August 14, 2025 • 44 mins
What happens when three record-breaking high school athletes gather to share their journeys? Pure inspiration.
Brothers With Opinions welcomes Emeryce Worrell, Rylan Stribling, and Hassan Akanbi – three extraordinary talents from John Handey High School who are redefining athletic excellence in their community and beyond.
Emeryce, now attending the prestigious University of Virginia, reveals how she captured five state track championships while simultaneously leading Handley's soccer team to their first-ever state title. With 104 career soccer goals and multiple athletic honors, she discusses the challenges of having "a target on her back" during senior year and how she maintained her focus despite mounting pressure.
Meanwhile, Rylan Stibling, described by hosts as having Olympic potential, shares insights into his training mentality and remarkable track accomplishments. Currently a Handley senior, he's already shattered school records and earned recognition as potentially the school's greatest track athlete ever. His humility shines through as he discusses drawing inspiration from both global icons like Usain Bolt and upperclassmen who blazed trails before him.
The conversation takes an exciting turn when Hassan Akanbi reveals he's already secured a starting running back position as a freshman at Lackawanna College, which recently moved up to Division II competition. His candid reflections on overcoming academic struggles and football injuries demonstrate remarkable resilience and growth.
Throughout the episode, these young stars discuss balancing academics with athletics, defining "Handley Pride," and the profound influence of parents and mentors. Their advice to younger athletes – avoiding comparisons, maintaining mental strength through setbacks, and seeking support when needed – offers wisdom beyond their years.
Ready for a dose of motivation from the next generation of sports stars? This episode captures the passion, perseverance and perspective that transforms talented teenagers into exceptional athletes and individuals. Subscribe now to follow these remarkable journeys and join the conversation!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
World thinks we're hard cause.
We've been blinded by ignorance.
Man, man, dm, known to progressit's a hindrance.
Silence is cassette.
So let your voices be heard,man, we brothers with opinions.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Now we spreading the word, bringing light to the dark
Revolution is our art man.
A lot of people.
Yo yo yo.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
What's up?
What's up we here?
What's up, chris man?
I'm trying to keep up pace withall these young superstar
athletes.
Y'all got on tonight.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I heard BWO bringing it.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
We're bringing that fire tonight.
That's what we're doing.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
That fire, that smoke , all three of these people
about to bring that smoke toanybody that comes around them
on that Athletic fields andtracks that they play.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
So everybody, welcome back to Brothers with Opinions
with me and Chris Tucker.
We're about ready to have onEmerus Whirl, hassan Akambi and
Rylan Strudley all star athletesfrom Hanley.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Superstar athletes.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Very excited about this episode.
I hear a lot of people they'regoing to tune in, enjoy it.
I'm waiting for Rylan and allthem to uh, let's see, I'm ready
to get them on right now.
Hey man, let's just jump rightinto this.
They waiting you ready.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah, especially because Hassan got football
practice.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, Hassan's got football practice.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
That's how dedicated people are when you want to do
something, you bout it.
Hasan's going to jump on withthis real quick.
And then he got to run thefootball practice.
Hopefully he's as fast asEmerson Rylan, because he need
to get over there, right, right,yeah, but we know from his
football yardage that he is.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Oh see, we waiting for Hassan right now.
All right, let's add him inhere One by one.
No, add all of them.
I got it.
I got it.
Hey, how are you guys doing?
You hear me?
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Yes, I can hear you.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Okay, good, good.
How are you doing, Emerus?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Good, how are you here?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
it can hear you.
Okay, good, good, how are youdoing, emerus?
Good, how are you here?
It's Rylan, you there, rylan,he's there, we're getting here,
rylan.
I'm good, emerus, I'm sorry Ididn't answer your question.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
We're waiting for Hasan Rylan's probably so fast
he can't hear you.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Rylan, we can't hear you.
Hello, there you go, there yougo.
Hi, hey, how are you?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Wait, can you hear me now?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, we can hear you now.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, and Hassan.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Hassan, I think he's having trouble.
He'll jump in.
We'll see if he can get inthere, but we can get started
with Rylan and Emrys.
Welcome to BWL.
Brothers with Opinions and wewant to give you guys the
flowers, already being youngsuperstars.
I know, rylan, you're stillwith Hanley and Emrys you're
going to correct.
Yes, so she had to get that.
Chris Brown on Auburn and, uh,emerus you're going to.
(03:04):
Uba correct.
Yes, yeah, so uh, she had toget that.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Chris Brown on Auburn Deuces.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So let's start with, uh, I guess whoever wants to, I
guess ladies first.
So uh, emerus, um, can you tellbit about like your journey
through high school?
You know athletics and likethat, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
And you don't have to be too modest.
Like we went to school withyour dad, you graduated with
Tony.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I did graduate with your dad.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
And your older sister played in the Hoops for Hope
event before, because she's alegend.
But look, you have shatteredrecords, and not only track and
field but soccer, and that'samazing.
Just one sport is amazing.
But you need to be proud ofyourself and, and Bo, stick your
chest out right now, justbecause we're brothers.
Trust me, it's all about theladies too, and what you've done
(04:01):
is amazing and we're proud ofyou and we're excited to have
you on thank you.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Yeah, I'm excited to be here.
Um, my high school journey waswas really good.
It was really fun, um obviouslyreally successful.
Um started off playingbasketball and soccer in high
school and outdoor track myfreshman year.
I thought I was going to playbasketball all four years but I
ended up seeing my brother andLiz Emo and they really enjoyed
(04:30):
indoor track and so that's whenI decided to join it.
My sophomore year and I thinkmy sophomore year is probably
when I started seeing a littlebit of success both in track and
soccer I mean I made varsity.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
My freshman year, both in track and soccer, I mean
I made varsity my freshman year, but I that's amazing Like well
, I made varsity my freshmanyear.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Well, back in our day , the coach wouldn't let us.
But that's amazing, that's dope.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Thank you.
Yeah, my sophomore year is kindof when I started making my
mark.
I think that's when I ran myall-time best in track and
outdoor and then I became theleading scorer for my team in
that season for soccer, and Ithink I got runner-up in both of
(05:17):
my events in indoor track.
So that was exciting.
And then junior year is kind ofwhen everything just blew up
because I won three state titlesin my indoor meet.
You won how many Three statetitles?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Y'all know what she said.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
She said three and I'll tell you what you blew up
is that powder puff game?
Oh, powderpuff.
And maybe Hassan.
I was like who is that girl outthere running all over everyone
?
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Powderpuff is a whole other story.
I wish that it was like anactual well, like a bowling
record.
But yeah, it might be somethingI have to pursue.
But yeah, and then I wonAthlete of the Year, both
sophomore year and senior year,and now senior year, and now
senior year.
I just, I think I continued.
(06:08):
I won two more state titles inindoor track and then I did get
to participate in outdoor, but Iwon regional player of the year
for soccer and made theall-state team.
So it was a good four years.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Awesome, awesome.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Tony, you might not understand what she said because
she didn't say she went tostates and she watched them.
She said she made three firstteams.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Do you know what she's trying to tell you?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
right now, All the greats that we know you're
probably the best.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I don't know, you got Ryland and Hassan there right.
I'm talking about women.
I'm talking about the LeoDonalds and Stacey.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Dawson's and everybody else.
This young lady might be thebest.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Well, Rylan, you're next.
We'll have to wait.
Hassan, you'll have to wait.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
You haven't taken the difficulty, no no, we got to
get Hassan on there.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I got to go to Go to football practice, yeah, so go
ahead.
Rylan Introduce yourself.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Can't hear you, Rylan .
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Can you hear me now, yep.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Yes, all right, I'm going to have to hold my phone
like this.
I'm a current senior at JohnHanley High School.
My name is Rylan Stripling.
I currently am just full-timetrack now.
So, yeah, no football thisseason.
No, I'm not playing football.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Name's rylan stripling.
I currently am just full-timetrack now, so yeah, no, no
football no, I'm not playingfootball this year he said my
boy hassan finished, I ain'tplaying yeah, so what are you
concentrating on?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
uh, being an olympic runner, because you're killing
it out there too, settingrecords yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
That's ultimately the goal at the end of it all.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I'm going to be honest.
I've told friends already andI've never met you.
I don't know anything exceptfor you're an amazing track
athlete and I wish you the bestin everything.
But I tell my friends alreadyI'm like yo, this kid might go
to the Olympics.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Yeah, I hope that's the goal.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
No, that's amazing.
You shattered all my bestfriends and their friends'
records from back in the day.
You shattered the records.
Yeah, I've spoken to someathletes that's been Hall of
Famers for Hanley and everything, and when I told them what you
ran, they was like they couldn'teven say an English word.
Yeah, that's kind of hot.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah Well, you two seem like very humble kids.
I got a few questions for youguys, if you'd love to answer
them.
So what do you believe was yourgreatest challenge as an
athlete?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Mine.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Jump right in.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Mine, I would say from track, would be false,
starting from states Sophomoreyear because, like I worked so
hard competing with athletes andtraining all year to get to
states and finally, for thefirst time I was able to get to
states for indoor and sadly Ifalse started in the prelims.
So my day was over quickly andjust the challenge was just like
(09:05):
the mental part of it all, justlike knowing that I could still
do this and like bounce backfrom it and me being able to
overcome that and come back thenext year and win it all.
I say that's a great challengethat I overcame.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Awesome.
Go ahead, Nimris.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
My great challenge probably wasn't a specific event
, but probably just my senioryear kind of having that target
on my back and having so highexpectations for myself and
having to build upon the legacythat I had built and making sure
that I didn't settle or thinkthat I was smooth sailing.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Right, right.
So, hassan, sit your bag.
You hear us now, right, yeah,you're good.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Oh, I thought I had to school.
