QMany
All-American
I thought HuskerBoard might like to hear of this random chance encounter I had this weekend. Meeting Mike Riley might have been the craziest experiences of my life.
My dad is a HS football official in the Kansas City Area. His crew had the Kansas 5A Semi-Final on Friday evening: Olathe North @ Blue Valley. My brother from Omaha was in town, so we went to watch him. It was pouring rain and freezing cold. It was one of those games, if you are not prepared, you go home after 15 minutes. With my dad on the crew, we were allowed to watch from down on the field. For the first half, we stood behind the endzone, even with the Olathe North sideline so we could see my dad.
Early in the first quarter, I heard "tackle by #2 Isaiah Simmons." I recognized the name. My brother and I spotted him, and he stood out as an athletic man among boys. That is saying something, as Blue Valley and Olathe North both have talent. My wheels started turning and I pulled up HuskerBoard to look for his recruiting page. Indeed, he was an Olathe North 4* recruit. We watched him make two amazing TD receptions in our endzone running right by us. He played both directions, WR and S, and special teams returning kicks. EVERY SNAP. He is a stud.
As the second half is starting, a small man in red rain jacket walks by us from behind. He went and stood by himself on the sideline, even with the goal line. We were 10 yards away with no one else around. My brother gives me the look, like "is that?!?" I give him the look: "Yup." If not for noticing Simmons earlier, I don't think I would have even been inclined to recognize him as Coach Riley. We walked over and introduced ourselves. We were both wearing our Huskers gear, just randomly due to the crazy weather.
He asked what we were doing at the game, which led into conversations about family, ours and his. He talked to us for 30 minutes. We were basically just standing there together, watching the game, and shooting the sh*t.
Most of the game seemed like it was played on our side of half. At the quarter, Coach Riley walked down to the other side to see the drive resume and say hello to the school AD. My brother and I were in shock. We talked about how cool of experience it was, and how coincidental it was. I thought he would sneak off the other end line after the 4th quarter ended and I wouldn't see him again. Instead, he returned and stood in between my brother and I, shoulder to shoulder for the rest of the game. It was almost like he was uncomfortable just standing by himself, so he just wanted to hang out with us while we were watching the game. We chatted nonchalantly for another 30 minutes or so about anything and everything. We talked about his childhood, growing up in Corvallis and being coached by his dad, his time spent "in Southern California," weather in Winnepeg, Patrick O'Brien signing that day, thoughts on Lincoln, etc.
It was odd, but due to the rain and his relative anonymity around here, it seemed like no one recognized him. My dad was the lineman, 5 ft. from him most of the game, and he didn't even notice until we pointed it out at a break! Hell, I wouldn't have if not realizing that Simmons was playing and had an offer.
At one point, he took his phone out and tried to Facetime his wife. "She's been trying to get a hold of me. I need to show her I'm actually at the game!" We were rolling laughing! Here is Head Coach Mike Riley, iPhone on selfie mode, turned with his arm extended, trying to Facetime with his wife to show her he's out recruiting.
That was the icing on top of how odd the entire experience was.
He got ready to leave on his "little plane" and asked if we wanted a picture before he left.
It was surreal. I'm a big fan of Mike Riley, the person, and can see how many declared him the nicest guy in the business.
My dad is a HS football official in the Kansas City Area. His crew had the Kansas 5A Semi-Final on Friday evening: Olathe North @ Blue Valley. My brother from Omaha was in town, so we went to watch him. It was pouring rain and freezing cold. It was one of those games, if you are not prepared, you go home after 15 minutes. With my dad on the crew, we were allowed to watch from down on the field. For the first half, we stood behind the endzone, even with the Olathe North sideline so we could see my dad.
Early in the first quarter, I heard "tackle by #2 Isaiah Simmons." I recognized the name. My brother and I spotted him, and he stood out as an athletic man among boys. That is saying something, as Blue Valley and Olathe North both have talent. My wheels started turning and I pulled up HuskerBoard to look for his recruiting page. Indeed, he was an Olathe North 4* recruit. We watched him make two amazing TD receptions in our endzone running right by us. He played both directions, WR and S, and special teams returning kicks. EVERY SNAP. He is a stud.
As the second half is starting, a small man in red rain jacket walks by us from behind. He went and stood by himself on the sideline, even with the goal line. We were 10 yards away with no one else around. My brother gives me the look, like "is that?!?" I give him the look: "Yup." If not for noticing Simmons earlier, I don't think I would have even been inclined to recognize him as Coach Riley. We walked over and introduced ourselves. We were both wearing our Huskers gear, just randomly due to the crazy weather.
He asked what we were doing at the game, which led into conversations about family, ours and his. He talked to us for 30 minutes. We were basically just standing there together, watching the game, and shooting the sh*t.
Most of the game seemed like it was played on our side of half. At the quarter, Coach Riley walked down to the other side to see the drive resume and say hello to the school AD. My brother and I were in shock. We talked about how cool of experience it was, and how coincidental it was. I thought he would sneak off the other end line after the 4th quarter ended and I wouldn't see him again. Instead, he returned and stood in between my brother and I, shoulder to shoulder for the rest of the game. It was almost like he was uncomfortable just standing by himself, so he just wanted to hang out with us while we were watching the game. We chatted nonchalantly for another 30 minutes or so about anything and everything. We talked about his childhood, growing up in Corvallis and being coached by his dad, his time spent "in Southern California," weather in Winnepeg, Patrick O'Brien signing that day, thoughts on Lincoln, etc.
It was odd, but due to the rain and his relative anonymity around here, it seemed like no one recognized him. My dad was the lineman, 5 ft. from him most of the game, and he didn't even notice until we pointed it out at a break! Hell, I wouldn't have if not realizing that Simmons was playing and had an offer.
At one point, he took his phone out and tried to Facetime his wife. "She's been trying to get a hold of me. I need to show her I'm actually at the game!" We were rolling laughing! Here is Head Coach Mike Riley, iPhone on selfie mode, turned with his arm extended, trying to Facetime with his wife to show her he's out recruiting.
He got ready to leave on his "little plane" and asked if we wanted a picture before he left.
It was surreal. I'm a big fan of Mike Riley, the person, and can see how many declared him the nicest guy in the business.
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