Nov 1990: Randy Lewis is insane

11/5/90
Great practice today against Martin. Beat him 12-5 and 7-4. Working in tight, not letting him have space to shoot his singles and doubles. Lateral drop, several turns.

My weight is down. I'm feeling good, I'm wrestling well.

11/10/90
I didn't place at Sunkist. I went 1-2. It was tougher this year, but I also didn't wrestle particularly well.

I lost in the first round to Shawn Nelson from Penn State, 6-4. I was up 4-0 after a couple of crotch-lifts, then I decided to be more offensive, which was probably a mistake in retrospect. He countered two of my shots, both for 2 points, then scored another 2 takedowns.

He later beat Giese 8-4, so I'll give him credit--he had a good tournament and he will be in the mix at 114.5 if he goes down for nationals. (Sunkist was a 4.5 pound allowance.)

I won my second match by tech fall, the lost my third round match to Valentin Jordanov, the world champ from Bulgaria, 17-2. I scored 2 takedowns, but he was simply too good on turns. He had a style that was very difficult to counter--he would almost turn me sraight up onto my head instead of typical gut wrenches. I didn't know how to counter that, but now I'll need to get some tips from Barry.

A disappointing way to start the season (1-2), after starting last year 9-1.

11/11/90
Randy Lewis is insane.

He traded plane tickets to Phoenix with Griffin so that Lewis could go on a later flight. He claims he had already cleared it with America West and made the reservation for Griffin. But when we got to the Cedar Rapids airport Griffin couldn't get on the plane, because the ticket was non-transferable. So he had to buy a new one-way ticket to Phoenix. It was a pain in the ass for him because he was cutting weight and that's the kind of crap you don't want to deal with.

Our flight from Phoenix back to Iowa was Sunday morning at 10:30am. Lewis stayed out all night, arriving at the hotel at 8:30am, as the rest of us were getting up, and immediately went to bed. The rest of the team (6 of us) crammed into 1 rental car (Lewis had the other one), and got to the airport at 9:40.

Lewis not only missed his flight, he left his rental car sitting at the departures curb at the airport. I suppose he was thinking if he just left it there he might make his flight and someone would take care of it for him. I don't know if he had to buy a new ticket or not. I don't care.

11/20/90
Decent training past two weeks. Generally out-scoring Hogan, dominating Pablo, and going about even with Zaputil. He's still out-scoring me on TDs, and I'm still out-scoring him on back points.

Today I wrestled two live matches with Griffin: lost the first 1-17, and won the second 6-0. I got behind 2-0 in first match, chose up in 2nd period hoping to turn him and got reversed and turned. 3rd period was up and got reversed again from riding too high--more desperation moves, got turned again. 2nd match I got TD and a 2-point tilt, chose down in 2nd period, then got another 2-point tilt in the 3rd and rode him out.

Key to both Griffin and Zaputil is scoring first TD.

Weight cutting and drilling the rest of the week, Northern Open this weekend.

11/23/90
It's the day after Thankgiving. I've got a lot to be thankful for. I think my best wrestling matches potentially are ahead of me. I don't have a great shot at making the Olympic team, but I do believe that Zeke Jones is beatable, as are all the guys at 114.5.

Jen and I are driving up to Madison, Wisconsin this evening for the Northern Open. I weighed in today (122). It wasn't quite as rough as 119 last week at Sunkist, and not nearly as painful as 114.5 at Nationals, but I can't say it was an enjoyable experience either.

I've wrestled at the Northern Open three times and I have yet to place. Last year I lost 7-3 to Mark Schwab and 4-3 to Steve Martin. It was the only tourney I didn't place at last year. Already this year I failed to place at Sunkist, at which I took 3rd last year.

11/26/90
F---.

I've had a bad couple of days. Saturday I went 2-2 at the Northern Open. I won my first two matches by major and tech, then lost in the quarterfinals to Eric Akin from Iowa State, 3-2. I just stood around too much, didn't push the action.

Then in the consolations I lost 1-0 to some guy from Eastern Illinois whom I beat 18-7 in the first round. Again, just standing around like it was a warm-up match, no urgency. I was already looking ahead to the medal rounds, just assuming some points would magically appear on the board for me, and suddenly he was out for 1 point in the 3rd period, I couldn't score a TD, the match was over, and I was out of the tournament.

Zaputil beat Akin in the finals, 11-4. Bruhl took 5th. This brings my season record to 3-4, my worst start since my first season here.

I had a chance to win that stupid tourney, and I pissed it away. Now Gable won't talk to me and Lee Roy Smith (World Team coach) says everybody on the Hakweye Club can attend the Colorado training camp in January except me. I feel like s---.

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