THE ILLINI WRESTLING BLOG AND FORUM

We have some information about entries for the Pan Am Games Olympic Qualifier, and that gives us a great reason to do another graphic (above) of Zane's March to Gold.  The Cuban entered at 57kg,   Osmany Diversent , is the guy who lost in the semifinals to the Colombian at the   Pan Am Games . Zane then beat the Colombian in the Finals by tech fall.  This gives Zane some folks to actually target. There's the caveat, though, that Yianni is listed as the American entrant at 65 kg, and that is still an unsettled question, right? There's supposed to be a challenge tournament between him and Nick Lee, and that hasn't happened yet and won't happen until March 3rd.  So, it seems that this may be similar to the "probable lineups" that the coaches put out before college duals. Yet, the official rules provide that the "Deadline for Final Entries" is January 25. Hmmm. Maybe that's just a deadline to enter your country?  NOTE: I was told that the deadlin

WHAT :  ILLINI versus Michigan State dual WHEN :  Friday, February 2, at 7:00 pm (Central) WHERE :  State Farm Center, Champaign, ILLINOIS TV/STREAMING :  B1G+ ( subscription streaming service ) TICKETS :  Free SERIES :  From 2000 on, the ILLINI lead the series 12-2 LAST YEAR'S DUAL : 17-16 ILLINI in East Lansing SPECIAL : Military Appreciation Night SPECIAL x 2 : ILLINI Wrestling Beanie for 1st 200 fans Right arm perpendicular to the ground, perfect angle with the forearm, finger touches end of eyebrow. This soldier is as they say, "Good to Go!"  A DAY IN HISTORY Strap yourself into the time machine. Keep your arms inside the device. We are going back to Sunday, February 23, 2003. Look around, do you see that television over there? Norah Jones is winning 5 Grammy Awards. Do you hear that? That's the number one song in America:  All I have  by Jennifer Lopez featuring LL Cool J.  Over to the Savoy 16, Anakin and his rat-tail are still killing it in Star Wars: Episode

With Stallrocci as the new heel, with the PSU staff trying to instigate against Maryland--Dude, you beat them by 400 points just lay off--and with the PSU fans on the Intermat forum defending all of those shenanigans and more, I'm starting to see a bad case of Iowaitis.  They have a fever, and the only prescription is more Professor Carl!

  Credits: Coach Steve Marianetti, the Rolling Stones, themat.com, the University of ILLINOIS Athletic Department and Elmhurst University. DUAL RECAP The dual started at 133, and the teams were both a Frankenstein patchwork of wrestlers (apparently) because of injuries and illnesses.  The ILLINI missed an opportunity at 133, as that was the second worst weight for the Hawkeyes during their dual season. Rather than a win, the ILLINI gave up a major decision. Not something you expect from the sixth-year Senior TONY MADRIGAL against the Hawkeye backup.  It hurts even more because Real Woods didn't make the trip, so the Hawkeye bumped up their starter at 133 at 141. Madrigal should've made them pay for that.  At 141, it was a bumped-up 6th-year grad student and three-time NCAA qualifier (R12, R16) Brody Teske versus true Freshman WILL BAYSINGAR. Teske gets the only takedown and rides out the second period to grab a 5-0 victory. No word on what happened to DANNY PUCINO.  KANNON WEBS

The latest JOMBO™ strip. There's more JOMBO™ fun below.  WHAT :  ILLINI versus Iowa dual WHEN :  Friday, January 26 at 8:00 pm (Central) WHERE :  Historic Huff Hall, Champaign, ILLINOIS TV/STREAMING :  BTN (on the network); BTN+ (next day replay streaming) TICKETS :  Free   SPECIAL :  Orange Out (wear Orange) SPECIAL X 2 :  Foam Fingers to 1st 200 Fans SPECIAL X 3 :  Free Kids Clinic (see below) A DAY IN HISTORY Travel back with us in our hot tub time machine to February 4, 1999. The New York Post reports that Barbie ™   will soon have tattoos, but that didn't happen for another ten years. The Senate impeachment trial of Bill Clinton concludes after hearing videotaped testimony from Monica Lewinsky.   Patch Adams  and Saving Private Ryan are neck and neck at the box office, while Britney Spears tops the charts with ...Baby One More Time . The highest grossing video game today is Pokémon Red / Blue / Yellow.  But over to historic Huff Hall there are grown men at work. ILLINI m