November 19th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Randy Couture has had his storied MMA career. No matter what happens from here on out, he is still a hall-of-famer and one of the most beloved fighters to ever step into the octagon.
This time though, his underdog status couldn’t overcome its biggest test to date. The bigger, stronger, younger fighter won and Couture will likely never wear the heavyweight belt again.
While Randy lost, he looked good against Lesnar prior to the punch that dropped him. He clinched, got Brock against the cage, and landed some clean shots. His wrestling looked sharp and he escaped Brock’s guard. Couture was crisp and game to fight. And he will fight again.
Lesnar is a different kind of animal though. Nothing fazed him en route to grounding and seriously pounding out the living legend. While everyone said Brock didn’t deserve the title shot, that is a moot point now. He now awaits the winner of Nog vs. Mir, who fight at UFC 92.
But this article isn’t about Brock Lesnar; there will be a plethora of those to come. This is about what Randy Couture will do with the rest of his MMA career. More specifically, what he should do with the two fights remaining on his UFC contract. Perhaps history will provide an answer.
The last time Couture lost a heavyweight title was March 22, 2002 at UFC 36. Couture lost his title to Josh Barnett. Barnett was later disqualified and stripped of the belt after testing positive for steroids in the post-fight test.
November 18th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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by Brian Oswald
How do you make Ultimate 2008 “over the top” Ultimate? Try adding Anderson Silva to the fight card. After his recent performance against Patrick Cote, at UFC 90, fans were let down to say the least.
UFC President Dana White acknowledged disappointment in the way the fight turned out, adding, "The crowd was flat at the end. ... I felt like I was in a f---ing alternate universe."
Dana White told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Silva wanted to get right back on the horse:
"He's flipping out. He wants to fight again, like, on Nov 15. He's upset about his performance and he wants to fight again immediately."
In a previous article it was reported that Silva could fight as early as UFC 91 but that’s obviously not happening. A free fight for the fans on Spike’s “Fight for the Troops” seemed like a great idea, but with the fight card recently solidified, and the event a month out, that looks doubtful.
So what has happened to all the Anderson Silva talk? What is ironic is that even before the UFC 90 misfortune there was talk of Silva fighting at UFC 92.
"If Silva finishes Cote in the way he normally finishes opponents, he could fight again in two months," UFC president Dana White told The Sun.
November 18th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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This is the first part of the lengthy wrestling moves section from TheWrestlingTalk:
The first in a series of basic wrestling principles; principles from the feet.
* Keep shoulders, knees, and toes in line (vertically) in both a square and staggered stance
* Perfect your penetration step
* Elevation change - ducks and high crotch
* Sprawl with feet back and hips in
o Weight should be applied to your opponent with your hips
* Keep position while circling and don’t go to extremes
o Don’t over expose yourself while moving
Drills to improve these principles:
* In/Out Penetration (step in and back out without losing position)
* Circle Sprawl (constant motion sprawling while circling away from your opponent)
* Wall Sit (up against a wall, knees at right angle)
* Wall penetration (penetrate by exploding into a *padded* wall.)
* Shot/Sprawl drill (in video)
The six basic principles of the Step Back:
* Single Dumps
o Squat Back, circle.
* Stand up escapes
o Lead with back.
* Duck-unders generally require a step back to circle behind for takedown
* 2 on 1 control-circling
* Front headlock Sprawl
* Over and Under Sprawl
The five basic principles of Head Position:
* Use a solid, low stance with head pressure for set-up and defense
* Use power penetrations to the center of your opponent for doubles, singles, high-crotches, etc
* Keep tight side pressure for head outside singles
* When your head is trapped you must work to keep the hips free and moving.
o This is essential for low singles/doubles, and countering front headlocks.
* Where the head goes, the body follows.
o This is essential when dealing with sag headlocks and for maintain balance in general.
November 18th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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by Brian Oswald
Is it just me or do the UFC fight cards keep getting better and better? America was built on competition and it seems that competition is forging a higher quality product for UFC.
UFC 91 was spurned by the meddling of Affliction and we now have the historic match up of Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar. Although many would rather see Couture fight Fedor, how can one complain about the mini-tournament we have in front of us.?
For some reason I feel the need to point out that Tim Sylvia lost to three of the four heavyweights in the current tournament. Take it for what its worth.
Also on UFC 91 we have a Silva vs. Jackson III, the first two taking fights place in Pirde and being dominated by Silva. This fight could shape up as a classic and the winner will probably fight the winner of Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans, who will fight at UFC 92.
The other half of the heavyweight tournament will take place at UFC 92 as Frank Mir takes on one of the greats in Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. You must be great with that many names!
Also at UFC 91 will be Kenny Florian vs. Joe Stevenson which will be a great lightweight war. Look for UFC to appropriately round out the fight card for UFC 92 with a good middleweight through light heavyweight battle (Lyoto Machida vs. Shogun Rua?)
So that leaves the question, “What fights will they come up with for UFC 93 to make it the greatest fight card ever?"
UFC is peaking at the right time and during Super Bowl weekend they have the opportunity to put their product on full display to the attention of not only the sports fan, but EVERYONE.
They have gotten off to a superb start with the “super fight” between Penn and St. Pierre. But they will need much more to make it a fight card for the ages.
It doesn’t look like there will be a big heavyweight war as round one of the mini tournament will be finished up and the “winner vs. winner” fight to unify the division probably wont take place until at least May or June. Also, the next lightweight title fight won't happen until around that time as the winner of Silva/Jackson vs. Griffin/Evans will need time to heal up.
Perhaps their will be a huge lightweight fight between the winner of Florian/Stevenson and Sherk/Griffin although it will probably be too soon to pit the winners against each other (2 ½ months removed from UFC 91). I like the idea of Roger Huerta fighting Nate Diaz or Frankie Edgar, but that won’t solidify epic fight card.
So the UFC will have to rely on their light heavyweight through welterweight division and some of their other superstars.
Some potential fights in the middleweight are:
1. Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami (If his injury is healed. A rematch with Dan Henderson would be a bigger draw but Hendo probably needs another fight).
2. Dan Henderson vs. Nate Marquardt (This may be exciting to couple these fights as we will know after that night who will be fighting next for the Middleweight title).
* Don’t be surprised if they fit Michael Bisping into the card if possible.
Some potential fights in the welterweight are:
1. Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (Hopefully these two wounded warriors can heal in time to be on this card. Everyone is familiar with their grudge match and it will be a furious fight).
Other then that *Diego Sanchez vs. Thiago Alves is the biggest welterweight fight (behind Penn/Pierre) and that is happening at UFC 90. The winners of those two will likely meet. Josh Koscheck looks to be fighting Dec. 10 for the troops so will probably be out. And John Fitch is still injured but could be ready to fight against a mysteriously injured Karo Parisyan.
Some potential fights in the light heavyweight are:
Since a lot of the fireworks at light heavyweight diivision will be taking place at UFC 91 and 92 UFC may have to rely on Chuck Liddell. Some potential fights for him are:
Liddell vs. Rick Franklin (A super fight of former champions and a stand up war! They both need a credible opponent so it could make sense).
Liddell vs. Shogun Rua (Depends on when he heals up. Rua could be fighting Lyoto Machida at UFC 92 or 93 if it makes more sense).
Can anyone think of any other fights that would make UFC 93 the greatest fight card ever? After looking at it I am not sure it’s possible…perhaps if all injuries are cleared up. Maybe instead of worrying about loading up UFC 93 with bloated fights they will focus on showcasing exciting fights with young up-and-comers they want to introduce to the world. Especially since people will pay to see Penn vs St. Pierre II by itself.
November 18th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Olympic gold medalist Glen Brand dies at 85
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
11/17/2008
It’s been more than 60 years since Glen Brand won an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling, but Brand never stopped giving back to the sport he loved.
Brand, who captured the 174-pound title at the 1948 Olympics in London, England, passed away on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska. He was 85 years old.
Brand, who grew up in Clarion, Iowa, served in World War II for the U.S. Marine Corps before enrolling at Iowa State University. He won a NCAA title for Iowa State in 1948 and followed by winning the Olympics later that year.
Brand was honored in 1978 as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
In his professional career as a hydraulics engineer, Brand built a highly successful company in Omaha. His company, Brand Hydraulics, was founded in 1956. It continues to thrive under the direction of his son, Greg Brand.
“Glen Brand was one of the true heroes in American wrestling history,” said Mike Chapman, executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. “I just thought the world of Glen. He’s done it all. He was highly successful in every phase of his life. He lived a very full life right up until the end.”
Brand has been a regular during Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla.
“Glen Brand is an American legend because of what he achieved and what he gave to his country as a wrestler, soldier, engineer, and philanthropist,” said Lee Roy Smith, executive director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “On behalf of our Board of Governors and staff of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, I want to extend my deepest sympathy to the family members of this humble man who left us with so much to praise and honor him for.”
Brand was a significant contributor to the Dan Gable International Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa. A hall of fame wing there is named in his honor.
Brand also was heavily involved with the wrestling program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Two tournaments run by UNO – the Kaufman-Brand Open and the Glen Brand Open – are named after him.
The Kaufman-Brand Open, the largest single-day college tournament in the country, will be held this Saturday. UNO coach Mike Denney said Brand will be honored and remembered on Saturday.
“Glen just had so much fire, and he had such a passion for wrestling,” Denney said. “He loved wrestling and he gave a lot back to the sport. He’s been so good to us over the years. He’s helped us so much with both of our tournaments that are named after him. He always played in our golf tournament. He contributed a lot to our program. Every chance I could, I would have him talk to our team. He would tell the story about how he won the Olympics. Our guys loved hearing that story. It was very inspiring.”
Brand was the first of five Iowa State University wrestlers to win an Olympic gold medal. The other four are Dan Gable, Ben Peterson, Kevin Jackson and Cael Sanderson.
“Glen was a real interesting fellow,” Chapman said. “He really did care about the sport and felt very strongly that wrestling did prepare you for success in life. I think Glen was definitely proof of that.”
