Crosby or Pennington; who's better?

[Asylamer]

"Who's better?" If the intent of the question is which is the better wrestler, then to answer the question fully we have to go beyond the single double overtime match in the State. There is no question as to which wrestler will be recorded as the best wrestler in the 2003 TSSAA Division I Championships. And, although the winner may very well be the better wrestler, I take issue with those who cite the outcome of that match as the sole criterion for determining him the better wrestler.

 

There can be a huge difference in "who's (the) better" wrestler and "who's (the) better" wrestler in a given match. Those of us who have been around for a while can probably cite matches that we have seen here at home to illustrate that point. However, I will recall the ultimate illustration.

 

Years ago I read a correction to the spelling of a particular wrestler's family name. Today I couldn't remember whether it was Owen or Owens. After thirty minutes of search engines using both his name and associated events, I finally hit on the Washington Wrestling site and found his name, Larry Owings. Here was this guy who rocked the NCAA Wrestling world in 1970 by winning a high profile National Championship and I couldn't even recall his exact name. I knew his opponent's name. During the thirty or so minutes I was searching for Owings' name, I was scanning though site after site under the opponent's name trying to find mention of that match.

 

The opponent's name was Dan Gable. Who was the better wrestler, Larry Owings or Dan Gable? Although, Larry Owings kept the score close enough that he was able to surprise Gable with a takedown and back points in the final seconds of the match, and his score was greater than Gable's at the end of the match, and his name is recorded as the NCAA Champion, and we might agree that at least during the last minute or so of the match Larry Owings was the better wrestler for that span of time, (and not to discredit what Owings did) all of us know that Dan Gable was the better wrestler. That was the only NCAA loss in his career. Gable went on to win the '72 Olympics without allowing a single point to be scored against him.

[luchador]

Point well taken, Asylamer. Let's see how they progress in college, if they both wrestle in college, to see how their careers turn out.

 

Those who question who is the better high school wrestler should look at there overall careers. Crosby was a three time state placer and his last loss was the semi-finals of his sophomore year. Pennington, although a good wrestler, doesn't measure up to that.

[jeff112]

I agree with ya wrestlingfan i think that is all we can do it's over and that will probably be the only time they wrestle again so let it rest

[countrypk]

I saw the tape of the Gable Owings match when I was in college. I asked Gable about it when he was in Chattanooga because Jones had already reminded him of the match and no further harm was to be done. As the tape indicated, Gable lost track of the score and seems almost disoriented as he tries to view the score board which is suspended above the wrestlers.

 

I'd hate to think the respective careers of both wrestlers was judged by one match. By the way, my understanding is, and it's been a long long time ago, Owings dropped down a class to wrestle Gable. Owings was no slouch and only a sophomore who placed 2nd the next two years.

[Edited by countrypk on 4-24-03 3:34P]

 

[TDArtist]

This question will not be answered in college next year. Word out is that Daniel is going to play football next year and not wrestling in college.

[PUMMELKING]

Let them both then go to Fargo and represent Team Tennessee, hopefully one of them can come back with All-American honors, and if not maybe they will go head to head!!