Q: When is the last time a college has qualified two (2!) wrestlers for the Olympics like Oklahoma did this year?
-- @drube
Foley: Boomer Sooner!
Coleman Scott and Sammie Henson jumped in on Twitter to help answer this question, which unfortunately for your school pride has many answers. Okie State had three wrestling Olympians in 2004 (Eric Guerrero, Jamill Kelly, Daniel Cormier) and Iowa had three in 2008 (Doug Schwab, Mike Zadick and Steve Mocco).
Sam Hazewinkel (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)So what changed in 2012?
Both have personal lives and off-the-mat motivations, and both are veterans facing the prospect of 2012 being their last chance to make an Olympic team. But motivations exist for everyone on the cusp of making an Olympic team and several other wrestlers nearing the end of their career had similar motivations to make it happen in 2012.
The difference? In my opinion it was Oklahoma head coach Mark Cody. The first-year head coach was in the corner for both Frayer and Hazewinkel, who train in Norman. He's not as celebrated for his freestyle coaching as he is collegiate success, but when you're the commander-in-chief, winning (and losing) are easily associated with your guidance/presence/coaching. It's unclear what he did to motivate his wrestlers, but for me effective coaching comes from confidence, and it's evident in all of Cody's wrestlers that they compete with his full trust. This is anecdotal, but I remember watching Ganbayar step off the mat after his last match at the 2011 NCAA tournament and give Cody a full-on, head-in-the-shoulder hug. Ganbayar loved his coach, and when imbued with that type of confidence from someone who demands respect, wrestlers tend to perform.
Whatever the X factor, one thing is certain: Frayer and Hazewinkel wrestled their asses off last weekend.
Q: My question for you this week is do you think our current Olympic team qualification process ultimately provides us with the team with the greatest potential for success at the Olympics? I hate to raise this question because one of my favorite aspects of wrestling has always been the fact that one controls their own destiny. More specifically, one has complete control over making a team unlike in many other sports where making the team is at the sole discretion of the team's coach. With this being said, I wonder if we would be more successful at the Olympics if were to combine the current qualification process with some sort of discretionary component. The discretionary component could basically be structured as a panel consisting of the nation's top coaches or former athletes that would vote to determine the wrestler with the highest potential in each weight class. If a wrestler were to receive an overwhelming majority of the panel's votes, he would be given the spot on the team, regardless of his final placement at the trials. My concern with the current structure, which lacks a discretionary component, is that an athlete could have the worst tournament of his career at the trials and lose to an athlete with far less potential to medal at the Olympics. With a discretionary component, we would also limit situations where our most capable wrestler at a given weight class loses to an inferior competitor simply due to a bad matchup of styles.
I would like to note that this question isn't directed at the results from any specific weight class from this past weekend and my hat is off to all of the athletes that competed in the tournament and especially to those who will be headed to London. I just think this could be an interesting concept for discussion.
-- Rick T.
Foley: USA Wrestling did a lot to adjust the rules after the team's disastrous performance at the 2008 Olympics. The best-of-three format and mandate that a returning medalist must also be out-competed at an international tournament were adjustments that eliminated some of the fallout from guys losing due to a bad matchup.
Nick Simmons defeated Henry Cejudo in a wild three-period match (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The better question might be: How would a panel affect the motivations of our wrestlers aspiring to compete for a spot on the World level? Would it de-motivate those trying to climb from No. 2 or No. 5 to the top spot? Wouldn't it seem silly to compete if you knew that No. 1 was being selected regardless?
Let's assume Cejudo had stayed active in wrestling over the past few years, we'd have seen a vacant 55 kilos weight class. Cejudo is too popular (profitable even?) to USA Wrestling to not take him to London should the opportunity arise. The same can be said for Jordan Burroughs at 74 kilos. Who in America, given the chance, wouldn't have sent Burroughs to the Olympics if he'd lost to Howe in the finals? Howe had Burroughs breathing hard, but ultimately I could never see an Olympic panel choosing Howe over Burroughs.
Those type of big brother selections disincentives our athletes from competing, which in turn would lessen our stars' in-country competition, and ultimately make for a weaker team. Not to mention it seems wholly and completely un-American. This isn't Russia!
Wait, maybe that was your point ... ?
Q: As a former college wrestler, you know the importance of administrative support in building a wrestling program. However, how come when a program is not succeeding, it's always about the lack of administrative support the program gets? Is this really a reason some programs don't succeed or a part of a number of other issues? Sure, when a program does not have the full allotment of scholarships that can affect a team, but, do you think administrative support is overblown? What exactly is administrative support anyway? Is it the AD showing up at wrestling meets? Is it helping the team get a bigger budget? What role does the administration really play in a program? And for those who don't succeed, is it really the administration, the coaching, the kids or a combo of all?
