Why was a chair thrown?

[best_of_the_west]

Guys, I think you've overlooked an important aspect of the sport...

 

There's a difference between a "tournament team," and a "duals team." As everybody knows, coaching strategies differ greatly depending on the format.

For an example, look at Region 2. Maryville wins the region duals, and is 2 and done at State Duals. Farragut, on the other hand, doesn't qualify for the duals, and finishes 13th at the Individual State while Maryville finishes 55th (tied w/ 15 teams). Other teams perform consistently at both the Duals and Individual (Bradley, Soddy, Franklin, etc.).

 

I like the way TSSAA handles this.

Actually, that's been mentioned several times. It's pretty common knowledge.

[kdxdude]

BOTW, Point well taken on the mat time reply. I was hoping to get to meet you at the tournament but a death in the family severely limited my time there. I came in late on the semis and I caught the finals also. Maybe next time!

[fwc00]

Best of the West,

Farragut finished 4th at individuals not 13th,they would have had stronger dual team execpt for rash of injuries.Knox 171 missed 6 weeks due to foot injury and had to get shots in his big toe joint monday prior to states so he could wrestle.125 Mountain had knee surgery in Dec. and returned for county championships which was two weeks prior to regions, 145 Farinella had knee surgery in Jan and returned for regions,112 Abercrombie broke a bone in his leg at the Bradley tournament and returned for county championships.That represented four starters out most of the season and 135 was forced to quit team due to grades. I have never seen so many injuries on one team and a team that was small in numbers to start with.

Edited February 26, 2004 by fwc00

[mtnrasslin]

how many team state championships has connell produced while he has been at mccallie??

Since the DII split:

 

McCallie- Duals- 1- '03

McCallie- Traditionals- 0

 

Father Ryan- Duals- 4-'98,'99,'00,'04

Father Ryan- Traditionals- 3- '98, '00,'03

 

Baylor- Duals-2- '01, '02,

Baylor- Traditional- 4- '99, '01, '02, '04

Edited February 26, 2004 by mtnrasslin

[downforthecount]

We've talked over and over about the Traditional tournament being an individual tournament. Do we "know" McCallie's decision wasn't about individuals? No question Manley got the short end of the stick. But, I thought Coach Connell was fullfilling a promise he made to another wrestler who took one for the team last year...and four out of five individuals are happy aren't they?

[texas23]

We've talked over and over about the Traditional tournament being an individual tournament. Do we "know" McCallie's decision wasn't about individuals? No question Manley got the short end of the stick. But, I thought Coach Connell was fullfilling a promise he made to another wrestler who took one for the team last year...and four out of five individuals are happy aren't they?

pantheon,

 

Thank you for answering a difficult question that I asked yesterday. I appreciate hearing you view point on the situation. I agree that the fairness part of the question is going to be viewed from which side of the equation you sit. It can be no other way.

 

 

DownfortheCount,

 

Pantheon is a person in the know about the situation. He stated that is was about the team and that was a driving force for the line up decisions that were made. I would consider that we do now "know" that is was not about the individuals.

[Chattcity]

This is interesting although a somewhat disappointing topic. Walkenvol, we all feel your pain. Easy for us to say but Spencer should not let this tarnish an unbelievable career, both on the mat and off. He obviously has been raised well.

 

I had been told after Christmas that there was some disagreement among the wrestlers as to who was wrestling what weight but I guess I did not fully understand it until the traditional state meet. This may be an ignorant question, but are there some who feel that Scott might have had a better shot against Marable due the different wrestling styles? I would be interested to know what others who know these wrestlers better than I think about a Scott-Marable matchup. Did Manley match up better against Marable than did Scott? Was Scott's attempt at a 4th state title a factor in the decision to wrestle Manley at 152?

 

I am not trying to beat a dead horse I just think the thinking behind the decision is interesting.

[WrestleSBA]

Chattcity,

I think Scott had a better chance of defeating Nick than Manley did. I base this solely on the fact that he would be closer to his normal weight and that Scott and Nick have had some very good matches in the past. For example last years finals match between the two. Undoubtedly both wrestlers have improved greatly since then, but from how Nick wrestled in that match I just don't think there is anyone that could have beaten him on Saturday night.

[Wrestle90]

Like so many of you have said, McCallie had a little group of horses, smith, blair, manley, and scott. And also like so many of you have said, they are all near the same weight class. So many of us have gotten on here trying to decide what was going on in Connell's mind when he made this decision. Well here's my shot at it... All 4 wrestlers are outstanding, and Connell knows more than we do about his wrestlers. The way they wrestle, the strength they have, and the mental strength they have as well. All those factors have to tie into a major decision such as this... I think Connell put them all into perspective... He knew that Spencer would be the wrestler out of that group that could beat Marable... yeah Scott beat him last year in the finals, but Manley was the one who Connell believed could do it. Which I would perceive as a great honor. Manley could have won, I just don't think that the mental strength was with him that night. He had so many people telling him different things, his coach, his father, his ownself. He has the strength, he has the skill, but his mind wasn't in the right place. When you are hounded about winning every minute until you go out onto the mat... your mind will definately not be in the right place. That is all just my opinion and take on this whole situation. And also like so many of you have already said... Connell has way more experience than any of us rookies on this message board.... He knows what he's doing...

[Chattcity]

Well said Wrestle90. I ama firm believer that coaches know more than fans but it is still fascinating to play the what if game.I can't help but wonder if the chance of having a four time state champ didn't enter into the decision.

Anyone recall the score of the Scott-Marable match last year?

[WrestleSBA]

ChattCity,

 

I do believe the score was 9-5 in favor of Scott. It had been a close match but I think Scott just had the edge on muscle to take Nick last year. From what I remember their technique levels were very close.

 

And I will agree that I am sure Coach Connell did what he felt was right for his team and he certainly would know better than I.

[jddragon]

I have long admired McCallie and their wrestling program and probably most of the credit goes to their outstanding coach; however, in wrestling we have state duals and state individual tournaments. I believe the art and beauty of our sport is personified in the "wrestle-off." In every wrestling room, varsity and junior varsity wrestlers are all equal until the wrestle-off, which determines who represents the team that week. Cherrypicking spots tears at the integrity of our sport and mistreats everyone on the team wrongly for the benifit of one. This surely was an unecessary distraction and I am disappointed for Spencer and everyone on that team. I hope for the future of McCallie that their great coach considers this an experiment never to be revisited.