A real state tournament

[ccleveland]

http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2015/February/20/Trip-back-to-state-tournament-brings-back-fond-memories

 

This article talks about Iowa's state tournament. Look how nice the venue looks and how it is a real state tournament feel. We need to get on the national message boards and bring national attention to the "Cow Palace". It's embarrassing telling other states about our state tournament. I saw a college coach at our state tournament to recruit some kids, and it was his first experience with the "Cow Palace". He told me it was a ridiculous site to host a state tournament and he couldn't believe how inadequate the venue was. I know several post like this happen every year, but it's time for national attention not just local bickering. 

[soms2]

Not to beat dead horse with soms, But get everyone together for what Durdon suggested with a bracket of 8-12 depending on who wants to compete from all divisions invitation. Now this will draw the scouts, boost wrestling interest and revenue

Edited February 20, 2015 by soms2

[Floyd]

@USA wrestling on twitter and snap chat are asking for state tournament pictures. They are getting them from around the country. Maybe we could let them know that we are unhappy with our venue and see if they make suggestions.

[russianbear]

"He told me it was a ridiculous site to host a state tournament and he couldn't believe how inadequate the venue was."

 

Cody, the term 'disbelief' comes to mind. When I coached at Ohio U, I visited state tournaments in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. The last couple years I've researched via internet other venues. The only thing that even comes close to comparable to the Cow Palace is Kentucky's. 

I've worn myself out complaining and trying to bring attention to this. The only thing that puts me in more disbelief than someone actually deciding to put a state tournament there is the insistence to keep it there. I've come to conclusion that the only way to get it move is to either:
1) Convince the TSSAA beyond a shadow of a doubt that it's unsanitary

OR

2) Have the people that matter become so embarrassed by it, that it can no longer be hidden
OR

3) Some type of legal reason

 

The biggest obstacle I've found to organize is people think there is some ulterior motive other than being about what the kids deserve.
 

[mat73557]

We should find out how Iowa or other states pay for the venues they use. How does Georgia pay for the use of the Georgia Dome?

[longbeard]

Michigan state tourney is at the palace of auburn hills. look it up. its sweet

[karelin]

All it takes is one lawsuit proving that a case of skin disease was traced to the site in question, and your wish is done, Mersa(sp) preferably. And we may have such a case, flesh eating sore on a wrestlers finger.

[stankyfoot]

I know we all want the tournament to move, and I know that some of our kids have obtained skin funk directly related to the ag center, but is a skin scare really the thing the state wrestling community needs?

[Lutte]

Should we expect similar lawsuits against high schools that host regular season tournaments where skin conditions have been contracted? I'm sure wrestlers have come away from Soddy, Brentwood, Father Ryan, the Prep Slam, even the State Tournament hosted at UTC with cases of something. And there were showers available on site at all those events.

I'm not saying it's the best place to host the tournament. Just playing devil's advocate to that line of argument. If there is a better place to host the state championships, why hasn't a group gotten together and told TSSAA they would do the work to host the tournament at that location and come up with the financial support to make it happen? The Williamson County group has certainly shown there willingness to put the work in.

[russianbear]

Should we expect similar lawsuits against high schools that host regular season tournaments where skin conditions have been contracted? I'm sure wrestlers have come away from Soddy, Brentwood, Father Ryan, the Prep Slam, even the State Tournament hosted at UTC with cases of something. And there were showers available on site at all those events.

I'm not saying it's the best place to host the tournament. Just playing devil's advocate to that line of argument. If there is a better place to host the state championships, why hasn't a group gotten together and told TSSAA they would do the work to host the tournament at that location and come up with the financial support to make it happen? The Williamson County group has certainly shown there willingness to put the work in.

You make a good point Lutte, but you're missing something very important.

 

Have you been to the AG Center during an event it's designed for? Do you realize what is in the soil? The only thing between the wrestlers and cow and pig manure is a thin carpet and duck tape. That's not an exaggeration. Not to mention whatever is in the soil is in the air. Have you been on the floor during the tournament? I wore black shoes. When I got home, they were light brown from dust. Not having showers just adds to it.. 

 

How ironic is it that 50% of the TSSAA October coaches meeting deals with skin infection. On top of that there were at least 2 wrestlers(Chatt Central 220 pounder, Gilley 106 pounder, there may have been more) that weren't allowed to compete due to skin infections despite having doctors notes.

Edited February 21, 2015 by russianbear

[russianbear]

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/preps/story/2015/feb/15/tssaas-reeves-says-state-event-stay-franklin/288428/

[Lutte]

russianbear, I have been to the Ag Center and am aware of the floor. I'm assuming TSSAA was also aware of the setup when they decided to move the tournament there. Again, I'm not saying it's the best place to have it. But, again, what other solutions have been presented and who's going to do the work to pull it off? It's my understanding that the people who work the tables and manage the floor are volunteers from Williamson County Schools. Running 12 mats for that period of time takes a lot of people. I think when it was in Chattanooga Soddy Daisy handled the bulk of that work with some help from a few others. Are there other groups now stepping up saying they will do it at Clarksville or Chattanooga? The venues for Iowa and Ohio are impressive, but I would bet they don't just magically happen. There are a lot of volunteers working behind the scenes to pull it off. Is Soddy offering to do it again, or Baylor, or McCallie? This subject keeps coming up every year, but no one seems to want to help fix it.

 

I think putting it somewhere that can only hold 8 mats will require the AAA tournament to be cut to a 16 man bracket, which might not be a bad thing.

Edited February 21, 2015 by Lutte