Inside the studio at Fox 12, everything moves with intention.
Lights. Cameras. Conversations. Deadlines.

This is where Nick Krupke built his name as one of Oregon’s most trusted sports voices, producing and hosting stories from High School Spotlight to WNBA’s Portland Fire pre/post game coverage. He was also named the 2025 National Sports Media Association; Oregon Broadcaster of the Year, an honor chosen by his peers.

But sitting with him, you quickly realize this is not just about sports. It is about people. It is about life.

A proud #GirlDad of four and a graduate of Washington State, Nick carries that same care and presence into everything he does. You can feel it in how he talks, how he listens, and how he shows up.

He opened up about his journey with real honesty. Before the title of Fox 12 Sports Director and before the platform, there was rejection. Not once, but twice. And he stayed with it and finally got the job!

In his own words,
“I worked the first decade of my career from Lewiston to Billings to Eugene to get to a place like this and a dozen years later, they haven’t gotten rid of me yet.”

That kind of journey gives context to everything you see today.

Two things he lives by. Effort and attitude.

Simple, but that kind of mindset will shape everything if you really live it. It also explains why what you see on TV does not feel like an act. It is alignment.

Then you step into a completely different environment. A local gym. No cameras. No production. Just a coach.

Nick is on the sideline coaching his daughter’s basketball team. Teaching, encouraging, fully present. The same energy you see on camera is the same energy off camera. No switch up.

I believe that’s his secret sauce. Authenticity is not something he turns on. It is who he is.

Then you see him in the middle of it all.

December 14th, 2025. A sold-out crowd inside the Veterans Memorial Coliseum watching the Portland Winterhawks during the annual Teddy Bear Toss. The energy is high. The moment is big. Everyone is focused on the game.

But Nick is focused on something different.

He is watching people.

He is looking for the story inside the moment. A reaction. A connection. Something real. The way he moves and talks to people is smooth and intentional. Nothing feels forced.

That is when it clicked for me.

He is not just reporting. He is collaborating in real time. Letting people tell their story while he shapes it as it is happening. You can almost see him editing in his mind.

Story after story.

What really stood out to me was not just the consistency. It was the intention behind it.

His attitude sets the tone. The way he approaches people creates the environment for people to open up to him. That is why the stories connect.

Then you fast forward.

Before I even finished editing this feature, March 19th, 2026 happens. Nick signs a multi-year extension.

I remember him telling me about the harsh reality of the industry. At any time, things can change. Jobs are not guaranteed. He was not complaining. He was just being real.

I was blown away how that reality did not shake him.

I said “You have a great attitude about it.” He laughed, but I was serious. I was impressed.

Looking back, it makes sense. When you know the level of effort you put in, you move different.

Months later, they made the decision to keep him.

Well deserved.

“Happy to sign a multi-year extension and enter season 13 as Sports Director at Channel 12 as more big league opportunities are to come with Gray Media on KPTV/KPDX…”

That moment is not just about success. It is about everything that came before it. The rejection. The consistency. The effort and attitude he talked about in that studio.

It all connects.

This is bigger than sports.

This is about the human behind the storyteller.

Because sometimes the most powerful story
is the one about the person telling everyone else’s.

And this time,
that story gets told.

1. Be Approachable.
2. Be Coachable.
3. Have a Visionary.

Growth is not just about talent or opportunity, it’s about posture.

Thank you Nick for this great message and principles.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this people!

Central Catholic High School — Portland, Oregon.
Sunday afternoon, November 23rd.

Practice had just ended.

The varsity boys basketball team cleared the gym, the echoes of sneakers and bouncing balls slowly fading into the high ceilings of Central Catholic High School. Upstairs, on the upper floor overlooking the courtyard, Jordan Blue sat in a single chair positioned slightly to our right. Large windows stretched across the wall, pouring in natural light that softened the room and calm vibe.

Jordan wore a grin, the kind that only comes when you know the work was good.

Practice went well. You could feel it.

This wasn’t a rushed interview. It was a pause. A breath. A conversation about what happens when the game is taken away—and purpose steps in.

A Catalyst, Not Just a Coach

“My name is Jordan Blue,” he said calmly.
“I am a campus supervisor here at Central Catholic High School. I’m also the assistant men’s basketball coach for our varsity team.”

But titles don’t tell the full story.

“I am a catalyst to the growth of many people around me.”

Jordan isn’t just coaching athletes; he’s building humans.

Before we even began the formal interview, he shared a spoken word piece with me, raw, intentional, and layered with conviction. That piece will be a separate content release, because it deserves its own space. It wasn’t performance. It was testimony.

Jordan is the author of Emotions Into Motion—a spoken word poetry book born from some of the darkest seasons of his life. The pages don’t just read; they move.