-- Matt K.
Foley: I think that the heart of your question is essentially a definition of the idiom "administrative support," and once defined, can we determine whether or not it impacts a program.
In my opinion administrative support comes down to how often the associate athletic director looks at the head wrestling coach and says "Yeah, I think we can push for that." That's a simple answer, but for programs that aren't in the top five, the main frustration for many coaches is having an excellent idea squashed by a pear-shaped bureaucratic. Everybody needs an advocate and a wrestling coach's job is much easier when they have a direct boss willing to push for their needs to the head athletic director. I've seen administrators willing to double leg higher-ups to get a few grand extra into the wrestling budget. Likewise, I've seen admins who reflexively reply "no," often as a misplaces exertion of their power, or to show the AD that they know how to "manage" their coaches. The programs with advocates tend to do better, and those advocates tend to fall under the umbrella of "administrative support."
Wrestling coaches tend to be entrepreneurial and their ideas are aggressive and unique, without an advocate those ideas become stymied, but with administrative support they can create an atmosphere where they feel comfortable and fulfilled, which should lead to more wins for their wrestlers.
Q: I currently live in Florida, but despite high school wrestling being quite popular and competitive in Florida, the college wrestling programmatic scene, other than at the club-NCWA level, is practically non-existent. Yet, many DI, II, and III teams sponsor or participate in tournaments and duals in Florida each year, e.g. The Citrus Duals and the UCF Open. Do you foresee any kind of progressive evolution in Florida college wrestling? Do you see, or have you heard anything, about change?
-- Scott C.
Foley: Florida has had five Division I wrestling programs (year dropped in parenthesis): UCF (1986), Stetson (1986), Florida (1979), Florida State (N/A), Jacksonville Univ. (N/A).
That's the history of Division I wrestling in the state, now the question becomes how to regain traction. Football is king in Florida, they produce some of the highest quality players in the nation and the college teams win NCAA titles, which are highly lucrative for the state-run universities. The Univ. of Alabama is reported to have net more than $75-million in profits this season, which if used wisely can help reduce the financial burden on students (or just go into building a bigger stadium). The problem with Florida is that while many people living outside the state think of it in terms of Orlando, Miami and Naples the reality is that much of the state is impoverished. As recent at 2010 the state had one of the five lowest-ranked educational programs in the nation (public). Of course money helps solve educational woes and the best way many of these schools can think to improve their financial health is to roll the dice on a creating a profitable football program.
The University of Central Florida is a good example of how wrestling is challenged in Florida. The school has one of the most successful club wrestling programs in the country (Oviedo High School, one of the best in the state is five minutes from campus), but receives no support and has been given no indication that it'll become a sanctioned sport. Meanwhile UCF football an also-ran and habitual under-performer has received tens of millions in support, starting with their top-dollar pursuit of head coach George O'Leary in 2004 (I lived in Orlando when he was hired and remember being confused when I saw a life size cut out of paunchy O'Leary at a local Dominos ... showing me an overweight man is not the way to get me to buy a pizza.)
Since hiring the once-maligned coach, UCF is 50-51 in nine seasons and is paying O'Leary an annual salary of $1.4 million dollars. His online profile proudly boasts that the ball coach was also instrumental in having "lobbied for new facilities." You can bet those came at a price tag in the millions.
Wrestling doesn't generate income. Money means influence in college athletics and because the UCF program can't show the administration that their program would be value-added, they'll never earn a fair shake at becoming a full Division I program.
The problem exists not just in Florida, but across the country and the enemy is football.
I know that's not a popular assertion but the problem with the reduction of men's sports isn't Title IX, but football expenditures and the appeal of making massive amounts of money from viewership, attendance and bowl game appearances. Title IX is flawed, but it's the money grab of football that plays a large role in distorting the priorities of a university.
If the powers within college athletics suddenly decided to eliminate the relationship between football and the university system, the educational system would have the incentive to focus on promoting lifestyle-based sports. They'd do it at a loss, but that loss would be an investment in the final product: healthy and happy students. A non-football sports university could provide students a diversity of athletic opportunities on campus by promoting healthy and sustainable sports like swimming, track and wrestling. Instead, with costly entertainment sports like football driving the decisions of administrators little is done to promote healthy living among students. When you factor in the booze, sugar water and processed foods consumed in celebration of a football program (not to mention the needless weight gain of football players, concussions, lifelong injuries ...) the sport is in sum unhealthy for both fans and participants.