I had to connect to my cellulardata.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Well, go ahead first off and introduce yourself All
right Tell us a little bit aboutyourself, your journey.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
Oh yeah, I'm Hassan Akavi.
I went to Hanley.
I us a little bit aboutyourself, your journey.
Oh yeah, I'm Hasan Akavi, Iwent to Hanley.
I'm a Hanley alumni.
Now I'm currently at LackawannaCollege playing football.
I play running back Currently,starting right now too, so
that's a blessing, but you saystarting yeah, I'm starting,
hold on You're starting incollege.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Yeah, and for those of you that don't know, I got
super hyped a little bit agobecause I saw that name and it
said Jersey City and I'm like,oh, that's right there where my
girl lives, I go there every daybecause Meech lives up here.
Now it goes in the Bronx.
I was hyped, but then I seenyou're in Scranton, pennsylvania
, right?
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Yeah, correct.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But what they don't know is you guys just moved up
to d2 and that's the reason theywent to get superstars like you
.
Yes, sir, yes sir, d2 footballman, that's big time and you're
starting as a freshman yes, sir,we might have three of the
greatest athletes haley's everseen I appreciate y'all know
chris gonna take y'all's hornthe whole show including rudy.
(11:05):
I grew up with the science popson on south kent.
Look man, I'm telling you rightnow these kids are amazing I'm
with you.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Suicide, okay.
So the question I asked uh,emirates and rylan was uh, what
do you believe was your biggestchallenge in sports?
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Well, I'm going to go off what Emery said Like it was
a senior year.
I feel like senior year ittakes like it's a big step just
because it's your last year, soyou have a lot of pressure on
your back between teammates andbecoming a captain, and then,
like you being like a topathlete, you got a lot of
(11:43):
pressure.
So I think, yeah, yeah, senioryear was the most challenging,
just because you're trying to,um, really, really shoot for
your targets on your back, right, yeah, yeah, yeah trying to
shoot for your goals, knowingit's your last time.
It's like it brings a lot on you, but uh, yeah, I think senior
year okay, all right.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
So another question let's see how do you manage your
athletics and with youracademics, how do you balance
out your guys' schedule?
Speaker 5 (12:13):
Emerson can start that out.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
You guys are both starting college this year, so
that's a whole new learningcurve.
Yeah, the freedoms in collegeare different, trust me.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Mom and dad might be there watching y'all right now,
but they're not there when y'allin college Emerson.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
You want to start it off again.
The boys will let you go first.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Yeah, sure, throughout high school academics
was always the priority for me.
So I think just finding anytime that I had downtime,
wherever it was, in the car onthe way to travel soccer that
was, that was really when I didmost of my schoolwork was when I
would kind of prioritize schooland not be focusing on sports.
(12:58):
I think that was just the bestbalance for me finding the time
to really focus on academics andthen saving the extra time for
practice or practice outside ofsports, and then also time in
school.
If I had downtime I wasn'tsitting there on my phone or
(13:18):
talking to friends.
That was making sure that allof my schoolwork was done.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Got you you had a lot of big big siblings to look up
to too, right.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Yeah, definitely you might be the GOAT, you might be
the.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
GOAT pal Rudy, and I might be the GOAT.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Rylan, how did you balance your schedule?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
High school.
Honestly, I didn't start offhandling it bell or well,
because I was kind of alwaysprocrastinating and wanted to
put sports first kind of butlike throughout, like sophomore
year I uh I realized that schoolactually is very important,
especially me wanting to be anathlete in college.
(14:01):
Like I had to really turn thingsaround.
So now I really just focused ondoing my work in class and like
, even if it's during thelecture, I'm trying to do the
assignments, then just get itover with.
So then I'm not reallystressing about it later on,
like outside of school, becausethat's kind of when I want my
time to like focus on sports andstuff like that.
But yeah, I do now I justprioritize academics before I do
(14:24):
sports awesome uh, yeah me myfreshman and sophomore year.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
I was terrible in school I love your eyes.
Yeah, this is yeah, this iswhat this can do god.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Hey, what this can do is help other young athletes
out there.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
If you're a young'un and you're starting out in high
school, make sure you do yourwork.
It is important.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
River Island, you're still there.
Man Lead those kids by example.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Yeah, I got to, got to be a leader.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Because the thing is I stress, because, since I coach
, it starts with your grades andthen you can write your ticket
and, like a sign, say, anywhereyou want to go, You've got good
grades and you're a good athleteNot just just be a good athlete
and coaches will take themgrades.
They got the grades, they'reresponsible, you know they get
their stuff done.
They're going to take that overa high-profile athlete who
(15:21):
doesn't do their work.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Because there's some sad stories of some athletes
that's been better than most,but because they didn't hit the
books enough just not to get 3.5or whatever, but just enough to
pass and get to college.
They didn't do it and theyended up in the streets or
wherever else, and you knowthey're the what-if stories.
Yeah, the what-ifs.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
You three are young.
Promise, what'd you say?
I said these three are notgoing to be the what ifs yeah,
well, definitely not.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
We can see that, but I'm saying like you, like you're
talking about and they can leadby example, emirates.
Going to uva, we already knowwhat that school stands for and,
no lie, this kid is startingfootball as a freshman man.
That's amazing.
Like these kids all havepotential to really help mold
the future generations, evenwhere they're at.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Right yeah, hemerich, do you have any?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
thoughts of, maybe one day, either running or
trying out for soccer at UVA.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Oh, honestly no, I think that I'm really satisfied
with my decision not to play.
That's fine.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
We don't want you to go home just because you're
African.
We're just proud of what youguys have accomplished and are
continuing to do, but UVA is oneof the most intelligent,
educated schools in the country,so you definitely got to hit
the books yes, I'm super excitedI won't speak for his time, but
as a starting freshman overthere he's gonna have some
trouble so you got, everybody'sgonna want you to party you're a
(17:02):
young star and all the girlsare going to be on you.
We're locked in.
We're locked in.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
We're not worried about that at all.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
That's what I want to hear.
There you go.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
I've already witnessed not getting the good
grades.
I do not want to go throughthat again.
So we're locked in.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Hey, we're glad to hear that.
It's not easy.
I messed up my freshman year ofcollege.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
I understand.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Karen Oglesby just got an offer to the school I
went to college for and look, Iplayed my first semester.
My second semester.
I couldn't play no more becauseI was too worried about
everything.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
But going to class.
I mean one thing about thisschool that I really like is
like they're going to make surethat you are getting your stuff
done.
Like because a lot of peoplehere here their main problem was
grades.
There's a lot of Division Iathletes here that's transfers,
and they just had a problem withgrades.
So the school itself and theteachers and just the guidance
(17:57):
or whatever, they're going tomake sure you get a good GPA.
You're going to try to you comehere to excel.
So this is one thing I likeabout the school too.
They're going to try to youcome here to excel.
This is one thing I like aboutthe school too.
They're going to make sure youget your work done and that you
stay on top of things.
There's nothing wrong withhaving fun.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
How long have you been over there already?
Speaker 5 (18:13):
You got to separate business and pleasure right,
yeah, for sure, I've been herefor about a week and a half.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Football started right when you got there.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
Yeah, I got here late .
I got here about two days late,but good thing we didn't start
anything until the day I gothere, so I didn't really miss
nothing.
But yeah, now that's exciting.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
You guys are freshmen , fresh out of Hanley, and
Rylan's doing his senior yearand he saw both of y'all Look.
I do have one question for you,hasan, and it's going to the
past, but only because I want toknow and you played with my
nephew.
I know we might not look alike,but he's my nephew tristan, and
if you, if you and tristandidn't get hurt, man, I pretty
(18:51):
much think y'all would have wona state championship oh yeah, we
would.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Yeah, how do you?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
feel about that whole thing breaking down, with him
getting hurt against shirandoand then you getting hurt
against salem or whatever well,uh, I'm going to go back, like
going into that week of Sharandolike we were prepped, we had
everything down.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
We changed the stuff up because we like just how,
like I don't know, like just thepreparation for them, like we
had everything down packed andlike him getting hurt the first
offensive play.
Really, it just like kind ofshifted the whole game.
Like it just killed the moodand like nobody was expecting
that.
So it was like we had to goback into uh an offense that we
(19:33):
ran in in week one with a newquarterback that hasn't played.
So it kind of killed ourmomentum.
And then it like brought uhcharando's momentum up a lot so
that that game really hurt,because if we would have had
Tristan, no doubt we would havekilled them, we would have won
that game with ease.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
And I think everyone was mad, but you had to actually
deal with it.
Man, that's got to be tough.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
It was hard because they knew 70% of the time the
ball was going to be coming tome.
So it's not hard for nine guysto be running at you and then I
end up getting down.
I can make maybe one, two miss,but when five other ones is
coming, it's just not going towork.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
And then in-state, you got hurt in the beginning of
the second half, right?
Oh yeah, salem, who has wonmany championships recently.
But what I want to shout outreal quick before we move it on
you had like 220 yards in thefirst half.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
Yeah, about 245.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
That's like an NFL record, yeah, yeah.
You should be proud of that manand we all knew when I saw that
you went down.
I was upset.
I am?
Speaker 5 (20:43):
That Sherrano game hurt me too bad.
The next week I was in I waswith Coach all week.
We were studying, we was comingup with plays, going over stuff
, just so we can like we knew,because we knew like if we make
something up we're going to winthis game and our whole team.
We knew we was going to winthat game but unfortunately I
had to get hurt and kind of shitthe thing.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
After Tristan had already got hurt Right yeah.
I'm going to let Tony get backon.
I'm just really excited to haveall y'all on I want to know how
you and.
Emerus feel about what mythoughts are, and I don't know
the other young man, ryland butI'm his biggest fan, I'm his
biggest fan.
I'm his biggest fan.
That's not his family.
I think he's going to theOlympics.
(21:25):
What?
