Vince I must ask why you think I have a motive? My brother no longer competes, I have graduated, and now wrestle with kids of all classes in college. What motive would I have except for pure boredom one night sitting in my apartment? It was just for people to see, plain and simple. They are of course as mentioned FACTS, not a debate, the numbers don't lie.

If you want a debate do a search and revive a post from I believe last year about it, there should be a quite lengthy debate about it. This was just numbers, everyone else started saying well *A is better than *A, not me.

Alex

Hey Alex, I still think you are a great guy! See you at subs. Maybe this year you can stick around for the after tourney festivities!

Really, it seems to me that you started off. This was at the bottom of your original post that introduced the topic:

If you read I put "Best" class.... take it however you want it...

People can interpret it however they choose. I didn't imply one way or the other. "Best" being a very subjective term with a meaning of your choosing...

And Kevin I'll try to stick around this year.... it sounds like it could be a good time. I'll be there the 28th of April for the demolition derby (If I can get my car done) too, and State JUCO scholar's bowl.

Alex, I didn't know you were a smarty pants. Good job!

Someone please delete this entire post. Alex your "motive" is to draw attention to yourself. Someone on this post asked you and this is the answer. I remember way back (several years ago)when you had a post about Clay Madden and you didn't think that Clay was that good, because he barely beat you in some tourney somewhere. This was a fact, he barely beat you and you are good about posting facts as this post is full of. But the TRUETH of the matter many years ago was that you probably wrestled the best match of your life against Clay and he wrestled probably the worst match of his life, but he still beat you and went on to win not 1, not 2 not 3, but 4 state titles. I think that makes him pretty good. But back to this post. You post something that nobody that is a true fan wants to read and your motive is to draw attention to yourself as are most of your posts.

Sometime facts and the trueth aren't even close.

Alex, I think just about everyone has a motive when they post something.

I commend you for all things that you have done to support wrestling and I encourage you to continue to do that. I am sure that you will.

I think the problem with this topic is that it does have the potential to offend a lot of people especially at a time that should be every special for them. I think you and I have some potential to learn something about posting from this topic. I have posted on topics that I felt strongly about and have unfortunately offended some people in the process. Richard will give me a harsh scolding when I do that and most of time I deserve it.

One group that easily could have been offended here are those wrestlers who qualified Saturday with records under .500. They worked hard to get there and are proud of their accomplishment. They should be very proud of their achievement no matter what their records. A topic like this can lessen that feeling for them. A lot of young high school wrestlers read these topics, so we have to be careful in what we say. It would have probably been better if you had said records under .500 and not referred to it as losing records. I think the timing would have been better too after the State tournament.

Two other groups that could take offense to this topic are all the wrestlers no matter what their records and coaches from 6A and 5A. They all work hard to become the best teams that they can be and they all want to do well at State.

Alex, I have been critical here but I have done it all myself in past posts. I really am trying to learn from this topic to be more careful in what I say so I do not offend someone.

In closing, I will say good luck to all the wrestlers, coaches, managers, parents and fans this weekend from 3-2-1A, 4A, 5A and 6A. Wrestle hard and enjoy this weekend. You have all had a great season.

how is the juco scholars bowl set up alex? is it still one question per topic or is it heavy on lit and history like NAQT style? scholars bowl earned me a free trip to New Orleans (before Katrina) for nationals, where i was throughly handled by Yale's undergrad team.

all of that didnt matter though after a few hurricanes in the French Quarter

Someone needs to go to scholars bowl and learn how to spell truth.

I don't recall Alex trying to get attention until someone questioned his wrestling ability. I also don't see why people are going after Alex so much. How many of the posters on here had already looked through the records of kids, and made mental notes of the kids with sub .500 records? I know I'm guilty. And if Alex wouldn't have posted it, I'm pretty sure someone else would have.

Nice catch.

Which part?

It is a one question per topic but you have the chance at "bonus" questions (1-3 questions)... so to answer your question it's changed a little but not too much.

I didn't call for attention to myself, do I ever ask for recognition? Do I promote myself on the talk forums anymore? This is the most I've posted in over a year.

Mr. Broeckelman, I respect Norton as a team, my roomate here in Pratt is from Norton. I do however have a problem with you as a person, trying to live your glory by trying to put me down? What were your credentials? I will give Clay his due, 4 titles is great, a very elite club to join.I'm proud of what I've accomplished, I don't care what others think. I came from very very limited experience to where I'm at now. I wish you and your son the best at State.