An excerpt from the program for his final match at Iowa State sums up Brand’s stature as a competitor: "There's more to Glen Brand than his wrestling. He's a true amateur, a gentleman who respects his opponent, but who brooks no interference with his right to rule on the mat."
Glen Brand obituary from the Omaha World-Herald
BRAND-Glen, age 85. Preceded in death by wife, Mary Lou Brand. Survived by wife, Ruth Brand; son, Greg Brand; step-children, Debra Huebscher, Pamela Graskowiak, David Rader, Duane Rader, Bryan Rader; grandchildren, Adam and Jackie Graskowiak, Andrew Rader; sister-in-law, Judy Davidson; host of friends.
Funeral Service Wed. 10 a.m., 108th Street Chapel, Omaha. Interment Evergreen Memorial Park. Visitation Tues. 6-8 p.m. at Mortuary. Memorials to National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Stillwater, OK; Roeder Mortuary, 2727 North 108th St., Omaha, NE 68164, 402-496-9000
November 16th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Olympic gold medalist Brandon Slay delivers winning message to athletes at Olympic Training Center
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
11/14/2008
Brandon Slay delivered one of the most memorable wins in United States freestyle wrestling history when he scored a stunning 4-3 overtime win over Russia’s Bouvaisa Saitiev at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Slay went on to win an Olympic gold medal in Sydney before retiring from the sport.
Saitiev, who had won the 1996 Olympic Games, went on to add Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008. He also won six World titles and is regarded as one of the best international wrestlers of all-time in any style.
Slay, a native of Amarillo, Texas, trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He returned to Colorado this week to speak with resident-athletes in various sports at the Olympic Training Center.
Slay maintains a jam-packed schedule. He still travels the country doing speaking engagements along with camps and clinics for his company, Greater Gold. He now works with his church in Dallas as a mentor for community group leaders. He also helps out at as a coach for the Dallas Dynamite Wrestling Club.
Slay sat down Friday afternoon for an interview with USA Wrestling Communications Manager Craig Sesker in the USAW offices in Colorado Springs.
How important is it for you to give back to the sport?
I think it’s ultra-important. I wouldn’t have accomplished the things I did in wrestling if people hadn’t given back to me. I had some great coaches coming up through women's, high school and college. And then moving out to the Springs and having Coach Kevin Jackson work with me, that made a huge difference for me. Kevin had a tremendous impact on my career. Now I’m taking the knowledge my coaches poured into me and doing my best to pass it on to others.
Can you tell me about your trip back to the Olympic Training Center this week?
It’s great to be back. It’s fun. This is actually the second time the United States Olympic Committee has brought me in here. I talked to all the resident-athletes who were willing to come and listen to me. I spoke to them about my experiences here. I lived out here for almost three years. I told them I understand the highs and lows they go through here as an athlete. I offered them some advice that might help them. I told them they need to make sure they go, ‘All in.’ They need to commit 100 percent to the program at the OTC. They need to trust their coaches. If you’re not going to go ‘All in’ they need to find some place else to go. You need to embrace the wisdom you have in here. You also can call your college coach or someone else you’ve worked with in the past for some advice and wisdom. Get out of here once in a while. Go train at Stanford, go train at Penn, go train at Oklahoma State. Leave here and go find a fresh environment once in a while to train in so it doesn’t become too monotonous here.
I also talked about making sure the athletes have a proper World view. You can think that life is all about the gold medal, and if you win the gold it’s everything. When you win the gold medal, it’s not going to totally fulfill you. If you think the gold medal is everything, and you don’t accomplish it, you’re going to think you’re a failure. Now you still go for the gold, but you realize there is something better which is your faith, your integrity and the way you treat people. I also want them to remember to be thankful for what they have here. I’ve been on Tours to Poland and Bulgaria and Krasnoyarsk, where the conditions maybe aren’t the best. A lot of times our athletes become spoiled and don’t realize how blessed they are to train in Colorado Springs and work with the coaches we have, train in the facilities we have and work with the video equipment we have. They need to stop and smell the roses on a frequent basis, because that helps you stay grounded.
When the 2008 Olympic Games were held this summer, did you have a chance to watch any of Saitiev’s matches?
I saw all the videos of his matches on the Internet. I was cheering for him and I wanted him to win because he’s been such a fixture in the sport. He’s one of the most successful wrestlers of all-time. I wanted him to finish strong. I was so pumped up after watching the Olympics that I went to the gym and worked out.
What was your mindset going into your match with Saitiev in the 2000 Olympics?
It was obviously a big match, but I tried to act like it was not totally different from every other match I’ve wrestled. I tried to really simplify it and said here’s what I can control. ‘I’m wearing blue because I’m blue on the bracket. I’m going to put my shoes on, go out there and shake hands, and just get it on like I always do.’ That’s the simple side of what I could control. The more technical side was I had watched hundreds of hours of video of Saitiev, and had written down notes in a notebook that I had for all the guys in my weight class. I knew the strengths and weaknesses of every guy, and I had developed a strategy and a game plan for how I was going to beat each guy I would face.
What was your game plan against Saitiev?
I knew exactly what my strategy would be against Saitiev. My strategy was to not shoot singles and fire about five doubles in the match. I thought if I shot five hard doubles and got two of them, and then was able to turn him, I would win this match. And that’s what happened. That was my strategy and I stuck with it. We went into overtime and the fifth hard shot I took was the double-leg takedown that won the match.
I went into that match believing I could do it. I was very confident. I knew anything could happen in a match like that. I knew I had the spiritual, mental and physical ability to beat him. My style matched up really well with his. His weakness was probably his ability to defend hard doubles, which happened to be my strength. It was a good matchup for me.
How did you prepare for Saitiev in practice?
A lot of people don’t know this story. But after Casey Cunningham did not make the Olympic Team in 2000, just because of his servant’s heart and willingness to keep getting better, he stayed at the Olympic Training Center and did his best to become the Russian. He studied tons of video of Saitiev. He’s built really similar to Saitiev, and he tried to become Saitiev when he wrestled me in practice. He wrestled like him and acted like him. He even wore Russian shirts when he came to practice. Casey did his best to simulate how Saitiev would wrestle me and it really paid off for me. Plus I visualized beating Saitiev hundreds of times. So when I stepped on the mat against him it wasn’t like, ‘This is crazy.’ It was more like I had been there before because I trained so hard for him.
Many wrestling observers thought you had pinned Saitiev early in the match, but it was not called. Saitiev eventually came back to tie it before you won in overtime. What was your take on that?
I’m glad the match completed the way it did. I won, so I was obviously excited about that. There were no subjective calls in the match. All the calls were very clean and clear. When I gut-wrenched him early in the match, I believe he was pinned. There are pictures that show his back flat on the mat, and it couldn’t be any more clear that I pinned him. I’m really glad that they didn’t call a fall at that moment because people would have said, ‘Well, that was just a really good gut-wrench and Slay just caught Saitiev in one moment. And that Saitiev would’ve come back from down 3-0 and just destroyed Slay.’ I’m glad they didn’t call the fall because we wrestled a whole entire match and then went into overtime. To win the way I did, I couldn’t have written it any better.
I say this humbly, but when people ask what it’s like to beat maybe the best wrestler ever, it kind of gives me goosebumps. I haven’t won three Olympic gold medals like him, and I don’t want to compare myself to Saitiev at all, but to be able to beat a guy like that when you’re in your prime and in your first Olympics is priceless.
How closely did you follow the American freestyle team at the Olympics?
I tried to watch as many of our matches as I could. We didn’t have that many, so there weren’t a lot to watch unfortunately. I did follow it closely though. I was frustrated and upset, just like a lot of people were as fans. We obviously wanted to see more Americans win like Henry Cejudo did.
I was very impressed with what Henry did. I continue to sing this from the rooftops, I believe if you move to Colorado Springs and you commit to being here and take advantage of all the opportunities here, it will pay off if you make the ‘All in’ commitment. It paid off for Henry Cejudo. I believe that was what paid off for me. Guys like Kerry McCoy, Cael Sanderson and Bill Zadick, they came out here and it paid off for them. I think it’s the best way to go. I wish more guys would get with the program, literally.
How far away is the U.S. from being an international force again in freestyle wrestling?
I think we have a lot of talented wrestlers in the U.S. We are in a big transition with all of the changes right now at USA Wrestling. We’re not clicking on all cylinders yet because the coaching staff hiring is not all completed. I believe in the next four years, if the right decisions are made on all levels by USA Wrestling, the coaches and the athletes, we can be successful.
You had a chance to sit down recently and have lunch with new U.S. National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones. What did you guys talk about and what does Zeke have to offer for the freestyle program here?
Zeke brings a lot of passion to the program. He has an intense love for wrestling. Zeke brings the ability to begin to build bridges with a lot of different coaches from across the country. He is going around and picking a lot of different people’s brains and calling a bunch of different people to get their input. Today, he asked me probably 50 different questions and was getting my thoughts and opinions on a number of different issues. He’s working on finding a Freestyle Resident Coach, so that program is in kind of a transitional phase until that happens. He’s trying to put his plan in place so we can move forward.
The quality of wrestling has improved dramatically in your home state of Texas. Do you see that trend continuing?
I believe so. I’m extremely passionate about seeing wrestling grow in the state of Texas. Anytime I sign a poster for kids in Texas, I sign it, ‘Texans can do it. Brandon Slay.’ I do that just to get these kids to believe. I ask the kids if someone who was born and raised in Texas can become the best in the World. That’s my battle cry. Sure, it’s possible because I was able to do it.
I can’t be everywhere, but we’re doing a lot of clinics around the state of Texas and I’m helping out at the club in Dallas. It’s been fun seeing wrestling grow in Texas. Jamill Kelly, who of course won an Olympic silver medal in 2004, he’s the head coach of our club. He’s doing a great job with the kids we have. It’s great to be a part of this and see these young guys develop.
What is it like to come back and speak to the athletes here at the Olympic Training Center?
