WingMan

Sorry Gents, but I have to go with Fleeger. He is an animal on the mat, and is doing an incredible job with the local wrestlers. No offense to Dubuque, but Chris has it going for him and runs a practice at Boiler Elite bar none. Wish I watched him during his Purdue days...the way he practices and wrestles now makes me believe he never took any prisoners (because he still doesn't).

I recommend checking out the Lafayette Indiana middle and elementary schools (don't have websites), but many of them have merged and possibly have extra equipment. You could probably "Google" the schools and post the question. Some time ago, Lafayette Jeff offered up bleachers, a press box...to anyone who would come and pick the stuff up. It's worth a try.

Atwood has 3 pins, so far he's 3-0. Wrestles again in about 15 minutes, if he wins this next match he secures an AA...more to come. Good job Braden!

T. Lynde just finished 7th.

Lynde took a loss today by one (0-1). They called T for locked hands in second period but missed the Full Nelson pulled on T, you got to love wrestling! He goes for 7th tonight (with only two losses, both losses were close). The loss today took him out of third place contention, but such is life. I'll update on Atwood as I hear more. So far, it's only about two matches per day...which makes it hard on the wrestler's with so much down time when these boys are used to 4 to 5 matches a day at these kinds of tournaments and season tournaments.

Lynde had two wins last night, one loss today and another win...he AA'd.

For those of you who use text language when communicating it just makes you sounds stupid. Prolly? Really? Come on. Do you actually pronounce the word that way when speaking and if you do,where do you work and who do you speak to? For those of you battling it out for the most "boos" on this website maybe you guys should just meet and knock it/one out. I thought this website was for talking about wrestling, not being the most controversial couch coach. Anyone could post this kind of stuff...These are kids/young men you guys are discussing who are going the extra mile to be the best...how many of the couch coaches in this sport can say they did the same? Pretty lame reading for me, and more so insulting for those young wrestlers reading this. My grandmother could post better comments, and she is a basketball fan. Here, I will dumb it down for the text addicts...WTF? Do I hearing "booing?" Oh please, pick me as it looks like I need about 337 to match up. If you guys are on this site, you must either be a huge fan or have your own wrestler. Grow up would you please, my kid/wrestler reads this stuff and quite frankly, it's not about you and your little contest. That is why Facebook is around, talk to your friends about this crap there. I want to read about wrestling.

From what I hear, Lynde will be there as well.

Anyone making the trip to VA. Beach the week of March 23rd for either the sophomer nationals or senior nationals? A couple kids from the central area are going. Just curious as to whether any other Indiana kids will be there.

The pic was supplied by an Indianapolis Star photographer. Now, being fair, it is a great picture and I sent the link to MJJ's coach so he could share it. However, you just don't throw your local boy under the bus. How long has it been now and I am still pissed. Bad judgement, bad reporting and quite frankly I would prefer them to only post the stats moving forward at the J&C if this is how they treat young talent. OK, think I am over...no, still mad.

I have been in correspondence with Nathon Baird, the sports editor who was responsible for the article and he truly doesn't get it. A professional sports editor doesn't ride the bandwagon on wrestling that starts rolling at Sectionals and then throw their meal ticket under the bus at state. I am truly disgusted by Mr. Baird's lack of compassion and his drive to provide a story - no matter what. I also know that the Journal & Courier has been denied by adverisors due to this article (and I had nothing to do with it). Not one day has went by for me (work in Lafayette) where someone hasn't commented on this article and their disgust. It sounds like this happens everywhere. Why do we put up with it?

Getting "hosed" in this sport is par for the course. How about inconsistencies in officials on take downs call in/out of the circle? It pretty much stinks to see your wrestler take a kid down that is called out of the circle when you look at the mat next to him and see a take-down scored in much of the same position. How about skin checks where official speak up after the wrestler was cleared? How about injuries? How about stopping a match where one wrestler is at the advantage (152lb match at State this past weekend) to tell a coach to sit down? Isn't that life? This is part of wrestling and learning to deal with the bad luck or being hosed only prepares these young men/women to be better adults. We all have stories that could fall into this catagory, and they all stink so I only hope that my theory of making these kids stronger is true.

