Among those who were well known for their wrestling techniques were several



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Among those who were well known for their wrestling techniques were several U.S. Presidents. George Washington was known to have had a wrestling championship in Virginia in the collar-and-elbow style that was county-wide and possibly colony-wide. At the age of 47, before he became President, Washington was still able to defeat seven challengers from the Massachusetts Volunteers.
Andrew Jackson and Zachary Taylor, who favored wrestling as an army sport during his days in the Illinois Volunteers, were also well-known for their wrestling.
Abraham Lincoln, as a 21 year old in 1830, was the wrestling champion of his county in Illinois. At this time, where working at a store in New Salem, Illinois, Lincoln had a famous bout with Jack Armstrong, also a county wrestling champion. Lincoln won decisively when, after losing his temper when Armstrong began fouling him, he slammed Armstrong to the ground and knocked him out. Two years later, while serving as a captain in the Illinois Volunteers during the Black Hawk War, Lincoln lost his only recorded match to a soldier in another unit by fall.
Wrestling was also practiced by Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Chester A. Arthur, and Theodore Roosevelt[7], who always had an inclination to anything that involved physical exercise and did regular wrestling workouts throughout his service as Governor of New York.[8]
William Howard Taft who was the heaviest of the Presidents at his "best weight" of 225 lb wrestled collar-and-elbow and was also the intramural heavyweight wrestling champion at Yale University.
Calvin Coolidge was described as a "tolerable good" wrestler by his father until around age 14 when he took to "duding around and daydreaming about being a big-city lawyer."[9]
Dwight Eisenhower, John Tyler
Brock Lesnar wrestled at Webster High School in Webster, South Dakota where he managed to have a 33-0 record in his senior year.[14] Lesnar later attended the University of Minnesota on a full wrestling scholarship for his junior and senior years of college; his roommate was fellow professional wrestler Shelton Benjamin who also served as Lesnar's assistant coach.[15] Lesnar won the 2000 NCAA wrestling championship as a heavyweight after placing second in 1999(lost to stephen neal, new england patriots). Prior to joining the Minnesota Golden Gophers, Lesnar also wrestled at Bismarck State College in Bismarck, North Dakota.[2] Lesnar finished his amateur career as a two-time NJCAA All-American, two-time NCAA All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion, and the 2000 NCAA heavyweight champion with a record of 106-5 overall in four years of college.
Tito Ortiz began his martial arts career as a wrestler in his sophomore year of high school (Huntington Beach CA). Under coach Paul Herrera, Ortiz finished fourth in the state high school championships as a senior. Following high school, Ortiz continued his wrestling career winning a California state junior college title for Golden West College. Following his stint at Golden West, Ortiz wrestled at Cal State Bakersfield. Ortiz trained with future NCAA and world champion Stephen Neal.

Chuck Liddell began studying Koei-Kan karate at the age of 12;[1] the tattoo seen on his scalp reads "Koei-Kan".[2] He was a four year starter on the football team at San Marcos High School, and became a Division I wrestler at California Polytechnic State University[1] and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business/Accounting in 1995. When Liddell started his MMA career, he began to train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under John Lewis in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1]

Randy Couture served in the U.S. Army from 1982–1988. Upon discharge, he was a three-time Olympic team alternate (1988, 1992 and 1996); a semifinalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials; a three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division-I All-American and a two-time NCAA Division-I runner-up at Oklahoma State University. [2] In 1992 he was the Division-1 runner up at 190 pounds coming in second after Mark Kerr.

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, USA, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson had his first taste of combat sport as a wrestler for Raleigh Egypt High School where his successful career was punctuated by All-State honors. Originally, Jackson had intended on pursuing a career in professional wrestling upon finishing high school, but ultimately ended up extending his amateur career in junior college before discovering mixed martial arts.

Joe Rogan, Commentator for Ultimate Fighting Championship. Has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Was a popular stand-up comedian before he got into acting and television. Was the Massachusetts Full Contact Tae Kwon Do champion four consecutive times. At the age of 19, he won the US Open Tae Kwon Do Championship and, as the lightweight champ, went on beat both the middle and heavy weight title holders to take home the Grand Championship. Gerard and Mikey are Joe's mother's cousin's sons. Has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and trains with Eddie Bravo.

Ashton kutcher Wrestled in High School. In his Senior year he injured himself and had to quit. "During wrestling season, the only job I could find was skinning deer for the butcher. … When you live in the country, you can always find something to do. So you kind of pop from job to job, whether it's cutting the nuts off cattle one day or baling hay the next."
Paper Magazine

Balancing his love for the stage with his talent for wrestling before gravitating toward the former in such high school productions as Annie, Kutcher worked numerous odd jobs during his tenure at the University of Iowa before winning the Fresh Faces of Iowa contest in 1997 and heading for New York.



