I need my phone to be safe." And so, addressing that, and of course in the U.S. landscape, there are real safety concerns with inside schools, and so there's a legitimacy to that. But how do schools clearly communicate and solve for that? So, we see beautiful examples. I'll use Eastern Christian and New Jersey as an example. So, they partnered with JOMO and Yonder at the same time to roll out their phone free mandate, they wrapped around the Yonder initiative with Joy and Digital Wellness Curriculum and Education. But what they did was, they established a student phone. A student phone in the school that doesn't require... There's no gate keeping. So, oftentimes they'll be like, "Oh, but you can just go to the office and use the phone." But there's a whole bunch of apprehension for students about necessarily making a phone call, for example, in front of the secretary. So, I thought that was a great solve. That was a great solve and we share that with other schools. The opportunity is parent partnership and education. So, we are solving that by providing our partner schools with just direct plug and play parent education that goes into the regular school communications, that's digital wellbeing strategies for families, conversation starters across all the age brackets, from K to 12, additional education and resources, and then just beautiful aspirational stories of Christian families that are navigating the complexity of managing technology in a way that's really human and honest and open. So, I think it's parent partnership. And then of course we're seeing great movements around parent pacts. I heard about Oak Hill here in Greater Toronto, that they've actually, as students come in, they're having parents sign a parent pact to delay phone use until the age of 16. It is as a community, that's a very low tech school. And so, the opportunities and initiatives around parents, I think, is exciting. Jon Eckert: That's very Jonathan Haidt of them. Christina Crook: Yes. Jon Eckert: And I think it is a lot easier when you do that as a group than as an individual parent or kid where you feel excluded. I just wanted to ask you this, based on what you said with the designated phone at the school. Eric Ellison, our great mutual friend, sent me this Truce software. Are you familiar with this? Christina Crook: I am, yes. We're getting to know them. Jon Eckert: What do you think? Christina Crook: So, I haven't got a chance to see it in practice, but to me, theoretically, Truce is the best possible solution. Jon Eckert: Yes. That's what it looks like to me, not having seen it in action. But talk about why you think that is, because our listeners may have no idea what this is. Christina Crook: Yes. So, Truce is a geofencing product. So, the moment everyone comes onto campus, the ability or functionality of your personal devices is controlled by Truce. So, that means that for all phones coming onto campus, automatically, the moment you drive or walk onto campus, you cannot access social media, for example. But you can continue to message your parents all day long and vice versa. And there are other controls for teachers. There's a lot of customization within it, but it just makes sense, because all the VPNs, all the workarounds, it finally solves for that, because schools are just product on product on product, firewall on firewall, and students are very smart and they have a million workarounds. And this is the only solution I've seen that solves for all of those problems. Jon Eckert: And that's what I wanted to know, because students are so savvy about getting around them. The only drawback I see, because I do think this breaks down a lot of the parent concerns and it makes so you don't have the lockers, you don't have to have the pouches, you don't have to do all the management of phones, is challenging when you have to take them from students. Christina Crook: Yes. Jon Eckert: Or you have to let them carry them around in their pockets, like crack cocaine in a locked magnetic box. Christina Crook: Don't touch it, don't touch it. Don't use it. Jon Eckert: Yeah, right. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: So, I like it theoretically. The only drawback is, and Haidt wrote about this in 2023, there is some benefit, especially to high school students, to not having a constant access to a parent to complain about what's going on in school. A teacher gives you a grade and that's the way the student would see it. The teacher gives you a grade you don't like, and then you're immediately on your phone complaining to your parent. And before the kid even gets home, a parent's in the office to advocate or complain, depending on your perspective. Christina Crook: Yes. Jon Eckert: For the student, that constant contact is not always healthy. But I get like, "Hey, if that was the only issue that schools had to deal with with phones, that would be a win." And it does keep communication with the parent and the kid. And I, as much as I hate it, have absolutely texted my children in high school something that I need them to know after school. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: And it is great when they can know those things in real time, because I didn't think far enough ahead to let them know beforehand, and I don't call the office regularly. So, I get that. But any other drawbacks you see to Truce? Because to me it does feel like a pretty ideal solution. Christina Crook: No, I think Truce plus JOMO is the winning combo. Jon Eckert: Right. And you need to understand why it's being done, because otherwise it feels like you're going to phone prison. And really, what you're saying is, no, there's this freedom for so much more if we take away these things that are turning you into a product. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: So, yeah. Christina Crook: And I will say, when I go into a school, I'll talk to them in a chapel, for example, with students. I basically say, "I'm in support. Props to, basically, your leadership for creating a phone controlled or phone free environment." And there's three core reasons why, and one of them is that, fragmented technologies, the studies are showing finally what I intuitively knew, and I think many of us intuitively knew more than 10 years ago, but that fragmented technology use is actually healthier. The least healthy way to live with technology is continuously. It's the first thing you touch when you wake up, the middle of the day, which props to you, Jon, for changing that habit. And it's the last thing you look at at night. And then it's tethered to your body all day long. So, those breaks from the devices. And let's be real, the students, even if they have them on their person with a Truce-like product, they're not going to be reaching... It will be fragmented still, because they don't have anything to really reach for. Are you going to check your phone 1,800 times to see if your mom messaged? Let's be real, that's not happening. Jon Eckert: We've got bigger issues if you're doing that. Christina Crook: Yes. A podcast for another day. Yes. Jon Eckert: That's it. That's it. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: No, that's good. Well, hey, I love that. I'd love for you to talk a little bit about, you have a summer resource for families that I think that's helpful. And then you also have some other interesting work, and then we'll jump into our lightning round. Christina Crook: Great. Yeah. So, I would just encourage people to go check out jomocampus.com/summer. So, we've got a JOMO summer tips page set up. It's just a bunch of resources for families. We've got an upcoming webinar about setting your family up for screen success. We know that in the summer it can be really a free-for-all. I have kids ages 11, 13, and 15, and if we don't have a game plan for the summer, it can all fall apart very quickly. So, things like helping your kids set goals for the summer. So, we often do an incentivized reading challenge as a family for our kids over the course of the summer. So, jump in there, take a look, there's some great resources there. And yeah. Jon Eckert: You head to the UK next week, and talk a little bit about what you're doing there. Christina Crook: Yeah. So, I've been a part of a great cohort called Missional Labs, where it's a faith-based accelerator program for non-profits and for-profit organizations. And so, we'll be together for theological learning and training, both in Oxford and in London. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to that. Going to be connecting with Will or Ewing while I'm there, the founder of the Phone-free School Movement in the UK. So, very much excited about that, and then connecting with some Lambeth Palace folks and Church of England folks. So, yeah, it's going to be a good trip. Jon Eckert: That is great. Well, I'm glad your work is spreading and partnering. Again, at the center, we want to connect good people doing good work. And so, that's the reason why we work with you and so grateful for that. So, we move into our lightning round here, and so I almost always start with best and or worst advice you've ever given or received. So, you can take either one in whatever order you want. Christina Crook: So, best and worst for me is the same. Jon Eckert: Okay. Christina Crook: So, it was a mentor I had when I was in my 20s, and he said to me, "Just say yes. Just keep saying yes." And it was the right advice at the right time, and it was like a yes to God, just doors opening. "Yes, yes, yes." But eventually, it kind of did fall apart a little bit, because you can't actually say yes to everything, because I think there are seasons where it's just like, you just got to move and maybe it's when you're younger and those yeses all need to be strong and loud and clear, and to move through fear and towards the right things. But yeah, "just say yes" was a great piece of advice for a long time, and then I had to be much more discerning as I got older. Jon Eckert: So good. I do commencement talks. And when I do the talks, I almost always tell them to say no to good things, because if our hearts are rightly aligned with what the Lord wants us to do, then every yes is the right yes. My problem is my pride, my ego, other things get into the way of me people pleasing, and then I say yes to way too many things, and then I'm over committed. And they're all good things, but they diminish my joy and then the joy that I'm able to bring, because I become kind of a horrendous task oriented person who's only thinking about getting stuff done instead of the human beings that are the embodied souls that we work with every day. So, I think that's a great best and worst piece of advice, because I do think those yeses, when rightly aligned, are absolutely always say yes. It's just so many times I get out of alignment, so my yeses become a problem. So, best book that you've read or a project that you're working on that is book related. Christina Crook: Great. So, I do have a book. I'm rereading Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen. And I've been rereading it, because I am contributing a chapter to a forthcoming Nouwen collection that's coming out from Orbis Press next year. And can I read just one line that's related to what we just talked about? Jon Eckert: Absolutely. Yeah. Christina Crook: Okay. So, Henri's writing about a friend who had just visited him, and he says, "Friendship is such a holy gift, but we give it so little attention. It is so easy to let what needs to be done take priority over what needs to be lived. Friendship is more important than the work we do together." Jon Eckert: Yeah. Christina Crook: And that felt like just such an invitation, but there is also a conviction in that for me, because like you, Jon, I can be deeply task oriented. My ego definitely wants to perform and complete tasks, and I need the discipline of prioritizing friendship. Jon Eckert: Well, yes, thank you. Christina Crook: And joy. Jon Eckert: Henri Nouwen always, what a model of how to live a rich life with what matters. But I do love, again, I'll bring up Eric Ellison again, because he's how I got connected to you. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: He just connects friends. And so- Christina Crook: Incredible. Jon Eckert: ... he lives for and with friends because of the life that he lives that's been really vital. And we've had some great dinners together, where it has nothing to do with work, it's just, how do we get to know the immortal being that's across the table from you? And I think that's easy to lose sight of when there's so much urgent work out there, but it's really the only immortal things we interact with are the human beings that we meet with. And so, keeping that in the right perspective is vital. So, no, I am grateful for that reminder. And this may feed into the last lightning round question. What's your greatest hope as you move forward in work and life? Christina Crook: Yeah. My greatest hope is that the young people in our world are empowered and freed to live life to the full. I think it's possible. I think our shared friend, Darren Spyksma, often reminds me that God has not forgotten where we are in the culture, and technology can feel so scary, but I think we can have reasons for great hope for the life that youth are choosing to embrace, the good choices that they're making. I see it in my own kids and I see it on campuses every day. Students choosing life, and life beyond the screen is what I really believe is where we see fullness of life. Jon Eckert: That's a powerful reminder. And just as an encouragement to you, I spent the last two Tuesday nights in our foster pavilion. It's a 7,000 seat basketball arena, and it has been packed with college students primarily worshiping. One was basically a revival meeting unite, is what has gone to 17 campuses and we've had, I think, over 12,000 kids have given their lives to Christ through it. And I think over 6,000 have been baptized. And then this last week, it was a Forrest Frank concert. And you see the phones go up. The phones go up and the first one is a signal. Everybody that was dealing with anxiety, depression, anything in the last week were asked to raise their phones. And I'm not joking, that night, of the 4,500 students that I think were in there, over 4,000 phones went up. That's a good use of a phone, to say, "Hey, I need help. I want something more." Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: And I feel like that's what JOMO calls people to. And we have a hope that goes beyond just this, what world we experience daily, and I think that's where Darren's a helpful reminder. Like, "Hey, God's much bigger than all this." And so, that's the hope we all have. So, thank you so much, Christina, for the work you're doing and for being on today. Christina Crook: Thanks for having me, Jon.  

