Another way to track me

Just another way to see what I have been doing.....

imapmyrun

it records the routes i run and the times.....mind you i just got back into this running shit....but i think it's going pretty well already.

Cheers

What Have YOU Been Doing???

I really don't care what you have been doing.....just thought I would share what I have been doing.

Many days have been spent on the golf course here or there or anywhere. My iPhone has a nifty app that allows me to keep scores and all kinds of random stuff about my golf game. You can see for yourself how I have been doing at this link

http://www.oobgolf.com/golfers/scores.php?id=42926

That's all for now

Wreslting in June?!?!

So today was our first wrestling practice during this three week period in June that we are allowed to have sport specific practices. I had three show up, one new wrestler, and two that were with me last year; one of which made it to the state tournament.

First I would like to give kudos to the two with experience that came, these were the ones that really stood out this past year. One, did not qualify for states, but for good reason, he broke his ankle 2 weeks before the regional tournament.....he wrestled never-the-less at regionals. He was eliminated the first day of the tournament, but returned to watch his two teammates continue their quest towards medals the next day. Out of all the guys on the team eliminated, he was the only one to get up saturday morning and come back out to cheer on his fellow wrestlers....that is a teammate, a peer, a wrestler. The second guy there today was the one who did qualify for states. He finished out his season on a bum knee....he went through surger a month after the season to have his miniscus reparied because he tore the shit out of it during the season, but finished out, dealing with the pain.

Both of these two, they have a desire to win, a desire to get better, and most importantly....they want to compete. They both finished out the season with major injuries. Now they are back in June, ready to learn new moves, and better their techniques so they can both go to states, and do well next season...They both lift weights 3+ days a week and i'm sure take part in other conditioning activities.

The new guy. He is gonna make a hell of a 125-130 pounder. He is strong, dedicated, and wants to learn. He picked up the moves I taught him today quickly, and till the end of a two hour practice had several good moves. Till mid next season he will be a strong wrestler for Moorefield High.

But I did realize something today wrestling and talking with these boys. I can teach them every move I know, they can have fantastic technique; but I can't give them that desire to win. Where does that come from....do they just need to get their heads pounded in week in and out by other teams for a few seasons? Are they born without it? Can I scare it into them? Beat it into them? Why don't they just want to go out there and beat the hell out of someone....thats the point of this damn sport.........

State Wrestling Part II

Well, the WV State Wrestling Tournament is drawing to a close. Tomorrow will be the consolation semi-finals and the finals.....sadly, Moorefield will have no competitors in these rounds. My boy lost his preliminary round bout Thursday night, then dropped his first round consolation round bout Friday morning. Both were hard fought bouts, where he laid it all on the line........which means I could not have asked for more from him.

I am proud to say that I took a first year varisty wrestler to the WV State Tournament, and his perforance was an acceptable one. Next year I feel he will do much better, and possibly even place.

After watching some very good wrestling over the past two days....I have some comparisons that need to be made for those of you from PA reading this.

1. PA Wrestling
   Path: Districts, Regionals, States
   Must place in the top 4 at each previous level
   Each tournament requires atleast 3 wins to place 4th or better
   
2. WV Wrestling
   Path: Regionals, States
   Must place in the top 4 at each previous level
   Tournaments range from 5 to 12 wrestlers at each weight (due to forfeits)

What does this mean. In PA, if you make it to the state tournament you have come through a rigerours set of trials....there were no bye matches into the semi-finals or finals. You have had to beat several extreamly talented wrestlers to get to the round you are in (even if in just regionals) While in WV, you can (in the case of Region 2, 103lbs) get a bye into the semi-finals, lose, then wrestle one match into the consi-finals....there were only 5 wreslters in this weight class so 4 of the 5 go to go to states.......how many times do you hear of this in PA??????

I never made it to PA states so everything i am saying is simply assumptions......but i don't think a single person at the state tournament didn't belong there.....i honestly can say that some wrestlers at the WV state tournament had no buisness in a venue of this caliber......

After this week I can honestly and truely say that I have could have been a WV state qualifier, and most definitely placed at this tournament had my family moved to WV for my high school years.............though i am glad they didn't.....i can PROUDLY say that i was a 2x PA Regional Qualifier out of District VI......I never thought missing out on attending Hershey Arena would stab at my loins 8 years after graduation.......

I love and miss you Pennsylvania Wreslting..................

A New Step

I have wrestled my entire life; I have won two tournaments, qualified for regionals twice.....and twice I fell short of the big dance....the PIAA State Wrestling Tournament at Hershey Arena.

One of my wrestlers took 3rd this weekend at the Region 2 Wrestling Tournament. Now tomorrow i leave for the WV AA/A State Wrestling tournament to coach Andrew in his first season of varsity wrestling and first trip to the state tournament. Hopefully we will be able to bring back some hardware, though it will be a long battle.

If you know Andrew my 189lbs wrestler, tell him congrats. I'll be sure to let you all know the outcome of the next three days of ass kickin'

The Purple Whaaat?!?!?!

