John Smith Tells A Jim Shields Story

John Smith finished second in college as a sophomore, and was a good wrestler. He went on to beat the world champion in the goodwill games later that year, and became America's best wrestler. Smith opted…
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John Smith finished second in college as a sophomore, and was a good wrestler. He went on to beat the world champion in the goodwill games later that year, and became America's best wrestler. Smith opted…
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John Smith finished second in college as a sophomore, and was a good wrestler. He went on to beat the world champion in the goodwill games later that year, and became America's best wrestler. Smith opted out of the World Championship to focus on becoming a NCAA champion first. He won all but one match (his very first match junior year) after that in College. While John Smith was winning two Individual NCAA titles, he also started a string of six straight world championships that included two Olympic gold medal performances in 1988 and 1992.

John Smith is considered by some to be America's best wrestler of all time, and there is no argument that he was America's most brilliant technician. Smith invented a low single shot that was like lightning with its striking penetration at the ankles and lower legs of his opponents. He then invented and refined many kinds of finishes that almost always assured his takedown.

John Smith took over the legendary Oklahoma State program in the early 1990s. He coached his younger brother Pat Smith to four NCAA individual national titles, the first wrestler to ever to accomplish that feat, and won his first team National Championship in 1994. In 2003 he began a string of four straight team NCAA championships.

Despite winning the last four team NCAA titles, Coach Smith is driven to take the Oklahoma State team to greater heights. He and the rest of his coaching staff have their work cut out for them as they will be losing a legendary cast of seniors.