On this episode, Smylie Kaufman sits down with Jason Dufner for a conversation about his incredible golf journey, from his humble beginnings as a walk-on at Auburn to his triumph at Oak Hill in the 2013 PGA Championship. Jason goes in-depth on his putting “yips” and the work he's done with a Navy SEAL, exchanging stories with Smylie about the mental side of professional golf. He also shares some chipping/pitching tips he's learned from observing the game's best, and tells some hilarious Vijay Singh practice round stories. #golf #pgatour #pgachampionship #golfpodcast #progolf #jasondufner #scottiescheffler #pga #golfgrip #smylie #smylieshow #vijaysingh #seve #seveballesteros Big thanks to everyone who made this episode possible - check out all who support us below: https://www.ahead.com/ https://magicmind.com/ ShipSticks: Use promo code SMYLIE or this link for 20% off: https://www.shipsticks.com/?utm_source=smylie&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ss_acq_pod_0_smylie2025 CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 02:22 - Jason Dufner joins the show 05:04 - Walking on at Auburn 11:05 - Becoming a pro 15:46 - Chuck Cook 18:46 - The waggle 21:40 - The “yips” 35:04 - 2013 PGA Championship 41:43 - Helping other pros 44:35 - Vijay Singh stories & short game tips 54:02 - Vijay's shot out of the fairway bunker at Augusta National 57:20 - Dufnering

Ivey Griffin kept up with the news and happenings of Thomasville and Clarke County -- and much of the rest of the region -- even after he was sidelined to his porch in Oak Hill in Wilcox County. The owner of WJDB Radio had a network of friends -- and their cell numbers. He'd sometimes call me three times a week to tell me something or to hear anything I knew. He always had more news than me and often with tantalizing background details. I wasn't the only person he called; likely as soon as he hung up with me,...Article Link

Last time we spoke about the battle of Malacca strait. In the intense Battle of the Malacca Strait, Japanese forces undertook a desperate evacuation amidst relentless attacks by the Allies. After suffering heavy casualties from previous confrontations, the Japanese regrouped and attempted to maintain their defensive positions. However, under the pressure of determined Allied assaults and strategic maneuvers, they faced increasingly fierce resistance. As the Allies advanced, they successfully overwhelmed Japanese defenses, leading to significant losses for the opposing forces. The battle transformed into a pivotal moment in the Pacific War as Japanese resistance crumbled, ultimately shifting the tide toward Allied victory. This clash not only showcased the harsh realities of war but also underscored the relentless determination of both sides as they fought for dominance in the region, marking a crucial step towards the conclusion of the conflict. This episode is the Breakthrough on Okinawa Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  As of mid-May, General Buckner's forces had made steady, albeit slow, progress against the determined Japanese defenders on the Shuri defensive line. On May 16, the offensive continued. Colonel Schneider's 22nd Marines and Colonel Whaling's 29th Marines launched yet another unsuccessful assault on Sugar Loaf Hill, while Colonel Snedeker's 7th Marines exhausted their strength in a failed attempt to seize Wana Ridge. To the east, Colonel Coolidge's 305th Regiment advanced 200 yards closer to Shuri. Colonel Hamilton's 307th Regiment nearly captured Flattop and Chocolate Drop Hill but was ultimately pushed back. Colonel Dill's 382nd Regiment successfully cleared Dick Hill but came under intense fire from Oboe Hill. Meanwhile, Colonel May's 383rd Regiment made only minor gains on the southeastern slopes of Conical Hill and Love Hill, even as tanks broke through toward Yonabaru for the first time. The following day, the 383rd Regiment maintained pressure on Conical and Love Hills, prompting General Bradley to commit part of Colonel Halloran's 381st Regiment to the attack. To the west, the 382nd Regiment staged a hard-fought advance of 200 yards but was unable to capture Oboe Hill.  Slowly the 77th Division forces between Flattop and Route 5 were reducing enemy positions bearing on the area in front of the 307th Infantry. By 17 May this progress began to show in the advances of the foot troops around Chocolate Drop. Covered by company heavy weapons out on both flanks, infantrymen worked around both sides of the hill to the huge caves on the reverse slope. Inside were 4 antitank guns, 1 field piece, 4 machine guns, 4 heavy mortars, and a American 60-mm. mortars. By nightfall the caves had been partially sealed off. During the night an enemy force launched a counterattack against the American positions around the hill but was repulsed with the loss of twenty-five Japanese killed. On the 17th another bitter struggle raged on Flattop. The struggle swayed back and forth across the narrow crest of the hill. Company K, the assaulting unit, had been reduced to fourteen infantrymen by the end of the day; finally it was forced back off the top. Tanks tried to go through the road cut between Flattop and Dick Hill, but two of them were disabled by mines, leaving the cut blocked. The road cut was later blown along its entire length by seven tons of bangalore torpedoes to remove the mines. Company E continued to push toward Ishimmi Ridge, where they faced a series of heavy Japanese counterattacks. Coolidge's 3rd Battalion and the rest of Hamilton's 2nd Battalion dug in just a few hundred yards north of Shuri and Ishimmi in the highway valley. Meanwhile, Coolidge's 1st Battalion was halted by heavy fire from 110 Meter Hill and the extensive fortress houses in Shuri's suburbs. The intense fighting had nearly depleted the 22nd Regiment, prompting General Amamiya to direct the 32nd Regiment to take over the defense of Shuri along a line extending from Ishimmi to Oboe. Meanwhile, on Wana, the 7th Marines launched a renewed attack but were once again repelled. However, the 5th Marines succeeded in advancing to Hill 55. Further west, the bulk of the 29th Marines attacked toward Half Moon Hill, successfully reaching its forward slopes but later having to withdraw to more defensive positions overnight. Whaling's 2nd Battalion also mounted relentless assaults on Sugar Loaf, each time suffering heavy losses in repelled attacks. As dusk fell, Japanese planes targeted American shipping, successfully damaging the destroyer Douglas H. Fox. On May 18, tanks played a crucial role in a successful assault on Sugar Loaf, executing a double envelopment while securing the top of the hill. The 2nd Battalion then advanced to Horseshoe Hill, while the remainder of the 29th Marines managed to secure the forward slopes of Half Moon.After a night of sporadic bombardment from enemy artillery and mortars, 3/7 again attempted to gain a foothold on Wana Ridge. During the morning supporting weapons concentrated their fire on the forward slopes and crest of the objective and at noon Company I, followed by a platoon of Company L, jumped off and fought its way to the ridge. The assault troops' gains "were measured in yards won, lost, and then won again." Finally, mounting casualties inflicted by enemy grenade and mortar fire forced Lieutenant Colonel Hurst to pull back his forward elements and consolidate his lines on positions held the previous night. On the right flank of the division front the isolated platoon from Company E of 2/5 was unsuccessful in exploiting its hold on the western slopes of Hill 55. The men were driven to cover by intense enemy fire, and tanks again had to be called upon to supply ammunition and rations to the outpost. During the morning operations the 5th Marines laid protective fire with tanks and assault guns along Wana Ridge to support 3/7's advance. At noon, under cover of this fire, Company F sent one rifle platoon and an attached platoon of engineers into Wana village to use flame throwers and demolitions against the enemy firing positions in the ruins. Numbers of grenade dischargers, machine guns, and rifles were found in Wana and the tombs behind it and destroyed. Further advance into the draw was not feasible until the 7th Marines could occupy the high ground on the eastern end of the ridge and furnish direct supporting fire to troops advancing in the draw below. At 1700 the troops were ordered to return to their lines for the night. n the center, General Bruce pressed his attack deeper into the Shuri defenses, with Coolidge's 3rd Battalion gaining 150 yards along the Ginowan-Shuri highway and Hamilton's 2nd Battalion advancing up to 300 yards toward Ishimmi, although attacks against 110 Meter Hill and Flattop failed to gain ground. On the morning of 18 May, orders were given to stay at all costs. Lieutenant Bell said firmly, "We stay." The men resigned themselves to a last-ditch stand. Their grenades exhausted and their machine guns and mortars destroyed, the remaining men salvaged every clip of ammunition from the bandoleers of the dead. Spare workable rifles were loaded and bayonets laid alongside. Enemy pressure increased steadily during the day. Some Americans were shot at close range as they darted from hole to hole to escape grenades. At one time eight knee mortars were pounding the ridge, firing in pairs. Friendly artillery could to some extent keep off the charging Japanese but seemed unable to ferret out the enemy mortars, which were well protected. The moans of wounded men, many of whom were in pitiful condition from lack of water and of medical aid, added to the strain. All canteens had been emptied the previous night. Nevertheless, battle discipline remained excellent. The worst problem concerned the replacements, who were courageous but inexperienced. Thrust suddenly into a desperate situation, some of them failed at crucial moments. One man saw two Japanese attacking a sergeant thirty feet away, but his finger froze on the trigger. Another shouted wildly for a comrade to shoot some Japanese while his own rifle lay in his hands. Another saw an enemy soldier a few yards from his hole, pulled the trigger, and discovered that he had forgotten to reload. By the end of the ordeal, however, the replacements who survived were battle-hardened veterans. During the afternoon the 307th attempted to reinforce the small group. Elements of Company C tried to cross the open ground north of Ishimmi Ridge. Only the commander and five men reached Company E. The men scrambled safely into foxholes, but the commander, shot through the head while racing toward the command post, fell dead on the parapet of the command post foxhole. Spirits rose considerably when word came later in the afternoon that a litter-bearing unit of eighty men would try to get through in the evening. Enemy fire slackened after dark, and the first of the litter bearers arrived at about 2200. They immediately started back carrying casualties. Walking wounded accompanied them. The litter bearers moved swiftly and managed to avoid being seen in the light of flares. Through splendid discipline and good luck eighteen men were carried out in two and a half hours, and others walked out. The litter teams had brought some water and ammunition and the troops drank for the first time since the day before. The second sleepless night on the ridge passed. The 382nd Regiment continued to face heavy resistance from Oboe Hill but managed to secure the road cut between Flattop and Dick Hill. Meanwhile, Halloran's 3rd Battalion could only push about 400 yards south due to the relentless mortar and small-arms fire coming from Hogback Ridge. At sea, a low-flying kamikaze aircraft struck LST-808 off Iejima, resulting in the deaths of 17 men. The following day, while the 382nd and 383rd Regiments focused on neutralizing the cave positions and gun emplacements in the uneven terrain between Conical and Dick Hills, Halloran's 3rd Battalion launched an attack to the south and west toward Sugar Hill but made little progress due to the heavy defensive fire. In the center, the 307th Regiment systematically worked to eliminate enemy firing positions on the high ground in front of them, employing every available weapon for the task. Colonel Smith's rehabilitated 306th Regiment began moving up to replace the battered 305th, with its 3rd Battalion relieving Coolidge's 3rd Battalion and portions of Hamilton's 2nd Battalion along the low ground bordering the highway to Shuri, including the isolated men at Ishimmi Ridge.  On 19 May the enemy seemed to intensify his efforts to recapture Ishimmi Ridge. The besieged troops wondered whether his supply of men and ammunition was inexhaustible. The Japanese launched several attacks which were repulsed with great difficulty. Only the support of artillery and mortars, together with self-propelled mounts firing with precision on both flanks of Ishimmi Ridge, prevented the enemy from making an attack in strength which would have overrun the American positions. One enemy attack of platoon strength was dispersed by mortar and machine-gun fire and by a four-battalion time-on-target artillery concentration. Japanese mortar fire continued to fall on Ishimmi, however, and took its toll during the day. A message arrived during the morning that Company E would be relieved that evening. By noon the radio had become so weak that further communication with the company was impossible. The day wore slowly on. By 2100 there was still no sign of the relief. Shortly afterward, however, rifle fire intensified to the rear, a sign of activity there. At 2200 Company L, 3d Battalion, 306th Infantry, arrived. The relief was carried out in pitch darkness; each member of Company E left as soon as a replacement reached his position. As the haggard survivors were about to descend the ridge at 0300, a bursting shell hit two of the newcomers; one of them had to be evacuated on a poncho. Carrying its own wounded, Company E followed a white tape to the rear and arrived safely. Of the 204 officers and men of the reinforced company that had made the night attack on Ishimmi, 156 had been killed or wounded. There were 28 privates, 1 noncommissioned officer, and 2 officers left of the original 129 members of Company E. The platoon sent in relief by Company C had gone out with 58 effectives and returned with 13. Of the 17 men in the heavy weapons section only 4 came back. Company E had spearheaded a several-hundred-yard advance toward Shuri, however, and with the help of supporting weapons had killed hundreds of Japanese around Ishimmi. The 7th Marines launched one last unsuccessful assault on Wana Ridge before being relieved by Colonel Mason's rested 1st Marines. Meanwhile, after repelling a strong night counterattack, the exhausted 29th Marines were also relieved by Colonel Shapley's reserve 4th Marines, which made additional advances alongside the 22nd Marines, now under Colonel Harold Roberts. Four new regiments had been committed over the past few days to revitalize the offensive. On May 20, Shapley's assault battalions gained more ground on Horseshoe Hill but were still unable to reach the crest of Half Moon, though they successfully repelled another strong night counterattack. To the east, Mason's 2nd Battalion advanced rapidly to the base of 110 Meter Hill and captured part of Wana Ridge, while his 3rd Battalion secured a firm hold on the northern slope. Concurrently, the 5th Marines attacked southwest along the Naha-Shuri Road and successfully captured the high ground. Meanwhile, in coordination with the 1st Marines, Coolidge's 1st Battalion and Smith's 3rd Battalion made a slow, grinding advance of about 150 yards, positioning themselves within 200 yards of the outskirts of Shuri in the highway valley. At the same time, the 382nd Regiment expanded its hold on the reverse slope of Dick Hill but remained unable to penetrate Oboe Hill. The 307th Regiment consolidated and expanded its positions around Chocolate Drop, finally seizing Flattop. Reducing the tiny hill continued to be ticklish work because enemy positions to the south still overlooked the area. The fighting was still so confused that three wounded Americans lay south of Chocolate Drop for two days before relief arrived. By that time two had died and the third was so delirious that he thought he was still fighting Japanese and had to be forcibly subdued. By 20 May the caves were completely sealed off. The enemy made a final attempt to retake Chocolate Drop, attacking in company strength, but was repelled with the loss of half his force. On the same day the 3d Battalion, using tanks, flame throwers, and demolition teams, finally secured the crest of Flattop. The final American attack started with a saturation shower of grenades. A chain of men extending from the base of Flattop passed hand grenades to the troops lined up along the crest, who threw the missiles as fast as they could pull out the pins. Having seized the advantage, the infantry moved down the reverse slope blasting caves with satchel charges and flame throwers. Tanks along the road cut accounted for many of the Japanese. BY 1545 Flattop had fallen. More than 250 enemy bodies lay on the crest and reverse slope of the hill. Further east, Halloran's 3rd Battalion made a slow but steady advance down the eastern slopes of Hogback, reaching the foot of Sugar Hill despite constant grenade duels with an enemy fighting desperately to hold every inch of ground. Additionally, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 383rd Regiment fought their way to jump-off positions within 300 yards of Love Hill, destroying enemy strongpoints that had obstructed their advance for a week. Meanwhile, back at sea, Japanese aircraft managed to damage two destroyers and three transports. The following day, the 383rd again attacked Love Hill but was ultimately forced to withdraw from its base due to fierce defensive fire. Despite this setback, May's 2nd Battalion successfully supported the 381st Regiment in clearing Hogback and pushing to the top of Sugar Hill. To the west, the 382nd advanced quickly against moderate opposition toward Oboe Hill and Hen Hill, encountering retreating enemy units moving toward the high ground at Shuri. Concurrently, the 307th pushed 350 yards south of Flattop before being halted by enemy forces at the Three Sisters, while the 306th completed the relief of the 305th, with its 3rd Battalion advancing 200 yards unopposed to the eastern slopes of 110 Meter Hill. Meanwhile, the 1st Marines continued their assault along Wana Ridge, making only limited gains at the Draw, where the 5th Marines held out and aggressively patrolled forward. The 4th Marines began their push toward the Asato River, achieving a costly advance of about 200 yards on Horseshoe. By nightfall, heavy rains began to fall, significantly impeding efforts to resupply assault troops and replenish forward ammunition dumps. Amidst this torrential downpour on May 22, Shapley's 1st and 3rd Battalions slogged through the "gooey slick mud" to reach the bank of the rain-swollen river. This prompted the Japanese to evacuate Naha and establish new defensive positions on the Kokuba Hills. To the east, the continuous rain flooded Wana Draw with mud and water, transforming it into a makeshift lake. For the next few days, General Del Valle's Marines were forced to attack without support, leading to aggressive patrolling rather than organized assaults. The prospects of success for the infantry alone, slogging through the mud without the support of other arms, were not encouraging. Tanks bogged down, helplessly mired. Amphibian tractors were unable to negotiate the morass, and front-line units, which had depended on these vehicles for carrying supplies forward in bad weather, now had to resort to hand carrying of supplies and of the wounded. These were back breaking tasks and were performed over areas swept by enemy fire. Mortar and artillery smoke was used as far as possible to give concealment for all movement. Litter cases were carried back through knee-deep mud. Living conditions of front-line troops were indescribably bad. Foxholes dug into the clay slopes caved in from the constant soaking, and, even when the sides held, the holes had to be bailed out repeatedly. Clothes and equipment and the men's bodies were wet for days. The bodies of Japanese killed at night lay outside the foxholes, decomposing under swarms of flies. Sanitation measures broke down. The troops were often hungry. Sleep was almost impossible. The strain began to take a mounting toll of men. Under these conditions the Marine attack against Wana Ridge was soon at a standstill. The action degenerated into what was called in official reports "aggressive patrolling." Despite inactivity, enemy mortar and artillery fire continued to play against the American front lines, especially at dusk and at night. In the center, Bruce's 77th Division faced similar challenges, with the 306th Regiment stalled and the 307th Regiment again unsuccessfully attacking the Three Sisters. There, Company A became isolated at the base of the forward slope of Jane Hill, nearly cut off by intense enemy mortar and machine-gun fire. For the following week, the 382nd Regiment struggled to make headway on Hen and Oboe Hills, where fierce hand-to-hand combat erupted. Similarly, all attempts by the 383rd Regiment to breach the defenses of Love Hill on the western side of Conical failed, as the 381st was also unable to make any progress against Cutaway. General Hodge had also moved General Arnold's rehabilitated 7th Division to assembly areas just north of Conical Hill to spearhead the advance toward Yonabaru and the high ground south of the village. Strengthened by 1,691 replacements and 546 men returned to duty from hospitals since it left the lines on 9 May, the 7th Division moved up to forward assembly areas just north of Conical Hill and prepared to make the dash through the corridor. At 1900 on 21 May the 184th Infantry, chosen by General Arnold to lead the way, was in place at Gaja Ridge, at the northern base of Conical. The initial move of the envelopment was to be made in the dead of the night and in stealth. General Buckner felt that "if the 7th can swing round, running the gauntlet, it may be the kill." As part of this operation, the 2nd Battalion of the 184th Regiment moved out from Gaja Ridge during the night, swiftly and silently passing through Yonabaru in the early morning hours to capture Spruce Hill and Chestnut Hill in a surprise attack. Colonel Green's 3rd Battalion then followed the 2nd Battalion through Yonabaru, but their assault on Juniper and Bamboo Hills was unsuccessful as the surprised defenders regrouped. The following day, Green's two battalions continued to push toward these initial objectives, ultimately securing a solid line that stretched from the coastline across the southern slopes of Chestnut, and then over to Juniper and Bamboo by day's end. This success allowed Colonel Finn's 32nd Regiment to pass through Yonabaru and advance westward along the Naha-Yonabaru valley to assault the enemy's western hill defenses focused around Oak Hill.On the west coast, after a successful night reconnaissance of the Asato River, the 4th Marines rapidly crossed the river under cover of smoke, beginning their advance toward a low ridge 500 yards south of the Asato. However, as previously noted, the torrential rain had turned every draw and gully into a sticky morass of knee- and thigh-deep mud in the center. The steep slopes of the hills and ridges, treacherous under the best of conditions, became virtually unassailable. Consequently, full-scale coordinated attacks had to be canceled, and only localized gains could be achieved. Despite the breakthrough in the center, the Japanese command remained concerned about the threat posed to the flanks of the Shuri bastion by American advances along both coasts. While they believed the Naha breakthrough could be contained, every available soldier was deployed to establish a defensive line stretching from the southwest slopes of Conical Hill through Yonawa to the road junction village of Chan, aiming to eliminate Arnold's spearhead that had penetrated into the Naha-Yonabaru valley. General Ushijima feared that his forces were being gradually encircled in the Shuri fortress, where they would become “easy prey” to overwhelming American firepower. In light of this situation, Ushijima began planning a withdrawal to the Chinen Peninsula or the southernmost part of the island, the Kiyamu Peninsula. This decision was met with resistance from General Fujioka, who expressed concern that thousands of severely wounded men would have to be abandoned during the retreat.  Although the holding of the heights surrounding the city had been the keystone of the Japanese preferred plan, several factors now militated against its retention. There were an estimated 50000 surviving officers and men to be crammed into a final defense zone less than a mile in diameter. Once these troops were surrounded, the Japanese believed that they would be rendered ineffectual and become "easy prey" to overwhelming American fire superiority. In addition, Japanese long-range artillery pieces, many of which were still intact, could not be effectively utilized within the limited space that would be available. The best chance of prolonging the battle for Okinawa seemed to rest in defending the Kiyamu Peninsula region which was dominated by the Yaeju Dake-Yuza Dake Escarpment. Natural and artificial caves, sufficient to accommodate the whole of the surviving army, abounded in the area. The 24th Division, which had organized the terrain, had left a considerable amount of ammunition and weapons there when it moved north to the Shuri lines. The principal roads in southern Okinawa led directly to the proposed position, thus facilitating the movement of large bodies of men in the shortest possible time. These roads also gave American tanks an excellent route of advance, but only to the outposts of the defensive zone where cliffs, hills, and precipitous ridges barred the way. To add weight to his argument, General Amamiya indicated that his 24th Transport Regiment had preserved enough trucks to move the Shuri munitions reserve to the new position within five nights if weather conditions permitted. General Ushijima, after considering the respective positions of his staff and commanders, decided to order the move to Kiyamu.  Although General Suzuki preferred the Chinen Peninsula, which his brigade had fortified, most officials supported a move to the Kiyamu Peninsula, where Amamiya's 24th Division had previously established defenses in the natural and artificial caves of the Yaeju Dake-Yuza Dake Escarpment. Thus, transportation of wounded personnel and munitions reserves to the south commenced at midnight on May 23, with the bulk of the 32nd Army scheduled to begin their withdrawal six days later.  On the night of 25 May, the remnants of the 62d Division were to pull out of the Shuri line and move through Tsukasan to counterattack the Americans. The relatively strong 22d Independent Infantry Battalion, which had been in reserve throughout most of the fighting in April and May, was directed to hold the Shuri front in place of the division. The orders to General Fujioka were "to annihilate the enemy rushing from the Yonabaru area." Failing this, the division was at least to stop the American advance long enough to allow the main body of the Thirty-second Army to retire. In order to gain time to organize the new positions, the holding force left on the Shuri front was to fight on until 31 May. Withdrawing units were to leave behind strong rearguards which would defend a line along the Kokuba Gawa to the hills north of Tsukasan and Chan and then south through Karadera to the east coast until the night of 2 June. Then a second line centered on Tomusu, approximately 2,000 yards farther south, would be held until the night of 4 June. By that time the Thirty-second Army would be firmly set up within its Itoman-Yunagusuku-Gushichan outpost zone. Admiral Ota's naval force was directed to hold the west flank of the withdrawal corridor and begin its own retreat when ordered by 32nd Army. During the night, Admiral Ugaki initiated his seventh mass Kikisui attack, launching 165 kamikaze aircraft that inflicted only light damage on landing craft. On May 24, while engineers constructed a bridge over the Asato River to facilitate vehicle movement, the 4th Marines suffered heavy casualties as they attempted to advance through the muddy, flooded valley and low clay hills. Simultaneously, Shepherd's Reconnaissance Company crossed the lower Asato and roamed the streets of northwestern Naha without encountering any resistance. To the east, Dill's 1st Battalion faced a brutal counterattack that inflicted significant casualties and nearly drove the Americans from Oboe Hill. Following Ushijima's directives, the 32nd and 184th Regiments began to encounter increasing resistance as they sought to expand their control over the valley and the high ground to the south. This culminated in a series of aggressive nighttime counterattacks that ultimately slowed and halted the western advance of the 7th Division. During the night, Japanese forces conducted heavy raids on American airfields at Kadena, Yontan, and Iejima. However, these attacks were merely a diversion for Operation Gi-Gou, a suicide raid against Kadena and Yontan. In this operation, twelve Ki-21 heavy bombers, carrying Giretsu Kuteitai special airborne assault troops, aimed to crash land on the airfields to deploy commandos tasked with destroying aircraft stationed there.  After the start of B-29 attacks on Tokyo from bases in the Mariana Islands, the 1st Raiding Brigade of the Teishin Shudan was ordered to form a commando unit for a "special operations" mission to attack and destroy the bombers on the Aslito Airfield on Saipan. Captain Okuyama Michiro, commander of the brigade's engineering company and trained in sabotage and demolition was selected as mission leader. He selected an additional 126 men from his own team, the 4th Company of the 1st Raiding Regiment, to form the first Giretsu Airborne Unit. It was initially organized with a command section and five platoons and one independent squad, based at the Imperial Japanese Army's air academy at Saitama. The group unit also included eight intelligence officers and two radio men from the Nakano School. Giretsu operations were to be undertaken at night, beginning with air strikes by bombers. After this, commando units would be inserted onto the target airfield by crash landing their transports. The fact that there was no provision for extraction of the strike force, along with the rejection of surrender in Japanese military doctrine at the time, meant that the Giretsu ground operations were effectively suicide attacks. Though the Saipan attack was eventually cancelled, the 6th Air Army ultimately requested the deployment of the Giretsu Special Forces to neutralize the Okinawa airfields. The 6th Air Army accordingly began preparations for the attack in early May. Led by Captain Okuyama, the raid force moved from Nishitsukuba to Kumamoto as it continued to prepare for the assault, codenamed Operation Gi-Gou. Aircraft for the raid came from the 3rd Independent Air Unit based in the vicinity of Hamamatsu. The raid force consisted of 120 commandos broken up into a headquarters section and five flights, each containing twenty men. They were to be transported by twelve Mitsubishi Ki-21s stripped of their guns and with additional forward and rear exits added to assist raiders with exiting. The timing of the raid was also meant to coincide with the withdrawal of the 32nd Army from the Shuri Line in southern Okinawa. Of the twelve bombers dispatched, four encountered engine trouble and returned to base, while three were intercepted by American night fighters en route to Okinawa. The remaining five Ki-21 bombers approached Yontan Airfield at low altitude and engaged Marine anti-aircraft gunners from the 1st Provisional Anti-aircraft Artillery Group. As a result, four of the bombers were shot down or crash-landed; however, a small number of Giretsu commandos survived this wave and commenced their mission to attack aircraft on the airfield. The fifth bomber, however, successfully evaded anti-aircraft fire and belly-landed approximately 100 meters from the control tower. About 10 commandos disembarked and attacked aircraft and air personnel with grenades. In the ensuing chaos, the Japanese commandos killed two Americans, wounded 18, destroyed nine aircraft, damaged 29 more, and set a fuel dump ablaze, destroying 70,000 gallons of aviation gasoline. After twelve hours of mayhem, however, American troops hunted down the commandos and exterminated them to a man. Despite this partial success, the Japanese operation occurred against a backdrop of heavy losses, with American fighters and anti-aircraft fire claiming a total of 150 Japanese planes on May 24. During the course of three days, Ugaki committed a total of 387 Navy planes and 174 Army planes to his kamikaze attacks, which continued through May 25. These attacks successfully sank the destroyer Bates, one transport, and one landing craft, while further damaging two destroyers, one destroyer minesweeper, one minesweeper, one transport, and one Liberty ship. On the same day, Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 57 launched its final strikes in the Okinawa area before retiring late on May 25, having completed the Royal Navy's Iceberg mission. On land, while Shepherd's Reconnaissance Company occupied the deserted ruins of Naha, the 4th Marines fought to seize Machisi Ridge and continued pushing into the eastern outskirts of Naha. However, across the remainder of the 10th Army front, assault units struggled to make progress due to the havoc wreaked by the rain and the stiffened Japanese resistance. That night, in accordance with the withdrawal plan, the 62nd Division began moving its remaining 3,000 men to counter the advance of the 7th Division, hoping to delay the American advance long enough for the main body of the 32nd Army to retreat. The arrival of additional forces on the Ozato-Mura front had little significant impact, primarily serving to strengthen the covering and holding force. On May 26, the 184th Regiment successfully cleared the Hemlock-Locust Hill Escarpment. Meanwhile, the 32nd Regiment was brought nearly to a standstill in front of the Japanese defensive line across the Yonabaru valley. Looking west, Del Valle's Marines observed large numbers of enemy troops withdrawing from Shuri and were able to pinpoint their location for naval guns, artillery, and aircraft to bombard. However, despite penetrating the Shuri defensive line on both flanks, the day yielded minimal progress. At sea, further kamikaze attacks caused damage to one destroyer, one destroyer minesweeper, and a subchaser. In total, Ugaki's raids over the past three days resulted in the deaths of 103 sailors.  Believing the fast carriers' continued value off Okinawa had become dubious, back on May 18 Mitscher had requested that TF 58 be relieved from its Okinawa station. Spruance regretfully declined. A week later an increasingly weary Mitscher reported: “For two and a half months [Task Force 58] operated daily in a 60nm square area East of Okinawa, less than 350nm from Kyushu. This was necessitated by the restricted area available and the necessity for being able to cover [the] Amami Gunto airfields, intercept air raids before they could reach Okinawa, and still furnish air support to ground forces. There was no other location from which all these things could be done.” Reflecting on the months of unrelenting stress, tedium, and fatigue, TG 58.1's screen commander, Captain Tom Hederman, signaled Rear Admiral J.J. Jocko Clark: “See Hebrews 13, verse 8.” Consulting his Bible aboard Hornet, Clark read: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Amused, Clark forwarded the verse to his entire Task Group, adding, “No disrespect intended.” Clark then signaled Mitscher, “What the hell are we doing out here, anyway?” Mitscher's response: “We are a highspeed stationary target for the Japanese air force.” Indeed, TF 58 had already suffered over 2,000 Iceberg fatalities. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. The brutal Battle of Okinawa was reaching a critical point as General Buckner's forces pressed against fierce Japanese defenses. Struggles unfolded over Sugar Loaf Hill and Wana Ridge, with Marines suffering heavy casualties but slowly gaining ground. By late May, the dire situation prompted Japanese commanders to plan a retreat to more defensible positions as American forces closed in. Despite challenging conditions, the Allies pushed forward, marking a decisive breakthrough in the Pacific War.

