I promised some of you that I would write about my experience being at a Hawkeye wrestling practice and some general notes of interest.
The first and most important thing that I can write about is a Big, no HUGE, thank you to Eric (az), Gary, and Todd!! If it wouldn't have been their generosity none of this could be written. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
Two weeks ago Eric and Gary drove into my driveway and I was just downright giddy with excitement. On the way down we talked about wrestling (ya, what else?!). I got to pick their brains on a wide assortment of Iowa wrestling and college wrestling news. There was also some sharing of memories about Hawkeye wrestling. Eric and Gary, thank you for being patient with me and all of my questions. I don't have any wrestling fans in my tiny social group, so it was great to talk about it with two men that "know their stuff". After practice Eric and me dropped off Gary and headed back home.
Yesterday Todd, the Unofficial Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling Blogger (though it seems to me that Todd is about as official as one can get) picked me up and gave me a copy of his book, which I asked for him to sign for me which he did. If you don't have that book get it!
I am going to kind of combine my two experiences in the Room.
I went in and sat down (the chair I sat on was a little broke, in that you can rock back and forth on it, which raised a question: Was it really broke or is this the chair that Tom sits on and rocks back and forth on in which case it wouldn't be actually broken at all)
The guys started trickling in at about 2:45. Sammy Brooks was there already and working out. There was music blaring and there was the unmistakable smell of mats (I think that some of them are new, but I am not sure about it) and sweat. If you have been there you will know what I am talking about here.
*Marinelli was on a table and doing some heavy work outs on his left knee.
*Tom came over and told me to make myself at home.
*I took a pic of the room (I was given permission to take it).
*Todd did his workout and then came and sat by me (with all of this sweat and practicing I kind of felt I was kind of lazy.
*The first time I sat down with Eric and Gary. I continued to pepper them with questions and some observations.
*Two weeks ago Costello had a mow-hawk and some chin hair. Yesterday I noticed that that hair had evened out.
*Sam looks much lighter and Kem-Dog looked more like an actual 57 pounder. Terry mentioned them both in a short talk about proper diet and nutrition . Sam still has his knee brace on, but he looks great.
*Two weeks ago Terry gave a short speech about priority living. Good stuff.
*Yesterday Tom, Terry, M*, and Mark Perry were in the room (every time I see Ryan I think of Daniel Craig and Perry looks like General Zod).
*Ryan came over and we chit-chatted for a bit. I know his uncle and aunt.
*Tom passed out parking passes (parking is kind of a headache. Lincoln M. was well known as a unpaid parker. He may still be paying off the tickets).
*Wrestle offs were posted. If you haven't read his latest blog, Todd has all the information with wrestle offs. Each wrestler will be given a .1 .2 weight allowance.
*They went into discussing wrestler intro songs. Apparently Sorenson doesn't want one. Stoll wasn't there so they talked about what they thought his intro song should be. Pretty funny.
* Terry then took over practice. The first thing he did was to have all the guys close their eyes (most but not everyone closed their eyes. I can't mention names, though I am very sure it mattered or not. Some guys respond to that than others). He was pacing back and forth like a caged animal on the prowl and when he was done Terry shouted, "GET READY, GO!
*Tom was doing some one on one coaching with Brooks. They weren't rolling around, just talking.
*Brooks and M* was doing some one on one stuff. M* had Brooks down and looked like there might have been a pin and so Brooks shouted that he didn't have his shoes on (which was true) nor did he have his jock on (as to that I didn't check so I trusted him).
*Telford had a cast on his right wrist. Don't know why.
*Spencer was doing some live drills. Two weeks ago he was doing some very light drills with Eustice and was on a bike. I am not saying that Spencer is all ready yet. But it was good to see him rolling on the mat.
*I noticed a lot of facial hair especially the HWC guys.It seems to me that in order to wrestle after college you have to grow some kind of beard.
*The neatest thing was to see how the club guys interacting with the younger guys. You don't see that in football or basketball. It is just one more thing that makes wrestling great!
