dblXface

Tom Ridge - Homeland Security Director Wrestler / Wrestling Coach Former Gov. of Pennsylvania

Abraham Lincoln Stephen Neal - New England Patriots (more famous for wrestling) Lorenzo Neal - Bengals (HW All-Am Fresno State) Ricky Williams - Dolphins (High School) Bruce Matthews - Oilers/Titans (High School) John Irving - Author (World According to Garp)

If you want to change anything, leave both mats out after the heavyweight finals and have DI / DII dual match championships, runner-ups on one and champions on the other. All those guys would only have two matches that day. It wouldn't be the perfect tournament, but it would settle most of the "what ifs".

This year the #1 171 from Knoxville blew his knee out. In the early 90's, Marquise Nelson was tossed for flagrant misconduct (there was question as to how flagrant)in the Region, so he was missing in the state. The stud from Red Bank (152?) about that time that blew out his elbow joint in the region. Missing - and you can't "bump" the next best guy. It doesn,t matter if it's missing weigh ins, injury, no ringworm letter, etc. - something ALWAYS happens to pave an avenue for the rest of the field in February. It doesn't make it right or wrong. However, if you only had an eight man bracket and somebody is missing from the top, how fair is that to the four in the other half? A 32 man bracket lets a coach honestly tell his wrestlers that they have a shot. I had one in a slump, placed fourth in the region and he ended up in the finals. Even if it had been a sixteen man bracket, he wouldn't have qualified. I hate fish flops worse than anyone, but sometimes in February a few lose their gills.

Heath, I listed Coach Logsdon and Coach Jackson on the previous page. You are doing a great job too by the way. I'd also mention Tim Voiles at Grundy as another young coach doing a great job building a program.

Two more great coaches in assistant roles - Luther Killian at McCallie and Robert Jemison at Ryan

Gordon Connell and Jeff Jordan are proven instructors (and very tough mat coaches) who were able to win state championships at more than one school. Jim Morgan Steve Henry Steve Logsdon / Turner Jackson Walt Holmes Al Miller Ralph Gabriel / Greg Wingo Tony Bradley G.P. / Joe Blair Danny Gilbert Brian Dunning [Edited by dblXface on 4/30/02 8:06A]

Norfleet - Whites Creek Jabaley (sp)? - Notre Dame Loyd - Clarksville NW

Regarding Chris Vandergriff (Head Coach at Halls), he did beat some monsters. Ronald Hale was 6'8 - 315 and was supposed to sweep the field. Chris beat him something like 9-4 and at the time I don't think he weighed over 220. Speaking of very large heavies, you have to mention Dennis Harrison of Riverdale.

With both in their prime, Bubba would have given him a good match but Scott would have won and was hands down the best heavy we ever had.

James Vance of Overton / 3X finalist . Their wrestling room became "The James Vance Wrestling Room" after he graduated. Unbelievable worker. [Edited by dblXface on 3/12/02 8:32A]