old vs now

[backtothestate 0]

Go back 30 years do you think the 2008 state place winners would have even made it to state?  They had a different style of wrestling. More of a go-go till the whistle blows and all of the new rules do you think its better?

[heavy83 15]

WITHOUT KNOWING THE SEEDS OF EACH WRESTLER FOR SURE I STILL THINK SOME WOULD NOT OF MADE IT BACK IN EARLY 80'S.THE GOOD ONES WOULD STILL MAKE IT BUT THE AVERAGE  WOULD STRUGGLE. FOR EXAMPLE CHANCES ARE THE PEACE/SHOTWELL MATCH WOULD OF BEEN A REPEAT OF A DISTRICT AND A REGIONAL FINAL. ALOT OF THE 3-4 SEEDS WOULD NOT OF MADE IT. THIS NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM ANYONE, WAS HARDER TO GET BACK THEN. IMO

[I-pinned-em-all 0]

Of course it was harder in the 80's given there were only 12 weight groups and 16 kids in the tournament. The district and regional tournaments weeded out the weak.

I don't believe there was a big difference in the quality of the champions compared to yesteryears; however, I do believe the quality and depth of the wrestlers now is far superior than before. Today's era has many more kids capable of winning and certainly the top 10 from each weight group is better than the top 10 years ago.

Overall, the quality of Kentucky wrestling is improving without a doubt.

There were different rules back in the 80s. For example, there was no potentially dangerous for cranking a half nelson. One could lace both legs and crank a power half until the opponents elbow was on the other side of his head. If he wanted the pressure relieved, he rolled to his back. A one count nearfall would give 2 points. Therefore, simple tilts could rack up the points very quickly. There were no tech falls. You could beat on your opponent for a full 6 minutes regardless of the score. Injury time was 2 min total. A person could take 6-20 second injury times per match with no penalty. I never saw a tap out in all of my years of high school wrestling. 

I like the way the sport has progressed, for the most part. 

[ˢʰᵃʷⁿ¹¹² 0]

WITHOUT KNOWING THE SEEDS OF EACH WRESTLER FOR SURE I STILL THINK SOME WOULD NOT OF MADE IT BACK IN EARLY 80'S.THE GOOD ONES WOULD STILL MAKE IT BUT THE AVERAGE  WOULD STRUGGLE. FOR EXAMPLE CHANCES ARE THE PEACE/SHOTWELL MATCH WOULD OF BEEN A REPEAT OF A DISTRICT AND A REGIONAL FINAL. ALOT OF THE 3-4 SEEDS WOULD NOT OF MADE IT. THIS NOT TO TAKE AWAY FROM ANYONE, WAS HARDER TO GET BACK THEN. IMO

103 Kyle Ruschell vs. 103 Joe Carr

[Zeus 117]

Today's wrestlers would definitely do better than those of "yesterdecade". As time has gone on the development of technique has improved and will continue to.  A great example is funk (diving between opponents legs and rolling around all over the place to avoid a takedown).

As far as Ruschell vs. Joe Carr Jr. at 103 I don't know, it was Joe's eighth grade year versus Kyle's junior year.  I'd say it's a toss-up.  This is based on the fact that Ruschell has been able to wrestle with the big boys in college just as Joe was able to.

[Ranger123 43]

I know it is hard for a Woodford guy to admit, but I take Ruschell 10 out of 10 in that one.  As you said, Joe was an 8th grader Kyle was already turning into a bad dude as a junior.

[Dutch1873 0]

Since Joe Jr. was just an 8th grader I would have to pick Kyle, but how would it have turned out if they were both in their junior year? I would pick Joe then.

[ˢʰᵃʷⁿ¹¹² 0]

Since Joe Jr. was just an 8th grader I would have to pick Kyle, but how would it have turned out if they were both in their junior year? I would pick Joe then.

then they would both be at 140 i think and it would be a great match

[grappler-of-old 44]

We also were not able to pick neutral back in the ole days.  You choose top in the second period you are on bottom in the 3rd period.  No alternate start.  Very very few let-em-up take-em-down scenerios. 

And for us really old guys our back foot had to start on the outside of the inner circle and the front foot inside.  The 1st step had to be forward. 

No blood time, it was part of the 2 minute injury time.

As IPEA stated we cranked and cranked on moves until they groaned and finally went over.  Everyone was bleeding by the end of a match and no-one cared (you had to really be bleeding bad before they stoped the match)

The top wrestler did not have to get off the hips as much either.  Made it very difficult on the bottom wrestler, and the bottom wrestler was more often called for stalling.

