Mike Calhoun

State Observations

Recommended Posts

I don't get why the refs and doctors are SOO strict about skin for the last tournament of the year and the biggest. Ruined a lot of careers... Andreoni got DQed and had a legit chance to win it beating Whalen. Jude is a senior and had a doctors note and still got thrown out and also had a chance to place. And Forrest Vaughn from bourbon is also a senior and had a chance to place... Numerous other kids as well,vomit remember all

 

Would you rather have your high school wrestling career "ruined" or have herpes the rest of your life? 

Would you rather have your high school wrestling career "ruined" or have a limb removed/surgery because you contracted MRSA?

 

There is a reason that there is an onsite Dr. at the state tournament and should be at each event throughout the year. For all anyone knows these "Dr's Notes" in some instances (not all) are forged.

  • Upvote 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Okay, while most of you are opting for a more diplomatic expression of opinions concerning referees, the venue, the KHSAA, and so on, I am going to be genuine even if it's crass. 

 

The referees in Kentucky are mediocre at best. Period. We have had this discussion for eons, and to this day, the only thing that is consistent about the officiating at the state tournament is that the referees are inevitably out of position for VERY IMPORTANT calls. I mean, look at the final seconds of the second period in the Carr/Blackwell final. 6-4 Carr on the scoreboard and Trae catches David on his back with four or five seconds left for the easiest two-count in the history of wrestling, yet zero points were awarded. The score should have been 6-6 to start the third, and if anyone disagrees then you weren't watching the match. That is just one example of the monumental mistakes these referees make. We should expect the same level of excellence from the officials as we do from our wrestlers. I'm on board for having refs from Ohio or Indiana brought in for state. I'm done humoring excuses for Kentucky referees.

 

I like the Alltech Arena in some regards, but it's not accomplishing what we want. I miss the dungeon in Frankfort. Yes, Alltech holds more people, but it isn't selling out and the acoustics are bad. There is a big difference as a wrestler in hearing crickets chirping because no one is there, and feeling the thunderous roar of a sold out crowd in your feet as you step on the mat. I had the opportunity to watch a live stream of the Indiana state finals while our finals were underway. Indiana gets it! They absolutely do it right. Each wrestler is spotlighted and recognized for his accomplishments for his season and career(i.e being a 5 time state champion, being nationally ranked, being a national champ or an Ironman finalist-yeah nicely done Kentucky, good job recognizing the greatest core of talent this state has ever witnessed on the mat... JOKE), the Indiana Pacers arena is standing room only with huge roars and chants from the seats, loud booming music, and so on. It's a spectacle boarding on theatrical, but those kids, no, those young men deserve all of that attention. We need a better stage for the state tournament.

 

And now for the KHSAA. I won't comment on whether or not these people have any experience with wrestling because, well, I don't know any of them. But I will say that if any of them do have experience with wrestling, then shame on them for attempting to overhaul a tournament schedule that has been working for years. And if they don't know a thing about our sport, then they shouldn't impose their misguided judgement on a system that has been seamlessly executed since the Stone Age. And if the KHSAA is considering adjustments, then they should consult individuals who understand our sport and could give useful feedback before they just start wrecking our weekend.

 

I love Kentucky wrestling and am proud to see how far we've come, but these competitors deserve better, the fans deserve better and until we make a concerted effort to enhance the product offered to those two groups, we will be a class below Indiana and Ohio and Pennsylvania.

  • Upvote 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The edges of the arena should have been covered so the dirt could not be seen , hate seeing the refs get bashed because most I have met I like and all are not bad , smiley don't know his name but he alwaya laughing an smiling duiring the matches and its disrespectf if you cant take it seriously then get ,and you cabt call a pin or a two count to begin with glad you didn't ref my kids match hate to see an 8 sec pin go to the third he has to go , kick rocks , don't let the door hit ya , and I know a lot of this talk is over the same

Refs , as I said I like a bunch of them and most are good at what they do , not bashing a guy having fun doing his job but it goes beyond that , you k ow people are tucked about calls and u freking laugh and smile at them when this is a part of their lives work , not cool - and I understand refs backing each other as well , you would have to for the most part

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My observations:

What the heck happened to wrestling in Oldham County? South seems to have fallen completely off the map. North may be going through a lull because they've got some competitors coming up and OC was supposed to have fielded their best chance in years qualifying all 14. Has a team ever entered a full team and not finished in the top 10?

Christian County has some talent. Nice to see some schools other than Union out of Region 1. Will HopTown ever make it back?

I sat close to the Cooper fans and let me say that although they may be kicked around NKY, they are proud supporters of Region 6.

Watch out for Trinity, Fern Creek, and Ryle next year.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Trinity and X doesn't have attendance boundaries, you can live next door to X and go to Trinity, They are private schools so change of address doesn't apply

Its just easier to pin the big boys, probably a 10-12 point difference between ATM and Parrott

Parrots last three matches were 5-3 ,5-3 ,5-1 , Austin had better scores in his last three state finals matches at 220 . Congrats to a great state champ in Parott and an impressive undefeated season , he beat our reg 195 lb champ by 2 , he would not make it to the third period with Austin even with a massive dose of Gamma rays , I doubt he would make it out of the first .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hey Miller has been wrestling the last month with a torn meniscus.. Nobody new that but he could not bend his knee past 90 degrees... He also had a nice 5 point throw against Parrot which smiley called out! Parrot is very good at stalling as well. Not giving excuses, he lost, but one heck of a tourney for him considering the circumstances. He will have surgery in next week or so and will hopefully have a quick recovery for nationals. I really do believe the outcome would have been different if he was able to have his quick shot and full move ability during the tourney

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes Austin told me Miller hit a nice throw he thought was Good that was called out .I did see the finals match Parrot is quick and athletic as well as a sound wrestler , no knock on him at all

But he wouldn't last a match Trevor had wins over Miller early and didn't last a minute and Mueller had wins over him and it was pretty much the same , Mueller had a bad tournament he did well

Every where I saw him except state he just had a couple bad matches .

