Very.

As to the Missouri wrestlers not shaking hands with the opposing coaches, that is something that we as a State do not do in Missouri. They have been conditioned not to shake hands after individual matches. How many times do you need to shake the opposition's hand. Once before the dual starts during warmups, once after the individual dual match, and finally after the entire dual has been completed. Missouri figured that it all the hand shaking wasn't necessary. In a dual, we shake hands with coaches after the entire dual is over. In tournaments, we shake hands with opposing coaches sometime during the day. Its not required. If you feel that you must shake hands with an opposing coach, you look for a more opportune time than right after a match when the coach is trying to either get another wrestler ready for his match, console a losing wrestler, or critiqueing winning wrestler.

Didn't the KCMO school district lose its accreditation for a while a few years back? If so, I don't think you have any right to talk.

And also, how old are you? I always figured you were at least out of college and if that's the case then I suggest you grow up a little and stop wasting your time trading verbal barbs with high school kids.

Just a thought.

"conditioned" not to shake hands...WOW. Strong words. Strong words indeed.

I have been fortunate to be able to see wrestling from both states. I was a pretty successful Kansas wrestling having medaled at the state tournament twice, wrestled DII and now coach in Missouri. Overall Missouri wrestling in the metro area is hands down better than Kansas wrestling. As far as the Kansas wrestling only being a takedown or two away from winning the match...no way. In most of those matches, with the exception of Gonzales, the MO kids were in complete control. I have to say that I was disappointed in Grayson and Simpson having seen them wrestling several times throughout the year last night was no indication as to their true ability. Ellis flat out got screwed. First of all he should have cut him when there was 22 seconds left and get two more take downs. Secondly he never got his near fall on the Peterson, and last there was no reversal. I understand awarding a point for loss of control and taking the match to overtime, but come on when you have one offical saying time was out and is honestly a debatable call; do the right thing and send it into OT, there is no question as to who would have won it then. I will now get off my soap box.

I guess that I should have said, "been instructed not to shake hands."

RailMulePanther:

Good post. In a couple of those matches the KS kids were down 2 with less than 30 secs to go and they forced shots. I call that a takedown or two away from a win. Giving credit to MO, and respect to KS grapplers.

Something I think would be intersting to discuss is the talent of the senior class. I know that MO was loaded with studs this year starting with Briet, Grayson, Simpson, the Moore twins, Caputo and so on. Next year KS with have to look forward to another loaded group including the Graham twins, Bailey, Shaffer and several others. How would you compare this years KS group of seniors to past and future years.

Scarf

I�m glad to see you responded to the post about Missouri wrestlers not shaking hands.

I know its something �that we as a state do not do� but it�s not something we as a state agree with. I�ve heard several wrestlers complain about it and as long as every one else does it, I think Missouri should reconsider this position. I�ve heard several comments from other states at interstate and national competitions about this and it does appear to others as a form of bad sportsmanship.

I know we always shook hands in the past and I'm not sure what the thought process was or why this changed.

Some of those matches where the score may have appeared close were not really that close. Especially talking about Moore/Sonderegger, Caputo/Malloy, Moore/Cisper, Grayson/Sprang. Simpson was also cruising to an easy win until he got hurt.

That handshake thing was a rule in Missouri a few years ago until they saw how stupid it was and got rid of it. Ellis from Missouri was ticked and didn't want to accept the decision yet, probably rightfully so, since his coaches were still protesting the outcome. Then Thompson decided to do a little tongue-wagging to the Missouri side, even though he didn't have the energy to walk in a straight line after the match. Talk about class.

Fantastic event for wrestling! Thanks to all that put it on!

I personally agree with not shaking hands all of the time. As a coach, I'm not trying to be a poor sport, I'm more concerned with my own wrestlers. As for Missouri wrestlers being upset about not shaking hands, I don't see what the big deal is. If they want to shake an opposing coaches hand that bad, what is the problem with seeking out that coach at some other time when it means more. A wrestler who seeks me out in a tournament is going to be remembered for his great sportsmanship more than just another kid in a series of matches shaking my hand. To me, it seems a good way to allow heads to cool after tough matches and allow sportsmanship to be displayed.

