B/R 5th Down: CFB Honors Father's Day, Sony Michel Checks Off Bucket List Item
Editor's note: Bleacher Report's 5th Down captures the top social media college football stories of the week. As this long, bitter offseason continues, we'll focus on moments from the schools, coaches and players that kept us entertained as we wait for actual college football to make its highly anticipated return.
1. Les Miles receives surprise Father's Day gift of Finals tickets
LSU head coach Les Miles received one of the best possible Father's Day gifts last week—a trip to Quicken Loans Arena to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
How the head coach ended up in Cleveland—and how he describes the journey—is another great Miles story to add to the collection. Miles tweeted Thursday that he got tickets to the game as a Father's Day gift from his kids, Texas swimmer Smacker and North Carolina backup quarterback Manny:
In an interview with ESPN's SportsCenter, Miles revealed he was instructed by his kids to pack a bag and get in the car for a trip to the lake. They surprised him by driving to the airport in Dallas and headed on to Cleveland:
Miles, who grew up 30 miles away from Cleveland in Elyria, Ohio, predicted in his interview with ESPN that the Cavaliers would force a Game 7.
The Cavs did just that and went on to win the series. LSU fans will be hoping Miles' success with picks continues into the Tigers' football season this fall.
2. Father's Day tributes from the world of college football
Miles' Father's Day gift from his children wasn't the only special moment from college football to make the rounds on social media during the holiday weekend.
Just like he did last year, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh honored many of the fathers of his Wolverine players on his popular Twitter account. He also said being a father was the "greatest joy in life" before posting several picture tributes:
Tennessee football tweeted a fun video of several of its coaches' children talking about their dads.
Running backs coach Robert Gillespie's children, Wynston and Nola, completely stole the show, with Wynston loudly proclaiming his love for dinosaurs and Nola saying the Volunteers "always get more points than other teams."
USC highlighted the generational tradition of its football program in a cool tweet by featuring photos of a few famous father-son duos in Trojan history:
Georgia released a great feature video on new tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Shane Beamer and his famous father, former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer.
"When I was in coaching, I haven't thought one second about any pressure because my last name is Beamer," Shane Beamer said in the video. "[Frank Beamer's legacy is] doing the very best job you can, working hard at this job, and working hard for the players, coaches and the fans here."
Plenty of great stories of love and football passed down from fathers to sons were shared on Sunday. Happy belated Father's Day to all you amazing dads out there.
3. Sony Michel saddles up and accomplishes a life goal
Georgia running back Sony Michel, the Bulldogs' all-important backfield partner for the rehabbing Nick Chubb, made one of his dreams come true this past weekend.
Michel posted a video to Instagram on Sunday afternoon of him riding a horse across what appears to be someone's backyard with the caption "BucketList" and the checked-box emoji:
Just look at how incredibly happy Michel is on the back of that horse. His smile is as wide as the football field he tears up on Saturdays. The chest-thumping he does as the end is just perfect too.
And with the black-and-white filter on the video, Michel looks like he'd fit right in in an old movie about the cowboys of the Old West. (Somebody get cracking on that Photoshop idea.)
Let this video be a lesson for all of us—we should all follow our dreams and attack our Mondays with the enthusiasm and energy of Sony Michel riding a horse. Seriously, look at that smile.
4. Pitt RB James Conner chats with the great Craig Sager
James Conner battled Hodgkin lymphoma for the last several months and was recently declared cancer-free. Late last week, the Pittsburgh running back got the chance to talk for a minute to a fellow cancer-fighter who is prominent in the sports world.
Before Game 6 of the NBA Finals last Thursday night, Conner received a FaceTime call from TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager, who is working through the recent return of his leukemia and got the special chance to cover the Finals for ESPN.
According to Matt Fortuna of ESPN.com, Conner's friend Mike Gallagher was shooting the playoff game for news TV station WJET and talked to Sager before tipoff. Sager asked Gallagher if he could call Conner, and Gallagher tweeted video of their interaction:
An excited Conner tweeted out a screenshot of his conversation with Sager:
"FaceTime with the Legend Craig Sager!! pic.twitter.com/OyAaPtbGDB
— James Conner (@JamesConner_) June 16, 2016"
This special moment between two sports figures who have inspired so many with their courageous battles with cancer is undoubtedly one of the coolest things any of us will see this offseason.
5. Christian McCaffrey: 'Harmonica Man'
Christian McCaffrey is the most multiskilled athlete in college football for the 2016 season. He can score touchdowns rushing, receiving, passing, kick returning and punt returning.
Last year, during his push for the Heisman Trophy, it was revealed he also has a knack for piano playing. Now, we can add one more skill to his laundry list of talent—crushing harmonica solos.
McCaffrey posted an Instagram video last week of him playing the harmonica part in Billy Joel's famous song "Piano Man" while his friend, former Duke defensive lineman Michael Mann, tickled the ivories.
