InterMat Staff

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State Nittany Lion wrestler David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) will miss the entire 2008-09 season after suffering an injury this past weekend at the Michigan State Open. The junior 174-pounder was ranked No. 18 nationally at his weight. Erwin's injury forces the two-year Penn State starter to end his campaign with a 3-0 mark. Erwin was hurt in the semifinals at the MSU Open and took an injury forfeit before the finals bout. With Erwin out, true freshman Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) will forgo a red-shirt season and make his collegiate debut this Sunday. Wright will get the call at 174 when No. 7 Penn State hosts Hofstra at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall. Wright, a two-time PIAA State Champion from nearby Bald Eagle Area High School, was one of the nation's top recruits coming out of high school. Tickets are available for the Hofstra dual and all Penn State wrestling matches. Fans can purchase season tickets by calling 814-863-1000 or 800-NITTANY. Season tickets are $32 for adults and $24 for youth. Single event tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth. Penn State students get in FREE with a Penn State ID.

IOWA CITY, IA -- The defending NCAA and Big Ten champion Iowa wrestling team will open the 2008-09 season Nov. 21 when it hosts the Iowa City Duals. Iowa will wrestle Iowa Central at 9 a.m., Coe at 10:30 a.m., and Minnesota State-Mankato at Noon in the North Gym at the University of Iowa Field House. It will be the first time the Hawkeyes have wrestled in the Field House since January 1983, when Carver-Hawkeye Arena opened. There is no admission charge to the Field House matches. The Hawkeyes will then head over to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to face Arizona State at 3:30 p.m. Tickets purchased in advance are $10 for adults and $5 for you. Tickets purchased at the dual are $12 for adults and $6 for youth. University of Iowa students and children ages 5 and under will be admitted for free. Tickets can be purchased from the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-464-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Oklahoma wrestling team posted a shutout Thursday evening over Central Oklahoma, winning all 10 bouts and defeating the Bronchos at the Howard McCasland Field House by a 39-0 final. "We are really pleased with this victory because we have a lot of respect for UCO's program," head coach Jack Spates said. "We battled in a lot of tough matches tonight and we can build on this victory." Sophomore 125-pounder Joey Fio needed overtime to defeat Willie Gunter in the opening match, scoring a takedown in sudden death to win, 7-5. Senior David Armstrong also battled into sudden death, finishing all square with Tim Elliot after three periods at 133 pounds. The Cleveland, Ohio, native scored a takedown for the Sooners with 29 seconds remaining to record the victory and give the Sooners a 6-0 team lead. Junior Brian Shelton put three more points on the board for Oklahoma after taking the 141-pound bout. Shelton scored three takedowns in the match over Scott Berens, including the match-winner with 13 seconds remaining to win by a 6-4 final. Kyle Terry dominated the 149-pound match, defeating Broncho Colby Robinson by a 9-1 final. The junior from Midwest City, Okla., racked up four minutes and 25 seconds of riding time to record the major decision. Shane Vernon at 157 pounds gave OU a commanding 19-0 team lead after recording a fall versus Kelly Henderson in the first period. The pin was the first in Vernon's career and the win marked his third of the season. Sooner Ryan Smith recorded an 11-point victory at 165 pounds, winning 12-1 over Cody Rowell. The redshirt freshman put the match out of reach in the first period, scoring two nearfalls and ended the third period with a takedown. The win put the Sooners up 23-0 on the evening. The 174-pound bout was then owned by Sooner redshirt sophomore Jeff James. The El Reno, Okla., native recorded five takedowns, two reversals and a nearfall to defeat Cody Rowell by a 17-7 major decision. Pat Flynn at 184 pounds recorded the second fall of the night for the Sooners, pinning Daniel Morrison and putting the Sooners up 33-0. Flynn now owns five pins on the young season in just six starts (5-1 overall record). Eric Lapotsky, a junior from Mt. Carmel, Pa., then recorded a 7-5 decision over Jarrett Edison at 197 pounds. The win pushed his record to 5-0 on the season. Redshirt sophomore Nathan Fernandez ensured the shutout by posting a 5-1 decision over Cameron Gladd at heavyweight. The last-bout victory gave OU a 39-0 win, improving to 1-0 on the season. The Sooners will return to action at home next Thursday, Nov. 20, versus Oklahoma City at 7 p.m. at the McCasland Field House. Spates will bid for his 200th win against the Stars.

America's Wrestling Radio Show heads out on the road for its first road tour of the year. The mobile Brute Adidas studios will once again start in Pennsylvania and work our way through to NY and then on to The Columbus, Ohio. Over the past years we have stopped at hundreds of schools and programs talking with Coaches, AD's, SID's and athletes. This year we add a video feature to the trips and to the interviews. While we interview our subjects for Live National Air on Radio we will now also be video taping the process making it a true multi media experience. TDR has always been a leader in innovation by pioneering the radio and internet broadcast of wrestling for the past 11 years. "We reach out to the far flung reaches of the country and embrace the sport every day with fresh new interviews each and every week on takedownradio.com and on the Intermatwrestle.com premium service." We talk to the coaches in their offices, homes and wrestling rooms. We go behind the scenes." Said TDR Founder Scott Casber. Join us for Live broadcasts and check out our new Takedownradio.com web site for our TDR.TV feature. TDR's Road Trip Schedule includes- November 12th- University of Iowa Media Day Broadcast (Video Tape Only) November 15th- Harold Nichols Cyclone Open Broadcast begins at 9:30 AM CST LIVE AUDIO November 17th- Bucknell U Bison- Coach Dan Wirnsberger updates us on his program (Video Tape Only) November 18th- Lehigh University- Pat Santoro Updates us on his program (Video Tape Only) November 19th-Bloomsburg University Vs. Pittsburgh, Live from the University of Pittsburgh LIVE AUDIO November 20th-Indepth Interviews with the mgmt at Resilite, Keeping Athletes Safe (Video Tape Only) November 20th-NYAC Broadcast of USA Vs. Russia, Vs Japan LIVE AUDIO from West Orange NJ November 21st-Penn State Vs. Cornell University, Live from Ithica, NY LIVE AUDIO November 22nd-Cornell's Body Bar Tournament brought to you by Body Bar LIVE AUDIO November 23rd-Binghamton Sprawl and Brawl, Live from Binghamton NY LIVE AUDIO November 24th-43rd NWCA All Star Classic Live from Columbus, Ohio Brought LIVE AUDIO November 29th- Brute/NE Journeyman Duals LIVE AUDIO December 5-6 Las Vegas Invitational LIVE AUDIO December 18th- Reno Tournament of Champions (Final Round Only) J. Carl Guymon LIVE AUDIO December 27th Clinton, Iowa Focus on HS Wrestling (Video Tape Only) December 28th- Sean Bormet's Overtime School of Wrestling (Video Tape Only) DEC 29th-30 Broadcast of the Midlands Tournament LIVE AUDIO January 9-11 Broadcast of the National Duals in partnership with Live Sports Video, LIVE AUDIO/Video January 16- Maryland Vs. Oklahoma Sooners, Live from Norman, OK LIVE AUDIO January 30th- Emcee Missouri Fund Raising banquet (Video Tape Only) January 31st Nebraska Vs. Missouri Tigers, Live from Columbia, Missouri LIVE AUDIO February 13- Central Michigan Vs. Missouri Tigers, Live from Columbia, Missouri LIVE AUDIO Feb 14th- Live Broadcast of Inaugural Arkansas HS State Championships LIVE AUDIO March 7th- the Big 12's from Lincoln, NE courtesy of the Big 12 and U of Nebraska LIVE AUDIO March 19-21st-NCAA Championship's From St. Louis, Mo Courtesy of St. Louis Sports Commission LIVE AUDIO This schedule will be added to and adjusted throughout the season. We hope to be able to add a west coast tour to our schedule to assist the programs of the west this year as well. Stay tuned as we are happy to provide this service to wrestling.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Some of the nation's top college wrestling teams and individuals will be on display at North Carolina's Eddie Smith Field House Saturday when the Tar Heels host the third-annual ACC/Big Ten Clash. Action begins at noon and will continue with nine dual matches throughout the afternoon. Admission is free of charge. Three teams ranked in this week's InterMat top 25 will be in action – No. 9 Illinois, No. 12 Wisconsin and No. 21 Virginia. Additionally, 16 wrestlers ranked in the top 20 in their respective weight classes are listed in the probable lineups for Saturday. "As far as the teams, the Big Ten is the toughest conference," said North Carolina head coach C.D. Mock. "To be able to get them to spend the money to come down here and wrestle, it's not only great for Carolina, it's great for the ACC. It's super for the state of North Carolina. I think it will be packed with high school kids that don't ever get to see these other teams wrestle. These are the best teams in the country right now and to be able to see these guys wrestle is great for our state." The Tar Heels, who are led by 13th-ranked heavyweight Justin Dobies, opened the season in fine fashion at last weekend's Wolfpack open, placing six wrestlers in the top three. Senior Vincent Ramirez brought home the 141-pound title.

University of Northern Iowa head wrestling coach Brad Penrith said a few of his younger wrestlers will take part in Saturday's Harold Nichols Cyclone Open in Ames, Iowa. "We'll have a handful of our younger guys competing there unattached so they can get some more action under their belt," Penrith said. "The upperclassmen will stay in Cedar Falls and practice on Saturday morning with matches being assigned among the guys in the room." The Harold Nichols Open will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the Lied Recreation Center on the Iowa State University campus. It will be a double-elimination format tournament and NCAA rules will be followed with seven-minute matches; riding time will be kept for all matches.

Lincoln -- The Nebraska wrestling team announced several changes to its 2008-09 schedule today. The Huskers' two contests schedule for Jan. 4 have been rearranged due to travel changes. Nebraska originally planned to face Northern Colorado at noon and Michigan at 4 p.m., but will now square off with UM at 2 p.m. and UNC at 4 p.m. The Wolverines and Bears wrestle each other at noon. Nebraska's Feb. 5 dual with Oklahoma State has been relocated from the NU Coliseum to the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The contest has been designated as a Pepsi Pack the Place promotion. Admission and Pepsi products will be $1. No. 6 Nebraska starts its dual season against Tennessee-Chattanooga at 7 p.m. in the NU Coliseum on Nov. 20.

