Taxman

I think shaking hands with the coach after a match is a customary positive gesture that shows good sportmanship and respect that youths need more of these days. The coaches require it in every state I have been to for youth wrestling. It was required when I wrestled in high school. I remember our coach scolding a teammate any time he failed to shake the opposing coach's hand. There is a reason why you are told as a youth to line up and shake the opponent's hands. I personally did not care for it after my team lost a game, or when I got beat in a match, especially with a rival wrestler. But I knew it showed a sign of good sportsmanship and respect. My parents would have killed me if I walked away without shaking the opposing coach's hand. Of course, you are going to have some immature kids curse at you or some kids still reeling from their loss that are not in the mood to shake hands. That's part of it. I do not think that a football player shaking the opposing coach's hand after a touch down or a baseball player shaking the opposing manager's hand after a home run is parallel to this issue. Respectfully, the gesture of shaking hands being unsanitary does not hold much water IMHO. How many times have you hugged your wrestler or shook his hand after a match? Almost everything around you in the gym is exposed to unsanitary elements. Further, it is not too hard to talk with your "on deck" wrestler while the opponent comes over to shake your hand that lasts maybe 1 to 3 seconds if you throw in a comment to the kid. Lastly, I never remember it setting up "situations like this that do not need to occur." Your assistant can help you with the score, talking with one of your wrestlers about the match, etc.

I agree with all but the 160lb class. I am a DII guy, but, Wright would beat Wadell, in my opinion. Not that it counts really, but I think Wright beat Waddell fairly easily when they last wrestled. I am a big fan of Waddell's and think he is one of the better wrestlers in the state. The 160lb class was just brutal this year. Wright, Waddell, Creagan and Tolbert are all state champs in any other year. I may have second thoughts on the 189lb class also. Williams and Roberson would be a heck of a match. Williams wrestles all year long, too.

Walkenvol: Give me some insight on Doster-Bateman tonight and how you think either of them would do against DI competition. Also, I have wondered for some time if Waddell, Ceagan and Wright could match up with Bateman. He is a great athelete but only seems to be a seasonal wrestler.

I was really impressed with Abrigo last night even though he lost. He may be one of the more gifted wrestlers in Tennessee. He looked to be truly injured and in very bad pain, and he still made it a very competitive match. He is one of those kids that may not have had the resources that the big wrestling schools offer. It is easy to over look the kids like him that do not wrestle for Bradley, Soddy, Father Ran, McCallie, etc.

Rigger: What does your gut tell you about this match tomorrow? Who wins?

You would think Coach T would require scriveners to have at least a third grade writing level to post. Please purchase the Harbrace handbook for grammar because you are commiting a serious crime upon the English language. Lastly, your post infers that you have never been dishonest, lied, cheated or taken anything that was not yours...ever.

Are you saying Morgan will beat Letner? That is interesting. I think Letner has more resources to train with and has wrestled the better competition. Further, Letner looks a whole lot better than last year. I think Letner possibly would have beaten Coffee in the semi-finals if the brackets were not modified, and the finals would have been Letner and Morgan. I do believe now that the finals will be Letner and Coffee. I love the underdog in wrestling, but I do not see Morgan getting past Letner. Who is Morgan practicing with, and what type of competition has Morgan wrestled this year? Is Morgan a solid 215lbs?

Your post should not be on here. I would be willing to bet that you would not say this to Courtney personally. Please refrain from this immature diatribe.

If it was so stupid then why are you defending him in this thread? I just wonder if DD will wrestle 189 at Senior Nationals...I doubt it. W. Young moving to 140 actually helped McCallie last year. They scored more points with that line up and came in 2nd. Both Young's won instead of just 1. I would love to see CBHS place 1st or 2nd. Further, I actually think DD could still beat Bateman. Lastly, please show me how it helps CBHS?

DD going to 189 may give CBHS more points but not close enough to be in the top 3 of this tournament. DD is one of the best wrestlers in the state and did beat Bateman fair and square at the Ryan tourney. However, Bateman just started the season a week or two before the Ryan tournament due to an injury. From what I hear, Bateman has been wrestling everyday since. Logic would tell anyone that DD would have a better chance getting his first title at 189 than 171. It would be very odd not to think that DD is avoiding Bateman. Most seniors want to have the easier road to the title.

I would rather be viewed as an "all star" team than an average hodgepodge team any day. Chattanooga kids need to show up and show their stuff. We need more exposure to these teams in Middle Tennessee.

