Olympics Drop Wrestling

[pumpdog20]

I was in Steiber's district in high school. The "Monroeville Four," from a little town no one had ever heard of DOMINATED, Ohio and the country in their time there.

I think the most amazing one was actually Chris Phillips. Unfortunately he doesn't take school very seriously so I doubt we'll ever see him suit up for Ohio State, but I'll go to my grave thinking he was better than Steiber.

When he was a freshman at 171lbs, he went to the Ironman (arguably tougher than any state tournament) and beat Huddleston (Georgia state champ, pinned him in 15 seconds), Deciantis (North Alleghany, now wrestles at Pittsburgh), Peltier (Blair Academy, now wrestles at Maryland), Thomusseit (St. Paris Graham, now wrestles at Pittsburgh), and Roddy (St. Edward, now wrestled at Northwestern). He basically beat the top three wrestlers in the country at that weight back-to-back-to-back, as a 14-year old 171-pounder. That's the stuff of legend.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/YvTaIynaOys" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

So if he was a 171lber in HS, does this mean he's wrestling college at 84 or 97? If that's the case, it's a FR and SO at those weights, so you're right, he might not see varsity. Too bad, if he's as good as you say he is.

 

[Irish#1]

Title IX

Title IX hurt opportunities in college, but youth wrestling today in extremely strong and popular. In Indiana, more kids wrestle than play youth football. Only boys basketball and football out draw wrestling according to the IHSAA.

I would encourage any father to have his son wrestle. It pays so many dividends for other sports. Nick Hardwick has been the starting center for the Chargers for a long time. He never played football as a kid, even in HS. He walked on at Purdue in either his sophomore or junior year and became their starting center before going to the Chargers. His position coach was quoted in an article as Nick having the best footwork and balance of any kid he had ever coached and he atributed it to wrestling. It's especially great for the linemen as they will learn not only balance and footwork, but how to use the hands in close quarters.

Unlike some sports where coaches can favor certain players, in wrestling the kids get to decide who wrestles. And don't worry about weight loss, no coach will tell a kid he has to lose weight to wrestle in a certain class. That's also up to the kids.

I still can't wait for synchronized swimming.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Wrestling also rewards "Core Strength". Whenever I hear of a defensive lineman with some serious wrestling in his background, I take special notice.

I did 4+ years of Grad school at Iowa State in the middle 1960s [just barely before Gable]. National championships were held there one year. At least three of the 6 top superheavies who medalled were DLinemen, including one from Michigan who was first.

 

[Irish#1]

Wrestling also rewards "Core Strength". Whenever I hear of a defensive lineman with some serious wrestling in his background, I take special notice.

I did 4+ years of Grad school at Iowa State in the middle 1960s [just barely before Gable]. National championships were held there one year. At least three of the 6 top superheavies who medalled were DLinemen, including one from Michigan who was first.

I had a discussion with my sons HS football coach back when he was in HS I asked him why he didn't want his players to wrestle. He said they needed to be in the weight room. I explained to him that the wrestling team lifts during the season. I then went on to name 8 or 9 kids on the football team and asked him if he thought they were pretty much the best players on the team and he said yes. I then reminded him that all of them were also on the wrestling team.

OMM,
I got a personal call from Dan Gable back in the late 90's while he was still coaching. I had sent him a letter inquiring if he could speak at our wrestling banquet. Understanding that it was a long shot and didn't expect a response, I was surprised when I answered the phone and heard, "Jim, This is Dan Gable from Iowa." At first I thought a friend was pulling a joke. He explained he was already committed, but wanted to call and let him know they had just finished taping a practice and he was sending it so we could play it at the banquet. Throughout the taping Gable and a number of wrestlers offered advice and explained what it meant to them to wrestle. To basketball fans this was the equivalent of Bobby Knight or Coach K. calling.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I had a discussion with my sons HS football coach back when he was in HS I asked him why he didn't want his players to wrestle. He said they needed to be in the weight room. I explained to him that the wrestling team lifts during the season. I then went on to name 8 or 9 kids on the football team and asked him if he thought they were pretty much the best players on the team and he said yes. I then reminded him that all of them were also on the wrestling team.

OMM,
I got a personal call from Dan Gable back in the late 90's while he was still coaching. I had sent him a letter inquiring if he could speak at our wrestling banquet. Understanding that it was a long shot and didn't expect a response, I was surprised when I answered the phone and heard, "Jim, This is Dan Gable from Iowa." At first I thought a friend was pulling a joke. He explained he was already committed, but wanted to call and let him know they had just finished taping a practice and he was sending it so we could play it at the banquet. Throughout the taping Gable and a number of wrestlers offered advice and explained what it meant to them to wrestle. To basketball fans this was the equivalent of Bobby Knight or Coach K. calling.

Very cool story. But, with all due respect, that's bigger than Bobby Knight or Coach K.

