LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Talk about the champions, or the Top 25 nationally-ranked team!
Oracle
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by Oracle » Sat May 20, 2023 3:03 pm

1/2NELSON wrote: Sat May 20, 2023 10:58 am >>>DRD/legger: LOVE them brief personal anecdotes/reminiscences to compliment original thread. :D

>>>Oracle: I gotta agree with Denny, as i was there at Kent State for R3.. The pancake came out of nowhere, and the Ref somewhat slow in recognition. Could very well have been BACK-POINTS is my recollection, and don't believe the Lehigh bench, or Mike would have bitched. Mike bridged out for a neutral is my recollection.. :roll:
>>>>>> Reversal


drd5748
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by drd5748 » Sat May 20, 2023 6:23 pm

I've talked to Mike 4-5 times and - partly because he and Bob remain great friends today - Mike admits he wouldn't have been shocked had they called the near fall. It ended with a UM escape after MJ's reverersal. Mike had said several times years later that he initially thought he had lost. But when they stood up, it was,6-6 - with no immediate certain that he riding rime (1:14). Friends? Find the photo of Caruso squeezing Bob's on the victory stand
Oracle
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by Oracle » Sat May 20, 2023 8:54 pm

DRD: for all of Mike’s bravado, and bantam rooster cockiness on the mat, he was an unbelievably humble and gracious person. No doubt he said that to you. BUT…I watched it and IMO, it was not a predicament. Anyone rewatching it will plainly see the pancake and the *immediate* reversal. If the ref called 2 it would have been a $hit call.
Mike is too sensitive to Fehrs to say otherwise. As he was with Steenlage. Mike is a compassionate guy. He doesn’t have to say much, his record does all the talking.

There is no controversy here. Caruso won on RT. Hard fought and Fehrs was right there but Mike was better.

I met Mike when I was a sophomore in high school in 1967. He was my freshman coach in ‘69-‘70. I bought life insurance from him. So yeah, I’m bias when it comes to him.
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by 1/2NELSON » Mon May 22, 2023 4:45 pm

Oracle,..I stand corrected, a REVERSAL it was! :roll:

Like your characterization of Mike's off-the-mat demeanor as HUMBLE. I would also add CLASS! :D

Spoke to him briefly at our Penn State match in Stabler,, as he was holding-court with Matter, and a few other former studs. He always seems to have quite the entourage, and autograph seekers.

OK,..so Mike was your coach briefly('69-70), thus you must've wrestled with my good buddy Johnny Rhinehart who passed away abruptly about a year ago. I also remember Greg Surenian at that time as well, a very talented light-weight who was an AA as a Sophomore I believe, and ear-marked for greatness. However he went MIA, disappearing into the night! What was that deal.. :cry:
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jimk72
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by jimk72 » Mon May 22, 2023 7:53 pm

Someone, please answer the Serenian question. As a class of 1972 member, after all these years, I’ve always wondered….where did he go?
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by Oracle » Mon May 22, 2023 7:54 pm

Yes. Rhino was my teammate. I have posted many times about him and Surenian. Rhino was one of the strongest guys I ever saw. Surenian didn’t want to cut weight. Beat Sculley in wrestle-off for 134 in fall of ‘71 and summarily left school. Moved to Boston and ended up graduating from BU. Never wrestled again and as far as I know had no regrets.
We were close.

As for Rhino, RIP.
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by Richb-3 » Tue May 23, 2023 3:47 pm

The Caruso-Fehrs award stand photo is also the most Prominent in Milton Hershey Schools Spartan Center.

I hve to think there is a parallel universe where Burley decided to Redshirt his second year and one 4 NCAA titles
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by Oracle » Wed May 24, 2023 9:47 am

"I have to think there is a parallel universe where Burley decided to Redshirt his second year and one 4 NCAA titles"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Let me see if I understand your post: now, 40 years later, you are wondering if Thad should have red shirted a defending national champ? In what parallel universe does that make sense?

In his true frosh year, Lewis had beaten Burley by 1 point in the dual. Competitive people being who they are, I suspect they thought they could beat Lewis. Turned out not. The Gibbons match was a case of the other guy rising to the occasion and having a whale of a bout.

4 finals and 2 titles wasn't all that bad. Keep your parallel universe posts coming -- that was fun.
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by Mountain Hawk » Wed May 24, 2023 10:34 am

Oracle wrote: Wed May 24, 2023 9:47 am "I have to think there is a parallel universe where Burley decided to Redshirt his second year and one 4 NCAA titles"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Let me see if I understand your post: now, 40 years later, you are wondering if Thad should have red shirted a defending national champ? In what parallel universe does that make sense?

In his true frosh year, Lewis had beaten Burley by 1 point in the dual. Competitive people being who they are, I suspect they thought they could beat Lewis. Turned out not. The Gibbons match was a case of the other guy rising to the occasion and having a whale of a bout.

4 finals and 2 titles wasn't all that bad. Keep your parallel universe posts coming -- that was fun.
Trenge beat Hahn in that universe.
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Re: LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND

Post by Oracle » Wed May 24, 2023 12:25 pm

..... and Lambrecht beat Rohn :D
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