John Madden

"I would have all of my Offensive Lineman wrestle if I could."-
John Madden, Hall of ...

WHY WRESTLING MAKES BETTER FOOTBALL PLAYERS....
CAN WRESTLING HELP YOU WITH FOOTBALL?

Some Interesting Information.


 "I would have all of my Offensive Lineman wrestle if I could." John Madden, Hall of Fame Football Coach

"Well-respected by coaches and teammates for his tough, aggressive nature. (comes from his prep wrestling background)"


      -NFL Draft Scout on Alex Stepanovich

"One of the messages Denney hopes to relay to the Valley High School coaches and athletes is that wrestling is the perfect complement to football. While football is in its offseason, wrestling provides the perfect opportunity for the athletes to remain active, while working on their agility and conditioning, Denney said."

Shawhan can attest to Denney's theory, also having an extensive gridiron background. Along with playing semi-pro football, Shawhan also has years of being an assistant football coach throughout the Rio Grande Valley (Mission High, Harlingen High, PSJA High, McAllen Memorial, and McHi).

"In Texas, everyone knows that high school football is king,"Denney said. "I'm telling you, though, Texas is catching up in wrestling. And a lot of the football coaches are realizing how much wrestling can help their football team. And believe me, that's the truth. I know it firsthand. You have to remember when I started out I was a football coach in high school, and I would go to the wrestling team and get everyone that could sign up for my football team."


     -By Wade Walker, The McAllen Monitor, McAllen, Texas.

"My football coach told me, 'You better get in wrestling or I'll beat you up, '"


     -Tim Lee, Texas High School All-American

Lee said that wrestling helps him on the football field because he knows he has to stay low.

"In wrestling, you've got to have self-discipline and self-motivation. As a lineman, it's the same thing...me vs. you. He brings that mentality to the football field."
     -Lee's high school football coach, Tim Howard

"Some of Matt Roth's intesity can also be attributed to his successful run as a state champion wrestler in high school. Many coaches, scouts, and wrestlers-turned-football players will laud wrestling for the leverage and quick hands it provides for football. Roth credits wrestling for the never-say-die attitude it gave him. "It's the attitude. Wrestling helps you with your hips, your hands, and your balance, but more than anything, it helps you with your attitude," he said. "A lot of these kids that are basketball players, we eat those kids up. It's just our mentality-you're going to get the job done and you're going to punish them." Roth said his dream partner on the wrestling mat would be Raven's LB Ray Lewis, himself an accomplished high school wrestler.


     -By Chris Neubauer, Pro Football Weekly



NFL Players that Wrestled

Shane Olivea - Texas State Champion


Alex Stepanovich - Texas State Champion


 Nick Leckey - Texas State Champion


Gregory Walker - State Finalist


 Jonathan Condo


 Zachary Wilson


Chris Laskowski


Luis Castillo, DT, San Diego Chargers (First Round Pick)


 Lincoln "Drew" Hodgdon, C, Houston Texans - CA State Champ


Nick Hardwick


Fred Weary, C, Houston Texans - AL State Champ


Coy Wire, SS, Buffalo Bills - PA State Champ


Kevin Breedlove - SC State Finalist


Kevin Sampson - NJ State Champ


Benjamin Claxton - GA State Finalist


 Trevor Johnson


Clinton "C.J." Brooks, Jr.


Tai Tupai


Leon Robinson - GA State Runner-Up


 Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons - 2x SC State Champ (First Round Pick)


Eric Ghiaciuc, C, Cincinatti Bengals - MI State Champ


 Joey Hildbold


 Adam Seward, ILB, Carolina Panthers - NV State Champ


 Cody Johnson


 Rodney Michael


 Marques Harris - CO State Champ


Larry Turner


 Andrew "Tyler" Lenda - District Champ


 Tim Anderson - OH State Champ


Tony Pape


Matt Roth - IA State Champ


 Mike Patterson, DT, Philadelphia Eagles (First Round Pick)


David Pollack, LB, Cincinnati Bengals (First Round Pick)


Tim Burrough - OK State Champ


 Antoineo Harris - IL State Champ


Claude Harriott


Scott Wells - TN State Champ


Alex Lewis - District Champ


Ronnie Brown, RB, Miami Dolphins (#2 Pick)


Rodney Leisle


 Nick Newton


Sean Tufts


 Brian Save


Kevin Atkins


 Josh Minkins - District Runner-up


Tim Euhus


Andrew Tidwell-Neal - MN State Champ


Renaldo Works


Patrick "Bucky" Babcock - IL State Champ


Morgan Pears


Art Baker, RB, Buffalo Bills


Rhonde Barber, SS, Tampa Bay Buccaneers


Tiki Barber, RB, New York Giants


Walter Barnes, DL, Washington Redskins - SEC Champ


Eric Bateman, OL, New York Jets


Harris Benton


Brad Benson, New York Giants – PA State Champ


Greg Boone, RB, Oakland Raiders


Jeff Bostic*, C, Washington Redskins – SC State Champ


Kyle Brady, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars


Tedy Bruschi*, ILB, New England Patriots


Bob Bruenig*, LB, Dallas Cowboys


Phil Bryant, Philadelphia Eagles – 2x National Prep Champ


Ralph Cindrich, Houston Oilers – PA State Runner-Up


Chris Cooley attended Logan High School in Logan, Utah, and lettered in football, wrestling, and baseball. As a senior football tight end, he caught 45 passes for 625 yards (13.34 yards per rec. avg.) and on defense, added eight sacks and numerous tackles. In wrestling, he posted a 54-0 record his senior season and won the state championship and All-America honors.