For Jordan, words aren’t decoration. They’re transformation.

with a second book, Intersectional Growth, on the way. He’s also the founder of a growing platform called Execute Your Blueprint, a mission driven space where spoken word poetry, fitness, basketball culture, and motivational speaking intersect.

“Through classrooms, teams, and organizations, I want to provide that sense of support,” he explained,
“that catalyzing effort, so that people can pursue their dreams and become the best version of themselves.”

When the Game Gives You Back More Than It Takes

Jordan’s relationship with basketball didn’t start with coaching—it started as a player.

Jordan played college basketball at Northwest Christian University, but even then, he was giving back, working with Central Catholic athletes while still developing his own game.

“As I was building their skill development,” he said,
“I was also building mine.”

That’s when the shift happened.

“What I realized was that my love for basketball wasn’t transactional anymore.”

Not about stats. Not about performance.

“It’s relational. It builds community. And when you see it that way, you get so much more than just a good shot.”

When the Sanctuary Collapses.

But Jordan’s story doesn’t skip the hard parts.

“I had a love/hate relationship with basketball,” he admitted.
“As a young Black man, the court felt like my sanctuary.”

Then it was taken.

Three concussions ended his playing career.

“I could no longer play. And everything that basketball helped me hide, came rushing in.”

Without the game, the coping mechanism disappeared. What followed was a wave of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and unresolved childhood trauma.

“I found solace in substances,” he said plainly.

Eventually, Jordan was hospitalized.

Two weeks.
24/7 suicide watch.

“No phone. No communication. No resources,” he recalled.
“Just a bed. Medication. A sheet of paper. And a sliver of a pen.”

Not even the pen, just the ink.

The Lowest Point Became the Turning Point

“That was the lowest I’ve ever been,” Jordan said.

And yet—it became the most formative.

“That was the moment where the only being I could truly be close to was God.”

Prayer. Writing. Honest conversations with the few people who truly showed up.

“That’s the only reason I survived those two weeks,” he said quietly.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”

That season rebuilt his relationships—especially with his parents.

“I built the strongest relationship I’ve ever had with my dad,” he shared.
“With my mom, I learned how to respect her in a way that empowered her.”

And the one friend who reached out during that time?

“That friend ended up being my wife.”

Her daughter became his first child.

“That transition changed my entire life—and my mentality—in ways I never imagined.”

From Ink to Impact

That sheet of paper and inklet pen became something sacred.

“It was the only way I could organize the chaos in my head,” Jordan said.

Words started flowing.

“Emotions into motion.”

Those words became the title of his first book.

“What came out of all of it was vulnerability.”

He could have shut down. Isolated. Pushed everyone away.

“But instead, I said—I can’t do this alone.”

That choice changed everything.

“I need God. I need people who push me to be my best self. And I need to subtract the people who enable victimized behavior.”

Me With the World

Jordan sitting straight slightly relax his shoulders as he said the words that felt like the thesis of his life:

“It’s not just me against the world.
It’s me with the world—and I get to choose how the world supports me.”

Through vulnerability came resilience.
Through resilience came steadiness.

“I’ve built a passion that isn’t high and low,” he said.
“It’s leveled. Enduring.”

And that’s exactly why Troylu Sports exists to remind us of

That behind every coach, every leader, every title, is a human.
One who has broken.
One who has healed.
One who chose to keep moving forward.

GUEST: Jordan Blue | Campus Supervisor & Assistant Varsity Basketball Coach
AUTHOR: Emotions Into Motion | Intersectional Growth (forthcoming)
PLATFORM: Execute Your Blueprint

We see the tattoos before knowing their meaning.

In Ink Speak, we slow things down and Re-humanize the human by giving space for the story beneath the ink.

Jordan Blue isn’t covered in tattoos for aesthetics alone. Each piece on his body functions like a chapter—marking moments of belief, consequence, rebirth, faith, and divine protection. What may look symbolic on the surface reveals deep spiritual grounding when Jordan walks us through the meaning behind each tattoo.

Below, Jordan breaks down the eight tattoos that shape his personal narrative.

1. Barbed Wire Forearms — The Weight of Free Will

Jordan begins with the barbed wire tattoos wrapped around both forearms—often dismissed as cliché at first glance.

But a closer look reveals intention.
One strand is clear. The other is clouded.

For Jordan, the contrast represents free will and consequence. Every choice we make—whether clear or clouded—carries weight. There is no action without outcome. The barbed wire serves as a daily reminder that freedom is real, but it is never without responsibility.

2. The Shedding Cobra — Rebirth Through Renewal

Inspired by a story referenced by Joseph Campbell and rooted in an African proverb, this tattoo speaks to transformation.

The cobra shedding its skin symbolizes rebirth—the idea that each day offers a chance to become new. Jordan sees life as a constant renewal, where yesterday’s skin doesn’t have to define today’s growth.

