Robert Henson calls Redskin fans ‘Dim-Wits’ on his Twitter account

By: Ryan Plinske

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 at 2:15pm

Many people often think that at first you should stay under the radar for say when you’re new to a job. Now, this doesn’t describe Washington Redskins rookie linebacker Robert Henson at all. Henson was the Redskins sixth round pick (186th Overall) out of Texas Christian University in the 2009 draft.

Robert Henson has started out the 2009 season inactive for the first two games and still has been able to make a name for himself with the general public. 'How you ask?’ is probably the best question anyone out there is asking. The rookie linebacker was quoted from his Twitter page and had the following to say,

“All you fake half hearted Skins fan can.. I won't go there but I dislike you very strongly, don't come to Fed Ex to boo dim wits!! No I didn't play but I still made more than you in a year and you'd [gladly] switch spots with me in a second, I was talking to the fans [who] said the crazy stuff, I'm use [to] heckling but I've never been booed in my own stadium. Again that was for the half hearted but if everyone wants to jump in come on. The question is who are you to say you know what's best for the team and you work 9 to 5 at McDonalds. You don't wanna follow me anymore then fine but we play for you and win lose or draw we represent you!! My guy on the Rams said they never got booed even when they didn't win a game. We made mistakes out there but we fought through them tooth and nail.”

All I have to say is that how can this man call out every fan when he is not even on the field competing. Does he realize how many people out there would love to be working 9 to 5 at McDonalds with the economy the way it is. What does he have against McDonalds? He said that he has never been booed in his own stadium before but last time I checked he wasn’t out there on the field and was inactive the last two games. I didn’t really take the ‘dim wit’ comment any farther than a hearty laugh but for a man of his status or lack thereof to go out there calling the Redskin fans names was probably the straw that broke the camels back in a sense.

He later posted an apology on his Twitter account saying,

“I apologize for all earlier comments about and to the fans, I was hit with objects from the crowd and was frustrated. 1-1 looks good baby”

After hearing what he had to say both before and after his questionable comments I still wonder what kind of an apology this is. As kids at a young age they are taught to apologize for what they did and state it verbatim and be sincere about it in their apology. This was not what (Robert) Henson needed to do so soon; yes he needed to apologize but not like this. He has yet to start an NFL game but a step ahead of the likes of Chad Ocho Cinco, Terrell Owens, Brandon Marshall, and Terrelle Pryor this football season for saying the most ridiculous statement so far.

MLB Honors an American Hero

By: Ryan Plinske

Sunday, April 19, 2009 at 5:30pm

April 15th isn't just Tax Day but on a larger scale to most baseball players it is known as Jackie Robinson Day. On this date way back in 1947 an African-American man named Jackie Robinson was called up to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

He was drafted into the army during World War II (1942) and right away was rejected to start officer training and immediately fought for his right to be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. During an interview with ESPN, Truman Gibson an aid to Secretary of War from 1941-1945, helped relive one of Jackie's experiences during his time in the Army. "During the last phases of officer candidate training, a senior officer referred to a Black soldier as a 'stupid n***** son of a b****.' And Jackie said, 'Just a minute, that man is a soldier in the U.S. Army," said Gibson. "So the senior officer told Jackie, 'that goes for you too.' Well all of a sudden, that senior officer had no teeth." This sums up just what kind of person Robinson was even at such a young age. He was later court marshaled for insubordination when he refused to sit in the back of a military base bus, but he was later acquitted of the charge. Later a man named Branch Rickey; General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers decided that he was going to make Jackie Robinson the very first African-American in Major League Baseball. However he was to hold back his rage to retaliate against racism.

He went through so much controversy and racial slurs growing up that it only made him that much stronger of a person when he entered the league as the first African-American player. He received very many hate mail and death threats that involved him or his family. Another thing that stands out about him is that he kept on fighting for blacks everywhere. He was called every name you could think of by people just because of the color of his skin. How ridiculous is this statement..., very because it doesn't matter what color, gender, or race you are but what really matters is how you play the game and how much talent, heart, and determination you have in order to bring a championship for your team despite the racism amongst the situation.

What made Jackie Robinson stand out to me was that his character and determination was as outstanding as anyone. During the 1972 World Series Commissioner Bowie Kuhn and MLB had set up an event to honor Jackie Robinson but he refused due to the lack of an African-American manager in baseball. During an interview that asked what the conversation between himself and Jackie Robinson Kuhn said, "I told him, 'Supposed if I told you I'm working very hard on that right now and I promise I will get that done...it's just a matter of time, I will get it done, will that make a difference,' and he said 'I'll think about it'" "And the next day he called me and said he'd do it because of that promise." Robinson attended the World Series despite all of this going down but spoke that day just how he felt, which was very familiar to all who followed Jackie and his free spirit personality. Robinson gave a speech that day and said, "I'm extremely proud and pleased to be here this afternoon," Robinson said during the '72 World Series ceremony, "but must admit I'm going to be tremendously more pleased and more proud when I look at that third base coaching line one day and see a Black face managing in baseball." He would be very pleased to see that as of right now there are 6 African American managing a club today.

