Away from the politics of D1/D2

[reftn]

This topic isnt intended to open up D1 / D2 debates.

 

It distresses me to see that those in TN cant support TN. When Bradley goes and wrestles in GA... every wrestler in the state should hope they mop up the tournament. When McCallie does to PA, I am for them. Ryan goes north to Indiana, whip em and whip em badd.

 

This is what we lost with the split. When I wrestled, the progressions to state were different. Of course, there was one state tournament. You had districts, very local tournaments. Glencliff didnt care for the Tea Sippers of Overton or the Farm boys at Antioch (my, how times have changed!) Our district was a tournament was a war.

 

The next weekend, the regional tournament, the war had only expanded. Now in region 3 all of the midstate was involved. Ronnie Carter could be seen sitting in the coaches chair giving instruction (I wonder if he ever got a warning at the table?) But, those same guys who were in a war the weekend before were now brothers, wanting our district to place the most going to state. There was a sense of pride for our own. Suddenly every wrestler had a dozen "coaches" in the form of other wrestlers giving their personal strategies for defeating some stud from another district. Now, Antioch was pulling for Overton against the Hillwood kid. Overton was pulling for Glencliff against the Ryan kid, and you KNEW Ryan was in the gym. They could officiate as well then as now. We actually wanted the Franklin kid to beat the McGavock kid.

 

Top four on to the states, Chattanooga and we hated those sonofaguns. Anything from Chattanooga was no doubt a yankee left over from the north/south disagreements. We would send our best to that war. McClellan Gym was divided and those of us from Nashville were proud to sit with Ryan crowd and anything from Nashville was better than anything from Chattanooga (in Nasville's humble opinion).

 

Different from war or divisional splits, after the final whistle, all politics died. Respect replaced politics and life goes on, and many of us are better not for winning that war but for having participated in it, and that we all knew. Right or wrong, when I am hiring in my business, the smart man puts wrestling in his resume somewhere. If nothing else, he will get an interview. I know some of what he has done. So far, the best hires I have had have been former wrestlers.

 

A different time, and different place.

 

reftn

[SilentJohn]

I couldn't agree more. When I was in school in the mid 80's, it was like that. It will always be that way for me, because that is what my coach (Steve Henry) taught me.

 

When we were out of town at a tournament, often I would find myself rooting for a kid from Baylor, McCallie, or even most hated Red Bank or Hixson(both of whom we never defeated while I was in school). I even helped scout a Memphis team at a tournament in order to help out a Chattanooga team that expected to see a lot of that team at the State. They did, and they won. I was happy to offer even a small amount of help towards that cause. To me, that kind of thing was no different than shaking hands with a guy after a match--it was just what you did, what was expected of you.

I miss those old region wars at Notre Dame. If you could somehow scratch and claw your way to a place in that tournament, you knew you had a shot a State medal because it was so tough.

 

Ahhh the good old days.

[Bobvark]

When I was in school (early-mid 90's) it seemed to be everyone vs McCallie. And McCallie won, I think the split hurt them the worst and allowed other teams to catch up.

[best_of_the_west]

Silent John,

Don't forget that Memphis is in Tennessee too. We'll see you easterners at states. Good luck the rest of the season.

[texas23]

Hey Best of the West,

 

Silent is talking of the past, not the present and near future.

[best_of_the_west]

Just a joke.

[reftn]

Best,

 

Theses posts in this thread pertain to our personal experiences ... we fully realize their are 3 grand divisions of the state, according to the flag. Memphis will have different perspective than Nashville and Nashville different from Knoxville and Chattanooga.

 

My post had to do with my recollections of the differences in wrestling from the 70's. Of course, it was better, tougher, harder, more rewarding in my day (tongue in cheek). But we didnt walk to school two miles up hill both ways! That was my father's generation. But it should have been better in your day and will be better in your kids day.

 

reftn

Edited December 31, 2003 by reftn