Update from the intersection of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma on I-44!

Sorry ToTo, I missed the shot of Kansas

Day 3 is moving forward as we have said goodbye to Oklahoma and did a cameo with Kansas.

No real news here, just more of an update if you will. Some first time readers have found the site today and I wanted to take a minute to explain what they have stumbled upon.

Linda and I moved to Carroll County six years ago and once we finished unpacking we started our own Non-profit organization, OneofUs.Care.

Everything that appears on this site is Free and will always remain that way. I enjoy writing ✍ and I am currently on Book πŸ“– 6 of 7. Our thought process is that the World 🌎 needs more kindness !

Everything that appears here has to be 1000% Positive and thats because it is designed to be uplifting to its readers. Most stories are created for a small group of people who have been hard at work in striving for the same thing ! A safe space, free from the outside World πŸŒŽπŸ™Œ…

Saved by the Bell πŸ””: The Cavalier College Years has our next to last send-off as we say Goodbye to the Flying Eagles and the Smoot Brothers for 2025 – 2026

This story is a great example as it was written mainly for the Smoot Family πŸ‘ͺ and in part for Anthony Barnes as we have enjoyed our years together ❀.

Saved by the Bell πŸ””: The Cavalier College Years has our next to last send-off as we say Goodbye to the Flying Eagles and the Smoot Brothers for 2025 – 2026

To try and describe the past 12 months for the Twin Boys of Russell and Mama Smoot one would need to borrow a prop from Coney Island…

The Cyclone πŸŒ€ Roller Coaster

  A few days ago the Southwest Virginia Community College Flying Eagles dropped their last game, finishing the season at 6-20. The loss not only ended the season but it ends the program as SWCC has elected to cease its entire Athletic department and shift its efforts solely on education.

Bryce and Brayden Smoot finished up their days on The Hill by helping Head Coach Anthony Barnes to a State Tournament run. The Cavaliers had their season end up in Penn Laird when the eventual State Champion Spotswood Trailblazers defeated the Cavaliers.

Prior to that big event, Brayden qualified for the State Track Meet and Bryce passed Tee Jackson as the All-Time BOYS scoring leader. Life was going great and then our Boys made a commitment to attend college in Cedar Bluff and play Basketball πŸ€ for the Flying Eagles.

Once the writing ✍ was on the wall in regards to the long-term plan for the program, a coaching change was made. The  plan was for Bryce to play as a Freshman with Brayden to be a red shirt for year one.

While plans changed on a regular basis, Russell Smoot was overjoyed the day that the family πŸ‘ͺ was informed that Brayden would be part of the team as well !!

Here is that story :

Breaking News from Cedar Bluff, Virginia and it felt like it was scripted in Hollywood !! Brayden Smoot is officially a member of the 2025-2026 Flying Eagles of Southwest Virginia Community College πŸ’™

Breaking Bread 🍞 with a person and / or Family πŸ‘ͺ makes things personal, at least to me anyway. I watched these two young Men grow from deer 🦌 in the headlights 8th graders to the people that stand in front of us today. If it stings me to see πŸ‘€ the way things played out, I can only imagine how Mom and Dad feel.

But Russell has convinced me that all is well and the Boys understand that God has a Bigger Plan for them both.

Two more highlights from the past few months include returning to The Hill fora home game and having your jersey retired.

Even more recently, Bryce found his way into a lopsided contest. All he did was drop 16 points in a blink of an eye πŸ‘. His reward for such an outstanding moment in the Sun 🌞???? Zero minutes in the next game????

Bryce Smoot is now the Poster Child for perseverance and we simply could not be prouder here at Saved by the Bell : The Cavalier College Years !!!

Peaks and Valles is how Tauren Wells sings about it ot Roller Coaster ride. Either way, we can’t wait to see what is next for the Brothers Smoot !

Next Stop βœ‹for the Lady Paladins is the Cherokee Center in Ashville on Thursday afternoon at 5:45 pm! Welcome to the SoCon Tournament….

Alyssa Ervin and Furman University closed out their regular season on a high note πŸ“ Saturday afternoon and it turns out their victory over Wofford prevented their guests from winning the SoCon crown πŸ‘‘ outright.

The victory was a vital one for a number of reasons for Coach Pierre Curtis and the team. While they appeared to be headed for the #4 seed in the tournament, they had dropped two straight home games heading into the contest with the Terriers. In both cases the outcome was decided by just a few minutes of action late in the game.

Nobody wanted to head to Ashville on a three game losing streak, especially when all three were played in the Timmons Arena

Another cause for celebration in this one was the dominant second half (35-16) against a team that had a great deal to play for. Curtis had to smile about the fact that four of his players finished up in double figures, led by Clare Coyle with yet another double – double.

Thursday, in the fourth and final game of the day, the will square off with Mercer (#5 seed). The two teams split during the regular season with each winning in the others building. Mercer was one of the two teams that just defeated the ‘Dins but that game was a bit deceiving.

February 21st shows an 80 – 63 victory for Mercer but it came when the Bears 🐻 closed the game on an 18-2 run after it was 62-61. Again, another reason that finishing up strong πŸ’ͺ against Wofford was so important.

Fourth place in the league but only one win away from sharing the title with the other three teams. Not a bad year for a group that is still getting comfortable with their roles !

Ervin finished up with double figures in scoring in 21 of the 29 games during the season, including five games of 20+. The smile returned and playing with an edge did as well !

Thursday night at 5:45 pm…..

The Morning πŸŒ„ Brew for the last Day of February is filled to the brim ! Welcome to Moving Day in a number of areas…

Morning πŸŒ„ Brew
The official calendar for the School is blank but……

Alyssa Ervin and Furman University is guaranteed at least one post season tournament game on Thursday in Ashville but they are set to close out the regular season today at home.

Meanwhile, the Smoot Brothers would appear to have concluded its season just a short time ago. Information about the Flying Eagles is a little hard to come by at times but we do are best.

On Saturday afternoon and evening, the four teams that we have spent time around for the past 90 days are scheduled to play each other. This is fitting for our last day here.

2pm for the Women in St George and 630pm for the Men in Cedar City

10am – MT – First Pitch for Day 3 of the Beehive Classic Softball Tournament at Utah Tech. Four games slated again today. Also at 10am MT, the Blue Devils and Cavaliers Men play for the #1 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament.

Travis Osborne had a BIG Day yesterday and his Bible Verse of the Day:

Proverbs 28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

Golden Bears 🐻 Baseball x 2 in New Albany as well.

Have a Blessed Day πŸ™ŒπŸ™.