Speaker 1 (21:25):
do y'all think about his?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
potential to do that one day.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Definitely there.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Now one of my questions, before I forget now
you guys hang out.
Did you hang out in school,train together, anything like
that?
Speaker 5 (21:40):
How do you three support each other, or if at all
, I could definitely back up onRyland, just because, knowing
Ryland, he's competitive.
When he's practicing he'slocked in 100%.
He's going to push you to wantto get better.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
You talk a lot of praise.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
For the track team.
He was definitely the captain.
Just because every day he's outthere, he's stretching, he got
his own stuff going on.
It kind of like motivates me towant to do that too.
So I feel like rylan was, hewas the big key to the track
team this year.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Nice nice good stuff to hear, like the captain out
there or the track team yeah,all right.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
What about emma?
She was on the track team too.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
We didn't have a men and women's track team, we had a
track team oh, yeah, for sure,but emerson was just with the
girls most of the time, so shewas the captain of the girls and
then rylan.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Rylan did his thing with the boys I'm pretty sure
she, she was dusting some of thedudes that was on the b unit,
oh for sure oh for sure.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
She was what top three fastest on the team.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
There was a young lady we were with Chris in
school, stacy Dawson.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yep, but that's what I'm trying to tell you.
As much as I love Stacy, robert, even Rudy, everybody I went to
school with these three kidshave already broken their
records when we get tiny and weget all them on for football.
Rudy played with them.
Rudy was on that team when theywon states and was undefeated
in 94, but he was a junior, asophomore.
Hassan would have won states,emerson, did you ask Emerson?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Emerson Did you?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
not take Hanley to the first ever state
championship for women's soccer,that's great yeah.
How about that?
How about those flowers?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Let's say let's hold on before you end.
Like you scored.
What?
104 career goals.
Yes, that's incredible.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
That's incredible.
That's like 26 a season.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
I actually only scored eight goals my freshman
season, so it was a lot of heavylifting.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
my last three you sure showed off.
I'll say that Y'all willdefinitely say that.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
How big of a role do y'all's parents play in your
upbringing and your futureaspirations?
Speaker 1 (24:09):
A lot, I would say a a lot just the support that my
mom and them bring, just likealways, like helping me in any
way, like a gym membership tohelp me get training the proper
coaches outside of school justto get faster and stronger, and
all just that support.
I'm very thankful, and she waswilling to go 100% as well to
help see me succeed.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
Yeah, yeah, I'll agree with that.
It really is just the supportaspect and then kind of just
pushing me to always do my best.
You know it was never anegative kind of you need to be
doing this, but it was alwaysjust we're here for you, no
matter what.
What do you need to be the mostsuccessful athlete that you can
be?
Speaker 5 (24:53):
yeah, I feel like my my dad and my mom, like they're
just motivation for me to workhard every day, especially this
year.
My dad's really like.
He's really like me and him gotcloser just because of like me
getting older, me moving tocollege and just and just like
the achievements that I got thisyear.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Just like it, just it's just motivation it well and
so I've known you since what?
Seven, eight years old,something like that.
So I will say you've beenthrough like you don't have to
go into deep, but I'm very proudwhat you've overcome and what
you're doing right now.
All three of you have mysupport and Chris's.
But you went through a lot andPercy Deere went through a lot,
(25:35):
so very proud of you.
I just wanted to put that outthere as well.
So I got a question.
There's always a big one.
What is Hanley pride to youthree?
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Ooh.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Because us old heads have a different view.
I guess I want to see what theyoung ones.
What is Hanley pride to you?
Speaker 4 (25:55):
Hanley.
Pride to me and I've alwayssaid this is just representing
something that's bigger thanyourself.
Like I feel like whenever I was, you know, going out getting
whatever awards and accoladesthat I was doing, it was always
to represent Hanley in apositive light and just
represent the perseverance, thepersistence, the tenacity that
(26:17):
you know we have, not just as anathlete but also in the
classroom.
So I just think representingsomething that's bigger than you
as a person.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Okay, rylan, yeah, I'd say piggyback on her, just
like trying to represent theschool and all, just like put a
good positive like insight on it, like knowing that people are
looking at you, especially now.
For me, like being a greatathlete at Hanley, like having
to be that type of like leader,having it like just having to
(26:50):
put on a good like role model, Iwould say kind of like doing
good in the classroom, showinglike kindness to the students in
the school and all making sureyou're like on with everything
on time to school.
Just showing that like a goodperson and representing the
school, that's what I say.
I'd represent Henley Pride with.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
They pretty much said it.
They pretty much said there'snothing to add.
I was going to say just whatthey said my.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Henley Pride.
Is I'm so hyped right now tohave you three on?
I went to Henley, it doesn'tmatter.
We went back in the old days,right?
But I'm excited I would havestill been excited if y'all went
to Clark County, warren County,wherever, sharando, but it
wouldn't have been the same.
I'm hyped and I'm excited fory'all and I want to know who was
(27:41):
y'all's professionalinspiration, or is there your
professional inspiration?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I.
I was about to ask the samequestion who was your role model
?
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Because I look around and see Justin Gatlin.
But I might look at Emerson andbe like I see Kaitlin Clark or
Amaya Moore, but not in justbasketball, but just that big of
an athlete from our area, man,that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Hey, I'm trying to think man From our area.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Man, that's amazing.
Hey, I'm trying to think Well,how about this?
Who inspires you Like a mentor?
Who did you look up to?
Speaker 5 (28:18):
I can say, my freshman year, Stephen Daly
definitely inspired me.
Shout out to Stephen Malachi,just current, just current, well
, Hanley alumni.
They definitely inspire mebecause, like, just like, if
they're able to do something bigand go big out of that school,
then I know like I can do it too.
And seeing how hard like theywork and how good they were just
(28:39):
kind of like motivated me tokind of want to be better than
them or like, just be as good asthem.
You know, Right, Yo, yo Goahead.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Rylan Malachi is a senior at William Mary.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
I believe, so I'm about to graduate.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
He made ESPN Sports Center his freshman year, yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
That was dope.
Yeah, I'd have to say yeah,probably the Hanley
upperclassmen.
Just like seeing them all goingto college and like the type of
success that they've all had.
Especially like seeing likeEmerus when she committed to
Auburn and all Like that wasjust a big school.
Yeah, I'm like I want to tryand do something like that too.
Go to a big school and then I'dsay, professional track.
(29:21):
It's definitely got to besomebody like Usain Bolt, like
just the Just the best to everdo it.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Well, I wouldn't expect anything less.
I might have said Justin Gatlin, but you're like, nah, he can't
be Usain Bolt.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Usain Bolt.
He's the best.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
You said Emerus man, that's fire.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
I think you got to blot you now.
Go ahead, Emerus.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
My inspiration was probably first my oldest sister,
just because she was kind ofthe basketball star and I think
that's who I always looked up to.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
The Haley legend.
She's in the top 1,000 points.
Yes, yes, and she played in myevent Hoops for Hope.
Man Nothing but love.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Yes, yeah, no, she's awesome.
She was just the star of herteam and I think that's
something that I always aspiredto be as I was growing up.
As for celebrities, I thinktrack athletes, especially the
ones who have gold medals so,yeah, usain Bolt or Gabby Thomas
, like, I think those athleteswho are the best of the best
(30:24):
just inspired me as well to kindof be on that level relative to
Winchester, you like, you likeZachary Richardson?
Yeah, no, she's.
She's great, yeah, she's abeast, yeah, she is.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Nice.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Shout out Masai Russell's.
We met her, we got a picture wehave a picture with her.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Who was it?
Masai Russell's.
We met her.
We got a picture with her.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
Who was it?
Masai Russells, she's a hurdler, olympic hurdler.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Nice, I ain't gonna lie.
I don't know who that is, butthat's dope.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
I don't know who it is Prince loves basketball.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
One of my best friends went to Nationals for
the 300 hurdles.
Did you guys have the pinrelays basketball?
One of my best friends went toNationals for the 300 hurdles.
Oh sad.
Hey, did you guys have the pinrelays?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Nah, we didn't go to pin relays.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Yeah, we didn't.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
They still do it, though.
Oh yeah, it's a big event everyyear.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Yeah, it always was.
I didn't know if they still didit.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Nah, yeah, it's like it's still a very big event now
this time I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
This is dope talking to you because you're going to
the olympics in a few years.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yeah, sure, we go back to this show.
Right here we are winning golds, and then you got a shout out
and put that gold medal in yourmouth like what, right, right,
but uh, todd, I know you gottarun real quick, but uh, one last
question.
We have a little fun right nowwith you guys.
(31:54):
Uh, let's ask you so who's yourfavorite athlete?
Speaker 4 (32:00):
uh mine is probably Megan Rapinoe.
She's a soccer player.
Yeah, she's a beast yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
I think she's married to another player yeah, she is.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
She's married to a basketball player see, so I know
, I would say her, but alsoprobably Simone Biles, even
though she's not my sport at all.
I think she's just stellar,like outstanding and amazing.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
One of the most decorated.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
Yeah, mine right now is Jameer Gibbs, detroit.
Yeah, detroit, alabama, youknow, yeah, yeah, detroit,
alabama, you know, yeah, I'dlike his Alabama.
I like Alabama Gibbs more thanDetroit.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Are you the best running back ever from Hanley?
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Am I the?
Best running back.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I put it out there.
I don't really care.
Yeah, my favorite running backever.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
I started to say, yeah, be a little cocky, right
now?
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Yep, I am.
I'm not even trying to be cocky, but like, If you're not the
best, you're one of them.
My stats is up there.
And for me not to get the ballas much as everybody else did, I
think if I would have got asmany attempts as they did, I
would have broke the schoolrecord.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Hey, I'd love to hear that Emberis best soccer star
from Hanley ever.
Yeah, I'll say yeah.
Love it, we agree.
Hey and Ronald look they'reboth going to college right now.
