10. Ben Askren vs Donny Pritzlaff(Freestyle)
The internet has done wonders for our sport. We can get faster results, read great articles, look
at state and national rankings, watch more matches than ever before and even talk trash. In watching my first match of Pritzlaff and Askren, I knew it was a rivalry in the making. Websites like Flowrestling gave them an avenue to voice their opinions of one another and it was clear there was a general dislike for one another. Pritzlaff won a couple of battles, but Askren won the war. But did we expect anything less. Askren is the new face of US wrestling. Fear the Fro!
9. Johnny Hendricks vs Mark Perry(College)
Who can forget Johnny Hendricks? This guy loved to be hated and played the crowds well. It seemed like the more boos he got, the more likely he would win. And who can forget Mark Perry's crying? It seemed like every match we saw he had tears in his eyes. Hendricks owned Perry during the season but when it counted most, he gave up a quick 2pt near fall and gave Perry the match.
Thus, making Perry the new guy to hate. He won another title, but not without shedding a few tears along the way.
8. Reese Andy vs Les Gutches(College)
These two met numerous times and who would've thought. Oregon St being a powerhouse and Wyoming being a nice state to vacation at. Who would've thought they had a wrestling team? Andy made sure of we all knew, by beating the legendary Gutches.
Gutches, would win the war though winning two NCAA titles, while Andy would have to settle for always being a bridemaid and never the bride.
The internet has done wonders for our sport. We can get faster results, read great articles, look
at state and national rankings, watch more matches than ever before and even talk trash. In watching my first match of Pritzlaff and Askren, I knew it was a rivalry in the making. Websites like Flowrestling gave them an avenue to voice their opinions of one another and it was clear there was a general dislike for one another. Pritzlaff won a couple of battles, but Askren won the war. But did we expect anything less. Askren is the new face of US wrestling. Fear the Fro!9. Johnny Hendricks vs Mark Perry(College)
Who can forget Johnny Hendricks? This guy loved to be hated and played the crowds well. It seemed like the more boos he got, the more likely he would win. And who can forget Mark Perry's crying? It seemed like every match we saw he had tears in his eyes. Hendricks owned Perry during the season but when it counted most, he gave up a quick 2pt near fall and gave Perry the match.
Thus, making Perry the new guy to hate. He won another title, but not without shedding a few tears along the way.8. Reese Andy vs Les Gutches(College)
These two met numerous times and who would've thought. Oregon St being a powerhouse and Wyoming being a nice state to vacation at. Who would've thought they had a wrestling team? Andy made sure of we all knew, by beating the legendary Gutches.
Gutches, would win the war though winning two NCAA titles, while Andy would have to settle for always being a bridemaid and never the bride. 7. Hazewinkel vs NCAA Title
Has any wrestler ever been so close to winning a title like Hazewinkel? Three 3rd place finishes would be tough on anyone, but four? This was the talk of 125lbs a couple of years ago. Haze made the finals, but came up short once again to join Reese Andy in the bridesmaid line. However, Haze is a pretty good Greco wrestler, so maybe he caught the bouquet to continue on in his Greco career. Maybe a Hazewinkel vs Mango rivalry in the making?
6. Kurt Angle vs Sylvester Terkay(College)
People seem to forget(not the diehards) the battles these two had. The semis of the NCAA's in 1991 and then the finals of 1992. Angle being all of 220 and Terkay being the monster cutting to 275. It literally looked like David vs Goliath. The story ended no different with Angle winning in the finals, moving on to the world scene and winning Olympic Gold.
Angle went on to to be a traitor and compete for the WWE, be accused publicly of steriod abuse and kick the shit out of some guys on Pros vs Joes. And we all know what happened to Terkay. He finally won his title after some fat guy tried to throw him in the first round and he just smiled, laid on him for the pin. Then he changed his name and went on to be one of the bad guys from Tango and Cash.