Scottie Scheffler has notched his first PGA Championship and Brian Koziel, host of Tee2Green, joins Danger and Battaglia in The Sports Bar to recap the weekend at Quail Hollow and share what he learned about the growing chances of Oak Hill hosting the tournament again in 2033. Love the show? Share it! Listen, subscribe, and tell a friend!

The PGA Championship kicks off this week from North Carolina. Brian Koziel, host of Tee2Green, joins Danger and Battaglia in The Sports Bar to discuss this year's field, why the conditions favor Rory McIlroy, and when we can expect an announcement for 2033's tournament potentially returning to Rochester. Love the show? Share it! Listen, subscribe, and tell a friend!

This podcast is about big ideas on how technology is making life better for people with vision loss. Not long ago virtual assistants and VR gaming were the makings of science fiction. But today, as we see developers across the board incorporating these technologies into apps and other tech, including for people who are blind or have low vision, these breakthroughs aren't just possible, they're part of the fabric of everyday life. In this episode Dr. Cal talks with Steve Ewell, Executive Director of the Consumer Technology Association Foundation (CTAF). Together they discuss how rapid advances in tech have made previously unimaginable products like self-driving cars, smart homes and virtual reality gaming an attainable, everyday reality for millions of people, including for those who are aging or have low vision. They talk about CES, the CTAF's annual trade show and the increasing number of consumer companies presenting accessible tech.  They also discuss Steve's work with AARP, and how technology designed for older users is also accelerating… and how those users are keeping up with the pace of new tech. The episode also features an interview with Walt Hickey, the executive editor at Sherwood News and the author of “You Are What You Watch - How Movies and TV Affect Everything.” Walt discusses how scientists and engineers consume the same media as everyone else, and how the ideas from science and science fiction have fed back on one another for millennia to build our modern world. With technology for the blind and low vision community increasingly easy to build and access, companies like Amazon and  XBox are making accessibility more of a priority with every new development. In other words, when it comes to accessible technology, the future may have finally arrived.   The Big Takeaways The Simplest Tech Can Make a Big Difference: Steve discusses the rise of smart homes, and how something simple like a voice-activated assistant can transform the living space of someone who's blind or low vision. He talks about the natural evolution from there to doorbell cams, and the possibilities that has opened for people with low vision to maintain their privacy and security while at home. Are Self-Driving Cars Finally Here?: It can seem like self-driving cars have been on the horizon for decades. But with Waymo and other major technology companies recently unveiling breakthroughs, people who are blind or have low vision might finally be able to hop in a car by themselves and go wherever they want. Steve discusses what these breakthroughs mean, not just for activities like visiting the doctor, but for improved opportunities for social interaction. All Fun and Games: Steve talks about his work with AbleGamers and Oak Hill, two organizations dedicated to providing an accessible video game experience for people who are blind or have low vision. Gaming can combat social isolation, he says, but it can do more than that. When paired with wearables, Steve credits accessible gaming (and a healthy dose of competitiveness) with motivating people who are aging or have disabilities  to stay active. Old School: It might be surprising to see the words “technology” and “AARP” in the same sentence. But tooday, they are indeed connected.  Steve discusses the CTAF's partnership with AARP, and how recent developments along with a savvier population of seniors has led to increased rates of development and adoption for accessible tech.   Tweetables “One of the important things that I've seen that's changed over the last dozen years is the awareness on the company side of the needs of older adults and people with disabilities. That was one of the big challenges, companies recognizing this as a market to engage… and what we've seen is more and more companies are actively engaging this space.” — Steve Ewell, CTAF Executive Director “Technology and movies and pop culture are ways that we express our wants and goals” — Walt Hickey, Author, “You Are What You Watch” “I went to one senior center and a gentleman had come up to me and he said ‘I know you're going to assume I don't use technology, but I want to let you know I'm over a hundred years old and I built all the technology that your technology today is based on.'” — Steve Ewell, CTAF Executive Director   Contact Us: Contact us at podcasts@lighthouseguild.org with your innovative new technology ideas for people with vision loss.   Pertinent Links Lighthouse Guild CTA Foundation

We're joined by Matt Bennett from Oak Hill FFA as he shares highlights from past competitions, upcoming contests and events, and the incredible experiences within their chapter!

