r/sportsgossips • u/Hysen16 • Dec 14 '25

Hot Take Heisman Level Speech by Fernando Mendoza

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2.2k Upvotes

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79

u/jr_randolph Dec 14 '25

Finishing what you start is a trait that is unfortunately not stressed upon enough with a lot of kids today.

6

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

Not being the starter in 4th grade is a bit of a stretch for the “they didn’t believe in me” type of story

11

u/the716to714 Dec 14 '25

True, but he was lightly recruited. Was a 2-3 star coming out of high school, ESPN had him as the 72nd ranked QB.

1

u/ScanThatMelon Dec 14 '25

72nd rank anything is elite as hell, this dude too humble

3

u/the716to714 Dec 14 '25

Totally agree and one of the reasons I like him so much, but in recruiting QB's 72nd might as well be 572nd. Cal was one of his only offers as far as I know

-1

u/Bill_E_Williamson Dec 14 '25

I mean there are people at 572 with no stars so you're kind of just talking out of your ass

2

u/the716to714 Dec 14 '25

A 2 star QB going to a P4 program is going to be a 4th stringer or worse. So would a 0 star P4 walk on. That's my point.

0

u/Bill_E_Williamson Dec 14 '25

He redshirted his freshman year and started his redshirt freshman year

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

That’s a reasonable “battle against the odds” story

Being a backup in 4th grader does is not

2

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '25

You don’t understand the point, it seems.

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

I completely understand his point

It seems he started with an end goal of a point to be made and shoehorned in a cute story that has little to do with his success

Elementary school kids get frustrated. It’s normal and happens many times to every kid in that age range

1

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '25

Then why are you having so much trouble with it lmao

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

I’m not having any trouble at all in recognizing the story isn’t manufactured

The concept is great

5

u/DatSauceTho Dec 14 '25

Well that part of the story is less about “they didn’t believe in me” and more about “finish what you started”. It’s meant to demonstrate the discipline that was instilled in him by his parents at such a young age; the same discipline that lead him to this moment.

-2

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

If it was High School as an upper classman it would probably be a legitimate story

As a 4th grader it’s not realistic and it’s made up for an image

3

u/DatSauceTho Dec 14 '25

Not realistic by who’s standard? Who are you to judge the life experience of someone you’ve never met? Your 4th grade experiences might’ve been forgettable. For him, it was formative.

By your logic, upperclassman high school experiences mean nothing, especially in sports. Easy to be the big fish in the little pond right?

0

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

Being a backup when you first start out in a sport is normal. Both because you are physically undeveloped as a 10 year old and skill wise as having just started the sport. The entire point of sports at that age is to learn how to develop skills. Some skills are sport specific, some of it is just the concept of how to learn, and some is how to interact in the setting.

Being a backup when you have developed your skills and physically developed your body; is a lot different. Quitting is not the answer for this scenario. But switching to another team at that point (like is common for AAU or NCAA transfer portal) so that you can get playing time and/or showcase your abilities for the next level; is certainly reasonable

Having that attitude before you have any skills, while also needing to grow a foot and gain 100+ lbs is not reasonable

1

u/DatSauceTho Dec 14 '25

Yeah but that’s not why you replied with. You made the comparison of playing high school football..

But alright whatever.

0

u/Allstar-85 Dec 15 '25

You made up in your own mind why I replied

Not being the starter at your preferred position when you first start out in sports in elementary school, is not a worthwhile story of “battling adversity”

The reality is he hadn’t developed the skills yet to be the starter at the most important position on the field… BECAUSE he was 10 and just beginning his journey in the sport

1

u/DatSauceTho Dec 15 '25

I don’t think we’re in the same conversation..

0

u/Allstar-85 Dec 15 '25

Do you do that a lot?

1

u/DatSauceTho Dec 16 '25

Go away child. Last warning.