Lincoln -- Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning announced on Thursday, Nov. 13, that five recruits signed a National Letter of Intent to join the Husker wrestling squad. The five signees, Kyle Waldo of Rockford, Mich., David Klingsheim of Brentwood, Calif., Cody Compton of Bonne Terre, Mo., Michael Klinginsmith of Kearney, Neb., and Caleb Kolb of Grove City, Pa., will join the team in the 2009-10 academic year. "All five of these young men like Nebraska and like what we are about," Manning said. "They add to a great recruiting class we had last year. I can't say enough about these guys. They are excited about the future and the impact they are going to leave on our program." Kyle Waldo – Rockford, Mich. A three-time state champion for Coach Don Rinehart and Rockford High School, Kyle Waldo will attempt to become the 14th four-time state champion in Michigan high school history this winter. Waldo claimed the title as a freshman and sophomore at 103 pounds with 50-1 and 45-1 records, respectively. He moved up to 112 pounds as a junior, and earned a 26-1 mark to win the state championship again. He has a 121-3 career record while wrestling for the Rams. Waldo also earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish at 112 pounds in the freestyle division of the 2008 Junior National Championships. He is the nation's 19th-ranked wrestler at 119 pounds according to WIN Magazine's 2008-09 preseason rankings and is No. 96 in InterMat's top 100 recruits of 2009. He is projected to wrestle 125 pounds at Nebraska. Manning on Waldo: "Kyle is going to bring a great work ethic and great attitude to our program. He is a young man who identified our program early on and wanted to come to Nebraska. He has had the Huskers on his mind. We know him and we know what we are getting. He comes from a great high school program. He really has high aspirations that are right in line with our program and where we want go." David Klingsheim – Brentwood, Calif. Wrestling in a talent-filled state, David Klingsheim has excelled at Liberty High School for Coaches Greg Chappel and Rudy Dizon. Klingsheim will attempt to become the 18th wrestler ever to place (top eight) in four state meets in California, which only has one division for wrestling. He was eighth as a freshman at 103 pounds with a 55-5 record and followed with a 47-7 mark to place fifth at 112 pounds as a sophomore. Last season he claimed the state title at 112 with a 51-5 record. Klingheim's title defense has gotten off to a solid start this season, as he won the prestigious Super 32 Challenge on Nov. 1 with a 7-0 mark at 119 pounds. Klingsheim earned All-America accolades with a fourth-place showing at 112 pounds in the Greco-Roman division of the 2007 Junior National Championships. He is the No. 62 recruit in InterMat's top 100 recruits of 2009 and will wrestle at 125 pounds for the Huskers. Manning on Klingsheim: "He is a very talented young man who is very intense. He is very much a go-getter who wrestles at a high pace and tempo. People are going to really like to watch this young man compete because he gets after it. He brings a tremendous desire to be the best to our program." Caleb Kolb – Grove City, Penn. The Huskers claim another InterMat top 100 recruit of 2009 in Caleb Kolb. The No. 78 wrestler, Kolb is a two-time state qualifier for Grove City High School. He posted a 39-5 mark to finish third at 160 pounds at the state championships last season, after a 33-13 record as a sophomore. Kolb also participated in football as a halfback and outside linebacker, and in track and field as a pole vaulter his first three years of high school. Kolb earned All-America honors last summer after finishing third at 160 pounds in the National High School Coaches Association Wrestling Championships. Kolb will wrestle at 174 pounds for Nebraska. Kolb is the son of Jon Kolb, who played 13 season in the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jon started 177 games at offensive tackle from 1969 to 1981 and earned four Super Bowl rings. Manning on Caleb: "I think he is one of the top kids in country at his weight. He is another guy that wrestles with a lot of energy. He is a very hard nose, tough guy that has great genes. He is a guy that we are very excited for." Cody Compton – Bonne Terre, Mo. A two-time All-American, Cody Compton has also found success at the state level for North County High School in Bonne Terre, Mo. Compton has racked up a 111-6 career record with three straight top-five finishes at the state championships. He claimed third as a freshman and sophomore with a 37-2 record at 130 pounds and a 40-1 mark at 140, respectively. He battled through mono and tonsillitis to place fifth last season at 152 pounds with a 34-3 record. He claimed third at 145 pounds in the freestyle division of the 2007 Cadet National Championships, before notching an eighth-place showing at 152 pounds in the freestyle division of the 2008 Junior National Championships. He is the younger brother of Nebraska freshman linebacker Will Compton and is projected to wrestle 157 or 165 for NU. Manning on Cody: "Cody is a guy that really fits into our program. He has toughness about him. He has a great work ethic that is really going to pay dividends. His attitude is very infectious. He has a huge upside because he hasn't had the benefits a lot of young men have had, as far as being exposed to a lot of things. He has a lot of upside and a lot of room to improve that will pay dividends for him. He is going to have a great career at Nebraska." Michael Klinginsmith – Kearney, Neb. The Huskers continue to sign the best in-state talent, as Michael Klinginsmith will join the team after a standout career at Kearney Catholic High School. He placed third at 140 pounds as a freshman at the state championships, but has won state titles the last two years at 145 and 152 pounds. He owns a 123-7 career record, including 83-0 the last two seasons, and will look to continue that success at 160 pounds this year. Klinginsmith has also excelled on the football field as the Stars' starting quarterback the last three seasons. He has led the team to three straight playoff appearances with a 21-8 record. In the classroom, Klinginsmith has a 4.0 grade-point average and earned a 35 on his ACT. He has been on the honor roll every semester of his high school career and is a member of National Honor Society. He is projected to wrestle 149 or 157 for the Huskers. Manning on Michael: "Michael exemplifies a high standard of excellence. He is a tremendous student-athlete. On the football team, he was just a great leader. When he concentrates only on wrestling, he will be a great talent. He exemplifies what you want in a great student-athlete. We are really excited about Michael and the future he has in our program."

Columbia, Mo. -- Missouri Wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith announced today that four grapplers, Kellen Bounous (Monett, Mo.), Kyle Bradley (St. Peters, Mo.), Zach Toal (Sidney, Ohio) and Kyle Wisdom (Farmington, Mo.) have signed on to wrestle with the Tigers for the 2009-10 season. Together the signees have combined for six state titles and an overall grade-point average of 3.40. "I am very pleased about our four young men who have committed to Missouri to pursue their education and wrestling careers," Smith said. "They are all very focused both on the mat and in the classroom. Getting Zach out of Big 10 country was not an easy task, but he bought into coming to a program that fits what he needs. Keeping Brad, Kyle and Kellen home is important to our recruiting. They have all grown up in Missouri with aspirations of wrestling for the Tigers and now they get to live out that opportunity." Bounous enters his senior season at Monett High School with a 128-2 record that includes back-to-back state titles his sophomore (2007) and junior (2008) campaigns. As a freshman (2006), Bounous finished second in the state of Missouri. Coached by Daryl Bradley, Bounous was a Liberty Nationals Champion his freshman year and finished third at Junior Nationals while wrestling in the 140 pound weight class. Bounous is expected to compete in either the 149 or 157 pound weight class for Missouri. In addition to his accomplishments on the mat, Bounous has earned Academic All-State honors his freshman, sophomore and junior year and carries a 3.99 grade-point average. A member of the National Honor Society, Bounous has been a member of the All "A" Honor Roll all four years of high school. Expected to compete in the 141 or 149 pound weight class upon entering Missouri, Bradley is a three-time top-three finisher at the Missouri State Championships, finishing as high as second his freshman (2006) campaign. Wrestling at the 103, 119 and 130 pound weight class at Francis Howell Central, Bradley has accumulated a 144-8 record and leads his team with most points scored, most pins and most takedowns. A three-time District Champion, Gateway Athletic Conference Champion and First-Team All-Gateway Athletic Conference member, Bradley was awarded Most Outstanding Freshman honors by the St. Louis Wrestling Officials in 2006. Bradley is a four-time All-American coached by Steve Cross and has earned accolades in the 125 pound weight class in 2007 at the Cadet Nationals in both the Freestyle and Greco tournaments as well as the 2008 Junior Nationals 135 pound Greco and Freestyle Tournaments. Entering his senior season, Bradley owns a 3.19 GPA. A senior at Troy Christian High School in Troy, Ohio, Toal was crowned state champion his junior (2008) and sophomore (2007) seasons, recording a 49-3 record both years. As a freshman, Toal took third at the State Championships with a 38-3 mark. Coached by Steve Goudy, Toal is ranked eighth in the nation and is a two-time team captain that has earned FILA Cadet All-America honors in addition to earning championship titles at the Central Regional and Ohio State Freestyle Tournaments. A two-time Ironman placer, Toal owns a 3.0 GPA. Two-time state champion Wisdom is coached by Mark Krause at Farmington High School. The four-year team captain is a three-time district and conference champion and will wrestle at either 125 or 133 pounds for Missouri. Wisdom finished fourth at the Cadet Nationals in Fargo and for the past three seasons has recorded the most falls of his Farmington teammates. To date, Wisdom has tallied a 150 wins, 86 coming by way of fall. Ranked 72nd in the nation, Wisdom took third at the NHSCA Nationals and was awarded Academic All-State honors his junior year (2008). "We see more and more young wrestlers coming up in the high school ranks in the state of Missouri wanting to be a part of this program," Smith said. "This is a credit to the many outstanding wrestlers, coaches, support staff and administrators who have given their time to Mizzou wrestling."