America has an obsession with football and its allowed that passion to muddle what should be a focus on the founding principles of physical education. Profit should never be what guides the decisions about athletics in education, but it's become the only factor. Until that changes we'll keep seeing .500 coaches with million dollar salaries at football programs nobody gives a damn about.
Q: If you could wrestle any one person from history who would it be?
-- Matt M.
Foley: Cael Sanderson. I'd love to feel the pressure on his ankle pick and find out if my shot has a chance of scoring (it doesn't).
Since you probably meant historical figure, I'm going with Milos of Croton. Yes, he is rumored to have off'ed a few wrestlers, but I'd love to see how much wrestling had progressed since the 6th century B.C. Also, Milos of Croton was rumored to have been killed by a pack of wolves while trying to upend a tree.
I repeat: A pack of wolves while trying to upend a tree ...
Q: What have you heard regarding the rumor that David Thorn of Minnesota will attempt to go down to 125 pounds?
-- Kevin W.
Foley: I can confirm that David Thorn has decided to make the cut to 125 pounds. He's committed, but it's going to be a bit of a cut. He hasn't made the weight since high school.
Q: Do you think Slippery Rock will ever re establish their wrestling program?
-- Richard R.
Foley: Unfortunately, no. The competition for athletic dollars is too high and there are still issues at Slippery Rock with complying to Title IX statues of proportionality.
Greg Warren-- Robert S.
Foley: That's pretty incredible. I'm a big fan of Bormet and what he's able to do with his athletes and Hall has produced some of the best prep wrestlers in the country. Greg Warren deserves some respect!
Q: I'm not certain many wrestling fans are into pop culture, that's why they're wrestling fans. If they liked popular things, then they would probably be watching basketball. With that said: Who is the best wrestler in MMA today? Not necessarily the most accomplished because we can all look that up, but who would you currently have at the top of your list? Me, in the UFC probably Johny Hendricks but in all of MMA, it's tough to ignore Askren.
-- Trena H.
Foley: You're being tough on our little niche, Trena. It's true that the wrestling community isn't always the first to adopt popular trends, but our conservative approach to change can be to our advantage. Point in case would be the premise behind your question regarding wrestling in MMA. If collegiate wrestlers were more liberal with what they enjoyed many more would be hopping to their backs in an effort to look as cool as their Brazilian counterparts. Instead wrestlers, always the last to change, have decided that they'd prefer to just wrestle, ground-and-pound and throw haymakers from their feet. So far it's working out pretty well for our boys (and girls).
Who is the best MMA wrestler? No question it's Ben Askren. I wrote a list of the best MMA wrestlers last year for FIGHT! Magazine and put Askren No. 2 behind Georges St. Pierre (remember it's effective MMA wrestling, which GSP has executed on the very best wrestlers in MMA, including Josh Koscheck). Now, I would absolutely promote Askren to No. 1 on the list. The Bellator champion could change MMA with his wrestling dominance. He blankets opponents, guys who normally earn submissions from their back or else escape with ease have spent entire fights on their backs. Two weeks ago Askren embarrassed Douglas Lima by staying on top of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt for the full 25 minutes of their title fight. That's simply ridiculous.
Here's a prediction for you. Put Askren in the cage with GSP, and the former would be walking away with the UFC belt. He's that good at wrestling in the cage.
Q: Fantasy match: Tom Cruise vs. Jose Reyes.
-- Frank P.
Foley: I don't know if it's that I don't see the relation between Reyes and Cruise, or if it's that I'm envisioning Reyes in full Mets (now Marlins) uniform and Tom Cruise dressed as a German officer in "Valkyrie" but reading this matchup had me belly laughing.
As with all matchups, we'll need a Tale of the Tape to help us breakdown the physical forms of the MLB All-Star and legendary actor.
Reyes is the younger of the two, coming in fresh-faced at 28 while Cruise is six months shy of his 50th birthday (we share the birth date July 3). The Marlins shortstop is significantly larger than Cruise, weighing in at 195 pounds and measured at a height of 6'1," while Cruise is rumored to be 5'7," 170 pounds. Those are significant athletic advantages for Reyes. Can Cruise overcome the younger Reyes' strength and athleticism?
If Cruise can overcome Reyes athleticism it'll have to be from better technique. Lucky for Cruise, he was a high school wrestler at Glenn Ridge High School in New Jersey. Not much is written about his record, but we do have this awesome photo and rumors that he knows how to "hit a high crotch."
From what I could find, Reyes has a limited wrestling background. However he is from the Dominican Republic, where recently discovered cave drawings showed wrestling among the indigenous people of Hispaniola.