I agree that other states can/do view it as unsportsmanlike, but I think it was done with the best intentions. I had to deal with it earlier this year when we wrestled Columbus. Comments came from the stands, but I was able to discuss it with the opposing coaches and explain why our kids were not shaking hands. They understood what was going on, and had no problem with it.

I would like to clarify one thing though. I do think that the wrestlers should shake hands with their opponent, win or lose, everytime. A wrestling match is a very intense personal battle between two kids, and as such, I believe that shaking hands is proper between the two contestants. A coach is the coach for the entire dual/tournament. His job isn't done until the last match is over. You don't see coaches shaking hands with each other after every match.

Here is an interesting question. If this guy from Missouri was getting turned before he cried wolf, why didn't the referee award two points for imminent near fall? My only conclusions would be 1. The ref didn't know he could award such point 2. The ref didn't think he was actually going to go to his back.

Nigel, If you read my account of the action you'll notice did in fact award the 2-point imminent near fall.

Correct me if I am wrong, and I�m not trying to insinuate that our kids from Kansas participating in this event are by any means poor wrestlers, but I don�t think that we truly fielded our best wrestlers that the state has to offer. This is the Metro Classic, and that includes only kids from a reasonable distance from the Metropolitan area. Again, I might be wrong, but from my understanding of Missouri wrestling, most of the power houses are located in this 75(?) mile distance. Kansas� power houses are not. I�m really speaking of individuals here and not teams. Ponder this. If we were truly had a battle of the border and we used our best against their best what would the outcome be? I mean no offense to our kids, I�m just being realistic. For instance, take Travis Eden. A good wrestler, and a nice kid (and a better wrestler than his uncle, and Travis you can tell him I said this), but what if we put Ross Taplin on the mat in his stead?

We need to step back and take this event for what it is, a great event for the Metro kids, and leave it at that. It is not a true measuring stick for either Kansas or Missouri wrestling.

I guess I missed that part Randy, my appologies.

coach neil ... is it meant to be a measuring stick of missouri wrestling vs kansas wrestling?? I was never under the pressure that it was. Did it ever occur to you that maybe Missouri doesn't send it's best either? Each side submits wrestlers according to the rules ... nothing more nothing less. Some years Kansas will have the better wrestlers in this area, sometimes Missouri will.

As for the whole Missouri wrestlers not shaking the Kansas coaches hands debate ... i distinctly remember each Missouri wrestler during introductions running over and shaking the coaches hands ... most of the Kansas wrestlers did not ... does this make them poor sports? Nope. So get over it guys ... leave the sour grapes in the trash can.

Randy ... excellent article as usual.

I absolutely agree that many of the KS wrestlers did not go over and shake the MO coaches hands at the beginning of the meet. We also commented on that during the meet. I believe when it got up to Neil Cisper, he said "duh" and realized that the MO wrestlers were doing that and they were not and went over to the MO coaches. As big KS wrestling fans, we were dismayed at those who didn't. It didn't reflect well. I'm sure guys were nervous and not thinking, but that does not excuse bad sportsmanship. As for the comments made by a fan on the KS to Simpson after he came off the mat, I too heard those, and I also heard that person apologize to him after he was given some disapproving looks. I think he made them in the heat of the moment and regretted it. However, I was sitting with a wrestler who is about to undergo shoulder surgery and had all the sympathy in the world for Simpson, concerned that he was taking an injury for a match that didn't mean that much in the big scheme of things. The second time he went down, as soon as the match was stopped, he popped up like toast out of a toaster, rolled his shoulder all the way around and was ready to wrestle. It did not pass the smell test! Regarding the whole tourney, in general, we went through the brackets like many others, and knew that KS was not going to come out on top. We went to see some great wrestling and did. We stood and cheered for every match and every wrestler (with the exception of Simpson) because they gave us good wrestling and which side of the state line they came from didn't matter. On the other hand, bad sportsmanship is bad sportsmanship and the behavior shown by the MO ref, an adult, and one set aside and honored this year as and example to others, was INEXCUSABLE. To all of the competitors, thanks you so much for a wonderful night of competition and I'm sure that fans on both sides of the line wish you all well in the future.

Exactly when did promote the KCMO school system?