Alex

Alex-

If you really don't care about what others think then say that and quit posting on this topic. You've made it clear where you stand on this subject and by constantly responding to every criticism you're not only fueling more responses, but contradicting the statement that you don't care.

In short, say you're piece and then be done. People will always have their opinions, but they'll stop posting them as soon as you do.

I would like to give a Huge Good Luck message to my son Jake Akin, a freshman w/ a losing record in 5A.

He is so excited, and going to State was something he did not expect, his dad and I are very proud of him, and wish him and his team the best.

This experience will only help him get better and make his goals higher.

Go Blazers !

This topic has gotten pretty silly to me. first of all i have known Alex Ryan for about 6 years now and as much as i really do hate the word the guy is onrey(god i hate that word, sounds so 1950's) and since ive known him he has been a protaganist. The other thing he has been is always very nice and funny, always has a positive word about everyone but doesnt mind getting his jab's in on the side either. I really dont think he was trying to put anyone down with this just trying to start a conversation and get a little jab in on the side, is it necessary, probally not, did it hurt anything, not in any way, shape or form. Is it like a kid with a loosing record who qualified for state is going to get on here and be like "oh god i suck, maybe i shouldnt wrestle this weekend". I would highly doubt it, and if some kid did then he probally doesn't have the right kind of attitude for this sport anyways. Something that always bothers me about this forum is how offended everyone gets, if the forum is not attended to talk about who is good, and who is the best, and who is better than who than we better take out about 90% of the of the post because that is what mostly what goes on in this forum. A third thing to remember is that when people type it is very hard to read their tone of voice, for instance i am an extremly sarcastic person, and every time i make a sarcastic remark on here i forget that people dont know that about me and i sound like a jerk or offend someone. It happens but i get over it because when you break it down we are the talking heads of Kansas wrestling which puts us right ahead of the talking heads of Ohio Lacrosse, what we say on here doesnt make that much of a difference in the long run but we get on here cause we like to share information, argue over something that we know cant be proven, or puff out our chest over or favorite team or wrestler. I guess what this whole rant is trying to get at is that while we are on here for our own reasons we should not take to personally what other people say, or get to personal with what we say to other,(something i know i am guilty of to at times), and back to my begining point, this topic has gotten pretty silly to me. Alex, your my boy blue.

steph,

I love your post, this is what wrestling is all about. Best of luck to you and your son this weekend

Jason Malay - what you said is exactly right. This is a discussion forum. When did it become okay to question one person's wrestling ability just because you didn't agree with them?

Heck, I have never wrestled before in my life. Does that mean I should not comment on anything on this forum? Is someone going to attack me personally just because they disagree with something I posted on a DISCUSSION board. Oh wait, it already happened.

Here is my take on the thing. There are some wrestlers in every classification and weight group who had luck on their side. It may be that they were in a really weak regional, it may be that the top-ranked wrestler was sick, or it may be that there were not as many people to compete against than in other tournaments. That is a part of life. It will always be there in EVERY sport.

I agree. Congratulations to the Akins on their son qualifying. Good luck and enjoy it.

I would have rather wrestled and lost than have played basketball.

Finally, can we all agree on something here? Regardless of record everyone who goes to state deserves to be there. There are many factors that go into an individual's record and to compare one to the other is quite unfair. This is why our sport needs dual state. Often times there are many role players on a team that might never make it to state on their own but show up everyday for practice and help make those around them betterand their team better.

What I should do is find the top six guys in my room and cut everyone else. But most coaches don't do that. They choose to build teams around kids that want to be there and want to be part of something. Sometimes these kids get to go to state. Sometimes they go 1-2 and get to go to state. So. Does that lessen their contribution to their team.

Yes it seems the path in 3A and 4A is more difficult. We had two seniors finish 3-2 at regionals and not go to state. But both of them were at practice on Monday helping their teammates get ready for this weekend. Would they have qualified in 5A or 6A? Who knows? Who cares? I'm sure that this won't be the worst thing that ever happens to them in their life.

Good Luck 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A & 6A KANSAS state wrestlers.

P.S. leave Alex alone or I will start messing with your accounts