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith set the bouts and the format for Thursday night's Orange and Black ranking matches at 7 p.m. in Gallagher-Iba Arena. Admission to the event is free. For those unable to attend, The Orange and Black ranking matches will be broadcast live on 93.7 KSPI-AM radio Stillwater with Rex Holt and Roger Moore calling the action. Their broadcast can also be accessed live online at the official web site of Oklahoma State athletics, www.okstate.com, and as an additional service to Cowboy wrestling fans, the Orange and Black ranking matches will be streamed live online at the official web site of Oklahoma State athletics, www.okstate.com. The live video will incorporate the audio from KSPI's broadcast. The Cowboys will wrestle a total of 18 bouts on two mats, with all but two OSU wrestlers in action. Several weight classes are in question for Oklahoma State this year, but perhaps the most intruiging weights going into the Orange and Black ranking matches are 133 pounds, 149 pounds, 157 pounds and 174 pounds. With 2008 NCAA champion and four-time All-American Coleman Scott not in the lineup for the first time in four years, Shinn gets his chance to step in at 133 pounds but it won't be easy as junior college national champion Chris Notte provides formidable opposition and would be a good option for John Smith to start in that slot as well. The 149-pound weight class features a pair of unproven wrestlers looking to make a name for themselves. Quinten Fuentes and Luke Silver face off in what should be one of the more intense matches of the night with much at stake. Though Fuentes was OSU's starter at the beginning of last season, he lost his grip on that spot after struggling to an 11-9 overall record and a 4-7 mark in duals. He gets a second chance beginning Thursday, but Silver should not be underestimated coming off a redshirt year in which he compiled a 15-7 overall record. Smith has a pair of talented wrestlers at 157 pounds who are both good enough to start and win bouts well into the season. Senior Newly McSpadden is likely to be the narrow favorite Thursday, but sophomore Neil Erisman is a legitimate contender who should not be discounted against any opponent, McSpadden included. Any of three different wrestlers have a realistic shot at becoming the starter at 174 pounds and the Orange and Black ranking matches could go a long way in determining who gets the opening-day nod between Kevin Wainscott, Kyle Griffin and Cody Hill. Wainscott and Hill have both started duals for Oklahoma State before, with Wainscott competing at 165 pounds and Hill at 184 pounds. Neither has ever started at 174. Griffin competed exclusively in open tournaments as a 165-pound redshirt last year and compiled a 16-5 overall record with six wins by fall. Oklahoma State Wrestling Orange and Black Ranking Matches Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 :: Gallagher-Iba Arena Mat One 125 pounds: Andre Taylor (Black) vs. Kyle Torkleson (Orange) 165 pounds: Alex Meade (Black) vs. Ace Adamson (Orange) 174 pounds: Joe Ali (Black) vs. Cody Hill (Orange) 197 pounds: Elliott Hellwege (Black) vs. Clayton Foster (Orange) 141 pounds: Luke Ashmore (Black) vs. Jamal Parks (Orange) 125 pounds: Winner Mat One vs. Winner Mat Two 165 pounds: Brandon Mason (Orange) vs. Winner of Meade vs. Adamson 174 pounds: Winner Mat One vs. Winner Mat Two 197 pounds: Winner Mat One vs. Winner Mat Two Mat Two 125 pounds: Obenson Blanc (Orange) vs. Drew Partain (Black) 133 pounds: Chris Notte (Orange) vs. Tyler Shinn (Black) 174 pounds: Kevin Wainscott (Orange) vs. Kyle Griffin (Black) 197 pounds: Tyson Yoder (Orange) vs. Adam Rosholt (Black) 149 pounds: Jake Peck (Orange) vs. Johnny Koepp (Black) 149 pounds: Luke Silver (Orange) vs. Quinten Fuentes (Black) 157 pounds: Neil Erisman (Orange) vs. Newly McSpadden (Black) 184 pounds: Jared Shelton (Orange) vs. Chris McNeil (Black) 285 pounds: Jared Rosholt (Orange) vs. Opponent TBA (Black)

SEASON OPENER The defending NCAA and Big Ten champion Iowa wrestling team will open the 2008-09 season Nov. 21 when it hosts the Iowa City Duals and Arizona State. The Iowa City Duals will be held in the North Gym at the University of Iowa Field House. Iowa will wrestle Coe at 9 a.m., Iowa Central at 10:30 a.m. and Minnesota State-Mankato at Noon. It will be the first time the Hawkeyes have wrestled in the Field House since January 1983, when Carver-Hawkeye Arena opened. Admission to the event is free. The Hawkeyes will then head over to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to face Arizona State at 3:30 p.m. Tickets purchased in advance are $10 for adults and $5 for you. Tickets purchased at the dual are $12 for adults and $6 for youth. University of Iowa students and children ages 5 and under will be admitted for free. Tickets can be purchased from the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-464-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com. ON THE AIR Radio - Steven Grace and two-time Hawkeye NCAA champion and four-time all-American Mark Ironside will call the action this season. At press time, all dual meets (except the Iowa City and the Journeyman/Brute Duals) as well as action from the Big Ten and NCAA Championships will be aired live on AM-800, KXIC. Live audio broadcasts from all competitions (except the Journeyman/Brute Duals) are available online at www.hawkeyesports.com. Broadcasts are available using the XXL All-Access subscription ($14.95 per month or $119.95 yer year). Internet - Press releases, meet results, audio broadcasts and live video broadcasts from home duals are available online at www.hawkeyesports.com. To access live scoring for home meets, go to the wrestling schedule page, select the event and click on the Live Results link. Results will be updated after each bout during the dual. Current staff and student-athlete head shots can be found at pics.hawkeyesports.com. Television - Three of Iowa's dual meets and portions of the Midlands, Big Ten and NCAA Championships will be televised this year. The Big Ten Network and Iowa Public Television will air the Iowa vs. Iowa State dual on Dec. 6 and the Minnesota dual on Feb. 15. Iowa Public Television will air the meets live, while the Big Ten Network will have a same day delayed broadcast (9:30 p.m. Iowa State, 7 p.m. Minnesota). The Big Ten Network will also air a live telecast of the Illinois dual Jan. 25 at 5 p.m. The Big Ten Network is also scheduled to air the finals of the 2008 Midlands Championships, Dec. 30, live at 6 p.m. Portions of the 2009 Big Ten Championships are also scheduled to air on the Big Ten Network, Mar. 8, at a time to be determined. ESPNU, ESPN360.com and ESPN are scheduled to combine for extensive live coverage of the 2009 NCAA Championships. An exact airing schedule has yet to be determined. FIVE HAWKEYES SET FOR NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC Five Hawkeyes are scheduled to compete at the 43rd annual NWCA All-Star Classic Nov. 24 in Columbus, OH. The event will be held in Ohio State's St. John Arena and is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. (CT). Tickets are $10, with children ages six and under admitted free. Tickets can be ordered from TicketMaster at 614-431-3600 or www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com. Hawkeye senior Charlie Falck (125) and juniors Joe Slaton (133), Brent Metcalf (149), Jay Borschel (174) and Phillip Keddy (184) have all accepted invitations to compete at the event. It will be the most Iowa competitiors since the 1992 event in Iowa City when six Iowa wrestlers (Chad Zaputil, Terry Brands, Tom Brands, Troy Steiner, Terry Steiner and Travis Fiser) participated. Six Hawkeyes also competed at the event in 1985. Three of Iowa's five match-ups will be against Big Ten foes. Falck will wrestle Cornell's Troy Nickerson at 125, while Slaton will face Minnesota's Jayson Ness at 133. It will be the first meeting for both. Nickerson is a two-time all-American who sat out last season due to injury. Ness earned two all-America honors at 125 for Minnesota, and is moving up to 133. Metcalf will face Penn State's Bubba Jenkins in a rematch of last season's 149-pound NCAA finals. Metcalf won that match (14-8), as well as two other meetings during the season (pin in 5:33 at dual match in Iowa City and 15-3 major decision at the Big Ten semifinals). Borschel will face Michigan's Steve Luke at 174. The Hawkeye junior holds a 1-1 record against Luke, winning a 3-2 decision at the 2008 National Duals and losing a 5-3 decision at the dual in Iowa City. Luke is the defending Big Ten Champion and the 2008 NCAA runner-up. Keddy will wrestle Harvard's Louis Caputo at 184. Keddy is 0-1 against the junior, losing a 7-0 decision in the consolation round of the 2007 NCAA Championships to knock him out of the tournament. Following is the scheduled lineup. The individual rankings are from the USA Today/Intermat/NWCA pre-season poll. 2008 NWCA All-Star Dual Match-Ups 125 - #2 Troy Nickerson (Cornell) vs. #3 Charlie Falck (Iowa) 133 - #1 Joe Slaton (Iowa) vs. #2 Jayson Ness (Minnesota) 141 - #1 J Jaggers (Ohio St.) vs. #2 Nick Gallick (Iowa St.) 149 - #1 Brent Metcalf (Iowa) vs. #2 Bubba Jenkins (Penn St.) 157 - #1 Jordan Leen (Cornell) vs. #3 Dan Vallimont (Penn St.) 165 - #1 Nick Marable (Missouri) vs. #2 Mack Lewnes (Cornell) 174 - #1 Steve Luke (Michigan) vs. #2 Jay Borschel (Iowa) 184 - #3 Phil Keddy (Iowa) vs. #4 Louis Caputo (Harvard) 197 - #1 Jake Varner (Iowa St.) vs. #2 Hudson Taylor (Maryland) Hwt - #1 Jake Rosholt (Okla. St.) vs. #3 Kyle Massey (Wisconsin) "PACK THE HOUSE" SET FOR IOWA-IOWA STATE DUAL The Hawkeyes will try to pack the house and recapture the current national dual meet attendance record when it hosts intra-state rival Iowa State Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The current record of 15,646 was set by Minnesota on Feb. 1, 2002, when the Golden Gophers hosted Iowa at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The meet has also been designated as a "Black Out" meet, where all fans are encouraged to wear black. Fans will receive black rally towels at the dual, which is also a Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series event. While Carver-Hawkeye holds 15,500 fans for a dual wrestling meet, University of Iowa officials have secured special permission from local authorities to sell standing room only seats around the top perimeter of the facility for a new capacity of 15,713. Iowa City was home to the national dual meet attendance record for almost 19 years before Minnesota's record-breaking crowd in 2002. The Hawkeyes had 15,283 fans when they hosted Iowa State on Feb. 19, 1983. Iowa broke that record on Feb. 22, 1992, when 15,291 fans filled Carver-Hawkeye to watch the Hawkeyes and Cyclones compete. HAWKEYES EARN TOP PRE-SEASON RANKINGS Iowa earned the top spot in the USA Today/NWCA/Intermat Top 25 pre-season coaches poll and the W.I.N. Magazine pre-season dual team rankings. Hawkeye juniors Joe Slaton (133) and Brent Metcalf (149) also earned top spots at their weight class in pre-season national rankings by Amateur Wrestling News (AWN), Intermat/NWCA/NWMA and W.I.N. Magazine. Slaton was an NCAA finalist and placed third at the Big Ten meet last season with a 31-5 overall record. He also won a Midlands title, went 18-3 in duals and 7-1 in the Big Ten. Metcalf returns after collecting nearly every collegiate wrestling accolade possible in 2008. He was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy, which is presented to the nation's top collegiate wrestler, and the Jesse Owens Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year Award, given annually to the best male student-athlete in any Big Ten sport. He was named outstanding wrestler at the NCAA and Big Ten Championships after winning individual titles. He earned Big Ten Wrestler of the Year honors, and was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week twice - in consecutive weeks - becoming the first wrestler in conference history to achieve that feat. His 35-1 season record included an undefeated 7-0 Big Ten dual mark. He ended the season on a 32-match winning streak. Metcalf also led the team in collegiate wins (35), dual wins (21), collegiate and dual winning percentages (.972, .954), dual team points scored during the season (100) and technical falls (6). Senior Charlie Falck (125) is ranked second by AWN and W.I.N. Magazine, and third by Intermat/NWCA/NWMA, while junior Jay Borschel (174) is ranked second in all three polls. Falck is a two-time all-American who posted a 21-1 dual record last year, going 7-1 in the Big Ten and leading the squad in dual wins (21) and dual winning percentage (.954). Borschel recorded a 32-5 season and 20-2 dual mark en route to third-place finishes at the NCAA and Big Ten Championships last season. He led the team in major decisions (11), and ranked second in collegiate wins (32) and dual team points scored during the season (79). NEW FACES ON HAWKEYE STAFF Head Coach Tom Brands added some new and familiar faces to his staff for the 2008-09 season. His twin brother, Terry, was named an assistant coach in October, and Doug Schwab dropped the interim from his assistant coach title. Mike Zadick, who has served on the Hawkeye staff for the past five seasons, moved to volunteer assistant coach. Former Oklahoma two-time all-American Jared Frayer was named strength and conditioning coach, and former Hawkeye Luke Eustice filled the administrative assistant position. A two-time World Champion and 2000 Olympic bronze medalist Terry Brands joins the staff after a three-year stint (2005-08) as USA Wrestling's national freestyle resident coach in Colorado Springs, CO. His collegiate coaching experience includes stints as head coach at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (2002-05), and as an assistant coach at Montana State-Northern (2001-02), the University of Nebraska (2000-01) and the University of Iowa (1992-2000). Brands was a two-time NCAA champion, three-time all-American and three-time Big Ten champion for the Hawkeyes (1989-92). He ended his career at Iowa with a 137-7 record. Schwab is in his third season on the Hawkeye staff, serving as a volunteer assistant coach in 2006-07 and an interim assistant coach in 2007-08. A 2008 Olympian, he was a three-time all-American and Big Ten champion for the Hawkeyes (1998-2001). Zadick, who also competed at the 2008 Olympics, was a three-time all-American at Iowa (2000-02), winning the 2002 Big Ten title. SQUAD LOOKS TO EXTEND DUAL WINNING STREAK Iowa enters the season having won 14 straight duals. The Hawkeyes have also won 15 consecutive duals away from Iowa City. The school record for most consecutive dual wins is 42 (1994-97). CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Tom Brands, Terry Brands, Doug Schwab, Mike Zadick and Jared Frayer earned a total of one Olympic gold medal, one Olympic bronze medal, six NCAA titles, 11 conference titles and 15 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 487-83-2 (.858). HAWKEYE WRESTLING TICKET INFORMATION Season tickets and single meet tickets for Iowa's home duals are on sale at the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-464-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com. Fans will be admitted to the Iowa City Duals Nov. 21 at the UI Field House free of charge. University of Iowa students will be admitted free to all matches with a valid student ID. Students are asked to stop by the UI Athletic Ticket Office before the Iowa State and Minnesota duals to pick up a free paper ticket for seating purposes. Following are this season's ticket prices: Season Tickets $60 - General public, $48 - Faculty/staff* Single Meet vs. Iowa St., Minnesota Advance Purchase: $13 - Adult, $7 - Youth, $2 - Age 5 and under Door Purchase: $15 - Adult, $8 - Youth, $2 - Age 5 and under Free Admission: UI Students with paper ticket Single Meet vs. Arizona St., Wisconsin, Illinois, Bucknell, Purdue Advance Purchase: $10 - Adult, $5 - Youth Door Purchase: $12 - Adult, $6 - Youth Free Admission: UI Students, children ages 5 and under * - A limit of two tickets available at this price. All others must be purchased at the public price. OH BROTHER The two sets of brothers on the 2008-09 Hawkeye wrestling roster are junior Dan LeClere and redshirt freshman Nick LeClere from Coggon, IA, and sophomore Matt Ballweg and freshman Mark Ballweg from Waverly, IA. There have been 10 sets of brothers to wrestle together in the Hawkeye lineup since the 1950s. They are Don and Tom Huff (1961), Mark and Scott Trizzino (1981), Lenny, Larry and Jim Zalesky (1981-82), Ed and Lou Banach (1981-83), Marty and Lindley Kistler (1984-85), Jim and John Heffernan (1987), Tom and Terry Brands (1989-92), Troy and Terry Steiner (1991-93), Ryan and Randy Fulsaas (2001) and Luke and Ty Eustice (2003-04). There have also been five sets of twins to wrestle at Iowa. They are Ed and Lou Banach, Tom and Terry Brands, Ben and Brett Stedman, Troy and Terry Steiner and Randy and Ryan Fulsaas. CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA Carver-Hawkeye Arena has been the home of Iowa wrestling since 1983. The Hawkeyes are 162-18 (.900) in the arena, which includes a record 10 victories during the 1986 season. Iowa has recorded 16 undefeated seasons in the arena, with the most recent (8-0) occurring in 2002-03. The dual wrestling attendance record for Carver-Hawkeye Arena is 15,291, set when Iowa defeated Iowa State on February 22, 1992. The arena seats 15,500 for a dual wrestling meet.

Hempstead, NY -- The Hofstra Pride made their 2008-09 home debut a successful one with a 53-0 rout of the Seahawks of Wagner at the David S. Mack Sports Complex Wednesday night. The Pride (1-0) posted five pins, three tech falls, and two major decisions to post their 14th consecutive victory over Wagner (0-2). After Pride freshman Steve Bonanno (4-3) posted a 15-0 tech fall over Wagner freshman Jason Mandragona at 125 pounds, Hofstra recorded three consecutive pins led by junior Lou Ruggirello's fifth fall of the year in as many outings at 133 pounds. Sophomore Jeff Rotella (2-2) recorded his first career pin with a fall in 2:39 over freshman Jake Villaret at 141 pounds. Red-shirt freshman P.J. Gillespie (4-3) posted his second fall of the season with a pin of sophomore Ryan Cornell in 4:36. Junior Jonny Bonilla-Bowman, ranked 15th at 157 pounds in the latest Intermat rankings, posted his third win of the season with a 21-8 major decision over sophomore Larry Peotter for a 27-0 lead at the intermission. The second half of the match was no better for the Seahawks as Hofstra sophomore Ryan Patrovich (4-1) recorded a 16-4 major decision over senior Sean Quinn at 165. Hofstra's returning All-American senior Alton Lucas, ranked sixth by Intermat, improved to 4-0 on the year with a pin of freshman Ryan Malloy in 2:15. At 184 pounds, freshman Ben Clymer made his Hofstra debut with a 17-0 tech fall victory over sophomore Peter Morano. Freshman Rob Piscitello recorded his first college fall with a pin of freshman Mark Wagner in 3:43 at 197 pounds. Freshman Jordan Enck (4-3) closed out the match with a 15-0 tech fall of junior Angelo D'Amico in the heavyweight match. The Pride will return to action this Sunday, November 16 when they travel to University Park, Pennsylvania to face the seventh-ranked Nittany Lions of Penn State at 1 p.m.

Nicholas Hopping sacrificed two years of his life for the sake of his controversial book about the 2004 U.S. Olympic Freestyle team titled The Silent Gladiators. RevWrestling.com recently talked to Hopping talks about the state of amateur wrestling in the United States, the influence of mixed martial arts (MMA), his relationship with USA Wrestling, and much more. Do you regret anything that was included in the book? Is there anything else you wish you would have included? Hopping: I don't regret anything I included. There was some other information that I could have put in the book, information that people are aware of in the wrestling community about some powerful people in the wrestling community that if I had chosen to go that route, would have put the book on the front page of The New York Times sporting section. The USOC is a powerful organization, but had been wrought with corruption in the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games and it became very sensitive of its image as any corporation, as any individual who has a lot of power and money tends to be. Employee hotlines were set up to where you could call up and essentially rat, snitch or sell out another USOC employee who was breaking the rules. Nicholas HoppingIf somebody was sleeping with somebody and a third party was benefiting from it or a powerful guy was using company funds to travel to locations and meet with his mistress, then it would have created a repeat mess of problems, especially with the upcoming 2008 Olympics. But I chose not to go this route for two reasons: 1. It's not any of my business who sleeps with whom. 2. It's not what I wanted the book to be about. But there was a particular situation with several characters involved that led to some compromising situations that left many employees uncomfortable and it's likely that people are in the same positions today because nobody said anything. So perhaps, under the title of journalist, I was weak in this regard. If I would have written The Silent Gladiators with the included bedroom or couch sex scandals, printed rumors and airplane receipts, and hotel reservations in Vegas under power people's name and under the USOC dime, it would have altered some things in wrestling's power structure. And trust me, it would have made the papers, and I wouldn't have had to drive across the country, sleep in the back of my pickup, sell books in parking lots, and wait in the lobby of the Iowa City Press-Citizen, Des Moines Register, Minneapolis Star Tribune or Pittsburgh Post-Gazette trying to get my book reviewed by a newspaper editor who never heard of me or doesn't care about the sport I wrote about. And I, nor anybody else, would have had to dig too deep. It's like they say in the movie Syriana: "You dig a six foot hole, and you'll find three bodies. But you dig twelve, and maybe you'll find forty." You mention in an interview with Martin Floreani on Flowrestling.com that you asked Mike Chapman, who is one of the respected wrestling authors in the country, to review your book, and that he acted unprofessionally and didn't like elements of your book. What aspects of your book didn't he like? Hopping: About Iowa. About Gable. I paid $500 to have my book spellchecked. You mention in the same interview that you believe wrestlers should be making more money. The exploding popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) on the other hand has allowed the UFC to offer lucrative contracts with the help of innovative marketing strategies by Dana White. Is MMA good or bad for the sport of wrestling and why? Hopping: Good. Wrestling needs MMA the same way Olympians need training partners. We are dying because nobody is pushing us. MMA is cashing in and making a name for wrestlers. Uriah Faber is doing well. Chuck Liddell killed it. And plenty others are crossing over. Mo Lawal is a perfect example. He is a star athlete waiting to happen. Yet, when he was wrestling, I never saw him in commercials trying to sell me underwear or drinking Sprite and telling me how good it tastes. I wish I could have seen him on the Late Show with David Letterman because the dude is funny. But once he lost at the Olympic Trials, he had to eat and make a living so he went to MMA where his talent is compensated. USA Wrestling lost its most exciting athlete, one of its most marketable commodities and nothing changes … and more wrestlers will do the same. I hope Lawal hits it big in MMA, cashes checks the size of a surfboard because that's what an athlete of his caliber deserves. Dana White should be given a Wrestling Man of the Year Award for putting food on wrestlers' tables. I don't watch MMA and I don't enjoy seeing blood on TV or every guy walking around Huntington Beach thinking he's the next Tito Ortiz, but hating Mr. White or the MMA for poaching former NCAA stars is the wrong mentality. I rarely, if ever, watch MMA, but if table tennis outperformed us in NBC coverage at the Beijing Olympics, which it did, how can anybody say the situation is anything but pathetic? The U.S. wrestlers aren't pathetic. The coaches aren't pathetic. (You can play hangman with the rest) U _ _ W _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ promotion is pathetic. Your employment and subsequent termination from USA Wrestling has become a topic of discussion on public wrestling forums across the country. Describe your experience at USA Wrestling. Hopping: Here is USA Wrestling's phone number: 719.598.8181. Call them. Pretend you're a manger at El Pollo Loco doing a background check because you want to hire me as the Chicken Mascot for your fine fast-food establishment. Ask them, if at anytime during Mr. Hopping's internship was he terminated? I was never fired from USA Wrestling and I enjoyed my short time while working there as a USOC intern. My boss, Larry Nugent, was nothing but good to me. The executive director, Rich Bender, who I didn't really work with, was a very nice, family man who treats others with respect. Travis Shives and Andre Gibson were some others who were good people, cared about the sport, and worked hard. Has there been a backlash from USA Wrestling since the book was published? If so, do you care? Hopping: I have not heard from anyone from USA Wrestling and I don't expect to. I don't have anything to care about and I imagine they don't either when it concerns me. You dedicated two chapters of the book to the Russian wrestling scene and its most accomplished wrestler in Bouvaisa Saitiev. Did you spend any significant time with Saitiev? If so, what sets him apart from the most successful wrestlers in the U.S.? Bouvaisa SaitievHopping: He has a calm to him. You can see it on the mat. You see it with Joe Montana, Derek Jeter, Cael Sanderson … they are calm, they are cool, they are unaffected, and they can react well in pressure moments. Saitiev obviously has a tremendous style and incredible flexibility, but I have a hard time believing that physical talent is his largest reason for his success. His upbringing and strong family structure probably had a lot to do with it, but he also comes across as a deeply religious person, a strong spiritual presence moves him, but it might be that we are spiritual beings living in a physical world and his spirit is very, very strong. His reliance on faith gives him the strength to beat temptation and distractions that tempt any man and allows him to train hard, digest the finest coaching and perform when the lights come on. His environment (Chechnya) has hardened him. He is, as they describe Mickey (Brad Pitt), the Irish-Gypsy bare-knuckle boxing champion in the movie Snatch: "Tougher than a coffin nail." Many people would consider the performance of the U.S. freestyle team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing a disappointment. Did you watch the 2008 Olympics online? And if so, why do you think they underperformed? Hopping: I watched a few matches on TV, mainly Henry Cejudo and Mike Zadick. Cejudo obviously wrestled out of his head and had the tournament of his life. He attacked, he defended well, but mainly he fought it out situation to situation, point for point, and if he hadn't there were several times where he could have lost in each match, but he didn't lose, he went after it as if losing was the last thing on his mind, and God bless the kid ... he's the Olympic champ now and forever. I didn't see the athletes train in this cycle. Nor can I speak of the coaches. But I believe it is getting harder to recruit athletes to the OTC (Olympic Training Center) to commit four years for one shot at the Olympics. The facilities are awesome but there is very little to offer in terms of family housing or money that is comfortable to live off and the competition for college coaching jobs and the MMA movement cuts into the numbers as well. Did they underperform? Yes, but only because the US expectations are always very high and the day they aren't then the entire program has a problem. But ask yourself this question: Does it matter? It certainly didn't to NBC. I never saw much coverage in the paper. When the 2004 USA basketball team lost in the Olympics, there was an outcry and things changed immediately with the U.S. program. Jerry Colangelo got involved, Mike Krzyzewski signed on, and the U.S. was built into a team. What is being done with USA Wrestling? Are the same people in place? Is more money coming through? Are sponsors being lined up? Is there a drastic overhaul of the situation? Or do the same people keep showing up at tournaments, patting each other on the back, sharing pleasantries at the free buffet, and four years later the same thing happens … only now half the graduating NCAA wrestlers who still have a desire to train are stepping into an MMA octagon instead of attempting to win gold at the Olympics. What will it take for the sport of wrestling to be respected as much in the U.S. as it is in Russia? Hopping: That's a tough question … but if it happens, the solution will undoubtedly have two things going for it … a whole lot of money and new blood. It may never be like Russia because of the cultural differences in how we view the sport and the Olympics and the amount of competition for entertainment in the U.S. In your book, you describe Daniel Cormier as someone who "trains in cycles, pushing hard for several weeks at a time before a competition, and generally eating whatever he wants." What was your reaction when he heard that he was ruled medically ineligible for the 2008 Olympics? Hopping: For someone I don't know very well … I was crushed. I spent a lot more time watching these athletes than I did interviewing them for my book and one thing I noticed about Daniel was that people like the loyal crowds that follow Oklahoma State wrestlers loved Daniel. They viewed Cormier as a son, with love, they wanted so desperately for him to win because of all the personal struggles he had been through. When he lost in Athens, John Smith was muttering to himself as he walked away, Bobby Douglas shook his head as well and when I left the arena a small contingent of wrestling followers were crowded around Cormier's wife as she was the only person still sitting in the empty arena, drying her eyes because she couldn't stop crying. Daniel CormierCormier is a likable character. He doesn't seem to take himself too seriously, and nobody gets to that level without a tremendous amount of sacrifice and hard work, so to have him qualify for the team again, take out Damion Hahn, go through another four-year buildup, only to not make weight? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy because he can never get that back. He can never know how he would have done in Beijing. In a blog entry dated July 2, 2008, Jason Bryant, one of the most respected journalists in the sport, wrote that your book "really struggles with some vital elements -- grammar and facts." Do you wish you would've done a better job of editing the book? Hopping: The writer you mentioned, who you describe as one of the most respected journalists in wrestling, is in reality, one of the few journalists in wrestling. So the talent pool is small in this regard. There are far more great wrestlers in this country than there are wrestling journalists. Why? Nobody wants to cover it because nobody cares, knows, or understands the sport outside of a familiar circle. America has the athletes. America has the coaches. But America doesn't have an organization that is doing the job so that sponsors want to get involved, athletes get exposure and media want to cover the action. So while the writer you mentioned, one of the "most respected" in your words, is also tied into the very same people who I strongly believe are letting this sport die or at least are failing to be a part of its resurrection. His comments were predictable. Were there mistakes in my work? Absolutely. Did it take away from the story to the point that he makes? I have 1000 supportive letters that says, "No." And this writer and a couple other people who I can count on one hand who say, "Yes." I have no problem with anyone nor the writer you mentioned disliking my book, and I told him so over the phone when I was calling him in regards to a posting he put out that said I was fired from USA Wrestling. As a critic, he is entitled to his opinion, but if he wants to spread false rumors saying that I was fired without asking me if it was true, then his words carry very little weight with me. He can continue deterring people from The Silent Gladiators, but I believe he would be best served with all the respect he has garnered in his 14 years as a journalist, and the titles that accompany his name, to stop spending time writing about my book and write his own. I would also suggest that he go back to school and compete for an NCAA wrestling team so he gains a better idea of what wrestling is about and come back with his own story when he has the scars to prove it. As far as the mistakes go … it is what it is. I switched files with the typesetter. I rushed to have it printed for the Olympic Trials. As a result, mistakes were made. It's on me. And let this be a thank-you letter to this writer for diligently pointing that out so I can correct it. Do you plan on writing more wrestling books? Hopping: After I publish Making It or Faking It, which is a novel about Los Angeles, the only wrestling book I would be interested in writing would take place in Russia. If I learned the language and were granted access to places like Chechnya, if I could attend tournaments in Siberia and spend some time interviewing figures like Mimashvilli and Beloglazov, then I would do it. It would not solely be about wrestling, it would concern their culture, their society, and attempt to uncover why, perhaps, they are the toughest people in the world. Russia is undergoing a tremendous transformation in their sporting ranks. The KHL hockey league is poaching NHL players. Professional as well as the national soccer team are finding success and money is being thrown around. Big things are happening, and the world seems to be in a time of change, so it would be interesting to see America from the other side, what the Russian coaches and athletes really think of us and what are the variables that consistently drive their athletes to top of the podium at the World Championships and the Olympics. Vladimir Putin is behind this Russian sporting renaissance, pushing the oligarchs to donate enormous amounts of cash into facilities, coaches and top salaries for the athletes. Many of the American wrestlers wish they had it so good. They wouldn't have to go to MMA to get paid. They wouldn't have to wish they were made. And they would definitely … never mind … have a good one, RevWrestling.com.

Lots going on in wrestling as the season begins. Anticipation fills the air. Join us for a fun filled and informative 2 hours on Takedownradio.com Wednesday night this week starting at 7 PM. You can join in by jumping into the chat room, ask questions, voice concerns, give your opinions and share your knowledge. Join the best of the TDR Round Table Wednesday Night starting at 7 PM: Earl Smith- D1Collegewrestling.net Dan Cosimi- Ohiowrestling.net Britt Malinsky- Well known wrestling pundit and number cruncher Jeff Breese- Intermatwrestle.com Chief Andrew Hipps- Founder and creative God at RevWrestling.com Rich Fergola- Former NIACC and Dana College Head Coach Chad Wiltsey- Thewrestlingtalk.com J. Carl Guymon for his tremendous insight into the surprising world of College wrestling. Koy Kosek joins us for a review and overview of D3 from around the country. What' s your opinion on- The college wrestle off's? The start of the season for Maryland, for Lehigh? For Edinboro? You name it we can and probably will talk about it. That's Takedownradio.com Wednesday night this week starting at 7 PM CST. Talk to you all then!

CHICAGO, Ill. -- Indiana University wrestler Kurt Kinser was tabbed Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week on Tuesday, sharing the honor with Northwestern's Jake Herbert, a former NCAA Champion. Kinser posted a flawless 5-0 mark on Sunday at the Michigan State Open. "Kurt had an outstanding tournament," said Head Coach Duane Goldman. "He won against some very high quality wrestlers. Especially considering that it was his first time at that weight class, we are very pleased for him." Kinser began the 2008-09 campaign by winning five consecutive battles en route to the 157-pound open championship at the Michigan State Open in East Lansing. Kinser, ranked ninth nationally in his weight class, opened the tournament with a 40-second pin over Pittsburgh's Alexander Munoz, followed by a 14-2 major decision in the second round against Lester France of Eastern Michigan. In a double overtime victory, the redshirt sophomore then defeated No. 8 Matt Moley of Bloomsburg in a 3-2 decision in the semifinal round. With the title well within reach, Kinser wasted little time as he pinned Northwetern's Jason Welch in just 56 seconds to secure top honors in his division. Kinser and the rest of the Hoosiers next hit the mat on Tuesday Nov. 18 for their first dual match of the season, a road contest at Wabash. That bout is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. in Crawfordsville, Ind.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma wrestling team will kick off the 2008-09 dual season at home this Thursday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m., when it hosts Central Oklahoma at McCasland Field House. The Sooners, ranked No. 18 nationally, successfully began the season last weekend at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic by winning their 10th straight team title. OU topped an impressive field on its way to the championship, including No. 15 Edinboro and No. 18 Central Michigan. "We are off to a good start and my staff is excited to see our guys perform under the lights at home," head coach Jack Spates said. "There will be a lot of Oklahoma action with these two schools squaring off and we encourage fans to come out and cheer us to victory." Three Sooners in Thursday's starting lineup are individually ranked. Joey Fio at 125 pounds is No. 15, Zack Bailey is No. 8 at 141 pounds and Eric Lapotsky is No. 10 at 197 pounds. OU visited UCO last season on Dec. 7, prevailing by a 27-6 final after winning eight of 10 bouts. Thursday will mark the 50th meeting between the two Oklahoma schools, with the Sooners owning a 40-8-1 record versus the Bronchos.

Could this be the year of the heavyweight in Stillwater? Quite possibly. Junior Jared Rosholt enters the 2008-09 season as the top-ranked heavyweight in America, a distinction he earned by compiling a 33-5 overall record last season that was highlighted by his first Big 12 heavyweight championship and a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. The 2008 Cowboy All-American is the highest finisher returning in his weight class from last year's NCAA Championships. Rosholt's top competition for the title of 2009 NCAA heavyweight champion would appear to be Iowa State's David Zabriskie, who enters the season ranked No. 2 in the weight class. Rosholt beat Zabriskie, 9-5 in the 2008 Big 12 title bout, then followed that up by claiming a 6-1 win over the Cyclone standout to advance to the third-place match at NCAAs. He was 4-1 last year against wrestlers who comprise the top five in this year's preseason heavyweight rankings. "Jared really grew from his freshman year to his sophomore year, and if he improves the same way this year, he will be the best in the country," Coach John Smith said. "He came here weighing 215 pounds and wrestling heavyweights who were much, much bigger than him. Now he looks like a good heavyweight. He has really grown and is strong with good flexibility. Jared needs to make another jump in confidence and he can be the best heavyweight in the country." Though Rosholt is the highest-ranked Cowboy entering the 2008-09 season, he is far from the only one who can succeed on the national level, as 125-pound transfer Obenson Blanc and 165/174-pounder Brandon Mason are both returning All-America honorees as well. Blanc earned the distinction while wrestling for Lock Haven University in 2007 and Mason claiming that title with OSU the same year. Blanc placed sixth in the125-pound bracket at the 2007 NCAA Championships, then sat out the 2007-08 season while training with hopes of earning a berth onto the Olympic team in 2008. Though he did not make the Olympic squad, Blanc is still a threat to do damage at the NCAA level in this, his final season at the collegiate level. Blanc brings with him an 88-32 career record that includes a 34-8 mark his junior year, a 26-10 mark his sophomore year and a 28-14 mark as a freshman at Lock Haven. As a 2007 All-American, Mason is a proven commodity for Oklahoma State, but he has all the motivation he needs to take the next step in his career, as he remains in search of his first Big 12 championship. A bonus-point specialist, Mason enters 2008-09 with an 80-33 career record. He set career highs last year with three wins by fall, eight by major decision and six by technical fall. The plan is for Mason to make the move to 165 pounds this year. He wrestled at 165 as a redshirt in 2004-05 before competing at 174 his first three years of varsity competition. Though he does not have All-America honors on his resume like some of his teammates, sophomore 197-pounder Clayton Foster figures to be a mainstay for the Cowboys in 2008-09. Foster comes off a productive summer that saw him take the bronze medal at the FILA Junior World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. He rolled through his bracket at the U.S. World Team Trials in May and has caught the eye of Smith as someone who can take the next step this year. Wrestling as a true freshman for the Cowboys last season, Foster strung together a solid 22-11 record that included an 8-8 mark in dual matches, but he fell victim to being in what was arguably the Big 12's stiffest weight class, as each of his conference opponents were nationally ranked. Consequently, Foster was left out of the NCAA Championships field. Things won't be much easier for Foster this year, as Big 12 197-pounders occupy the No. 1, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 10 spots in the preseason national rankings. Foster is No. 11 nationally in the preseason, and his aggressive nature provides reason for optimism. He scored 40 takedowns as a freshman last year. That total ranked second on the team, trailing only Nathan Morgan's 62 takedowns. Once you get past Rosholt, Blanc, Mason and Foster, the picture is a little less clear at the remaining weight classes for OSU. "We have good young talent, but performance will be what dictates who actually starts for us," Smith said. "This season will be a little different for us in that I am going to have to show more patience than usual and I am going to have to think more long-term than normal. With the same goals and standards that we have always had, I am going to have to be patient and understand that we have a lot of first-time starters and individual wins and losses may not be as important right now as if a guy is wrestling with heart and an attitude of aggressiveness." Senior 157-pounder Newly McSpadden and junior 133-pounder Tyler Shinn are both two-time NCAA qualifiers, but McSpadden will have to fight off sophomore Neil Erisman and Shinn will have to earn his spot over junior college national champion Chris Notte. McSpadden enjoyed his best season to date last year, stringing together a 23-11 overall record that included an 8-6 mark in dual match action. He claimed a pair of wins at the NCAA Championships but was eventually eliminated after losses to national runner-up Mike Poeta of Illinois and All-American Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State. He placed third at the Big 12 Championships and figures to improve daily with the presence of Erisman in the room. Erisman was 16-9 last year and took over as the starter for OSU's last five duals. He compiled a 2-3 mark in those final five duals, opening the door for McSpadden to reclaim the starting spot for the postseason. Regardless of who gets the starting nod for the Cowboys at 157 in 2008-09, OSU will have someone capable of winning matches. As for Shinn, the junior from Newkirk was seeded third entering the 2008 Big 12 Championships but placed second. He was 16-8 on the year with a 7-4 dual-match record. He is capable of winning big matches and claimed an impressive win over teammate and eventual NCAA champion Coleman Scott at the 2007 Central Missouri State Open, however, he was 1-2 at the 2008 NCAA Championships and has some work to do this season to be able to firmly claim the right to the starting spot at 133 pounds. Notte is a good option at 133 pounds as well after going the entire 2007-08 season ranked No. 1 nationally in the junior college ranks then winning the NJCAA title at the end of the year. He was 31-2 as a sophomore and wrapped up his junior college career with a 67-8 record. The Cowboys feature young but unproven talent at 141 pounds and 149 pounds, but it wouldn't surprise anyone if redshirt freshman Jamal Parks emerges as a mainstay in the OSU attack at 141. Similar to Clayton Foster, Parks came to Oklahoma State as one of the top national recruits in the class of 2007. Parks redshirted last year and compiled a 16-1 record competing in open tournaments a year ago. Parks' only loss last year came to teammate Tyler Shinn at the Central Missouri Open, but Parks returned the favor by knocking Shinn off at the Oklahoma Open. At 149 pounds, Quinten Fuentes returns with 11 dual match starts under his belt. Fuentes got the nod as the starter at the beginning of last year, but was eventually overtaken by a fifth-year senior in Ryan Freeman. He is not quite entrenched as the starter going into this year, as redshirt freshman Luke Silver is a viable option as well coming off a redshirt year in which he compiled a 15-7 overall record that included four pins and five major decisions. With Brandon Mason now competing at 165 pounds, his old spot at 174 is open for the taking. Sophomores Cody Hill and Kyle Griffin and junior Kevin Wainscott are all good candidates to start. Hill makes the move from 184 pounds, where he wrestled last year. He was 11-6 in 2007-08 and sported a 4-4 dual match record. He was OSU's starter for eight of the first 10 duals, but was taken over by senior Jack Jensen who went on to earn All-America honors at the end of the year. Griffin was a California junior college state champion with a 30-0 record in 2006-07 before stringing together a 16-5 record as an OSU redshirt last year. Wainscott was 14-7 last year and owns a career record of 27-13. He started five duals for the Cowboys last year, winning three of those bouts. The 184-pound weight class will likely be manned either by former 197-pounder Jared Shelton or redshirt freshman Chris McNeil. Shelton started for the Cowboys in 2006-07 but fought injuries and the emergence of Clayton Foster last year. For his career, Shelton owns a 24-16 record. McNeil was 16-7 as a redshirt last year and won the 184-pound bracket at the Kaufman-Brand Open. As usual, Oklahoma State is set to wrestle one of the more difficult schedules in the nation. Conference opponents Iowa State, Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma will be joined by non-conference duals at Minnesota on Jan. 1, at home vs. Iowa on Jan. 18. Trips to the Northeast Duals on Nov. 29 and to the Virginia Duals on Jan. 9-10 also await. "We set our schedule with the thought of doing what's best for our team and helping our team compete at a championship level at the end of the year," Smith said. "We see all the top teams in the nation during the dual match season and we know that we will get the very best from every opponent we face." Smith said this season will be key for the development of his young but talented squad. "I like the makeup of this team and I believe this team has a lot of guys who are on the edge of becoming stars," Smith said. "The key is that we as a staff need to be patient and we as a team need to be aggressive on the mat. You're going to see a lot of youth and guys you are going to see for the next few years. There is a standard of excellence here and every wrestler in this program has that standard in him and wants to contribute to the history and tradition of how we do things." Weight Class-by-Weight Class Breakdown 125 Pounds Starter: Obenson Blanc John Smith says: "Obe is our guy at 125. He sat out last year and the challenge for him will be getting readjusted to getting back into this level of competition. I remember taking a year off and then trying to get back in and it wasn't easy. I took a year off, won the world championship, then came back to college and lost my first match. So the adjustment isn't always easy. What excites me about Obe is that he has experience winning at a high level." 133 Pounds Starter: Tyler Shinn Keep An Eye On: Chris Notte John Smith says: "When you look at a guy like Tyler Shinn, you see someone that you hope will make wrestling a way of life. Dieting should be a non-issue with him this year now that he has moved up to 133 pounds. Chris Notte will be on his heels from the very start. I do not see us wrestling Jordan Oliver here because we have two guys who can both do well with Shinn and Notte." 141 Pounds Starter: Jamal Parks John Smith says: "Jamal is a redshirt freshman who is eager to wrestle. He was one of our top recruits a couple years ago and is an exciting wrestler. He needs a season to develop and has got to focus on getting better as the year goes on. Perhaps not at the beginning of the season, but he's someone you can see at the end of the year contending for All-America honors. That's what he came here for. We develop freshman All-Americans and NCAA champions and I can see that happening at the end of the year for Jamal." 149 Pounds: Starter: Quinten Fuentes or Luke Silver John Smith says: "Quinten had a tough year last year as a freshman. Both he and Luke Silver I believe are mature and need to find their way and have success. The year that Quinten had as a freshman last year was a struggle, but it will give him experience. He has shown some toughness getting through injuries. Silver looks very tough in the wrestling room and it would not surprise me if he ends up being the starter. Both guys have it in them." 157 Pounds Starter: Newly McSpadden Keep An Eye On: Neil Erisman John Smith says: "Newly wrestled his very best at the end of last year. He was good at Big 12s and his only losses at NCAAs were to the national runner-up and another All-American. This is Newly's senior year and he needs to build on the momentum he established late last year. He should be a guy that takes the mat at the very beginning of this year and is competing at that same level from the start. Neil is a very consistent guy in the room. He might have been the starter last year, but injuries set him back. Right when he gained momentum and was wrestling well out at Reno, he got injured. Don't count him out. Neil is what you want to see on your team. He wants to be great. He takes care of his academics and it shows in his habits. I can't say enough good things about Neil." 165 Pounds Starter: Brandon Mason John Smith says: "Brandon cannot have another year like the one he had last year. We need consistency from him in how he wrestles one opponent to the next. We teach our guys to go and make things happen and to take the match to your opponent and we need to see that from him. He will be able to make the move to 165 pounds work. He's committed to going down a weight. He's responsible and weight melts off him during the season." 174 Pounds Starter: Cody Hill, Kevin Wainscott or Kyle Griffin John Smith says: "This is a weight class that is wide open with Cody Hill, Kevin Wainscott and Kyle Griffin. Kevin has some experience at this weight and I like how he competes when he's in good condition. He is a darkhorse who has sometimes underestimated himself. I like his maturity. Kyle Griffin needs to continue to grow and be stronger. When Cody Hill makes wrestling a way of life, he'll be a heck of wrestler." 184 Pounds Starter: Jared Shelton Keep An Eye On: Chris McNeil, Adam Rosholt John Smith says: "We're pulling Jared Shelton down from 197 pounds, plus we have the freshman Chris McNeil. Both of these two need to find their way. Jared is in his third year here and Chris is just getting started. Jared wrestled well before his injury last year, but that has been his issue since he's been here. Jared Shelton can wrestle, but he's got areas where he needs to improve. Chris is one of the hardest workers we have and is a great example of what you want in your room. He really needs to believe in himself and his abilities. He's not quite developed in his confidence, but he has worked hard enough to earn it." 197 Pounds Starter: Clayton Foster John Smith says: "You look at history and see that it is very difficult for a true freshman to succeed at 197 pounds or at heavyweight, but we didn't have a choice last year and we had to put Clayton in there as a true freshman. It was a valuable year, though it was a miserable year for him. The thing is, he didn't come out of it pouting. He came out of it saying that he does not want to have another year like that. We like what he's done in the offseason, winning the bronze medal at the junior world championships. He's still developing, but he's closing the gap on some of those wrestlers around the league and around the country. There is a glorious upside for him and he has a great opportunity." 285 Pounds Starter: Jared Rosholt John Smith says: "Jared really grew from his freshman year to his sophomore year, and if he improves the same way this year, he will be the best in the country. He came here weighing 215 pounds and wrestling heavyweights who were much, much bigger than him. Now he looks like a good heavyweight. He has really grown and is strong with good flexibility. Jared needs to make another jump in confidence and he can be the best heavyweight in the country. He is a guy who identified his weaknesses and attacked them. I like Jared. He's got his heart in the right place."

