Class of 2015 OLB Shyheim (Shy) Cullen (MA) Signed LOI

[Bambrewer]

Yeah pretty much any college. She has poured her life into shy. Letting him go any further than the umass campus a mile from the house is going to be tough ... Luckily umass lowell doesn't have football.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Thank you. Truth is after 2 it's no harder. In all reality my wife had three and I have three and my wife adopted shy and Liam before we met. We just had our first together 7 weeks ago. Shy is a great kid ,hard working , caring ... I could go on and on.

Wait wait wait. So you have 9 kids, 1 of whom is 7 weeks old, and you were able to fly out to a Dallas football combine from Lowell, MA?! You should get some kind of award for that.

 

[oldpinepoint]

Yeah pretty much any college. She has poured her life into shy. Letting him go any further than the umass campus a mile from the house is going to be tough ... Luckily umass lowell doesn't have football.

Great thing is, Boston to Cuse is about an easy drive as you can get and we play BC every year. Best of luck with the recruiting process!

 

[oldpinepoint]

Wait wait wait. So you have 9 kids, 1 of whom is 7 weeks old, and you were able to fly out to a Dallas football combine from Lowell, MA?! You should get some kind of award for that.

Actually Mom should get an award for holding down the fort! Or at least a bottle of wine

 

[Bambrewer]

Wait wait wait. So you have 9 kids, 1 of whom is 7 weeks old, and you were able to fly out to a Dallas football combine from Lowell, MA?! You should get some kind of award for that.

No my wife should... Did I mention we went to rivals New Jersey 2 weeks earlier? Lol

 

[Bambrewer]

The really funny thing was the weekend we went to rivals was the weekend he was due... He was 3 weeks early... I kept telling her she had a choice have the baby early or late but the 12 th was out we had to go to rivals

 

[Louie and Bouie]

Just got done reading this thread and just wanted to pass along a congrats to Shy and his family and wishing you all good luck in the process. If he chooses Syracuse it seemingly would be a welcome addition from a football and character standpoint. Thanks for all of the information and insight. Keep grindin.

 

[sutomcat]

I just found a story about this student you were referencing. I shared it with my wife... I think convincing her this is a place for shy just got easier. It is a shame kids are put through things like this and it is amazing when they come out the other side as better people. Many kids would never be able to over come pasts like that. I'm glad syracuse's staff is willing to understand and help kids like them.

Coach Shafer has said publicly and privately a number of times that he thinks he was put on this planet to help disadvantaged kids from tough backgrounds 'break the cycle', get a degree and become productive members of society.

It is what drives him and what gives him the greatest gratification in life.

Whatever happens with Shy's recruitment, good luck. Sounds like he is getting the guidance and direction he needs, props to you and your wife for what you are doing...

 

[CuseLegacy]

The really funny thing was the weekend we went to rivals was the weekend he was due... He was 3 weeks early... I kept telling her she had a choice have the baby early or late but the 12 th was out we had to go to rivals

"Meryll Frost - 'Most courageous athlete of 1945'":

"As he received his trophy, the plucky quarterback unfolded the story of how he 'came back'. He said 'They say behind every great man there's a woman. While I'm not a great man, there's a great woman behind me.'"

 

[Franz69]

Bam, here's a little insight on our great head coach:

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/index.ssf/2013/08/syracuse_coach_scott_shafer_ho_1.html

 

[ImperialOrange]

No my wife should... Did I mention we went to rivals New Jersey 2 weeks earlier? Lol

Ha! Yeah, you're right

 

[Bambrewer]

Bam, here's a little insight on our great head coach:

http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/index.ssf/2013/08/syracuse_coach_scott_shafer_ho_1.html

Great story there also. I think he is the type of coach Shy needs. From the communication shy has made with the position coaches I think this is a great place for shy.

 

[wfschrec]

I just found a story about this student you were referencing. I shared it with my wife... I think convincing her this is a place for shy just got easier. It is a shame kids are put through things like this and it is amazing when they come out the other side as better people. Many kids would never be able to over come pasts like that. I'm glad syracuse's staff is willing to understand and help kids like them.

I can honestly say I am proud to cheer for this team as an alum and a fan since I was about 6. Raymon is a big story and has overcome so much but it goes just beyond him. Jerome Smith is an amazing individual, Eskridge has a hell of a story too, Shamarko is an extremely high character guy, Whigham has overcome a tough physical ailment, Bromley is high character and class and Terrell Hunt has an amazing story.

All of these kids have bought into a family like environment and I for one honestly believe these coaches care for them like family. Shafer wears his heart on his sleeve and I haven't been this excited about Syracuse football in quite some time.

The coaching staff even now targets high quality athletes and individuals ... heck if you look at the offer list I don't ever remember seeing so many of their targets also receiving Ivy offers or offers from other high quality institutions like Duke. They have a set of beliefs and they are sticking to them. A lot of former players come back to the hill for a reason and I follow the twitter traffic and see how close the former players are to this day. The basketball team is also a lot like this ... DC, Owens and a lot of the greats from Cuse teams past always show up at the Dome and for tourney games.

Whether or not the Cuse is an ideal fit for Shy I can't say but I can say that there are a lot of places where he would be much worse off ... after listening to Shafer I know I would let my two year old son strap on a helmet and let my boy run through a wall with him Even here in GA I see people sporting Cuse gear, I saw an entire family decked out in Syracuse garb at a Golden Corral right before the NCAA tournament (I even took a photo as evidence LOL) and even saw a kid at the McDonalds down the street wearing a Cuse T-shirt who told me his dream was to play LAX there but didn't quite have the grades yet. My neighbor's son who is in the second grade plays LAX and knows more about the Powell brothers then most SU alums.

