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Sports Director Kif Richmann Tests his Mettle in Intramural Wrestling

By Kif Richmann

Sitting in the KRUI office last Friday afternoon; somehow, some way, Pat Quinn, Lars Headington, and Ryan Murphy convinced me to go out for intramural wrestling.

You know; the intramural wrestling at The University of Iowa where all the former high school studs hit the mat in an attempt to relive some of their former glory. 

The intramural wrestling where you’re just as likely to face a former Iowa place winner as you are to face a guy who never smelled a mat in his life.  I didn’t wrestle in high school, but I did wrestle in junior high!

That was 13 years ago…

Oh, and I weigh in around 225, which means I would be rolling with the heavyweights. You know; the heavyweights that range from about 200 to 285 lbs.    

But after Pat and Lars put up the entry fee, (all of $3) there was no turning back. On Friday night and I had three days to prepare for an event that most of the competitors have poured months into.  Luckily I was able to recruit the expertise of Alex Sullivan, a young coworker and former City High wrestler. After the KRUI baseball show on Saturday, Alex met me at the Fitness Loft to give me a briefing on heavyweight wrestling.   What to expect, how to combat it, and what I can do to give myself an advantage. 

After a run in the cold on Sunday and a good workout on Monday, I was as ready as I could hope to be. 

I also watched Rocky on AMC Monday night, and I think that helped more than anything. “You’re gonna eat lightnin’ and you’re gonna crap thunder!”- Micky

I went into the single elimination tournament with two goals: win one match and don’t get pinned. 

Ryan Murphy gave me the scouting report on Tuesday:  my first match would be against Lee Przybylski, who is on the UI rowing club and listed at 205 lbs,  meaning he would be a lot lighter; but he would also be in much better shape and probably be  stronger than me too.I knew I had to go after him hard and use my size advantage to pin him in the first period. If I let the match drag on, his endurance would get the best of me.

So I attacked, and after a couple takedowns I used a half nelson to roll him over and get the 1st period pin in about 1:30. 

The next match would be the tough battle I anticipated.

My opponent would be Josh Keller, a former Iowa place winner from City High. This would be the tough match up I expected.  He was stronger, at least 20 lbs bigger and had much better technique.  His experience advantage was evident when he came to the mat in a shiny red and white singlet.  Then he did what was expected, and after taking me down with a single-leg, he got my arm behind my back, under-hooked me rolled me over for a fall.

I never made it to the 2nd period.   

While I was disappointed to loose, I’m not hanging my head too much. Winning the first match, I met one of my goals, but unfortunatly I failed the other.

Hey, I’m batting .500!  

Before you say it: no, I’m not about to try my hand at MMA!

(I like my face the way it is.)