As a celebrity Tom Cruise is as well known for his odd behavior off-screen as he is his impressive resume of hits. He's a renowned scientologist, has an awkward marriage to Katie Holmes and once jumped up and down on Oprah's couch. But, he's also an action hero and on several occasions has performed his own high flying stunt, like running down the outside of the Burj Khalifa -- the world's tallest building -- for "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol."
In addition to his wrestling career in New Jersey, Cruise is arguably the greatest sprinter in movie history. Don't believe me? Did you see "Far and Away"? A chilled and desperate Tom is dashing through the New York City winter to save his darling Nicole Kidman from the clutches of a Irish crime boss Colm Meaney? "Ghost Protocol" has Cruise running from -- then through (!) -- a sandstorm. As Mitch McDeere in "The Firm" Cruise outlasts the Quaker Oats guy on a dash to the window of his Memphis law practice, where he eventually jumps into a truck filled with recently plucked cotton, a commodity I highly doubt is toted around downtown in the back of a single pickup truck.
Not enough to prove he's the greatest movie runner of all time? Cruise also scuffs KEDS in "Collateral," "War of the Worlds," "Minority Report," "Knight and Day," "Days of Thunder," "Born of the Fourth of July," and all the previous "Mission Impossible" movies. He's sprinted in all but 9 of his almost 40 movies! The guy even found space in the "Jerry Maguire" script to break into his patented nose-breathing gallop. (The definitive history of Tom Cruise running in the movies).
So what does Cruise's incredible history of sprinting on film have to do with wrestling? Nothing, but where else will I ever be able to write about my obsession with Tom Cruise's habit for running on screen?
Who wins: The all-star baseball player with youth and vigor on his side, or the famous movie actor with a wrestling past?
Cruise is expecting early aggression by Reyes, who he's figured will try and earn an early lead. As someone who understands the physical limitations of sprinting, and the cardio necessary to be a good wrestler, Cruise plays it safe. A head snap by Reyes puts Cruise's head on the mat and Reyes grabs what looks to be a front headlock. He whips back and forth, but Cruise maintains good positioning, though Reyes ultimately spins behind for the takedown. One minute into the first period and Reyes is up 2-0.
Cruise is taken out of bounds, but on the restart explodes into a standup and escapes with little problem. Back on their feet the actor and the ball player are both battering heads with open palms. Reyes' mouth is now open, the strain of the match is already wearing on him. Cruise circles, Reyes mimics, but as the period comes to a close, there's been little action. It's 2-1 Reyes headed into the second.
Reyes defers and Cruise chooses bottom. Again, Cruise escapes.
On their feet with the score tied 2-2, Reyes reaches up to snap Cruise's head but get's too high and the smaller Cruise sees an opportunity for offense and hits an ugly, but effective high crotch. Cruise sits the shortstop to his butt and finishes off to a double. It's immediately clear that Reyes is extremely uncomfortable on the mat.
Cruise stays on top and with :45 left in the period begins working an arm bar. Reyes, who initially tried to maintain a base, is now riding out the period on his belly, unaware of the dangers this might cause him should Cruise run the arm bar. Cruise looks to nudge the arm bar into place, but gets too excited when Reyes sits into the pressure, and the actor looks for an arm bar stack. It proves too ambitious as Reyes sits out, causes a minor scramble and gets an escape. The score is 4-3 heading into the third.
Confident he can escape, Reyes chooses bottom. He looks to stand up off the whistle but Cruise snags an ankle and a waist (that crafty bitch!), and drives Reyes to the mat. Once flat, Reyes takes a deep breath and puts his forehead on the mat. Cruise dawdles on top, grabbing wrists, but staying parallel, eventually earns a stalling warning near the edge of the mat. With one-minute remaining and with 1:30 of total ride time advantage on the clock, Cruise and Reyes head back to the center of the mat for a restart.
Reyes escapes! Cruise is taken off-guard by the sudden burst of energy and can't get to Reyes' ankles. The duo are now back on their feet, the score tied 4-4, with Cruise expecting a ride time point. Reyes is told he needs to score to win and begins to mount a furious hand fighting attack. Cruise, with a stalling call against him tries to avoid the danger and simply drops his stance and controls Reyes' elbows as he slows down.
Reyes reaches for Cruise's leg with 15 seconds remaining, but Maverick avoids the danger zone and executes a perfect down block. Time ticks to zero, and Cruise is awarded the 5-4 victory.
The celebration would have to combine stunts and running. Preferably lots of running.
Another note on Cruise. Jay Mohr told his podcast a few months ago that Cruise claims his dream role is to play Dan Gable in a biopic. Playing a 20-something Olympian might've sailed for the 49-year-old actor, but his heart is in the right place.
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