What Made Hyno a Pro????

This coming Sunday will be the "Big Game" fomerly known as the Super Bowl.  This year there is more local interest due to one of our own starting for the New York Giants.  Henry Hynoski will take the field as the starting fullback for the G-Men.  For the first time since Glenn Ressler played for the Colts in Super Bowl V, Northumberland County will have a native son on the field.

Covering high school sports for the past 23-plus years and running into to an occasional professional athelete now and then.  I found out that they share some common trait.  When it comes to professional sports there really is no free pass.  It is the ultimate capitalist program going.  Winner take all.

It hard to think of someone that started out as a Ralpho Raiders earning a place in the sports biggest championship game.  Hey, you have to start somewhere?  The first thing most athletes have that play on the biggest stage is natural ability.  At birth, they went through the ability line 10 times compared to our one.  No one ever starts out in life and says their career will be a fullback in the NFL.  Henry's friends and teammates will say he was the best athlete of their peers and was also an outstanding baseball player.   Usually, they can play multiple sports as well.  You can see when the Eagles or Steelers play charity basketball in the area.  They could play with the rock!  They also could have competed at the college level in another sport.  Local baseball player, Frank Bolick, could have been a D-1 punter or more in football.

You can combine the second elements together.  From my view, professionals have intense work ethic and desire to compete.  This usually weeds out the best of them at the highest level.  It seems the more fierce the competition the better they perform.  Steve Kline from Winfield was one the  fiercest competitors in baseball from the bullpen in his playing days. They have the NFL combine, but it doesn't measure heart.  There are still first round flops in every sport.  Hyno has a work ethic that is well documented and vetted all the way back to junior high through high school and on to college. 

The last thing you need especially playing on professional team sport is some luck.  Whether it is being in the right place at the right time, a great spring training or the need to get out left handed batters in relief, this intangible goes a long way.  In the case of Hyno, I think it was the guidance of his mother and father that gave him that extra push to the top. In the case of his father, having some NFL pedigree didn't hurt.  Although intially damaging not being drafted and blowing a tire in the combine looked bad at the beginning. The luck of the lock out gave Hyno a chance to take a long hard look and see who would be the right fit when the opportunity called when the phones started ringing.

Henry could have been drafted by anyone to try to make the team as the 3rd down tight end and could be now be sitting home with the rest of us eating wings and pizza.  He is now a year removed from doing just that with a chance to win one of sports' most coveted trophies and earn a place in history.

Good luck to Hyno and the rest of his family. The trip is well earned and for those who had the chance to see you along the way, we appreciate it!!!

The NFL Draft Starts Tonight With a Local Twist

The NFL has moved the 1st round of their annual draft from Saturday at noon to Thursday (today) at 8 pm.  Only the first round takes place today even under the lockout by the owners.  Probably not since the days of Gary Brown of Williamsport and John Flannery of Pottsville will the draft have an impact so close to home.

Henry Hynoski of the University of Pittsburgh and Southern Columbia High School is expected to fall between the 4th and 6th rounds as a fullback.

Broadcasting local high school football for the past 15 years and covering it for 22 overall, I got to see the highs and lows of Hyno.  I was in Scranton when he was injured his freshman year in a playoff run and had to watch the rest from the bench.  I had the call his sophomore year when he rushed for 409 yards and 6 touchdowns against Pius X.  That game legitimized his speed and set the tone for his junior and senior seasons.  I was also their when Old Forge asked the question of "Henry Who?"

As devastating as Henry was as a high school runner, Pitt utilized him as a blocker helping Dion Lewis, Shady McCoy and Ray Graham to new heights.

While most of Pennsylvania knows about Henry from what they seen on Fridays and Saturdays, the rest of us never seen the hard work Henry put the other 5 days a week since junior high.

The NFL draft is something of football capitalism plain and simple.  Your not mentioned in the draft unless you have the skills and work ethic to produce......plain and simple.  NFL "War Rooms" take this very serious not to waste picks and build teams, but complete flops could come back to haunt you both in the short term and long term.  The 4th through 6th rounds are considered value areas where you can get great player even future Hall of Famers and not have to part with big dollars.  To get to this area of football you have to have talent, some luck, but a huge heart.

When the 4th round starts on Saturday, hopefully Henry is surrounded by friends and family when that phone rings and says, "This is _______, we have selected you in the draft." With all of things wrong in this world, the locals will have something to cheer!!!!

Good luck Henry!!!!

Hyno's Last Game at Pitt?

With three head coaches in the few weeks and the threat of a spread offense in the horizon, today could be Hank the Tank last game at Pitt according to reports.

Hyno has been listed as the #1 fullback in the country to many reports.  For those of you who can't see the forest through trees, Hyno will end up on an NFL roster.  He is a beast on the football field and workhorse demon off of it.  The NFL needs a ton of short yardage blocking backs and ends......aka are the Eagles listening?

Dave Shinskie decides to stay put at BC.   With two years of eligibility left, this was a wise move.  BC's offensive line woes may continue as well as a problem having healthy QB's.  David will see the field once again.  He needs to be ready.