In the 8 AM Hour: Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: WMAL GUEST: 8:05 AM - INTERVIEW - GEARY HIGGINS - Delegate, Virginia House of Delegates – Recapped this legislative session, his legislative priorities and what’s next SOCIAL MEDIA: https://x.com/GearyHigginsABOUT THIS SESSION OF THE VA GENERAL ASSEMBLY On the evening of Feb. 22, the Virginia General Assembly adjourned after a short, 45-day session. The session got off to a rocky start after a winter storm and power outage disrupted the water supply system in Richmond and the surrounding area, delaying the start to the session. In the beginning of the session there were nearly 2,000 bills introduced. Of those, roughly 900 are headed to the desk of Gov. Glenn Youngkin. He now has until March 24 to sign, amend or veto each of these bills. After he has done that, the general assembly will return to Richmond on April 2 to vote on the governor’s actions. The bills that the governor and both chambers agree to then become law on July 1. GEARY’S BILLS: More than 150 bills sponsored by Republicans were never given a hearing at all, including 5 of Geary’s bills – Banning Sanctuary Cities, Parent’s Bill Rights, School Safety, etc. Dems did however hear and pass a bunch of absurd bills that the Governor already vetoed last year. JAMES MONROE’S HOME: Geary is working very hard on getting James Monroe’s home, “Oak Hill”, which is in his district in Loudoun, to be a State Park. This would be huge for the Commonwealth and Nova specifically. Might be a good question to ask “Did the Democrats fail on getting this in the budget?” CBS: A plan to make James Monroe's Virginia estate a state park was rejected. Now, it's in limbo.Rosie O’Donnell says leaving US was part of therapy plan for a second Trump term WMAL GUEST: 8:35 AM - INTERVIEW - CHRISTIAN TOTO - Film critic and host of the Hollywood in Toto podcast - Discuss Snow White’s soft launch weekendSOCIAL MEDIA: https://x.com/HollywoodInTotoTOTO: ‘Snow White’s’ Box Office Collapse Suggests Ominous Trend AXIOS DC: A few days left until peak bloom Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Monday, March 24, 2025 / 8 AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WMAL GUEST: 8:05 AM - INTERVIEW - GEARY HIGGINS - Delegate, Virginia House of Delegates – Recapped this legislative session, his legislative priorities and what’s next SOCIAL MEDIA: https://x.com/GearyHiggins ABOUT THIS SESSION OF THE VA GENERAL ASSEMBLY On the evening of Feb. 22, the Virginia General Assembly adjourned after a short, 45-day session. The session got off to a rocky start after a winter storm and power outage disrupted the water supply system in Richmond and the surrounding area, delaying the start to the session. In the beginning of the session there were nearly 2,000 bills introduced. Of those, roughly 900 are headed to the desk of Gov. Glenn Youngkin. He now has until March 24 to sign, amend or veto each of these bills. After he has done that, the general assembly will return to Richmond on April 2 to vote on the governor’s actions. The bills that the governor and both chambers agree to then become law on July 1. GEARY’S BILLS: More than 150 bills sponsored by Republicans were never given a hearing at all, including 5 of Geary’s bills – Banning Sanctuary Cities, Parent’s Bill Rights, School Safety, etc. Dems did however hear and pass a bunch of absurd bills that the Governor already vetoed last year. JAMES MONROE’S HOME: Geary is working very hard on getting James Monroe’s home, “Oak Hill”, which is in his district in Loudoun, to be a State Park. This would be huge for the Commonwealth and Nova specifically. Might be a good question to ask “Did the Democrats fail on getting this in the budget?” CBS: A plan to make James Monroe's Virginia estate a state park was rejected. Now, it's in limbo. Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Monday, March 24, 2025 / 8 AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To the surprise of no one, what was supposed to be a quick, 40-minute Wednesday episode ended up pushing an hour. Andy and Brendan are fired up after a week at The Players and are ready to watch a strong field at the Valspar Championship to round out the Florida Swing. This episode starts with some TGL notes after barely watching the semi-finals, leading to agreement that the indoor league needs to wrap before The Players takes place in 2026. Speaking of The Players, Andy recalls J.J. Spaun's "Blockie" moment on the 17th hole on Monday, asking Rory where his ball was. This leads to today's Masters Fact of the Day, which then ends up in a discussion about who would play Michael Block in the Disney movie about the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill. For the last bit of Players cleanup, Andy shares some AI findings that PGA Tour Championship Management could have used to set up TPC Sawgrass last week. On the outdoor golf front this weel, Brendan declares he's back "in" on the Florida Swing after some exciting events to this point and a Valspar field that includes 24 of the top 50 players in the world. The DP World Tour is in Singapore and Big Shot Bob MacIntyre is in the field, which has Andy and Brendan wondering what direction he flew to get there from Jacksonville. PJ goes down the tee sheet for the Hoag Classic's Pro-Am on Sunday, filled with NFL stars and athletes of all levels - an elite test of Remembering Some Guys. In news, the LIV Singapore ratings were quite poor, but Peacock and Golf Channel drew a big number for the Monday playoff finish at The Players. Finally, Andy unveils the latest data-driven TGL Power Rankings heading into next week's final series between NYGC and the Atlanta Drive.

This week on Next on the Tee, I'm thrilled to welcome three great friends to the show. I start things off in Part 1 with a player who I believe is one of the most underrated and underappreciated of the 21st century—Shaun Micheel. Most people remember Shaun for his incredible win at the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, but his career extends far beyond that. He finished runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 2006 PGA and even defeated Tiger in the first round of the Match Play Championship that same year. Beyond his playing career, Shaun offers incredible insight into the current state of both the professional and college golf scenes. We haven't seen much of him on the Champions Tour recently, and unfortunately, there's a heartbreaking reason why—you'll hear all about it. He also weighs in on the shrinking number of Tour exemptions and the ongoing struggles the PGA Tour faces in marketing its players, given how much they've relied on Tiger Woods for the past 28 years. Then, I'm joined by Top 100 Instructor Tom Stickney, who shares some fantastic playing lessons and short-game tips. In a fun twist, I recently discovered that not only did Shaun and I attend Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, but Tom is an alumnus as well! Tom has earned a Doctorate from The Golf Machine organization, a system that has had a major influence on the game. Shaun is a big believer in it, and Tom breaks down why more golfers should be paying attention to its principles. He also shares his expertise on how to fix a big slice or banana hook off the tee and offers short-game strategies from 100 yards in. It's a jam-packed episode with great stories, insights, and tips. Thank you so much for pressing play!

We spoke with Sue Oster and Jim Power From Oak Hill about their 40 years of work experience at Oak Hill.

Author : Alasdair Stuart Narrator : Sarah Griffin Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Escape Pod 978: Oak Hill Lane is an Escape Pod original. Includes minor violence, homophobia, and swears. Oak Hill Lane By Alasdair Stuart The day the world ended, Scotch picked a fight. Not that there was much choice. […] Source

In this episode of Papa Bear Hikes, host Martin talks with Susan, a 69-year-old retired hairdresser, about her love for life on the road with her husband, Jim. Susan, who has lived in Florida four different times, shares her journey from Tennessee to Tampa as a child, along with her time spent in Atlanta. Now based in Oak Hill, she and Jim have embraced their passion for travel with their Class B Roadtrek Zion camper van.Over the past summers, they've covered an incredible 11,000 miles in one trip and 4,500 miles in another, with countless shorter adventures in between. Susan reflects on the joys and challenges of van life, the most memorable places they've visited, and the lessons learned while exploring together. Whether you're an experienced traveler or dreaming of hitting the road, Susan's story is packed with inspiration and practical advice.Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about adventure, companionship, and the freedom of the open road!

Send us a textEver wondered how small hands can spark big changes? Join us on the Kindness Matters podcast as we share the heartwarming journey of Lisa Korbel, the visionary behind "There's No Place Like Home Daycare" in Owatonna, Minnesota. Lisa, along with her adorable "Kindness Crew" of two to five-year-olds, has been nurturing the power of giving for almost a decade. Discover how a simple project of making fleece tie blankets for a local shelter bloomed into a beautiful tradition of community service, and learn how these young children are instilled with the values of kindness and empathy, leaving a lasting impact on their community.We shine a light on how Lisa and her little helpers choose who to support, ensuring their acts of kindness reach far and wide. Through the stories of the "Kindness Crew," hear about the legacy of giving that continues even after their time with Lisa. We explore the essential services offered by Community Pathways and the commendable work of the Oak Hills Community Connections, which aims to provide shelter for entire families during tough times. The tales shared underscore the immense difference small communities can make when they come together in support of one another.Uncover the often overlooked issue of hidden homelessness and the inspiring ways the Owatonna community has rallied together. Despite the hurdles of not having a 501(c)(3) status, hear about the creativity and determination that have led to substantial fundraising efforts, including a concert that raised, after expenses, $16,000. We draw attention to the impactful work of local organizations like Oak Hill's Community Connections, Furnishing Hope, and the Crisis Resource Center. Each story is a testament to the power of compassion and the ripple effects created when neighbors unite in kindness.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network. If you have an idea for a podcast and need some production assistance or have a podcast and are looking for a supportive network to join, check out maydaymedianetwork.com. Like what you hear on the podcast? Follow our social media for more uplifting, inspirational and feel-good content.FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTok Support the showDid you find this episode uplifting, inspiring or motivating? Would you like to support more content like this? Check out our Support The Show Page here.

00:00-15:00: ESPN hockey analyst Ryan Callahan breaks down what's next for the Buffalo Sabres as the team has hit rock bottom yet again, 4 Nations coming up, the surprising Caps, the mighty West and more. Plus, his favorite Oak Hill golf hole.

Chuck and Roxy are back and having a rough beginning to the new year! Roxy is sick and they open with the biggest apology in LL Pod history! They also recap their Christmas celebrations, some R.I.P.s, and issue some thank you's! Next it's time to "Meet the Littles" as our hosts welcome out first meet the littles guest of the year Cody Thorn! (19:45) Twitter/Bluesky: @CodyThorn Then our hosts close out the episode with a movie review of "Holiday Touchdown - A Chiefs Love Story" and your emails/notes. (42:00) SONG: "Hannukahs of Long Ago" by Dan Bern www.danbern.com TWITTER: @ DanBernHQ BAND CAMP: https://danbern.bandcamp.com/album/hannukah-songs JINGLE 1: "8 Days of Mr. Tony" A parody of a song by ⁠Traditional⁠. Recorded by Qiyu Liu in Atlanta, GARecorded: 12/18/2014  Released: 12/18/2014  First aired: unaired JINGLE 2: "The Tony Kornheiser Hanukkah Song" A parody of a song by Traditional.Recorded by Brian from Oak Hill in Oak HillRecorded: 12/04/2015  Released: 12/04/2015  First aired: unaired Podcast Website - www.loyallittlespod.com   Podcast Email - WTFCPODNET@GMAIL.COM Twitter:@loyallittlespod Instagram: @theloyallittlespodcast PODCAST LOGO DESIGN by Eric Londergan www.redbubble.com Search: ericlondergan or copy and paste this link! https://www.redbubble.com/people/ericlondergan/shop --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/loyallittles/support

00:00-15:00: ESPN hockey analyst Ryan Callahan breaks down what's next for the Buffalo Sabres as the team has hit rock bottom yet again, 4 Nations coming up, the surprising Caps, the mighty West and more. Plus, his favorite Oak Hill golf hole.

Episode 190 is here... the boys discuss Oak Hill, Texas Tech, Christmas trees, recruiting class, Neal Brown Era is over, Frisco Bowl, Shane Lyons, Neal Brown eulogy, coaching search including a prediction from the Godfather, WVU basketball team, Wren Baker, biggest hire in school history, shaved eyebrows, favorite non-rooting interest sports to watch, and road trip stories.

Welcome to the Main Thing Podcast, where every episode brings you a concise, high-impact wisdom lesson from one of the wisest people I know. Studying their wisdom and learning together, we all get a little better at this thing called life.   Courage & Community-Building are Par for the Course with Alison Stepping onto a golf course is a serene escape for some, but for Allison Ibarra, it was the beginning of a journey that led her from competitive golf to transforming a near-derelict bowling alley into Pinhead's Family Fun Center—a community gem in Oak Hill, West Virginia. Join me as I chat with Allison, a driven entrepreneur and resilient military spouse, who shares how she turned personal challenges into opportunities for community growth and family happiness. Her story is a testament to the power of determination and adaptability. Through Allison's stories and wisdom lessons, we explore the essence of friendship, community service, and the unique resilience required in the face of life's challenges.   In today's conversation with this courageous, servant leader, you will discover Alison's Main Thing and also learn: How an incredibly productive entrepreneur manages it all; How a military spouse and her husband coped with long deployments and many months apart; and How the strongest leaders gain tremendous respect by being peace makers, rather than conflict initiators. More About Our Guest Alison is a native West Virginian, born and raised in Oak Hill. She's a former golfer, who played competitively and worked as a PGA teaching professional.   As a military spouse, married to a counter intelligence agent, Alison Ibarra has lived in many places across America. After many years away from the Mountain State, Alison and her family returned to her home region.   Today, she owns and operates a bowling alley, as Chief Pinhead at Pinheads Family Fun Center of the New River Gorge. Alison also serves as the Director of Economic Development for the City of Oak Hill. This respected community leader is also the mother of two teenage daughters.   Alison and I spoke at her home in Fayetteville, West Virginia.   Resources Pinheads Bowling Alley & Fun Center website Connect with Alison on LinkedIn Movie “Shallow Hal” on IMDB   Credits Editor + Technical Advisor Bob Hotchkiss Brand + Strategy Advisor Andy Malinoski PR + Partnerships Advisor Rachel Bell Marketing, Social Media and Graphic Design Chloe Lineberg   Stay Connected with Us on Social YouTube @themainthingpod Twitter @themainthingpod Instagram @themainthingpod Facebook  @TheMainThingPod LinkedIn   Help Support and Sustain This Podcast Become a subscriber. Share the podcast with one or two friends. Follow us on social media @TheMainThingPod Buy some Main Thing Merch from our Merchandise Store. Buy a book from our curated wisdom collection on bookshop.org. Become a patron and support us on Patreon with funding.   Episode Chapters   [0:03:25] - Golf and bowling; the vision and strategy behind Pinheads [0:06:00] - How Skip and Alison are connected - Holly Fussell [0:06:55] - Life as a military spouse; setting a precedent; flexible domestic roles [0:11:15] - Time management; avoiding feeling overwhelmed; out-sourcing [0:12:45] - Alison shares her Main Thing wisdom nugget; inspiration from “Shallow Hal” [0:15:11] - Wisdom for the golf course [0:17:16] - Priorities and choices [0:18:56] - Thoughts on peacemakers; how we react under stress [0:20:24] - Alison shares views on servant leadership and building community   Keywords Wisdom, Leadership, Military Spouse, Entrepreneurship, Service, Community, Golf, Bowling, Legacy, West Virginia, Adaptability, Resilience, Life Balance, Personal Growth, Timeless Activities, Inclusivity, Role Changes, Parenting, Family Unity, Prioritizing, Strengths, Weaknesses, Decision-making, Women