You're a senior Just nowstarted this week Best track
athlete Hanley's ever had.
I didn't say field, but track.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Ronald, who's your favorite athlete?
Speaker 1 (33:50):
It's got to be somebody like Ray Lewis,
honestly, but it's more like therole model Not really being
able to watch him on TV playingand all but just like he's
always leading and teaching theyoung people just how to do
stuff, how to be a man, and justlike taking, like taking them
in the right steps and notletting them go off the right
paths, just being like a goodrole model for young athletes.
(34:13):
And I say him and just like himand like Usain Bolt for track,
just like the perseverance thatthey've gone through, like
they've gone through theirstruggles and their ups and
downs and all, but just beingable to bounce back, having a
strong mentality, knowing thatlike they all, but just being
able to bounce back, having astrong mentality, knowing that
like they're still good andbeing able to go out and win
Super Bowls and medals and alllike that, like that's the type
(34:34):
of person that I would look andsee myself in the future.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Hey, I listen to Ray Lewis motivational videos all
the time.
I feel, like getting on thefootball field when I've watched
hey Ray.
Lewis is a great one to look upto.
Moving on a little fun questionwhat music are you guys
listening to these days?
Music artists.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I'm sure you don't know who they are.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
I probably don't, but just put it out there.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Definitely rap and R&B.
Speaker 5 (35:06):
I'd say it just depends on the, the type of mood
and vibe I'm in it's betweenthose two yeah, like right now,
since I gotta get up at five inthe morning for practice, I
gotta blast some chucky in myear just because, like it's not
even what he says, and not evenlike because he's saying some
crazy stuff, but it's like thebeat and the instrumental.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
It just kind of gets me like started there you go
yeah go ahead, emery oh, Ilisten to a lot of things, but I
probably mostly listen to pop,like I'm a big sabrina carpenter
listener sorry, I did not knowwho that is.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Selena Carpenter.
She blew up last year.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
From what I know, she blew up last year.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Hey, come on, I'm out of the loop here.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
I'm old, you're kids, ain't you?
Speaker 4 (35:55):
You have the other superstars coming I don't know
if they have the crap they'relistening to.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
This little scary guy .
Speaker 2 (36:02):
We're trying to get Christian on this call today,
but he will not get on.
He this little scary battle.
We're trying to get Christianon, but he will not get on.
He will not get on.
Yeah, christian's on the job.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
But look, you know who those rappers are because
your kids listen to them.
I don't know half of them.
You're the one that told meit's not OD anymore, it's OC.
I'm like what, yeah?
Speaker 2 (36:21):
So that's a question for you Do you guys use OC?
That's what I heard the otherday.
Speaker 5 (36:26):
No, I still use OD.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Yeah, I'm not kidding .
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Maybe Chris was debating back and forth.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
He's trying to argue.
I never heard that His kid ismaking up something.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Yeah, he's making stuff up.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
But that's what Slade is anyway, you can't just make
it up.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
You got to be fabulous and Jadakiss and those
kind of people to have theinfluence on people.
You got to be young, baby tobaby, whoever you got to be them
or you ain't got no influence.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
You can ask a.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
Christian, who else knows it?
It'll be like my third grademath class, my third period math
class or whatever.
Nobody know that word, oh see.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
All right, moving on, chris I, I gotta calm you down.
So, uh, what is your favoritefood or meal?
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Um yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:15):
Yeah, probably.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Yeah, I'm with you, yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
I'm definitely like a Steak or rib type of person.
Honestly, I've always been likeeating steaks or something like
that, or ribs, every restaurantI go to I'm like y'all got a
steak or you want to try thatnew steak.
They got everywhere yeah yeahI'm with my gut there you go, so
let.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Lastly, what advice?
Because I know mental health isa big thing these days in
sports, right, but you guys havetouched on a little adversity
and all.
So what advice do you have forthe up-and-coming kids, like,
say, middle schoolers, becauseyou know these guys look up to
you, because I coach at middleschool, so I tell them there's
always levels.
You know middle schoolers lookup to the local high school
(38:03):
athletes and then you guysEmerson and Emerson I keep
saying Emerson, sorry, emerson,that sign, then the high
schoolers will look up to youguys.
Speaker 4 (38:17):
What advice do you have for the youngins out there?
My advice would probably justbe not to compare yourself to
any other athlete, becauseeverybody has their own journey.
You might not be as good assomebody.
But, as long as you keepfocused, and I mean they're
(38:40):
still living their dreams.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
It's not easy to say, but they know follow their lead
.
That's what the young kids needto do.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Yeah, if you're in, daniel morgan rylan or uh, you
got any advice.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah, you're good, go ahead, rylan all right, um, I
say definitely, just like keepyour eyes on the prize and just
like focusing on what'simportant, not getting knocked
off track with other stuff, andjust keeping a strong mindset
even if you go through thestruggle or struggles and
(39:12):
difficulties, make sure, likeyou keep your head strong and
just know to keep working andall.
Don't ever give up.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
You got a sign.
Speaker 5 (39:22):
Yeah, yeah, what they say.
You just just gotta want togrind.
If you, if you know you lovethe sport, then you just got.
You just gotta start to love it, because there's gonna be hard
times.
Trust and believe it gets hardall the time, but you just gotta
.
You just gotta keep wanting todo it.
You gotta, like rylan said,keep your eyes on the prize.
And another thing is, um, keepyour faith in god.
Uh, or just like, if you reallyare going through something, or
(39:46):
like you're not feeling asmotivated, find somebody to talk
to.
It can be a coach, a friend.
You know, you gotta always havesomebody to talk to too,
because you can't go through itall by yourself.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Alright, chris, you got anything to add before we
let these three young people go?
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Yeah, none of them are basketball stars, and that's
fine.
You got anything to add beforewe let these three young people
go?
Speaker 5 (40:09):
Yeah, none of them are basketball stars, and that's
fine.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
But y'all know how they talk about big threes.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
Y'all might be my favorite big three ever from
Hanley man.
You got the big three on today.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
And I always say, like when I did my event and
like I had Emmerich's sister onand all these other people, I'm
not waiting to give people theirflowers, so I'm going to had
emma's sister on and all theseother people, I'm not waiting to
give people their flowers soI'm gonna do an event one day
and I'm gonna bring all y'allback, man, but y'all might be my
favorite victory and I'm proudof y'all and I wish y'all the
best and everything y'all do,we're gonna keep thank you,
y'all need something.
Y'all need something.
(40:37):
Hit us up, man.
You can get my number from,from whoever christian or
whoever, and just how.
That is because we're here tosupport you, no matter what you
do, emerus, even if you're justgoing for academics look, that's
the hardest thing.
So we're going to support y'allin everything y'all do.
We wish y'all the best, andwe're proud of you.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
Thanks for being on the show today.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
Thank you too.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Take care hey.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Rylan, we want tickets to the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
For sure.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Hey.
Ryland we want tickets to theOlympics.
Sure, I'm just messing withy'all, but we wish y'all the
best man for real.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Y'all take care.
I appreciate you all being on.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
All right.
Thank you for having us on Allright, see y'all All right.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Get to practice man.
He did too.
He ran quicker than Ryland.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Yeah, he did.
Yeah, so there Wrap that upguys.
It was great Having them youngFree athletes on Chris.
Speaker 3 (41:33):
Yeah, yeah, that was fun.
I told you you knew I'd behyped the whole time, but I love
it.
Man, it's great to have you.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
I had to calm you down, bro, you were so hyped.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Hey, you're lucky, I didn't have more Than one coffee
tonight.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Right, you're lucky, I didn't have more than one
coffee tonight, right?
But hey, everybody you know,thanks for tuning in tonight.
Go to our YouTube pagesubscribe subscribe buttons
right there on YouTube, atBrothers With Opinions.
We're on Facebook.
You can follow us there.
All our links are there forInstagram, youtube channel X.
(42:04):
What am I forgetting?
I'm forgetting one other TikTokI get.
Yeah, we're on TikTok too.
So, hey, everybody, go follow.
Please subscribe to the show,cause I we know everybody
listening and tuning in, butplease go subscribe and support
us.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Yeah, it really does only take one or two seconds.
You just click it subscribe.
Click it Subscribe.
It's free.
We don't ask nobody to charge.
Hopefully, if enough of y'allsupport us, one day we can make
it to where other people have toget charged.
But to have friends and familythat watch or know about it but
don't support or don't follow orsubscribe, that's crazy.
I'm going to be honest.
Speaker 2 (42:36):
Y'all know me, I speak my mind and you know
what's on here.
We're going to keep it realwith everybody.
Speaker 3 (42:41):
Buddy, we got my man, citrus on next week, tony, so
get hype.
Mr YDC, mr Rising Stars, my boy, tyrus, thomas man, and he's
been doing big things in thecommunity so I grew up with him,
you know Fairview, so gottashow love.
Tyrus is on next week.
The week after that we got the94 undefeated state championship
handling team finally on, butthey'll be on the Sunday, the
(43:03):
31st rather than Thursday.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
That's when we get them all together.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Pierce Gonzalez coming up soon.
We got Chris West.
We got Carl Rush.
We got people in the works,Miss Shelly Lee, we're going to
try to get her on Like.
We got people in the works man,we got the drill team.
If y'all don't know about it,ask Miss Stephanie Washington in
97-98.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
We Stephanie Washington is 97-98.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
We bringing things back, we doing it for the
community, but we doing it foreverybody.
Man, if y'all want to get in onit, y'all want to talk?
Tony's right there.
I'm here, just a phone call oremail away.
Man.
Hit us up, man, let us know.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
But subscribe for real Brothers with opinions,
even if you're a woman holler atfor joining us and, like I say,
chris just said, tune in nextThursday.
We'll have Tyrus Thomas onpresident, I believe, of YDC and
runs Rise of Stars travelorganization.