Tom Cousineau*, LB, Cleveland Browns – 3rd State


Tom Covert*, OT, Chicago Bears


 Roger Craig*, RB, San Francisco 49’ers


 Damien Covington, LB, Buffalo Bills


Curley Culp*, DL, Kansas City Chiefs – NCAA Champ


Larry Czonka**, RB, Miami Dolphins


 Rob Davis, ST, Green Bay Packers


 Dan Dierdorff**, OT, St. Louis Cardinals


 Donnie Edwards, OLB, San Diego Chargers


 Carl Edwards, San Diego Chargers – 3x MD State Champ


Rob Essink, Seattle Seahawks – NCAA DII Champ


 Jim Everett, QB, New Orleans Saints


 DeMarco Farr, St. Louis Rams


 Patrick Flannery, OL, Houston Oilers


Ed Flanagan, C, Detroit Lions


Terrell Fletcher, RB, San Diego Chargers


Bill Fralic*, G, Atlanta Falcons


Doug France*, LT, Los Angeles Rams – OH State Runner-Up


Frank Garcia, C, St. Louis Rams – 2x AZ State Champ


William George, Chicago Bears – 2x PA State Champ


 Charlie Getty, RG, Kansas City Chiefs – 2x NCAA All-American


John Gilmore, TE, Chicago Bears


Kevin Glover*, C, Detroit Lions


La’Roi Glover*, DE, Dallas Cowboys


 Mike Goff, G, Cincinnati Bengals


Bob Golic*, DT, Cleveland Browns – OH State Champ


Mike Golic, DE, Philadelphia Eagles


Darien Gordon, PR/CB, Denver Broncos


Scottie Graham, RB, Minnesota Vikings


Tim Green, DE, Atlanta Falcons


Kelly Gregg, NT, Baltimore Ravens, 3x KS State Champ, NCAA Champ


Morlon Greenwood, OLB, Miami Dolphins


Archie Griffin, HB, Cincinnati Bengals


 Nick Griesen, LB, New York Giants


 Randy Grossman, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers


John Hannah**, G, New England Patriots


John Hartunian, Pittsburgh Steelers


Carlton Haselrig*, Pittsburgh Steelers, 3x NCAA Champ


Ron Heller, TE, Seattle Seahawks


Chad Hennings, DT, Dallas Cowboys – IA State Champ


Jay Hilgenberg*, C, Chicago Bears – IA State Runner-Up


Orlando Huff, MLB, Seattle Seahawks


Corey Hulsy, G, Oakland Raiders


 Bo Jackson*, RB, Oakland Raiders


Mario Johnson, DT, New England Patriots


Dahanie Jones, LB, New York Giants


Henry Jordan**, DT, Green Bay Packers


Davin Joseph, OL, Tampa Bay Bucanneers-2x FL State Champ


Dave Joyner, OL, Green Bay Packers


John Jurkovich*, DT, Cleveland Browns


Alex Karras, Detroit Lions


Tim Krumrie*, DL, Cincinnati Bengals – WI State Champ


 Ernie Ladd, DL, Kansas City Chiefs


 Nick Lecky, C, - KS State Champ


 Jess Lewis, LB, Houston Oilers


 Ray Lewis*, Baltimore Ravens – 2x FL State Champ


Ronnie Lott**, DB, San Francisco 49’ers


Kirk Lowdermilk*, OL, Minnesota Vikings


Sean Mahan, G, Tampa Bay Buccaneers


Mike Malczyk, LS, New York Giants


 Joel Mackavicka, RB, Seattle Seahawks


Steve Martin, DT, Houston Texans


Mickey Marvin, RG, Oakland Raiders


 Napolean McCallum, RB, Oakland Raiders


 Randle McDaniel*, G, Minnesota Vikings


 Mark McDonald, SS, Arizona Cardinals


Chris McIntosh, T, Seattle Seahawks


 Bryant McKinnie, T. Minnesota Vikings


Greg Meisner, DL, Los Angeles Rams


Matt Millen*, LB, Oakland Raiders


Ronald Moore, RB, Cleveland Browns


James Mungro, HB, Indianapolis Colts


Jim Nance, FB, New England Patriots – NCAA Champ


Lorenzo Neal, FB, Tennessee Titans - NCAA Champ


Stephen Neal, OL, New England Patriots – NCAA Champ


Jeremy Newberry, C, San Francisco 49’ers


Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers – PA State Champ


Leo Nomellini*, T, San Francisco 49’ers – Big 10 Champ


Jonathan Ogden*, OT, Baltimore Ravens


Irv Pankey, Los Angeles Rams – 2x MD State Champ


David Patten, WR, New England Patriots


Scott Peters, G, New York Giants


Bob Pickens, OL, Chicago Bears


Jim Plunkett*, QB, Oakland Raiders


Dave Porter, T, Green Bay Packers


Mike Pyle, C, Chicago Bears – IA State Champ


Rocky Rasley, G, Detroit Lions


Mike Reid, Cincinnati Bengals


Eric Rhett, RB, Cleveland Browns – FL State Champ


Willie Roaf*, OT, New Orleans Saints


Warren Sapp*, DT Tampa Bay Buccaneers – FL State Champ


Mark Schlereth*, OL, Washington Redskins - Alaska State Champ


Cory Schlesinger, LB, Detroit Lions - NE State Champ


Steve Sefter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles, 2x PA State Champ & NCAA All-American
Tony Siragusa*, DT, Baltimore Ravens – NJ State Champ


Fred Smerlas*, Buffalo Bills - MA State Champ


Bruce Smith**, DE, Washington Redskins


Brad St. Louis, TE, Cincinnati Bengals


Matt Suhey, RB, Chicago Bears


Bill Szott, OL, Washington Redskins – NJ State Champ


Dave Szott, Kansas City Chiefs – NJ State Champ


Woody Thompson, RB, Atlanta Falcons – PA State Champ


Jim Thorpe**, HB, New York Giants


Mike Trgovac, DC, Carolina Panthers – OH State Champ


 Kyle Turley*, T, St. Louis Rams


Ryan Turnbull, RB, Cleveland Browns


Tommy Vardell, RB, San Francisco 49’ers


Adam Vinatieri*, K, New England Patriots


John Ward, OL, New York Jets – NCAA All-American


Fred Weary, DB, St. Louis Rams


Charles White*, HB, Los Angeles Rams


Randy White*, DT, Dallas Cowboys


Cory Widmer, LB, New York Giants


Ricky Williams*, RB, Miami Dolphins


Coy Wire, LB, Buffalo Bills – PA State Runner-Up


Greg Wojochowski, St. Louis Rams

*Pro-Bowler
**Hall of Famer



http://www.eteamz.com/saintswrestling/news/index.cfm?


http://peninsulawrestling.googlepages.com/

GRAPPLER ON THE GRIDIRON

Former wrestling champ Stephen Neal had plenty to re-learn about football as a starting guard for New England Patriots

By Mike Finn, W.I.N. Editor

After not playing football for seven years, Stephen Neal knew there were plenty things he had to re-learn about the gridiron sport. Including a sense of direction.

“When I was wrestling, I was usually attacking and going forward,” said Neal, the two-time NCAA champion and 1999 Hodge Trophy winner from Cal-State Bakersfield. “In football you go forward in run blocking but in pass blocking you’re backing up and you have to stay on your feet.”

Considering Neal’s success on the mat, where he also won a world championship in freestyle for the United States in 1999, it’s hard to imagine the former heavyweight wrestler ever being knocked off his feet. But in falling short in his bid to represent the U.S. at the 2000 Olympics — Neal lost to two-time Olympian Kerry McCoy at the Olympic trials that year — also opened a door to live out another dream: Playing football on the professional level for New England Patriots, who first signed Neal as a free agent in 2001.