Kathleen StaffordBA, College of Arts and Sciences, 1973ArtistMore InformationKathleen Stafford - personal websiteDeja Vu - link to The Washington Post articleKathleen Stafford - Shop ArtADST - Fake Eyeglasses and an Elaborate RuseU.S. Department of State - Art in EmbassiesNational Museum of American Diplomacy - Rescue of American Diplomats from Iran: "Argo" and the Canadian SixThe Washington Post - Artist reflects on Tehran hostage crisisVoyage Austin - Life & Work with Kathleen Stafford of Oak Hill and Mid TownAustin American-Statesman - The ambassador and the artist: How real life Austin 'Argo' couple cultivated life abroad

Pauly talks about the recently publicized Oak Hill lawsuit filed by a former member, touches on the World Series and Cleveland Browns turmoil, and looks for some advice in regards to a few upcoming speaking engagementsMentioned in this episode:Sweet Pea Plant Based KitchenBased in Rochester, NY, Sweet Pea is a plant-powered kitchen creating transformative ways of wellness. Harnessing the power of food as medicine, we help you realize your happiest, healthiest self. Use promo code Lunchador15 for 15% off your order! https://sweetpeaplantbased.comJoe Bean Coffee - Coffee that lifts everyone.Use promo code Lunchador for 15% off your order! https://shop.joebeanroasters.comLevel Up Coffee PodcastLevel Up your coffee game. Wade Reed and Aaron Pascucci, two coffee professionals discuss coffee and the culture surrounding it. https://levelupcoffee.captivate.fm/Behind the GlassHosted by Richard B Colón and Quajay Donnell, Behind the Glass is a monthly talk with the current month's BTG Roster. Artists are interviewed about their submissions and we dive deep into their process, inspiration and thought process centralized around their artwork in the Behind the Glass Gallery located in the heart of Downtown Rochester NY. https://behind-the-glass-gallery.captivate.fm/

Episode 184 is here...  the boys discuss the Dodgers, Oak Hill vs Independence and the announcing, the Pumpkin Festival, more Optimum drama, Oklahoma State review, Coal Rush Mountaineer outfit, Iowa State preview, must win?, Bama, jump balls to Preston Fox, most complete game under Brown, biggest game since...?, tough beats in Fantasy Football, and sticking out or rolling out of awful events.

This week we got another straight-outta-high school high flier as Josh Smith joins Q and D on Knuckleheads! J-Smoove talks about his journey growing up in Atlanta, going to Oak Hill and dominating there, and what it was like to go straight to the league. He talks about playing for his hometown Hawks, his crazy shot-blocking ability, and why those Hawks teams with Joe Johnson and Al Horford were so successful. He also discusses going to Detroit and being on a really good Rockets team with James Harden and Dwight Howard. J-Smoove could throw it down! Tune in! Going to Oak Hill, playing with Rajon Rondo in prep school (8:33) Deciding to skip college and go straight to the NBA (18ish) Winning the Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie (32:17) Hawks becoming a perennial force in the Eastern Conference (36:38) Al Horford's impact on the Hawks, winning the Championship this year (38:03) The Hawks almost beating the Celtics Big 3 in the playoffs (41:45)Going to the Rockets, playing with James Harden during his prime (51:25) About Our Hosts:NBA veterans Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles are lifelong friends and bona fide truth-tellers. Listen as they invite special guests, high-profile athletes, musicians and entertainers to get brutally honest about everything from current events to untold stories from the golden era of sports and culture. Named for the on-court celebration they made wildly popular, this unfiltered, hilarious and surprising podcast is like playing NBA 2K with no fouls.Other places to find Knuckleheads: Subscribe on YoutubeFollow on InstagramFollow on Facebook

Julie Deem invites Christy Miller to the show. Christy shares how she was able to start a business doing what she loves. This episode was recorded live at Global Leadership Summit. Visit Oak Hill Millworks to view their store or place custom orders: https://oakhillmillworks.com/ Thank you, Crossroads Community Church! https://ecrossroads.org/ Learn more about the latest tool for dynamic professionals in the self-improvement industry, LyfQuest. A mobile CRM platform that's uniquely made for you! Learn more at: https://lyfquest.io/ Instagram: USW Podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@uswkokomo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Kalena James ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@yesitskalenajames⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Julie Deem ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@indymompreneur⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -------------------------------------------------- USW Kokomo ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Production by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Business Podcast Editor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The team welcomes Lindsey Dewitt, VP branch manager at Ruoff Mortgage. Born and raised in Grant County, Lindsey graduated from Oak Hill and, after a brief stint in El Paso, quickly realized there's no place like home. In this episode, Lindsey shares her deep love for her community, her dreams of making it an even better place to live, and how she unwinds with her husband, daughter, and pups!

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. The WV Hive receives a federal grant to fund a Food Incubation Hub in Fayette County…Experience a month of changing autumn colors in Almost Heaven…and a Preston County bison farm teams up with the WV SBDC to boost its business…on today's daily304. #1 – From THE REAL WV – Leaders of the New River Gorge Regional Development Authority and West Virginia Hive recently joined with the Appalachian Regional Commission and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to showcase the many benefits of small business development throughout southern West Virginia. The day started with the announcement of a $750,000 federal grant to the WV Hive that will locate a new Food Incubation Hub in Fayette County. The hub will include a commercial kitchen with space for 10 to 12 businesses, small wares, and catering supplies. The hub will also include full WV Hive business support services, with one-on-one business advising and technical assistance support. Community leaders also took part in a small business roundtable discussion and toured Water Stone Outdoors in Fayetteville and Pinheads in Oak Hill. Read more: https://therealwv.com/2024/09/01/arc-and-usda-leaders-help-nrgrda-and-wv-hive-celebrate-small-business-progress/   #2 – From WV TOURISM – One of the more unique features of West Virginia is its wide range of elevation. This provides visitors the opportunity to enjoy fall leaf peeping for nearly an entire month throughout the Mountain State. The leaves begin to peak in late September in the eastern mountains of the Potomac Highlands. Mid-October is the New River Gorge's time to shine. Fall color wraps up in late October in the Eastern Panhandle. During this time, you can enjoy a variety of exciting fall festivals and outdoor recreation. Start planning your Almost Heaven fall getaway today! Read more: https://wvtourism.com/fall-leaf-peeping/   #3 – From WV SBDC –  Tucked in the hills of Preston County, Riffle Farms raises grass-fed and finished bison. Owner Liz Riffle has carved out a unique niche in the agricultural scene. Her journey into bison farming began with a personal quest for healthier, more sustainable food options. This dedication to quality and health resonates throughout Riffle Farms' operations, making them pioneers as the first commercial bison operation in West Virginia.  Liz acknowledges the support they received from the West Virginia Small Business Development Center is a crucial resource for entrepreneurs.  “The SBDC is one of those folks who really wanted to help us out from that perspective,” she shares. “It made a big difference for us because we could then be taken seriously from a lending perspective, which allowed us to expand our business.” Read more: https://wvsbdc.com/riffle-farms-a-bison-farm-in-the-mountain-state/   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.  

Mindset Guru and NBA/WNBA Basketball Trainer Jordan Delks interviews one of his clients, Owen Middlesworth! Owen has been JD's neighbor and has trained with JD since 2017! Checkout this episode as they talk all things hoops, mindset and faith!

This morning, Oak Hill Coach Jason Fitzhugh joins the show with some of the football players! Eric Landrum of 740 Sports hosts this episode for a morning of Oak Hill Oaks Football talk here on Main Street TV!

Today's episode of the Raw Room features former Denver Nuggets and NBA veteran point guard Ty Lawson as he joins the squad in the studio to talk his path to the NBA from PG County with stops at Oak Hill and UNC on his way to the NBA, as he shares notable moments throughout his career and funny stories of playing with and against legends, recruiting stories and how he ended up as a Tar Heel, The UNC/Duke rivalry, Ty talks about how his football career ended before it got started, his welcome to the NBA moment, his journey overseas and getting banned from the Chinese Basketball Association, the guys discuss the USA Basketball teams winning gold in the Paris Olympics, recap the epic track and field events, the squad discusses some of the early storylines of the NFL preseason including guardian caps and punters talking trash, the Big Back Hour returns for another rendition, the Raw Room Academy Highlight Tape Competition continues on, and much more!Use code RAWROOM for 15% off your order at perfectplantmarket.comVisit www.rawroompod.com/shop for official Raw Room merch and more! Follow @Raw__Room on Twitter/IG to be eligible to win NFL game tickets, merch, and more exclusives!Follow Daren Bates:Instagram: @weslynn_son56Twitter: @DB_5TreyFollow Jalen Collins:Instagram: @jaycar_32Twitter: @JayCar_11Follow Alex Sweet:Instagram: @mr.asweetTwitter: @ShokhtheWorldFollow King Dunlap:Instagram: @dynastyolineTwitter: @dynasty_olineSubscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raw-room/id1527075053Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5to2Z3lYDdGd1DqZfzVfy7?si=0Nklz_pBTAa7hHJjzSWQLwProduced & Edited by: Feyzan ShareefIG/Twitter: @feyzanbeatsfeyzanbeats@gmail.comSocial Media Manager/Cover Art:Matt Keaton:IG/Twitter: @FastNastyPhotography, Production Assistant, and Fulfillment Operations Intern:Jon Maine:Twitter: @mainegretzkyIG: @jaystate

We begin our four-part series with major championship winner Jeff Sluman who recounts his early life growing up in a working-class family in Greece, New York. Smitten by the game at an early age and with the encouragement of his father and two older brothers, Jeff showed early promise, first as a left-hander and later as a convert to the right side. Listen in as he recalls attending a practice round for the 1968 U.S. Open at Oak Hill with his Dad and marveling at the beauty of the course and the ability of the professional players. Jeff remembers his first golf clubs and the junior competitions he participated in before college including his encounter with Bob Tway at the 1975 U.S. Junior Amateur. Jeff Sluman shares his early years, "FORE the Good of the Game."Give Bruce & Mike some feedback via Text.Support the Show.Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on: Our Website https://www.forethegoodofthegame.com/reviews/new/ Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fore-the-good-of-the-game/id1562581853 Spotify Podcasts https://open.spotify.com/show/0XSuVGjwQg6bm78COkIhZO?si=b4c9d47ea8b24b2d Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5idXp6c3Byb3V0LmNvbS8xNzM3Mjc1LnJzcw About "FORE the Good of the Game” is a golf podcast featuring interviews with World Golf Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around the game of golf. Highlighting the positive aspects of the game, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by PGA Tour star Bruce Devlin, our podcast focuses on telling their life stories, in their voices. Join Bruce and Mike Gonzalez “FORE the Good of the Game.” Thanks so much for listening!

In December 1952, country music legend Hank Williams released his last song, “I'll Never Make it Out of this World Alive.” A few weeks later, on New Year's Day, he was found dead in the backseat of his car in Oak Hill, West Virginia, with an unfinished song in his hand.