Congrats to Meiman he proved his style could get it done at 170 . Good chance we see him and Mathews battling it out next yr .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

bigedcoach Said:Yeah, especially Christian County because I remember a kid that laid down in the state semis from Christian a few years ago after he was losing a match and got to go to the finals"

 

Name the Kid!!!! I've been involved with Christian County wrestling for 14 years it never happened. The only time anything even close to that happening was in the early 2000's. It was in the  152 quarters, the Waggoner kid dropped our kid on his head, knocking him out. He was taken to the hospital, treated and released. He wanted to continue wrestling the next day, but we made him forfeit out to 6th place. Who are you to disparage the name of a program you obviously know nothing about?

This is 100% correct! I know because I was the head official for that Quarter final match. This match scared me more than any other, because I thought the kid had broke his neck. The Waggoner kid who was undefeated, didn't mean to drop him on his head, but it was illegal and the correct call. The Christian county kid did not wrestle another match at that tournament. I've never been booed more in my life... lol 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

One thing I observed was Region Ones representative not attending State nor the awards ceremony at State.  Not sure how one can have input for a region on an event or sport when the wrestling committee meets if you don’t bother to attend the Region or State events. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The Region 1 rep is not a wrestling coach. He was at the Region 1 Tournament. I spoke with him for a few minutes, but it was embarrassing for our region to not have someone to represent us at the state tournament, especially with the number of Region 1 placers and a Region 1 team- Union winning the whole thing.  If you are going to represent your region then do so at all events, but especially at the most important one. js

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My observations:

What the heck happened to wrestling in Oldham County? South seems to have fallen completely off the map. North may be going through a lull because they've got some competitors coming up and OC was supposed to have fielded their best chance in years qualifying all 14. Has a team ever entered a full team and not finished in the top 10?

Christian County has some talent. Nice to see some schools other than Union out of Region 1. Will HopTown ever make it back?

I sat close to the Cooper fans and let me say that although they may be kicked around NKY, they are proud supporters of Region 6.

Watch out for Trinity, Fern Creek, and Ryle next year.

 

I agree that  if you look at the whole county, Oldham County wrestling may not seem as strong as in the past.  However, Oldham County High School was the State Duals runner up this year. That's pretty good, right? Seems like they are more of a dual team than tournment team at this time. I think at State they only qualified 12 (not all 14), and then Emerson was injured and couldn't continue, so he could have scored more points for the team.  So, that may be why they didn't end in the top 10. Also, I've heard the team was really young.  Only 2 seniors will graduate.  Next year, I think the team will have two seniors and a whole bunch of very talented and now more experienced juniors/sophomores.  I wouldn't count them out just yet. 

 

Also, Oldham County has pretty good feeder programs run by experienced coaches at the elementary and middle school levels.  If anything, I think it's just a building year for all the teams.  But, only time will tell if they reach their potentials.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

By far the biggest let down of the tournement to me was the lack of celebration. I mean this is the state finals we are talking about,lets crank the music make the intro of each wrestler in the finals more exciting and intense bring out the spotlight. That's the least they can do for these young men that have worked their whole life to get to this point and the wore out back hurting empty wallet parents sitting in the crowd deserve a little excitement too!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

ctown714...I posted this in another thread, but I think it goes to exactly what you are saying...

 

On Saturday, wrestle all the way back, completing the Consolation Finals, and then take a break before the Championship Finals.  (It doesn't have to be too long, but let's recognize these kids for their accomplishments and make it special!) 

 

During the break, elevate the Championship Mat, like the NCAAs, on risers under a center spotlight in the middle of the arena.  Before the finals, turn off the lights, other than the center mat spotlight, and allow the place-winners, in uniform, to walk around the arena floor and then line up around the Championship Mat, but not on the elevated mat.  (Third placers would be led out, then Fourth placers, etc.)  Then, have the finalists walk out in two single file lines and line up on the raised mat for a face-off under the lights.  We could then have the someone sing My Old Kentucky Home and then the National Anthem.  When the wrestlers are introduced, put their pictures (Or live images) on the large team score screen as the announcer reads off their accomplishments for the year/career.  (With some time limitations, of course.)  Then the boys walk across, shake hands, and the lighter weights could leave to warm up.  Put the actual, live, matches on the big screen as well...  Award medals between championship matches and keep the thing moving.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Horse park is for horses not wrestlers. Being that far off the mat takes the crowd out of it. Not rolling up all but one Mat was senseless. Not celebrating or having the finalist run out was disappointing. Referees where inconsistent. If it's stalling in the first period than it's stalling in the 3rd. I've never seen 2 locking hands points get awarded on the first violation and let the kids wrestle a minute after the first initial locking hands call before the ref blew the whistle. Food and drinks broke me, got to work a little overtime this week :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Should've let all the old timers on the floor with Coach Ploesser to take some pics. We would've carried him off the floor. Shot out to Jerod Trice, Livingston Merritt, hank Pinner, and all the other alumni that showed up. Especially to coach Harris for calling all us to make sure we showed up

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Should have took a pic of all the champs and everyone should have took a pic with Brock ,

I will miss seeing him a couple times a yr , still think he's better than Valencia , Big Blackwell fan as well , no doubt I will miss Turner from CC a great two sport athlete toughest kid in the tournament - double miniscus surgery mid season and still has a nice state run , and Fausz is irreplaceable in a couple yrs young Wells may be there .

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites