I powerlifted in high school (at the 145-ish weight class . . . seriously) and it didn’t matter how you got up the bench, just so long as you set the bar on your chest (i.e. didn’t bounce it) and then were able to lock your arms at the top and because of my two years powerlifting at the 145-ish weight class I say that it’s a good press. Feet stayed on the ground and he locked his arms.

My, my…...how pompous beergut…...but I don’t blame you. I blame the Texas A&M University football team for making you this way. If they didn’t suck so horribly, you might spend more time talking about them instead of obssessing jealously over the good programs in your home state.

But seriously…..criticizing a kid who has overcome cancer and injury to bounce back and set a school record? That’s low even by aggie standards….....

the difference between me and Rylan Reed is that I’ve actually done a legitimate bench press of 500 lbs

when I was in high school, I was 5’9” and weighed a slim and trim 135 pounds. I started powerlifing and “bulked” up to 145, but would occasionally lose a couple of pounds to make my lifting class, which I think was 142 or 143, I can’t remember. I was not an athlete (I’m still not an athlete), but I am a hard worker and after two years of lifting, during my senior year I was able to max-out at 245 (that was legal and not in the gym, but I was wearing one of those incredibly tight bench shirts that takes 2 people just to help you put it on). Holla.

I can say that for whatever reason, I could squat and dead lift quite a bit more in comparison to my bench. I think I could squat 375 and dead lift somewhere around 435. As you can tell, I never placed, nor did I win any medals or ribbons. It was something to do rather than sit on the sideline.

I have gained 20 pounds since my high school days. Snap.

In any event, what Reed has done is truly remarkable, even if he didn’t keep his back down or do something else technically correct. He’s played minor league baseball, beat cancer, is now the starting left tackle for Texas Tech and can lift a shit-load of weight.

I think we’re all just celebrating Reed’s story more than anything else, which is why you may have found a little resistance.

was that I was always pretty weak from being a child. I had open heart surgery twice as a youngster and I don’t think I ever really developed as a result and have always had trouble putting on weight.

Bench shirts are cheating, but they my friends used them so I figured why shouldn’t I. Besides, UIL didn’t seem to care.