MatMama

I agree -- the regions should be realigned. Everyone should have to wrestle for their spot -- not just make weight. It also isn't right that the tough regioins have wrestlers who don't make it, who could most likely beat the guys from Region 5 who do get in.

Forecast for the Louisville area is just flurries Wednesday and no snow Thursday through Sunday.

I was told about it by a coach, who was also a ref, years ago. So if that information was inaccurate, I apologize.

135: VERY close match. For some reason, the ref figured he'd decide this one. Shirey was awarded back points when Rusch was rolling from back to front..no count. Several blood time stops allowed Shirey to catch his breath. I felt Rusch was pushing the action the whole match and would have won (probably by major) had the injury time not come into play. The match should have at least gone to OT and let the wrestlers decide it. Seriously, Mustang -- Shirey rarely has a match with stops like that. And many, almost all, of his matches go the full 6 minutes, so to suggest that he needed breaks is ridiculous. If anything, the stops hurt his momentum. And, BTW, wasn't Rusch resting during the blood time, too? Finally, you must be unaware of the 5-second limit on riding the hips. THAT was the ref's worst mistake and should have been good for at least one additional stall point awarded to Shirey.

The explanation I've been given for the huge differential between 215 and 285 is that there are just too few boys at the heavy weights. You'll notice the proposed changes still don't add that class. If we kept to 14 classes but made one of them, say, 245, that would just make it harder for most teams to fill all weight classes. A lot more boys are bunched up in the 125 to 160 range, where you have to keep decent wrestlers out because you don't have a spot for them and yet forfeit 215 or heavyweight -- or make a 200-pounder wrestle up.

You're right. My perception is that the athletic directors don't like wrestling because it takes a huge amount of time to host, tying up the gym for a day and a half, tying up an activity bus for 14 or more hours, and it doesn't bring any money into the school. As far as I can tell, the benefits of wrestling to the students, which is where the focus should be, are outweighed by money. As long as I've been involved with wrestling, I've been impressed with the energy, determination, and just plain hard work the athletes have. It is the toughest sport in the world. Each of you should take pride in what you've accomplished, no matter how your season goes!

The ref sucked.

Eastern won, 5-0 JTown second, 4-1 That was with Eastern forfeiting 171 the entire time and forfeiting 140 after the first two duals. JTown dual came down to the very last match -- whoever won it won overall. Exciting match that Joe Rupp of Eastern won by pin.

It should be noted that McNealy experienced tragedy in his family the week of the Oldham County Duals and was so sick that he went home after this match and didn't finish out the day. It isn't exactly representative. He was champion in his class at the Armstrong this week and was in the finals at King of the Bluegrass last week.

Questionable calls happen all the time. And the winner and loser are always going to have a different perspective. One could also argue that Shirey didn't receive a takedown he should have.

Campbell Co 1st Eastern 2nd Some good competition; some not so good. Promising start to the season. No way Eastern will finish as low as 25, but then we knew that since we haven't finished that low in the last 20 years.

Great post! Agree with everything. Go, wrestlers! Make yourself and your Mama proud. :-D

We're working with a company that sells cookie dough and pastry (Butter Braid strudel). People like them -- they're something you can really use as opposed to candles and wrapping paper and coupon books that half the time you forget about. The team keeps half the cost of each item sold. Last year we made more than $700 selling similar items, but the company was terrible. Very disorganized. This is a married couple out of ETown. Have a son that used to wrestle. They have their stuff together. It's really simple, and the items pretty much sell themselves.

Eastern

Thanks, Nurface. Appreciate the clarification. Hardy IS a beast. I know how much his family has been through to keep him wrestling and improving. Hope he'll place this year.

This is the second time someone has suggested Hardy Hendren takes steroids. It's outrageous and unfair. Hardy is a tough wrestler who has pushed himself to gain ground with no team supporting him and a serious injury where he broke his elbow last spring. He pays extremely close attention to his diet, and he takes vitamins. His father is a medical doctor, for God's sake. Talking smack is one thing but to continue to state a lie as if it's fact goes beyond kidding.

Good for you!

Eastern opens at Bryan Station. Not sure who else will be there.

Great post -- all so true. However "Time outs are allowed for injuries only, not to catch your breath." ??? This is supposed to be the case, but I see wrestlers take time outs at pretty much every tournament. Some have learned to feign injury so they can rest, get water, etc. Others yell out that they're hurt when they're being pinned so they can stop the action.

Well said, Old. I've been going to State now for years, even a year I didn't have my own child in it. I've come to like the familiarity. And I do think the finals are awesome. To me, the entire tournament moves quickly. And it's good for all wrestlers to have a chance to wrestle two days, even though I realize that set-up IS about making more money. I'm not a big fan of Frankfort -- to me it's kind of a one-horse town. But, hey, I already live in the best city in the country, so I can experience a great city any time. :-D Plus, I like an excuse to stay in a hotel, take off from work, etc. I know for Eastern's team, State is a bonding experience. So I like that so many on the team make it. Some pretty bad teams make it into the NCAA basketball tournament, too, but every once in a while a Cinderella emerges, like George Mason. And we've had those at State, too -- Dakota Choate a few years ago. You just never know who is going to step up! I say keep it as it is. Would be nice if the management would let up on trying to make you buy their expensive food, but I've figured out ways to sneak food in anyway. :evil:

Why do carrots and grass make you loud? And I heard eating grass would make you throw up. Bulimia is not your friend.

Once the season actually starts, we can talk about wrestling! Who will emerge as the standouts this year? It seems as if all the huge stars and controversial wrestlers -- like Harrison Courtney, Justin Davis, John Wolsifer, as well as just the entertaining people like Dusty Stengel, are all gone. Yes, John Fahy is great, but, frankly, he just doesn't generate that much excitement. Who will? And by the way, I would put "Frankenstein" over just about anything to get your blood pumping!

Menes McNeely at Eastern has really slimmed down. He only weighs 201 right now and hasn't even started working out in the mat room because he's playing football. So he may go 189.

Maybe top 20, huh? The fact is, Eastern is always underestimated. The team hasn't been below 14 since the year 2000. In 2003, Eastern finished 7th and had no champions. Granted, two were finalists. Still, before J.D., the team hadn't had a champ since 2002 but still finished top 10 or top 15, so losing a state champion in and of itself doesn't determine ability to rank high as a team.

The Big East did have some excellent competition in the past -- Trinity, St. X, S. Oldham, Union County, Christian County, a school or two from TN. It's generally been a well-attended and very well-run tourny. However, Eastern is giving it up, at least for this season. Instead Eastern will host Region 5 Duals that Saturday.