Takedown Report

Wrestling History – # 19

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Included are history of some great matches, losses, U.S. world medalists, wrestling heroes and role models. Wrestling is a great sport and athletic training experience. The competition is exciting and as thrilling as it is for fans to cheer on it is much more important is the learning and growth in the competitors. It can and usually does make a difference in the wrestlers’ lives and thus be a benefit to others.
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1 } – Mark Branch: My Greatest Loss
Mark Branch of Oklahoma State reached the NCAA Championship finals four times, placing first in 1994, second in 1995 and 1996, and first in 1997. Branch entered the 1994 NCAA Championships as a freshman with an 8-9 record and shocked the field by winning the 167-pound bracket. Pat Smith, his Cowboy teammate, made history by becoming the first wrestler to win four NCAA Division I titles in the weight class before Branch, so there was an expectation that Branch would also win four. 
The next two years were disappointments for Branch. He lost to Arizona State’s Markus Mollica, 5-3, in the 1995 NCAA tournament finals then lost by injury default to Iowa’s Daryl Weber — an opponent he had defeated by major decision earlier in the season — when he blew out his knee during the match.
Branch capped his career with an undefeated season in 1997 and a second NCAA title. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1599702431931&twSessionId=jomgsauurn&postId=866421135&mc_cid=d4c11c167e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – History Class – What really happened when Lee Kemp wrestled Dan Gable … video and rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPlayer.jsp?TIM=1599793374486&twSessionId=hsvsfpclqf&videoId=866432135&mc_cid=27cd8af936&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – .Matt Valenti: My Wrestling Hero
Today’s installment of My Wrestling Hero features Matt Valenti. The two-time NCAA champion, who is now an associate athletic director at Penn, shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes: Tom and Terry Brands. 
These are Valenti’s thoughts on his wrestling heroes:
“The guys I liked watching the most and was a fan of were the Brands brothers. Whether I can pick one or the other, I don’t know if I can do that, but I just loved watching them wrestle. They were fun.  “I definitely grew up following the Iowa dynasty and that was definitely what I got to watch and learn about. I think those two were the figureheads of that Iowa dynasty.  .. rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1599598006075&twSessionId=olucbqnnku&postId=865126135&mc_cid=99708d813d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – Spencer Lee: My Wrestling Hero
Today’s installment of My Wrestling Hero features Spencer Lee. The two-time NCAA champion and three-time age-group World champion shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes: Cary Kolat and Tom and Terry Brands. 
These are Lee’s words on his wrestling heroes: 
“Growing up my hero was probably Cary Kolat just because he was a PA legend and I wanted to win four and go undefeated like him. I didn’t really watch college, but I knew all the Olympic champs from 1972 to the modern day. That was my guilty pleasure. That’s what I loved doing. There were tons of Olympic champs that I loved.
“In America, it was the Brands brothers and Cary Kolat. I always said that those were going to be the guys who were going to coach me in college. One of those three.  “I liked the way they wrestled. I always say, if you watch Tom Brands’ Olympic finals match — there was one second left and he was winning 7-0. The ref blows the whistle and he walks forward at the guy. Just that mindset. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1599493975008&twSessionId=iopndevxwf&postId=864797135&mc_cid=72ed629a09&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Kyle Ruschell: My Wrestling Hero
Today’s installment of My Wrestling Hero features Kyle Ruschell. The Chattanooga coach and two-time All-American from Wisconsin shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes: Barry Davis and Donny Pritzlaff. 
These are Ruschell’s thoughts on his wrestling heroes:
“I didn’t really get around the sport until sixth grade, and after that, I really didn’t know what college wrestling was until my senior year of high school. I can’t go outside of a small box, so for me Barry Davis is my hero because he was my coach. Barry Davis taught me a lot. He really took me under his wing. Just seeing the way he competed and then watching film translated to why he’s telling me what I needed to do.
“Barry taught me the difference between college wrestling and high school wrestling. Coming from Kentucky, I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into. Nowadays kids can see it, I couldn’t. I remember him specifically the first month being there, I was trying my absolute hardest to get away from him off the bottom. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1599793374486&twSessionId=hsvsfpclqf&postId=866424135&mc_cid=27cd8af936&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – CEO and NCAA Finalist for Michigan Mike Amine
Mike Amine is the  CEO and president of Wealth Strategies Financial Group. He was an NCAA runner-up in 1988 and competed for a spot on the US greco team in 1992.  In this conversation, we cover the influence of Mike’s late father, running a business as a former wrestler, and of course, Mike’s incredible performance at the 1988 NCAA’s. Enjoy
SPONSOR
