Kolat - Back Flip

Here is a clip of one of the greatest. This is not the way to counter for everyone but it is impressive to see Kolat back flip, and score in such a funky manner.



We have some down time here during the day. Our guys are getting ready to hit the road and wrestler up at the Great Plains in Waterloo. I have to finish up some work and then I will go up tommorow to watch them and the high schoolers.
I have my USA Coaches card but I can't get into the corner. Thats fine with me, I will just enjoy watching the best guys in the country compete and take notes on what they are doing so that we can consider bringing it back here.
Good luck to the Dutch Wrestlers as they head up there. I am proud to see that they have made a commitment to year round training and while I can't coach them I want the to know that I appreciate everything they are doing to get better. It wasn't long ago that I was a mat rat, just tryingto get as many matches as I could and learn as much as I could.
One final note. I want to congratulate Nate Engel. Last weekend he won University Nationals in Greco and he graduates from Missouri Valley College this weekend!

Gardner over Karelin

This is the video of what many people believe to be one of the greatest upsets in the history of Olympic Competition. An unknown American, sets a goal, beats a guy that many considered the best heavyweight Greco wrestler in US history, and goes to the Olympics with a goal to do what no one says he can.
Gardner over Karelin

NCAA Highlights

The thing about Champions is that they succeed in spite of circumstances. A lot of people can give you reasons why you can't do something but not as many can ever, or will ever give you reasons why you can. Coaches are usually the ones that can tell you why you can. People told Mark Cody that he wouldn't win at American University, Brian Smith was told the same thing at Mizzou, Tom Ryan at Hofstra, J Robinson at UM. But they didn't listen. Who would have ever thought that some of those programs would become as great as they have?
The moral of this is NO ONE! NO ONE, has a corner on the market when it comes to achievement. Each year we see champions crowned who know one would think could win. I am excited by the guys that have committed to us here at Central because they all believe in themselves and believe that we can win!
People thought Dan Gable would never lose. People thought no one could stop Iowa from winning TEN NCAA Championships in a row, no one thought Rulon Gardner could beat Karelin and in the end.... The truth came out, No one, No one owns success. There were times people thought Ford would always be the world's largest auto maker, IBM would be the only computer company, and Lance Armstrong would never recover from cancer.
Seeing this every year is exciting to me because I have thought that we can win at Central since I came to interview and I want to start winning soon.
Here are the highlights of the last two NCAA tournaments, look at how many top seeds go down, look at the matches that are won by the guys that want it more. That is the fire and desire I love to see on the mat and it is an important key to winning!

2007 NCAA Finals Highlights


2006 NCAA Finals Highlights


Gable V. Owings
Just to illustrate my point that no one owns achievement