Thirty years ago my friend Larry Linne showed up the first day of football practice as a walk-on at the University of Texas. Hundreds of others were there as well. One-by-one they dropped like flies until Larry was the only man left standing and got a varsity locker.

When the coach asked who on the team could return a kick, despite having never returned a kick in his life, Larry raised his hand and became the kick returner for the University of Texas. Two weeks later in the first NCAA D1 game of his career the hopes of the Longhorns rested on a kid who’d never received a kick in his life. He caught it and started down the field on a path that led him to the NFL.

Today, Larry is a successful entrepreneur and an endurance cycler. He regularly races through the Colorado mountains 100 miles at a time.

His wife Deborah posted this picture of what Larry has taped to the crotch-bar on his bicycle. It says it all about why Larry Linne is a winner.

Thanks Larry for the inspiration! You’re a stud!