(43:54):
So we'll get everybody to tunein next Thursday for that.
All right, chris, I'll hollerat you in a minute, you know
that.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Yes, sir, y'all be safe.
Man, have a blessed night.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
All right, peace from New.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
York.
Peace from VA.
World thinks we're hard cause.
We've been blinded by ignorance.
Man, man, dm, known to progressit's a hindrance.
Silence is cassette.
So let your voices be heard,man, we brothers with opinions.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Now we spreading the word, bringing light to the dark
Revolution is our art man.
A lot of people.
Yo yo yo.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
What's up?
What's up we here?
What's up, chris man?
I'm trying to keep up pace withall these young superstar
athletes.
Y'all got on tonight.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
I heard BWO bringing it.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
We're bringing that fire tonight.
That's what we're doing.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
That fire, that smoke , all three of these people
about to bring that smoke toanybody that comes around them
on that Athletic fields andtracks that they play.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
So everybody, welcome back to Brothers with Opinions
with me and Chris Tucker.
We're about ready to have onEmerus Whirl, hassan Akambi and
Rylan Strudley all star athletesfrom Hanley.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Superstar athletes.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Very excited about this episode.
I hear a lot of people they'regoing to tune in, enjoy it.
I'm waiting for Rylan and allthem to uh, let's see, I'm ready
to get them on right now.
Hey man, let's just jump rightinto this.
They waiting you ready.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah, especially because Hassan got football
practice.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, Hassan's got football practice.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
That's how dedicated people are when you want to do
something, you bout it.
Hasan's going to jump on withthis real quick.
And then he got to run thefootball practice.
Hopefully he's as fast asEmerson Rylan, because he need
to get over there, right, right,yeah, but we know from his
football yardage that he is.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Oh see, we waiting for Hassan right now.
All right, let's add him inhere One by one.
No, add all of them.
I got it.
I got it.
Hey, how are you guys doing?
You hear me?
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Yes, I can hear you.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Okay, good, good.
How are you doing, Emerus?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Good, how are you here?
Speaker 2 (02:05):
it can hear you.
Okay, good, good, how are youdoing, emerus?
Good, how are you here?
It's Rylan, you there, rylan,he's there, we're getting here,
rylan.
I'm good, emerus, I'm sorry Ididn't answer your question.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
We're waiting for Hasan Rylan's probably so fast
he can't hear you.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Rylan, we can't hear you.
Hello, there you go, there yougo.
Hi, hey, how are you?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Wait, can you hear me now?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, we can hear you now.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Yeah, and Hassan.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Hassan, I think he's having trouble.
He'll jump in.
We'll see if he can get inthere, but we can get started
with Rylan and Emrys.
Welcome to BWL.
Brothers with Opinions and wewant to give you guys the
flowers, already being youngsuperstars.
I know, rylan, you're stillwith Hanley and Emrys you're
going to correct.
Yes, so she had to get that.
Chris Brown on Auburn and, uh,emerus you're going to.
(03:04):
Uba correct.
Yes, yeah, so uh, she had toget that.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Chris Brown on Auburn Deuces.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So let's start with, uh, I guess whoever wants to, I
guess ladies first.
So uh, emerus, um, can you tellbit about like your journey
through high school?
You know athletics and likethat, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
And you don't have to be too modest.
Like we went to school withyour dad, you graduated with
Tony.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I did graduate with your dad.
Speaker 3 (03:39):
And your older sister played in the Hoops for Hope
event before, because she's alegend.
But look, you have shatteredrecords, and not only track and
field but soccer, and that'samazing.
Just one sport is amazing.
But you need to be proud ofyourself and, and Bo, stick your
chest out right now, justbecause we're brothers.
Trust me, it's all about theladies too, and what you've done
(04:01):
is amazing and we're proud ofyou and we're excited to have
you on thank you.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
Yeah, I'm excited to be here.
Um, my high school journey waswas really good.
It was really fun, um obviouslyreally successful.
Um started off playingbasketball and soccer in high
school and outdoor track myfreshman year.
I thought I was going to playbasketball all four years but I
ended up seeing my brother andLiz Emo and they really enjoyed
(04:30):
indoor track and so that's whenI decided to join it.
My sophomore year and I thinkmy sophomore year is probably
when I started seeing a littlebit of success both in track and
soccer I mean I made varsity.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
My freshman year, both in track and soccer, I mean
I made varsity my freshman year, but I that's amazing Like well
, I made varsity my freshmanyear.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Well, back in our day , the coach wouldn't let us.
But that's amazing, that's dope.
Speaker 4 (04:56):
Thank you.
Yeah, my sophomore year is kindof when I started making my
mark.
I think that's when I ran myall-time best in track and
outdoor and then I became theleading scorer for my team in
that season for soccer, and Ithink I got runner-up in both of
(05:17):
my events in indoor track.
So that was exciting.
And then junior year is kind ofwhen everything just blew up
because I won three state titlesin my indoor meet.
You won how many Three statetitles?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Y'all know what she said.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
She said three and I'll tell you what you blew up
is that powder puff game?
Oh, powderpuff.
And maybe Hassan.
I was like who is that girl outthere running all over everyone
?
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:48):
Powderpuff is a whole other story.
I wish that it was like anactual well, like a bowling
record.
But yeah, it might be somethingI have to pursue.
But yeah, and then I wonAthlete of the Year, both
sophomore year and senior year,and now senior year, and now
senior year.
I just, I think I continued.
(06:08):
I won two more state titles inindoor track and then I did get
to participate in outdoor, but Iwon regional player of the year
for soccer and made theall-state team.
So it was a good four years.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Awesome, awesome.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Tony, you might not understand what she said because
she didn't say she went tostates and she watched them.
She said she made three firstteams.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Do you know what she's trying to tell you?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
right now, All the greats that we know you're
probably the best.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
I don't know, you got Ryland and Hassan there right.
I'm talking about women.
I'm talking about the LeoDonalds and Stacey.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Dawson's and everybody else.
This young lady might be thebest.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Well, Rylan, you're next.
We'll have to wait.
Hassan, you'll have to wait.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
You haven't taken the difficulty, no no, we got to
get Hassan on there.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I got to go to Go to football practice, yeah, so go
ahead.
Rylan Introduce yourself.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Can't hear you, Rylan .
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Can you hear me now, yep.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Yes, all right, I'm going to have to hold my phone
like this.
I'm a current senior at JohnHanley High School.
My name is Rylan Stripling.
I currently am just full-timetrack now.
So, yeah, no football thisseason.
No, I'm not playing football.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
Name's rylan stripling.
I currently am just full-timetrack now, so yeah, no, no
football no, I'm not playingfootball this year he said my
boy hassan finished, I ain'tplaying yeah, so what are you
concentrating on?
Speaker 2 (07:37):
uh, being an olympic runner, because you're killing
it out there too, settingrecords yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
That's ultimately the goal at the end of it all.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I'm going to be honest.
I've told friends already andI've never met you.
I don't know anything exceptfor you're an amazing track
athlete and I wish you the bestin everything.
But I tell my friends alreadyI'm like yo, this kid might go
to the Olympics.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Yeah, I hope that's the goal.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
No, that's amazing.
You shattered all my bestfriends and their friends'
records from back in the day.
You shattered the records.
Yeah, I've spoken to someathletes that's been Hall of
Famers for Hanley and everything, and when I told them what you
ran, they was like they couldn'teven say an English word.
Yeah, that's kind of hot.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah Well, you two seem like very humble kids.
I got a few questions for youguys, if you'd love to answer
them.
So what do you believe was yourgreatest challenge as an
athlete?
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Mine.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
Jump right in.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Mine, I would say from track, would be false,
starting from states Sophomoreyear because, like I worked so
hard competing with athletes andtraining all year to get to
states and finally, for thefirst time I was able to get to
states for indoor and sadly Ifalse started in the prelims.
So my day was over quickly andjust the challenge was just like
(09:05):
the mental part of it all, justlike knowing that I could still
do this and like bounce backfrom it and me being able to
overcome that and come back thenext year and win it all.
I say that's a great challengethat I overcame.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Awesome.
Go ahead, Nimris.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
My great challenge probably wasn't a specific event
, but probably just my senioryear kind of having that target
on my back and having so highexpectations for myself and
having to build upon the legacythat I had built and making sure
that I didn't settle or thinkthat I was smooth sailing.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Right, right.
So, hassan, sit your bag.
You hear us now, right, yeah,you're good.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
Oh, I thought I had to school.
I had to connect to my cellulardata.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Well, go ahead first off and introduce yourself All
right Tell us a little bit aboutyourself, your journey.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
Oh yeah, I'm Hassan Akavi.
I went to Hanley.
I us a little bit aboutyourself, your journey.
Oh yeah, I'm Hasan Akavi, Iwent to Hanley.
I'm a Hanley alumni.
Now I'm currently at LackawannaCollege playing football.
I play running back Currently,starting right now too, so
that's a blessing, but you saystarting yeah, I'm starting,
hold on You're starting incollege.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Yeah, and for those of you that don't know, I got
super hyped a little bit agobecause I saw that name and it
said Jersey City and I'm like,oh, that's right there where my
girl lives, I go there every daybecause Meech lives up here.
Now it goes in the Bronx.
I was hyped, but then I seenyou're in Scranton, pennsylvania
, right?
Speaker 5 (10:40):
Yeah, correct.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
But what they don't know is you guys just moved up
to d2 and that's the reason theywent to get superstars like you
.
Yes, sir, yes sir, d2 footballman, that's big time and you're
starting as a freshman yes, sir,we might have three of the
greatest athletes haley's everseen I appreciate y'all know
chris gonna take y'all's hornthe whole show including rudy.
(11:05):
I grew up with the science popson on south kent.
Look man, I'm telling you rightnow these kids are amazing I'm
with you.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Suicide, okay.