Meet Erik OwenErik brings over 30 years of diverse business experience across manufacturing, distribution, services, and banking. He spent 20 years in corporate America, including roles at Fortune 500 companies, focusing on finance, operations, and executive management, with expertise in IT, strategic sourcing, logistics, and Lean/Six Sigma. In 2009, Erik founded Oak Hill Business Partners, a boutique consulting firm in Brookfield, Wis., dedicated to growing the intrinsic value of lower-middle market companies through excellence in finance, sales, marketing, and operations. Oak Hill has been recognized multiple times by the Milwaukee Business Journal and has successfully guided companies through growth, M&A transactions, and exit planning. Erik holds CPA and CEPA designations and is actively involved in the Exit Planning Institute and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.Highlights00:00 Welcome to the Social Capital Podcast01:09 Introducing Today's Guest: Erik Owen01:41 Top Problems Businesses Face05:18 Valuation of a Business10:55 Alternative Exit Strategies18:40 Preparing for an Exit Plan24:23 Fun and Reflective Questions31:48 Final Words and Contact InformationConnect with Erikoakhillbp.comLinkedIn

After being closed for roughly a year to do a renovation of the course, Interlachen Country Club is open again and better than ever. Interlachen CC had us out for media day and we were lucky enough to both play the course and do some interviews. Interlachen is the most historic course in Minnesota and has countless memorable moments since opening in 1909, most notably Bobby Jones victory in 1930 as part of the "grand slam." We have a variety of interviews from Interlachen on this episode starting with architect Andrew Green. Andrew has become sort of a "Donald Ross whisperer," as he has renovated classic Ross clubs like East Lake, Oak Hill and now Interlachen. He sat down with us and gave us some insight into how renovating classic golf courses works. Next up we had Brian Boll, Director of Golf Course and Grounds on to talk agronomy at Interlachen. You won't believe the amount of drain tile and things like drip irrigation by bunker faces and all kinds of other things that Brian goes into that it takes to keep a top notch golf course looking and playing great. Lastly, Head Golf Professional T.J. Boulanger sat down with us to talk about what he does on a day-to-day basis at Interlachen and what he did to keep busy over the last year when the course was closed. Subscribe to the Break80 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and YouTube for weekly golf content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of urban explorers get more than they bargained for… Written by Quincy Lee Starring Addison Peacock as Frankie Romy Evans as Sequoia Katie Harvey as JT Dee Quintero as Jade Trevor Shand as Matt https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/16l5rtf/if_you_pass_by_oak_hill_apartments_and_hear_my/ Featuring Stephen Knowles as The Antique Dealer Theme music by The Newton Brothers Additional music by CO.AG (coagmusic@yahoo.com) Vivek Abhishek SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/3qumnPH Follow on Facebook : https://bit.ly/33RWRtP Follow on Instagram : https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Segment 3, June 13, 2024 This is the time of year to get out and be in nature and what better place to be than Morganton NC. Today well be talking to Tom Bartholomy who recently joined Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina to build a new park near Morganton. The new Oak Hill Community Park and Forest will feature hiking and biking trails, but more importantly aims to teach the community about conservation. The park will be a hub for outdoor recreation, education, agriculture and archaeological exploration along with 50 acres of agricultural land for the local high school students. Make sure to grab all the necessary gear for a hike or ride like hiking boots, water bottles and don't forget the tick and bug spray! Carolina Outdoor host, Bill Bartee, to help with what are the facts versus fiction. Show Highlights: The new 652 Acre park The intricacies of building the park and the tools like the Mini-Mcleod used to move dirt for trails. The park is not apart of the federal park system, the park is fully run by Foothills Conservancy and donors. Bringing in species like chestnuts with the American Chestnut Foundation and taking out non native invasive species. The park has a path with signs along the newly planted trees to learn more about the native plant. Oak Hill has put a emphasis on drawing in the youth, making ties with local schools and providing lessons to youth. Along with giving a sense of ownership to the community. Things You'll Learn by Listening: What the park will provide for the community and the youth. The parks push towards conservation and educating those about it in the park. Foothills conservatory provides many volunteer opportunities throughout the year. The Carolina Outdoors is powered by the Charlotte fly shop, Jesse Brown's.

Send us a Text Message.Patreon Link What if understanding trauma as a part of life could transform your healing journey? Join us on this heartfelt episode of Wednesdays with Watson as we travel to Oak Hill Baptist Church in Waycross, Georgia, and delve into the profound impact of trauma, faith, and community. I share my personal testimony of overcoming immense challenges to deliver a message that everyone is seen, known, heard, loved, and valued by God. You'll hear about my own journey, from identifying myself through my traumas to discovering my true identity as a child of God, and learn how the church can be a pivotal support system in this process.We take you deep into the spiritual and emotional experiences of finding faith in the darkest of times. Drawing from scripture and personal battles with a violent marriage and addiction, we emphasize the essential role of divine wisdom and a compassionate church community in overcoming trauma. Discover the scriptural insights and personal stories that illustrate the power of faith and community support in personal recovery and healing. You won't want to miss the compelling account of how church involvement can make a critical difference in navigating through life's most painful moments.Finally, hear the inspiring story of a young girl who found refuge in her church community while enduring severe abuse and adversity. From childhood trauma to addiction and abusive relationships, her journey underscores the transformative power of community, counseling, and faith. Reflect on the importance of seeing God's work in our lives and seeking healing through faith as we transition into our "Summer in Psalms" series. This episode reminds us all of the sovereignty of God in providing rest and healing and encourages listeners to find solace in the Psalms during challenging times. Join us as we seek to inspire and offer hope through these powerful testimonies and scriptural reflections.You ARE:SEEN KNOWN HEARD LOVED VALUED

INTRODUCTING! Our first coffee brand LITTLE GROUND TOP, expertly roasted by our friends at Bantam Roaster. Order your bags at https://www.addressinggettysburg.com/cafe THIS EPISODE was made possible by our generous Patrons. Become one today and get more than you bargain for! www.patreon.com/addressinggettysburg On the first day of July, they arrived shrouded in a foreboding misty rain. The Confederate infantry division of Major General Henry Heth from A.P. Hill's Third Corps advanced towards Gettysburg under a veil of uncertainty. While crossing a bridge over Marsh Creek, the head of Heth's column was halted by the familiar "pop" of enemy small arms some 700 yards away. It was a shot from the carbine of the 8th Illinois Cavalry's Lieutenant Marcellus Jones.  The ball had begun; The Battle of Gettysburg was underway.  The gray soldiers, anticipating a militia, were surprised by Union cavalry. This surprise, however, did not deter them. Instead, it spurred them into a cautious advance, moving from column into skirmish lines in the fields north and south of the Chambersburg Pike.  John Buford, the Union Cavalry commander, was tactically maneuvering to buy time—time that the Union left-wing commander, John Reynolds, needed to rush his infantry up to Gettysburg. Buford had gathered intelligence that Confederate soldiers were to the north and west of Gettysburg. Armed with this crucial information, Buford strategically positioned his men to cover every major road coming in from the west, north, and east of Gettysburg. The shots fired indicated that the first Confederates were approaching from the west, a testament to Buford's strategic foresight. Upon being fired upon, the Confederates, seemingly undeterred by the presence of Union Cavalry, began a slow and methodical advance. Like a grey bank of storm clouds, they pushed back Buford's men from Knoxlyn Ridge to  Herr's Ridge and, finally, to McPherson's Ridge, where Buford intended to hold until the infantry arrived. At Willoughby's Run, in the valley between Herr's and McPherson's Ridges, the veteran Confederate infantry briefly halted and organized themselves before pressing onward up the slope against Buford's brigades under Colonel Gamble and Devin.  Just as the Confederates were gaining ground, the emergence of Union infantry, a complete shock to them, marked a significant turning point in the morning's battle. The unexpected arrival of the Union infantry changed the dynamics of the fight, and what started as a skirmish between cavalry and infantry was about to become a full-throated battle.    Brigadier General Joseph Davis's Brigade of Mississippi and North Carolina men rapidly approached Cutler's right-two regiments, the 76th N.Y. and 56th P.A., from the west. The 56th Pennsylvania opened fire first with the command, 'Ready, right oblique! Aim! Fire!' The 2nd Mississippi and 55th North Carolina returned fire. Some of these shots raked the 76th New York as they got into position to the Pennsylvania men's right. At first, the 76th's commander didn't realize that these shots were from the enemy as he could not see any. He urged his men to hold their fire. Then a second volley came in, and still they held their fire. Finally, the 2nd Mississippi came into sight, and Major Grover, the 76th's commander, ordered his men to fire.  After about a half-an-hour of fighting, three of Cutler's regiments, the 56th P.A. and the 76th and 147th N.Y., withdrew to Oak Ridge, having lost half of their men.  Davis's men pursued Cutler's shattered regiments to Oak Ridge.  Cutler had left two regiments on the south side of the Chambersburg Pike at the McPherson Farm. They had skirmished with Archer's brigade as it approached from the west. Cutler's sister brigade, the Iron Brigade under Solomon Meredith, had arrived on the field and was pushing into McPherson's Woods, thereby freeing up Cutler's remaining two regiments, the 84th and 95th N.Y., to turn and face the threat posed by Davis's men.  Acting Corps commander Major General Abner Doubleday ordered the only reserve he had, the 6th Wisconsin, to leave its reserve position and "Go like Hell" toward Davis. Rufus Dawes, the 6th's commander, put his men in line to the right of the 95th N.Y. Aiming into Davis's flank, the New York and Wisconsin men opened fire, stopping Davis's pursuit. Then, suddenly, the Confederates appeared to vanish into the earth. They had taken refuge in an unfinished railroad cut that paralleled the Chambersburg Pike.  What seemed a safe haven had proved to be a trap, and the Wisconsin and New York boys were ready to take advantage of it.     Meanwhile, acting left-wing commander Major General John F. Reynolds was personally feeding units of the Iron Brigade into McPherson's Woods, something a man in his position should not do. While doing this, a Confederate bullet struck him in the head. Within 30 minutes of being on the field, the man who was leading the Union effort that morning was dead.  The Iron Brigade pushed into McPherson's Woods. After a series of bloody fights, Archer's Confederates were repulsed. Archer, himself, became a Union prisoner.    As Confederates reeled from their sudden repulse, a lull in the fighting followed as commanders decided what to do next, and reinforcements filtered in from directions north and south.  That is when, in the early afternoon, Lieutenant General Richard S Ewell's Confederate Second Corps, coming in from the north, suddenly attacked. Seeing the vulnerability of the Union position and the increasing Union reinforcements, Ewell decided to attack without orders to do so. One of his divisions, under Robert Rodes, attacked the Union First Corps' position in an ill-coordinated series of assaults. This attack, too, was repulsed. Confederate Army Commander Robert E. Lee, lacking detailed information, was initially hesitant to attack. Lee reached the battlefield around noon and gathered what information he could. Finally, he decided to capitalize on the actions of his subordinates and arriving reinforcements. Lee issued the order to attack. By now, the Union First Corps and Oliver Otis Howard's Eleventh Corps were up in full. Howard deployed his men on the plane north of Gettysburg, near Pennsylvania College. This was not the position Howard had initially wanted to hold, but the appearance of Rodes' division on Oak Hill left him little other choice.   The Union soldiers on the ridges west of town and on the plane north of town would soon find themselves overwhelmed by lines and lines of Butternut and Gray. Fierce firefights erupted, indicated by plumes of smoke and the rattle of musketry along the two-and-a-half-mile line. Union soldiers tried to hang on to their positions desperately. Despite their best efforts to hold back this Confederate tide, the Union's position crumbled as each Confederate attack landed like a sledgehammer blow.  The disorganized remnants of Union regiments streamed through the streets of Gettysburg, finally stopping on a hill south of town crowned by a cemetery. There, they found Eleventh Corps Commander O.O. Howard and his reserve. The First and Eleventh Corps' shattered elements rallied on this formidable position.  When Union army commander George Meade learned of General Reynolds's death, he dispatched Major General Winfield Scott Hancock, made commander of the Second Corps after the Battle of Chancellorsville, to ride to Gettysburg and act in his stead. Hancock traveled in an ambulance, studying maps of the area. After conferring with Howard and relaying Meade's orders, Hancock and Howard began organizing defenses. The tired and sweat-stained men rallied and built fortifications, bracing themselves for the attack they were sure would follow. A wooded prominence to the right of Cemetery Hill caught Hancock's eye, compelling him to send the newly-arrived regiment from Cutler's Brigade, the 7th Indiana, to occupy it. This hill was Culp's Hill. The Confederates were just as disorganized in victory as the Union soldiers had been in defeat. Daylight was fading fast, progress through the streets of Gettysburg was painfully slow for the Confederates, and rumors of Union reinforcements coming in from the east caused delays. Moreover, ambiguous discretionary orders left the decision to subordinate Confederate commanders to continue pressing the attack. Each commander assessed their situation and decided not to attack. The first day bore witness to some of the bloodiest fighting of the American Civil War, with a combined total of 16,000 killed, wounded, and captured. It was a stunning tactical success for Robert E Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, leaving two Union corps driven from their positions and wrecked to a fraction of what they once were. Still, the price had been high for the Confederates. The 26th North Carolina of Pettigrew's Brigade entered the battle with over 800 men. By the end of the battle, they will have lost over five hundred, with most of them sustained in the fighting on July 1st.  One question that plagued General Lee was, "Where is General Stuart?" JEB Stuart, acting on orders from Lee, had ridden around the Union Army, managing to cut himself off from communication with Lee. Lee did have cavalry at his disposal. His need, however, was not for cavalry units but for JEB Stuart's ability to analyze military intelligence.  Seeing the Union forces streaming back to Cemetery Hill, Lee made a fateful decision.  Pointing in the direction of the Army of the Potomac, Lee turned to his "Old War Horse," James Longstreet, and said, "If He is there in the morning, I will attack Him." The attitude behind these words would lead to the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War.    Battle of Gettysburg 161st Anniversary Special- July 1, 1863 Featuring Licensed Battlefield Guides Larry Korcheck, Jim Pangburn, Charlie Fennell and Rob Abbott Summary written by Michael "Six Questions" Lentz Script written by Matt Callery Narration, direction and editing by Matt Callery Some Sound Effects Provided by QuantumEra Other Sound Effects synthesized, found in the public domain or recorded by Matt Callery or Ty DeWitt Music found on Epidemic Sound dot com Copyright 2024. Addressing Gettysburg LLC. All rights reserved.   