When Jackie attended UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) he was the very first four sport varsity letter winner. He played football, track, basketball, and baseball. Robinson was an outstanding athlete and excelled in all areas of every one of these sports. He was awarded as the Pacific Coast Conference (now known as the Pac-10) leading scorer in 2 seasons as a basketball player, NCAA champion in the broad jump (25 feet, 6.5 inches) and also becoming an All-American in football.

Many of Jackie's achievements throughout his career was being awarded the 1947 MLB Rookie of the Year, 1949 MLB MVP, World Series champion in 1955, 6 time MLB All-Star selection (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954), and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 when he received 77.5% of the vote and was a first ballot hall of famer. However one accomplishment that Robinson would say makes him the most proud of his number (42) being retired throughout all of MLB in 1997 to honor the 50th anniversary of his first major league game. He finished his career in the 1956 season on October 10th. The very talented second-basemen finished his career with 1,518 hits, 137 home runs, 734 RBI's, 197 stolen bases to go along with a MLB record of 19 stolen bases of home, 740 walks, 291 strikeouts, and a batting average of .311.

As we look back into history we will all be reminded what this day really stands for and how much inspiration one man had to free a whole culture of people. Jackie Robinson isn't just the man who broke the color barrier in sports but in fact he's so much more, a true American Hero.

David Zielke Chooses UW-Platteville

By: Ryan Plinske AuroraChristianBaseball.com Exclusive

Date: 3/26/2009

The time has come for Aurora Christian senior David Zielke to make a decision on where he will be playing next year. Zielke chose the Pioneers of UW-Platteville to further his educational and athletic career. He will be playing both baseball and football next year as a freshman at Platteville.

David Zielke, one of the most athletic kids to ever go through Aurora Christian, is now a 3-time varsity starter for the Eagles. His junior year was what helped him become one of the top players in the area. Last season, David hit .397 with 19 RBI’s, 2 doubles and 2 home runs. David was second on the team in steals and was one of the top pitchers on the Eagles’ staff in 2008. He had a 4-1 record with 2 saves to go along with an outstanding 2.88 ERA. He had the most innings pitched with 41.1 while also leading the team in strikeouts with 31.

David chose Platteville because of the immediate connection with the coaching staff, a business school with a phenomenal academic reputation that is tops in the nation. The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is one of the most competitive Division III conferences in the country. Platteville was #1 on Zielke’s list of schools because of their hard-work and dedication in the off-season. Zielke also mentioned the schools top-notch facilities and how the Pioneer baseball and football coaches kept in touch with him throughout the recruiting process. “It’s a great fit for me overall, and I instantly connected with both the players and coaches a lot.”

Aurora Christian Head Coach Andy Zorger thinks Zielke will be able to step right in and compete next season as a freshman. “David has the experience and command he needs but if he is able to get his velocity up a little bit, David has the ability to greatly impact Platteville early on in his career there. He has a real easy delivery but needs to continue to work on his off-speed pitches in the off-season but overall I see (David) Zielke that as someone who will definitely be able to step in and deliver as a freshman”.

Zielke also stood out on the gridiron this past fall as one of Don Beebe’s most explosive players in recent history. At the start of the season, Zielke was going to be Jordan Roberts’s go-to guy due to an illness of teammate WR Matt Morse. Zielke surpassed many expectations and began receiving interest from many college football programs. He racked up 49 catches for 641 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 13.1 yards per catch. During his final game in an Aurora Christian Eagle football jersey, Zielke put up huge numbers against Bloomington Central Catholic in the IHSA Class 4A State Championship game. He ended up breaking two IHSA records with the most receptions in a game (10) and most receiving touchdowns in a game (2).

David Zielke is a promising young athlete with a bright future who has all the tools needed to excel at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville both on and off the field.

Congratulations to David Zielke and best wishes for a great college career!

Stars Shine Bright in Champaign

By: Ryan Plinske
Monday, December 1, 2008 at 6:30pm

The stars came out big Friday night in Champaign. Aurora Christian (13-1) made it to the school’s first ever state title and was the city first high school to achieve that accomplishment. Their opponents from Bloomington already knew what it took to get to Champaign after having made it to last year’s title game against Driscoll. The Saint’s biggest thing going for them coming into the game was motivation from last year’s defeat at the hands of Driscoll in the 4A title game. Bloomington Central Catholic (14-0) still had a bitter taste in their mouth from the previous year’s defeat against Driscoll.

Aurora Christian’s potent offense was at it again Friday night against the Saints from Bloomington Central Catholic. The Eagles’ Jordan Roberts threw for 365 yards, 4 touchdowns on 27 for 55 passing attempts. His 4 touchdowns tied the 4A state title game record along with breaking the records in completions (27), attempts (57), and yards (365). Catching most of the passes were Aurora Christian’s all-state wide out Matt Morse and wide out David Zielke. Morse and Zielke caught 2 touchdown passes each, tying the 4A state title game record, and Zielke’s 10 receptions set a new record for the 4A state title game. Zac Copple and Eric Andersen also were key targets for Jordan, catching 7 passes together for a combined 67 yards. Lewis Gaddis carried the ball 14 times for 52 yards.

Bloomington Central Catholic came into the game with one of 4A’s best all-around offense. The Saints outscored their opponents 528 to 150 points during the regular season and playoffs. Adam Rebholz, the Saints’ all-state quarterback was nothing short of remarkable Friday night. Rebholz threw for 319 yards and 2 touchdowns on 16 for 21 passing attempts. The Saints’ quarterback was all over the field against the Eagles’ defense. He ran for 91 yards on 15 carries scoring twice, and was delivering hit after hit on the Eagles’ secondary. His biggest target was TE Dylan Johnson, who caught 3 passes for 118 yards and 1 touchdown.

Both teams combined for 892 yards of total offense which set the 4A state title game record. Aurora Christian’s defense lacked the energy needed to stop the Saints’ run to the title. Bloomington Central Catholic defeated the Eagles of Aurora Christian 37 to 28.

Eagles Flyin' High to Champaign

By: Ryan Plinske
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 at 10:08pm

For the very first time in history, an Aurora high school is making the trip down state to Champaign! The Eagles of Aurora Christian finished off the season undefeated with a record of 13-0 and clinched the Private School League title. Their opponents Bloomington Central Catholic, also undefeated (13-0), made it to state last year against Driscoll Catholic and lost.

Aurora Christian: Aurora Christian’s high-powered offense is led by All-State quarterback Jordan Roberts, All-State wide out Matt Morse, and running back Lewis Gaddis. This year Roberts has broken the IHSA career records in passing yards and touchdowns. Morse has been huge for (Don) Beebe’s offense this year. In his first game back after injury (mono), he scored 4 touchdowns and 243 yards receiving. He has primarily been Roberts’ go-to guy through the air this season. However, he hasn’t been the only one to step it big for Roberts and the passing game. Senior wide out/defensive back David Zielke has been Beebe’s x-factor all season on both sides of the ball. He filled in big when Morse was out for the first 4 games, and even though he’s been pushed to the side a little since then, his production has still been there with 43 receptions, 523 yards receiving, and 9 touchdowns. When it comes down to it, defense wins championships and Aurora Christian’s defense has been tops in all areas. Their defense is led by a plethora of seniors. Peter Kariotis, Andru Ubert, Eric Andersen, and Braxton Warner all take care of the defensive line. Ryan Perik, Lewis Gaddis, and Luis Solario are all linebackers huge at shutting down the opponents’ rushing and passing attacks. At the defensive back position, Zac Copple, David Zielke, Marcus Schmidt, and Brandon Oest all are exceptional tacklers in the open field, exceptional at pass coverage, and able to read the pass extremely well. The defense will rely on the senior leadership to stop the offense of the Saint’s.

Bloomington Central Catholic: Last year the Saints finished as state 4A runner-up to Driscoll. This year they had some reloading to do if they wanted to repeat after graduating their star RB Ryan Waldron (1,970 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns). They have done just that with a strong nucleus of returning offensive starters lead by QB Adam Rebholz (124-170 attempts, 1954 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions), RB Brad Connor (146 carries, 696 yards, and 12 touchdowns), and TE Dylan Johnson (31 receptions, 563 yards, and 7 touchdowns). Other Saints players to watch for are OT Joe Ring, OG Jack Wombacher, LB David Murray, DB Dan Curran, LB Sean Stokes, and LB Austin Sherwood, all mainstays on the offensive and defensive sides. Bloomington Central Catholic has out scored their opponents with a margin of 528 to 150.

The Saints are hoping to reroute the Eagles’ chances of winning Friday night with their superb offense and outstanding defensive attack. Bloomington Central Catholic will be Aurora Christian’s first big test so far in the playoffs.

I believe that both teams will have enough fire power to keep them in the game, but it depends on whose defense wants it more this week. In the Eagles’ playoff games this year, they’ve allowed 57 points while scoring 122. Both defenses will be the deciding factor for the game.

Prediction: Aurora Christian 24, Bloomington Central Catholic 21