From the corner chair

Take care, Cedar Rapids

jr.ogden — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:02:00 GMT

As I sit in my hotel room looking out at signs for New York, New York, the Monte Carlo and the MGM, CNN is showing me pictures of my hometown under water.

My heart goes out to my family, friends and all of you working so hard to keep life as normal as possible.

As I walked along Las Vegas Blvd. early this AM, I saw many lost faces, folks who stayed up a bit too late at the casinos and bars here. I can only imagine the looks on your face as you see your homes and businesses under water.

The Olympic Wrestling Trials begin today and, somehow, that charge seems a little less important right now. But these athletes have worked extremely hard to get to this point and deserve our attention and praise.

Life goes one - something all you in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and all of Eastern Iowa - can appreciate.

Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are full of strong, tough and determined people - just like these wrestlers here this weekend - and all will survive.

Take care, Cedar Rapids.

Making no excuses

jr.ogden — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:47:00 GMT

We've received a lot of mail this week about Scott Dochterman's Sunday (June 1) story about "black athletes in white culture," specifically a look at athletes at the University of Iowa.

Two of the letters ran in Tuesday's paper (June 3).

The theme is that The Gazette, and Scott, are making excuses for the behavior of athletes who get in trouble in Iowa City. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Like all citizens, we are concerned about the rash of problems the football team experienced last year. Several of the incidents were minor, mistakes many college-age students make (but the athletes get headlines). Many, however, are inexcuseable.

The intention behind Scott's story was simply to explain that there is a culture difference when student-athletes come from bigger, urban areas to Iowa City. That's not always just a black and white issues.

Right is right and wrong is wrong and all students (and many adults, too) need to know the difference.

No excuses from us. The University of Iowa needs to provide the answers and solutions. It seems that may be happening. But the final verdict still is out.

Bad news

jr.ogden — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:46:00 GMT

The news Tuesday that Arizona State was dropping three men's sports was devestating news for wrestling across the country.

When Oregon announced it was dropping its program after this past season, there was hardly a sound made in this area. Some wrestling fans offered to help, others just felt it bad, but it wasn't happening to their program.

Well, guess what, it's going to happen to your program.

Arizona State was a wrestling heavyweight, albeit one located outside wrestling's heartland. But the Sun Devils won an NCAA title under Bobby Douglas and generally put together competitive teams.

This is the first "major" program to fall and others, I would guess, will follow. Is Jim Zalesky's program at Oregon State safe? It was great tradition, but so did ASU.

ASU was responding to "economic realities," but the bottom line is this was another program lost in the name of gender equity. Now there are 20 sports at ASU, 12 of which are for women. That's great, but it's not equal.

Until football is taken out of the equation - and let's be honest, it pays all the bills and needs to be seperate - there will be no gender equity.

My favorite event ...

jr.ogden — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:56:00 GMT

This is one of those events I look forward to each year - the Drake Relays.

I'm in Des Moines for the "Distance Carnvial" and already a former local prep has done something special.

Former Prairie standout Fiona Asigbe won the hepthatlon, a multi-sport event that includes springs, hurdles, field events and an 800.Asigbe not only won it, she broke the Drake Relays record.

Another great start to a great event. Here's hoping for warmth and sun for the next two days.

Just like old times ...

jr.ogden — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:36:00 GMT

As the ESPN cameras panned the crowd before the start of last night's finals at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, the crowed booed - every time an Iowa fan was televised.

One young Hawkeye fan held up a sign that read "Back in Black" and was soundly booed.

Looks like the Hawkeyes really are back on top.

It's all over, but the ...

jr.ogden — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 22:07:00 GMT

Championship bouts get under way in a couple of hours, but Iowa wrapped up the team title earlier this morning at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

It wasn't a great morning for the Hawks, who won three of eight bouts, but Jay Borschel finished third at 174 pounds, Matt Fields was fifth at heavyweight and Charlie Falck at 125 and Phil Keddy at 184 placed sixth.

Iowa State got a fifth from Nick Gallick at 141, a sixth from heavyweight David Zabriskie (he lost to Fields in OT), sevenths from Nick Fanthorpe at 133, Cyler Sanderson at 157 and Jon Reader at 165 and an eighth from unseeded DAvid Bertolino at 197.

UNI's Moza Fay finished fifth at 165, giving UNI it's first all-American in three years.

All in all, a great weekend for the state's schools.

Brands is the man

jr.ogden — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 16:19:00 GMT

Iowa wrapped up the NCAA wrestling title early Saturday morning when ISU's Nick Gallick lost in the 141-pound consolation semifinals.

The Hawkeyes won just one of four consolation matches themselves in the morning, but the damage was done.

Iowa is once again king of the college wrestling world and there is one person responsible - Tom Brands.

Brands has returned Iowa to its tough, aggressive ways. He was named Big Ten Coach of the Year two weeks ago and should get the national award, too.

5 of 7 not bad

jr.ogden — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:37:00 GMT

The quarterfinal round didn't end quite as good for Iowa at the NCAA Wrestling Championshis Thursday afternoon, but Iowa won five of seven championships matches.

After Jay Borschel's win at 174, the Hawkeyes had won 16 in a row in the championship bracket. But Phil Keddy at 184 gave up a late takedown in a 4-3 loss to Mike Pucillo of Ohio State and Matt Fields was riden the entire third period in a 2-0 loss to Jared Rosholt of Oklahoma State at heavyweight.

Iowa mainted its team lead and will have five in Thursday nigh'ts semifinals. Keddy and Fields still can get hird.

4 for Perry

jr.ogden — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:07:00 GMT

Mark Perry secured his fourth all-American finish by pinning Michael Cannon of Amerian in the NCAA wrestling quarterfinals Thursday.

Perry finished Cannon in a mere 44 seconds, then turned to the Hawkeye crowd and held up four fingers.

He said being a four-time all-American one was one of his main goals when he arrived at Iowa.

Iowa, so far, is 5-for-5 in the quarters. Jay Borschel dominated Brandon Sinnott of Central Michigan, 8-2. Phil Keddy and Matt Fields getting ready.

Good start for Hawks

jr.ogden — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:44:00 GMT

Iowa's wrestling team got off to a roaring start Friday morning when Charlie Falck avenged a 2007 NCAA loss to Tanner Gardner of Stanford in the quarterfinals.

Falck had lost to Gardner in both of their previous meetings, including by pin in this tournament last year. But the Hawkeye junior beat Gardner, 5-4, on takedown with 45 seconds left.

Joe Slaton also won, beating ISU's NIck Fanthorpe, 2-1, in overtime at 133.

Back in St. Louis

jr.ogden — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:53:00 GMT

After a little technical difficulty on Thursday, I'm up in running here at the Scottrade Center for the NCAA I Wrestling Championships.

The tournament is off to a great start, especially if you're an Iowa or Iowa State.

The Cyclones had an outstanding first round and a solid second round. The Hawkeyes looked especially tough Thursday night, winning all seven second-round boutsw.

Iowa is winning the tournament like Hawk teams of old - with bonus points. Through their first 18 matches - 15 qina - the Hawks have 3 pins and four major decisions.

Quarterfinals are about to start this morning.

Peacocks disappointed

jr.ogden — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:07:00 GMT

The Upper Iowa wrestling team was hoping for a little better showing at the NCAA II wrestling tournament it hosted this weekend at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.

The Peacocks finished 14th with two all-Americans - fourth-place Travis Eggers and 157 and sixth place Tyler Mumbulo at 125.

Both wrestlers lost their final bouts Saturday and both vowed to return next year with higher goals.

UIU has some outstanding wrestlers and are worth a look by Eastern Iowa wrestling fans. Head coach Heath Grimm has done an excellent job with this program and he's got some great kids on the roster.

Wrestling is wrestling

jr.ogden — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:45:00 GMT

Cedar Rapids in enjoying a wonderful run of wrestling tournaments, wrapping today with the finals of the NCAA Division II Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center.

This is the third weekend in a row wrestling has grabbed the spotlight. The state high school dual tournament was first, followed by the NCAA Division III and now the NCAA II.

Folks often ask was is the different between D-III and D-II and the difference between D-II and D-I.

In short, not much.

There are very talented wrestlers at all levels and at these championships in particular. There is some boring matches, some thrilling matches and a lot of very good matches.

The thing I've noticed most between D-I and D-III is reversals. There are a lot more reversals in D-III, simply because of the positions the wrestlers put themselves in.

On the other had, D-I wrestlers often wrestle too tight, especially at the national tournament. That leads to boring wrestling.

Most of the guys at the D-II tournament put on great performances. There were a lot of flurries, a lot of pins and a lot of action.

This is my first D-II tournament and I can't wait until this meet returns to Cedar Rapids.

Looking back

jr.ogden — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:59:00 GMT

The NCAA Division II wrestling tournament begins Friday and ends Saturday at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids.

Since Upper Iowa University is the only D-II school in the state, this tournament might not generate the interest of the D-III meet did a year ago.

But there was a time when the state of Iowa - or rather Northern Iowa - dominated D-II wrestling.

That's right. The Panthers were to D-II what Iowa and Iowa State were to D-I. UNI won two D-II titles in the 1970s ('75 and '78) and placed in the top four of the tournament for nine consecutive years.

UNI's last year in D-II was 1980 when it finished second with six all-Americans, two of whom won national titles.

I'm not alone

jr.ogden — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:12:00 GMT

Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks the Hawkeyes can win the NCAA wrestling title.

USA Today/InterMat/NWCA just released its pre-NCAA tournament and ranking and are proecting Iowa to win the NCAA title ahead of Minnesota, Michigan and Iowa State.

If the Hawks wrestle like they did Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon - and NOT Saturday night - at the Big Ten tournament, they will win the NCAA title.

I'm not sure Minnesota will be their biggest challenger, however. The Gophers could be without two wrestlers and even if C.J. Schlatter and Roger Kish wrestle, they won't be a full strength after suffering injuries last weekend.

This is not a homerish plug for the home state, but look for Iowa State to push Iowa in St. Louis next week. The Cylcones are the only Top 10 team to qualify all 10 wrestlers.

And keep an eye on Central Michigan.