Conference 7.286::sports_90

There is an article in the sports pages of USA Today by Gary Mihoces on a 
Purdue wrestler titled "Marine lands in Big Ten wrestling final."

"Staff Sgt. Larock Benford, U.S. Marines, has an off-duty mission this week-
end.

"As a 29-year-old freshman at Purdue, he'll compete for the Big Ten heavy-
weight wrestling title.  He's 8-0 going into the tournament Saturday and 
Sunday at Northwestern.

"'He's a full-time student, full-time Marine and a full-time wrestler,'
Purdue coach Mitch Hull says. 'I don't see how anybody less mature than he
is would be able to handle what he's doing.'

"Benford, a 10-year Marine veteran and former drill sergeant, was assigned 
two years to Navy ROTC at Purdue as an assistant instructor.

"'The Marine Corps just happened to send me to Purdue.  I wasn't thinking
about wrestling....  But when I got here I got that bug,' said Benford, a
former Armed Forces wrestling champ in both Greco-Roman and freestyle.

"He was a part-time, volunteer coach last season.

"Because he'd never enrolled at another school and had only wrestled once
in the military, Benford had collegiate eligibility under NCAA rules.

"But because of the salary he earnes as a Marine, he wasn't eligible for an
athletic scholarship.  So he paid his tuition when he became a full-time 
student this semester.

"Benford was a 155-pound wrestler as a high school senior in Chicago.  Un-
recruited by any college, he joined the Marines after graduation.

"Now, he's a 5-1�, 220-pounder. 'But I'm struggling to keep the weight on.
I started out at 234.' he says.

"Twice a week, he leads 5:30 a.m. training as part of his ROTC duties.  He
also has been practicing twice a day with the wrestling tea, and attending 
classes.

"'I'm really burning both ends of the candle,' he says.

"But don't get the idea that Benford is wasting away.

"'He looks like Hercules,' Hull says. 'You should see at weigh-ins when 
these (other) freshman heavyweights see this guy.  They get a look of ter-
ror on their faces.'

"According to _Amateur Wrestling News_, five of the US's top eight heavy-
weights are in the Big Ten.  Benford is ranked No. 7.

"At least the top four finishers in each weight class in the Big Ten qual-
ify for the NCAA finals March 22-24 at Maryland.

"'I believe he can win it all,' Hull says.

----------

"U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Larock Benford leads three lives at Purdue Univer-
sity.  He's an ROTC assistant instructor, a freshman student and a heavy-
weight on the Boilermakers wrestling team.  His typical Thursday schedule:

	5 a.m. -- Wake up.

	5:30-7:30 a.m. -- Lead ROTC physical training.

	8-11 a.m. -- ROTC administrative work.

	11 a.m.-1 p.m. -- Firt Wrestling Practice

	1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. -- Back to ROTC, including drill sessions.

	5:30-7 p.m. Second wrestling practice.

	7-10 p.m. -- Night class.

----------
  
There is a picture of this guy, he is positively *big* and *strong*!

    Think this guy will show up on Pro-Wrestling one of these days?  Where
    else can they go after college to make a buck?
    
    Anyone know when the NCAA is?  We don't get wrestling news (expecially
    on Oklahoma State) in Colorado.
    
    Cowboy
    

    I'm surprised, I thought a rule had been passed regarding age and
    competing in collegiate sports.  I know one was being tossed around
    to stop the influx of African runners, many in their late 20's from
    competing against our 18-21 year olds.  I honestly don't think ther
    is a place for a 29 year old marine in collegiate wrestling.
    
    JD

><<< Note 175.3 by RIPPLE::DEVLIN_JO "Bullwinkle stops Iditatrod, film at 11" >>>
>
>    I'm surprised, I thought a rule had been passed regarding age and
>    competing in collegiate sports.  I know one was being tossed around
>    to stop the influx of African runners, many in their late 20's from
>    competing against our 18-21 year olds.  I honestly don't think ther
>    is a place for a 29 year old marine in collegiate wrestling.

I don't think there's any age limits... Just saw yesterday that
Dikembe Mutombo of Georgetown is almost 24 and a junior!  And I
know Georgetown once had a power forward who was 27 and a former 
army man.

Also, Todd Marinovich, the UCLA quarterback will be nearly 21 as
a sophomore next year, I think, due to a redshirt year plus the
fact that his father started him off in school a year late...

    Doug,
    
    When I was competing in track and field, the nationals were being
    dominating by African runners, some who were competing as freshman
    at the age of 30-31.  There was a lot of outcry concerning this
    age disparity.  I guess nothing came of it.  
    
    I still think there should be age limits.  (I also think red-shirting
    should be banned, outlawed, done away with....)
    
    JD

    I hope the guy would win for the Boilers, but I have to say if I were
    one of his competitors and a freshman I have to feel extremely unfair
    toward the whole thing.  But then again I know I am never to be a
    wrestler :)
    
    Charles

    Though not truly a Big Ten sport, the Big Ten hockey schools are
    doing well.  Minnesota and Wisconsin play for the WCHA title tonight,
    Michigan State won the CCHA tournament and Michigan finished third.
    
    John

John --

I saw part of the Mich. State game.  Where are the Lakers from?
They were never mentioned as anything other than the Lakers....

'Saw

    The Lakers are Lake Superior State University located in Sault Ste
    Marie, Michigan.  LSSU won the national title in 1988 and lost to
    Harvard in the national quarterfinals last year.
    
    John

Thanks John.....

    Badgers look mighty tough, this could be their year to win it all!
    Gophs have exceeded expectations, especially after losing so many
    players from last years team.  They're quite young, including a
    freshman goalie Tom Newman, who is going to be a good one.
    
    I agree with you T, pro hockey is a waste of time after watching
    HS and college hockey.
    
    
    Spud

    Wisconsin has some of the best hockey fans I've ever seen.
    When Northeastern made the Final Four back in 82, they played North
    Dakota in the first round - first game.  About midway through the
    3rd period, the Wisconsin fans showed up - they totally blew away
    the rest of the crowd.  What  a great bunch of folks - they were
    kind enought to help the Husky faithful drown their sorrow.
    
    Wisconsin has a rich hockey tradition.
    
    And I'll agree with Spud and T - college hockey is a better spectator
    sport than the pros.
    
    JD

    Not only Wisconsin, but Michigan State and Minnesota both have great
    fans as well.  I remember one of the 1986 semifinals was between
    the two of them, in Providence, and both schools had a couple of
    thousand there.  Nothing obscene either, just nice and loud.
    
    I also remember the 1982 title game between Wisconsin and North
    Dakota.  Despite the Badgers being blown out in the title game,
    they showed a lot of class.  And they're more than glad to help
    anyone drown their sorrows or celebrate.
    
    John

Well, I cain tell ya that UCONN was National Champs in '81.
Beyond that I don't know.

I know that the Clemson squad has been tough, but I honestly
cain't say much about the Big 10.

The Alabama team was importing a lot of African players in
the mid 80s.  I don't know if they still do that, but those
kids could PLAY!

Hep tsih hopes,
'Saw

	my school 8^), RIT (ECAC), Rochester, NY has been a contender for 
    the past 3 years.  Lost the finals to UCal San Diego two years ago.  
    Coach Doug May was voted Division I Men's Soccer Coach of the year, 
    last year, I believe (we lost to Greensboro NC in the semi's). 
    Beyond that I dunno. I don't know too much about Big 10 soccer.  
    The names don't come up too often.
    
    sean

    St. Louis University always fields a good soccer team.
    
    JD

    Indiana has the best soccer program in the Big 10.  I believe they
    were national champs in '88.  Don't know who won this year.
    
    Alison

    	As far as I know, the NCAA Division I Soccer finals for '88
    were held in Rochester NY between RIT and UCal San Diego, with UCal 
    winning 3-1 (or something like that).  
    
    sean

   � Indiana has the best soccer program in the Big 10.  I believe they
   � were national champs in '88.  Don't know who won this year.
    
    Virginia and Santa Clara (?) played to an overtime tie this year
    in the soccer championship game.  The two teams were declared
    co-champions.
    
    Bob Hunt

    OK, OK, so I goofed up the year.  Big deal. :-)  The question 
    was which Big 10 school had the best soccer program - and I 
    still say it's IU.  Nonna the teams you guys listed are Big 10,
    right???  
    
    Alison  (A & W mebbe?)

    
    NCAA Swimming Championships are at II right now.  Cal and Stanford
    are among the participants

    
�    Alison  (A & W mebbe?)


Yeah, A&W has a nice ring to it...  Okay, go wif that.  You might
even wanna (TM) it, since sometimes people have a tendency around
here to use nicknames that don't really belong to them 8^)


Chainsaw

Waskom, huh?

I vote for: [ trumpet fanfare, roar of cannon, coughing of h-h-h-h-highly
nervous and emotionally charged audience, sudden silence, inadvertent peditum ]


_wascall     ( as in: you wascally wabbit! )

Sincerely
Mike JN

�I vote for: [ trumpet fanfare, roar of cannon, coughing of h-h-h-h-highly
�nervous and emotionally charged audience, sudden silence, inadvertent peditum ]


Mike JN...you're startin' to sound like T.....Hmmm, anyone ever notice
you don't see T and MikeJN at the same time????

Nah.

'Saw

That's funny T,

I always had the impression that Indiana used mostly home grown talent for its
soccer program. They and UNC-Greensboro ( Not sure about this one)....

I must have been mistaken...I know xxxx-textile used to use mucho foreign talent
to insure a soccer final 4 appearance every year (maybe philidelphia-textile)

Metz

>    The program is attractive cuz the student cain learn English and
>    earn credit simultaneously, and they teach almost every known language
>    there (Swahili, Finnish, Polish, Portugese, almost every Chinese
>    dialect, Hindi, Arabic, etc.).
 
    I know IU has a great language program, but come on, every Chinese
    dialect?  You know how many there are?  Not even an institute in China
    dare to claim that all dialects are taught.
    
    But I get your point T.
    
    Charles
       

    Hate to nitpick, but T, about 4 or 5 out of close to a thousand is
    hardly ALMOST :)
    
    Charles

    > I used to date a pretty rich girl lesbian who majored in Chinese.
    
    Care to give us some inside details on what it's like dating a "pretty
    rich girl lesbian who majored in Chinese".  Don't want to prod into
    your p-life T, but inquiring minds gotta know!
    
    
    - ACC Chris
    

    
    
      > I used to date a pretty rich girl lesbian who majored in Chinese.
    
    A case where "Money talks -- in tongues."
    
    -Dick
    

    
    T, what did you do to the poor girl to change her preference in
    partners?
    
    it had to be asked?
    
    mike

    MSU and Minnesota were ousted by BU and BC in hockey play.  Not a great
    week for Big Ten sports all around.  Only Wisconsin is left in the
    Final Four.

                  MSU BURGLARIZED BY GEORGIA TECHNOWEENIES!

	Given the amount of money which accrues to a school when their team
advances a round, I'm surprised I haven't heard more screaming... and  watching
the replay, and knowing you were robbed would make my guts crawl for a year.

Mike JN

    Jud cannot handle any more screaming because of his bad heart :)
    
    (who knows, it may really be the reason why :)
    
    Charles