Looking for a contact for Warren Central's Michael Johnson-Jones or his coach. Nothing bad here, just want to congratulate them. Anyone with this info can contact me via a personal email off of this post.

Where was Simon and Paula as it appeared to be an audition? Don't stray from the lyrics and sing the song the way the song is meant to be presented. One does not take OUR national anthem and personalize it. And yes, thank God my kid wasn't in the finals as I would have been very nervous in regards to his reaction down on the mat listening (afraid of the giggles or flat out laughing) in front of everyone. And yes, it does take guts. But shouldn't someone listen to the singer before signing them up? I recommend a contingency plan that starts with pushing the "play" button on a recorder. Personally, she deserved more "boos" than Tyler Willis did, and I am dead serious about that. If I offended anyone with my post, well I am ex-military so I feel I can speak up.

A true class-act. Too bad our area paper showed him on the mat in defeat when he displayed honor, sportsmanship and leadership in his loss. Braden didn't deserve what the Journal and Courier of Lafayette depicted.

So, the response has been great but more is needed. Please go to the following website www.jconline.com and register to make comments on their sports blog (takes only minutes) and post your comments regarding their coverage of wrestling and the disrespectful picture they posted. Yeah, I am asking a lot they need to know of our dis-satisfaction with them. I know for a fact that Mr. Baird was there...someone at the paper made a decision/choice to depict Braden in this light and it is just wrong. The ultimate slam to the J&C would be for Johnson-Jones to contact them directly and post his comments as I know he is stand-out kid and a friend of Atwood's. He won fair and square, but I am sure he would not support this kind of publicity on Braden. If they can't cover wrestling in a light that is encouraging, fair and honorable, then their reporters should stay home on the couch. Yes, Mr. Baird was out of line, so let's make some noise! Look for another post from me trying to locate Mr. Johnson-Jones and asking him to support this quest.

Lafayette Indian wrestling fans, are you sick of the lack of local wrestling coverage? Are you sick of hearing only about Purdue sports, Basketball and/or Jr. Hi basketball before you read about wrestlng? I am taking a stand against the Lafayette Journal & Courier by no longer buying their paper. I ask you to join me and not purchase their paper until they do a better job. Indiana is no longer a "Basketball" only state. There are other athletes out their getting the job done and most (wrestling, swimming, volleyball...even poms) are superior athletes in comparison to seasonal basketball players (note I did not say athletes).

I have to throw a "bone" to T. Lynde at 152. As a sophomore, he is not doing too bad considering his two losses this year are to Tonte and Stahl, neither losses were pins.

All I can say as the parent of a young wrestler that Stahl wrestled yesterday at Semi-State is that the kid showed class to his opponent not only during the entire match, but even as his hand was raised in victory. I don't know his history, but I can tell you that the Stahl who won yesterday is solid wrestler and a really good young man. We have all seen questionable displays of sportsmanship in wrestling (win or lose) and Stahl's behavior and leadership (even among his opponents) is above the bar. He motivates his opponents to be better with his words of encouragement, compliments and his sportsmanship. For all I know, he may not even realize his positive effect in this weight class.

I agree with whoever posted the comment about the Twin Lakes Sectional, not an impressive sectional and it's feeder kids into the Logan regional. I also agree with BCampbell regarding the Logansport regional, some of the top wrestlers in the Lafayette area rise to the top at Logan.

1. Never ask your wrestler what they weigh. 2. Act like you don't see your wrestler weighing themselves with the food they are about to eat on the scales with them (usually balanced on the head). 3. Never under estimate the parents of your wrestler's opponent. They can be great and they can be nasty (and when I say nasty, I mean nasty) 4. We go to gyms where there is no room for spectators but every year we act like it is the best venue since sliced bread. 5. We wait to hear that one spectator yell at the official, this way, the coaches don't have to. 6. The skin "funk" vocabullary... 7. Watching this website and reading about below level wrestler's who someone picks to win...

