For the love of everything holy, please bring back Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" for the Parade of Champions at the 3-2-1A State Finals. Eminem's "Lose Yourself" (no lyrics just music) should never be played in this capacity again. In fact, neither should any other song. Let's being back tradition and play "Eye of the Tiger". Thank You!

I agree, it just wasn't the same without Survivor.

Hope it never happens again it's all about the tradition and is something you dream about your whole life. That song is sacred and is to only be played before the finals and was so disappointing to not have that song and the fans going nuts. That song always makes the hair on your arms stand up with all the fans clapping and it didn't happen this year and was sad. Also I like the awards that they gave out and very deserving but I think they should wait to bring the wrestlers out until after those ceremonies. It took way to long this year and took the momentum out of the crowd along with Eminem. It should be all about the wrestlers and all their hard work they put in for the season.

WHO THE HELL DO WE PETITION?!?! AND WHO THE HELL MADE THE DECISION TO CHANGE IT?!?! With the economy being the way it is I hate to wish for ANYONE to lose their job, but whoever came up with the Eminem idea MUST GO!! THAT WAS HORRID!!

I'm serious, please tell me who to contact and I will do so as will many others.

Troy Reitcheck
(There you go, Tom... I signed it)

The only viable replacement for "Eye of the Tiger" would be the Red Rider song "Lunatic Fringe" featured on “Vision Quest” ala Loudon Swain lat drop for five. But, seems like a square kick to the nuts of wrestling traditionalist everywhere by playing an Eminem song before the state finals.

There's lots of songs that would work. The point is "Eye of the Tiger" is tradition. Even the wrestlers were surprised to hear another song. I thought the whole Parade of Champions was poorly prepared this year.

I was kinda disappointed myself... I watched it at my house and was disappointed to hear Lose Yourself instead of Eye of the Tiger, and who lined up the guys for introductions? Why weren't they lined up opposite so they met in the middle instead of coming from the same end to the middle?

Not to bad commentary though, they definetly need a different announcer though, that one looked like a goober.

I've always bragged about the "atmosphere" of the 321A state being better than the 4,5,6A. (I've never been to the new 4a at Salina.) But I felt like not only were the wrestlers confused, but so were the cheerleaders, and especially the fans. I heard no stompimg on the floors up above and felt like a lot of the older people were left out of the experience. I myself felt left out because until Mike told me who the song was by I didn't even know. All I heard was "rap-crap". Granted most of my favorite kind of music came out before or shortly after I was born (Willie, Waylon, Merle, Cash, etc.) but it was still disappointing to me and many others that I've talked to.

I don't know if it was a KSHSAA call, a FHSU call, or what... but I do think it needs to be changed back. If we can make it happen I expect to hear a HUGE uproar (more so than usual) when Survivor starts up next year before the finals.

All in?

From my vantage point on the floor the opening ceremony was poorly ran.

I noticed that the wrestles on the top side of the bracket walked much sooner than the bottom side. Rather than the typical format where both sides walk in at the same time and with the finals' matchups meeting at the top of the three point key and cutting off from there.

It also seemed like they could have saved a lot of floor space by rolling out the bleachers on the sides so people weren't just standing on the sides of the mats on the floor.

You have to play "Eye of the Tiger" anything else is blasphemy.

maybe it was just in kids, but I missed the Final Countdown. I even set it as my ringtone to get ready for it

Here's the deal, never have posted here before but after reading everyone's comments on the song choice for the Parade of Champions and the "poorly ran" tourney, I wanted to add my thoughts. I have been involved in the 3-2-1A state tourney for 12 years as a mom and aunt of state placing wrestlers. This year there was a new tournament director and a new assistant tournament director. In the past cheerleaders and sponsors and moms were allowed in early to bring their posters and signs. There was a "countdown" from 7 a.m. until 8 a.m. with the minutes running down on the main scoreboard. During this time, the girls were allowed to tape their signs and lay them where they wanted them to hang. Ron Haag, wrestling official, played the part of the announcer and with about 15 minutes until the hanging of the posters or as Ron would say "signage" the girls would do cheers and chants and clap down the minutes until 8 a.m. This was part of the tradition that was missing this year also. We were able to get in early but then "Brad" walked around the Coliseum and told the cheerleaders and sponsors to leave and no one was to get in until 8 a.m. There were at least 100 cheerleaders and sponsors in the Coliseum literally. On his third trip around, he told us he meant business and for us to leave. I then told him the tradition of what they had let the girls do in the past. And I told him EXACTLY what I thought of what they were doing this year. He told me this was a new year and handed me his business card. I agree that they should not have brought out the wrestlers until all awards were presented and that the song choice was horrible. Since this was my last year with a high school wrestler, I wanted everyone to be aware of the changes.

Curtis Hammeke Athletic Director 628-4353 chammeke@fhsu.edu
Cody Bickley Associate A.D. 628-4429 cbickley@fhsu.edu
Brad Haynes Associate A.D. 628-5288 behaynes@fhsu.edu

"If you want to make enemies, try to change something."

Woodrow Wilson

I actually think I handle change very well, and am usually in favor of it. But as Dylan Campbell commented on the thread for coaches made by Coach Johnson about the new time schedule, those kids have been dreaming of that moment since they were in kids wrestling watching their idols be there in the spotlight. They've had the hair stand up on the back of their necks as a spectator and have thought "One of these days, I want to be that person on the mat." I'm okay with the majority of the changes that have been made in Kansas high school wrestling since I've graduated, but that is one I am TOTALLY against.

It is not easy to make it to the championship finals, and it's even harder to win it. Dylan won it twice and still feels that way. I was there and lost. One of the greatest memories of my 14 year wrestling career was experiencing the parade of champions as it used to be at Hays. I've even heard stories of kids "pissing their pants" from excitement during the parade.

I don't know who you are, if you grew up watching 321A wrestling in Kansas, or have ever been in the state finals... but I think I speak for the majority of us that have in saying it needs to be "Eye of The Tiger."

In years past I've even taken girlfriends that knew NOTHING about the sport of wrestling there and have had them comment about how cool the parade of champions was.

Things change, that SHOULDN'T!!

Again that's just my opinion, and what do I know?


Troy Reitcheck

As a matter of fact, it made it feel like I was at a professional BASKETBALL game more so than a wrestling match. Perhaps we should start making singlets that hang down to our ankles... wouldn't that be a great change!!

Yes, it bothered me that much.



Troy Reitcheck

Troy,

Have been attending 321A in Hays for over 20 years.

My oldest son who is now almost 30 (!) was in the parade of champions; he still talks about the excitement and emotion; it was a major highlight of his life.


Didn't say I agreed with the changes--just observing that making changes makes enemies.

Greg Mann
Norton

Agreed with the quote Egg, just didn't agree with THIS change.

Only bad changes makes enemies egg. Also I agree about Friday morning. We got up real early to get to Hays to put up poster's. It makes a fun time and a great way to start off the day, only to be run off and I repeat to be run off. That needs to be changed back. It's the state tourney, not a prison camp. It's a fun and exciting time. Let it be that way.

A. Oncewas (AKA Troy Reitcheck): I am with you on this one, brother. No need to bring up your prior girlfriends to support your point. Although I will vouch for you that they were numerous. I'm just glad I finally have my old I.D. back. Maybe I will run for political office now.