8/5/89
I won the Iowa Games freestyle tournament today. I was a pound over (126.5) at weigh-ins, so I went up to 136.5 and won it anyway.
I scored three tech falls in a row, then beat a guy named Andy Showalter in the finals, 7-2. After my semi-final match I went up to look at the brackets to see who my finals opponent would be, and a couple of coaches were also looking at the brackets. One of them said, "Showalter will win. Ever heard of Tarpley?" And the other guy said, "Nope."
8/7/89
I'm in Colorado Springs for the World Team training camp. I'll be here for a week and a half. I'm here as Barry's workout partner, although I'll have the chance to wrestle with several of the top guys at 114.5 as well as 125.5. I'm in my dormitory room now; I'm rooming with some weird, frizzy-headed kid from Oklahoma State named Ray Brinzer.
We have an early morning technique session tomorrow, and I'm exhausted. It's not a particularly rigorous camp, it's just that I'm behind on my sleep, and I have to be back on the mat in eight hours.
8/8/89
I wrestled well against Ed Woodburn and Zeke Jones today. They're both top-3-ranked 114.5 pounders. I went over 50% against Woodburn, and I was up 7-1 against Jones before he got a couple of flurries--I think we ended up about even. I beat him in a "sudden-death overtime" situation with a crotch-lift. Then I beat one of those Colorado twins from UNI handily--can't remember their names. Lots of turns, probably 10-2.
I think I'd be a factor this year at 114.5. I can beat the top guys if things go right, and when things go wrong I can still hang with them. It's a question of making the weight. I didn't even make 125.5 at the Iowa Games.
Tony Purler from Okie State is going to be tough at 118 this year in collegiate. I went about even with him yesterday, but I can beat him if I just go a little more aggressively.
Today I'm feeling good about Jenny. Today I've decided I'll marry her. She's such a great catch, and I'm not just saying that because she might be reading this journal. Marrying her would be a very good move.
8/18/89
I'm back in Iowa City. I've got to go mop the mats in 15 minutes and wrestle with Steve Kennevan. Yesterday I wrestled Barry and got really tired.
Colorado Springs was good for my wrestling. I did well against Zeke, Woodburn, and Ed Giese--all top guys at 114.5--and not too badly against Chertow.
8/25/89
I'm taking three classes this semester: History of Science, The Reformation, and Financial Accounting. I'll use it as an elective for my History MA and also to satisfy my foundation requirements for an MBA, which I'm thinking about doing next.
Okay, I've got to go wrestle now.
8/30/89
I'm at the Student Union having lunch. A small lunch, since I have to wrestle Terry Brands at 2:30.
I did really crappy against Rat Martin yesterday, and Monday I did really crappy against Barry. Maybe I'm going through a slump. Sometimes, like after the Iowa Games or the first day of the Colorado Springs camp, I feel like I'm right there--top 10, even top 5. Then other times, like yesterday, I feel like I'm exactly where I was two years ago and haven't progressed an inch.
8/31/89
Melchiore is going down to 125.5 for freestyle, and Barry is going to compete again as well. They, plus Penrith, will almost certainly be ranked 1-2-3 at 125.5, with maybe Chertow in there somewhere as well. Penrith is 8-10 points above and beyond Calabrese, who is still ahead of me. So maybe it's a good idea to think seriously about going down to 114.5.
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