Ryan McCracken started wrestling as a 9th grader and won a Kansas Kids State title his very first year against one of the best in Kids State history in multiple time champ Tiger Lowmaster. As a Sophomore and a second year wrestler he tied Sonny Fite and had a win over Kevin Stewart, both H.S State champs and Phenomenal wrestlers. Ryan got 3rd as a Jr with a severely sprained ankle and as a Sr. he lost in the State finals to stud Andy Ross who he had beaten the week prior at Regionals. Ryan McCracken may not have achieved his goal of being Turners first HS State Champ but for my money you aren't gonna find a tougher dude. This podcast isn't just about titles, it's about the awesome stories all wrestlers have that so few get to hear and McCracken has those in spades. Not to mention he had amazing hair and looked like a smaller version of the Ultimate warrior. I have also never laughed more doing a wrestling podcast than I did doing this one. Ryan McCracken is a freaking stud. Great st...
Joe Johnston is the Associate Head Coach at Air Force Academy. He's also a 2 time KS State Champion and a 2 time All American and NCAA finalist for the University of Iowa. We talked about the wisdom he got from Lincoln Mcllravy and the Brands brothers, as well as him pinning returning National Champion Luke Becker as a freshman and what it was like to wrestle my All Time Favorite Cary Kolat on the Senior level. Joe Johnston is a freaking stud and I can't wait to see how well Air Force does this year. Joe is also from my hometown of Overland Park so its even more cool to have him on the podcast and we were both coached 10 years apart as kids by the great Kevin Klemm. Please Like, Download and Follow. GOD Bless you all.
I've known about Andy Ross was since My first year of wrestling, I've always known who he was but have recently gotten to actually know him and man, what a great guy. Great Father, Amazing artist and a total stud wrestler. We covered a lot of ground. His matches with my brother as kids, His matches with Ryan McCracken including their State Finals match, brothers, fathers, and having our own kids. We ran the gamut. I've said it before and I'll say it again the best part of doing these is talking with people I always respected and turning them into friends. Andy Ross is my friend and that's pretty cool. If anywhere near San Diego Ill be headlining Grand Comedy Club Fri/Sat Oct 22-23. www.grandcomedyclub.com for reservations. Make sure and SUBSCRIBE to the channel, thanks for the support and God Bless you all.
Curt Fletcher is one of the best writers and comedians in the country. He is also one of the best friends I've got. Now or ever. Just a great person. We did the Reno Laugh Factory together recently and recorded a podcast. We had some great shows and we also had some of the worst hecklers you could possibly imagine. You can listen to some of my interaction with them here. I don't often drop the C word on women, but please trust me when I say she deserved that and much much more. Enjoy.
Mark Schultz is one of the best wrestlers in U.S History. Ca State Champion (in his first full season of competition) 2x Olympian, 2x World Champion, Olympic Champion, 3x NCAA champion, also voted the best college wrestler of the 80's and he did all of that in a 10 year career which absolutely blows my mind. The movie Foxcatcher is based on his time at the Dupont farm and the tragic death of his brother Dave, also a legend. I ask him about his career, Dave and much more. He was very candid and honest and I can't tell you how cool it was to talk to him. He's a legend and an absolute monster. Please subscribe to the channel and God bless you all.
Brian Roberts is a bad dude. On and off a wrestling mat. Where he grew up in Turner well, they liked to fight, but if I was ever on their turf and I smelled trouble, I just told them I knew Brian. It was always enough. He was a 4 time state placer finishing 3, 2, 2, 2. He went on to be a 2x college All American while battling injuries that would sideline just about anyone else. I looked up to this guy when I was a kid and I having him on was awesome and kinda surreal. Thanks for the support, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and God bless you all.
Ty Friederichs was a 4 time state champion in wrestling rich Minnesota and wrestled 5 years for the Golden Gophers at the University of Minnesota for the legendary coach J. Robinson. He was also teammates with Current head coach Brandon Eggum and the WWE's Brock Lesnar. Ty and his brother T.J are great wrestlers and even better people. Perfect examples of the kind of people the sport produces. Ty is a loyal friend and brother and a phenomenal uncle. I'm proud to call the Friederich boys friends and it was great having Ty on the podcast. He's a different breed of cat.
Rulon Gardner is an American icon. Not only is he an Olympic wrestling champion but he slayed Goliath to do it. Alexander Karelin was going for his 888th straight victory, a 13th World and Olympic championship and an unprecedented 4th Olympic Gold. Dubbed the "experiment" for his freakish strength and physique he was and remains the most dominant wrestler in history, but not on Sept 25, 2000 in Sydney Australia. On that day Karelin met Rulon, and he lost to the man who would not quit. His story is one for the ages. World and Olympic champ. Olympic Bronze and some of the most harrowing experiences and near death experiences you can imagine. Rulon Gardner is one tough dude. It was an honor to talk to him. Please subscribe and God bless you all.
My favorite Nathan Tomasello moment was when a reporter asked him after taking 3rd for the third time in a row how he wanted to be remembered and he said, I want people to remember I was a warrior. 4x Big Ten champion, 4x All American, National champion as a freshmen and three 3rds. It takes a certain mental toughness to come back for 3rd three times in a row when winning it all was always a strong possibility. Teammates with Kyle Snyder and coached by the Tom Ryan. One of the all time Ohio State greats took the time to time to talk to me in between training for World team trials. National Team member and NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello.
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