2008 Woodie Awards
Making sense of 141
Eric Mandel - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 3/6/08 Section: Sports
The American Heritage dictionary defines a tossup as an even chance, or the flipping of a coin.
For a good chunk of the weight class battles in this weekend's Big Ten wrestling meet, the favorites are clear and the coaches had easy pickings while seeding the postseason event.
Then there is the 141-pound division.
"That's another weight class that, really however you seeded it was, I mean it's a miracle that it's consistent like that," said Iowa head coach Tom Brands. "How we voted is basically how it came out, but it could have gone a lot of different ways."
The second-year Hawkeye head man refers to a hodgepodge of wrestlers at the weight class who've all beaten one another throughout the dual-meet season, leaving no clear dominant wrestler.
At 24-8, Iowa 141-pounder Dan LeClere found a fourth-seed attached to his name for tournament after compiling a 5-4 record against Big Ten opponents.
"We got to be ready to go," Brands said. "When we tighten things up and we're ready to go, then good things happen. When [LeClere's] attacking, not from left field or from Mars, but from in tight and moving guys, and being physical and doing what he does best."
LeClere understands the topsy-turvy nature of this year's middle weights, and he isn't putting too much stock into his fourth seed.
"It's not a big deal," he said. "You're gonna have to beat them all anyway, so I'm not too worried about the rankings. A lot of people think my weight's kind of a tossup as far as who is going to come out on top, but I don't see it that way. I see it as the guy who comes in best prepared, doing things right the whole year, is gonna come out on top."
"That's what I've been doing all year and that's what I am going to continue to do up until zero hour when it comes time to wrestle."
LeClere's training partner in the practice room is assistant coach Doug Schwab, who's helped him find the line between being more selective and smart without losing any aggressiveness.
For a good chunk of the weight class battles in this weekend's Big Ten wrestling meet, the favorites are clear and the coaches had easy pickings while seeding the postseason event.
Then there is the 141-pound division.
"That's another weight class that, really however you seeded it was, I mean it's a miracle that it's consistent like that," said Iowa head coach Tom Brands. "How we voted is basically how it came out, but it could have gone a lot of different ways."
The second-year Hawkeye head man refers to a hodgepodge of wrestlers at the weight class who've all beaten one another throughout the dual-meet season, leaving no clear dominant wrestler.
At 24-8, Iowa 141-pounder Dan LeClere found a fourth-seed attached to his name for tournament after compiling a 5-4 record against Big Ten opponents.
"We got to be ready to go," Brands said. "When we tighten things up and we're ready to go, then good things happen. When [LeClere's] attacking, not from left field or from Mars, but from in tight and moving guys, and being physical and doing what he does best."
LeClere understands the topsy-turvy nature of this year's middle weights, and he isn't putting too much stock into his fourth seed.
"It's not a big deal," he said. "You're gonna have to beat them all anyway, so I'm not too worried about the rankings. A lot of people think my weight's kind of a tossup as far as who is going to come out on top, but I don't see it that way. I see it as the guy who comes in best prepared, doing things right the whole year, is gonna come out on top."
"That's what I've been doing all year and that's what I am going to continue to do up until zero hour when it comes time to wrestle."
LeClere's training partner in the practice room is assistant coach Doug Schwab, who's helped him find the line between being more selective and smart without losing any aggressiveness.
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Critic
posted 3/06/08 @ 7:22 AM CST
"The American Heritage dictionary defines a tossup as an even chance, or the flipping of a coin."
Jesus H. You actually defined "tossup" for your lede. (Continued…)
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