In this 64th episode of the Paul Zimnisky Diamond Analytics Podcast, Andrew Rickard from RDI Diamonds, a large diamond and jewelry wholesaler in Upstate New York, joins the show. The episode begins with Paul and Andrew talking about Oak Hill Country Club of which Andrew is a member. Next, the two analyze the state of diamond inventory in the supply chain and how currently volatile diamond prices are impacting the trade. Then they share their intermediate and longer-term views on lab-grown diamonds and the impact on natural diamonds. Next, they discuss falling consumer engagement ring budgets, diamond grading from the standpoint of a wholesaler, and if retailers will pivot back to prioritizing the selling of natural diamonds (over LGD). Finally, the two discuss how Western sanctions on Russian diamonds could impact what is already a fragile diamond market.   Hosted by: Paul Zimnisky Guest: Andrew Rickard Guest plug: www.rdidiamonds.com More information on PZDA's State of the Diamond Market report: www.paulzimnisky.com/products   Show contact: paul@paulzimnisky.com or visit www.paulzimnisky.com.   Please note that the contents of this podcast includes anecdotes, observations and opinions. The information should not be considered investment or financial advice. Consult your investment professional before making any investment decisions. Please read full disclosure at: www.paulzimnisky.com.

From young golf enthusiasts to industry leaders overseeing iconic venues, Jeff Corcoran and Dave Delsandro share their journey of passion, growth, and adaptation in the golf industry. Discover their evolution from demanding superintendents to understanding leaders, the challenges of labor shortages, and their new roles as advisors, providing invaluable insights and expertise to the next generation of golf course superintendents  Corcoran has been a golf course superintendent for more than 20 years. He landed his first head superintendent job at The Weston Golf Club, outside of Boston, and he has been the director of agronomy at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, since 2003. During his tenure at Oak Hill, he hosted two PGA Championships and two Senior PGA Championships. In 2019, Corcoran worked in conjunction with architect Andrew Green to renovate Oak Hill's East Course. Corcoran has been responsible for placing 10 assistant superintendents into superintendent roles. Delsandro's career in the turf industry has spanned 25 years, most recently as the superintendent at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. His experiences include all types of conventional golf course construction projects, as well as large-scale site development, earth moving, utility relocation/installation, and building construction. He has worked with several leading golf architectural firms, including Fazio Design, Coore & Crenshaw, and Hanse Golf Design. Delsandro has successfully prepared for, hosted, and restored venues for four national championships, including two U.S. Opens. They partnered last year to form Agronomic Advisors, a consulting company focused on providing a diverse, comprehensive suite of solutions to the golf course industry. In this episode, Delsandro and Corcoran look back fondly on the golf course as their babysitter, share the lessons they learned as leaders at premier venues, and advise today's superintendents on leadership approaches in a changing industry. Your Club Selection Changes with Age, so Should Your Leadership Approach Most of us need to adjust our club selection as we age in order to hit the ball as far as we once did. The clubs we grabbed as teens, such as the self-described junkies Delsandro and Corcoran once were, won't make the cut after we make the turn in the game of life. Neither will the same approach to managing a department in a golf club nor leading a large capital project. Know when and how to adapt. “When you're younger, and you're trying to prove yourself at this particular level, as a superintendent, your bandwidth for people that fall outside of those realms that you that you live in is pretty narrow,” Corcoran said. “I remember telling guys, ‘You don't want to work till 7 o'clock tonight on Friday? You're not dedicated enough. You've only worked 21 days in a row and you want a day off? You're not dedicated enough.' “That sounds awful now.” Recognize that it takes all kinds of individuals to build a team and have a culture of success. Labor Market Management The labor market in the industry has changed significantly in recent years, and that's not just a problem for superintendents at local community golf venues. Leaders at the premier clubs face the same challenges, particularly when weighed against the facts that member expectations are not changing, nor are members willing to pay more for a stagnant experience. Talk about shifting winds. “The light-bulb moment for me was… I can either expect the labor market to change to meet the needs of one corporation or the upper echelon of one industry, or duh, realistically, we have to change to meet the labor market,” Delsandro said. Get as many outside perspectives, including those from outside the golf industry, as possible, and see what makes sense to apply as you manage a team at your course. Enjoy this episode of Leadership on the Links with David Delsandro and Jeff Corcoran! Soundbytes 17:15-17:46 “In this industry, as a professional, it started to become very apparent to me that everybody defined success differently. And from a leadership standpoint, the one good thing about working at a premium club in our business, or towards the upper echelon of any industry, is that typically, if you do it right, you're going to find transferable skills. Whether that's communication, professionalism, work ethic, or management skills.” —David Delsandro 34:42-35:25 “You see this whole dynamic of wages rising and operational pressure. Then you're talking about dues increases at a membership level and inflationary wage increases far exceeding operational increases. You know what I mean? There's this whole dynamic that starts crashing down. And at some point, it's going to break, right? So you do need to be creative. But on a macro level, it's gonna get to the point where there's a threshold. And there's some vast changes within industry that I think that are upcoming in the next five to eight years.” —Jeff Corcoran Quotes “The golf course was like my babysitter for the most part. My parents had to work. They just dropped me off, went to work, and they'd pick me up when it got dark out.” —Jeff Corcoran “I started working at the local public golf course when I was 15 just to get free golf. I thought I was going to work in the pro shop. I showed up on my first day with pressed khakis and a Sears, three-button Polo shirt, but at 9 a.m. I had some 60-year-old guy holding my ankles hanging over an irrigation ditch, covered in mud.” —David Delsandro “The labor market is such that there aren't as many individuals that are as motivated as there [used to be], if I'm being very open and honest about that.” —Jeff Corcoran “You soon learn that you don't know everything, and you need some help. You need people to see some stuff outside of the box and bring in consultants or industry professionals.” —Jeff Corcoran “There comes a point — and we've all been there, whether it's your first intendent's job or a new superintendent job at a different venue — that there's the realization that happens when you're like, ‘OK, I'm the guy now. Every decision that I make has consequences.' And it's more that you're not trying to succeed, you're just trying not to fail.” —David Delsandro “We've found that helping a new superintendent or a superintendent at a new venue has been some of the most rewarding work that we've done, because we're able to serve the person who we used to be; to help them succeed by avoiding mistakes that we made.” —David Delsandro Links Mentioned in This Episode: Tyler Bloom Consulting: https://tylerbloomconsulting.com/ Agronomic Advisors: https://agro-advisors.com/ Connect with David on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-delsandro-5071692a6/ Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-corcoran-5681092a6/ Follow Agronomic Advisors on X: https://x.com/agro_advisors23

Alex and Steve join LIVE from Oak Hill alongside former NCAA champ Carlos Boozer and ESPN analyst Sean Farnham, who witnessed a bit of history on a now-famous par 3. We also speak to Wyndham Clark's caddie, John Ellis, ahead of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, where Clark will be defending his title. Plus, Rose Zhang is our special bonus guest.

In the second of our three SALT iConnections interview series, we sat down with Ty Wallach, a living legend in the credit investing world.  Ty was a partner and portfolio manager at Oak Hill and Paulson, two of the most successful and famous names in investing over the past three decades, and is currently the CIO of Atlast Merchant Capital.We spoke with Ty about his role as an investor in both the debt and equity during the Caesar's Palace Coup (check out episodes 39, 40 and 41 for a deep dive into one of the most infamous deals of all time!), how Paulson made billions investing during the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, relative value investing within the capital structure of a company, the Orwellian relationship between the markets and economic data in the current environment, and about the optimal paths to pursuing a career as a credit investor, specifically with regard to the merits of the CFA for advancement along that path.  A must listen for anyone interested in public markets or private credit investing!Follow us on Instagram and Tik Tok at @thewallstreetskinnyhttps://www.instagram.com/thewallstreetskinny/

AJ is back! Noah Smith joins us and we jump into growing up in PG county and hooping from a young age. Going to Oak Hill and committing to Duke. A young Kyrie Irving and dealing with the business of the NBA, and saying goodbye to the game.

11 roster additions down and two to go for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats. Who will they be? All eyes are on Chaz Lanier and Jaxson Robinson to close things out while three-star forward Jamie Vinson has also emerged as a potential 13th man out of Oak Hill, visiting campus this week. What should we expect with both visits wrapped up and a decision coming shortly for Lanier? Where do things stand for Robinson as he tests the draft waters ahead of next week's deadline? Also, how did Pope's first live period go as the head coach at Kentucky? KSR was in attendance at EYBL Session III in Indianapolis following him and the staff around as they lay the foundation of their recruiting base in 2025 and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 roster additions down and two to go for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats. Who will they be? All eyes are on Chaz Lanier and Jaxson Robinson to close things out while three-star forward Jamie Vinson has also emerged as a potential 13th man out of Oak Hill, visiting campus this week. What should we expect with both visits wrapped up and a decision coming shortly for Lanier? Where do things stand for Robinson as he tests the draft waters ahead of next week's deadline? Also, how did Pope's first live period go as the head coach at Kentucky? KSR was in attendance at EYBL Session III in Indianapolis following him and the staff around as they lay the foundation of their recruiting base in 2025 and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The boys chat with 2023 PGA Championship folk hero Michael Block, who will be in the field at Valhalla thanks to his top-15 finish last year at Oak Hill. The 47-year-old club pro breaks down “The Year of Blockie,” discusses how he's handled the internet trolls and gives us a sneak peek of his PGA Champ prep. Plus, we make our best bets for the second major of the year.

On today's show, Pat, AJ Hawk, and the boys chat about last night's Hall of Fame game, their thoughts on what we saw from both the Jets and Browns, if the Hall of Fame game in it's current form needs to exist, and everything else happening in the NFL. Joining the progrum is 5th pick of the 1999 NFL Draft, Pro Bowler, All-Pro, Heisman Trophy winner, Ricky Williams to chat about his new business ventures since retiring, his thoughts on the Running Back market, where he thinks the RB position is going to go in the future, his interests in astrology, and more (30:37-55:13). Next, Heisman Trophy winner, 22nd pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, and subject of a new "Untold" documentary on Netflix, Johnny Manziel joins the show to chat about the process making the documentary, the ups and downs of his career, where everything went wrong, what he's up to now, if he thinks things could've been different had he went somewhere other than Cleveland, and much more (1:16:16-1:38:50). Later, GM of the Buffalo Bills, Brandon Beane joins the show to chat about shooting a 78 at Oak Hill and winning his bet with Pat, and gives an update on how training camp is going for the Bills (1:52:23-2:05:48). Make sure you subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow to watch the show. We appreciate the hell out of all of you. See you on Monday, cheers.