Being at the Cuse and being a part of it is truly a family affair ... I wish the best for Shy and if he chooses SU I am confident he is in good hands with HCSS and company but if he does go elsewhere it sounds like he has someone with great work ethic guiding him along the way. Kudos for managing so many kids ... I think I am at my limit with 2 LOL.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Hell you forgot John Raymon ... his story makes the Blind Side seem like Mike Oher had it easy.

I just reread his story and wow. Admittedly I had forgotten large parts of it.

 

[anomander]

Great story there also. I think he is the type of coach Shy needs. From the communication shy has made with the position coaches I think this is a great place for shy.

after reading this thread I wouldn't say it unless I truly believed it, but I can honestly say that you won't find a coach at this level that cares for his kids as much as Coach Shafer. I have complete trust in him not only developing kids on the football field, but more importantly in the game of life. He is as real as you're going to get.

no matter what happens Shy has gained a fan. wherever he chooses to go to school i will be rooting for him.

 

[Bambrewer]

I will say when Shy decides to tell his story it is very close to the Raymon story. The big difference is Shy's trouble ended at age 4. But the beginning may actually be considered worse for Shy as unbelievable as that is. His physical recovery has been amazing. I stand in awe of this 16 year old daily. We hit the gym 3 nights a week for weights he leads his team in iff season workouts 3 mornings a week at the school gym . We go to the park 3 nights a week to run hills pull sleds run cone drills practice running the 40 throw a medicine ball and run routes. He starts his preseason diet may 1st every year . I have never met a kid his age who will eat like him. He consumes 6000 calories a day with 250 grams of protein. He will eat 6 hard boiled eggs for breakfast with a protien shake and a bag of peanut butter he takes 2 or 3 chicken breasts to eat before his school lunch he has two cans if plain tuna when he gets home then we have a high protein dinner hit the gym and have another shake. Then I will catch him eating again. He asks daily what else he can do to get stronger faster and better. He sits and does his home work every night with a football under his arm. I have never met a more focused kid in my life. To say I'm his biggest fan is easy I'm a parent. But I'm his biggest fan for over coming what he has an continuing to drive forward. I hope he never finds this thread he will think he can get away with anything lol.

 

[Bambrewer]

Yesterday's gym pic... Deadlifting 315 pounds into a shoulder shrug... And he is laughing about it.

 

[ImperialOrange]

Where does one get a shirt with an orange superman S on it? As a Syracuse fan I feel I should have one.

Also, how old before you let you kids start lifting? My oldest has professed interest but I don't want to risk stunting his growth.

 

[Bambrewer]

13 is when my younger son started ... Start slow light weights. Get em eating healthy. Shy started at 14. He was invited to the varsity camp and weight program when he got out of 8 th grade. Before that they did push-ups sit ups and jumped a lot of rope. My wife and my ex wife both had concerns about them being to young but I had their pediatrician talk to them during a physical and he felt the program I laid out was good. My 14 year old has played football since he was 7... Shy played 2 years of pop warner before high school but was put right on varsity.

 

[Bambrewer]

The shirt came direct from under armour... Shys coaches ask me all the time if shy has a contract with under armour lol

 

[wfschrec]

The shirt came direct from under armour... Shys coaches ask me all the time if shy has a contract with under armour lol

If he does can he divert some of that Maryland money to SU?

 

[Bambrewer]

I wish he had a contract... Between Shy Ryan myself and the baby I may have bought more under armour than all the college teams combined lol. This years cleats for example

 

[SUfanNC]

I will say when Shy decides to tell his story it is very close to the Raymon story. The big difference is Shy's trouble ended at age 4. But the beginning may actually be considered worse for Shy as unbelievable as that is. His physical recovery has been amazing. I stand in awe of this 16 year old daily. We hit the gym 3 nights a week for weights he leads his team in iff season workouts 3 mornings a week at the school gym . We go to the park 3 nights a week to run hills pull sleds run cone drills practice running the 40 throw a medicine ball and run routes. He starts his preseason diet may 1st every year . I have never met a kid his age who will eat like him. He consumes 6000 calories a day with 250 grams of protein. He will eat 6 hard boiled eggs for breakfast with a protien shake and a bag of peanut butter he takes 2 or 3 chicken breasts to eat before his school lunch he has two cans if plain tuna when he gets home then we have a high protein dinner hit the gym and have another shake. Then I will catch him eating again. He asks daily what else he can do to get stronger faster and better. He sits and does his home work every night with a football under his arm. I have never met a more focused kid in my life. To say I'm his biggest fan is easy I'm a parent. But I'm his biggest fan for over coming what he has an continuing to drive forward. I hope he never finds this thread he will think he can get away with anything lol.

That's good stuff right there! Sounds like he has a lot of good things going on because of himself and your wife and you. The best part I thought was the homework with the football bit. Hopefully he will trade that Under Amour gear for some Nike gear soon!!!!

 

[CuseOnly]

It makes all the deference in the world when running "away" or "after an opponent on the field. The game is all about speed. To quote the late George Young "The NFL is nothing if not speed" Because of that he didn't even give David Walker a second thought and a player like Deelone Carter is now without a team. Its conjecture how long Jerome Smith stays on the team before he is cut. Now understand I hope the guy has a great career to watch and celebrate as a former Orange star. Reality says that he will remain a great player in our hearts but not last too long at Atlanta.

Emmit Smith was slower than both of them and how did he do?

 

[Bambrewer]

Long discussion this morning with wife. Lot of reading articles about coach staff school etc. Mom is on board for Syracuse ... Asking about season tickets lol. Camp and visit go well for shy we should be all set!!!!