Maize&BlueReview - M'Ba wants to start a movement, will it begin in Michigan?
Can Michigan become the victors in the pursuit of JUCO prospect, Jeffrey M'Ba?
michigan.rivals.com
Hey, gang, it is with great joy that I join the rest of our team in saying welcome to a new era of coverage in the Michigan beat.
Of course, some of you may know me as I previously wrote for this community in 2016.
At the time we last talked, I was 19 years old and had no clue what the next few years would have in store for me.
I was only with Rivals for 3 months before I accepted a job as the Recruiting Writer at the now-defunct Land of 10.
You want transparency with this move and I don't blame you. So here's some from me on Day 1.
When you're 19 years old and writing about sports full-time, the world doesn't feel real. At least it didn't to me. I was lucky to be where I was but had no idea just how lucky.
I took the job then for the following reasons ... financials, my own beat, remote work, and less work due to no magazine ... in the end, I was let go with a non-compete that forced me to sit out of the industry completely for six months. Those six months were June through December, AKA football season. Funny how that worked, I know.
Since then, I've been soul-searching.
To go from a salaried sportswriter at 19 to a 23-year-old who thought there was no road back was a much-needed haymaker of reality to my jawbone.
It knocked me out, but I'm finally back up.
Fast forward ... I'm 25 now. I've spent the last two years working full-time in baseball, both as a coach and running an indoor training facility. I've coached high-level summer baseball, including something like 20-to-25 Division I commitments across three seasons, though I try not to keep count of that stuff but to give you guys the peace of mind that I'm not some hack job coaching 7th-grade dodgeball, I'll throw it in here. Currently, I'm an assistant coach with Wyandotte's varsity team and DBacks Elite's national team. It's my first year stepping away from head coaching which works out great given my new responsibilities here.
On top of spending my time working, I've spent a lot of time addressing my mental health and physical profile. Both are things I take seriously because I never had before, and now believe them to be integral to my lifestyle. What you can learn about yourself when you make it a priority to do so is astonishing. How you can grow from it is what counts.
When you're mentally sound, typically you're physically sound, too. When we last spoke, I was capping off at 245 pounds. At the time of writing, I'm in a bulk and up to 185 pounds but during the summer I hit my lowest, healthy, weight of 171 pounds. I'm real proud of that. It's changed my life.
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What I can tell you now is that I'm the Recruiting Editor of The Maize And Blue Review, a part of the Rivals network.
I'm going to prioritize making the most of the opportunity I have, one that I take with great pride and humility.
I'm going to shine a light on the recruits that fill our state, as well as the one Michigan pursues nationally. These kids are special beyond just what they can do on a football field. Now more than ever, athletes are being given a platform to speak on things far beyond the X's and O's. I'm here to do the same for the prospective athletes I cover.
I want to tell stories. And, of course, I want to do what I've always done on the beat and scoop until my wrist breaks.
With two seasons away from the beat, that may take time but trust that it is inevitable.
I'll end it with this...
We have a stellar team of individuals who are masters of their roles.
Josh has managed numerous Michigan websites over the years, and each saw resounding success under his watch. The experience, ability, and sources for intel are all there for Josh. All he had to do was assemble a team. And boy, oh boy, did he. He's an incredible leader who will get the most out of us because you want to work hard for a guy like him. Believe in that man, just like we do.
Adam is a special human being. He's kind, like the really nice lady who works at your local Donut Shop kind, yet he can split the middle and write a story like no other. He's a storytelling maestro. An underrated trait in this industry is the ability to come up with story ideas. Adam was the king of that in his previous stop. He will wear that crown again soon.
Dennis is a legend, dude. Josh Helmholdt already said it, and his story is far better than mine. Let's put it this way, I know Dennis because I've heard his voice for years. He is a memorable Detroit sports radio voice with a wealth of experience in audio, and we get him on our team to produce the best podcasts in the Michigan market. Match made in heaven.
Daniel Dash is going to be a star. He wrote for me at The Wolverine Lounge as a freshman. Now we're teammates. Life comes full circle, huh? He's the next big thing out of The Daily, and he would block all of your jumpers, by the way.
Stephen Osentoski is bringing you something that you've never seen before ... real, interactive film analysis. Stephen's video skills are second-to-none, highlighted by his film breakdowns. He makes it so easy to watch along, even if you know quite literally nothing about football beyond the forward pass. With this platform, what he can do is incredible.
Guys, we know this situation isn't the smoothest, easiest thing for you.
We're here to deliver and keep you with us.
Again, welcome to a new era ...
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