So the question I asked uh,emirates and rylan was uh, what
do you believe was your biggestchallenge in sports?
Speaker 5 (11:22):
Well, I'm going to go off what Emery said Like it was
a senior year.
I feel like senior year ittakes like it's a big step just
because it's your last year, soyou have a lot of pressure on
your back between teammates andbecoming a captain, and then,
like you being like a topathlete, you got a lot of
(11:43):
pressure.
So I think, yeah, yeah, senioryear was the most challenging,
just because you're trying to,um, really, really shoot for
your targets on your back, right, yeah, yeah, yeah trying to
shoot for your goals, knowingit's your last time.
It's like it brings a lot on you, but uh, yeah, I think senior
year okay, all right.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
So another question let's see how do you manage your
athletics and with youracademics, how do you balance
out your guys' schedule?
Speaker 5 (12:13):
Emerson can start that out.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
You guys are both starting college this year, so
that's a whole new learningcurve.
Yeah, the freedoms in collegeare different, trust me.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Mom and dad might be there watching y'all right now,
but they're not there when y'allin college Emerson.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
You want to start it off again.
The boys will let you go first.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
Yeah, sure, throughout high school academics
was always the priority for me.
So I think just finding anytime that I had downtime,
wherever it was, in the car onthe way to travel soccer that
was, that was really when I didmost of my schoolwork was when I
would kind of prioritize schooland not be focusing on sports.
(12:58):
I think that was just the bestbalance for me finding the time
to really focus on academics andthen saving the extra time for
practice or practice outside ofsports, and then also time in
school.
If I had downtime I wasn'tsitting there on my phone or
(13:18):
talking to friends.
That was making sure that allof my schoolwork was done.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Got you you had a lot of big big siblings to look up
to too, right.
Speaker 4 (13:29):
Yeah, definitely you might be the GOAT, you might be
the.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
GOAT pal Rudy, and I might be the GOAT.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Rylan, how did you balance your schedule?
Speaker 1 (13:41):
High school.
Honestly, I didn't start offhandling it bell or well,
because I was kind of alwaysprocrastinating and wanted to
put sports first kind of butlike throughout, like sophomore
year I uh I realized that schoolactually is very important,
especially me wanting to be anathlete in college.
(14:01):
Like I had to really turn thingsaround.
So now I really just focused ondoing my work in class and like
, even if it's during thelecture, I'm trying to do the
assignments, then just get itover with.
So then I'm not reallystressing about it later on,
like outside of school, becausethat's kind of when I want my
time to like focus on sports andstuff like that.
But yeah, I do now I justprioritize academics before I do
(14:24):
sports awesome uh, yeah me myfreshman and sophomore year.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
I was terrible in school I love your eyes.
Yeah, this is yeah, this iswhat this can do god.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Hey, what this can do is help other young athletes
out there.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
If you're a young'un and you're starting out in high
school, make sure you do yourwork.
It is important.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
River Island, you're still there.
Man Lead those kids by example.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
Yeah, I got to, got to be a leader.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Because the thing is I stress, because, since I coach
, it starts with your grades andthen you can write your ticket
and, like a sign, say, anywhereyou want to go, You've got good
grades and you're a good athleteNot just just be a good athlete
and coaches will take themgrades.
They got the grades, they'reresponsible, you know they get
their stuff done.
They're going to take that overa high-profile athlete who
(15:21):
doesn't do their work.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Because there's some sad stories of some athletes
that's been better than most,but because they didn't hit the
books enough just not to get 3.5or whatever, but just enough to
pass and get to college.
They didn't do it and theyended up in the streets or
wherever else, and you knowthey're the what-if stories.
Yeah, the what-ifs.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
You three are young.
Promise, what'd you say?
I said these three are notgoing to be the what ifs yeah,
well, definitely not.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
We can see that, but I'm saying like you, like you're
talking about and they can leadby example, emirates.
Going to uva, we already knowwhat that school stands for and,
no lie, this kid is startingfootball as a freshman man.
That's amazing.
Like these kids all havepotential to really help mold
the future generations, evenwhere they're at.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Right yeah, hemerich, do you have any?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
thoughts of, maybe one day, either running or
trying out for soccer at UVA.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Oh, honestly no, I think that I'm really satisfied
with my decision not to play.
That's fine.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
We don't want you to go home just because you're
African.
We're just proud of what youguys have accomplished and are
continuing to do, but UVA is oneof the most intelligent,
educated schools in the country,so you definitely got to hit
the books yes, I'm super excitedI won't speak for his time, but
as a starting freshman overthere he's gonna have some
trouble so you got, everybody'sgonna want you to party you're a
(17:02):
young star and all the girlsare going to be on you.
We're locked in.
We're locked in.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
We're not worried about that at all.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
That's what I want to hear.
There you go.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
I've already witnessed not getting the good
grades.
I do not want to go throughthat again.
So we're locked in.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Hey, we're glad to hear that.
It's not easy.
I messed up my freshman year ofcollege.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
I understand.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Karen Oglesby just got an offer to the school I
went to college for and look, Iplayed my first semester.
My second semester.
I couldn't play no more becauseI was too worried about
everything.
Speaker 5 (17:36):
But going to class.
I mean one thing about thisschool that I really like is
like they're going to make surethat you are getting your stuff
done.
Like because a lot of peoplehere here their main problem was
grades.
There's a lot of Division Iathletes here that's transfers,
and they just had a problem withgrades.
So the school itself and theteachers and just the guidance
(17:57):
or whatever, they're going tomake sure you get a good GPA.
You're going to try to you comehere to excel.
So this is one thing I likeabout the school too.
They're going to try to youcome here to excel.
This is one thing I like aboutthe school too.
They're going to make sure youget your work done and that you
stay on top of things.
There's nothing wrong withhaving fun.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
How long have you been over there already?
Speaker 5 (18:13):
You got to separate business and pleasure right,
yeah, for sure, I've been herefor about a week and a half.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
Football started right when you got there.
Speaker 5 (18:21):
Yeah, I got here late .
I got here about two days late,but good thing we didn't start
anything until the day I gothere, so I didn't really miss
nothing.
But yeah, now that's exciting.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
You guys are freshmen , fresh out of Hanley, and
Rylan's doing his senior yearand he saw both of y'all Look.
I do have one question for you,hasan, and it's going to the
past, but only because I want toknow and you played with my
nephew.
I know we might not look alike,but he's my nephew tristan, and
if you, if you and tristandidn't get hurt, man, I pretty
(18:51):
much think y'all would have wona state championship oh yeah, we
would.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Yeah, how do you?
Speaker 3 (18:54):
feel about that whole thing breaking down, with him
getting hurt against shirandoand then you getting hurt
against salem or whatever well,uh, I'm going to go back, like
going into that week of Sharandolike we were prepped, we had
everything down.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
We changed the stuff up because we like just how,
like I don't know, like just thepreparation for them, like we
had everything down packed andlike him getting hurt the first
offensive play.
Really, it just like kind ofshifted the whole game.
Like it just killed the moodand like nobody was expecting
that.
So it was like we had to goback into uh an offense that we
(19:33):
ran in in week one with a newquarterback that hasn't played.
So it kind of killed ourmomentum.
And then it like brought uhcharando's momentum up a lot so
that that game really hurt,because if we would have had
Tristan, no doubt we would havekilled them, we would have won
that game with ease.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
And I think everyone was mad, but you had to actually
deal with it.
Man, that's got to be tough.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
It was hard because they knew 70% of the time the
ball was going to be coming tome.
So it's not hard for nine guysto be running at you and then I
end up getting down.
I can make maybe one, two miss,but when five other ones is
coming, it's just not going towork.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
And then in-state, you got hurt in the beginning of
the second half, right?
Oh yeah, salem, who has wonmany championships recently.
But what I want to shout outreal quick before we move it on
you had like 220 yards in thefirst half.
Speaker 5 (20:30):
Yeah, about 245.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
That's like an NFL record, yeah, yeah.
You should be proud of that manand we all knew when I saw that
you went down.
I was upset.
I am?
Speaker 5 (20:43):
That Sherrano game hurt me too bad.
The next week I was in I waswith Coach all week.
We were studying, we was comingup with plays, going over stuff
, just so we can like we knew,because we knew like if we make
something up we're going to winthis game and our whole team.
We knew we was going to winthat game but unfortunately I
had to get hurt and kind of shitthe thing.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
After Tristan had already got hurt Right yeah.
I'm going to let Tony get backon.
I'm just really excited to haveall y'all on I want to know how
you and.
Emerus feel about what mythoughts are, and I don't know
the other young man, ryland butI'm his biggest fan, I'm his
biggest fan.
I'm his biggest fan.
That's not his family.
I think he's going to theOlympics.
(21:25):
What?
Speaker 1 (21:25):
do y'all think about his?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
potential to do that one day.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Definitely there.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Now one of my questions, before I forget now
you guys hang out.
Did you hang out in school,train together, anything like
that?
Speaker 5 (21:40):
How do you three support each other, or if at all
, I could definitely back up onRyland, just because, knowing
Ryland, he's competitive.
When he's practicing he'slocked in 100%.
He's going to push you to wantto get better.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
You talk a lot of praise.
Speaker 5 (22:03):
For the track team.
He was definitely the captain.
Just because every day he's outthere, he's stretching, he got
his own stuff going on.
It kind of like motivates me towant to do that too.
So I feel like rylan was, hewas the big key to the track
team this year.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
Nice nice good stuff to hear, like the captain out
there or the track team yeah,all right.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
What about emma?
She was on the track team too.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
We didn't have a men and women's track team, we had a
track team oh, yeah, for sure,but emerson was just with the
girls most of the time, so shewas the captain of the girls and
then rylan.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Rylan did his thing with the boys I'm pretty sure
she, she was dusting some of thedudes that was on the b unit,
oh for sure oh for sure.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
She was what top three fastest on the team.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
There was a young lady we were with Chris in
school, stacy Dawson.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yep, but that's what I'm trying to tell you.