If the Stanford running back breaks another all-time yardage record this fall and figures out a way to work a harmonica into a touchdown celebration, he should be handed the Heisman on the spot.
Don't shaft him again, voters.
6. Notre Dame's unique jersey-number plan
It's no secret that single-digit jersey numbers are among the most coveted among football players. They used to be reserved for star quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and defensive backs, but more defensive linemen are rocking the single digits these days.
At Notre Dame, former defensive lineman Louis Nix wore the No. 1 and the No. 9 during his career with the Fighting Irish. Nix apparently started a trend among linemen who are being recruited by Notre Dame, so head coach Brian Kelly has decided to put those single-digit numbers up for grabs.
"I'd go out on the road, and we're closing deals with guys to come to Notre Dame, and the first question is, 'Can I get a No. 4, a No. 5 or a No. 6?' Now there are defensive linemen asking for single-digit numbers," Kelly told WSBT Radio, per Eric Hansen of ND Insider. "It got to the point where what we’re going to do is we’re going to compete for single digits and make it a merit system."
According to Hansen, Kelly said a point system based on performance on and off the field will determine No. 2 through No. 9 on the roster. No. 1, though, will be handed out on a week-by-week basis to the player most deserving of the honor.
As Ben Kercheval of CBSSports.com noted, the system will be a headache for people scouting Notre Dame this fall, but this looks like a win for the Fighting Irish players. Those studying film will just have to do a little more research.
7. Ohio State linebackers square off in food-bank contest
Everything is a competition at Ohio State under head coach Urban Meyer. That includes helping people out for a great cause, as the Buckeyes linebackers showed over the weekend.
On Saturday, Ohio State posted a video of the program's linebacker unit and position coach Luke Fickell volunteering at the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. The linebackers split up into two teams—one led by Fickell and the other led by senior Joe Burger—and tried to see which side could pack the most meals:
The competition was fierce, and Fickell's team emerged victorious over Burger and his squad by more than 400 pounds of food. All in all, the Ohio State linebackers packed well over 5,000 pounds of meals for needy families in the area.
Job well done all the way around, Buckeye 'backers.
8. Rutgers players dunk on one another and arm-wrestle
First-year Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is bringing that culture of competition from Ohio State over to the Scarlet Knights this summer. Last week, the former Ohio State defensive coordinator's new players tried their hands at basketball and squared off in heated arm-wrestling contests.
Rutgers wide receiver Janarion Grant got the basketball action started by dunking all over an unsuspecting teammate in a video tweeted by Ash. Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knights, that was the best basketball action in the clip, as a shooting competition featured quite a few bricks:
Arm wrestling turned out to be a much better pursuit for Rutgers. According to NJ.com, Ash calls players to the front every Wednesday before a team meeting to arm-wrestle, and last week's action was intense.
Offensive lineman Jack Shutack, whose competition starts at the 35-second mark of the following video, pulled off a truly inspiring comeback:
Perhaps this higher level of competition under Ash will prompt a turnaround from Rutgers this upcoming season. He'll just need to keep them away from the hardwood.
9. Minnesota specialists post hilarious trick-shot video
College football's trick-shot season just hit the next level.
While quarterbacks are normally the ones starring in trick shot videos this summer, Minnesota's kickers and punters decided to put their skills to the ultimate test with a roundhouse-kick field goal, a bicycle-kick attempt and even a blindfolded boot.
The results have to be seen to be believed:
The video is the latest in a line of funny social media posts from Minnesota's specialists.
In 2014, they tweeted out a picture of their "practice schedule," which included "talk about chicks" and "watch Jeopardy in the locker room." Last year, they created the Holder of the Year award for college football and gave it to one of their own.
Haters are definitely going to hate, Golden Gophers. Just keep doing your thing.
10. And, finally, Charles Barkley has a diabolical plan for stopping Nick Saban
To wrap up this week's basketball-heavy 5th Down, let's check in on former Auburn and NBA star Charles Barkley, who isn't shy about saying what's on his mind when it comes to college football.
Barkley sat down for an interview with Rick Karle of WBRC-TV, and the subject turned toward Auburn and Alabama football. The TNT analyst spoke of his admiration for rival head coach Nick Saban.
"Alabama has, in my opinion, the greatest coach ever in Nick Saban," Barkley told Karle. "I've got a lot of respect for that guy, what he's accomplished. ... You've got to admire him. If you don't admire the job that Nick Saban's done, you're just a fool."
Later, when discussing his desire to visit Cuba, Barkley said he would like to take Saban with him—and get the Crimson Tide head coach stuck there.
"I want to take Saban with me to Cuba," Barkley joked. "There's no chance he would ever come back. I'm going to take him to Guantanamo Bay and get him stuck there."
Well, that's definitely one way to stop the Alabama dynasty, Chuck.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report, and he wants to ask the NCAA if he has any more eligibility so he can walk on as a kicker at Minnesota. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
