Oklahoma State University Athletics
John Smith Previews Thursday's Bedlam Clash
February 20, 2008 | Cowboy Wrestling
STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith met with members of the media Tuesday in Stillwater to preview Thursday's Bedlam dual against Oklahoma in Norman. The dual starts at 7 p.m. in OU's McCasland Fieldhouse. Here are some of the highlights of what he had to say:
Regarding Thursday's Bedlam Dual:
“Bedlam to me is always exciting and it has to be, because for us, it's about winning and we can't look at it any other way. The individuals on this team need to make sure that they get excited about it and they need to step out and have one of their better matches up to this point. This is a good time to wrestle well. I hope that the individuals on our team expect to do that.”
Regarding the importance of Bedlam:
“We've gotten a lot better since the first Bedlam and I think OU's gotten a lot better, but it's real important that you get up for this Bedlam. It's not just another match. The Bedlam Series dates back a long time. The seniors on this team have never lost in this match and we want to send them off undefeated.”
Regarding the memories that can come from Bedlam success:
“It's a match that's a little more important. We take it serious, and I know they do too. It's about showing up that day and wrestling your very best and this is the time to do that, toward the end of the year. This is the last match of the year and you want to be wrestling well. You want to be wrestling in events like this. These are matches that you remember, and when you're 40 or 50 years old, did you win in the Bedlam Series? If you have to say no, it's not a good feeling, so create good feelings and the way to create good feelings is to win these matches.”
Regarding if OSU has a mental edge over OU:
“I don't know if you call it a mental edge. I don't know what you call it. I know that our team gets up for it. In the past, we haven't taken it for granted that we're just going to roll in and win. We take it serious. We have some pretty good workouts and preparation for Bedlam and I think that the individuals on our team realize that things happen in Bedlam that normally don't happen, so let's make sure that goes towards us.”
Regarding OSU's mindset entering Thursday's dual:
“I just make sure that we don't take anything for granted. This is a good team we're facing that has wrestled well the last several matches. Individually, it looks like things are coming together for them, but the same for us. I think right now we're a better team than we've been. It only takes one poor match to take a step or two back. This isn't the time to have a bad match. This is the time to be wrestling well, to be confident about what you've done up to this point. For our team, we have to prove it, so there's no reason we shouldn't have a good match on Thursday.”
Regarding wrestling the dual in Norman:
“Bedlam in Stillwater is always a much more enjoyable match but I'll tell you, I think we've probably wrestled better down there. A lot of our matches over the last two or three years, some of our better performances have been away from home.”
Regarding if he is pleased with his team to this point:
“Preseason-wise, looking at this team, I looked at it as a very tall mountain we were going to have to climb to put ourselves in the picture to compete for a championship. We've climbed it. For this team to have a 16-2-1 dual meet record with who we've wrestled, it's been a nice surprise. In fact, I didn't think that the two teams that beat us would be two of our losses. It's been a good year. I like the fact that we have improved on a weekly basis. I'm pleased with our effort up to this point, but these next four weeks are what the season's about. For us, it's about maintaining our level of confidence and not allowing it to slip. If you go out and win matches like this, and if you are an underdog in your match, go win. You want to feel good about it? You want to be wrestling well at the end? Then you need to win. Losing doesn't do much for you.”
Regarding Thursday's Bedlam Dual:
“Bedlam to me is always exciting and it has to be, because for us, it's about winning and we can't look at it any other way. The individuals on this team need to make sure that they get excited about it and they need to step out and have one of their better matches up to this point. This is a good time to wrestle well. I hope that the individuals on our team expect to do that.”
Regarding the importance of Bedlam:
“We've gotten a lot better since the first Bedlam and I think OU's gotten a lot better, but it's real important that you get up for this Bedlam. It's not just another match. The Bedlam Series dates back a long time. The seniors on this team have never lost in this match and we want to send them off undefeated.”
Regarding the memories that can come from Bedlam success:
“It's a match that's a little more important. We take it serious, and I know they do too. It's about showing up that day and wrestling your very best and this is the time to do that, toward the end of the year. This is the last match of the year and you want to be wrestling well. You want to be wrestling in events like this. These are matches that you remember, and when you're 40 or 50 years old, did you win in the Bedlam Series? If you have to say no, it's not a good feeling, so create good feelings and the way to create good feelings is to win these matches.”
Regarding if OSU has a mental edge over OU:
“I don't know if you call it a mental edge. I don't know what you call it. I know that our team gets up for it. In the past, we haven't taken it for granted that we're just going to roll in and win. We take it serious. We have some pretty good workouts and preparation for Bedlam and I think that the individuals on our team realize that things happen in Bedlam that normally don't happen, so let's make sure that goes towards us.”
Regarding OSU's mindset entering Thursday's dual:
“I just make sure that we don't take anything for granted. This is a good team we're facing that has wrestled well the last several matches. Individually, it looks like things are coming together for them, but the same for us. I think right now we're a better team than we've been. It only takes one poor match to take a step or two back. This isn't the time to have a bad match. This is the time to be wrestling well, to be confident about what you've done up to this point. For our team, we have to prove it, so there's no reason we shouldn't have a good match on Thursday.”
Regarding wrestling the dual in Norman:
“Bedlam in Stillwater is always a much more enjoyable match but I'll tell you, I think we've probably wrestled better down there. A lot of our matches over the last two or three years, some of our better performances have been away from home.”
Regarding if he is pleased with his team to this point:
“Preseason-wise, looking at this team, I looked at it as a very tall mountain we were going to have to climb to put ourselves in the picture to compete for a championship. We've climbed it. For this team to have a 16-2-1 dual meet record with who we've wrestled, it's been a nice surprise. In fact, I didn't think that the two teams that beat us would be two of our losses. It's been a good year. I like the fact that we have improved on a weekly basis. I'm pleased with our effort up to this point, but these next four weeks are what the season's about. For us, it's about maintaining our level of confidence and not allowing it to slip. If you go out and win matches like this, and if you are an underdog in your match, go win. You want to feel good about it? You want to be wrestling well at the end? Then you need to win. Losing doesn't do much for you.”
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