gsmith58

Have to root for Ayden. Great kid, has a great family, hard worker, and is entertaining. What more do you need?
 
 
 

Tasmanian Devil is a more apt caricature. I wouldn't bet against him introducing chaos.

He's not from the south and he knows his stuff. Clearly, he will critique. I suspect it's a habit he's acquired over a few years
 
 

Have to root for Ayden. Great kid, has a great family, hard worker, and is entertaining. What more do you need?
 
 
 

I just got cold reading that!

I generally watch these matches without a ton of rooting interest, so I am not too offended by them.  But I have noticed over the years, some of the guys announce like they are coaching, describing what the wrestler should be doing.  It can come across as biased, especially if it's not favoring "your guy", but I don't mind it.  I think it's natural for guys that are former wrestlers/coaches, etc and not professional broadcasters to call it that way.  To me it adds flavor.  

I just hate it when they butcher names, but that's one of my peeves.  ha ha

Gotta love the State Finals as it's been entertaining so far!  I will try not to get into it much with this thread but I try to be as unbiased as possible commentating, believe it or not.  I bounce between the perspective of a wrestler, coach, family member and fan.  My default however is a wrestler and coach with world-class experience and success, so yes my expectations are relatively higher than average.   
 
If I offended anyone, please know this is not may intention.  I understand the energy associated when we are emotionally invested in our kids out here fighting on this mat, especially at this level.  It's in the air.  For some of us, this is everything.  I truly get it and am conscious of this, so please know my commentating is extremely filtered.  
 
For the most part I don't have favorites.  Even if my "favorite" gets beat then they didn't earn it. Learn the lesson and keep it moving.  But as the Olympic Developmental Director for the ISWA, my favorite is every wrestler in the state who wrestles, because they are all potential representatives of Indiana at the highest levels.  I am rooting for every single kid who steps foot on that mat.   
 
There were at least two matches I can vaguely recall tonight where kids were clearly looking at the official for blood stoppage, which didn't get called quick enough for them, and even more matches where kids called injury time who just simply needed a breather.  Whatever.  They're trying to win.  It's worse internationally. 
 
I don't believe the word "horrible" came out of my mouth once tonight, especially about a kid's wrestling.  Still, there were definitely a ton of shots were kid's heads were down.  This isn't good for the wrestler and not good for the state on a national level.  Look at the results of those shots.  Look at how many of those shots are finished as we progress in the tournament.  The number will decline, specifically in the finals.  We have to get better.  Wrestle Freestyle more and we will understand why and how, better.
 
Lastly, never have I questioned how a kid made it to state and, just because I have an idea who will win, never do I share.  I will share here that I'm right about 97% of the time but it's cool. Lol.  Anyway, I did contemplate on if I should comment on first time posts from fresh accounts hating on me, but in this case I will use this as an opportunity to educate and open up some quality conversations about Indiana wrestling and our growth.  I am always open for constructive conversations.
 
Those who truly know me know I am dedicated to Indiana wrestling, have a pretty good idea on what I am talking about, and am always seeking growth. Those that don't can listen in tomorrow and hear what the fuss is about.  I welcome the attention to Mat 4, although all of the commentators have our own spin on things and are dedicated to Indiana wrestling.  Good stuff all around.  Either way, I look forward to a great day tomorrow and will see everyone around this spring and summer doing our parts!

Any county that doesn't touch either Lake Michigan or the state of Michigan is the south to me 😂. 

Like I told @blue and gold what makes him so dangerous is, if  you couldn't see the score and had no context on a match and it's score, you could never tell if Ty was up 10 or losing my 10 because he's Enjoying himself and never 1 time that I've ever seen, just quit or let a moment get the best of him...
 
Plus, regardless if I was a NC 
Trojan or a Yorktown Tiger, I'm a Wrestling fan first, and Ty has never been in a boring match..
 
His big bro Brevan and brother from another mother, Gavyn also are Nothing but fireworks to watch!  I gotta feeling All 3 NC boys will have fun matches no matter the result. 
 

Have to root for Ayden. Great kid, has a great family, hard worker, and is entertaining. What more do you need?
 
 
 

Tasmanian Devil is a more apt caricature. I wouldn't bet against him introducing chaos.

The numbers were down this year at EVSS, but as has been noted the previous pictures have been deceiving given the ones of Evansville were from the finals & the ones from New Castle were from an earlier round. Also the size of the facility can have an effect on perception as well.
 
But I suspect it is possible to simply get the attendance numbers & compare, is it not?

The Ford Center will be filled to capacity for State Finals next year

Yep and totally agree. My pic and video snippet weren’t intended as trying to show one better than other. Was just showing gym set up and fun crowd as many of us don’t get to see these pics of other semi-states. New Castle was near empty too by the time we got to 285 placement matches. 

You all may enjoy this. Mr Whitehead reads a poem at the 1987 State Finals, A Wrestler's Mom. It starts at 2:38 in this video. Feel free to watch Jay County's back to back State Champs including the last wrestler to win state at 98 lbs.
 
 

hOw ComE bOLliNgEr iS rAnKEd fIrSt In tHe seMi-StaTe BuT nOT tHe StAte RaNkIngS???

Dark horse out side the top 10 to make a run at a title. 
 
132 Griffen Van titchel crown point is coming on strong with big wins over Hayden Demarco the last coming by fall 
 
152 Bryce Denton Penn moving up 2 weights overcoming injury. With Rinehart out Denton put himself in position to possibly win a semi state
 
unranked 
 
Baylor Milan is on fire! He has put himself in a great position to qualify 
 

106 Baylor from Milan has not been ranked in the state all year. He's undefeated and beat Crull of NE in the Richmond Regional finals pretty convincingly.

Southport Sectional
113 - Kyla Johnson (3rd)

Speaking of Baker, he took a loss to Baylor (Milan, 41-0) at IHPO. Could be an interesting 106 championship match with Crull at Richmond.

Excited to see how 126 shakes out.
 
I'm sure the potential Thrine vs Wolf rematch will be worth the price of admission.

Southport Sectional
113 - Kyla Johnson (3rd)

Were those pics taken with a stapler?!!

Alec White had a murderer's row to win his senior year (126 lbs, 2017)
 
Knocked off 2x champ Colton Cummings on Friday night, beat eventual champions Matt Lee and Graham Rooks in the quarters and semis respectively, and capped it off with a fall over 3x semi-finalist Blake Mulkey.

One might wonder who those bigger guys at Cobra the '6th grade' Leighton was wrestling? I'd take a stab that Leighton was somewhere between 165-180 back then. I still recall the astonishment when I told my 70lb son that the kid wrestling Lee and Brewer was a year younger than him.