ABBOTT BLOG: Having fun with NCAA Epic Eight fan voting
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by Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
This week, the NCAA rolled out the Epic Eight wrestling voting, where fans can vote on the best NCAA Div. I finals match of all time. The NCAA picked eight great matches, put them in a bracket, and used social media to reach fans to vote on which were the best matches. In my mind, this is pretty cool.
Today is the finals vote. The Damion Hahn (Minnesota) vs. Jon Trenge (Lehigh) match at 197 pounds in 2003 will square off with Kyle Dake (Cornell) vs. David Taylor (Penn State) at 165 in 2013. Who do you got?
If you want to vote to select the winner, click here.
Before we all get too far into this, you have to understand what this is all about. No matter what eight matches the NCAA picked for this contest, and no matter how the fans vote, wrestling fans will mostly disagree with the choices. Really, this is all about promoting college wrestling and getting people talking. And with that in mind, the NCAA has done a great job.
As somebody who has been to 32 straight NCAA finals, starting in 1983 in Oklahoma City, I feel as if my vote might have some validity. The match which I would vote first was defeated in the first round of the Epic 8 fan vote, the 1982 NCAA battle between Mark Schultz of Oklahoma and Ed Banach of Iowa at 177 pounds. Hear me out on this.
I did not see this match in person, but was enthralled when I saw a videotape of the television coverage. Banach was trying to be a four-time NCAA champion. Schultz moved up a weight to challenge Banach. The match was high scoring and was finally determined when Schultz went upper body with Banach. A true classic. Ultimately, both became three-time NCAA champions, both won Olympic gold medals for the USA in 1984, and both are Hall of Fame talents.
The selections for the Epic 8 matches are mostly from more current NCAA meets. The only bout from the 1970’s was Lee Kemp of Wisconsin vs. Kelly Ward of Iowa State. Schultz vs. Banach was the only 1980s bout. It also seems the voters are a bit younger than me, as many of the bouts which won the fan vote were from battles held in recent years.
I remember one year when Iowa hosted the NCAA Championships, and the Hawkeye hosts decided to do something special. They collected all of the old NCAA footage, going way back to the days of black-and-white video, and played them on video screens all over Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It was a blast to see some of that old footage, with the weird uniforms and wrestling mats, and many of the old-time legends of college wrestling. In my mind, some of those matches, which of course I did not see in person, deserved consideration.
Again, who wins this vote is not as important as the discussion about it and the education this is providing for younger wrestling fans. As I was thinking about my daily votes, I also thought of some matches that maybe didn’t get into the Epic 8.
How about the 1987 finals in Maryland between Billy Kelly of Iowa State and Brad Penrith of Iowa at 126. Iowa was trying to win its 10th straight NCAA team title.“Bad Brad” was the defending champion and favored over Kelly in the final. Kelly put Penrith in a funky spladle and pinned him, a huge shocker. And Iowa State went on to beat Iowa in the team standings, behind four individual champions under coach Jim Gibbons.
Many fans on social media brought up the 184 finals between Rob Rohn of Lehigh and Josh Lambecht of Oklahoma in Albany, N.Y. in 2002. This match was not much of a contest most of the battle, as Lambrecht racked up a ton of points and was on the verge of reaching the 15-point spread to secure a technical fall. However, in a flash, Rohn threw and pinned Lambrecht, an amazing reversal of fortune.
For some reason, I have to think that one of the NCAA finals between Nate Carr of Iowa State and Kenny Monday of Oklahoma State deserved some consideration. The one I saw was in 1983 in Oklahoma City, when Carr needed to go overtime at 150 pounds, with the final score, 3-3, 5-2. The year before, the one I missed, Carr won in overtime again, 3-3, 2-0. These guys battled all year in Big Eight action, but it was Carr who won in the finals. As it turned out, they were teammates at the 1988 Olympics, with Monday winning gold at 163 and Carr taking bronze at 149.5.
One of those chosen for Epic 8 was when Lincoln McIlravy of Iowa, coming out of redshirt as a freshman, beat Gerry Abas of Fresno State in a wild 16-15 win at 142 pounds in 1993 at Iowa State. There is no doubt that this match belongs in the Epic 8. However, another McIlravy match in 1995 had a lasting impact on my memory, when Steve Marianetti of Illinois upset McIlravy, 13-10 at 150 pounds at Iowa, stopping his quest to be a four-timer. Being on site, it was felt like a huge upset and a stunning surprise. McIlravy won World and Olympic medals for the USA, and Marianetti continued to improve, making a Senior World Team.
Then my mind wanders to 1997 at Northern Iowa, the last year that Dan Gable coached the Hawkeyes. Right off the bat, at 118, a kid who did not make the Hawkeye lineup until his senior year, Jesse Whitmer, gave us a great memory. Seeded sixth, Whitmer beat No. 5 seed Lindsey Durlacher of Illinois in the finals, 5-4, and the Hawkeyes went on a run. Iowa won half of the finals matches, with five champions, blowing away the field as Gable went out on top, hopping around on crutches.
It seems I remember the battles between two great stars more than the ones with the best action. Consider 1985 in Oklahoma City, when No. 1 Jim Jordan of Wisconsin beat No. 2 John Smith of Oklahoma State, 7-4 at 134 pounds. We all know that Smith got even better, winning two NCAA titles, two Olympic golds and four World titles, and now coaches at his alma mater. Jordan, who was third in the ’88 Olympic Trials, turned his passion to politics, and now serves Ohio in the U.S. House of Representative. Both continue to impress me as born leaders.
Then there was the surprising win at 126 in Iowa City in 1991 by Nebraska’s Jason Kelber over Iowa’s Terry Brands, 10-6, a rematch of the finals the year before won by Brands. Another match from that event stands out, when freshman Pat Smith of Oklahoma State barely got by Iowa’s Tom Ryan, 7-6 at 158. Brands recovered from that disappointment to become one of our freestyle greats, winning two World titles and an Olympic bronze medal. Smith went on to become the first four-time NCAA champion. Ryan is currently head coach at Ohio State, one of the sport’s top coaches.
Then some great rivalries come to mind, such as Tom Brands of Iowa against Alan Fried of Oklahoma State at 134 pounds. Brands won their two NCAA finals meetings in 1991 and 1992 in close battles, when both guys were at the top of the game. Brands was the one with a bigger legacy, winning Olympic and World titles and now coaching the Hawkeye team.
Then your mind goes to some of the historic occasions, led by the four-timers. I remember the excitement of Pat Smith winning No. 4 at North Carolina in 1994, Cael Sanderson becoming the first undefeated four timer in Albany in 2002 and Kyle Dake making history as the first champion in four different weight classes in 2013 in Des Moines. I distinctly remember some of the amazing three timers, including big man Carlton Haselrig of Pitt-Johnstown, two of the toughest lightweights of all time, Ricky Bonomo of Bloomsburg and Stephen Abas of Fresno State, the impressive T.J. Jaworsky of North Carolina, the tough Eric Guerrero of Oklahoma State and, most recently, talented stars Ed Ruth of Penn State and Logan Stieber of Ohio State. Stieber goes for No. 4 this year.
Do I believe all of these matches I remember should belong in the Epic 8? Probably not. But for certain, some of my favorites might make the Sweet 16. Heck, I’m sure that true wrestling fans could fill an entire NCAA basketball bracket with 68 great NCAA finals bouts. Maybe that is what the NCAA could do for the fans next year…
Anyway, kudos to the NCAA for starting this conversation. What matches would you put in the Epic 8? Share your thoughts with others, and help in the effort to promote college wrestling history.
Today is the finals vote. The Damion Hahn (Minnesota) vs. Jon Trenge (Lehigh) match at 197 pounds in 2003 will square off with Kyle Dake (Cornell) vs. David Taylor (Penn State) at 165 in 2013. Who do you got?
If you want to vote to select the winner, click here.
Before we all get too far into this, you have to understand what this is all about. No matter what eight matches the NCAA picked for this contest, and no matter how the fans vote, wrestling fans will mostly disagree with the choices. Really, this is all about promoting college wrestling and getting people talking. And with that in mind, the NCAA has done a great job.
As somebody who has been to 32 straight NCAA finals, starting in 1983 in Oklahoma City, I feel as if my vote might have some validity. The match which I would vote first was defeated in the first round of the Epic 8 fan vote, the 1982 NCAA battle between Mark Schultz of Oklahoma and Ed Banach of Iowa at 177 pounds. Hear me out on this.
I did not see this match in person, but was enthralled when I saw a videotape of the television coverage. Banach was trying to be a four-time NCAA champion. Schultz moved up a weight to challenge Banach. The match was high scoring and was finally determined when Schultz went upper body with Banach. A true classic. Ultimately, both became three-time NCAA champions, both won Olympic gold medals for the USA in 1984, and both are Hall of Fame talents.
The selections for the Epic 8 matches are mostly from more current NCAA meets. The only bout from the 1970’s was Lee Kemp of Wisconsin vs. Kelly Ward of Iowa State. Schultz vs. Banach was the only 1980s bout. It also seems the voters are a bit younger than me, as many of the bouts which won the fan vote were from battles held in recent years.
I remember one year when Iowa hosted the NCAA Championships, and the Hawkeye hosts decided to do something special. They collected all of the old NCAA footage, going way back to the days of black-and-white video, and played them on video screens all over Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It was a blast to see some of that old footage, with the weird uniforms and wrestling mats, and many of the old-time legends of college wrestling. In my mind, some of those matches, which of course I did not see in person, deserved consideration.
Again, who wins this vote is not as important as the discussion about it and the education this is providing for younger wrestling fans. As I was thinking about my daily votes, I also thought of some matches that maybe didn’t get into the Epic 8.
How about the 1987 finals in Maryland between Billy Kelly of Iowa State and Brad Penrith of Iowa at 126. Iowa was trying to win its 10th straight NCAA team title.“Bad Brad” was the defending champion and favored over Kelly in the final. Kelly put Penrith in a funky spladle and pinned him, a huge shocker. And Iowa State went on to beat Iowa in the team standings, behind four individual champions under coach Jim Gibbons.
Many fans on social media brought up the 184 finals between Rob Rohn of Lehigh and Josh Lambecht of Oklahoma in Albany, N.Y. in 2002. This match was not much of a contest most of the battle, as Lambrecht racked up a ton of points and was on the verge of reaching the 15-point spread to secure a technical fall. However, in a flash, Rohn threw and pinned Lambrecht, an amazing reversal of fortune.
For some reason, I have to think that one of the NCAA finals between Nate Carr of Iowa State and Kenny Monday of Oklahoma State deserved some consideration. The one I saw was in 1983 in Oklahoma City, when Carr needed to go overtime at 150 pounds, with the final score, 3-3, 5-2. The year before, the one I missed, Carr won in overtime again, 3-3, 2-0. These guys battled all year in Big Eight action, but it was Carr who won in the finals. As it turned out, they were teammates at the 1988 Olympics, with Monday winning gold at 163 and Carr taking bronze at 149.5.
One of those chosen for Epic 8 was when Lincoln McIlravy of Iowa, coming out of redshirt as a freshman, beat Gerry Abas of Fresno State in a wild 16-15 win at 142 pounds in 1993 at Iowa State. There is no doubt that this match belongs in the Epic 8. However, another McIlravy match in 1995 had a lasting impact on my memory, when Steve Marianetti of Illinois upset McIlravy, 13-10 at 150 pounds at Iowa, stopping his quest to be a four-timer. Being on site, it was felt like a huge upset and a stunning surprise. McIlravy won World and Olympic medals for the USA, and Marianetti continued to improve, making a Senior World Team.
Then my mind wanders to 1997 at Northern Iowa, the last year that Dan Gable coached the Hawkeyes. Right off the bat, at 118, a kid who did not make the Hawkeye lineup until his senior year, Jesse Whitmer, gave us a great memory. Seeded sixth, Whitmer beat No. 5 seed Lindsey Durlacher of Illinois in the finals, 5-4, and the Hawkeyes went on a run. Iowa won half of the finals matches, with five champions, blowing away the field as Gable went out on top, hopping around on crutches.
It seems I remember the battles between two great stars more than the ones with the best action. Consider 1985 in Oklahoma City, when No. 1 Jim Jordan of Wisconsin beat No. 2 John Smith of Oklahoma State, 7-4 at 134 pounds. We all know that Smith got even better, winning two NCAA titles, two Olympic golds and four World titles, and now coaches at his alma mater. Jordan, who was third in the ’88 Olympic Trials, turned his passion to politics, and now serves Ohio in the U.S. House of Representative. Both continue to impress me as born leaders.
Then there was the surprising win at 126 in Iowa City in 1991 by Nebraska’s Jason Kelber over Iowa’s Terry Brands, 10-6, a rematch of the finals the year before won by Brands. Another match from that event stands out, when freshman Pat Smith of Oklahoma State barely got by Iowa’s Tom Ryan, 7-6 at 158. Brands recovered from that disappointment to become one of our freestyle greats, winning two World titles and an Olympic bronze medal. Smith went on to become the first four-time NCAA champion. Ryan is currently head coach at Ohio State, one of the sport’s top coaches.
Then some great rivalries come to mind, such as Tom Brands of Iowa against Alan Fried of Oklahoma State at 134 pounds. Brands won their two NCAA finals meetings in 1991 and 1992 in close battles, when both guys were at the top of the game. Brands was the one with a bigger legacy, winning Olympic and World titles and now coaching the Hawkeye team.
Then your mind goes to some of the historic occasions, led by the four-timers. I remember the excitement of Pat Smith winning No. 4 at North Carolina in 1994, Cael Sanderson becoming the first undefeated four timer in Albany in 2002 and Kyle Dake making history as the first champion in four different weight classes in 2013 in Des Moines. I distinctly remember some of the amazing three timers, including big man Carlton Haselrig of Pitt-Johnstown, two of the toughest lightweights of all time, Ricky Bonomo of Bloomsburg and Stephen Abas of Fresno State, the impressive T.J. Jaworsky of North Carolina, the tough Eric Guerrero of Oklahoma State and, most recently, talented stars Ed Ruth of Penn State and Logan Stieber of Ohio State. Stieber goes for No. 4 this year.
Do I believe all of these matches I remember should belong in the Epic 8? Probably not. But for certain, some of my favorites might make the Sweet 16. Heck, I’m sure that true wrestling fans could fill an entire NCAA basketball bracket with 68 great NCAA finals bouts. Maybe that is what the NCAA could do for the fans next year…
Anyway, kudos to the NCAA for starting this conversation. What matches would you put in the Epic 8? Share your thoughts with others, and help in the effort to promote college wrestling history.
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