[David.Richey 0]

Wrestlers today seem to lack the fire to be the best. don't get me wrong not all, There are some wrestlers who do. it seems to me if you are about to be put on your back, just YELL OUT, and the ref. will stop the match and start you over. I understand safety, but I've never seen so many wrestlers get hurt then jump right up and act like nothing is wrong and continue the match so maybe they are, just that tuff, but I think the older wrestler were meaner and better, as for FUNK, thats not new, in my day it was called FIGHT to win. So are the new rules raising the bar for our new wrestlers or are we lower our standards for the next level? I don't know Well thats my thought and remember when your down by two and little time on the clock throw the HEAD-LOCK

[wcwrestler189 0]

The question should be, would the wrestlers from 30 years ago place today?  For one wrestling in Kentucky is getting better, for two people in general in all sports are getting better, and we have better coaches keep coming back after wrestling in college.

[I-pinned-em-all 0]

What a great topic. There are a few things the young pups should remember, wrestling is the oldest and first sport known to man. Funk and fight have been around forever. I seriously doubt there is any particular move a person can "invent" which wasn't tried some time during the thousands of years of wrestling.

The cream rises to the top. Back in the 80s we trained accordingly to make sure we were better than our competition. If the wrestlers of the 80's were competing today, they would elevate their degree of training to accomadate their competition. It is silly for anyone to say one generation has superior athletes. Determination, competitiveness, and athleticism is ubiquitous among the generations. Today the quality is better as the technique has changed somewhat. Blood and guts remains the same.

David Richie is a 3 time state champ and one bad dude. I remember him vividly. Believe it or not, he was the first Kentucky state champ to complete a back flip after winning state. I saw him do the flip 3 times. Sorry Mason, your's are awesome, but David was first.  I would love to see David Richie wrestle Elliot Martin or Matt Zarth.

[I-pinned-em-all 0]

I also remember Todd Cole. Todd was a state runner up and a state champ at 155. I wouldn't wrestle Todd unless I had a bat and gun. Todd was one bad dude. If you think he is a tough ref at age 44, you should have seen him when was 17. Ouch! Todd and Mitch would have been a fun one to watch.

[grappler-of-old 44]

ubiquitous

Ahh what an awesome college word.

How ironic David Ritchie was one of the wrestlers I was thinking of when this topic came up.

How about the Ervins of the 80's.  Robbie Clarkston,  Todd and Troy Cole. 

What about these two animals.  Jeff Merritt (Hopkinsville) 83 and Larry Little (J-town) 82 and 83

[dagger 7]

All right you young pups don't forget one thing when you are comparing young and old school. Most of your coaches are old school and the reason you know more moves and are better prepared is because the wrestlers of the 70's and 80's have taken coaching to another level.

As for David Richie the refs never called him for stalling. He didn't let up the whole match and when you did you were Pinned. I guess that is why he pinned his way through state 3 years in a row.

[The Bear 0]

I would like to have wrestled Tom Lee back in the ol' glory days for County.

[dagger 7]

Do you mean when he was a #1 seed and pick to win state and lost to a #4 seed in the first round. Bet you would have beat him that year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

[David.Richey 0]

UBIQUITOUS

wow,  I would have gotten back sooner but I was looking ubiquitous up I will try to use it sometime in my life. I think those OLD guys would put on a show for the young guys and thanks for putting my name in with such great wrestlers. Cole,lee Ervin,

no spellcheck

[three 9]

Of coarse the old beats the new!

You new wrestlers,let the old tell their stories :roll:

you oldies drink your prune juice and suck in your gut :-P

[indyman189 1]

i would like to see a few of the older wrestlers come back and wrestle, thats why we are tryin to get coach nichols to have an alumni wrestling match, for a fundraiser at the beginning of the season. coach has talked about it but i dont know if we will do it or not.

[I-pinned-em-all 0]

i would like to see a few of the older wrestlers come back and wrestle, thats why we are tryin to get coach nichols to have an alumni wrestling match, for a fundraiser at the beginning of the season. coach has talked about it but i dont know if we will do it or not.

Indyman, the tournament would take forever. Every one of us would be in the heavyweight division. 512 man bracket. Alot of pins and heart attacks, I'm sure.

[Just Wrestle 0]

This may sound odd, but....

I think wrestling as a whole is better now.  A lot deeper.  But I think the State Champs were better back in the day.  I know you might say how's that possible.  It just seems that way to me. 

I still think the best of the best from then would beat the best of the best now.  Someone was right, it is a "softer"  sport now.

[indyman189 1]

Indyman, the tournament would take forever. Every one of us would be in the heavyweight division. 512 man bracket. Alot of pins and heart attacks, I'm sure.

srry i meant to say just a few from Caldwell, like coach nichols, wesley gray, david richie, and maybe a few others that were more recent.

[coloneldad 0]

Do you mean when he was a #1 seed and pick to win state and lost to a #4 seed in the first round. Bet you would have beat him that year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

I don't know about that,but I know he's a champion 2x.Also, he was 138-6 as a varsity wrestler.

[coloneldad 0]

Do you mean when he was a #1 seed and pick to win state and lost to a #4 seed in the first round. Bet you would have beat him that year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mrgreen:

[/quoteAs well as leading hi team to a state championship.What about you?