Tickets are on sale for the 2009 National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen National Duals, which will take place Jan. 10-11, 2009, in the UNI-Dome. Top wrestlers from each collegiate athletic division (Divison I, II, III, NAIA, JUCO and Women's) will compete for a national dual title. The NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals is one of the largest collegiate national sporting events in the country, with more than 1,400 wrestlers and 80 teams attending. UNI has served as the host for the event the past three years. The attendance figures have risen in each of the three seasons the event has taken place in the UNI-Dome. UNI drew 13,380 in 2006, 15,190 in 2007 and 15,818 in 2008. The NWCA also announced a two-year extension with UNI as the host of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. The two-year extension will make the UNI-Dome the host site through the 2010 and 2011 seasons. "The staff at Northern Iowa and the representatives of the local visitors and conventions bureaus do an amazing amount of work and preparation for this event," said NWCA President Ron Mirikitani. "Just finding lodging for 80-something teams is hard enough, but they make it easy choice to continue to come back." The 2008 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals were named Event of the Year by the Cedar Valley Tourism Awards handed out last May. Sixteen teams from the state of Iowa will compete, including UNI (I), Iowa (I), Iowa State (I), Upper Iowa (II), Buena Vista (III), Coe (III), Cornell (III), Dubuque (III), Luther (III), Wartburg (III), Briar Cliff (NAIA), Morningside (NAIA), Northwestern (NAIA), Ellsworth (NJCAA), Iowa Central (NJCAA) and North Iowa Area (NJCAA). Tickets may be purchased by contacting the UNI-Dome box office at 877-216-DOME or 319-273-4849. 2009 National Duals Ticket Prices All Session Pass $40 All Session Pass (Senior/Student)* $32 All Session Group Tickets (10+)** $32 Individual Session $25 Individual Session (Senior/Student)* $20 Individual Session Group (8+)** $20

The biggest fight in UFC history will take place on Saturday night in Las Vegas as Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar battle at UFC 91. RevWrestling.com writers Jim Beezer and William Koe square off with their opinions and predictions. Jim Beezer Will, I don't understand the hype behind Brock Lesnar and his upcoming fight against UFC legend Randy Couture. Lesnar is a physical specimen with amazing poise and agility for a big man, but he's still pretty green. Compared to Couture's fight history (which reads like a who's who in the UFC), Lesnar's resume looks like a guest list for a Las Vegas stag party. Opponents: Min Soo Kim: Another circus act who has a current MMA record of 3-6 Frank Mir: Showed flashes of brilliance before revealing his inexperience Heath Herring: Nothing "crazy" about the Texas journeyman Considering his resume, I don't believe Lesnar is a worthy opponent. His stand-up game is questionable and his ground game is non-existent. In the off-chance that he takes Couture to the mat, Lesnar poses little threat to finishing the fight. It is more likely that the referee will bring the fighters to their feet or Couture will win by submission. There's no doubt he has potential, but should he be awarded this fight based upon potential alone? Perhaps a more evenly contested fight would be with another MMA sideshow (perhaps Kimbo Slice). Couture is a seasoned veteran and consummate professional. He has underrated striking skills and ever-improving submission skills. He's had to mentally and physically prepare himself for many big fights throughout his career. This fight is just another day at the office for him. Can you really compare Brock Lesnar's wrestling skills to Randy Couture's wrestling skills? Lesnar was an NCAA champion. Couture was a four-time U.S. World Team member and Olympic Team alternateLesnar, on the other hand, looks like someone still trying to figure out MMA etiquette, not to mention the skill set required to be considered an elite fighter. Lesnar was a good wrestler, but he wasn't the world beater that the MMA "experts" make him out to be. Let's not forget that Couture was a four-time U.S. World Team Member and Olympic Team alternate whose strength lies in controlling his opponent's position. Don't suggest that Lesnar has better wrestling skills unless you are talking about body slams, pile drivers, and clothes lines. Much has been made about the difference in size and strength between the two fighters, but Couture has proven before that conditioning, strategy, and technique are more important. Just ask Tito Ortiz, Tim Sylvia, and Mike Van Arsdale, respectively. Dana White is a genius for promoting the fight considering the potential revenue from ticket sales and pay-per-view subscriptions. I just don't see how Lesnar can possibly win. Sincerely, Jim William Koe Jim -- Kurt Angle, who won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games, thinks MMA fights are no match for being thrown down onto plywood five days a weekBe careful before you discount pile drivers and body slams. Your boy Kurt Angle (Olympic champion … ever heard of him?) spent this morning explaining to Howard Stern that he was going to start a career in MMA … because pro wrestling was too hard on his body. Kurt explained that MMA fights are no match for being thrown down onto plywood five days a week. I'll apologize in advance for bringing up Rico Rodriguez, but he was able to wear Randy down with his size difference in the late rounds of UFC 38. He won on a TKO against your hero. That was almost six years ago, and Lesnar is at least 25 pounds bigger. Being old and undersized is not a recipe for success. Especially against a guy with hands the size of grapefruits. Randy was an Olympic alternate to Michael Foy, Derrick Waldroup, and Garret Lowney. Don't feel bad, I haven't heard of them either. Except for Garret Lowney, who happened to be Lesnar's backup for the Gophers. Couture has better wresting skills? Lesnar was an NCAA champion and an NCAA runner-up to Cal State Bakerfield's Stephen Neal. Couture was an NCAA runner-up to guy from Cal State Bakersfield that you have never heard of (Paul Keysaw). Then runner up again when he got MAJORED by Mark Kerr. Lesnar is going to turn Randy into Juicy Couture. - Will Jim Beezer Will, Couture is much smarter, more technical, and stronger (just ask him) now than when he fought Rico Rodriguez in 2002. With all due respect to Brock Lesnar, he would probably lose to Rico Rodriguez too. Until Kurt Angle steps into the octagon and actually fights someone, I don't really care how much tougher he thinks pro wrestling is than mixed martial arts. There is a credibility issue here. Add him to the list of prima donnas that think their success in one sport (in this case … acting profession) will carry over into success in MMA. What about Chuck Norris? Steven Seagal? Do you think either one of those guys could beat Anderson Silva or Georges St. Pierre? You're right … I've never heard of Paul Keysaw. But I had never heard of Mihail Ganev of Bulgaria before today. He handed three-time Olympic champion Bouvaisa Saitiev only his second career loss in 2006 at the World Championships. Do you question Saitiev's wrestling skills too? Randy Couture is one of only two UFC fighters to have held a championship title in two different divisions. He is also a member of the UFC Hall of FameAs a wrestling fan, I like to see former collegiate and world level wrestlers become successful in MMA. I think it's only a matter of time before Lesnar is included in the list of accomplished fighters with a wrestling background. But let's not start declaring him the next Randy Couture until he starts beating guys like Randy Couture. Until then, Lesnar needs to spend more time in the gym and less time worrying about what people think of him. Have you seen the YouTube clip of Lesnar going off on a monkey-hormone-induced rage after speculation about a possible dream fight between Randy and Fedor? I rest my case. Jim William Koe Jim -- You have to ask yourself, who has more to lose in this fight? The answer is without question, Lesnar. If he loses this fight, he will have a disappointing 2-2 MMA record. With that record, he wouldn't be able to headline a fight card at the Myth Nightclub. His future (and partially the future of the UFC) is built on Lesnar winning this fight. He has already dabbled in pro wrestling, the NFL, and now MMA. I don't think there are many more options for beefy 270-pound guys if this doesn't work out. If Randy loses, he still goes out as the people's champion, because "at least he had the heart to fight when he was 40 years old." Randy is a winner, but this fight is just a payday for him. I am not suggesting that he will tank it. He won't, because I think he is a guy with a ton of integrity. But he is also a guy that is on his way out. He has a future training fighters … not being a fighter. This is a fight to pass the torch and give Randy a nice retirement bonus. Marty MorganNow look at Marty Morgan. Do you think he would leave a good job with the University of Minnesota, where he was guaranteed to be the next head coach if he thought Lesnar was going to lose? If Marty wants to have a future coaching MMA fighters (and I think he does), Lesnar HAS to win. As a result, I am confident that Lesnar will be coming into the fight in top shape with a better grasp of the fight game then has previously shown. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Lesnar will do what he has to in order to win. If not, get your VCR ready to record the Brock Lesnar episode on Fox's "Beyond the Glory." - Will Jim Beezer Will, More experience: Don Zimmer or Marty Morgan?I knew it was just a matter of time before you explained away Lesnar's deficiencies using the "Marty Factor." Look, I respect Marty Morgan for his coaching success at the University of Minnesota … and would like nothing more than to see him replace J Robinson as the next head coach of the Gophers. But what does he know about MMA? Don Zimmer has more fighting experience than Marty Morgan (albeit against Pedro Martinez in the 2003 ALCS). The only value I see Marty adding is a few "Go get 'em's" before the match. You're crazy for thinking Lesnar has more to lose. Couture may be the people's champion, but he is still one of the best heavyweights in the world right now. Losing to a publicity stunt like Lesnar would be pretty embarrassing. In contrast, the reaction of MMA aficionados when Lesnar loses will be the same as their reaction when Kimbo Slice was knocked out by a nobody from nowhere (Hint: There was no surprise). Todd Beard, a founder of the Affliction line of clothing, suggested that the fight was set up by UFC management for Couture to lose and hand over the title to Lesnar. That's preposterous! Why would the UFC want Couture out of the fight game considering he just signed a multi-fight contract and is one of the sport's biggest draw? Further, I disagree that this fight is just a payday for Couture. I guarantee he expects to win, just as he expected to win as a 2-1 underdog against Vitor Belfort (1997), Chuck Liddell (2003), Tito Ortiz (2003), and Tim Sylvia (2007). Just when you think Couture has no chance of winning or is simply washed up, he finds a way to win. And come Saturday night, you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't bet everything you own on Couture at even money. Jim William Koe Jim -- Marty Morgan grew up in a family of wrestlers who were also trained as competitive boxers. He was MMA-trained before there was such a thing. I am talking about real old school ground and pound experience. Marty is the reason Brock will win. The inexperience displayed by Lesnar in previous fights will not be on display during this fight. Your boy Dana White is going to score big with this fight. He really can't lose … because this fight might warrant a rematch either way. That would be the ideal situation for the UFC. We will see how it plays out, but this may be the first fight in a best out of three series. Don't expect Brock Lesnar to get distracted by a ring girl. After all, he's married to SableAt the end of all of this back and fourth, the facts remain. Lesnar is bigger, stronger, faster, and is less likely to be distracted by a sexy ring girl since he already has one at home (his wife, Sable). I'm heading to a friend's house for the fight that also includes poker, booze, and college football. If you show up in an Affliction shirt, you buy the pizza. I can't wait. It is going to be a great night for wrestling and MMA fans. I'm laying a c-note on Lesnar to end the fight by knockout in the third. - Will