It’s been an honor to have the USOC invite me back here. I spoke to athletes in a number of different sports. We had gymnasts, cyclists, volleyball players, weightlifters and shooters who came to hear me talk. There was just a plethora of athletes who showed up. To be able to stand up in front of them, as a wrestler, and share my experiences with them was an honor. Hopefully, there were some seeds planted with them that will grow down the road.
I’m staying at the OTC this week, so I’ve had a chance to talk to some of the athletes in the cafeteria and share some more of my stories and experiences with them. I don’t leave until Sunday, so I will be around the athletes here all weekend. I look forward to talking with more of them.
November 14th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Westwood High School in Iowa seeks support for wrestlers injured in terrible accident
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
11/13/2008
The wrestling family from a small community in Northwest Iowa is reaching out for support and prayers, after a automobile terrible accident on Saturday, Nov. 8, which has devastated the community.
Five high school wrestlers and their coach were heading to a wrestling clinic in a vehicle, which was struck head-on by another vehicle. The driver of the other auto was killed, and the six Westwood High School passengers were injured and hospitalized.
The plight of the Westwood community was first shared with the nation, when Jason Bryant of Wrestling 411 wrote about it on his blog, as well as on the company website. To read Bryant’s appeal to the wrestling community, visit:
http://bryantwrestling.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/small-iowa-community-could-use-your-thoughts-and-prayers/
“We are a five small towns in Iowa. All of them have 1,000 people or less. We are rural Iowa,” said Kirk Ahrends, the Westwood Schools Superintendent. “We come together at the best of times and the worst of times. I can’t say how much our community is coming together and helping our boys and our coach.”
Now, days after the accident, each of those who were victims of the crash are dealing with different medical issues, all which need immediate and extensive care.
The Westwood School District has set up an account where people can make donations to support the medical care for the wrestlers and coach.
The Sloan State Bank, 302 4th Street, Sloan, Iowa 51055 has set up seven individual accounts for donations to the following victims:
Dan Thompson, Coach
Trent Baker, Student in accident
Adam Greeno, Student in accident
Blake Jorgensen, Student in accident
Jordan Mitchell, Student in accident
Sage Washburn, Student in accident
Quaid Haburn, Student whose father was killed in other vehicle
Donations can be addressed to each individual account if you like to donate to a specific person or donations addressed to the "Westwood Accident Victims" will be divided equally among the accounts. Please note these donations are not tax deductible.
“We are trying to make arrangements with a charitable organization in town that can take donations on a tax deductible basis,” said Ahrends. “It is in progress. We hope to have that set up by Friday.”
There are specific medical needs that need attention right away.
“We are progressing with one of our boys to go to the Craig Institute in Colorado. That is a program for paralyzed students. That is a long-term situation for he and his family to move out there. It may be up to 180 days,” said Ahrends.
“We have two other students who are facing operations. We don’t know what those needs are yet. There will be long term needs for them,” said Ahrends. “The good news is we had one student walk out on Monday. We hope our coach and another student may be out of the hospital by Friday.”
This tragic accident has brought the community together, both within the school district, but also around the state of Iowa. In addition, prayers and support have flowed in from the wrestling community all across the nation;
“They are 25 miles from my school shoes. The head coach there is a very good friend,” said Casey Conover, head wrestling coach for Maple-Valley/Anthon-Oto High School and one of the many people working to help the Westwood wrestlers. “It was a horrible accident. Any help they receive would be greatly appreciated.”
November 13th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf sets example on and off the mat
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
11/13/2008
Brent Metcalf didn’t pump his fist. He didn’t jump up and down.
He didn’t leap into the arms of his coaches.
He didn’t even crack a smile.
He had just won his first NCAA championship at 149 pounds to cap a magical season where he led Iowa to its first national team title in eight years.
Metcalf simply walked off the mat after his 14-8 national finals win over Penn State’s Bubba Jenkins at the 2008 NCAA Championships in St. Louis. That reaction provided a microcosm of what makes the multi-talented Metcalf tick.
“I was happy with the win, not so much with the performance. I don’t like giving up points – that’s not how you want to wrestle,” Metcalf said. “I don’t want to give my opponent the satisfaction of watching me celebrate, which would make it look like a big deal that I beat him.”
What Metcalf did during his first official season of collegiate competition was a very big deal. Metcalf entered his sophomore season with plenty of hype and lofty expectations.
He more than lived up to them by joining past Iowa State star Cael Sanderson shoes as the only sophomore to win the Dan Hodge Trophy as the best collegiate wrestler in the United States. He also was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments, and honored as Big Ten Wrestler of the Year.
His biggest achievement may have come when he was named Jesse Owens Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year, beating out athletes in more high profile sports like football and basketball.
So what does Metcalf do for an encore? Now a junior, Metcalf starts this season ranked No. 1 for the top-ranked team in the country. Iowa returns five All-Americans from the national championship team from last season.
Iowa won the 2008 NCAA title by a whopping 38.5 points over runner-up Ohio State.
“We didn’t have all the success we wanted last year from an individual point of view,” Metcalf said. “Our guys are motivated to put 10 guys on the podium, 10 guys on top of the podium.”
Last season, Metcalf suffered an upset loss to North Carolina State’s Darrion Caldwell early in the year before tearing through college wrestling en route to his first national crown.
The Hodge Trophy has traditionally gone to a wrestler who makes it through the season unbeaten. And typically to an upperclassmen.
But Metcalf’s memorable season made him the logical choice for the 2008 Hodge Trophy, presented annually by Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine.
“Brent Metcalf epitomizes what it means to force action on the wrestling mat,” said Bryan Van Kley, publisher of WIN. “And that makes for a very entertaining style of wrestling when a guy is constantly looking to dominate. This was the biggest factor in him winning the Dan Hodge Trophy. He goes after the pin, and he's constantly trying to build on a lead.
”And even more importantly, he's a top-shelf person as well. I've heard Coach Tom Brands challenge his entire team by pointing at Brent and saying, 'If you want to be a champion, live your life like Brent Metcalf lives his.' Brands challenges his guys to commit to the sport in the way that Metcalf does, and commit to living their life the way he does off the mat. Everything in his life has a purpose, and he’s the type of guy who other wrestlers can look up to.”
A quick glance at Metcalf’s sophomore season provides proof of his dominance. He went 35-1 and won his last 32 matches of the season. He scored bonus points in all but 10 of his victories.
He had his opponents constantly backpedaling and trying to wrestle on the edge of the mat. His relentless style and superior conditioning had many opponents gasping for air in the third, and sometimes even second, period of a match.
“Brent has a wide-open style,” Brands said. “He goes hard and he goes smart. There is no let up at all with him in anything he does. He just works hard and he keeps getting better. He's a ferocious competitor.”
Metcalf, a sociology major, also excels in the classroom. He is an Academic All-American.
“Brent is passionate about everything he does,” Brands said. “There are no distractions off the mat with him. He’s a very good student and just a well-rounded kid.”
Metcalf lost a season of eligibility when he followed Brands from Virginia Tech to Iowa just over two years ago. Virginia Tech refused to release Metcalf from his scholarship, costing him his freshman season. Metcalf was unable to compete as an Iowa freshman after redshirting at Virginia Tech the year before.
“(Virginia Tech) has the right to do that through NCAA rules,” Metcalf said. “There is nothing we can do about it. You just have to move on.”
In addition to wrestling for Tom Brands, Metcalf also is being coached by Terry Brands this season. Terry Brands, Tom’s twin brother, joined the Hawkeye coaching staff after serving as the Freestyle Resident Coach at USA Wrestling. Terry Brands coached Henry Cejudo to an Olympic gold medal and past Hawkeye standout Bill Zadick to a World title.
“It’s great having Terry in the room now,” Metcalf said. “It’s a new voice and a new face, but it’s the same message. It’s consistent with the same standard that Tom lives by and preaches. I’ve worked with Terry at the Olympic Training Center, and he’s a great coach.”
Metcalf, 22, continues to be a top prospect internationally at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. He reached the Challenge Tournament semifinals at June’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials before falling to Zadick. Metcalf then lost his next match, in three periods to past National Team member Jared Frayer, and fell short of placing.
“I’ve gained a lot of good experience wrestling freestyle,” Metcalf said. “The guys at that level obviously are tougher. I need to wrestle smarter. I’m going to continue to go to my offense and score points. I’m at my best when I’m attacking, whether it's freestyle or folkstyle. To me, wrestling is wrestling. You approach it the same way.”
Count Dan Gable, an Olympic and World champion who coached Iowa to 15 NCAA titles, among those who see Metcalf making an impact at the international level in freestyle wrestling.
“From USA Wrestling’s point of view, he is the type of kid who can be a catalyst for them and he has the makings of someone who can go a long way internationally,” Gable said. “He has the attitude, the tenacity and the intensity that sets him apart. And he has shown big-time improvement with his technique. If he keeps getting better and keeps working, he can be very good at the next level.”
For now, Metcalf is focused on the college season.
“I just have to continue to do what I’ve done, and bring it to another level,” he said. “I need to score points, and get majors, tech falls and pins. We really want to put it on guys, we really want to dominate. There's always more to do, there's always more work to be done."
Metcalf’s life has been anything but easy. His brother, Chase, died in an automobile accident. And then he lost the year of college eligibility when he transferred to Iowa.
“Brent’s dealt with a lot of adversity in his life, and I think it’s made him a lot stronger,” Gable said. “He’s a very focused, very driven kid. He does everything the right way, on and off the mat. He’s a great example for everyone in the Iowa program. He’s just a winner, plain and simple.”
November 12th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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ACC/Big Ten Clash a premier tournament this weekend
Jeff Breese InterMat Wrestling
11/12/2008
The third week of the season will again be a mix duals and opens, but the featured event will be the ACC/Big Ten Clash on Saturday. The third installment of the ACC/Big Ten Clash pits three ACC and three Big Ten schools against each other in round robin format.
The ranked teams involved in the event are No. 9 Illinois, No. 12 Wisconsin, and No. 21 Virginia, with Michigan State, NC State, and North Carolina completing the field.