So, last nights adventure is one that must be shared with the small population that cares to read this jibberish.  I'm sorry to bore you.

The other day I was at the local watering hole, and was told "there is a great band playing tomorrow night at the Purple [XXXXX]"  I'm leaving the name blank because at this point in the story i didn't know what they said (plus it's funnier later).  So, having nothing better to do, I gather more information.  The bands name is Special Ed and the Shortbus and they are "really good".  The directions i got to get to this bar were, go to Mt. Storm, turn left at the gas station, drive for what seems like forever, at the "T" make a right, drive into town, and look for a sharp left, follow that and you'll see all the cars.  Sounds pretty simple, Mt. Storm is like 18 miles from my Apt. so i know it's a little drive, but not too bad.  Then another patron of the bar says, i've been by there, it looks like a real hole in the wall....but it's rural West Virginia, what would you expect.

So at 7PM yesterday i set out on this adventure to see Special Ed and the Shortbus.  I drive to Mt. Storm, turn left, and see a sign Thomas 22 miles.  I started thinking I sure as shit hope i don't have to drive there.  Well to shorten this a little, i drove 20 miles from civilization.  I thought i knew what rural WV was....not until last night, i was in the most remote, BFR part of this state that there is.  I finally came to a town, one hour after i left home, and found the bar easily all the cars in the town were parked out front.  I parked down the street and started walking, and there it was the Purple Fiddle, large bay windows in front, and i see a completely packed house the majority of which are wearing flannel shirts, jeans, cowboy boots, and cowboy hats...all that was missing was straw in the mouth.

I walk through the door, pay the 10 dollar cover charge...walk to the bar..and buy myself a PBR.  For how much you might be asking, go ahead, take a guess.....one freakin dollar.  i have not had beer that cheap in for-freakin-ever.

At this point the band wasn't on stage but i see guitars, fiddles, banjo, drums, washboard, and that big string thing that i like 6-7 feet tall.  What would pass through your head???  Mine was saying "What the hell am i doing here?"  So i found some friends from back in civilization (moorefield) and spent the next 4 hours drinking dollar PBR, clapping, stomping my feet, and even dancing to the intoxicating melodies of Richmond, VA finest bluegrass band.  

Summary...

The good: dollar PBRs, friends, tunes, no cowboy/girl tried to kill the city boy, and bar that has bands 3-4 nights a week for when people come down to hang out.

The bad: one hour drives into the middle of nowhere are not fun, dress like you're from the city you might get shot

The unique:  there was a guy who looked and acted like Cramer from Sinfeld who dances to bluegrass.

I do look forward to another fun night with the WV rednecks and their wonderful music.

Where is the Line

Stories I have heard from my Dad include him losing 11+ pounds in one week for wrestling. Personally, I have lost 6+ pounds in one night to wrestle. I don't know how much Dad lost each season to wrestle. Myself, I went into my senior year weighing around 149 pounds, till the weigh-ins for districts I was 137 pounds.

Weight certification used to be, go in for your physical at 145 and you were certified to wrestle 10lbs less. Not anymore.......Wednesday we had this "certification" fun. Now we have to have an assessor come in (who charges 8 bucks a head) and there are several steps to this fun evening.

1. Each wrestling must first piss into a cup and have the specific gravity of their urine tested. These determines whether they have consumed enough water in the past 48 hours or so. Though this does not take into account the amount of salt a person consumes.
• Wrestler A. Weighs into practice every day for 1.5 weeks at 140lbs. This is before a work out or sweating at practice. To pass the hydration test, he consumed 9.4lbs of water. Giving him a final weight of 149.4 lbs. Making his weightclass 152 for the first week of the season, and a minimum weight of 137 lbs or the 140 pound class.
• Wrestler B. Weighs 104.5 lbs normally....to pass this stupid test 109.4. Minimum weight allowed 103.49 lbs, so the minimum weight he is allowed to wrestle is 112.
2. Step two, Body fat. well this test makes sense, see what % body fat each wrestler has. The more body fat they have, the more they can lose.
   
• Wrestler B again, is only allowed to lose what....5.91 pounds....which statistically is not possible because they are creating certainty (not allowed in science)
• While wrestler C is weighed in around 161 lbs, but is by the end of the season, allowed to wrestle the 140 pound class because he as 21% body fat.
3. The final step is to step on the scale...simple....see how fat they are after drinking 100 gallons of water to pass the damn hydration test.

So, why am i bitching.......This season i should have had a team that filled 103, 112, 119, 125, 135, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215, and 285. Meaning the team will only forfeit 130, and 140. Now, we have to forfeit 103, 130, 140, and 145 for the first match of the season. So the difference for you non wrestling fans is giving up 12 points to giving up 24 points supposing we would get pinned at the extra weights, while if we won those weights we would break even (not give up a damn point) So this just sucks big balls.....

I have a guy wrestling 10 pounds above his natural weight because they don't want him to lose weight......does this make sense?????? HELL NO. WVSSAC and the National Wrestling Federation need to get their heads out of their bum bums.

Bah Hum-Bug