I agree that he is a good ref, but he made the obvious mistake of making the 2 count and not giving Paul the points.

I am sorry i asked a hoxie kid if that was you and they told me yes.

Phil is a bald ref from Clay Center he did 456a win i was in school i see now he is at hays

Les did an excellent job announcing the State Tournament. As for the 112 lb. match, I think Kevin Hewitt made the right call. Watching the replay, I noticed Madden's back was not exposed to the mat after one count. Then Madden's back became exposed AGAIN. I saw the arm swing out twice but I just figured it was two one counts. This happens all the time and the crowd witnesses the two count so they want the two points. I know from experience and it has taught me to be very vocal. All the officials at the State Tournament did an excellent job and Ron Haag has a question for every situation that has rubbed off on me and it's "Did I do the right thing for the kids? (wrestlers)". My own personal opinion: Kevin Hewitt did the right thing making the correct call. Madden earned the State Title...it was not handed to him by any means.

Lucas - Kevin M. wasn't the official for that match.

I disagree...Madden shouldnt have taken home the state title, Owings had beat him twice earlier this year..once when Madden just didnt feel like wrestling. The ref counted two back points and just simply screwed up and didnt give them to him

I totally agree with you since officials are out to screw people for fun. That's why I officiate!!! On a serious note though, I'm not saying Owings didn't "deserve" it, because he did. It's just they both had an opportunity to "earn" it and Madden came out on top. Congrats to both wrestlers.

True i agree. Both guys had an equal oppertunity...Paul should have worked some more moves earlier in the match.

I saw the ref through up two fingers after the two count what are you guys talking about? i am confused how did he get screwed. Were the two fingers in the air for the take down?

Mike it was not during that match there was a ref there that was about you size and i thought looked just like you but i guess i was wrong.
I watched a few of his matches then asked a hoxie kid if that was you so i could leave you some positive feedback this time

Phil are you bald from Clay?

The officals this weekend were worst I have seen. I have been to every State tourney for 25 years. This year was bad. I know one coach went to scorers table before a match and ask for another offical. He felt this guy was not giving his kids a fair shake. When the offical found out what was going on he steped out and another offical did the rest this teams matches.

Nope, full head of hair and I am from Hoxie. I think I know who you were talking about though.

I Be Wrestling -
The point of broadcasters on a sports’ telecast is to offer play-by-play and analysis of the event. Les was hired to give his analysis and opinions of the events on the mat. That would include his opinion of the ref's call. I'm sure Les simply offered his opinion that he thought back points could have or should have been awarded. That is what he was hired by PBS to do.

I'm sure your TV has a mute button if you can't handle the opinion of broadcasters when watching a televised sporting event. To threaten to pull your money from PBS because of a single comment made by a broadcaster is certainly an immature comment on your part and worse in my opinion than saying back points should have been awarded. Grow up!!!

Les- I haven't seen the broadcast, but I have heard you broadcast in the past and am sure you did a great job. Continue to express your opinions with your name behind them and do not let people who express their comments behind fake names keep you from broadcasting on TV and radio.

i watched the match from the floor and on pbs and on tape, it is clear that the ref counts one, signials that maddens shoulders are out of bounds and then gives owens 2 for a reversal... plain as day

Les you are a beacon of knowledge in a media that knows nothing about wrestling i dissagree with your incorrect interpritation of the call but like listining to you on tv

I have watched Phil ref for 13 years he is as bad as it gets

Les,
You are awesome. Keep up the good work.

Les
I'm sure by now you have seen the tape. I feel Kevin Hewitt is waiting for your apoligy. As is the Norton crowd. And the Madden boy. Your broadcasting was so biased for Hoxie during the entire final's. I feel you were trying to put an astrick on Norton's championship.
The Brockelmann kid had a great throw for a takedown and you had to immediately add that it was again contraversial. The locked hands call was contraversial if anything was and you didn't say anything about it. Keep broadcasting, I mean that. You do a great job and your knowlegde of wrestling is super. But do it for all of the viewing area not just Hoxie.

the brockelman call was verry questionable! other than the bad interpritation of the 112 lb match i thought les was completely fair to the norton team even shedding some good light on the team for their upsets in the first and seccond round norton earned their championship les and the rest of the state knows this

I am sorry but Les that is crap, i know where you are from can somebody say HOXIE. Your job was to annouce the match not critisise(sp)it. Fig Million the Norton broadcaster could do a better job, than that. Even though i was inpressed when you did you correct your self during the sprigg match when you first said that honas should of got a take down and then whatched the reply and corrected it but. Madden won fair and square. The second ref that was standing there even said no so there it is 2 ppl opionns about it and they were calling it not you LES BROWN from HOXIE.

In case you missed it, Les posted an apology under a separate topic. I know from talking to him last night that he does take his job as an announcer very seriously. He really does put a LOT of time into his preparation. I enjoy the level of knowledge he brings to the broadcasts. And being from Hoxie, I actually enjoy what some people perceive as a slight bias toward Hoxie on occasion.

I'm sure almost every wrestler from Norton and Hoxie can think of something they could have done differently throughout the State tournament. I would also guess every single official at the tournament can think of 1-2 calls that maybe should have gone "the other way." Personally, I wish I wouldn't have stayed out so late Friday night. And just like the rest of us, Les isn't perfect. But I know he tries his best to provide the best coverage possible, and in my mind the coverage is far better now than it was 10-15 years ago.

People may talk about the tournament for years to come. And if they do, I hope it is for the high level of competitiveness between 2 GREAT teams --not all the bickering that has gone on since it ended. Norton's 10 wrestlers had a combined record of 33-11 for the weekend. Hoxie's 10 wrestlers were 32-12. 7 of 14 state champions were from these two towns. It doesn't get any better than that!! Congratulations to both teams on an awesome finish to a great season.

Anybody else notice that the only people upset about what les said are from norton?