Tag Archives: Wounded Warrior Project

We've got 3 more weeks of "High-5" contests left including this week, and 3 of the major conferences still don't have outright champions or division titles in the bag.  This weeks matchups should help determine some of those outcomes, and we'll get to them shortly.

The SEC East & Western divisions are in the bag. Auburn's Cam Newton put controversy behind him, and Heisman in front of him to bury the Dawgs, (and shut me up....until Georgia Tech in 2 weeks!), and Marcus Lattimore carried 40 times for 212 yds and 3 TD"s  for South Carolina, in shocking the Gators in the Swamp to clinch the SEC East.  Nice touch, Mr. Spurrier.

We had a very strong turnout last week with 64 entries.  Most bit on Florida taking out the Gamecocks, but we had an equally strong amount of entries banking on the Old Coach, with 8 picking all 5 games correctly.  I hate that we can't send a FREE Original Retro Brand shirt to all 8, but we did choose 2 winners in the drawing this week, and they are.........Daniel Wright from Crawfordville, Florida, and Reid Fenlaw from Denver, Colorado.  Congrats to both!

Before the games, the rules...

1) Each Tuesday I will preview 5 of the most compelling College Football Matchups for the upcoming weekend and offer my expertise, or more commonly lack thereof as witnessed by last week, as to who will win & why, along with a predicted final score.

2) Contestants will e-mail their picks for the same 5 games to me, and the person that beats me and/or the person who picks the most games correctly (no point spreads, straight up wins and losses) will win a FREE Original Retro Brand t-shirt of their choice.  In the event of a tie, we will have a drawing to determine the final winner.  Send your picks to me at andyphyman@gmail.com no later than kickoff of the first scheduled game to be counted!

3) I will announce the winner each Tuesday following the weekend’s games with the upcoming new picks on the blog.  In addition to the FREE ORB T-shirt, the winner will also receive an imaginary heartfelt High- 5!

OK, NOW TO THE GAMES!

GAME 1:  # 25 Florida State vs. Maryland:  HUGE win for the Noles on a 55 yard field goal as time expired last week over Clemson.  They'll need to beat Maryland, and get some help to stay in the hunt for the ACC Atlantic.  Meanwhile, NOBODY thought the Terps would be in a position to win the ACC Atlantic, and they can do just that with wins over FSU & NC State.  Maryland will be wearing special camouflage uniforms in support of the Wounded Warrior Project this weekend and I'm going with them.  MARYLAND - 33, FLORIDA STATE - 24.

GAME 2:  # 16 Virginia Tech vs. # 24 Miami: Don't forget the Hokies just missed beating Boise by a hair in the season opener before being shocked by James Madison (I know, James Madison?).  They've managed to win 8 straight since, and with a win over the Canes, the Hokies would clinch the Coastal Division title and a spot in the ACC Championship game for the fourth time since joining the ACC in 2004.  Freshman backup QB Stephen Morris has more than stepped in for injured Jacory Harris, and led Miami to 2 straight impressive wins over Maryland and Georgia Tech.  This is a tough one!: VIRGINIA TECH - 28, MIAMI - 21.

GAME 3:  # 9 Ohio State vs. # 13 Iowa: The Buckeyes have wreaked havoc since losing to the Badgers four weeks ago, and I believe they will continue to wreak.  The Hawkeyes seemed to have lost their swagger since routing the Spartans, barely beating Indiana and losing to Northwestern last week.  Havoc at home for Hawkeyes:  OHIO STATE - 36, IOWA - 23.

GAME 4:  # 8 Nebraska vs. # 19 Texas A&M: You've got to be impressed with the Aggies.  They could have folded tent after dropping three straight, but instead they've roared back with four straight wins including drubbing a then # 8 ranked Oklahoma followed by another romp over upstart Baylor.  They now host the latest # 8 in Nebraska, who is trying to clinch the Big 12 North.  A&M is currently in a 3-way tie for first in the Big 12 South & could win it, but will need help from Kansas & Oklahoma.  It could happen.  TEXAS A&M - 28, NEBRASKA 23.

GAME 5:  Army vs. Notre Dame: Ok, this game doesn't mean much in the scheme of things, but I like it because the Fighting Irish came out of nowhere to stun # 14 Utah, and Army needs this win as a gear up for the Army-Navy classic to follow....plus we have awesome new U.S. Military Academy t-shirts! NOTRE DAME - 28, ARMY - 17.

That's it - send your picks to andyphyman@gmail.com before kickoff to be counted, and GOOD LUCK!

PARTING FYI’S: My record now stands at 26-25 and I've yet to go 5 for 5.  One of these weeks I won't bet with my heart and wishful thinking and maybe I'll win!.....Lot's of new Original Retro Brand product starting to pop up on the site - check out the JWilliams & Quad lines, for those who love the look, style, fit & feel of our shirts, but just ain't into chest logo's......this weeks "5 Questions with..." interview features former Arizona Wildcat & NFL Kicker Steve McLaughlin, who is also a successful singer-song writer.

FIGHTING ARMY

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THANK YOU MARK!

It's Veterans Day, and the Original Retro Brand is proud to present an interview with one of our nations finest. Specialist Mark Johnson is an Army medic in training, and considers himself one of the lucky ones.  Instead of being deployed to Afghanistan as he thought, instead he will be serving stateside at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for a year to work at the blood donor center.  Mark would like our readers to please support his mission by donating to the Armed Service Blood Program. The ASBP is able to get blood to Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan within 48 hours of donation.  One more project that is close to Mark's heart in which he would ask that you donate to, is the Wounded Warrior Project.  In honor of all the men and women who have served our country, past, present, and future, we offer our sincerest thanks, and ask that you please take the time to investigate these very worthy programs.