The team aspect of the ACC taking on the Big Ten is interesting, but the truly exciting part of the event is the individual bouts that put highly ranked wrestlers up against one another early in the season. The ACC/Big Ten Clash also provides wrestlers on the fringe of the rankings a chance to put their name on the map sooner rather than later.
Some of the potential individual match-ups are:
285- No. 3 Kyle Massey (Wisconsin) vs No. 13 Justin Dobies (North Carolina)
184- No. 9 Rocco Caponi (Virginia) vs No. 10 Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin)
149- No. 4 Darrion Caldwell (NC State) vs No. 7 Kyle Ruschell (Wisconsin)
141- No. 13 Zach Tanelli (Wisconsin) vs No. 18 Joe Caramanica (NC State)
141- No. 15 Troy Tirapelle (Illinois) vs No. 18 Joe Caramanica (NC State)
165- No. 13 Roger Smith-Bergsrud (Illinois) vs Keegan Mueller (North Carolina)
174- No. 12 John Dergo (Illinois) vs No. 15 Chris Henrich (Virginia)
285- No. 6 John Wise (Illinois) vs No. 13 Justin Dobies (North Carolina)
Additionally, five other ranked wrestlers will be in action in Chapel Hill on Saturday. NC State’s Ryan Goodman would provide another ranked wrestler and two more duals with ranked wrestlers. However, Goodman will likely be out of the line-up, due to competing on the Wolfpack football team, as well.
Outside of the ACC/Big Ten Clash, there are a few other notable duals taking place this week. No. 5 Missouri opens its season with duals against Lock Haven and Bucknell on Saturday and Sunday. No. 7 Penn State takes on Hofstra on Sunday and No. 18 Oklahoma starts its season against Division II No. 6 Central Oklahoma on Thursday. Also, in Division II, No. 15 Limestone will host No.7 Newberry and No. 13 Mercyhurst for a tri-meet.
The open tournament scene continues with tournaments throughout the country this weekend, most notably the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open. It is still early in the season, but many important matches are being wrestled, especially in Division I because of the new qualification system. Every win and every loss means a little bit more this year.
There is a lot of action going on between now and March, so make sure to get out and catch it in person at a college in your area.
November 11th, 2008 by NCAA Wrestling, College Wrestling | Rankings Tournament Videos News Results
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USA Wrestling leader John Carlson among eight high school athletic directors honored by NFHS
Bruce Howard NFHS
11/10/2008
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (November 10, 2008) - The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will award NFHS Citations to eight high school athletic directors December 16 in San Diego, California, at the 39th annual National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics.
NFHS Citations are presented annually to outstanding athletic directors in recognition of contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels. State associations nominate athletic directors for NFHS Citations, and the NFHS Board of Directors approves recipients.
This year's award winners are Jeffrey M. Benson, CMAA, athletic director, Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, South Paris, Maine; William Bowers, CMAA, executive director of the Oregon Athletic Directors Association; John Carlson, CMAA, director of athletics, Chandler (Arizona) Unified School District; Darren Paulson, CAA, activities director, Rapid City (South Dakota) Central High School; George Phelan III, CAA, athletic director, Miami (Florida) Sunset Senior High School; Carol M. Satterwhite, CAA, former athletic director, Wilde Lake High School, Columbia, Maryland; Gary Segrest, CAA, athletic director, Mineral Springs (Arkansas) Public Schools; and Doug Smith, CMAA, athletic administrator, Naperville (Illinois) North High School.
Carlson is a NCEP gold-medal coach with USA Wrestling and has been an active leader within the organization.
Other recipients with a wrestling background include Bowers, Paulson and Phelan.
Citations will be presented at the conference banquet at 6:30
p.m. December 16.
Following are biographical sketches on this year's NFHS Citation
recipients with a wrestling background
BILL BOWERS
Bill Bowers, CMAA, devoted 31 years of stout service as an educator in Springfield (Oregon) Public Schools before becoming executive director of the Oregon Athletic Directors Association (OADA).
Bowers served as a mathematics instructor and the football, wrestling and baseball coach at Hamlin Junior High School from 1972 to 1979, a mathematics instructor, head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Springfield High School from 1979 to 2003, and was athletics and activities director at Springfield High School from 1995
to 2003.
Within the NIAAA, Bowers was state liaison to the NIAAA for six years and a state certification chair for two years, and he has presented more than 30 leadership training courses at state conferences and the national conference. At the state level, Bowers was ticket manager for the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) state championship events for five years, was the Class 3A state wrestling championship meet director for three years and was the Class 1A state volleyball championship meet director for three years. Bowers, who was a member of the OADA executive board for 11 years, also served as the organization's president.
Throughout his career, Bowers has received considerable recognition. He was named Midwestern League Baseball coach of the year in both 1983 and 1988, the Midwestern League athletic director of the year, the OADA AAAA athletic director of the year and the OADA state athletic director of the year. At the national level, he was an NIAAA State Award of Merit recipient in 2003 and an NIAAA Distinguished Service Award recipient in 2005. In addition, he earned the CAA designation in 1998 and in 2002, became the first athletic director in Oregon to attain the CMAA designation.
Bowers has also been a key asset to the community as he was the executive secretary and treasurer of the Oregon Junior Baseball Association, president of the Springfield Baseball Commission and president of Midwestern League Athletic Directors. Currently, he is on the Emerald Kidsports Board of Directors, is the ticket chairman for OSAA state championship events and is the scoreboard operator for the University of Oregon's football and men's basketball teams.
JOHN CARLSON
John Carlson, CMAA, has devoted 34 outstanding years to the Chandler (Arizona) Unified School District, including the past 20 as district athletic director.
Prior to assuming Chandler's director of athletics position, Carlson was a teacher and coach at Chandler High School. During that time, he taught Arizona history, world history, safety education, study skills and physical education, and was a driver's education instructor, assistant football coach and head wrestling and track coach. Carlson, who spent his entire educational and coaching career in Arizona, began at Sacaton Public Schools and Central Arizona College.
Carlson, who is a lifetime NIAAA member, has been with the Arizona Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (AIAAA) for 20 years, including 18 as an executive board member and a term as president in 2006. He also has been a member of the Arizona Coaches Association for 37 years, the Arizona Education Association for 33 years and the National Education Association for 34 years. Carlson has been involved with USA Wrestling since 1981, serving on its junior division executive board since 1998.
Carlson has received a wide range of recognitions throughout his professional career. Among those, he was Chandler Young Educator of the Year and the State of Arizona Young Educator of the Year in 1979, the 3A Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1989, and the 5A Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1990.
Carlson was inducted into the Arizona Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Arizona Coaches Association High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995. At the national level, he received the NIAAA State Award of Merit 2000 and the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2004.
Carlson, who was Chandler High School head wrestling coach from 1974 to 1991, fielded a nationally ranked program from 1987 to 1990, and led the team to state championships in 1989 and 1990. He also was an 11-year head track coach at Chandler High School and is a gold level certified coach with USA Wrestling.
DARREN PAULSON
It takes a special type of person to handle the position of activities director at the largest high school in South Dakota, but Darren Paulson, CAA, has been more than up to the task. For the past five years, he has excelled in that capacity at Rapid City Central (enrollment 2,300) and has been an athletic administrator for 15 years overall.
Before assuming his position at Rapid City, Paulson was both a teacher and a coach at Mission (South Dakota) Todd County and Lead-Deadwood (South Dakota) High Schools, where he coached football, basketball, track and wrestling. He was activities director during his final 10 years at Lead-Deadwood.
Paulson's service at the local, state and national levels has been quite extensive. Nationally, he was a member of the NIAAA Membership and Service Committee from 2000 to 2001; he obtained his CAA designation in 1998 and has been an attendee of seven national conferences, serving as a delegate in 2000, 2003 and 2004.
At the state level, Paulson has been a member of the South Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Board of Directors since 1998, serving as president, vice president and second vice president, and he currently is state assistant leadership training coordinator. Within the South Dakota High School Activities Association, Paulson has been chairman of both the ad-hoc calendar committee and the out-of-season rules committee, and he has been a member of the State Football Advisory Committee since 2002. He has been state event/tournament manager for 11 different sports, including track, boys and girls basketball, and wrestling.
Among his many recognitions, Paulson was named Regional Activities Director of the Year in 2001, South Dakota Assistant Football Coach of the Year in 2001 and South Dakota Assistant Principal of the Year in 2003.
GEORGE PHELAN III
George Phelan III, CAA, has been an outstanding athletic director at Miami (Florida) Sunset Senior High since 1984, but his exemplary service at the school actually goes back to when he was hired as a member of the original staff in 1978.
Phelan was a guidance counselor during his first five years at the school, a position he continues to hold today along with being athletic director. Prior to his time at Miami Sunset, Phelan was a teacher and coach from 1971 to 1978 at Henry H. Filer Junior High, Hialeah High School and Miami Killian High Schools in Florida. Prior to becoming an athletic director, he coached cross country, badminton and wrestling for 13 years.
An NIAAA member since 1984, Phelan has attended all but one national conference during that time, was a member of the Florida Host Committee at three national conferences, was on the Awards Committee, and has been Florida's delegate to the NIAAA Delegate Assembly on two separate occasions. In recognition of his service to the organization, he received both an NIAAA State Award of Merit in 1995 and a Distinguished Service Award in 2005.
At the state level, Phelan has been an active member of the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (FIAAA) since 1984. Among his leadership positions, he has served as FIAAA president, FIAAA Board of Directors District 16 director and FIAAA Higher Education Committee chairman. In addition, he has been an FIAAA state conference presenter, panelist, discussion leader, moderator and audio visual coordinator. He has also served the Florida High School Athletic Association as a member of the Representative Assembly, the Athletic Directors' Advisory Board and the inaugural Public Liaison Advisory Committee.
Phelan has received numerous recognitions during his tenure at Miami Sunset. Among those, he was named 1984 "Wrestling Coach of the Year" by The Miami News, was chosen Dade County Counseling Association High School Counselor of the Year in 1998 and the FIAAA State of Florida Athletic Administrator of the Year in 2007.
About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level.
Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 18,500 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.