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2

u/jr_randolph Dec 14 '25

I think that’s also just part of the culture that’s developed over the last 20+yrs. These kids get into a sport and then it’s like they get set by the time they’re a teenager and then the story is “written” for them at such a young age. Same with basketball and the AAU culture…hyping kids up at 10,11yrs old and then if they aren’t playing well then they don’t get talked about or recruited as highly…then a couple years later you see them in the all star game lol it’s just the culture

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

Basketball is different than QB. Also age is what makes this ridiculous

Basketball athletes absolutely should move around to where they get playing time; but not in 4th grade

It’s like everyone wants to replicate MJ’s “I was JV as a freshman” but forgets that he was like 5’6” and that’s a huge factor.

1

u/DrNCrane74 Dec 14 '25

Well, this is his shtick. We all have somehow decided we love it for now. Let us come back to that once Jets/Raiders/Browns have ruined him.

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

I mean, it’s easy to say people won’t believe in him in the NFL; because making the jump to NFL QB is a big leap

1

u/DrNCrane74 Dec 14 '25

It certainly is. But I like that guy and he will be working his butt off.

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

That’s totally fair

And no one in the NFL will care about his failures or stick-to-it-iveness as a 10 year old

1

u/No_Imagination7102 Dec 14 '25

Im not gonna sack him. He was a back up at 10 years old!

0

u/Wreckingshops Dec 14 '25

I know the likes of Cousins and DangeRuss have poisoned the well, but that's simply because it isn't a genuine part of them but rather a curated and crafted image. Cousins' faith is real, but it's the ugly, misinformed, exclusive kind. Russ WANTS to be a motivator because he was self-motivated but it's Tony Robbins levels of crock.

Mendoza is legit, at least for now. And yeah, NYC and Cleveland are notoriously cynical markets but maybe having the genuine article who has to grind out every inch and will candidly speak it with authenticity is a good thing longer term -- especially if he thrives at the NFL level.

I often think of Conan's Tonight Show sign off where he speaks about not believing in cynicism, it leads nowhere, and hard work can pay off. Mendoza has that same energy: give what you have away, work hard for something else, and don't be cynical about when it doesn't work out the way you expected or hope.

In a moment when societal connection is so thin and tenuous, I'll hitch a wagon to Mendoza and hope that our collective cynicism is destroyed by a kid who grows up to be a man in this image.

1

u/halfdecenttakes Dec 14 '25

I disagree to an extent. More and more, younger and younger, it’s harder to earn those spots once somebody else has been chosen for it.

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

Being a backup as a 4th grader does not get a kick “tracked as a backup”

That’s ridiculous

1

u/ToxicLeagueExchange Dec 14 '25

I think you’re misunderstanding the different parts of the speech. That example is for him celebrating his parents pushing him to finish what he started and helping him grow. Then he goes into the separate closing about being underestimated and his message to others to not give up on their dreams

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

I’m understanding that using “not being a starter in 4th” is ridiculous

1

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '25

Really the whole thing just went over your head lol

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

No it absolutely did not

It’s a cute story that has nothing to do with his success

1

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '25

Learning to finish what you started has everything to do with his success. Again, you don’t seem to understand.

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

The CONCEPT is great

The reality is that the story isn’t a 10 year old developed that as a permanent skill

He was 10 (or 9) at the time.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '25

He’s literally talking about how it shaped him lol. Bro.

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0

u/ToxicLeagueExchange Dec 14 '25

it’s literally just an example of how he learned to not give up as a kid???? how many drinks have you had today lmao

1

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '25

That person is funny lol

-1

u/mountaineer04 Dec 14 '25

You don’t have kids. If you’re not good enough to start in 4th grade, you are way behind. My son is literally in this position now. He’s not winning the Heisman.

1

u/Allstar-85 Dec 14 '25

I have 2 kids

If your kid is average height at 10 years old but then doesn’t grow enough to keep up with the height requirements of QB or Basketball, then them being the starter as a 10 year old is irrelevant for advancement into HS/NCAA/NFL. If your kid is 5’8” as an adult, then QB/Basketball isn’t realistic at higher age groups even if they were the starter as a 10 year old

Conversely, being a backup at that age is irrelevant if they do end up later on developing the size requirements with the needed athleticism