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- University of Northern Iowa 197-pound senior Andrew Anderson has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials. Anderson, who is ranked No. 8 in the nation at 197 lbs. by both the Amateur Wrestling News and W.I.N. Magazine, began his season by winning all three matches at the Loras Open and claimed the 197-pound championship. Anderson (Sioux City, Iowa/East HS) secured two major decisions and a technical fall in beginning his senior season with three victories. Anderson notched a 12-2 major decision over Loras' Alex Grafft. Anderson then netted a 20-4 technical fall over Triton Junior College's Steve Catalan. Anderson won the title with a 20-8 major decision over Wisconsin-Platteville's Matt Scott. The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming. Others nominated: Northern Colorado - Tony Mustari, Jr., 125 lbs., Greeley, Colo. Utah Valley State - Justin Morrill, So., 149 lbs., Logan, Utah Wyoming - Brock Smith, R-Fr., 157 lbs., Gering, Neb.

Lincoln-Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning has been invited by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) to be an honorary coach at the 2008 NWCA All-Star Classic. The event, which attempts to pair the two top-ranked wrestlers at each weight class in an exhibition match, will be hosted by Ohio State at St. John Arena at 7 p.m. on Nov. 24. Manning joins Ohio State's Tom Ryan, Minnesota State Mankato's Jim Makovsky and Wisconsin-LaCrosse's Dave Malecek as honorary coaches. Manning earned the honor after leading the Huskers to a fourth-place team finish at the NCAA Championships last season. The finish was NU's highest ever under Manning and its best showing since 1993. Manning also claimed Big 12 Coach-of-the-Year honors by guiding Nebraska to a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships, with three Huskers earning individual titles. Manning and the Huskers start their 2008-09 dual season with a 7 p.m. showdown against Tennessee-Chattanooga in the NU Coliseum on Nov. 20.

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Northwestern University head coach Tim Cysewski and Waldorf College (IA) head coach Steve Kelly. Tim Cysewski is in his 16th season as the head coach at Northwestern University. His team placed fourth in the NCAA Division I tournament in 2007. Northwestern has had an individual NCAA champion each of the last two seasons; Jake Herbert at 184 pounds in 2007 and Dustin Fox at 285 pounds in 2008. As an athlete, Cysewski won a state title as a senior for Glenbrook South High School (IL) at 119 pounds in 1972 and was an all-american at the University of Iowa his senior year at 134 pounds, placing third. Cysewski also won the prestigious Midlands Championships five times and was a two-time National AAU champion. Steve Kelly is beginning his 9th season as the head coach at Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. Kelly has coached 12 NAIA All-Americans including 2007 national champion Brad Stockton at 149 pounds. A native of tradition rich Britt, IA, Kelly was an NJCAA runner-up at Iowa Central College at 167 pounds in 1992 and wrestled his final three years at Iowa State University. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.

Takedown Radio will once again broadcast the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open Saturday live from Lied Center on the campus of ISU. Join TDR's broadcast team Steve Foster, Scott Casber, Jeff Murphy, and Grant Turner, among others for this season opening tournament broadcast. Tune in as we Take the Brute adidas Studios on the road for the first tournament broadcast of the year. As always our broadcast remain free courtesy of our sponsors. We owe them so much. This Broadcast scheduled to get underway at 9:30 a.m. CST.

Wrestling 411 will launch its twice weekly radio show with two of college wrestling's biggest names as guests. Tom Brands, head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa, and Pat Santoro, new head wrestling coach at Lehigh University, will serve as the show's inaugural guests. Wrestling 411 Radio will be broadcast every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 – 8 p.m. Central Standard Time. The first show will air Tuesday, November 11 with Brands as its guest. Santoro will be the featured guest on Thursday, November 13. "The success of Wrestling 411 Radio is crucial to the growth and development of college wrestling," said Brands, who coached the Hawkeyes to the 2008 NCAA team title. "This sport needs positive coverage and this radio show gives wrestling added credibility. I'm proud that Iowa Wrestling Camps support this project." Each show will provide dynamic and comprehensive discussion and coverage in studio on topics crucial not only to wrestling, but wrestling coverage, rankings, results and the entire scale of wrestling from high school to the international styles. Wrestling 411 Radio will feature weekly guests ranging from the nation's most respected coaches, athletes, and wrestling's top minds. Information about the show will be updated on the Wrestling 411 website at www.wrestling411.tv. Jason Bryant and Kyle Klingman will serve as hosts of the show. Bryant spent three years as the Director of Media Relations for the National Wrestling Coaches Association. He helped InterMat garner the National Wrestling Media Association's Wrestling Web Site of the Year Award in 2006 and as a journalist, Bryant has been the recipient of Wrestling International Newsmagazine's Journalist of the Year as well as Amateur Wrestling News' Bob Dellinger Award for Wrestling Writer of the Year. Klingman was the associate director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum for the past six years. He is a featured columnist for W.I.N. Magazine and hosted "On The Mat," a weekly wrestling radio show where he interviewed some of the top names in wrestling. In 2008, Wrestling International Newsmagazine honored Klingman with its Wrestling Journalist of the Year award. Augsburg College's KAUG radio will be the online host of Wrestling 411 Radio. The hour-long show can be heard live each week at 7 p.m. CST by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Archives of each broadcast will be available on the Wrestling 411 website as well.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Junior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) took second place at 174 pounds at the MSU Open, leading three Nittany Lions who placed at the event. In all, 14 Nittany Lions competed at the event for head coach Troy Sunderland. Five of Penn State's projected dual meet starters took part, including two of the Nittany Lions' six ranked grapplers. Erwin, ranked No. 20 nationally, went 3-0 to start the tournament but did not wrestle in the finals, taking an injury default after his semifinal win. Erwin's 3-1 finish was good enough for second place. Sophomore Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.), ranked No. 20 at 125, advanced to the semifinals before losing to No. 4 Brandon Precin of Northwestern. Pataky went 2-2 on the day and placed fourth. Freshman Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) was also solid at 141, advancing to the semifinals before losing to No. 18 Ryan Williams of Old Dominion. Molinaro wrestled back well, went 5-1 on the day and took third place. Freshman Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) had a solid tournament as well. After opening with a pin in the first round, Wade dropped a tough 4-1 decision to No. 14 Nathan Everhart of Indiana. Wade responded by notching three straight wins (including another pin) before bowing out of the tournament with a loss and a 4-2 record. Senior Andrew Haile (Crabtree, Pa.), seeing his first collegiate action 2005-06, prepped for his Nittany Lion dual meet debut next weekend with 2-2 showing at 197. Other Nittany Lions competing at the event included sophomore Eric Caschera (South Williamsport, Pa.), who went 0-2 at 125; sophomore Adam Smetana (Valencia, Pa.), who went 2-2 at 125; junior Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.), who went 3-2 at 133; sophomore Christian Harr (Hollidaysburg, Pa.), who went 0-2 at 149; freshman Tim Darling (Nazareth, Pa.), who went 3-2 at 165; junior Matt Dodds (Leola, Pa.), who went 2-2 at 174; sophomore Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.), who went 1-2 at 197; freshman J.R. Brown (Bellefonte, Pa.), who went 0-2 at 197; and sophomore Nathan Andrews (Spring Mills, Pa.), who went 1-2 at 197. The Nittany Lions, ranked No. 7 nationally, host Hofstra (RV) in the dual meet opener for Penn State. Action starts on Sunday, Nov. 16, with a 1 p.m. dual in Rec Hall. Fans can purchase season tickets by calling 814-863-1000 or 800-NITTANY. Season tickets are $32 for adults and $24 for youth. Single event tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth. Penn State students get in FREE with a Penn State ID.