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B10grapple

Postponed!

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My real question in all this is what different do you think should have been done?

 

Do you think the KHSAA should have a second site booked just in case of inclimate weather?

Do you think they could make a contract with another venue at the last minute with new vendors and a new contract?  

Do you think they should have went ahead with the state tourney as scheduled and not have several dozen wrestlers not attend?

Do you think they should have convinced Alteck to cancel their weekend event so that it could be held next weekend?  

Do you think they should have cancelled the whole thing all together?  

 

Yes wrestling at Atherton high school in the 80's is worse than wrestling on tue-wed.  Heck they hold the sweet 16 in basketball on the weekdays. Wed 1st game 12 last game 8. Thur. same as Wed. 

 

Bye the way I truly believe the attempt to have the finals on more than one mat was a bluff to get what they really wanted.  They wanted more control of the crowd that was getting out of hand.  

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1. Make every attempt to reschedule on friday/saturday....maybe they did. But I highly doubt they didn't consider Louisville venues.

2. Not booked, but a late February contingency plan absolutely.

3. No

4. No

5. No

Obviously I was not privy to all of the behind the scenes discussions, BUT as coaches on this site have confirmed, they were not asked for their input. As I said earlier, tell us what options were considered. How many venue options were exhausted before arriving at a mid week decison? Just tell the coaches and the info will filter to everyone. Maybe a little understanding will go a long way on this subject.

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Obviously I was not privy to all of the behind the scenes discussions, BUT as coaches on this site have confirmed, they were not asked for their input. As I said earlier, tell us what options were considered. How many venue options were exhausted before arriving at a mid week decison? Just tell the coaches and the info will filter to everyone. Maybe a little understanding will go a long way on this subject.

Not sure I agree that the coaches should have had an input. 

 

I do agree that a little more info would go a long way.  But I, unlike the majority who have posted, will believe they tried several other options before coming to this conclusion.  I could be completely wrong but until proven otherwise I will believe the best. 

 

Truth be told I'm just glad the state tourney is going to happen and these kids have a chance to compete. (Glass half full)

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We will have to agree to disagree on the Athens tournament in all the years I attend I never felt that.  I would agree with Firemans34 you always have to have a fall plan.  If you put all your eggs in one basket, well then your wrestling during baseball season :)

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Maybe and thats a big maybe.  If all this goes without a hitch.  KHSAA may realize that they can hold two post seasons at the same time, and wrestling will get moved till the beginning of March. 

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Not sure I agree that the coaches should have had an input. 

 

I do agree that a little more info would go a long way.  But I, unlike the majority who have posted, will believe they tried several other options before coming to this conclusion.  I could be completely wrong but until proven otherwise I will believe the best. 

 

Truth be told I'm just glad the state tourney is going to happen and these kids have a chance to compete. (Glass half full)

And that's what is important. It seems like many wouldn't have been happy no matter what happened. Again, as a group we need to lose the "woe is us attitude". As flawed as the KHSAA may be, they are not out to destroy wrestling. Yes they may not totally understand it, but too many of us are just so quick to flame every decision, and look for the negative. They do listen when we have a sensible argument....last years finals issue was addressed and taken care of, but we still complain like it wasn't. I'm with GOO. I think they did everything they could given the situation. There was no solution that would please everyone. As far as having a fallback plan, I'm not sure that any venue large enough to hold the event, would keep a date open for a just in case scenario, that as far as I know has never happened. And yes the weekday option is not ideal. But as was mentioned, every other sport holds weekday games during their championship sweet 16, even basketball. People take off for that, and with 3 weeks notice people will take off for this. And basketball fans freaked out last year when the final was held on a Sunday instead of a Saturday double header and that people wouldn't come. And guess what they did....because they are fans.

Our job is to grow and support the sport and the more time we spend complaining about how much the KHSAA hates wrestling the more ridiculous we look as a group. This is sport is growing here..look at all the training facilities and options we have available now. This sport has never been stronger...let's embrace and celebrate that instead of constantly complaining.

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Maybe and thats a big maybe.  If all this goes without a hitch.  KHSAA may realize that they can hold two post seasons at the same time, and wrestling will get moved till the beginning of March. 

Or Maybe, again a big maybe, the KHSAA finds that they can make just as much money paying reduced rental fee’s to Alltech during the week and we are stuck with during the week state tournaments for a while.

 

The whole thing stinks for everyone involved.

 

  • It stinks for the coaches who might have been looking forward to spending time at home with their families after a long trying season.
  • It stinks for the wrestlers who had the state tournament circled on their calendar as the last time they have to weigh in for the year.  Or if they had college visits, other sports, vacations, etc. planned for after the season ended.  Now they have to risk injury for 3 more weeks to prep for something that was ripped from them.
  • It stinks for the fans/spectators that won’t be able to make a mid-week state tournament.  My heart goes out to those that had family coming in from long distances to watch the tournament.  Cancelling travel is never fun and sometimes financially frustrating.
  • It stinks for the officials/table workers.  Taking 1 day of vacation to work the state tournament is one thing.  Taking 2 in the middle of the week – something else entirely.

