Saxum Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 He has written a book and a year from his PhD at MIT. https://theundefeated.com/features/john-urschel-ravens-recounts-his-journey-from-the-nfl-to-mit-math-phd/ Urschel loves football — the fury, the camaraderie, the adrenaline rush — and he enjoyed knowing that he was playing at the highest level. But he loves math, too, and he wanted to pursue that passion as far as his ability would take him. Urschel got a taste of how difficult it could be to do both when he suffered a concussion during his second NFL training camp. The brain injury kept him off the field for a couple of weeks. It took longer than that for him to regain the ability to do math again. Still, the following spring he passed the qualifying exam that allowed him to enroll in a full-time doctorate program in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I understand what he went thru after my medical issue. I used to do matrix multiplications in my head and no longer could afterwards. 2
Hapless Bills Fan Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 8 hours ago, Limeaid said: He has written a book and a year from his PhD at MIT. https://theundefeated.com/features/john-urschel-ravens-recounts-his-journey-from-the-nfl-to-mit-math-phd/ I understand what he went thru after my medical issue. I used to do matrix multiplications in my head and no longer could afterwards. ‘Yeah, I feel lucky myself given where I was this time last year, 6 weeks out from concussion. got to love Urshel ‘’No, no. My car was a used Nissan Versa I bought in college. I kept it my whole career, although I’m not that sad to say I did let the Versa go because, well, I’m in Boston now. What do I need a car for?” good find, limeaid
Stranded in Boston Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 Thanks Lime, fantastic story! I wonder if he is aware that his Mathematics department chair at MIT (Tom Mrowka, Kenmore East 1979) is also from Buffalo.
BuffaloBill Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 5 hours ago, Limeaid said: He has written a book and a year from his PhD at MIT. https://theundefeated.com/features/john-urschel-ravens-recounts-his-journey-from-the-nfl-to-mit-math-phd/ I understand what he went thru after my medical issue. I used to do matrix multiplications in my head and no longer could afterwards. Cool find. Thanks for sharing.
OldTimeAFLGuy Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 5 hours ago, Limeaid said: He has written a book and a year from his PhD at MIT. https://theundefeated.com/features/john-urschel-ravens-recounts-his-journey-from-the-nfl-to-mit-math-phd/ I understand what he went thru after my medical issue. I used to do matrix multiplications in my head and no longer could afterwards. ...great find bud and hope you're doing okay as well...........
Ridgewaycynic2013 Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 I wonder if there’s a way we can work him into ‘The Big Bang Theory’? When someone hassles those lovable nerds, Dr. Urschel gets medieval on the bullies, then explains the mathematics involved in the thumping. ?
Hapless Bills Fan Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 3 hours ago, Buffalo Barbarian said: After the basics math is not fun. LOL you crack me up, Barbarian. 1) someone starts a thread about enjoying Buffalo Wings 2) Barbarian posts "eating Wings is not fun" I mean, you're entitled to your opinion and all that, but why on earth would you join a thread about someone who obviously thinks math is fantastic fun, just to dis on it? 2 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said: I wonder if there’s a way we can work him into ‘The Big Bang Theory’? When someone hassles those lovable nerds, Dr. Urschel gets medieval on the bullies, then explains the mathematics involved in the thumping. ? Haha like Rosie Greer and needlepoint. "Mathematics is for wimps who aren't able to play sports" (Urshel picks him up with one hand) "You were saying?" 7 hours ago, Stranded in Boston said: Thanks Lime, fantastic story! I wonder if he is aware that his Mathematics department chair at MIT (Tom Mrowka, Kenmore East 1979) is also from Buffalo. Actually, there was a possible "friendly for my Home-boy" involved in Urshel's first year in the PhD program (only admits full time students, no one could possibly believe a pro football player would be full-time year round). They worked something out, but it's not beyond possibility the Buffalo connection played a role in opening that door. Or it could have just been, Urshel Reallllyyyyy Gooooood at the Maths thing.
fansince88 Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 34 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: LOL you crack me up, Barbarian. 1) someone starts a thread about enjoying Buffalo Wings 2) Barbarian posts "eating Wings is not fun" I mean, you're entitled to your opinion and all that, but why on earth would you join a thread about someone who obviously thinks math is fantastic fun, just to dis on it? Haha like Rosie Greer and needlepoint. "Mathematics is for wimps who aren't able to play sports" (Urshel picks him up with one hand) "You were saying?" Actually, there was a possible "friendly for my Home-boy" involved in Urshel's first year in the PhD program (only admits full time students, no one could possibly believe a pro football player would be full-time year round). They worked something out, but it's not beyond possibility the Buffalo connection played a role in opening that door. Or it could have just been, Urshel Reallllyyyyy Gooooood at the Maths thing. Hey, I count boxes for a living....I dont hate it but I dont enjoy it but it pays the bills.
chris heff Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 13 minutes ago, ricojes said: My wife was his 8th grade math teacher. Apparently she did a very good job. 1
pennstate10 Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 Funny story about Urschel. While at Psu, players would miss spring practice days for various reasons. If they weren’t at practice their names would be on a board with different colors too signify the reason for missing practice. For instance, black meant personal reason, red meant injured, green meant player had a class or test, etc. one day Urschel was late for practice and his name was in purple. Bill OBrien (head coach at the time) asks one of the staff “where the hell is urachel and why is his name in purple”. Staff says “purple means he’s teaching a class.” True story. 2 3 2
mykidsdad Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 He's also a strong chess player. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/this-ex-nfl-player-is-on-a-mission-to-become-a-chessmaster_n_5a7a0cd1e4b0d0ef3c0a26d9
TigerJ Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 Math is fun. I was good at it all the way up until in my senior year when our class started on integral calculus. That was hard. 1
Another Fan Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 Perhaps this my weird sense of humor but did anyone notice if you replaced the sch in his last name with k it would be Urkel. Just seems fitting for someone that smart!
Franco_92 Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 12 hours ago, Stranded in Boston said: Thanks Lime, fantastic story! I wonder if he is aware that his Mathematics department chair at MIT (Tom Mrowka, Kenmore East 1979) is also from Buffalo. Without a doubt. It took all of 30 seconds on the first day at my graduate department 1500 miles from Buffalo for the three other Sabres/Bills fans in the department from the area to notice my shirt and have enthusiastic conversations with me about Buffalo. 1
Houston's #1 Bills Fan Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 12 hours ago, Turk71 said: Canisius High School grad Cool. Knew his NFL and mathematics accomplishments, but never knew he was from Buffalo!!
Buffalo Barbarian Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 5 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said: LOL you crack me up, Barbarian. 1) someone starts a thread about enjoying Buffalo Wings 2) Barbarian posts "eating Wings is not fun" I mean, you're entitled to your opinion and all that, but why on earth would you join a thread about someone who obviously thinks math is fantastic fun, just to dis on it? Haha like Rosie Greer and needlepoint. "Mathematics is for wimps who aren't able to play sports" (Urshel picks him up with one hand) "You were saying?" Actually, there was a possible "friendly for my Home-boy" involved in Urshel's first year in the PhD program (only admits full time students, no one could possibly believe a pro football player would be full-time year round). They worked something out, but it's not beyond possibility the Buffalo connection played a role in opening that door. Or it could have just been, Urshel Reallllyyyyy Gooooood at the Maths thing. Wings are awesome, blue cheese is not. Its a math thread i hate math , you dont have to like a topic to comment on it , its ok to share different opinions. 1
Stranded in Boston Posted May 15, 2019 Posted May 15, 2019 45 minutes ago, arcane said: Without a doubt. It took all of 30 seconds on the first day at my graduate department 1500 miles from Buffalo for the three other Sabres/Bills fans in the department from the area to notice my shirt and have enthusiastic conversations with me about Buffalo. Right on, Arcane! Actually, I usually start the semester by asking my students, "Anybody from Buffalo?". I usually get one or two hands up -- and then the rest of the term we'll be talking Bills & Sabres (all too often commiserating on Monday mornings ...). At some point some johnny-come-lately Pats fan in the class will complain to the administration that I'm favoring my homeboys/girls -- but LOL, I have tenure, so come at me!! ? But seriously, I'm proud that WNY is well-represented in the high-octane Boston academic community, and it's really great to add a guy like John Urschel! 2
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