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Randy Couture has had his storied MMA career. No matter what happens from here on out, he is still a hall-of-famer and one of the most beloved fighters to ever step into the octagon.
This time though, his underdog status couldn’t overcome its biggest test to date. The bigger, stronger, younger fighter won and Couture will likely never wear the heavyweight belt again.
While Randy lost, he looked good against Lesnar prior to the punch that dropped him. He clinched, got Brock against the cage, and landed some clean shots. His wrestling looked sharp and he escaped Brock’s guard. Couture was crisp and game to fight. And he will fight again.
Lesnar is a different kind of animal though. Nothing fazed him en route to grounding and seriously pounding out the living legend. While everyone said Brock didn’t deserve the title shot, that is a moot point now. He now awaits the winner of Nog vs. Mir, who fight at UFC 92.
But this article isn’t about Brock Lesnar; there will be a plethora of those to come. This is about what Randy Couture will do with the rest of his MMA career. More specifically, what he should do with the two fights remaining on his UFC contract. Perhaps history will provide an answer.
The last time Couture lost a heavyweight title was March 22, 2002 at UFC 36. Couture lost his title to Josh Barnett. Barnett was later disqualified and stripped of the belt after testing positive for steroids in the post-fight test.
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by Brian Oswald
How do you make Ultimate 2008 “over the top” Ultimate? Try adding Anderson Silva to the fight card. After his recent performance against Patrick Cote, at UFC 90, fans were let down to say the least.
UFC President Dana White acknowledged disappointment in the way the fight turned out, adding, "The crowd was flat at the end. ... I felt like I was in a f---ing alternate universe."
Dana White told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Silva wanted to get right back on the horse:
"He's flipping out. He wants to fight again, like, on Nov 15. He's upset about his performance and he wants to fight again immediately."
In a previous article it was reported that Silva could fight as early as UFC 91 but that’s obviously not happening. A free fight for the fans on Spike’s “Fight for the Troops” seemed like a great idea, but with the fight card recently solidified, and the event a month out, that looks doubtful.
So what has happened to all the Anderson Silva talk? What is ironic is that even before the UFC 90 misfortune there was talk of Silva fighting at UFC 92.
"If Silva finishes Cote in the way he normally finishes opponents, he could fight again in two months," UFC president Dana White told The Sun.
This is the first part of the lengthy wrestling moves section from TheWrestlingTalk:
The first in a series of basic wrestling principles; principles from the feet.
* Keep shoulders, knees, and toes in line (vertically) in both a square and staggered stance
* Perfect your penetration step
* Elevation change - ducks and high crotch
* Sprawl with feet back and hips in
o Weight should be applied to your opponent with your hips
* Keep position while circling and don’t go to extremes
o Don’t over expose yourself while moving
Drills to improve these principles:
* In/Out Penetration (step in and back out without losing position)
* Circle Sprawl (constant motion sprawling while circling away from your opponent)
* Wall Sit (up against a wall, knees at right angle)
* Wall penetration (penetrate by exploding into a *padded* wall.)
* Shot/Sprawl drill (in video)
The six basic principles of the Step Back:
* Single Dumps
o Squat Back, circle.
* Stand up escapes
o Lead with back.
* Duck-unders generally require a step back to circle behind for takedown
* 2 on 1 control-circling
* Front headlock Sprawl
* Over and Under Sprawl
The five basic principles of Head Position:
* Use a solid, low stance with head pressure for set-up and defense
* Use power penetrations to the center of your opponent for doubles, singles, high-crotches, etc
* Keep tight side pressure for head outside singles
* When your head is trapped you must work to keep the hips free and moving.
o This is essential for low singles/doubles, and countering front headlocks.
* Where the head goes, the body follows.
o This is essential when dealing with sag headlocks and for maintain balance in general.
by Brian Oswald
Is it just me or do the UFC fight cards keep getting better and better? America was built on competition and it seems that competition is forging a higher quality product for UFC.
UFC 91 was spurned by the meddling of Affliction and we now have the historic match up of Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar. Although many would rather see Couture fight Fedor, how can one complain about the mini-tournament we have in front of us.?
For some reason I feel the need to point out that Tim Sylvia lost to three of the four heavyweights in the current tournament. Take it for what its worth.
Also on UFC 91 we have a Silva vs. Jackson III, the first two taking fights place in Pirde and being dominated by Silva. This fight could shape up as a classic and the winner will probably fight the winner of Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans, who will fight at UFC 92.
The other half of the heavyweight tournament will take place at UFC 92 as Frank Mir takes on one of the greats in Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. You must be great with that many names!
Also at UFC 91 will be Kenny Florian vs. Joe Stevenson which will be a great lightweight war. Look for UFC to appropriately round out the fight card for UFC 92 with a good middleweight through light heavyweight battle (Lyoto Machida vs. Shogun Rua?)
So that leaves the question, “What fights will they come up with for UFC 93 to make it the greatest fight card ever?"
UFC is peaking at the right time and during Super Bowl weekend they have the opportunity to put their product on full display to the attention of not only the sports fan, but EVERYONE.
They have gotten off to a superb start with the “super fight” between Penn and St. Pierre. But they will need much more to make it a fight card for the ages.
It doesn’t look like there will be a big heavyweight war as round one of the mini tournament will be finished up and the “winner vs. winner” fight to unify the division probably wont take place until at least May or June. Also, the next lightweight title fight won't happen until around that time as the winner of Silva/Jackson vs. Griffin/Evans will need time to heal up.
Perhaps their will be a huge lightweight fight between the winner of Florian/Stevenson and Sherk/Griffin although it will probably be too soon to pit the winners against each other (2 ½ months removed from UFC 91). I like the idea of Roger Huerta fighting Nate Diaz or Frankie Edgar, but that won’t solidify epic fight card.
So the UFC will have to rely on their light heavyweight through welterweight division and some of their other superstars.
Some potential fights in the middleweight are:
1. Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami (If his injury is healed. A rematch with Dan Henderson would be a bigger draw but Hendo probably needs another fight).
2. Dan Henderson vs. Nate Marquardt (This may be exciting to couple these fights as we will know after that night who will be fighting next for the Middleweight title).
* Don’t be surprised if they fit Michael Bisping into the card if possible.
Some potential fights in the welterweight are:
1. Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra (Hopefully these two wounded warriors can heal in time to be on this card. Everyone is familiar with their grudge match and it will be a furious fight).
Other then that *Diego Sanchez vs. Thiago Alves is the biggest welterweight fight (behind Penn/Pierre) and that is happening at UFC 90. The winners of those two will likely meet. Josh Koscheck looks to be fighting Dec. 10 for the troops so will probably be out. And John Fitch is still injured but could be ready to fight against a mysteriously injured Karo Parisyan.
Some potential fights in the light heavyweight are:
Since a lot of the fireworks at light heavyweight diivision will be taking place at UFC 91 and 92 UFC may have to rely on Chuck Liddell. Some potential fights for him are:
Liddell vs. Rick Franklin (A super fight of former champions and a stand up war! They both need a credible opponent so it could make sense).
Liddell vs. Shogun Rua (Depends on when he heals up. Rua could be fighting Lyoto Machida at UFC 92 or 93 if it makes more sense).
Can anyone think of any other fights that would make UFC 93 the greatest fight card ever? After looking at it I am not sure it’s possible…perhaps if all injuries are cleared up. Maybe instead of worrying about loading up UFC 93 with bloated fights they will focus on showcasing exciting fights with young up-and-comers they want to introduce to the world. Especially since people will pay to see Penn vs St. Pierre II by itself.
Olympic gold medalist Glen Brand dies at 85
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
11/17/2008
It’s been more than 60 years since Glen Brand won an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling, but Brand never stopped giving back to the sport he loved.
Brand, who captured the 174-pound title at the 1948 Olympics in London, England, passed away on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska. He was 85 years old.
Brand, who grew up in Clarion, Iowa, served in World War II for the U.S. Marine Corps before enrolling at Iowa State University. He won a NCAA title for Iowa State in 1948 and followed by winning the Olympics later that year.
Brand was honored in 1978 as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
In his professional career as a hydraulics engineer, Brand built a highly successful company in Omaha. His company, Brand Hydraulics, was founded in 1956. It continues to thrive under the direction of his son, Greg Brand.
“Glen Brand was one of the true heroes in American wrestling history,” said Mike Chapman, executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. “I just thought the world of Glen. He’s done it all. He was highly successful in every phase of his life. He lived a very full life right up until the end.”
Brand has been a regular during Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla.
“Glen Brand is an American legend because of what he achieved and what he gave to his country as a wrestler, soldier, engineer, and philanthropist,” said Lee Roy Smith, executive director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “On behalf of our Board of Governors and staff of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, I want to extend my deepest sympathy to the family members of this humble man who left us with so much to praise and honor him for.”
Brand was a significant contributor to the Dan Gable International Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa. A hall of fame wing there is named in his honor.
Brand also was heavily involved with the wrestling program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Two tournaments run by UNO – the Kaufman-Brand Open and the Glen Brand Open – are named after him.
The Kaufman-Brand Open, the largest single-day college tournament in the country, will be held this Saturday. UNO coach Mike Denney said Brand will be honored and remembered on Saturday.
“Glen just had so much fire, and he had such a passion for wrestling,” Denney said. “He loved wrestling and he gave a lot back to the sport. He’s been so good to us over the years. He’s helped us so much with both of our tournaments that are named after him. He always played in our golf tournament. He contributed a lot to our program. Every chance I could, I would have him talk to our team. He would tell the story about how he won the Olympics. Our guys loved hearing that story. It was very inspiring.”
Brand was the first of five Iowa State University wrestlers to win an Olympic gold medal. The other four are Dan Gable, Ben Peterson, Kevin Jackson and Cael Sanderson.
“Glen was a real interesting fellow,” Chapman said. “He really did care about the sport and felt very strongly that wrestling did prepare you for success in life. I think Glen was definitely proof of that.”
An excerpt from the program for his final match at Iowa State sums up Brand’s stature as a competitor: "There's more to Glen Brand than his wrestling. He's a true amateur, a gentleman who respects his opponent, but who brooks no interference with his right to rule on the mat."