 

I agree that we are in a sad time in Kentucky wrestling.  The state of Kentucky is producing top talent year over year.   What do the top talent get to show off their talent…  A dirt horse track covered by some plastic on a Tuesday afternoon with minimal attendance.  If you make the finals…. You get a mat off center without spotlights and little to no fan fare.  Check out an Ohio or Indiana state final… ours since moving to the horse park – a joke is putting it nicely.

 

Lastly, who in the heck doesn’t have a contingency plan for something like this!  How is there not a backup plan?  I don’t for a second believe this was the plan in place in case of emergency – not even the KHSAA is that stupid.

 

If my opinion mattered and Barrens/Tackett asked me prior to their announcement, here would be my response - Do it in a high school gym make it three days, do whatever you need to do, but do it sooner, not later.

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I think its great that some coaches get to spend 3 more weeks with their wrestlers training when maybe they would be taking a break and not seeing them again until Oct 15

 

I think its great that some wrestlers (seniors) get to prolong their final season, one which they hopped would never end. 

 

I think its great that they didn't do it in a high school gym so that wrestlers don't have to say "man we are so low on the totum pole that we had our state tourney in a high school gym. 

 

Glass half full. 

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Goo i believe in alot of things you say but from the wrestlers i have talked to(which is the most important people)they don't like the extended season

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With the exception of the last statement I'm just trying to put a positive spin on a bad situation that was (As insurance companies put it) an act of god (the snow i'm referring to)

 

I agree best case scenario is to hold the tourney the next weekend.  I just don't believe it was possible unless it was done in a high school gym.  If that was the only option then I would prefer to postpone a few weeks. 

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I see your point. I know i am trying to make the best of a bad situation,my son was really upset but in a couple days i am sure he'll be over it. I told him INDY nationals were sunday and if he felt like he needed some matches that was an option.But i am not sure if its against our rules or not.Actually if someone wanted a good trip they could go to Indy Saturday and watch their state championships then stay alnight and wrestle sunday.

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Bestmistake33 you echoe the sentiment of most of us common sense people in the state. Unfortunately we have a bunch of whiners that cant deal with a little winter and goofballs that dont care about the sport making the decisions.

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I don't envy the committee that had to make the decision to move the event.  Tough call to make knowing that you were going to tick off a lot of people regardless of your decision.  I just would have liked to seen communication that said "listen we tried to book the event here, here, and here for this weekend that weekend or another", or if it simply (as i suspect) comes down to a $ decision, then an honest communication of "we have a contract with alltech arena that we would have lost an unrecoverable amount of $ on if we didn't re-book there".

 

Clarity in communication is key.

 

Another thing - not listening to or tapping the coaches association for feedback?  You kidding me?  They want to act like business people at the KHSAA - then do it.  How hard would it have been to setup a 1 hour call, listen to the coaches association and then make your decision.  Even if you are listening to them with your mind made up, you are at least showing that you are respectful of the coaches (and via the coach, the wrestlers) wishes.  Something has to change about that.  Bad business.

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Even if you are listening to them with your mind made up, you are at least showing that you are respectful of the coaches (and via the coach, the wrestlers) wishes.  Something has to change about that.  Bad business.

 

Completely disagree...have you ever been on the receiving end of one of those?  I have & it stinks!  The only thing worse than having no input is "thinking" you have some input when in reality, you have none.  It is not respectful to 'listen' to someone w/your mind already made-up...it's deceitful.

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I personally think this is another direct reflection of our current leadership from KHSAA.  KHSAA knows they will make money either way.  Not as much maybe during the week, but money will be made.  It’s just sad that we are doing it during a time that doesn’t allow those people that attend every year to be in attendance, and maybe those who don’t have kids in it-but attend will not be able to do so because it’s during the middle of the week.  Schools will not allow kids to attend either, unless they are competing.  It’s not like basketball & football those that choose to attend will have to say they are sick or have parent notes.  Find it funny in all they years I have been a part of wrestling, that the things that I currently see have shown that our current KHSAA leader doesn’t care to speak up for what is right for our sport.  For those that remember, it’s that same leader that decided to have multiple mats go at the same time during the finals.  Is that what is good for wrestling?  He thought it was and he is in charge of our sport.  Its only going to get worse, I’m afraid.  If we are going to make a difference where it counts, it will have to be by voicing your opinion to those that can decide, those in charge of our sport.  I’m not saying the state tournament shouldn’t have been pushed back.  I’m saying that to put it in a spot that spectators and competitors are forced to wait another three weeks, along with being in the middle of the school/work week is not in the best interest of the sport.  Our new leadership does what it wants! Don’t be fooled into thinking different, why else does he continue to cancel the Coaches meeting every year since he has been in office?  Never fails same tune different year, don’t want to hear what a crappy job he is doing from those that are a part of the sport.  Afraid to say that, until this is changes, these are the DARK AGES OF WRESTLING…..