5. Common Sense and Truth vs LIMartin(Message Boards)
Now to the enigma that is LIMartin. A fan on his beloved Island that Snake Plisken once tried to save, he neither uses truth or fact to back up his arguements. Being a quitter will have that affect on ones brain. However, he never lets silly things like those get in the way of trying to put his beloved Long Island on the wrestling map. He makes weekly claims like how Matt Valenti never wrestled freestyle, Missouri and Montana are the same states, Pat Flynn is the greatest wrestler
of all time because he beat Nick Simmons once and that he could take a group of the 10th best freshman wrestlers in Sullolk county and beat any states best wrestlers hands down, including most college wrestlers. He's brash, puts down wrestlers from all over, is mentally unstable, talks crap about wrestlers mom's and catches an occasional beating from them, but won't let up. He is the true red-headed step child of Long Island wrestling(sad). Oh and this guy too. (right)
4. Iowa/Tom Brands vs everyone
Every sport needs a team that everyone loves to hate. Especially one that wins all the time. The Iowa Hawkeyes are that team for our sport. They constantly win and the more they win, the more they are hated. Whether its Tom Brands attempts at outdoing Shaquille O'Neal with his witty quotes or talking whole teams into transferring to Iowa to bring him
home a title and glory back to Iowa and coin the phrase "Hokeyes", Iowa is the team to hate. But everyone likes a winner, so I'm confused. How can you be liked and hated at the same time? Maybe its Kentucky Mudflap as he posts Iowa updates from a drunken stooper? Maybe its that flavorful corn that keeps us all from finding out the real answer. However, all I know is the Iowa trophy case is too full and its time for the trophy to head out West. Oww, my tooth. A damn popcorn kernal! Tom, you sneaky booger.
3. Terry Brands vs Kendall Cross(Freestyle)
Who can ever forget these epic battles to make the Olympic team? Cross got the upper hand, made the team, brought home the Gold and is forever
remembered as Gumby. Brands went on to wrestle in the 2000 games and brought home the Bronze, currently helps coach the US Freestyle team, but is most famous for his coaching style from the sidelines during the Abas/Cejudo finals match this year. CobraKai Never Die!!!
2. Larry Owings vs Dan Gable(College)
I had to bring this up because it would be a shame not to. Owings is a good old Oregon boy, who made his way up to Washington to wrestle for the Huskies. Rumor in OR was that Owings said he was going to drop down a weight class to take the "Man" down and be the one to keep him from his 3rd title and end his undefeated streak. Owings and Gables match
is probably the most watched match in wrestling history as Owings backed up his claims and beat the "Man." Maybe this is where the Vision Quest storyline came front. Owings went on to wrestle in the NCAA finals two more years and finish as a runner up both times. Gable went on to Olympic glory and led the Hawkeyes to college wrestling history.
1. Wrestling as a sport vs change
Nothing has damaged our sport more than our lack of willingness to change our ways. We have sat back and done nothing to promote or market our sport and its been our demise ever since. Nothing like being stuck in the ice ages to help our beloved sport disappear from existance. We assume our sport will just get respect from the outside because we've been around forever. How wrong have we been. While other sports have adapted and overcame the times, we've insisted on trying to stay the same. Then when there is any sign of change, we scream and cry about it, only furthering to hold us back. Fact is folks, unless people in the wrestling community wake up and start being willing to change, wrestling will be nothing more than an afterthought.
Has any wrestler ever been so close to winning a title like Hazewinkel? Three 3rd place finishes would be tough on anyone, but four? This was the talk of 125lbs a couple of years ago. Haze made the finals, but came up short once again to join Reese Andy in the bridesmaid line. However, Haze is a pretty good Greco wrestler, so maybe he caught the bouquet to continue on in his Greco career. Maybe a Hazewinkel vs Mango rivalry in the making?
6. Kurt Angle vs Sylvester Terkay(College)
People seem to forget(not the diehards) the battles these two had. The semis of the NCAA's in 1991 and then the finals of 1992. Angle being all of 220 and Terkay being the monster cutting to 275. It literally looked like David vs Goliath. The story ended no different with Angle winning in the finals, moving on to the world scene and winning Olympic Gold.