This episode is brought to you by the Wrestling Changed My Life online store. We have podcast T-Shirts, Hoodies, Crew-necks, Stickers and more.  Go to Store.WrestlingChangedMyLife.com to shop. … rest of story at _{https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/mike/?mc_cid=27cd8af936&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – 10 U.S. World medalists who deserve a closer look
The goal is gold. These American wrestlers didn’t quite get there but they achieved the next best thing: medals at the World Championships and the Olympic Games. Below are 10 wrestlers that deserve a closer look. 
Don Behm (three medals)
1968 Olympics (MFS): silver at 125.5 pounds
1969 Worlds (MFS): silver at 125.5 pounds
1971 Worlds (MFS): silver at 125.5 pounds
Behm won a silver medal at the 1968 Olympics and famously did not wrestle gold medalist Yojiro Uetake from Japan. …
The rivalry between Behm and Rick Sanders is what wrestling aficionados should remember best. Behm and Sanders faced each other 15 times with Behm defeating Sanders for the 57-kilogram spot on the 1969 World Championship team.
Brandon Eggum (one medal)
2001 Worlds (MFS): silver at 187.25 pounds
The United States was scheduled to host the 2001 World Championships in New York City — then 9/11 happened. The 2001 Worlds were postponed and eventually moved to Sofia, Bulgaria. Two wrestlers with college eligibility made the 2001 World team that year: Stephen Abas and Cael Sanderson. Abas opted to compete; Sanderson opted not to compete.  Brandon Eggum — Sanderson’s replacement — took advantage of his lone opportunity. …
Matt Ghaffari (four medals)
1991 Worlds (GR): silver at 286 pounds
1995 Worlds (GR): bronze at 286 pounds
1996 Olympics (GR): silver at 286 pounds
1998 Worlds (GR): silver at 286 pounds
The United States has a tradition of producing high-level Greco-Roman wrestlers in the super heavyweight division. Ghaffari is the founding father of that tradition — even though his successors — Rulon Gardner and Dremiel Byers — get recognized more often. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1599793374486&twSessionId=hsvsfpclqf&postId=866430135&mc_cid=27cd8af936&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – Nate Engel: My Wrestling Hero
Today’s installment of My Wrestling Hero features Nate Engel. The first-year Oregon State assistant shares his thoughts on his wrestling hero: Dennis Hall.  These are Engel’s thoughts on his wrestling hero:
“If I had to say a wrestling hero it would be Dennis Hall. There are so many reasons, but it was just the way he was able to train and do things his way — and how strong his mind was. Then he turned it into coaching. 
“He coached me when I went to Northern Michigan in 2009-10 — right after Ivan (Ivanov) left. He was up there for a year and a half, but I would … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1599845881301&twSessionId=iuqinvsnpv&postId=866436135&mc_cid=aa70f844b7&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – Jed Smith is taking strength and conditioning to the fringe
Who is the greatest wrestler of all-time?
John Smith? Jordan Burroughs? Sergei Beloglazov? Arsen Fadzaev? Alexander Karelin?
How about Milo of Croton — a six-time Olympic champion (540 BC – 520 BC) from Italy who is the father of modern strength and conditioning?
Legend has it that Milo would carry a baby calf for strength training. As the calf grew, so did Milo’s strength.
Jed Smith, the head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Northern Iowa, is a modern-day Milo. He is all about progressive overload training — just like Milo was 2500 years ago. The difference is Smith has science and a method to his madness. Although Milo’s methods seem primitive, Smith insists that performance is about adapting basic principles in an optimal way. 
His latest book — ‘Fringe Methodologies In High Performance and Health’ — explores the best ways for an athlete to achieve his or her highest level. … rest of story at _{https://www.trackwrestling.com/tw/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1599845881301&twSessionId=iuqinvsnpv&postId=866434135&mc_cid=aa70f844b7&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – .Where Are They Now: Nick Gallo, Wrestling
Recruited out of Deer Park High School in Deer Park, New York, Nick Gallo joined the Hofstra wrestling team and had incredible success. Gallo posted a 104-14 record over his four years at Hofstra, culminating in 1977 when he won the NCAA title at the 126-pound weight class. He was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1977 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships and earned All-America honors. Gallo also competed internationally during and after graduating from Hofstra in 1978, earning a spot on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Team as an alternate and then winning a silver medal at the 1980 Wrestling World Cup while helping the team to a gold medal. Gallo returned to Hofstra as head coach of the wrestling program in 1979, compiling a 34-19 record while producing nine conference champions and 10 NCAA qualifiers during his three-year tenure. Because of his accomplishments in wrestling, and because of his continued support and promotion of collegiate and international wrestling, Gallo received the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. Gallo was among the inaugural group inducted into the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006, and in 2009 he was honored by Hofstra University by having a singlet with his name hung from the rafters of the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Center. Gallo has worked as a consultant for Asics for many years, .. rest of story at _{https://gohofstra.com/news/2020/9/10/where-are-they-now-nick-gallo-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=27cd8af936&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

October 17, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized