Chicks Heart Fights

You dominated your way to the team title, and picked up a Outstanding Wrestler and Coach of the Year Award along the way.

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, you have to respect them. They have been through some tough times on the way to this championship, and you could tell how this trophy was full of emotion for them. I was in the tunnel at Scottrade, and as the team was leaving, Brands found Metcalf and took his bag from him. He wasn’t going to let his star wrestler do any extra work last night.In another nice moment, right after they were awarded the team trophy, the team got a visit from Dan Gable:

Congratulations to everyone at Iowa, including the cutest coach there, Mike Zadick:

He looks a little too intense there, but still…yum. (Photo credit: Iowa Press-Citizen.)

When discussing the greatest American wrestler of all time, the discussion usually focuses on two people: Dan Gable and Cael Sanderson. Both men are definitely worthy of this distinction, but it’s rather questionable that Leroy P. Kemp is quite often left out of the conversation. Just some of his accomplishments:

- Three NCAA titles - the first black man to do so

- Three World Championships - including one when he was just 21

- Seven national freestyle titles

- A collegiate record of  143-6-1, including an undefeated streak of 109 matches in a row.

Maybe he is left out of the discussion because he doesn’t have an Olympic medal. Kemp made the Olympic team ins 1980 and was considered a lock to win a medal, but didn’t compete due to the US Olympic boycott. All this from an athlete who didn’t start wrestling until his freshman year of high school.

According to a profile by the Wrestling Mall, Kemp definitely does not mind that people don’t bring up his name when discussing the greatest American wrestler:

“If people want to put me in the category of being one of the greatest in the history of the sport, I feel honored,” Kemp said recently while taking a break from his full-time job as owner of a Forest Lake, Minn., Ford dealership. “I think all competitive athletes would feel great about being compared with the greatest in the history of the sport.”

And for the record - Gable did wrestle Kemp. Kemp won 7-6.

Though the Cubs did try to kill me this weekend, the Missouri Tigers and the Chicago Bears rescued me. (For the record, this was the first time Mizzou held Nebraska touchdownless since the Eisenhower administration.) Phew. Now that work has become normal again, and the Cubs are finished torturing me, I can turn back to what really matters: men pummeling each other.

A few notes:

- Dan Gable “stepped down” as assistant coach of Iowa wrestling. He will stay on as special assistant to the AD at Iowa. Translation: the good Lord will have to drag Dan Gable out of Iowa.

- To fill Dan Gable’s spot, the Hawkeyes have named Doug Schwab interim assistant coach. I wonder why the interim is attached? Who cares-it gives me a chance to post this picture of Schwab.

- The TUF 6 Finale fight card has been officially announced, with Huerta-Guida as the main fight on December 8.

- It doesn’t look like we’ll see any fights on HBO anytime soon. That’s fine with me, since I cancelled my subscription right after the Sopranos ended.

- I don’t usually write about boxing here but this worries me. Apparently, Evander Holyfield just won’t stop boxing. I’m a fan of the sport and the fighter, and it would break my heart to see any lasting damage done on the man. Please, for the love, Evander, quit fighting!

Tomorrow - another recap of the Ultimate Fighter. (I can’t wait to Dorian go ca-razy!) and soon, more wrestlers/coaches/teams to watch.

Yesterday, I focused on one individual wrestler; today, I’m writing about a team that I think is ready to make the leap back to the stage. (For those unfamiliar with the NCAA wrestling tournament, teams take the stage when they place in the top four.) Without further adieu, I present… (more…)

Here is one story on the win from the Des Moines Register, and another from the Iowa City Press-Citizen. It’s interesting that Nate Gallick didn’t shake Mike’s hand, but I think that Gallick just was questioning the end of the match, not necessarily trying to disrespect Mike. That seems out of Gallick’s character. I also loved reading that 15 Iowa wrestlers were there supporting their coach, and that, according to Tom Brands:

Schwab was there, and he was pretty animated. He was cheering hard for him, and he actually gave me some coaching feedback after the first match, and that’s very unselfish.

There are now three Hawkeyes on the World team: Joe Williams, Doug Schwab, and Mike Zadick. Somewhere, Dan Gable has a big smile on his face.

Well, as much of a smile as Dan Gable can get.