Angle went on to to be a traitor and compete for the WWE, be accused publicly of steriod abuse and kick the shit out of some guys on Pros vs Joes. And we all know what happened to Terkay. He finally won his title after some fat guy tried to throw him in the first round and he just smiled, laid on him for the pin. Then he changed his name and went on to be one of the bad guys from Tango and Cash.5. Common Sense and Truth vs LIMartin(Message Boards)
Now to the enigma that is LIMartin. A fan on his beloved Island that Snake Plisken once tried to save, he neither uses truth or fact to back up his arguements. Being a quitter will have that affect on ones brain. However, he never lets silly things like those get in the way of trying to put his beloved Long Island on the wrestling map. He makes weekly claims like how Matt Valenti never wrestled freestyle, Missouri and Montana are the same states, Pat Flynn is the greatest wrestler
of all time because he beat Nick Simmons once and that he could take a group of the 10th best freshman wrestlers in Sullolk county and beat any states best wrestlers hands down, including most college wrestlers. He's brash, puts down wrestlers from all over, is mentally unstable, talks crap about wrestlers mom's and catches an occasional beating from them, but won't let up. He is the true red-headed step child of Long Island wrestling(sad). Oh and this guy too. (right)4. Iowa/Tom Brands vs everyone
Every sport needs a team that everyone loves to hate. Especially one that wins all the time. The Iowa Hawkeyes are that team for our sport. They constantly win and the more they win, the more they are hated. Whether its Tom Brands attempts at outdoing Shaquille O'Neal with his witty quotes or talking whole teams into transferring to Iowa to bring him
home a title and glory back to Iowa and coin the phrase "Hokeyes", Iowa is the team to hate. But everyone likes a winner, so I'm confused. How can you be liked and hated at the same time? Maybe its Kentucky Mudflap as he posts Iowa updates from a drunken stooper? Maybe its that flavorful corn that keeps us all from finding out the real answer. However, all I know is the Iowa trophy case is too full and its time for the trophy to head out West. Oww, my tooth. A damn popcorn kernal! Tom, you sneaky booger.3. Terry Brands vs Kendall Cross(Freestyle)
Who can ever forget these epic battles to make the Olympic team? Cross got the upper hand, made the team, brought home the Gold and is forever
remembered as Gumby. Brands went on to wrestle in the 2000 games and brought home the Bronze, currently helps coach the US Freestyle team, but is most famous for his coaching style from the sidelines during the Abas/Cejudo finals match this year. CobraKai Never Die!!!2. Larry Owings vs Dan Gable(College)
I had to bring this up because it would be a shame not to. Owings is a good old Oregon boy, who made his way up to Washington to wrestle for the Huskies. Rumor in OR was that Owings said he was going to drop down a weight class to take the "Man" down and be the one to keep him from his 3rd title and end his undefeated streak. Owings and Gables match
is probably the most watched match in wrestling history as Owings backed up his claims and beat the "Man." Maybe this is where the Vision Quest storyline came front. Owings went on to wrestle in the NCAA finals two more years and finish as a runner up both times. Gable went on to Olympic glory and led the Hawkeyes to college wrestling history.1. Wrestling as a sport vs change
Nothing has damaged our sport more than our lack of willingness to change our ways. We have sat back and done nothing to promote or market our sport and its been our demise ever since. Nothing like being stuck in the ice ages to help our beloved sport disappear from existance. We assume our sport will just get respect from the outside because we've been around forever. How wrong have we been. While other sports have adapted and overcame the times, we've insisted on trying to stay the same. Then when there is any sign of change, we scream and cry about it, only furthering to hold us back. Fact is folks, unless people in the wrestling community wake up and start being willing to change, wrestling will be nothing more than an afterthought.
Coaches need to constantly be promoting their programs and never assume people will just show up just because you're there. We need to be more creative in how we market our sport to the public. Fans need to get off their butts and start making a serious attempt to show up for duals, US Nationals or the Trials. We need to teach our college and senior level wrestlers how to market themselves to the public. Look at Ben Askren if you want to know how to market the sport. Here's a guy we could rally around. We need to start donating to our local programs to help support them financially. And quit waiting for programs to be dropped before you decide to do any of these things.
Those are all things that we are in control of. These are all things we need some serious improvement on if we are to ever see our sport make it to mainstream once again. And don't think there isn't people out there trying and try to stay away from playing the blame game because it all starts with us.
