By wpengine November 27, 2001
The Cornell wrestling squad is off to another fast start with its second successful tournament showing this past weekend. While the Red can’t claim an official victory from the Sharpie Open at Chapel Hill, N.C. — no team scores were calculated — no other team had as many finalists or champions as Cornell. The tournament was also a victorious homecoming of sorts for Cornell coach Rob Koll, who graduated from the University of North Carolina. Koll’s squad dominated the tournament, taking five of the 10 weight classes on its way to a victory over schools like UNC, Duke, Appalachian, the Citadel and Howard. Archrival Penn also had a number of wrestlers at the event and took home two first-place finishes. Cornell put a total of eight wrestlers into the finals. Another four Red wrestlers took third place. Senior Effort Senior co-captains Jim Stanec and Clint Wattenberg won their weight classes on the weekend, which bodes well for Cornell. For Wattenberg, it was his second straight tournament win of the season at the 184-lb. weight class (he took first at the Body Bar Invitational in Ithaca the week before). Stanec’s first-place finish in the tournament was his first of the season after the 174-lb. wrestler finished a disappointing second the weekend before. Stanec defeated North Carolina’s Mark Canty in the finals by an impressive 14-6 count. The 157-lb. weight class was an all Red match, as junior Andy Tieban defeated senior Gabe Webster in a close 1-0 match. Junior Byron Warner won the 141-lb. weight class with a 7-4 victory over UNC’s Brad Byers. Warner’s classmate Matt Greenberg rounded out the list of Red champions with his 11-7 victory over Duke’s Mark Thompson. Freshman Travis Lee was once again strong for Cornell, as the rookie took home his second second-place tournament finish in a row. He eventually lost the 125-lb. championship match to Chris Rodrigues of North Carolina — one of two weight class victories the home team took on the day. UNC also won the heavyweight division, one of two weight classes where the Red failed to place anyone in the top seven in the tournament. Cornell will travel to Las Vegas, Nev. this upcoming weekend to compete on Friday and Saturday in the Las Vegas Open. Archived article by Charles Persons
By wpengine November 27, 2001
I remember the first time I wet my pants. I stood on the tips of my size 3 shoes, straining to look out of the library window — too afraid to enter the fifth grade hall where the closest bathroom resided. The fifth grade hall: no man’s land for a first grader like me. So I sat down, readying myself for a new experience. And I went. Right down the left side of my black pants — soaking them to an even darker black. It actually felt good — warm and comforting like a shower in a sense. Then the wetness sunk in, and thirty minutes later, my classmates and I ruefully discovered the stench of urea. Needless to say, in spite of numerous urges, I never again denied a toilet its due. The commissioner of the BCS, on the other hand, must be going through his fourth straight pant–wetting session. And to understand his plight — the very essence of his struggle — one must have wet his or her own pants. So, if you haven’t already, I urge you to go. Right now. Yes, for the fourth year in a row, the dadgum BCS is in a mess. Year One: A year after the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll inexplicably split the national title between Nebraska and Michigan (Michigan clearly deserved it), the BCS was born. And in Shakespearean–like foreshadowing, three undefeated teams stood tall with one weekend left to play. Three teams (Tennessee, Kansas State, and UCLA) for two slots in the national championship. And commissioner Roy Kramer undoubtedly wet his pants. But Shakespearean–like fates allowed Kansas State and UCLA to be upset on the last weekend, and the BCS was saved from embarrassment. Year Two: The nation’s favorite underdog, undefeated Virginia Tech (led by the nation’s hero, Michael Vick) held an entirely too–slim lead over one–loss Nebraska in the BCS standings with one week left to play. The Hokies were in danger of being jumped by an undeserving Husker team. Hang up another pair of soaked slacks for commissioner Kramer. But the fates stepped in once again, and the Huskers mustered only a close win while Virginia Tech rolled, allowing the rightful Hokies to face off against Florida State. Year Three: An undefeated Miami team was left out of the national title, replaced by Florida State. The Seminoles held one loss and that loss was to, you guessed it, Miami. Kramer must have hit a pant–shortage. And after this past weekend, Year Four is cause for more urination. Nebraska was throttled by Colorado, leaving five one–loss teams with a legitimate chance at the title with one weekend left to play. Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Oregon, Tennessee and maybe even Colorado — in the bizarrest of circumstances — all deserve, in one way or another, to play for the national title. Florida, because Steve Spurrier is the nation’s favorite clown (and its passing offense is grand). Texas because who wants to deny Chris Simms anything? (And a Bensen-Williams combo seems unstoppable.) Nebraska, because it actually does deserve it, yes, in spite of one bad week. Oregon because it has the best colors. Tennessee because of an incredible defensive line. And Colorado solely because it scored 62 points against Nebraska. Making any one of them happy would cause the other five to cry. What to do commissioner Swofford? What to do? Put the teams in a hat and pull one out? Sounds as good an idea as any. In a simulation, I got Oregon. Oregon and Miami in the national championship. Sound good? Hey, what’s that smell?Archived article by Sumeet Sarin