Every sunrise is an opportunity to start again.

3. The Lion — Strength in Divine Simplicity

Simple in design, powerful in meaning.

The lion represents the strength of God—not in complexity, but in purity and authority. Jordan explains that every aspect of the lion reflects his own strength and inner fire.

To me this is a reminder that power doesn’t always need to be loud or complicated to be real.

Sometimes strength just is.

4. The Flame — Love That Cannot Be Extinguished

This tattoo draws directly from Song of Solomon 8:6:

“For love is strong as death… its flames are a blazing fire.”

The flame symbolizes a love that is jealous, enduring, and more powerful than destruction. For Jordan, it represents a divine love—one that burns steadily, protects fiercely, and cannot be put out.

5. The Ankh — Life, Roots, and Resurrection

Jordan’s ankh connects him to his Egyptian ancestry, but it also bridges cultures and belief systems.

He describes it as both:

• A symbol of life

• And an open cross, representing rebirth rather than finality

Where a closed cross can symbolize death, an open cross signals new life and resurrection—a theme that repeats throughout Jordan’s ink.

6. The Crown of Thorns & Aramaic Scripture — Prophecy Fulfilled

Flowing from the ankh is a crown of thorns, paired with an Aramaic phrase meaning “In the beginning” (often referred to as Bereshit).

Each letter functions like a hieroglyph, all pointing to the prophecy of Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection. This tattoo grounds Jordan’s faith not just emotionally, but historically and linguistically… is that even a word? lol

7. Peter’s Hands Reaching Toward the Sun — Faith in the Reach

One tattoo Jordan nearly forgot to mention may be one of the most intimate.

It depicts Peter reaching toward the sun, symbolizing the moment when Peter reaches for Jesus—and Jesus reaches back. It represents faith in moments of doubt, and the belief that divine help is always within reach, even when we feel ourselves sinking.

8. Archangel Michael — Guided and Guarded

Jordan closes with his final and most protective piece: Archangel Michael, his guardian angel.

This tattoo represents guidance, protection, and spiritual covering. Jordan believes that through every adversity, every hard choice, and every season of growth, Michael has been present—steering him toward becoming the man he is today.

More Than Ink

Jordan Blue’s tattoos aren’t decoration—they’re testimony. Each symbol reflects a belief system built on accountability, renewal, faith, and divine protection.

In Ink Speak, stories like Jordan’s remind us that tattoos don’t just mark skin—they map the soul. Hello, I’m preaching lol. Until next time.. BE YOUR DEFINITION!

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Thursday, October 15 — 2PM.

Clouds hung low, the sky split between gray and blue.

Caught up with Alvin Broussard (childhood brother) — a California-based professional portrait artist and published illustrator — who shared how the lessons he learned from basketball shaped his approach to art and personal growth. He talked about how daily repetition and consistent practice in sports, particularly basketball, became the foundation for developing his skill set, discipline, and creative flow—skills that now fuel his work as a professional artist and published illustrator

.

Alvin and I both come from athletic backgrounds and now live in creative spaces. We often talk about how, when we were deep in our sports, we couldn’t see anything outside of it. We ignored our creative curiosities—our exploration and other sides of who we were—until the game was over.

We always wondered: what if we had held onto those creative parts while still playing? Maybe we would’ve discovered ourselves beyond performance—beyond the court or the field—earlier in our journey. Now, we talk about how athletes can start doing that today: leveraging their creativity, building their brands, and discovering themselves before their sport ends.

This conversation with Alvin is a perfect reminder that our time in sports was never wasted—it was training. The discipline, repetition, and resilience we built on the court were actually developing the skill set to fan the flames of our deeper purpose, passions, and abilities.

To see more of Alvin’s work, follow him on Instagram: @alriginal and @differentmediums.

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Gresham, Oregon – Thursday, May 24th, 2025 – A park bench. Warm sunlight filtering through cottonwood trees. A soft breeze carries specks of white fluff through the air like nature’s confetti. It’s the kind of peaceful Spring afternoon that compels you to slow down and just be present. That’s where I sat with my nephew, Landon Kelsey—Class of 2025, Central Catholic High School graduate, and now University of Arizona football player—for the very first episode of Re-humanize.

"It’s Lu-el Fantroy. We’re just chilling at the park here in Gresham, Oregon, and I’m with my nephew Landon Kelsey. Welcome to Re-humanize.”

From the jump, this wasn’t just a conversation about sports. This was a real, soul-baring talk about growth, loss, dreams, identity, and everything in between.

The Forward Button of Life

"I leave in 20 days. We graduate in six,” Landon said as he reflected on the fleeting nature of high school.