“The success I had in wrestling gave me the opportunity,” said Neal, who has since grown into a 6-foot-5, 305-pound starting guard for the defending Super Bowl champions. “I got to meet with an agent through (former two-time Olympic Greco Roman heavyweight) Matt Ghaffari. (The Patriots) gave me a workout and saw that I was a little bit athletic. Wrestling got me in the door.“The other things about wrestling — great work ethic — helped me learn the game a little quicker than other people.”

And Neal had plenty to learn considering the native of San Diego, Calif., had not suited up for an organized football game since his senior year at San Diego High School in 1994, the same year he finished fourth in the California state high school tournament.“I looked at my options for football,” Neal said. “I had a Div. II opportunity with California-Davis and Northern Colorado. I wanted to be at Div. I whatever sport that I played.”

That sent him to Bakersfield, where he won 156 of 166 matches and earned four All-American honors between 1996 and 1999 (Neal finished second to McCoy in 1997 and fourth in 1996). Neal said there are many wrestling skills that he took with him to the NFL.

“The things that carry over are the balance and the hand-fighting,” Neal said. “You always want your hands inside your opponent.” Neal had plenty of challenges to overcome before earning a starting spot for the Patriots. In fact, even though he was first signed by New England, July 23, 2001, he actually cut by the Patriots one month later and spent that fall on the

Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. But by season’s end, he was re-signed by the Patriots. “(New England coach Bill) Belichick told me that he wanted to pick me up the next year and work with me in the off-season,” he said. “I was pretty excited about that, but then the Eagles picked me up on a practice squad so I was there for 12 weeks.

After that the Patriots called me up and put me on their active roster. They were just locking me in for the next year. Once they put you on an active roster, no one else can touch you.”

Neal actually earned his first start in 2002 against the Green Bay Packers. Unfortunately, that success was short-lived as he suffered a shoulder injury and was sidelined for the rest of that season and 2003.

“I was really disappointed,” Neal said. “I was a little banged up before the game and tried my best. It just didn’t work out.”

Neal took the same no-quit attitude that first brought him to wrestling –— “I started wrestling in high school because some kid in high school told me it was harder than football,” Neal said. “I didn’t believe him and I didn’t want to quit and give him the satisfaction and I stuck with it.” –– during his rehab period. “I’m not the type who’s willing to give up,” he said.

“I’ve gotten this close. “The good thing was that the year and a half that I was injured I wasn’t just sitting around doing my rehab. I was also studying the game,” Neal said. ‘That helped me get a better knowledge of the game. It was like I had a redshirt year in the NFL.” During that break, Neal also grew.

“Toward the end of 2001 I was probably about 290 and the (FILA) weight limit was 286 so I wasn’t cutting much weight,” he said. “Since I had shoulder surgery, where you’re not allowed to run for a few months, I don’t carry as much muscle as I used to. I kind of got a little chubby.’But the extra weight didn’t mean that Neal has become less athletic. During one of the Patriot’s game with Buffalo this past fall, Neal caught everyone’s attention when he ran down and caught a defensive opponent who was attempting to score with a fumble. Instead, Neal knocked the ball out of the player’s hands prior to entering the end zone.

‘It showed that I try real hard on every play,’ Neal said. ‘I just had a good angle and the timing has just worked out for me.’ Neal not only is seeing a dream come true, but it is happening for a dream team that has won two of the last three Super Bowls and earned an NFL-record 21 consecutive victories. “Being around here, you could tell why we’ve been so successful,” Neal said. “People are treated professionally while there is a good amount of pressure. You see how hard people are working around you and you want to fit in.”

Neal also credited the patience of the Patriots, something he also hopes former fellow wrestlers receive, including former Minnesota national champion Brock Lesnar (who also lost to Neal in the 1999 NCAA finals), who tried out with the Minnesota Vikings this past fall before being cut. “I thought if they give him the same opportunity that I was able to get, he would have success,” Neal said. “I learned the most in the off-season program.”

Neal also points out that there are other wrestlers currently competing in the NFL, including former Boston College wrestler Antonio Garay, listed on the Physically Unable To Play list for the Cleveland Browns, and Kelly Gregg, a former Junior Nationals champion and current defensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens. Neal has not forgotten about wrestling. Last summer, he worked out with Harvard heavyweight Bode Ogunwole and would like coach wrestling following his NFL career. “I would love to bring a (college) wrestling program to San Diego,” Neal said.



Life in the NFL trenches is reportedly one of the toughest places to compete in sports. But what is tougher … competing in the NFL or on the international wrestling circuit. “Wrestling,” he said. “There are different aspects of football so mentally, it’s more of a challenge. Defenses are always throwing something new at you and you have to know where everyone is.

But to go six minutes (on a mat), there is so much more to overcome. Wrestling is more physically challenging while football is more of a mental challenge.”

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