Does anyone know who the seeds are in each weight class and are there any surprises regarding which weight class certain wrestlers are going?

Let's stay on topic...shall we. I had the pleasure of watching some of the 2006 state finals on DVD the other night. I especially paid close attention to Morgan, Letner and Coffey(sic). I do realize these kids are better wrestlers this year so I compared it to what I have seen this year. This is what I see: Morgan is a great athelete that looks to have very little wrestling experience compared to some others. Further, Morgan looks to me to be a small 215lber. That means alot in this weight class. He reminds me of an inexperienced Marable that is forced to shadow wrestle himself in practice. I do believe he will go far with his talent. However, I can not objectively believe that he will win the state at 215. He would have a better chance at 189, but I do not know if he could beat the Robertson kid fom Soddy. He does have the strength to do so. Letner is alot better this year than last. Last year, IMHO, Coffey would have eaten him up. However, this year Letner has improved enough to possibly get past Coffey's strength and atheleticism in the DI state tourney. Letner does not have Coffey's strength and atheleticism by any means. However, good wrestlers can use solid technique to beat the less skilled athelete. Coffey can win just on pure studlyness. However, he better be in shape in the DI state tourney to handle Letner. Reveiz can not beat Coffey or Letner on any day, it is just reality...IMHO. However, I would love to see it. I root for the underdog. Bottom line is that I am torn between Letner and Coffey. I think Coffey is more suited due to his situation to beat Letner in a dual match, but Letner has the advantage in a competitive tourney.

Rigger: The exclamation point causes me to believe that I upset you. That was not my intention. Yes, I have watched Morgan. He is really good. Minwell was very great, but not a world beater. Morgan did not climb out from behind a rock and just appear at the state tournament last year. He has been around a while and was familiar with Minwell. The Division I 215lb division is very interesting to me, and I just want to hear objective opinions regarding who would win in a quad match. I gave my ignorant opinion. It doesn't look like anyone wants to give theirs.

Anybody with insight on these guys want to make an objective with-out-any-bias stab at it? I think Coffee would beat Letner if it is the 1st or 2nd match of the night, but may not be able to win if he and Letner wrestle on the 3rd match. I think Coffee would beat both Reveiz and Morgan no matter when, but more easily Reveiz.

Just for curiosity sake: If Coffee, Letner, Morgan and Reveiz wrestled in a quad today, what happens? Put any bias aside, just pure objective analysis.

Has Letner and Coffee ever wrestled?

Seriously, would any of these guys really be licking their chops to wrestle Coffee? In my humble opinion, Letner is the only one that will give him trouble because Letner has better instruction and wrestles stiffer competition. Coffee does not have anyone at his school or former school that could challenge him in practice...the programs are not on the same level. It would be nice to see how Coffee would have turned out if he was at Soddy, Baylor or McCallie. I do not think Letner or Reveiz would want to catch Coffee any round before the finals in the state tournament. Based upon what I have seen from all three wrestlers, Coffee has incredible 24 year old strength and flexibility, and the other two have incredible 17 year old strength and flexibility.

I have seen Morgan, Reveiz, Letner and Coffee wrestle. INMO, the only way Morgan and Reveiz would have a chance to win is if Coffee is out of shape. Coffee's draw back is that he does not wrestle the stiff competition (he's not at a powerhouse wrestling school) and does not have a consistent sparring partner. However, Letner can beat him...but, it would only be on a big stage like the state tournament. Coffee would beat them all in a regular season tournament or dual. Physically, Coffee's body is on the same plane as a 24 year old athelete. The other three are studs but they are still maturing physically.

Would it have affected his Sr. National status if he would have wrestled 152 at the Father Ryan tournament? If not, did he avoid Brandon Wright? The best should wrestle the best. It was said that Wright would have wrestled 152 if Felix was going to.

I realize the tournament has yet to be decided but would like to know what has happened thus far.

Need McCallie results. If anyone is in the know, please respond.

I heard the Challenge Cup was canceled. Is it true?

Does anyone have a definitive update on Josh Wheeler?

How is Middle Tennessee catching up with the West and how far East are you talking here? Clarksville, M.B.A., Father Ryan (most championships behind Baylor), Overton (2 championships), Brentwood High, Franklin (2005 Champs), Kenwood, McGavock just to name a few have been more successful than almost all West schools and alot of others in Chattanooga (except for Bradley, Baylor, McCallie recently)and farther east thereof.