At 18 years old, Landon Kelsey is on the brink of something big. He’s graduating from Central Catholic High School in Portland, Oregon, after transferring from Ridgefield High School in Ridgefield, Washington, where he spent his freshman and sophomore years. Next stop? The University of Arizona, where he’ll play football as a wide receiver and study finance.

"Four years ago, I was just starting. Now it’s like—boom—I’m out. I feel like I’ve been at Central forever. But it’s only been two years.”

Those two years were packed with moments that shaped him—not just on the field, but off it.

Dream School, Real Purpose

"I'm going to the University of Arizona to play football. It’s been my dream school since freshman year,” Landon shared with the same excitement you’d hear from someone realizing they manifested their vision into existence.

It wasn’t just about football, though. From the moment he visited the campus for a 7-on-7, he knew it was more than just a good fit—it felt like home. "When I got the opportunity, it wasn’t even a question.”

Still, he acknowledged, the heat is real. "It’s not the prettiest part of Arizona," he laughed, "but I still love it.

”

The Love For The Game: Crowd, Clutch, and Chemistry

"I like playing in front of a lot of people. The energy makes the game more fun," he said, lighting up as he described one of his favorite games—his junior year matchup against West Linn.

"They beat us the year before, and this time, it was packed. People lined the fence. Stands full. 0-0 at halftime. I made a big catch that game. We pulled it off, 12-7.”

But it wasn’t just the win or the roar of the crowd. It was the relationships—the camaraderie of a sport that only works when every piece plays its part.

"Football is unique. You can’t play it alone. If you don’t have a left tackle, you’re done. It takes everybody.”

From Athlete to Human

This is where Re-humanize hits its stride.

"I want to impact people. Just by being me,” Landon said. “Not trying to be anyone else.”

When I asked him about what defines him, he broke it down beautifully:

• Life experiences: loss, love, growth.

• Values: kindness, authenticity, connection.

• Passions: sports, yes—but not just sports.

"I realized I was bigger than football. I found my voice. I stepped into leadership. And I learned that people are watching, and listening even when you think they’re not.”

The Pressure to Perform vs. The Power of Presence

As his uncle, I’ve seen it firsthand. Landon is what I call a pressure player—the kind who steps up when the lights are brightest.

But I also know the weight that comes with that. The quiet moments of doubt.

"I almost quit this year,” he admitted. "I didn’t love it anymore. I was ready to walk away."

He described how even when something has been your everything, you can hit a wall. But when his family—especially his mom—supported him through that, he rediscovered his “why.”

"They believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. That made me want to do it again. For them. For me."

This conversation hit deep. Because Landon wasn’t just sharing plays and highlights—he was sharing his soul.

He talked about grief—losing his father. "At any moment, everything can go away. So I’ve learned to appreciate everything."

He talked about leadership—how being asked to speak or lead in school events became second nature after football taught him to use his voice.

He talked about character—how being your true self is not only the most powerful thing you can do, but also the most magnetic.

"If you're healthy and whole, people will be drawn to you. It radiates. But if you build up a false identity to fit in or impress people, you lose yourself. You get distracted. You get stressed. You live a lie."

Advice to the Next Generation

When I asked Landon to speak to the younger version of himself—or to my kids, who were playing just off camera—he didn’t hesitate.

"It’s normal to want to quit—even the things you love. That doesn’t mean something’s wrong. It just means you need to rediscover your reason."

"Be flexible. Be open. When I was six, I thought I’d be a soccer player. I didn’t even touch a football until 6th or 7th grade. Now I’m going D1."

"And be you. Always. That’s the only way to find people who love the real you."

More Than His Jersey

When it was all said and done, I asked Landon how he wanted to be remembered:

"Not as just an athlete. But as a great person. Someone you could count on. A good friend. A kid just like everyone else—going through the same things."

That’s Re-humanize in action.

Because Landon Kelsey isn’t just a football player. He’s a light. A leader. A legacy in motion.

And that, family, is what this platform is all about—seeing the human behind the highlight reel.

BONUS FOOTAGE: INK SPEAK

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GUEST: Landon Kelsey | Student Athlete (FB), University of Arizona. Finance Major
HOST & WRITER: Lu-el Fantroy | Founder & Designer
PRODUCTION: Troylu
WEBSITE: beyourdefinition.com
INSTAGRAM: @troylu.create

Every person is born with a unique perspective, irreplicable experiences, and a calling that sets them apart.

I believe that in today’s world, expressing your authenticity through a personal brand and creating meaningful content is the essence of being your definition.

Defining and expressing your voice is an act of self-advocacy, self-love, selfless service, and the fruit of personal freedom. In a culture that pushes conformity, your true authenticity is your authority.

I’m here to help you define your voice, design your brand, and share your message. It’s time to build your passion, vision, and legacy!

That’s all I got. Be your definition!