Frosted Flakes: Youth Sports, Nebraska Space Bread, and Plastic Wrap World Record

We have often clipped articles about how youth sports have gotten out of control - parents attacking each other at soccer games for 6 year olds, kids having to decide which sport to specialize in before they even enter kindergarten, shortages of officials who don’t want to put up with the abuse they receive...

Many of these stories seem to be related to the desire for a child to earn a college scholarship. The chance to get a free or partially paid education is a powerful motivator, especially when you look at the statistics on student loan debt.

If college scholarships are the end game (and youth sports are about much more than that) then many parents end up disappointed. Only 2% of university students are on athletic scholarships. The costs for many youth programs, especially elite ones, add up fast. Many families would be better off putting the money spent into a college savings plan and sign up their precious darling for teams in their local communities than to spend oodles of money in pursuit of a college scholarship.

Families spend freely to gain edge in travel sports | State AP - SD | yankton.net
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — For Dale and Amy Uttecht, guiding two sons through the competitive world of youth travel sports meant sacrificing a few things along the way.

I’m not advocating for an end to elite programs or saying all families need to abandon this path. I am also well aware that low-stakes local sports still can bring out the worst in some parents. I just found it interesting that the cottage industry of elite clubs, camps and recruiting rankings, private lessons, high end equipment, etc. has reached a point where people will essentially gamble their disposable income on an uncertain outcome (the athletic scholarship) when the better bet would be to save that money instead.

Frosted Flakes

Apollo 11 launched "Nebraska Space Bread" to new heights
On-board the historic Apollo 11 space capsule, was a slice of Nebraska innovation that few people know about.

Mike Brown cemented himself in Bears history with back-to-back OT wins - SBNation.com
Brown’s game-winning interceptions in overtime in consecutive weeks is a feat that’ll likely never be matched.

Hoiberg's Huskers getting acquainted before heading overseas
New Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg might want to consider writing his players' names on masking tape and sticking it across their foreheads so he can keep everybody straight.

Photos: We get our first glimpse of a Fred Hoiberg practice | Huskers | fremonttribune.com
The Huskers practiced Tuesday in preparation for their trip to Italy.

Future Nebraska lineman Corcoran excited to join Huskers
Future Nebraska lineman Turner Corcoran is about to begin his senior season at Lawrence Free State High School in Lawrence, Kansas.

QB Martinez usually keeps his cool | Huskers HQ | theindependent.com
Nebraska senior defensive lineman Khalil Davis told a story about quarterback Adrian Martinez at Big Ten Media Days.

Perhaps overlooked, Husker defense ready to prove its worth - KLKN-TV: News, Weather and Sports for Lincoln, NE; KLKNTV.com
Scott Frost and Mohamed Barry say the physical and mental transformation has made the Nebraska defense a dangerous specimen.

Huskers football notebook: A return to public weight room test results? | | siouxcityjournal.com
LINCOLN, Neb. — Count Nebraska senior inside linebacker Mohamed Barry among those who think both junior inside linebackers, Collin Miller and Will Honas, will take big steps forward this fall.

Three Saints undrafted rookies to watch at Training Camp | WWL
While the Saints have drafted well in recent years, their undrafted free agent classes have proven much less fruitful. Sure, there have been few roster spots available to such players, but only a handful have persevered to make any type of impact on game days in the fall.

Will Devine Ozigbo make his way onto the final roster?

Sportsin’ Stuff Outside the 402/308

Nats' Turner hits for another cycle against Rockies
Nationals shortstop Trea Turner has hit for the cycle for the second time in his career -- both against the Rockies. He becomes just the third player in MLB history with multiple cycles against one team.

Horse swallowed by sinkhole wins 12 days later
Mr Chague won the undercard of the second leg of Canada's Triple Crown after being rescued from a sinkhole less than two weeks earlier.

3x3 basketball -- How U.S. women are pushing to qualify for 2020 Games
While the U.S. women have dominated 5-on-5 basketball, they are no guarantee to even qualify for the women's 3x3 tournament at the 2020 Olympics.

2020 Olympics: Preview, athletes and storylines to watch | SI.com
The Opening Ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics is on July 24, 2020. Here are some of the biggest stories to follow in eight major Olympic sports during the next year to come.

Boxing has saved countless lives, but when one is lost the pain never subsides
Only seconds after the bout ended, a colleague watching the stream on ESPN+ texted me and said, “Buddy McGirt just saved Dadashev’s life!” Sadly, my colleague was incorrect.

More Noise and Other Disturbances

Watch: Man covers wife in cling wrap in 1 minute, 57 seconds
An Idaho man who has broken more than 100 Guinness World Records earned another title when he wrapped his wife in plastic wrap in 1 minute, 57 seconds.

You can’t copyright a cocktail, so what’s a creative bartender to do? | Ars Technica
”A recipe is like a phone book in the eyes of the law—you can’t own something so factual.”

Man, 65, made fake bomb threat to get date with flight attendant | World News | Sky News
The Serbian man, who has not been named, wanted to keep the woman in the country longer after she refused a date with him.

Burglars Steal $2 Million Worth Of 'Fajas' : NPR
These burglars came prepared. They cut a hole through the concrete roof and shimmied down into the warehouse. They disabled the alarms. They escaped with $2 million worth of goods.

Keeping livestock in the yard just might help your baby’s immune system
Getting up close – and a little dirty – with farm animals just might help us fend off illness, say researchers who’ve further demonstrated the benefits of early exposure to a wide variety of environmental bacteria.

Neil Armstrong death: Family got $6 million settlement from hospital
His family publicly said he suffered complications from surgery. But his sons privately claimed Mercy Health made a string of lethal mistakes.

These Incredible Real Tattoos Change Colour as Biomarkers Like Glucose Levels Shift
Enough of biosensor "tattoos" that are just a wearable sticker. Scientists in Germany have developed an actual, intradermal tattoo that can change colour in response to changing levels of glucose, albumin, or pH.

Knee Brace Captures Energy as You Walk - TFOT
Harvesting this kinetic energy by using the knee brace could prove to be extremely useful to people who do not have easy access to electricity, such as hikers or soldiers stationed in remote locations.

What If Buzz and Neil Didn’t Come Back from the Moon? Nixon Had a Secret Plan.
If the first men to step on the moon had died there, Richard Nixon would have read this haunting speech.

Poker Bot Beats The Professionals At 6-Player Texas Hold ‘Em : NPR
Six-player Texas Hold ‘em has been too tough for a machine to master — until now. A bot named Pluribus crushed some of the world’s best poker players using brash and unorthodox strategies.

Then There’s This

Police charge driver for allegedly using 30 pack of beer as child’s booster seat
Canadian police pull over a driver after they discover he was allegedly using a case of beer at a child booster seat.

Best Thing I Saw on the Internet This Week

Drone Operator Does Some Incredible Maneuvering To Chase Behind A Remote Control Car Race - Digg
You know a drone operator is particularly skilled when we are more focused on his piloting than on the race he is chasing.