Darryl Burley

Talk about the champions, or the Top 25 nationally-ranked team!
Oracle
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Darryl Burley

Post by Oracle » Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:58 am

It's been 40 years and he's just being admitted in the NJ HOF? One might think a 4X NCAA finalist and 2X champ would have been a charter member. I suppose NJ standards are pretty high!

DBurley was quite a recruit for coach Turner. And the fact he brought Pete Schuyler in at the same time was pretty amazing. The only guy that comes close to Burley's over-all ability was Pete Yozzo and IMO there was no way he could have beaten Burley. Speed, strength, flexibility, athleticism -- a true all-around phenom. You lose to Randy Lewis, well, take a number. The only bout I can recall he fell short was his upset loss to Iowa State's Gibbons -- if you can call a loss in the NCAA finals an upset.

94-5-1 (official) not including all-star bouts
76 total bonus wins = 81% of all wins weren't even close
33 falls
5 losses: Land 6-5, Lewis (3) 14-13, 8-4, 11-3, Gibbons 16-8
1 draw: Lewis 6-6

Hall of Famer in anyone's book.

Burley was just 16 years removed from Mike Caruso. The change in the sport during that time was remarkable. The only guy I can think of from that era who was akin to Burley was Rick Sanders.

Here's how I rank all-time Lehigh wrestlers:
1- Burley
2- Caruso
3- Mark Lieberman
4- Frick
5- Eichelberger
6- Pendleton
7- Yozzo
8- Trenge
9- Peritore
10- Letters


mookie
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by mookie » Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:12 pm

40 years, 50 years, 60 years. The list is a little musty, particularly when compared to Cornell.
Oracle
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by Oracle » Tue Sep 27, 2022 1:27 pm

mookie wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:12 pm 40 years, 50 years, 60 years. The list is a little musty, particularly when compared to Cornell.
>>>>> Except this is the LEHIGH Forum and it's topical because D Burley was just recognized in his home state of NJ.
mookie
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by mookie » Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:04 pm

Let's try a top 10 in this century:

1. Letters
2. Trenge
3. Rey
4. D. Cruz
5. Hamlin
6. Cooperman
7. Kutler
8. Wood
9. Esposito
10.N. Brown
Oracle
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by Oracle » Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:14 pm

mookie wrote: Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:04 pm Let's try a top 10 in this century:

1. Letters
2. Trenge
3. Rey
4. D. Cruz
5. Hamlin
6. Cooperman
7. Kutler
8. Wood
9. Esposito
10.N. Brown
>>>>>>>> Any list that does not include Rob Rohn is heresy. Slot him at #6 with style points for his finals fall.
mookie
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by mookie » Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:40 pm

It was a jack-off moment to be sure, but it was his only time on the podium.
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by mookie » Tue Sep 27, 2022 3:43 pm

Correction: Rohn also placed 5th...point to Oracle, he does belong in the top 10.
Spladle1989
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by Spladle1989 » Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:04 pm

Though he doesn't fall into this list, I always think Brandon Hatchett doesn't get the credit for the career he had at Lehigh.....3 time qualifier, 2X AA, 7th and 2nd (to David Taylor of all people).......Just don't read him mentioned much on this forum when we talk about recent past wrestlers.....he got tech'd in final but was the only person Taylor didn't pin in the tournament, I believe Taylor had 3 first period pins, one third period pin then tech'd Hatchett in finals......pretty impressive run for Hatchett from the 11 seed....and before someone starts spitting out all kinds of statistics at me, was just a general statement and opinion.....
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by Oracle » Tue Sep 27, 2022 4:23 pm

Agree. Allen Brown always thought Hatchett was the real thing.
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Re: Darryl Burley

Post by LUEngineer » Tue Sep 27, 2022 5:23 pm

Agree that Rohan belongs in Top 5 of this generation list & just outside the Top 10 all time. He had 4 pins if I recall in his Championship season. Teenage & he belong side by side as Trenge would have been top of podium but for 2 all time icons of the sport in his era at his weight.

Letters was simply Mr Smooth & above both of these guys by a hair. Not sure I would put Cooperman in the same league as these 3 from that golden era under Stroebel/McCoy!!
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