With what KHSAA tried to pull last year.. by trying to have the finals run at the same time was a huge indication of how they feel about the sport of wrestling..The only thing that STOPPED it from happening is the OUT CRY of the wrestling Community... with that said, I have never in all my years in wrestling seen State tournament cancelled for any reason.. what is done is done.. But I do feel they did not put much effort for the BEST Ideal situation for the reschedule.. You open a whole new can of worms to know that Youth wrestling will continue as scheduled on Sunday..NOOOO KHSAA DOES NOT HAVE WRESTLING BEST INTEREST.. THEY HAVE PROVEN THAT ALREADY.. I do believe Safety first.

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Until you are an athletic administrator then you don't understand the challenges of running a complete program. Even though we have a passionate fan base, we still are at the next to the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to participation, attendance and general fans following. No programs in the fourth largest area of the state (Bowling Green). Our state finals only draw between 3-4k fans. At least with Mr. Tackett, we got the tournament out of Atherton, 32 man brackets, and a better wrestling committee that actually meets instead of of just listening to one or two guys that were way pass their prime. Don't blame the KHSAA on this decision. it's just bad luck and if only one kid had to miss out of wrestling in the state tournament because it was held while athletes were not allowed to travel because of weather then I really praise the decision. I know if this happened in the mid 80's, they would have just cancelled by order of the lady that damaged the sport the most (Alice McDonald, education overlord that made the state tournament in to a 8 man one day tournament) Yeah their are cons in how we do things in this state when it comes to wrestling but we came as close as you could in loosing our sport in 91/92 and with out Tackett listening to Parks, Bankemper, Powell, Coomes and other committee members then. we wouldnt be here.

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Until you are an athletic administrator then you don't understand the challenges of running a complete program. Even though we have a passionate fan base, we still are at the next to the bottom of the totem pole when it comes to participation, attendance and general fans following. No programs in the fourth largest area of the state (Bowling Green). Our state finals only draw between 3-4k fans. At least with Mr. Tackett, we got the tournament out of Atherton, 32 man brackets, and a better wrestling committee that actually meets instead of of just listening to one or two guys that were way pass their prime. Don't blame the KHSAA on this decision. it's just bad luck and if only one kid had to miss out of wrestling in the state tournament because it was held while athletes were not allowed to travel because of weather then I really praise the decision. I know if this happened in the mid 80's, they would have just cancelled by order of the lady that damaged the sport the most (Alice McDonald, education overlord that made the state tournament in to a 8 man one day tournament) Yeah their are cons in how we do things in this state when it comes to wrestling but we came as close as you could in loosing our sport in 91/92 and with out Tackett listening to Parks, Bankemper, Powell, Coomes and other committee members then. we wouldnt be here.

Great post.  It will probably get you called a goofball or nazi.  Despite what many think, wrestling is getting stronger and growing under the "draconian" rule of the KHSAA.  We should be focused on doing our job....supporting, teaching and promoting the sport.  But if all we do is complain, b*tch, moan and accuse the world of being against us, how can we expect anyone to ever listen to us??

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GOO these young bucks on this site don't understand do they. I remember at Atherton when the state tournament came to a halt because a coach ate a potato chip before the hospitality room was officially opened. Funny and that persons sons are wrestling in this years tourney. 

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I would hope in the future there will be some sort of contingency plans in place to prevent a repeat of this sad affair.

  Talk about logistics problems, I have made plans to be in Columbus Oh.  March 7th & 8th Ohio St. is hosting the Big 10 Championships. and I am going to have to come up with some story to tell my boss for the 10th and 11th. not to mention my wife!

   Oh boy.........  anyone have any ideas?

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I would hope in the future there will be some sort of contingency plans in place to prevent a repeat of this sad affair.

Talk about logistics problems, I have made plans to be in Columbus Oh. March 7th & 8th Ohio St. is hosting the Big 10 Championships. and I am going to have to come up with some story to tell my boss for the 10th and 11th. not to mention my wife!

Oh boy......... anyone have any ideas?

Kidney stones lol No one will ask any questions.

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rjs - never been called a Nazi before but goofball and other colorful adjectives. Been cursed by Coach Krazegic, told to stay here while a Sheldon Clark fan goes gets his rifle. Canter/Paden accidentally threw/kicked a chair at me and a coach from Valley stood up in the middle of the bleachers in my own gym and preached to the crowd how we mathematically knew how we were going to win tournament and running the evil empire. So I just take things with a smile. 

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