The first and most important thing that I can write about is a Big, no HUGE, thank you to Eric (az), Gary, and Todd!! If it wouldn't have been their generosity none of this could be written. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!
Two weeks ago Eric and Gary drove into my driveway and I was just downright giddy with excitement. On the way down we talked about wrestling (ya, what else?!). I got to pick their brains on a wide assortment of Iowa wrestling and college wrestling news. There was also some sharing of memories about Hawkeye wrestling. Eric and Gary, thank you for being patient with me and all of my questions. I don't have any wrestling fans in my tiny social group, so it was great to talk about it with two men that "know their stuff". After practice Eric and me dropped off Gary and headed back home.
Yesterday Todd, the Unofficial Iowa Hawkeye Wrestling Blogger (though it seems to me that Todd is about as official as one can get) picked me up and gave me a copy of his book, which I asked for him to sign for me which he did. If you don't have that book get it!
I am going to kind of combine my two experiences in the Room.
I went in and sat down (the chair I sat on was a little broke, in that you can rock back and forth on it, which raised a question: Was it really broke or is this the chair that Tom sits on and rocks back and forth on in which case it wouldn't be actually broken at all)
The guys started trickling in at about 2:45. Sammy Brooks was there already and working out. There was music blaring and there was the unmistakable smell of mats (I think that some of them are new, but I am not sure about it) and sweat. If you have been there you will know what I am talking about here.
*Marinelli was on a table and doing some heavy work outs on his left knee.
*Tom came over and told me to make myself at home.
*I took a pic of the room (I was given permission to take it).
*Todd did his workout and then came and sat by me (with all of this sweat and practicing I kind of felt I was kind of lazy.
*The first time I sat down with Eric and Gary. I continued to pepper them with questions and some observations.
*Two weeks ago Costello had a mow-hawk and some chin hair. Yesterday I noticed that that hair had evened out.
*Sam looks much lighter and Kem-Dog looked more like an actual 57 pounder. Terry mentioned them both in a short talk about proper diet and nutrition . Sam still has his knee brace on, but he looks great.
*Two weeks ago Terry gave a short speech about priority living. Good stuff.
*Yesterday Tom, Terry, M*, and Mark Perry were in the room (every time I see Ryan I think of Daniel Craig and Perry looks like General Zod).
*Ryan came over and we chit-chatted for a bit. I know his uncle and aunt.
*Tom passed out parking passes (parking is kind of a headache. Lincoln M. was well known as a unpaid parker. He may still be paying off the tickets).
*Wrestle offs were posted. If you haven't read his latest blog, Todd has all the information with wrestle offs. Each wrestler will be given a .1 .2 weight allowance.
*They went into discussing wrestler intro songs. Apparently Sorenson doesn't want one. Stoll wasn't there so they talked about what they thought his intro song should be. Pretty funny.
* Terry then took over practice. The first thing he did was to have all the guys close their eyes (most but not everyone closed their eyes. I can't mention names, though I am very sure it mattered or not. Some guys respond to that than others). He was pacing back and forth like a caged animal on the prowl and when he was done Terry shouted, "GET READY, GO!
*Tom was doing some one on one coaching with Brooks. They weren't rolling around, just talking.
*Brooks and M* was doing some one on one stuff. M* had Brooks down and looked like there might have been a pin and so Brooks shouted that he didn't have his shoes on (which was true) nor did he have his jock on (as to that I didn't check so I trusted him).
*Telford had a cast on his right wrist. Don't know why.
*Spencer was doing some live drills. Two weeks ago he was doing some very light drills with Eustice and was on a bike. I am not saying that Spencer is all ready yet. But it was good to see him rolling on the mat.
*I noticed a lot of facial hair especially the HWC guys.It seems to me that in order to wrestle after college you have to grow some kind of beard.
*The neatest thing was to see how the club guys interacting with the younger guys. You don't see that in football or basketball. It is just one more thing that makes wrestling great!
