Coaches Proposals

[bearmen]

CBG,

Clint and Pete are two people that have given alot to our sport. I don't know you but I'll bet they were refs 20 years before you were born. They also have done alot for the sport through the board of control and the legislative council of the tssaa. Things that I'm sure you probably aren't aware of.

They may not be your favorite refs but they do care about wrestling.

[clintabbott]

I can't speak for Pete, but I quit officiating as much as I reached my autumn years. I have worked for thirty-eight years as an official, if you don't count the year I worked before the TSSAA started governing wrestling. I have a goal of forty years. I will work a few Saturday tournaments in our area and a couple of dual meets. I have never allowed a coach to pass an official in a meet, but if you are a coach and don't want me to officiate your match because I'm too old, I will gladly pass your match if you will come to me and tell me that you think it would be better if I did't work your match. I look forward to hearing from you on this thread.

[Guest]

I've had the honor working with both Clint and Pete for several years. I cannot begin to tell you how much I learned over the years from both of them. I can assure you that both of them "still have it". Officiating wrestling is much harder than it looks. If you don't believe me, I've got a spare set of arm bands and a whistle I would be glad to loan you for a couple of challenge matches. Not many people are are aware that Clint and Pete both have worked numerous college tournaments including the SEC championships back in the glory days of SEC wrestling, not to mention several NCAA qualifiers. Clint and Pete both have done a great service to the sport of wrestling and I for one will truly miss them if they decide to hang it up.

 

If I had a kid wrestling a big match, Clint and Pete would be on my list of officials to have on the mat.

 

 

xbody

[luchador]

I believe a better sight for the duals would be in Dickson. The area has plenty of hotel rooms for people who have to travel. There is an abundance of restaurants available. Most importantly, they have a gym that would hold three mats end to end with room for chairs between the mats. They have thirty feet of out of bounds from the basketball lines on each end of the gym. There wouldn't be a bad seat in the house. They also have those new form-fitting fiberglass bleachers that reduce bleacher butt fatigue. The bleachers can be entered from the top down to restrict floor movement.

Coach Badon, do us all a favor and try to secure this event for your school and city.

I recently spoke with Tommy about trying to secure this event. Hopefully he will help us all out and bnefit the state by hosting it in the future.

[Edited by luchador on 8-7-02 10:36P]

 

[duggerd1]

For the last 2o years Ihave been associated with The biggest tournament in the Knoxville area. One thing that I have always tried to do is have the best officials possible. We usually have 10 officials for 5 mats. These officials come from Nashville, Chattanooga, Cleveland, and Greeneville. The senior official has always been and will be this year Pete Stafford. Clint Abbot will also be a valued member of this group. Both of them helped me to become a successful coach. I value them ability and friendship. They have not always made calls to my liking, but they have always been fair. Today in an important match I would still prefer them to many of the younger officials. Their contributions to wrestling in Tennessee cannot be overlooked.

[walkenvol]

Cheap shot. I've watched both Clint and Pete officiate for 25 years. They both have complete understanding of the rules of the sport and enforce those rules consistently and calmly nor do they appear to have bias for or against any particular schools. Neither of these guys run around the mat alot, but good officials anticipate the action and are able to avoid playing catch up to the action. At the state tournament this year, the worst officiating mistake was in the DII 215 lb finals when the official sent the match into overtime on a scoring error. Both coaches knew the score was incorrect, but the official would not allow them to the head table to question the misapplication. The match continued for almost the entire overtime before the official at the head table discovered the error. I don't believe this would have happened with Clint or Pete.

[cbg]

Hey it is just my opinion that Clint and Pete have lost a step and are unable to get into position to make alot of the call that they used to be able to make. As athletes we have all lost a step or two as we get a little long in the tooth. It is nothing personal, just the facts of life that I like the way the younger officials move and how most of them call stalling quicker than the older officials. At 51 years old I have seen most all of the officials working the state tournament when they wrestled.

[clintabbott]

CHG

I have no problem with you not liking our officiating, when you put on the striped shirt and put the whistle in your mouth, you are nnot going to please everybody all the time. I've always said that you please half the coaches half the time. I do have a problem with you questioning our loyality to the sport of wrestling. I started officiating for five dollars a match in 1963. I know I have lost a step, but for to wonder whether I care about the sport is baffling to me. I have officiated for most of the young officials in our state, and I believe that if you questioned them about whether I care about wrestling or not. The vast majority would tell you that I do care about wrestling. Why don't you conduct a poll to find out if most TN officials and coaches believe that I have been loyal and true blue to the sport of wrestling.

[clintabbott]

cgb

I' sorry about calling you CHB, I guess my mind has lost a step also.

[sly]

Clint, There is no need for anyone to take a poll regarding your loyalty or dedication (Pete too), because those of us who've been around long enough know that the both of you continue to be part of the best that Tennessee high school wrestling has to offer. I know I can speak for many of our friends in wrestling and thank you and Pete for all you've done and will do to help make our sport better. Clint you are a true gentleman and represent our sport in a professional manner and I for one hope to see you calling matches this up coming season. Thank you Clint and Pete.

[XWRISTSD]

Hey Clint!

This is Steve Henry, I have no problem telling you who I am. I have and always will have the utmost respect for you and Pete. What a lot of people do not understand is how tolerent guys like you and Pete were of quick tempered young inexperienced Coaches like I was when I first started. Pete is the only Official to ever deduct a point from my Team due to my poor choice of words. I will always remember that and always appreciate it, because it taught me a lesson on how to conduct myself. I have put on the "Stripes" and it made me Much more understanding. Clint, thank you very much for all you have done to promote Wrestling in our State.

[XWRISTSD]

Hey Clint!

This is Steve Henry, I have no problem telling you who I am. I have and always will have the utmost respect for you and Pete. What a lot of people do not understand is how tolerent guys like you and Pete were of quick tempered young inexperienced Coaches like I was when I first started. Pete is the only Official to ever deduct a point from my Team due to my poor choice of words. I will always remember that and always appreciate it, because it taught me a lesson on how to conduct myself. I have put on the "Stripes" and it made me Much more understanding. Clint, thank you very much for all you have done to promote Wrestling in our State.