My favorite part is the "home cooking," no not the concession stand or grills fired up outside. It's the "rumor" of a Merrillville school board member who is part of the IHSAA. I was told as long as she is around, it's not moving. No offense, but this "home cooking" stinks! Why doesn't someone circulate a petition this year? Indianamat.com could tell the spectators where to find the petition ((someone wear a certain shirt, sit in a special place (no wait, there are no special seats)). How about someone wear a shirt with the #14 on it (see Jay County Regional threads) and post themselves next to the concession stand with a petition? I'd look them up and take every spectator who is there to watch our kids to go sign it. The comments about the fire marshal needing to be onsite is something I have been saying for years. Who knows what their capacity is? Maybe we should ask Merrillville to publish attendence for the last several years and compare that to what the facility is rated for - that's fair right and public record. "Down with the Man (IHSAA)!" We need advocates in the IHSAA, not politicians, we have enough of them. Keep the Semi-State in the area, but find a better venue. Replace our IHSAA representatives who don't do their job as they should, with representatives that care. Down with the Man! Move the Merrillville Semi-State to a venue that is accommodating to the dedicated wrestlers and fans by accommodating them appropriately.

I have to support the Delphi boys at Regionals. The boys wrestling this Saturday were core members of a squad that dominated last year and shocked many with their successes both individually and as a team. They mean business and work this sport like a job. One should never under estimate their determined nature. I believe they will all move on from Regionals not necessarily because of their wrestling skills alone, but their passion. Skill and passion are a driving force for these young men. I look forward to watching the seniors; Atwood (189), McTigue (130), Delaney (171) and HWT Kenny Meyers, the Juniors of Dayton Rummell (160) and Roy Anderson (215) and Sophomores T. Lynde (152) and Chris Brown (112). Good luck boys, stay focused as I look forward to watching you (together) in Merrillville. Always, always, always wrestle to win. Make your mark at Regionals this Saturday, and prove some of the "smack-talkers" on this site wrong.

I think Harrison or McCutcheon win it as a team. I am hoping that Carroll has some kids move on as well as Delphi. Jeff 's biggest baggage is their coach.

Heard it from two different schools present at the Lafayette Jeff seeding meeting that the Jeff coach had a really good time making fun of a wrestler from another school's name (yes, I said name). The ironic part is that the Jeff coach has known this wrestler since he was about 6 years old and has actually stood in his corner and coached him during matches. What is that about? Since when do seeding meetings turn into laughing at wrestler's names? He knows who he is and he knows what he did was wrong. I expect him to "man-up" and correct the wrong if he is a "bigger" man. I always thought seeding meetings were to discuss the rankings of wrestlers and seed them accordingly. Apparently, it was just too much fun to make fun of a #1 seed wrestler who is only a sophomore. What was the point? Why pick on a 16 year-old kid? Word on the street is that the AD was also contacted regarding the lack of professionalism by the Jeff coaching staff. Come on...do you really need to resort to tactics like that? To the Jeff Varsity Coach... you have a talent to give these young men, you have a love of the sport...why pick on a kid who has the same passion? Believe it or not, the wrestler the coach made fun of has a respect for the Jeff coach, but he is in jeopardy of losing that respect because of the coach's behavior. Respect is a wonderful feeling...win or lose, competitor or team mate, but apparently it was just to dang funny to make fun of this kid. He should be ashamed and correct the situation with the wrestler he knows he was talking about. We have sectionals at Jeff tomorrow, and I will reply to this post on the apology (which should be made directly to the wrestler, no one else) or lack there-of tomorrow. Just why did he find it so funny to make fun of a competive wrestler? And just so the coach knows...the wrestler he made fun of is very close to wrestlers of almost all of the schools in this sectional...We have heard it from many different directions. Man-Up and show some respect.