As much as I love Stacy, robert, even Rudy, everybody I went to
school with these three kidshave already broken their
records when we get tiny and weget all them on for football.
Rudy played with them.
Rudy was on that team when theywon states and was undefeated
in 94, but he was a junior, asophomore.
Hassan would have won states,emerson, did you ask Emerson?
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Emerson Did you?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
not take Hanley to the first ever state
championship for women's soccer,that's great yeah.
How about that?
How about those flowers?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Let's say let's hold on before you end.
Like you scored.
What?
104 career goals.
Yes, that's incredible.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
That's incredible.
That's like 26 a season.
Speaker 4 (23:46):
I actually only scored eight goals my freshman
season, so it was a lot of heavylifting.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
my last three you sure showed off.
I'll say that Y'all willdefinitely say that.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
How big of a role do y'all's parents play in your
upbringing and your futureaspirations?
Speaker 1 (24:09):
A lot, I would say a a lot just the support that my
mom and them bring, just likealways, like helping me in any
way, like a gym membership tohelp me get training the proper
coaches outside of school justto get faster and stronger, and
all just that support.
I'm very thankful, and she waswilling to go 100% as well to
help see me succeed.
Speaker 4 (24:29):
Yeah, yeah, I'll agree with that.
It really is just the supportaspect and then kind of just
pushing me to always do my best.
You know it was never anegative kind of you need to be
doing this, but it was alwaysjust we're here for you, no
matter what.
What do you need to be the mostsuccessful athlete that you can
be?
Speaker 5 (24:53):
yeah, I feel like my my dad and my mom, like they're
just motivation for me to workhard every day, especially this
year.
My dad's really like.
He's really like me and him gotcloser just because of like me
getting older, me moving tocollege and just and just like
the achievements that I got thisyear.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Just like it, just it's just motivation it well and
so I've known you since what?
Seven, eight years old,something like that.
So I will say you've beenthrough like you don't have to
go into deep, but I'm very proudwhat you've overcome and what
you're doing right now.
All three of you have mysupport and Chris's.
But you went through a lot andPercy Deere went through a lot,
(25:35):
so very proud of you.
I just wanted to put that outthere as well.
So I got a question.
There's always a big one.
What is Hanley pride to youthree?
Speaker 4 (25:47):
Ooh.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Because us old heads have a different view.
I guess I want to see what theyoung ones.
What is Hanley pride to you?
Speaker 4 (25:55):
Hanley.
Pride to me and I've alwayssaid this is just representing
something that's bigger thanyourself.
Like I feel like whenever I was, you know, going out getting
whatever awards and accoladesthat I was doing, it was always
to represent Hanley in apositive light and just
represent the perseverance, thepersistence, the tenacity that
(26:17):
you know we have, not just as anathlete but also in the
classroom.
So I just think representingsomething that's bigger than you
as a person.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Okay, rylan, yeah, I'd say piggyback on her, just
like trying to represent theschool and all, just like put a
good positive like insight on it, like knowing that people are
looking at you, especially now.
For me, like being a greatathlete at Hanley, like having
to be that type of like leader,having it like just having to
(26:50):
put on a good like role model, Iwould say kind of like doing
good in the classroom, showinglike kindness to the students in
the school and all making sureyou're like on with everything
on time to school.
Just showing that like a goodperson and representing the
school, that's what I say.
I'd represent Henley Pride with.
Speaker 5 (27:08):
They pretty much said it.
They pretty much said there'snothing to add.
I was going to say just whatthey said my.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Henley Pride.
Is I'm so hyped right now tohave you three on?
I went to Henley, it doesn'tmatter.
We went back in the old days,right?
But I'm excited I would havestill been excited if y'all went
to Clark County, warren County,wherever, sharando, but it
wouldn't have been the same.
I'm hyped and I'm excited fory'all and I want to know who was
(27:41):
y'all's professionalinspiration, or is there your
professional inspiration?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I.
I was about to ask the samequestion who was your role model
?
Speaker 3 (27:51):
Because I look around and see Justin Gatlin.
But I might look at Emerson andbe like I see Kaitlin Clark or
Amaya Moore, but not in justbasketball, but just that big of
an athlete from our area, man,that's amazing.
Speaker 1 (28:04):
Hey, I'm trying to think man From our area.
Speaker 2 (28:08):
Man, that's amazing.
Hey, I'm trying to think Well,how about this?
Who inspires you Like a mentor?
Who did you look up to?
Speaker 5 (28:18):
I can say, my freshman year, Stephen Daly
definitely inspired me.
Shout out to Stephen Malachi,just current, just current, well
, Hanley alumni.
They definitely inspire mebecause, like, just like, if
they're able to do something bigand go big out of that school,
then I know like I can do it too.
And seeing how hard like theywork and how good they were just
(28:39):
kind of like motivated me tokind of want to be better than
them or like, just be as good asthem.
You know, Right, Yo, yo Goahead.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Rylan Malachi is a senior at William Mary.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
I believe, so I'm about to graduate.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
He made ESPN Sports Center his freshman year, yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
That was dope.
Yeah, I'd have to say yeah,probably the Hanley
upperclassmen.
Just like seeing them all goingto college and like the type of
success that they've all had.
Especially like seeing likeEmerus when she committed to
Auburn and all Like that wasjust a big school.
Yeah, I'm like I want to tryand do something like that too.
Go to a big school and then I'dsay, professional track.
(29:21):
It's definitely got to besomebody like Usain Bolt, like
just the Just the best to everdo it.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
Well, I wouldn't expect anything less.
I might have said Justin Gatlin, but you're like, nah, he can't
be Usain Bolt.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Usain Bolt.
He's the best.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
You said Emerus man, that's fire.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
I think you got to blot you now.
Go ahead, Emerus.
Speaker 4 (29:45):
My inspiration was probably first my oldest sister,
just because she was kind ofthe basketball star and I think
that's who I always looked up to.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
The Haley legend.
She's in the top 1,000 points.
Yes, yes, and she played in myevent Hoops for Hope.
Man Nothing but love.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Yes, yeah, no, she's awesome.
She was just the star of herteam and I think that's
something that I always aspiredto be as I was growing up.
As for celebrities, I thinktrack athletes, especially the
ones who have gold medals so,yeah, usain Bolt or Gabby Thomas
, like, I think those athleteswho are the best of the best
(30:24):
just inspired me as well to kindof be on that level relative to
Winchester, you like, you likeZachary Richardson?
Yeah, no, she's.
She's great, yeah, she's abeast, yeah, she is.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Nice.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Shout out Masai Russell's.
We met her, we got a picture wehave a picture with her.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Who was it?
Masai Russell's.
We met her.
We got a picture with her.
Speaker 5 (30:47):
Who was it?
Masai Russells, she's a hurdler, olympic hurdler.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Nice, I ain't gonna lie.
I don't know who that is, butthat's dope.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
I don't know who it is Prince loves basketball.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
One of my best friends went to Nationals for
the 300 hurdles.
Did you guys have the pinrelays basketball?
One of my best friends went toNationals for the 300 hurdles.
Oh sad.
Hey, did you guys have the pinrelays?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Nah, we didn't go to pin relays.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Yeah, we didn't.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
They still do it, though.
Oh yeah, it's a big event everyyear.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Yeah, it always was.
I didn't know if they still didit.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Nah, yeah, it's like it's still a very big event now
this time I'm not gonna lie.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
This is dope talking to you because you're going to
the olympics in a few years.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yeah, sure, we go back to this show.
Right here we are winning golds, and then you got a shout out
and put that gold medal in yourmouth like what, right, right,
but uh, todd, I know you gottarun real quick, but uh, one last
question.
We have a little fun right nowwith you guys.
(31:54):
Uh, let's ask you so who's yourfavorite athlete?
Speaker 4 (32:00):
uh mine is probably Megan Rapinoe.
She's a soccer player.
Yeah, she's a beast yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
I think she's married to another player yeah, she is.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
She's married to a basketball player see, so I know
, I would say her, but alsoprobably Simone Biles, even
though she's not my sport at all.
I think she's just stellar,like outstanding and amazing.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
One of the most decorated.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:36):
Yeah, mine right now is Jameer Gibbs, detroit.
Yeah, detroit, alabama, youknow, yeah, yeah, detroit,
alabama, you know, yeah, I'dlike his Alabama.
I like Alabama Gibbs more thanDetroit.
Speaker 3 (32:51):
Are you the best running back ever from Hanley?
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Am I the?
Best running back.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
I put it out there.
I don't really care.
Yeah, my favorite running backever.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
I started to say, yeah, be a little cocky, right
now?
Speaker 5 (33:04):
Yep, I am.
I'm not even trying to be cocky, but like, If you're not the
best, you're one of them.
My stats is up there.
And for me not to get the ballas much as everybody else did, I
think if I would have got asmany attempts as they did, I
would have broke the schoolrecord.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
Hey, I'd love to hear that Emberis best soccer star
from Hanley ever.
Yeah, I'll say yeah.
Love it, we agree.
Hey and Ronald look they'reboth going to college right now.
You're a senior Just nowstarted this week Best track
athlete Hanley's ever had.
I didn't say field, but track.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Ronald, who's your favorite athlete?
Speaker 1 (33:50):
It's got to be somebody like Ray Lewis,
honestly, but it's more like therole model Not really being
able to watch him on TV playingand all but just like he's
always leading and teaching theyoung people just how to do
stuff, how to be a man, and justlike taking, like taking them
in the right steps and notletting them go off the right
paths, just being like a goodrole model for young athletes.
