Final Thoughts from the 2012 Thomas Tournament

[Lefteyelouie]

The Good-

Crouse- Wrestled an awesome tourney and should be proud. Beat 2 state medal winner type kids.

Tri Valley- SOme impressive wrestlers very impressed with Schofstall and Sheib.

Otten, Yingling, Albright, M. Brett, Eichelberger, Doak. Just a few names that I think wrestled well and opened some eyes.

Now- Creps- No class for a bogus team point deduction? He said, "that is a terrible call" Ever watch Marko coach and berate refs? Does he have class?

What is class? Is it bashing kids behind a screen name on the internet? Is it adults storming the mat after a win in the thomas tourney? Is it flipping off an athlete from the stands? Is it being an adult and rooting against a kids success or hoping for their failure? Is it booing kids for taking injury time? Is it coming out of the stands to taunt a kid? Is it stealing uniforms? Is it vandalising a sports field? Is it fighting and hospitalizing a kid and being aloud to wrestle regionals 5 days later? Is it being an adult and trying to fight a kid? Is it 2 adults getting into a fight over a sport? Is it a school district having to schedule a sporting event and not allowing ANY parents or fans to attend due to previous actions? Is it drinking alcohol during HS? Is it intentionally hurting an opponent? Is it hazing a teamate and being suspended from a team? Is it being academically ineligable? Is it biting an opponent? Well if you answered yes to any of the above I guess you or I have class. Because I have seen or heard all of the above within D-5 sporting events. I have seen it from each and every school. So, those that live in glass houses.

But, if we really must bash a HS kid. Add your name to your post. Show the same stones all these kids do to go out and compete which opens them up to internet tough guys bashing them.

Just remember something about all kids and schools. There are good eggs and bad eggs in all schools. Shouldn't judge all by a few.

Also you never know what these kids deal with in there lives outside of the 15 minutes or so a years you see them compete. Some of us our fortunate with the way we are/were brought up and the oppurtunities we have had and others are not as fortunate.

[S Cube]

Nice post Lefteye.

Speaking of Marko, any truth to the rumors of this being his last season in Bullscrick?

[M.Doak]

Pretty good post..I think everyone should put their name on their posts, it would probably keep some of the negative comments out the rooms. I dont know anything about d5 coaches/wrestlers or anything that you guys are talking about really, but I did see my brother get a team point taken away for asking a question to a ref, which was funny. Referrees have an impossibly tough job, but sometimes they could solve these problems with a simple explanation or at least admitting they screwed up instead of letting their ego dictate their response, but thats an age old problem. Bedford tournament was a very well run and good competition, I was glad we were there.

[RidgeDad]

Good post there lefty. I actually agree with you on that - imagine that

But you forgot one that occurred at the D5 tournament a few years ago - Is it class for a coach to refuse to shake the opposing wrestlers hand after that wrestler beats his kid?

That of course will rile up my friend Lefty, but it should be added to the long list of inappropriate actions that I'm sure occur in every district across the state.

Something I have noticed in the past couple of tournaments that I really didn't pay attention to before. The wrestlers from D5 and I believe D6 almost always shake the hands of the opposing coaches after the match (except for a few that throw a fit after they lose), but I'm seeing that many (not all) other schools across the state aren't doing that. Is it me being old fashioned, or is this something that is becomming a trend?

[footballguy99]

Great post LeftEye!

Guys on here are talking about respect when they show none themselves.

Your paragraph full of questions is so spot on. You see so much of that crap at events.

[Lefteyelouie]

Ridgedad.

I did leave that out but I could type all day and never end on things I've seen. BTW. 90% of the class stuff I talked about came from watching you over the years. LOL

Note- Mike Brett handled himself well through this tourney and did not lose any team points as I had thought someone indicated. Handled himself well especially considering the bite marks on his hand after a match this weekend.

[Chiefwapum]

If I counted right we had 6-D5 Champs and 7-D5 runner ups. Great job D-5! Way to many D-5 kids placed in Consy's so I will not even try to count them. A big congrat's to them as well. Now as soon as you post something of this nature we can almost be certain someone will come on here and say we have most of the D5 schools particpate in this tourny. Dosent matter with the twenty some schools it is a meat grinder. Maybe some people will have to start showing some respect to D5 as imo they are as good as I have seen them in a long time. Once again congrats to all the boys and schools from D5 for a great effort.

[boxer156]

Ridgedad.

I did leave that out but I could type all day and never end on things I've seen. BTW. 90% of the class stuff I talked about came from watching you over the years. LOL

Note- Mike Brett handled himself well through this tourney and did not lose any team points as I had thought someone indicated. Handled himself well especially considering the bite marks on his hand after a match this weekend.

It wasn't Mike--it was his brother that supposidly said something to the ref or kid he wrestled. I don't know Tobey as well as Mike, so I don't know if it was said or not. I posted because certain people on here are labeling Mike as a 'bedford thug', which couldn't be farther from the truth. People talk about him having no class, but come on a website and post about 17-year old kids and their families. Mike is a great kid, and my son really looks up to him.

I was going to comment about the rushing the mat after a certain win, but I see you covered that under your other post. I thought that was over-the-top a little (but understood), BUT don't nit-pick another kid because he was upset after a loss---it goes both ways in celebration of a win, or upset after a loss.

[CRWizard]

In whose match did they rush the mat??? That would be over the top at an indy tourny.

[boxer156]

I was talking about the Crouse match.......quite a few people ran out of the stands and onto the mat. The group standing behind me also had the same comment, in fact they said 'what the hell are they doing on the mat'.

Again, this was a big win and celebration is deserved---but it goes both ways. You can't accept that type of celebration, and then call-out and downgrade a kid for being upset after a loss.