MidwestMan

Could get behind this choice also.

I totally agree. Has done a great job building this program from scratch. Living in Missouri, I just kept wondering when the high schools down there would start wrestling. Was excited when UALR announced they were starting D1 wrestling. They actually recruit the KC area pretty well.

This was just my "tongue in check" reply to Illini about his comment about Seth Mendoza rumor of flipping to Illinois from Mizzou. Hell, at this point, nothing surprises me!

Rumor has it that Smith is stepping down at Mizzou and Askren is taking over as HC. But, you know how rumors go! As easy to start as a grass fire during a drought.

Thanks for posting this comment. I'm looking forward to hearing what others think about the facility and overall experience. I'm from the area and know what we have, and most definitely biased. Just good to hear from people that have been to several other host cities and venues to see how we stack up.

He's a scrapper, just like a bunch of those lanky WV wrestlers. Fun to watch.

When I was teenager growing up in KC, Missouri, I knew exactly where the state line was. Drinking age in Mo. was 21 and 18 in Kansas for 3.2 % beer. Night clubs full of chicks from both Missouri and Kansas. I had a 1970 650 Bonneville Triumph and the girls loved to climb on. We wrestled some of the Shawnee Mission schools back then and I would run into some of those guys at parties.

Kansas City is in Missouri for the most part, but the city and suburbs extend into Kansas also. Missouri River, Kansas River, State Line Road serve as boundaries.

"Well, if you put it that way!"

The venue is located adjacent to the "Power and Light" district which has a mix of bars and food options and ix always party central for Big 12 basketball tourney, Chiefs playoffs, etc... The BBQ options have been mentioned, and there are several. Joe's is awesome. Lots of Mexican cuisine options on Southwest Blvd. Kelly's Westport Inn is an Irish bar housed in what is said to be the oldest building in KC. They usually have live entertainment on the weekend. That bar is in the Westport area, which is just north of the Country Club Plaza. Both Westport and the Plaza have several options for food and drink. The City Market area is on the north side of I-70 and is the north terminus of the Trolly Car. More food and bars there. We haven't even touched the question of steaks. Hope that helps.

THIS!

125-DeAugustino 133-Moore 141-Edmond 149-Zargo 157-Mauller 165-Fish 174-Mocco 184-Soldano 197-Surber 285-Pitzer

Back when I was coaching, I opened the weight room for all our athletes in the summer. I taught at the middle school level, and some frosh classes. I saw these kids early on and saw their progression. I was competing in powerlifting (always clean and nothing spectacular) and some of the HS kids were competing. I saw a few of the kids make huge strength jumps and add size and would question what they were doing. The most common answer was creatine. Our HS football program was very successful and many of our grads were playing college ball. They would come in and lift and I would be very leery from seeing all the stretch marks and unbelievable gains in size. I was pretty close to most these kids and lectured them on PEDS and the consequences. That was almost 50 years ago. I watched many of those kids become grandpas dealing with all the consequences of their choices. At what point do coaches ethically "not turn a blind eye?"

I hate to see all this "gamesmanship" changing the priorities of the competitive season. On one hand, you can protect future seeding, and to an extent, the "wear and tear" of a demanding schedule. But, wrestling tougher competition also allows wrestlers to learn from losses, adjust, and prepare for the tournaments that count at the end of the season. Take Iowa State as an example. Carr takes an early season loss at CKLV, either because he wasn't prepared, off day, credit to Ramirez. I'm sure that loss remotivated him. That is what competition us all about. Iowa State, as a team, wrestled through a tough schedule and their program has continued to improve as they are "fire tested", and I am a fan of their grit. It seems to have worked for them judging their performance at Big 12's. I'm a Mizzou homer and now the Tigers go into the tourney with 10 wrestlers, but not sure if they will win the "gritty matches!" At one time, MU wrestled in the CKLV and some other notable tournaments. Guess we'll find out how that "crystal ball" works out in the end. Just call me pragmatic.

I totally agree. It's like someone turned the switch off. Glad he made the selection and wish him well.

Ah yes, to be 16 again and just getting my drivers license. Gas was cheap then, but so were wages.

1. Kerk, 2. Batista, 3. Hendrickson, 4. Schultz, 5. Feldman, 6. Elam I'm a Miz homer but Elam has shown he has problems with quick heavys that can attack legs. Davison could also be a problem for him. I don't think Batista beats Hendrickson again, but give him the benefit of the win in how I would seed them.

Can't wait to see the rematch between these two. Swiderski should have received one more point for the stall at the end. Regardless who wins this match, Ty Watters is looking like a "bad dude" right now. Uses that length well with leverage for those bars and tightwaist. West Virginia program has some "hombres" that can scrap. I like Swiderski's fire. All these tough underclassmen. Gonna be some good battles down the line in the Big 12. Now add Arizona State in the mix.

My father and stepfather were both Marine veterans of the Korean War. My stepfather had a USMC with the Marine symbol: eagle, globe, and anchor, tattooed on his left upper arm. He was one of those guys that got into weight training during the 50/60s and really had some jacked arms, and that "tat" was pretty intimidating. My step dad was a bad ass. Believe me, I know, when he told me not to pick on my sister or there would be consequences, there was. We lived in urban KC when I was growing up and there was a tavern on the corner that my parents frequented often. I once saw my step dad put those popeye arms into action in a "little disagreement" in the tavern. My youth was never boring. As dad eventually lived into his 70's and his muscles atrophied and shrank, that tat didn't age too well, but the legacy behind the tat left a lifetime impression.

The "click bate" that keeps on giving.

Got to admit, I don't know what to expect out of my home state Miz Tigers. Maybe coach Smith can pull a Houdini and have the Tigers healthy and ready to wrestle. Sure ended the season on a down projectory. I realize injuries and illness do happen, but I was really optimistic about this year with what was coming back, and having nats in KC. I want to believe, but I have'nt had anything to lead me to think Miz might turn a corner. Only positive is to see the Big 12 continue to get more competitive as a wrestling conference. Will be even more interesting to see Arizona State in the mix next year, and makes no sense that Arkansas-Little Rock is not in the conference. Of course, "common sense" with reference to location for conference affiliation is a thing of the past.

Thanks for posting this. Yes, it was a "fun stroll down memory lane" for this old man. I started a wrestling club in my hometown while in college. Our club traveled and we wrestled all over the Midwest. Got to see several of the wrestlers on this list when they were in youth programs. My first year at the HS level, I started a youth program in the community. I'm proud to say that I coached 2 All Americans on this list that started in that club. It has been a joy to see the continued development of wrestling in Missouri as some of those previous wrestlers have become great coaches. When I go to the state meet, I can't help but feel I have my fingerprints on some of what I'm watching.

Me, my senior year in HS. Lost 3-2 in finals and then had to wrestle one more match for true 2nd. That was in Missouri over 50 years ago. They quit wrestling for true 2nd a couple of years after I graduated.

Just finally got around to watching the MU flu vs Iowa State dual and Zach Elam looked like a Dom Bradley coached Hwt. Those of you that have followed Bradley over the years know he is the master of doing hardly nothing to win and lose 1 pt matches. Those days are over as athletic hwts (see Bastida) are becoming more the norm and will win matches using speed, offense, and technique. As long as Bradley is coaching hwts at Mizzou, this will be your product. It may be good enough to get on the bottom steps of the podium, but the top steps are going to be filled by men that are big, quick athletes. Kinda like going to the HS state and watching the fat Hwts titty fight for 3 periods and go into overtime. Sampson Stillwell didn't have a match last a period at state in Missouri because he is a man among boys and wrestles like a lighter weight. He is committed to wrestle at Mizzou. I hope Bradley doesn't ruin him when he gets there. I only can imagine what Mizzous upperweights would be like if Cox was in the room. Now let's take it one more step while we are dreaming. How about an Askren and a Cox in the same room. One could only wish.