(34:13):
And I say him and just like himand like Usain Bolt for track,
just like the perseverance thatthey've gone through, like
they've gone through theirstruggles and their ups and
downs and all, but just beingable to bounce back, having a
strong mentality, knowing thatlike they all, but just being
able to bounce back, having astrong mentality, knowing that
like they're still good andbeing able to go out and win
Super Bowls and medals and alllike that, like that's the type
(34:34):
of person that I would look andsee myself in the future.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Hey, I listen to Ray Lewis motivational videos all
the time.
I feel, like getting on thefootball field when I've watched
hey Ray.
Lewis is a great one to look upto.
Moving on a little fun questionwhat music are you guys
listening to these days?
Music artists.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
I'm sure you don't know who they are.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
I probably don't, but just put it out there.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Definitely rap and R&B.
Speaker 5 (35:06):
I'd say it just depends on the, the type of mood
and vibe I'm in it's betweenthose two yeah, like right now,
since I gotta get up at five inthe morning for practice, I
gotta blast some chucky in myear just because, like it's not
even what he says, and not evenlike because he's saying some
crazy stuff, but it's like thebeat and the instrumental.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
It just kind of gets me like started there you go
yeah go ahead, emery oh, Ilisten to a lot of things, but I
probably mostly listen to pop,like I'm a big sabrina carpenter
listener sorry, I did not knowwho that is.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Selena Carpenter.
She blew up last year.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
From what I know, she blew up last year.
Speaker 2 (35:49):
Hey, come on, I'm out of the loop here.
Speaker 3 (35:52):
I'm old, you're kids, ain't you?
Speaker 4 (35:55):
You have the other superstars coming I don't know
if they have the crap they'relistening to.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
This little scary guy .
Speaker 2 (36:02):
We're trying to get Christian on this call today,
but he will not get on.
He this little scary battle.
We're trying to get Christianon, but he will not get on.
He will not get on.
Yeah, christian's on the job.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
But look, you know who those rappers are because
your kids listen to them.
I don't know half of them.
You're the one that told meit's not OD anymore, it's OC.
I'm like what, yeah?
Speaker 2 (36:21):
So that's a question for you Do you guys use OC?
That's what I heard the otherday.
Speaker 5 (36:26):
No, I still use OD.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Yeah, I'm not kidding .
Speaker 2 (36:30):
Maybe Chris was debating back and forth.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
He's trying to argue.
I never heard that His kid ismaking up something.
Speaker 5 (36:35):
Yeah, he's making stuff up.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
But that's what Slade is anyway, you can't just make
it up.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
You got to be fabulous and Jadakiss and those
kind of people to have theinfluence on people.
You got to be young, baby tobaby, whoever you got to be them
or you ain't got no influence.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
You can ask a.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
Christian, who else knows it?
It'll be like my third grademath class, my third period math
class or whatever.
Nobody know that word, oh see.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
All right, moving on, chris I, I gotta calm you down.
So, uh, what is your favoritefood or meal?
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Um yeah.
Speaker 4 (37:15):
Yeah, probably.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Yeah, I'm with you, yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:22):
I'm definitely like a Steak or rib type of person.
Honestly, I've always been likeeating steaks or something like
that, or ribs, every restaurantI go to I'm like y'all got a
steak or you want to try thatnew steak.
They got everywhere yeah yeahI'm with my gut there you go, so
let.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
Lastly, what advice?
Because I know mental health isa big thing these days in
sports, right, but you guys havetouched on a little adversity
and all.
So what advice do you have forthe up-and-coming kids, like,
say, middle schoolers, becauseyou know these guys look up to
you, because I coach at middleschool, so I tell them there's
always levels.
You know middle schoolers lookup to the local high school
(38:03):
athletes and then you guysEmerson and Emerson I keep
saying Emerson, sorry, emerson,that sign, then the high
schoolers will look up to youguys.
Speaker 4 (38:17):
What advice do you have for the youngins out there?
My advice would probably justbe not to compare yourself to
any other athlete, becauseeverybody has their own journey.
You might not be as good assomebody.
But, as long as you keepfocused, and I mean they're
(38:40):
still living their dreams.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
It's not easy to say, but they know follow their lead
.
That's what the young kids needto do.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Yeah, if you're in, daniel morgan rylan or uh, you
got any advice.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah, you're good, go ahead, rylan all right, um, I
say definitely, just like keepyour eyes on the prize and just
like focusing on what'simportant, not getting knocked
off track with other stuff, andjust keeping a strong mindset
even if you go through thestruggle or struggles and
(39:12):
difficulties, make sure, likeyou keep your head strong and
just know to keep working andall.
Don't ever give up.
Speaker 2 (39:21):
You got a sign.
Speaker 5 (39:22):
Yeah, yeah, what they say.
You just just gotta want togrind.
If you, if you know you lovethe sport, then you just got.
You just gotta start to love it, because there's gonna be hard
times.
Trust and believe it gets hardall the time, but you just gotta
.
You just gotta keep wanting todo it.
You gotta, like rylan said,keep your eyes on the prize.
And another thing is, um, keepyour faith in god.
Uh, or just like, if you reallyare going through something, or
(39:46):
like you're not feeling asmotivated, find somebody to talk
to.
It can be a coach, a friend.
You know, you gotta always havesomebody to talk to too,
because you can't go through itall by yourself.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Alright, chris, you got anything to add before we
let these three young people go?
Speaker 3 (40:05):
Yeah, none of them are basketball stars, and that's
fine.
You got anything to add beforewe let these three young people
go?
Speaker 5 (40:09):
Yeah, none of them are basketball stars, and that's
fine.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
But y'all know how they talk about big threes.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
Y'all might be my favorite big three ever from
Hanley man.
You got the big three on today.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
And I always say, like when I did my event and
like I had Emmerich's sister onand all these other people, I'm
not waiting to give people theirflowers, so I'm going to had
emma's sister on and all theseother people, I'm not waiting to
give people their flowers soI'm gonna do an event one day
and I'm gonna bring all y'allback, man, but y'all might be my
favorite victory and I'm proudof y'all and I wish y'all the
best and everything y'all do,we're gonna keep thank you,
y'all need something.
Y'all need something.
(40:37):
Hit us up, man.
You can get my number from,from whoever christian or
whoever, and just how.
That is because we're here tosupport you, no matter what you
do, emerus, even if you're justgoing for academics look, that's
the hardest thing.
So we're going to support y'allin everything y'all do.
We wish y'all the best, andwe're proud of you.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
Thanks for being on the show today.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
Thank you too.
Speaker 2 (41:00):
Take care hey.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Rylan, we want tickets to the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
For sure.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Hey.
Ryland we want tickets to theOlympics.
Sure, I'm just messing withy'all, but we wish y'all the
best man for real.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Y'all take care.
I appreciate you all being on.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
All right.
Thank you for having us on Allright, see y'all All right.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Get to practice man.
He did too.
He ran quicker than Ryland.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Yeah, he did.
Yeah, so there Wrap that upguys.
It was great Having them youngFree athletes on Chris.
Speaker 3 (41:33):
Yeah, yeah, that was fun.
I told you you knew I'd behyped the whole time, but I love
it.
Man, it's great to have you.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
I had to calm you down, bro, you were so hyped.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Hey, you're lucky, I didn't have more Than one coffee
tonight.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
Right, you're lucky, I didn't have more than one
coffee tonight, right?
But hey, everybody you know,thanks for tuning in tonight.
Go to our YouTube pagesubscribe subscribe buttons
right there on YouTube, atBrothers With Opinions.
We're on Facebook.
You can follow us there.
All our links are there forInstagram, youtube channel X.
(42:04):
What am I forgetting?
I'm forgetting one other TikTokI get.
Yeah, we're on TikTok too.
So, hey, everybody, go follow.
Please subscribe to the show,cause I we know everybody
listening and tuning in, butplease go subscribe and support
us.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Yeah, it really does only take one or two seconds.
You just click it subscribe.
Click it Subscribe.
It's free.
We don't ask nobody to charge.
Hopefully, if enough of y'allsupport us, one day we can make
it to where other people have toget charged.
But to have friends and familythat watch or know about it but
don't support or don't follow orsubscribe, that's crazy.
I'm going to be honest.
Speaker 2 (42:36):
Y'all know me, I speak my mind and you know
what's on here.
We're going to keep it realwith everybody.
Speaker 3 (42:41):
Buddy, we got my man, citrus on next week, tony, so
get hype.
Mr YDC, mr Rising Stars, my boy, tyrus, thomas man, and he's
been doing big things in thecommunity so I grew up with him,
you know Fairview, so gottashow love.
Tyrus is on next week.
The week after that we got the94 undefeated state championship
handling team finally on, butthey'll be on the Sunday, the
(43:03):
31st rather than Thursday.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
That's when we get them all together.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
Pierce Gonzalez coming up soon.
We got Chris West.
We got Carl Rush.
We got people in the works,Miss Shelly Lee, we're going to
try to get her on Like.
We got people in the works man,we got the drill team.
If y'all don't know about it,ask Miss Stephanie Washington in
97-98.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
We Stephanie Washington is 97-98.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
We bringing things back, we doing it for the
community, but we doing it foreverybody.
Man, if y'all want to get in onit, y'all want to talk?
Tony's right there.
I'm here, just a phone call oremail away.
Man.
Hit us up, man, let us know.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
But subscribe for real Brothers with opinions,
even if you're a woman holler atfor joining us and, like I say,
chris just said, tune in nextThursday.
We'll have Tyrus Thomas onpresident, I believe, of YDC and
runs Rise of Stars travelorganization.
(43:54):
So we'll get everybody to tunein next Thursday for that.
All right, chris, I'll hollerat you in a minute, you know
that.
Speaker 3 (44:01):
Yes, sir, y'all be safe.
Man, have a blessed night.
Speaker 2 (44:04):
All right, peace from New.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
York.
Peace from VA.
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