Glen Brand obituary from the Omaha World-Herald
BRAND-Glen, age 85. Preceded in death by wife, Mary Lou Brand. Survived by wife, Ruth Brand; son, Greg Brand; step-children, Debra Huebscher, Pamela Graskowiak, David Rader, Duane Rader, Bryan Rader; grandchildren, Adam and Jackie Graskowiak, Andrew Rader; sister-in-law, Judy Davidson; host of friends.
Funeral Service Wed. 10 a.m., 108th Street Chapel, Omaha. Interment Evergreen Memorial Park. Visitation Tues. 6-8 p.m. at Mortuary. Memorials to National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Stillwater, OK; Roeder Mortuary, 2727 North 108th St., Omaha, NE 68164, 402-496-9000
Olympic gold medalist Brandon Slay delivers winning message to athletes at Olympic Training Center
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
11/14/2008
Brandon Slay delivered one of the most memorable wins in United States freestyle wrestling history when he scored a stunning 4-3 overtime win over Russia’s Bouvaisa Saitiev at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Slay went on to win an Olympic gold medal in Sydney before retiring from the sport.
Saitiev, who had won the 1996 Olympic Games, went on to add Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008. He also won six World titles and is regarded as one of the best international wrestlers of all-time in any style.
Slay, a native of Amarillo, Texas, trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He returned to Colorado this week to speak with resident-athletes in various sports at the Olympic Training Center.
Slay maintains a jam-packed schedule. He still travels the country doing speaking engagements along with camps and clinics for his company, Greater Gold. He now works with his church in Dallas as a mentor for community group leaders. He also helps out at as a coach for the Dallas Dynamite Wrestling Club.
Slay sat down Friday afternoon for an interview with USA Wrestling Communications Manager Craig Sesker in the USAW offices in Colorado Springs.
How important is it for you to give back to the sport?
I think it’s ultra-important. I wouldn’t have accomplished the things I did in wrestling if people hadn’t given back to me. I had some great coaches coming up through women's, high school and college. And then moving out to the Springs and having Coach Kevin Jackson work with me, that made a huge difference for me. Kevin had a tremendous impact on my career. Now I’m taking the knowledge my coaches poured into me and doing my best to pass it on to others.
Can you tell me about your trip back to the Olympic Training Center this week?
It’s great to be back. It’s fun. This is actually the second time the United States Olympic Committee has brought me in here. I talked to all the resident-athletes who were willing to come and listen to me. I spoke to them about my experiences here. I lived out here for almost three years. I told them I understand the highs and lows they go through here as an athlete. I offered them some advice that might help them. I told them they need to make sure they go, ‘All in.’ They need to commit 100 percent to the program at the OTC. They need to trust their coaches. If you’re not going to go ‘All in’ they need to find some place else to go. You need to embrace the wisdom you have in here. You also can call your college coach or someone else you’ve worked with in the past for some advice and wisdom. Get out of here once in a while. Go train at Stanford, go train at Penn, go train at Oklahoma State. Leave here and go find a fresh environment once in a while to train in so it doesn’t become too monotonous here.
I also talked about making sure the athletes have a proper World view. You can think that life is all about the gold medal, and if you win the gold it’s everything. When you win the gold medal, it’s not going to totally fulfill you. If you think the gold medal is everything, and you don’t accomplish it, you’re going to think you’re a failure. Now you still go for the gold, but you realize there is something better which is your faith, your integrity and the way you treat people. I also want them to remember to be thankful for what they have here. I’ve been on Tours to Poland and Bulgaria and Krasnoyarsk, where the conditions maybe aren’t the best. A lot of times our athletes become spoiled and don’t realize how blessed they are to train in Colorado Springs and work with the coaches we have, train in the facilities we have and work with the video equipment we have. They need to stop and smell the roses on a frequent basis, because that helps you stay grounded.
When the 2008 Olympic Games were held this summer, did you have a chance to watch any of Saitiev’s matches?
I saw all the videos of his matches on the Internet. I was cheering for him and I wanted him to win because he’s been such a fixture in the sport. He’s one of the most successful wrestlers of all-time. I wanted him to finish strong. I was so pumped up after watching the Olympics that I went to the gym and worked out.
What was your mindset going into your match with Saitiev in the 2000 Olympics?
It was obviously a big match, but I tried to act like it was not totally different from every other match I’ve wrestled. I tried to really simplify it and said here’s what I can control. ‘I’m wearing blue because I’m blue on the bracket. I’m going to put my shoes on, go out there and shake hands, and just get it on like I always do.’ That’s the simple side of what I could control. The more technical side was I had watched hundreds of hours of video of Saitiev, and had written down notes in a notebook that I had for all the guys in my weight class. I knew the strengths and weaknesses of every guy, and I had developed a strategy and a game plan for how I was going to beat each guy I would face.
What was your game plan against Saitiev?
I knew exactly what my strategy would be against Saitiev. My strategy was to not shoot singles and fire about five doubles in the match. I thought if I shot five hard doubles and got two of them, and then was able to turn him, I would win this match. And that’s what happened. That was my strategy and I stuck with it. We went into overtime and the fifth hard shot I took was the double-leg takedown that won the match.
I went into that match believing I could do it. I was very confident. I knew anything could happen in a match like that. I knew I had the spiritual, mental and physical ability to beat him. My style matched up really well with his. His weakness was probably his ability to defend hard doubles, which happened to be my strength. It was a good matchup for me.
How did you prepare for Saitiev in practice?
A lot of people don’t know this story. But after Casey Cunningham did not make the Olympic Team in 2000, just because of his servant’s heart and willingness to keep getting better, he stayed at the Olympic Training Center and did his best to become the Russian. He studied tons of video of Saitiev. He’s built really similar to Saitiev, and he tried to become Saitiev when he wrestled me in practice. He wrestled like him and acted like him. He even wore Russian shirts when he came to practice. Casey did his best to simulate how Saitiev would wrestle me and it really paid off for me. Plus I visualized beating Saitiev hundreds of times. So when I stepped on the mat against him it wasn’t like, ‘This is crazy.’ It was more like I had been there before because I trained so hard for him.
Many wrestling observers thought you had pinned Saitiev early in the match, but it was not called. Saitiev eventually came back to tie it before you won in overtime. What was your take on that?
I’m glad the match completed the way it did. I won, so I was obviously excited about that. There were no subjective calls in the match. All the calls were very clean and clear. When I gut-wrenched him early in the match, I believe he was pinned. There are pictures that show his back flat on the mat, and it couldn’t be any more clear that I pinned him. I’m really glad that they didn’t call a fall at that moment because people would have said, ‘Well, that was just a really good gut-wrench and Slay just caught Saitiev in one moment. And that Saitiev would’ve come back from down 3-0 and just destroyed Slay.’ I’m glad they didn’t call the fall because we wrestled a whole entire match and then went into overtime. To win the way I did, I couldn’t have written it any better.
I say this humbly, but when people ask what it’s like to beat maybe the best wrestler ever, it kind of gives me goosebumps. I haven’t won three Olympic gold medals like him, and I don’t want to compare myself to Saitiev at all, but to be able to beat a guy like that when you’re in your prime and in your first Olympics is priceless.
How closely did you follow the American freestyle team at the Olympics?
I tried to watch as many of our matches as I could. We didn’t have that many, so there weren’t a lot to watch unfortunately. I did follow it closely though. I was frustrated and upset, just like a lot of people were as fans. We obviously wanted to see more Americans win like Henry Cejudo did.
I was very impressed with what Henry did. I continue to sing this from the rooftops, I believe if you move to Colorado Springs and you commit to being here and take advantage of all the opportunities here, it will pay off if you make the ‘All in’ commitment. It paid off for Henry Cejudo. I believe that was what paid off for me. Guys like Kerry McCoy, Cael Sanderson and Bill Zadick, they came out here and it paid off for them. I think it’s the best way to go. I wish more guys would get with the program, literally.
How far away is the U.S. from being an international force again in freestyle wrestling?
I think we have a lot of talented wrestlers in the U.S. We are in a big transition with all of the changes right now at USA Wrestling. We’re not clicking on all cylinders yet because the coaching staff hiring is not all completed. I believe in the next four years, if the right decisions are made on all levels by USA Wrestling, the coaches and the athletes, we can be successful.
You had a chance to sit down recently and have lunch with new U.S. National Freestyle Coach Zeke Jones. What did you guys talk about and what does Zeke have to offer for the freestyle program here?
Zeke brings a lot of passion to the program. He has an intense love for wrestling. Zeke brings the ability to begin to build bridges with a lot of different coaches from across the country. He is going around and picking a lot of different people’s brains and calling a bunch of different people to get their input. Today, he asked me probably 50 different questions and was getting my thoughts and opinions on a number of different issues. He’s working on finding a Freestyle Resident Coach, so that program is in kind of a transitional phase until that happens. He’s trying to put his plan in place so we can move forward.
The quality of wrestling has improved dramatically in your home state of Texas. Do you see that trend continuing?
I believe so. I’m extremely passionate about seeing wrestling grow in the state of Texas. Anytime I sign a poster for kids in Texas, I sign it, ‘Texans can do it. Brandon Slay.’ I do that just to get these kids to believe. I ask the kids if someone who was born and raised in Texas can become the best in the World. That’s my battle cry. Sure, it’s possible because I was able to do it.
I can’t be everywhere, but we’re doing a lot of clinics around the state of Texas and I’m helping out at the club in Dallas. It’s been fun seeing wrestling grow in Texas. Jamill Kelly, who of course won an Olympic silver medal in 2004, he’s the head coach of our club. He’s doing a great job with the kids we have. It’s great to be a part of this and see these young guys develop.
What is it like to come back and speak to the athletes here at the Olympic Training Center?
It’s been an honor to have the USOC invite me back here. I spoke to athletes in a number of different sports. We had gymnasts, cyclists, volleyball players, weightlifters and shooters who came to hear me talk. There was just a plethora of athletes who showed up. To be able to stand up in front of them, as a wrestler, and share my experiences with them was an honor. Hopefully, there were some seeds planted with them that will grow down the road.
I’m staying at the OTC this week, so I’ve had a chance to talk to some of the athletes in the cafeteria and share some more of my stories and experiences with them. I don’t leave until Sunday, so I will be around the athletes here all weekend. I look forward to talking with more of them.
Westwood High School in Iowa seeks support for wrestlers injured in terrible accident
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
11/13/2008
The wrestling family from a small community in Northwest Iowa is reaching out for support and prayers, after a automobile terrible accident on Saturday, Nov. 8, which has devastated the community.
Five high school wrestlers and their coach were heading to a wrestling clinic in a vehicle, which was struck head-on by another vehicle. The driver of the other auto was killed, and the six Westwood High School passengers were injured and hospitalized.
The plight of the Westwood community was first shared with the nation, when Jason Bryant of Wrestling 411 wrote about it on his blog, as well as on the company website. To read Bryant’s appeal to the wrestling community, visit:
http://bryantwrestling.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/small-iowa-community-could-use-your-thoughts-and-prayers/
“We are a five small towns in Iowa. All of them have 1,000 people or less. We are rural Iowa,” said Kirk Ahrends, the Westwood Schools Superintendent. “We come together at the best of times and the worst of times. I can’t say how much our community is coming together and helping our boys and our coach.”
Now, days after the accident, each of those who were victims of the crash are dealing with different medical issues, all which need immediate and extensive care.
The Westwood School District has set up an account where people can make donations to support the medical care for the wrestlers and coach.
The Sloan State Bank, 302 4th Street, Sloan, Iowa 51055 has set up seven individual accounts for donations to the following victims:
Dan Thompson, Coach
Trent Baker, Student in accident
Adam Greeno, Student in accident
Blake Jorgensen, Student in accident
Jordan Mitchell, Student in accident
Sage Washburn, Student in accident
Quaid Haburn, Student whose father was killed in other vehicle
Donations can be addressed to each individual account if you like to donate to a specific person or donations addressed to the "Westwood Accident Victims" will be divided equally among the accounts. Please note these donations are not tax deductible.
“We are trying to make arrangements with a charitable organization in town that can take donations on a tax deductible basis,” said Ahrends. “It is in progress. We hope to have that set up by Friday.”
There are specific medical needs that need attention right away.
“We are progressing with one of our boys to go to the Craig Institute in Colorado. That is a program for paralyzed students. That is a long-term situation for he and his family to move out there. It may be up to 180 days,” said Ahrends.
“We have two other students who are facing operations. We don’t know what those needs are yet. There will be long term needs for them,” said Ahrends. “The good news is we had one student walk out on Monday. We hope our coach and another student may be out of the hospital by Friday.”
This tragic accident has brought the community together, both within the school district, but also around the state of Iowa. In addition, prayers and support have flowed in from the wrestling community all across the nation;
“They are 25 miles from my school shoes. The head coach there is a very good friend,” said Casey Conover, head wrestling coach for Maple-Valley/Anthon-Oto High School and one of the many people working to help the Westwood wrestlers. “It was a horrible accident. Any help they receive would be greatly appreciated.”
No women were injured in the accident.
Hodge Trophy winner Brent Metcalf sets example on and off the mat
Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
11/13/2008
Brent Metcalf didn’t pump his fist. He didn’t jump up and down.
He didn’t leap into the arms of his coaches.
He didn’t even crack a smile.
He had just won his first NCAA championship at 149 pounds to cap a magical season where he led Iowa to its first national team title in eight years.
Metcalf simply walked off the mat after his 14-8 national finals win over Penn State’s Bubba Jenkins at the 2008 NCAA Championships in St. Louis. That reaction provided a microcosm of what makes the multi-talented Metcalf tick.
“I was happy with the win, not so much with the performance. I don’t like giving up points – that’s not how you want to wrestle,” Metcalf said. “I don’t want to give my opponent the satisfaction of watching me celebrate, which would make it look like a big deal that I beat him.”
What Metcalf did during his first official season of collegiate competition was a very big deal. Metcalf entered his sophomore season with plenty of hype and lofty expectations.
He more than lived up to them by joining past Iowa State star Cael Sanderson shoes as the only sophomore to win the Dan Hodge Trophy as the best collegiate wrestler in the United States. He also was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments, and honored as Big Ten Wrestler of the Year.
His biggest achievement may have come when he was named Jesse Owens Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year, beating out athletes in more high profile sports like football and basketball.
So what does Metcalf do for an encore? Now a junior, Metcalf starts this season ranked No. 1 for the top-ranked team in the country. Iowa returns five All-Americans from the national championship team from last season.
Iowa won the 2008 NCAA title by a whopping 38.5 points over runner-up Ohio State.
“We didn’t have all the success we wanted last year from an individual point of view,” Metcalf said. “Our guys are motivated to put 10 guys on the podium, 10 guys on top of the podium.”
Last season, Metcalf suffered an upset loss to North Carolina State’s Darrion Caldwell early in the year before tearing through college wrestling en route to his first national crown.
The Hodge Trophy has traditionally gone to a wrestler who makes it through the season unbeaten. And typically to an upperclassmen.
But Metcalf’s memorable season made him the logical choice for the 2008 Hodge Trophy, presented annually by Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine.
“Brent Metcalf epitomizes what it means to force action on the wrestling mat,” said Bryan Van Kley, publisher of WIN. “And that makes for a very entertaining style of wrestling when a guy is constantly looking to dominate. This was the biggest factor in him winning the Dan Hodge Trophy. He goes after the pin, and he's constantly trying to build on a lead.
”And even more importantly, he's a top-shelf person as well. I've heard Coach Tom Brands challenge his entire team by pointing at Brent and saying, 'If you want to be a champion, live your life like Brent Metcalf lives his.' Brands challenges his guys to commit to the sport in the way that Metcalf does, and commit to living their life the way he does off the mat. Everything in his life has a purpose, and he’s the type of guy who other wrestlers can look up to.”
A quick glance at Metcalf’s sophomore season provides proof of his dominance. He went 35-1 and won his last 32 matches of the season. He scored bonus points in all but 10 of his victories.
He had his opponents constantly backpedaling and trying to wrestle on the edge of the mat. His relentless style and superior conditioning had many opponents gasping for air in the third, and sometimes even second, period of a match.
“Brent has a wide-open style,” Brands said. “He goes hard and he goes smart. There is no let up at all with him in anything he does. He just works hard and he keeps getting better. He's a ferocious competitor.”
Metcalf, a sociology major, also excels in the classroom. He is an Academic All-American.
“Brent is passionate about everything he does,” Brands said. “There are no distractions off the mat with him. He’s a very good student and just a well-rounded kid.”
Metcalf lost a season of eligibility when he followed Brands from Virginia Tech to Iowa just over two years ago. Virginia Tech refused to release Metcalf from his scholarship, costing him his freshman season. Metcalf was unable to compete as an Iowa freshman after redshirting at Virginia Tech the year before.
“(Virginia Tech) has the right to do that through NCAA rules,” Metcalf said. “There is nothing we can do about it. You just have to move on.”
In addition to wrestling for Tom Brands, Metcalf also is being coached by Terry Brands this season. Terry Brands, Tom’s twin brother, joined the Hawkeye coaching staff after serving as the Freestyle Resident Coach at USA Wrestling. Terry Brands coached Henry Cejudo to an Olympic gold medal and past Hawkeye standout Bill Zadick to a World title.
“It’s great having Terry in the room now,” Metcalf said. “It’s a new voice and a new face, but it’s the same message. It’s consistent with the same standard that Tom lives by and preaches. I’ve worked with Terry at the Olympic Training Center, and he’s a great coach.”
Metcalf, 22, continues to be a top prospect internationally at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. He reached the Challenge Tournament semifinals at June’s U.S. Olympic Team Trials before falling to Zadick. Metcalf then lost his next match, in three periods to past National Team member Jared Frayer, and fell short of placing.
“I’ve gained a lot of good experience wrestling freestyle,” Metcalf said. “The guys at that level obviously are tougher. I need to wrestle smarter. I’m going to continue to go to my offense and score points. I’m at my best when I’m attacking, whether it's freestyle or folkstyle. To me, wrestling is wrestling. You approach it the same way.”
Count Dan Gable, an Olympic and World champion who coached Iowa to 15 NCAA titles, among those who see Metcalf making an impact at the international level in freestyle wrestling.
“From USA Wrestling’s point of view, he is the type of kid who can be a catalyst for them and he has the makings of someone who can go a long way internationally,” Gable said. “He has the attitude, the tenacity and the intensity that sets him apart. And he has shown big-time improvement with his technique. If he keeps getting better and keeps working, he can be very good at the next level.”
For now, Metcalf is focused on the college season.
“I just have to continue to do what I’ve done, and bring it to another level,” he said. “I need to score points, and get majors, tech falls and pins. We really want to put it on guys, we really want to dominate. There's always more to do, there's always more work to be done."
Metcalf’s life has been anything but easy. His brother, Chase, died in an automobile accident. And then he lost the year of college eligibility when he transferred to Iowa.
“Brent’s dealt with a lot of adversity in his life, and I think it’s made him a lot stronger,” Gable said. “He’s a very focused, very driven kid. He does everything the right way, on and off the mat. He’s a great example for everyone in the Iowa program. He’s just a winner, plain and simple.”
ACC/Big Ten Clash a premier tournament this weekend
Jeff Breese InterMat Wrestling
11/12/2008
The third week of the season will again be a mix duals and opens, but the featured event will be the ACC/Big Ten Clash on Saturday. The third installment of the ACC/Big Ten Clash pits three ACC and three Big Ten schools against each other in round robin format.
The ranked teams involved in the event are No. 9 Illinois, No. 12 Wisconsin, and No. 21 Virginia, with Michigan State, NC State, and North Carolina completing the field.