Andy: What was it that inspired you to join the Army?

Mark: I was going to Moberly Community College (Mitch Richmond went there!) with my eyes on medical school.  I worked 3 jobs making frozen ice cream treats, working at the Gap and Walmart.  On top of that I think I was enjoying the non-school part of college life a bit too much and medical school was seeming a bit out of reach.  I still was interested in the field, and I thought the Army might be a good way to get the training and serve my country at the same time.  I was 16 when 9/11 happened and it changed my whole perspective on life.  I had always considered myself patriotic, but this event and the desire to still be involved in medicine and serve the country, helped fuel my desire to enlist.  I signed my first Army contract in April of 2009.

"BEST IN THE WORLD"

Andy:  Can you share some of your training experiences?

Mark: Beyond the ongoing physical training, I've had the opportunity to treat a 6 week old baby on up to an 87 year old war veteran, and am constantly working to get hands on experience.  More than anything else, I have been blown away and humbled by the soldiers and medics who have been training me.  They are THE BEST IN THE WORLD. One of my trainers was the medic on site when Saddam Hussein was captured, and also entered the compound when Saddam's sons were found deceased (This same medic was previously a sniper in Desert Storm - "More decorated than a Christmas tree," according to Mark). Perhaps the most incredible and inspiring story, is one of our medics had his abdomen blown wide open while in Iraq and remained conscience enough to walk the infantrymen with him through the medical procedures needed to save him on the spot.  Another medic who is up for the medal of honor, pulled 3 soldiers out of a burning tank.  He was so humble he didn't say a single word to any of us - we just found out about it.  These are all examples of real life and death situations in the field that you just can't get trained for by some book.  I cannot stress enough how much of an honor it is to be working with these men.

STANDING TALL

Andy:  I know you are an Original Retro Brand fan (we'll get to that in a minute) and a huge sports fan.  Most of us look up to superstar athletes as heroes and role models.  I'm sure most will agree with me when I say the soldiers and doctors of our armed forces are the true heroes.  Do you feel like a hero?

Mark: The outpouring of support we receive from the public is outstanding.  People will come up and ask to shake my hand and the uniform is so respected, and again I'm very humbled.  Recently, a group of us were at a Steak & Shake and when we went to pay our bill, we found out that a customer had already paid it for us.  I do have a little bit of a complex compared to some of the other soldiers because of what they have gone through.  There are many guys I knew through basic that have passed away who were younger than I am.  So many young people willing to do what ever it takes.  While the overwhelming majority of people are supportive, we still encounter "babykiller" comments from time to time.  We don't argue with them.  In sports you have trash talkin', but we don't play that game with the public.  Obviously we don't always agree with the opinion of those people, but fight for their right to express those opinions.

Andy: You're incredible...  The news pummels us with constant bad news about what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Do you have any good news?

Mark: This does sound weird, but you never do hear the good side of the war.  The perception over here is very different from what is going on over there in many instances.  There is real progress and good stories, but they just don't make the headlines.  Recently a little kid in Afghanistan stepped on an old russian anti-tank mine, and it blew his leg off.  Our soldiers saved his life, and then outfitted him with the proper prosthetic leg and followed with physical therapy.  Just one story of many.  Again, it doesn't make headlines.  So many people willing to help out.

Andy:  Can you tell us about your love of sports and the Original Retro Brand?

Mark: I grew up in Dallas before moving to Missouri, so I guess I was spoiled by seeing the Cowboys win 3 Super Bowls before I was 10!  I was, and still am a huge Nolan Ryan fan, and was hoping for a Rangers-Cardinals World Series.  I was going to Mizzou before I joined the Army, and truly cherished being able to attend football games there, especially on 9/11 this year.  I wore a customized yellow t-shirt with an American Flag in honor of those directly affected that day.  Going to any sporting event is a luxury as you don't have access to tv's while in training.  All I got to see last year was the Super Bowl the day after it happened!

PRETTY, AND SHE LOVES FOOTBALL?!

One thing for sure is that I am truly blessed to have a girlfriend who loves football just as much as I do!  Regardless, she has deemed my shirt collection out of control, and has me on a strict 2 t-shirt per month quota on my Original Retro Brand gear.  The thing I love about Original Retro Brand shirts are the stories they conjure up when people see me wearing them.  The other day a guy saw me in an old Missouri shirt and started talking to me about Kellen Winslow, and the old days when drugs and violence were not as prevelant in sports as they are today.  The shirts bring generations together, and you can't get that with a Nike shirt.  They're also unmatched for softness which my girlfriend loves, and there is no greater fit.  I have shirts that are at least 4 years old that have been through the Army's industrial washers and they've held up, and still feel and fit great.

COLLECTION OUT OF CONTROL

I want to thank Mark for his time, and wish him the very best of luck in his career in service.  Godspeed.

Check out our brand new Army & Navy T-shirts today.  They are 25% off through Monday in honor of Veteran's Day.  Enter code VET25 @ checkout.

If you are a big fan of the Original Retro Brand, and want to be featured on “5 Questions with…” please forward a picture of yourself wearing Original Retro Brand gear, and a brief description of what you do for a living to andyphyman@gmail.com If we like what we see, you may be contacted for an interview. You don’t need to be an Army Medic like Mark to be featured, and we’ll even send you an Original Retro Brand T-Shirt if we decide to post your story!

FOR UPDATES ON CONTESTS, FASHION, AND FUN FROM THE ORIGINAL RETRO BRAND,  BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK AND FOLLOW US ON TWITTER.