Leftover Thoughts from the Showdown

Ian McCutcheon
FloWrestling.org

There is not much that I can add to the discussion of David Taylor and Colin Palmer.  Unless something drastic happens, this will be the high school match of the year.  Potentially, it’s the high school match of the decade.  With six, soon to be eight, state titles between the two, this was a dream for anybody associated with wrestling.  I give all the credit in the world to Taylor for having the guts to bump up in weight class, to Palmer for accepting the challenge, and to both coaches for making it happen.  For anybody who had the privilege of being in the building, it looked like an absolutely electric atmosphere, worthy of the magnitude of the bout. 

Everything in the previous paragraph has been said a thousand different ways by writers, message board posters, and John Q. fan who heard about the match.  But after looking at the totality of the weekend, the thing that interested me most was not the match.  In one of his interviews with Flo, Colin Palmer was asked what happened in the third period, where his 4-3 lead became an 8-5 loss.  He answered that “I don’t really get pushed too much,” and “I don’t have anybody that pushes me for the full six minutes,” to flesh out his point that conditioning played a part in the result.  On the flip side, Taylor was excited to mention that there are four or five guys he wrestles with that are national caliber, adding “there’s always somebody that’s going to take you down in practice.” 

This is not a knock on St. Ed’s program, or an assertion of Graham’s dominance as a program.  They’re two of the top programs in the history of high school wrestling.  But it does raise the real dilemma that elite wrestlers like Taylor and Palmer face.  In most sports, you can practice your skills individually and excel.  Great basketball players can work on shooting and ball handling at all times.  Baseball players take batting practice and throw.  Golfers can practice any shot in the book.  But wrestlers need somebody else to wrestle.  Being great is really only half the battle.  Wrestlers that are successful at the highest levels need not only their own individual talent, but people around to push them, whether it be fellow wrestlers, assistant coaches, or whoever.  Although wrestling appears individual, the contribution your workout partners make immeasurable, and ultimately makes the difference between champion and runner up. 

Frankly, this is one of the things that hurt the chances for ever having parity in the college game.  Wrestlers who want to become the best need to go where they’ll be pushed.  I’ve complained in this space before that team talent is way too concentrated.  But when you go to Iowa as a middle weight, you’re not just going for the tradition, but for the chance to roll around with Brent Metcalf and Ryan Morningstar every day.  That’s how you become the best.  While Michael Beasley can be the best high school player in the nation, go play for a relative basketball nobody like Kansas State and still be national player of the year and a lottery pick, a wrestler would have serious trouble flourishing in the same situation.  Schools of that profile in wrestling simply can’t handle a kid like David Taylor.  Dan Gable could be coaching the team, but if he doesn’t have the people to roll around with he’s not going to reach his ceiling.  More than any coaching change, budget shift, or facility upgrade, this is what holds back mid and lower tiered programs from jumping a level. 

One final addendum.  I loved seeing the packed house for this dual.  But what made me really happy was listening to David Taylor’s interview where he spoke of the atmosphere for the match.  As a former high school basketball player who doubles as a wrestling junkie, it was great to hear that the Graham student section is led by the basketball team.  It’s great that there is a student section period.    So often, wrestling tends have an incestuous crowd, where only wrestling people go to wrestling events and support the sport.  Often it appears as if this is by design.  As an outsider, I’ve noticed wrestling folk tend to isolate themselves as a fan base.  I realize that is imbedded in the culture.  It’s a lonely sport, and being independent is how you get through it.  But that’s not a great way to build a fan base.  The Palmer-Taylor match was.  The main reason for this is it was accessible to everybody.  Taylor said that he saw so many people that have never been to a match before.  With two competitors of that caliber and an atmosphere like that gym, tidily-winks could be exciting.  And more than just wrestling people saw it live.  That’s important.  The first time I went to a wrestling match, I saw defending state champs Matt Ciasulli and Jeff Ecklof go at it in front of a sold out crowd in Easton’s gym.  The electricity in the room that night hooked me to the sport for life.  Hopefully the same thing happened to somebody else last Saturday.   

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#13	Grant87   March 3 at 1:17pm Ian glad you are a new fan. But 6' 11" in basketball will get you a scholarship (somewhere), in wrestling you have to earn it! Ask any wrestler about the conditioning! Shooting free throws ? Or running countless miles, lifting weights and diet management all self pushed. Many of the greats like Metcalf or Taylor aren't really pushed in practiced....they I say are the pushers. They make others better. The other sports are stat driven. Put up good numbers and you have your shot, even if a crappy league. And a rant on scouting reports could easily be started here. Ask any 7th rounder who "shocks" the league or no. 1 pick who bombs. In wrestling you lose or win. And Dan Gable-ish coach can be all the difference showing moves correcting bad habits. Brand, Ryan,Buxton, Jordan And Urbas are doing something right. Just my opinion.... reply
#12	Grant87   March 3 at 12:35pm David is real smooth going from move to move. Conditioning never seemed to be the factor. Colin isn't doing the hands on hip or delays to the center. Difference. Dave is better on top except for getting a bit once (got reversed). Great match by both! reply
#11	?   February 2 at 6:15pm that was a amazing match one that i look forward to seing at state this year. reply
#10	M   February 2 at 9:05am I have had the opprotunity to go to two of the best duals in the history of ohio wrestling. I was at St. Ed's when they beat blair for the national title and was at this dual as well. The energy in the room was the same. Great match by both teams. I think that being around the eds program they do a good job of bringing in talented coaches, former wrestlers and current college wrestlers. Palmer has some good kids in the room as well. Sulzar, salupo anyone? i think palmer was out of shape. That is not the coaching that is his fault. Ed's teaches the iowa style of always being in your face and pushing the pace. It comes down to taking some responcibility for your own actions. He is not in shape that is the bottom line and no one can force him he needs to get in shape himself reply
#9	G   February 1 at 10:18pm had palmer been a little bit more conditioned...i think palmer couldve beaten taylor reply
#8	Anonymous Coward   January 31 at 12:42am Great write - so many excellent points. My FIRST dual was last year's Clovis/Buchanan (CA) meet and I've been ADDICTED ever since... A couple thousand people, spotlights, knowledgable announcing, and a raging student section. It's THE recipe for breeding new fans; just drag people in and they'll be, as mentioned in the article, "hooked...for life." reply
#7	NWohio   January 30 at 9:18pm Damn that's crazy, everytime i watch it, it give me chills. hahaha reply
#6	New Jersey   January 30 at 7:11pm This was a good article. To me, it was clear that Palmer had run out of gas in the 3rd. It was 4-4 and Taylor ankle picked him, just looking at Palmer's face after that, he knew it was over. It's a great point that you must mix it up with quality opponents to improve yourself. reply
#5	Anonymous Coward   January 30 at 7:10pm I think what colin is referring to is having ppl in his room to push him. Theres no doubt that hes wrestled the best competition. But Taylor has a better room surrounding him and that is the fact. It makes a difference wrestling tough in the room everyday as the article discusses dead on. reply
#4	Eagle At Heart   January 30 at 5:04pm For Colin to say he is not getting pushed in the room is a false staetment.. The history in the state of Ohio is a long time, since the 1980's is sometime also, for 8-10 years is just the start.... reply
#3	Eoghanjames   January 30 at 4:06pm Once again a great column by the best wrestling writer of the new generation. Surprising that you were not a wrestler. You "get", our community, and have become a part of it. More importantly, you get us to thinking.... reply
#2	Anonymous Coward   January 30 at 3:47pm Thats funny that you bring up the interviews about palmer saying that he doesnt have anyone to push him. While Taylor said he gets taken down everyday in practice. From my understanding Ed's has the philosophy that they are doing something secret in the room so they dont let other people in there. While you have a lot of high school programs that have recently retired wrestlers from the collegiate level coaching. So they are able to actually roll with the kids as opposed to just telling them. It makes a diffence and from my understanding there isnt anyone in eds room that push colin like he should be. reply
#1	Marc   January 30 at 2:27pm I was there and still get chills. It was so electric it was like somebody "plugged me in". I can't imagine having to compete in that, it would have been awesome. I was in the first three Jordan clubs, when Jimmy helped run it, even though I didn't wrestle at Graham (3-0 against them though). I am so proud of how "our" club has gone. I am also a buckeye so I have a huge interest in the Palmer brothers. I have never been to a better dual ever. Thanks for pointing out the bigger picture Ian. reply