Takedown Report

Wrestlers are well represented on the NFL rosters of the Super Bowl teams

It’s no secret that wrestlers make good football players. So, it will come as a surprise to few people that several former wrestlers will be playing in Super Bowl LIII on Sunday when the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams. Expected to take the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. are at least five former wrestlers that we have identified: John Sullivan of the Rams, Brian Allen of the Rams, Austin Blythe of the Rams, James Ferentz of the Patriots, and Danny Shelton of the Patriots.

Austin Blythe
Right guard, Los Angeles Rams
Austin Blythe is the starting right guard for the Rams. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft before and then traded to the Rams in 2017. Before his time in the NFL, Blythe was a four-year starter on the offensive line for the University of Iowa. In his senior year he was a finalist for the Rimington Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top center. Blythe is among the best wrestlers to play in the NFL. Rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2019/February/01/Wrestlers-in-the-Super-Bowl?mc_cid=5793c002d7&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 1, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Where’s the right place to draw the line on post-match decorum?

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Spontaneous jubilation and emotions after a match is understandable and reasonable yet planned and practiced gestures especially that show disrespect to an opponent are crass acts of disrespect to a wrestler’s own, team, his coach and himself. As I learned from my high school coaches in several sports that when one scores a touchdown or another act of success “act like you been there before”. As Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said during a gathering with reporters in State College: “This is wrestling. It’s supposed to bring out the best in people, not the worst.”
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Ohio State coach Tom Ryan looks across the college wrestling landscape and sees post-match behavior becoming a fine line on a slippery mat-covered slope. Penn State’s Cael Sanderson shakes his head at some of the things taking place at the end of bouts. And Jordan Burroughs says he’s not a fan of what he’s witnessed in recent weeks, either. College wrestling’s reach is greater than ever with its increasing attendance figures on campuses across the country, its burgeoning social media following and its omnipresent access to matches with a few mouse clicks and keyboard taps. But while more eyes are on the sport these days, some prominent wrestling figures are concerned about what viewers are seeing after the final whistle blows and the message it sends to the next generation of wrestlers. Post-match celebrations and shenanigans are generating retweets, likes and shares on social media. Some are also sparking team-point deductions and fueling discussions about what’s good for wrestling.

“I think people blur the line, like, ‘Oh, wrestling needs more entertainment, we need more character, we need more attractions, we need to transcend our small, niche fan base and get out to the premier market, but we don’t just have the product so we have to have the antics,’” said Burroughs, a five-time World and Olympic champion. “And I don’t agree with that. And anytime someone does something that humiliates an opponent, whether it’s blowing a kiss or holding a thumbs up or doing a throat slash, pushing a guy down, stuffing their head out of bounds, making a gesture at another coach, I don’t agree with it. It may be funny, it may be entertaining, but I don’t think there’s a place for it in this sport.” Burroughs said he’s all for celebrations and feels wrestlers “should be able to celebrate their excitement and their journey and their hard work” as long as the jubilation doesn’t get thrown in the opposition’s face. “What is entertaining,” he said, “isn’t necessary.” Rest of the story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1550182720305&twSessionId=ajaiqxmhrp&postId=1277793132&mc_cid=a2a4187d4b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 1, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

TDR Top 12 – 2019 preliminary 182 & 195 lbs.

TDR Editor’s Notes ; The following are the preliminary final top 12 list for the next two weight classes. We welcome input and corrections. We shall post two weight classes daily and then re-evaluate the rankings. The Big 4 Award winners will be announced after the 285 prelim is posted. Please e-mail martinkfleming@gmail.com to share your insights and views.
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April 1, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Wainwright named Super Region 2 Coach of the Year

MANHEIM, PA. – Newberry wrestling Head Coach Cy Wainwright has been named the 2019 National Wrestling Coaches Association Division II Super Region 2 Coach of the Year. “I couldn’t have done this without my support staff,” said Wainwright. “Assistant Coaches Bryant Blanton, Deral Brown, our Athletic Trainer Megan Nilsen and our Athletic Communications contact Andy Rogacki have all played key roles in the success of this season,” Wainwright continued.
Coach Wainwright has led the Wolves to a 12-3 record and a perfect 6-0 record in the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas. With the perfect record in conference action, Newberry was able to claim the conference championship in its inaugural season. Wainwright is in his third season at the helm and has compiled a record of 27-18 with a conference record of 16-2. During his tenure, the Wolves have won their conference championship all three years, twice in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) and one in the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas Conference.Wainwright earned the ECAC Coach of the Year a season ago after posting a 5-1 record in conference action.  Rest of the story at https://newberrywolves.com/news/2019/2/22/wrestling-wainwright-named-super-region-2-coach-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=a552c87db1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 1, 2019 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment