Wow. How can I really try and explain what is what like to be at the Grapple on the Gridiron? I was absolutely blown away by the entire event. I found myself looking around numerous times at the crowd and then reminding myself that I was at a wrestling dual meet. The record attendance total was 42,287. It really seemed like there were more people there than that.
My first impression when I walked into Kinnick was the great job that the University of Iowa did with the overall display of the wrestling mat. The mat was brand new from what I heard. The surrounding advertisements and promotions around the mat, the banners behind the stadium floor seating, everything was over the top and the best that you had ever seen. This event should win some type of an award, like an ESPY. Hopefully someone nominates this event for awards. I also hope that there are posters available of a panoramic view of the event. What a great wall hanger that would make. Just in time for Christmas.
The MVP may have been Mother Nature who served up a perfect day of weather for the middle of November in Iowa. Oklahoma State was the perfect opponent and should be in the record books for this event. Wrestling the legendary Cowboy program led by John Smith really added to the whole event. The two most storied programs in collegiate wrestling history, making history. Thank you Oklahoma State Wrestling for the great dual meet.
When I was asked what the dual meet was like, I had to take a moment to try and describe it. The best that I could do was to say that if you sat down and made a list of what would be a perfect wrestling meet, then this event would have exceeded your list. I tip my hat to the University of Iowa and to all of those involved that made this event happen. Another reason for me to keep saying that wrestling is the best here in our State of Iowa and at the University of Iowa. The epicenter for wrestling in our country, and the world in my opinion, is Iowa City, Iowa, home of University of Iowa Wrestling. As a lifelong Iowan, a lifelong Iowa Wrestling fan, and an alumni of the University of Iowa, I am truly grateful, and very proud. We…are the best.
Now, on to the wrestling. This was our first look at the 2016 edition of the University of Iowa Wrestling team. I was very impressed up and down the lineup. Every Hawkeye wrestler competed well and looked to be in good shape. The biggest change in this team was the added size each wrestler showed. It is pretty obvious that the Iowa Wrestling team hit the weights in the off-season. Every single wrestler looked bigger to me than they did last March. The two most obvious for me was Clark and Sorensen. Cory Clark looks to have put on more muscle this past year while staying at 133 than he did moving up a weightclass from 125 last year. Sorensen went from being an average sized tough freshman to being just tough. He really looked bigger. Also, Edwin Cooper is no longer a 149 pounder wrestling up a weightclass as he looks like a 157 pounder now. I assure you, Alex Meyer and Nathan Burak looked much different compared to a month ago. Both of those guys looked big for their weightclass.
Strength in the sport of wrestling will cure more ills for you than a semi full of aspirin. The Hawks put on added strength and I like that. A lot. With four full months to go until Nationals, look for that added strength up and down the lineup to really pay off. I look for nearfall points to turn into pins. These next four months will really benefit Stoll at Heavyweight and Cooper at 157 the most. I liked what I saw out of both of them Saturday. More than anything, those two wrestlers need time, and us fans need patience. Stoll and Cooper will score us some good points at Madison Square Garden.
Also a shout out to Logan Ryan at 141 and Patrick Rhoads at 165. Both of those guys competed hard against highly ranked opponents and did us proud. I am sure Oklahoma State was expecting more points at those two weights. Gilman lead us into battle with a major decision over the seventh ranked wrestler in the country and Sammy Brooks lit us up with a tech fall over a ranked wrestler. With a dual meet where each team won five matches, bonus points were the deciding factor with Iowa coming out on top, 18-16. Bonus points could very well decide the team title in March. What a great start to what looks to be a great year to be an Iowa Wrestling Fan. Now on to the Iowa City Duals.