Gable would be like James Naismith calling. Maybe I'd give you John Wooden.

 

[Chi_IRISH]

Stephen Neal won two Super Bowls with the pats and never played a down of college football! He was an All-American wrestler. This list goes on and on the two sports complement each other so well. I hate coaches that would rather have their kids lift and not wrestle. First off there is no substitue for compettion and secondly those coaches never stepped on mat!

 

[Buster Bluth]

US, Iran find common ground: Olympic wrestling - US News and World Report

My cousin is in Iran wrestling at the Wrestling World Cup, looks like it's a pretty historic time to be there as they all try to save Olympic wrestling.

 

[dyrtdogg]

OMM,
I got a personal call from Dan Gable back in the late 90's while he was still coaching. I had sent him a letter inquiring if he could speak at our wrestling banquet. Understanding that it was a long shot and didn't expect a response, I was surprised when I answered the phone and heard, "Jim, This is Dan Gable from Iowa." At first I thought a friend was pulling a joke. He explained he was already committed, but wanted to call and let him know they had just finished taping a practice and he was sending it so we could play it at the banquet. Throughout the taping Gable and a number of wrestlers offered advice and explained what it meant to them to wrestle. To basketball fans this was the equivalent of Bobby Knight or Coach K. calling.

That's really cool

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I had a discussion with my sons HS football coach back when he was in HS I asked him why he didn't want his players to wrestle. He said they needed to be in the weight room. I explained to him that the wrestling team lifts during the season. I then went on to name 8 or 9 kids on the football team and asked him if he thought they were pretty much the best players on the team and he said yes. I then reminded him that all of them were also on the wrestling team.

OMM,
I got a personal call from Dan Gable back in the late 90's while he was still coaching. I had sent him a letter inquiring if he could speak at our wrestling banquet. Understanding that it was a long shot and didn't expect a response, I was surprised when I answered the phone and heard, "Jim, This is Dan Gable from Iowa." At first I thought a friend was pulling a joke. He explained he was already committed, but wanted to call and let him know they had just finished taping a practice and he was sending it so we could play it at the banquet. Throughout the taping Gable and a number of wrestlers offered advice and explained what it meant to them to wrestle. To basketball fans this was the equivalent of Bobby Knight or Coach K. calling.

I posted this earlier, but I actually had a chance to spend some time with Dan a couple of times in the seventies, after he won his gold, before he began his college coaching career.

In fact you may be able to look this up and see, if the 1973 World Cup Championship team was his first as head coach. I will tell you this. When you first see him you are impressed by his lighthearted sense of humor. And he is not a big guy; wiry, with a lot of energy, but you could walk by him and not know who he was.

That is unless he is in his wrestling singlet. His muscles almost looked deformed, especially his forearms and calves. He would joke around in the stands when scouting the opposition. But when it came time for practice, if he asked for fifteen chin-ups to warm up, he would do 115. He would be willing to run ten miles further than anyone else. Pretty soon is maniacal attitude would affect the whole team.

The biggest thing was the deference wrestlers from elsewhere showed him, particularly the Russians. It was so pronounced I asked one of the Peterson brothers why when all the US wrestlers lipped off to him, the Russians acted the way they did. Apparent it was simple; the Russians thought he was supernatural. Dan didn't just beat the Russians, he destroyed them. And the guys he beat had never lost a match. Thought you would want an observers view, earlier on in the process.

 

[Irish#1]

A lot of people don't realize that he had lost a sister by murder and used that as his motivation throughout his wretling career. My mind is a little fuzzy, but I believe he only lost one match in his life?

 

[Bogtrotter07]

A lot of people don't realize that he had lost a sister by murder and used that as his motivation throughout his wretling career. My mind is a little fuzzy, but I believe he only lost one match in his life?

"Michael Jordan is the Dan Gable of basketball!"

His sister was four or five years older than him. He stated that she was with him for his high school state championship match, sophomore year (I believe). The only match he ever lost from the time he started wrestling in grade school, was the NCAA Finals his senior year to a guy named Larry Owings of the University of Washington. He dropped a couple in national freestyle matches after he left college in '70. What people don't realize is that in the lead-up and throughout the 72 Olympics, on his path to gold; Dan didn't give up a single point! That kind of dominance is unprecedented in wrestling or any other sport for that matter.

 

[drayer54]

Everytime I go to CHA and watch the matches, people are always talking about and pointing to Gable. Even when Cael Sanderson and the Brands brothers were both nearby.

 

[pumpdog20]

"Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy."

Dan Gable

 

[Irish#1]

"Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy."

Dan Gable

So true. My sons HS coach had a conditioning drill called the "Nine Circles of Hell". For one minute you had to perform a certain drill or exercise without stopping. After one minute he blew the whistle and you had five seconds to get to the next circle and start the next drill. Each one taxed the muscles in a different way and was draining. After nine minutes everyone just dropped, gasping for air. I can't tell you how many average kids on the team won matches in the third period because they weren't tired.