The team aspect of the ACC taking on the Big Ten is interesting, but the truly exciting part of the event is the individual bouts that put highly ranked wrestlers up against one another early in the season. The ACC/Big Ten Clash also provides wrestlers on the fringe of the rankings a chance to put their name on the map sooner rather than later.
Some of the potential individual match-ups are:
285- No. 3 Kyle Massey (Wisconsin) vs No. 13 Justin Dobies (North Carolina)
184- No. 9 Rocco Caponi (Virginia) vs No. 10 Trevor Brandvold (Wisconsin)
149- No. 4 Darrion Caldwell (NC State) vs No. 7 Kyle Ruschell (Wisconsin)
141- No. 13 Zach Tanelli (Wisconsin) vs No. 18 Joe Caramanica (NC State)
141- No. 15 Troy Tirapelle (Illinois) vs No. 18 Joe Caramanica (NC State)
165- No. 13 Roger Smith-Bergsrud (Illinois) vs Keegan Mueller (North Carolina)
174- No. 12 John Dergo (Illinois) vs No. 15 Chris Henrich (Virginia)
285- No. 6 John Wise (Illinois) vs No. 13 Justin Dobies (North Carolina)
Additionally, five other ranked wrestlers will be in action in Chapel Hill on Saturday. NC State’s Ryan Goodman would provide another ranked wrestler and two more duals with ranked wrestlers. However, Goodman will likely be out of the line-up, due to competing on the Wolfpack football team, as well.
Outside of the ACC/Big Ten Clash, there are a few other notable duals taking place this week. No. 5 Missouri opens its season with duals against Lock Haven and Bucknell on Saturday and Sunday. No. 7 Penn State takes on Hofstra on Sunday and No. 18 Oklahoma starts its season against Division II No. 6 Central Oklahoma on Thursday. Also, in Division II, No. 15 Limestone will host No.7 Newberry and No. 13 Mercyhurst for a tri-meet.
The open tournament scene continues with tournaments throughout the country this weekend, most notably the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open. It is still early in the season, but many important matches are being wrestled, especially in Division I because of the new qualification system. Every win and every loss means a little bit more this year.
There is a lot of action going on between now and March, so make sure to get out and catch it in person at a college in your area.
USA Wrestling leader John Carlson among eight high school athletic directors honored by NFHS
Bruce Howard NFHS
11/10/2008
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (November 10, 2008) - The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) will award NFHS Citations to eight high school athletic directors December 16 in San Diego, California, at the 39th annual National Conference of High School Directors of Athletics.
NFHS Citations are presented annually to outstanding athletic directors in recognition of contributions to interscholastic athletics at the local, state and national levels. State associations nominate athletic directors for NFHS Citations, and the NFHS Board of Directors approves recipients.
This year's award winners are Jeffrey M. Benson, CMAA, athletic director, Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, South Paris, Maine; William Bowers, CMAA, executive director of the Oregon Athletic Directors Association; John Carlson, CMAA, director of athletics, Chandler (Arizona) Unified School District; Darren Paulson, CAA, activities director, Rapid City (South Dakota) Central High School; George Phelan III, CAA, athletic director, Miami (Florida) Sunset Senior High School; Carol M. Satterwhite, CAA, former athletic director, Wilde Lake High School, Columbia, Maryland; Gary Segrest, CAA, athletic director, Mineral Springs (Arkansas) Public Schools; and Doug Smith, CMAA, athletic administrator, Naperville (Illinois) North High School.
Carlson is a NCEP gold-medal coach with USA Wrestling and has been an active leader within the organization.
Other recipients with a wrestling background include Bowers, Paulson and Phelan.
Citations will be presented at the conference banquet at 6:30
p.m. December 16.
Following are biographical sketches on this year's NFHS Citation
recipients with a wrestling background
BILL BOWERS
Bill Bowers, CMAA, devoted 31 years of stout service as an educator in Springfield (Oregon) Public Schools before becoming executive director of the Oregon Athletic Directors Association (OADA).
Bowers served as a mathematics instructor and the football, wrestling and baseball coach at Hamlin Junior High School from 1972 to 1979, a mathematics instructor, head baseball coach and assistant football coach at Springfield High School from 1979 to 2003, and was athletics and activities director at Springfield High School from 1995
to 2003.
Within the NIAAA, Bowers was state liaison to the NIAAA for six years and a state certification chair for two years, and he has presented more than 30 leadership training courses at state conferences and the national conference. At the state level, Bowers was ticket manager for the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) state championship events for five years, was the Class 3A state wrestling championship meet director for three years and was the Class 1A state volleyball championship meet director for three years. Bowers, who was a member of the OADA executive board for 11 years, also served as the organization's president.
Throughout his career, Bowers has received considerable recognition. He was named Midwestern League Baseball coach of the year in both 1983 and 1988, the Midwestern League athletic director of the year, the OADA AAAA athletic director of the year and the OADA state athletic director of the year. At the national level, he was an NIAAA State Award of Merit recipient in 2003 and an NIAAA Distinguished Service Award recipient in 2005. In addition, he earned the CAA designation in 1998 and in 2002, became the first athletic director in Oregon to attain the CMAA designation.
Bowers has also been a key asset to the community as he was the executive secretary and treasurer of the Oregon Junior Baseball Association, president of the Springfield Baseball Commission and president of Midwestern League Athletic Directors. Currently, he is on the Emerald Kidsports Board of Directors, is the ticket chairman for OSAA state championship events and is the scoreboard operator for the University of Oregon's football and men's basketball teams.
JOHN CARLSON
John Carlson, CMAA, has devoted 34 outstanding years to the Chandler (Arizona) Unified School District, including the past 20 as district athletic director.
Prior to assuming Chandler's director of athletics position, Carlson was a teacher and coach at Chandler High School. During that time, he taught Arizona history, world history, safety education, study skills and physical education, and was a driver's education instructor, assistant football coach and head wrestling and track coach. Carlson, who spent his entire educational and coaching career in Arizona, began at Sacaton Public Schools and Central Arizona College.
Carlson, who is a lifetime NIAAA member, has been with the Arizona Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (AIAAA) for 20 years, including 18 as an executive board member and a term as president in 2006. He also has been a member of the Arizona Coaches Association for 37 years, the Arizona Education Association for 33 years and the National Education Association for 34 years. Carlson has been involved with USA Wrestling since 1981, serving on its junior division executive board since 1998.
Carlson has received a wide range of recognitions throughout his professional career. Among those, he was Chandler Young Educator of the Year and the State of Arizona Young Educator of the Year in 1979, the 3A Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1989, and the 5A Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1990.
Carlson was inducted into the Arizona Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Arizona Coaches Association High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995. At the national level, he received the NIAAA State Award of Merit 2000 and the NIAAA Distinguished Service Award in 2004.
Carlson, who was Chandler High School head wrestling coach from 1974 to 1991, fielded a nationally ranked program from 1987 to 1990, and led the team to state championships in 1989 and 1990. He also was an 11-year head track coach at Chandler High School and is a gold level certified coach with USA Wrestling.
DARREN PAULSON
It takes a special type of person to handle the position of activities director at the largest high school in South Dakota, but Darren Paulson, CAA, has been more than up to the task. For the past five years, he has excelled in that capacity at Rapid City Central (enrollment 2,300) and has been an athletic administrator for 15 years overall.
Before assuming his position at Rapid City, Paulson was both a teacher and a coach at Mission (South Dakota) Todd County and Lead-Deadwood (South Dakota) High Schools, where he coached football, basketball, track and wrestling. He was activities director during his final 10 years at Lead-Deadwood.
Paulson's service at the local, state and national levels has been quite extensive. Nationally, he was a member of the NIAAA Membership and Service Committee from 2000 to 2001; he obtained his CAA designation in 1998 and has been an attendee of seven national conferences, serving as a delegate in 2000, 2003 and 2004.
At the state level, Paulson has been a member of the South Dakota Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Board of Directors since 1998, serving as president, vice president and second vice president, and he currently is state assistant leadership training coordinator. Within the South Dakota High School Activities Association, Paulson has been chairman of both the ad-hoc calendar committee and the out-of-season rules committee, and he has been a member of the State Football Advisory Committee since 2002. He has been state event/tournament manager for 11 different sports, including track, boys and girls basketball, and wrestling.
Among his many recognitions, Paulson was named Regional Activities Director of the Year in 2001, South Dakota Assistant Football Coach of the Year in 2001 and South Dakota Assistant Principal of the Year in 2003.
GEORGE PHELAN III
George Phelan III, CAA, has been an outstanding athletic director at Miami (Florida) Sunset Senior High since 1984, but his exemplary service at the school actually goes back to when he was hired as a member of the original staff in 1978.
Phelan was a guidance counselor during his first five years at the school, a position he continues to hold today along with being athletic director. Prior to his time at Miami Sunset, Phelan was a teacher and coach from 1971 to 1978 at Henry H. Filer Junior High, Hialeah High School and Miami Killian High Schools in Florida. Prior to becoming an athletic director, he coached cross country, badminton and wrestling for 13 years.
An NIAAA member since 1984, Phelan has attended all but one national conference during that time, was a member of the Florida Host Committee at three national conferences, was on the Awards Committee, and has been Florida's delegate to the NIAAA Delegate Assembly on two separate occasions. In recognition of his service to the organization, he received both an NIAAA State Award of Merit in 1995 and a Distinguished Service Award in 2005.
At the state level, Phelan has been an active member of the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (FIAAA) since 1984. Among his leadership positions, he has served as FIAAA president, FIAAA Board of Directors District 16 director and FIAAA Higher Education Committee chairman. In addition, he has been an FIAAA state conference presenter, panelist, discussion leader, moderator and audio visual coordinator. He has also served the Florida High School Athletic Association as a member of the Representative Assembly, the Athletic Directors' Advisory Board and the inaugural Public Liaison Advisory Committee.
Phelan has received numerous recognitions during his tenure at Miami Sunset. Among those, he was named 1984 "Wrestling Coach of the Year" by The Miami News, was chosen Dade County Counseling Association High School Counselor of the Year in 1998 and the FIAAA State of Florida Athletic Administrator of the Year in 2007.
About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level.
Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 18,500 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.