RICKY DON'T LOSE THAT NUMBER...

Ricky came to town this week in Sports for Social Media (#sasm) class. Ricky O'Donnell, that is.

Somehow, despite himself, he inspired our kids anyway, Inspired them to work through, past and around adversity when it hits. Inspired them to conquer their fears and go for their dreams. Inspired them to achieve.

I'm proud of Ricky. He "...learned from the best," as he put it in addressing the class. Oh, wait, he was referring to me. Wasn't he?

Ricky has helped SB Nation maintain its razor edge in sports coverage. As one of its writers. One of its editors. One of its best, to put it simply.

Ricky got laid off somewhere else. At least it happened to him for the right reasons (pissed off an influential writer who subsequently put the mark of death on him with management). That writer is no longer as influential and has even lost some social-media privileges. Like, his Twitter account.

So just because Ricky suffered the consequences doesn't mean he was wrong.

All the while, the kids are taking notes (well, mental notes). They have to blog about the blogger. They have blogged well so far during this mini-semester course. They've earned their seats at the Twitter/blogger table.

Now can they earn a seat at the over-achiever table, because that's what it's going to take to make it in this industry.

I'm confident they can do it and I'll see the results of such in Sports Reporting and Advanced Sports Reporting classes this spring.

Ricky has outlasted many of his classmates who have given up on the industry. But it's what he knows how to do and he does it well.

See class? I told ya' to take notes.

For a reason.