 

[irishtrain]

Olympics have turned into made for tv cheesey joke. They dont even show much of the field events anymore and way toooooo much little girls on a mat or fighting with each other like 9 th graders. Oh wait a minute they are 9 th graders.

 

[Irish#1]

Olympics have turned into made for tv cheesey joke. They dont even show much of the field events anymore and way toooooo much little girls on a mat or fighting with each other like 9 th graders. Oh wait a minute they are 9 th graders.

That's so true. I rarely watch gymnatics, especially the girls. When they do show wrestling, it's usually only one match.

 

[Buster Bluth]

lol sorta weird to see the US Wrestling team take a picture with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran and the US are coming together in support of wrestling, of all things. My cousin JD Bergman is in the back row, second from the right.

 

[pumpdog20]

Wish it was a picture without that creep.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

Wish it was a picture without that creep.

That is why there will always be wars, famine, and pestilence.

 

[ShawneeIrish]

"A Russian wrestler says he is returning his Olympic gold medal to protest the International Olympic Committee's decision to drop his sport from the Olympic program... Murtazaliyev, 38, who won gold in the 97-kilogram (214-pound) freestyle class at the 2000 Sydney Games, has followed the example of Bulgarian wrestler Valentin Yordanov who last week who said he'd be handing his medal back to the IOC in protest."

Russian wrestler Sagid Murtazaliyev will return Olympic gold medal in protest

 

[choo choo]

The oldest sport known to man and the oldest Olympic sport gets dropped. This is mind blowing to me. All four of my sons wrestled with the last two starting at ages 6 & 8 and turned out good enough to get offers to wrestle in college. This sport teaches lessons pretty much every other sport can't.

Only you with no teammates to blame or count on. No timeouts to try and stop momentum. Six minutes of continuous motion and physical battle.

Any of you who wrestled know what I'm talking about. I hope they come to their senses in time.

but please tell me they didnt go as far as to drop ribbon dancing...whew, well at least we get to keep that and all its tradition...i never wrestled but i covered it when i worked for a university and it quickly became a favorite of mine and then my son wrestled and im hooked...i hate this decision...ive always bitched about the amount of coverage it recieved...by far one of the best sports around and here in chattanooga its huge (even though the almighty sec doesnt have any teams)...this just blows my mind...jeez

 

[choo choo]

We finally have found an organization more corrupt then the SEC.

well since the sec doesnt sponsor the sport...maybe they are one and the same...hey maybe the sec and the olympics can add auto racing

 

[pumpdog20]

NCAA championships start today, GO Hawks!

 

[Chi_IRISH]

I wish we could bet vbucks on the NCAA Wrestling championships! Does Ramos beat Stieber this time?
Can't wait for Dake v. Taylor!!!!!

 

[Buster Bluth]

My cousin JD Bergman just won the US Open! Onward to Brazil 2016!

Wrestling Videos | Flowrestling

 

[pumpdog20]

Congrats to your cousin Buster! Shocked to see Graff knock out Steiber for 3rd and Taylor only losing 1-0, 1-0 to the defending olympic champion. The future is extremely bright.

#saveolympicwrestling

 

[Buster Bluth]

The US will be wrestling Iran live on NBC Sports in Grand Central Station today at 3:30pm. JD will be wrestling in the 96kg (I believe) weight class.

So if you want to watch Buster's double-cousin kick some Iranian *** in NYC, you've been notified haha It's a trimatch, and I think the Russian match is later and on NBC Universal.

It's pretty cool to see the US, Russia, and Iran come together like this. I was going to go, but the asking price for tickets is $1000. Only 800 seats in Grand Central Station...

 

[In Lou I Trust]

http://news.yahoo.com/fila-approves-rules-keep-wrestling-games-093013842.html

MOSCOW (AP) — Wrestling's governing body has approved new rule and constitutional changes aimed at modernizing the sport and keeping it in the Olympics after 2016.

A special congress Saturday of the federation, known by the acronym FILA, decreed there will be a mandatory women's vice-presidency role.

The new rules will ensure matches are made up out of two three-minute sessions instead of three two-minute periods. Scoring will become cumulative instead of the previous two-out-of-three system.

The changes come after the International Olympic Committee removed wrestling as one of the core sports of the games in February. It is now one of eight sports that will be competing for an open slot at the 2020 Games. That decision will be made by the IOC in September.

 

[pumpdog20]

FILA approves new rules to keep wrestling in games

The best part of the rule changes is that they start tomorrow against Russia and Canada!

Brent Metcalf - 2016 Olympic Champion

 

[Buster Bluth]

Is the idea behind the rule change to fatigue the wrestlers (three minutes, instead of two), and thus perhaps break some form and cause more action?