Ben Elder
Sports Editor
The term “perfect” in sports is hard to define.
The UCLA Bruins have won a record setting 11 NCAA men’s basketball titles .
The Oklahoma Sooners have won seven national championships in football since 1950.
The USC Trojans have won 26 outdoor track and field national championships, the second most D-1 championships in a particular sport.
Despite the impressive numbers, perfection is a far-fetched realm that any conception of mankind has trouble achieving, whether in competition or in life.
A tradition of excellence, or a commitment to winning could be a better term when describing these dynasties.
You could always win by more, pin your opponent quicker, jump higher or hit harder. The results are infinite.
But looking at statistics, what NCAA sports team comes closest to the term perfection?
Oklahoma State University 149-pound wrestler Zack Esposito could tell you.
“OSU wrestling is the richest tradition in any college sport,” the 2005 National Champion said. “It puts OSU on the top of the food-chain.”
Last season the Cowboys posted a perfect 21-0 dual record en-route to the school’s 33rd national championship.
Currently, OSU’s wrestling program has more national championships than any other collegiate program in the nation ” a feat that has the head coach sold on the tradition, as well.
“If you think about dynasties or traditions “Oklahoma State is close to the top as far as wrestling goes,” said head coach John Smith.
Statistically, the Cowboys have won the title a total of 33 times in the 76 year history of NCAA wrestling. That means that 43 percent of the time, the title heads home with the Pokes.
Impressive? Smith will give the credit elsewhere.
“It is not something I created,” he said. “It is something that Coach Gallagher, Coach Griffith and Coach Chesbro created.”
Smith definitely did not create the program. Legendary coaches like Edward C. Gallagher led the Oklahoma A& M Aggies to 11 national championships in the 1920s and 30s, paving the way for future coaches like Smith.
Returning to an era of dominance is what Smith credits as his recent success in the sport.
“I think we have been able to break and establish some records over the past couple of years,” Smith said. “We have basically established a new bar of excellence.”
This new bar of excellence puts the Pokes in position to win their fourth straight national championship this season. The program returns four national champions; Zack Esposito, Jake Rosholt, Steve Mocco and Johny Hendricks.
“I think the whole team needs to keep the same eye set,” Esposito said in regards to winning the 34th. ” This year there is a lot more pressure that is going to be put on us and myself. People are expecting us to win. People are expecting me to win ” and I am expecting myself to win.”
David Martin, OSU’s interim athletic director, agrees with Esposito’s assumptions.
“You have won three-in-a-row and you have four national champions coming back for next year,” Martin said. “They certainly have the nucleus to win it all gain.”
Winning may be the key behind it all. But does striving for perfection help paint the idea of winning?
“Absolutely, the closest you can get to it. Man if you ever have a day that you are perfect ” it’s going to be your best day. It’s hard to do,” Smith said. “You don’t have a lot of days that you are happy with yourself, but at the same time fulfilling your goals is the most important thing you can do.”
The far fetched realm of perfection might even be hard for an Olympian like Smith to achieve, but winning consistently is more of a staple of his program.
“I think I have a strive to win, mediocrity is not something I am looking for, or will except,” he said. “I don’t think that makes you a good coach or a poor coach, for me its a very important thing for the success of this program to win ” not just athletically but academically, as well.”
Winning off the mat seems just as important to Smith as his famed national championships and gold medals.
“I think we have a responsibility as student athletes,” Smith said. “For those who are on scholarship, it’s about you appreciating the fact that you are being rewarded.”
This past year the OSU faculty council passed a resolution that honored the OSU wrestling squad for their off-the-mat and on-the-mat endeavours. Since 2000, the OSU wrestling squad has had 15 academic All-Americans, which leads all other Division 1 schools across the nation.
Furthermore, the team’s performances off the mat is evidenced by a 3.2 team GPA.
Don Murray, chair of the athletics committee for the faculty council, believes that this proposal was one that was earned throughout the 2004- 2005 academic year.
“Teams in the past have always received a lot of accolades for the performances on the court or on the field,” Murray said. “But in this particular case, they not only did well in their sport ” but they did well in the classroom, with the number of All-Americans and the All-Academic Big 12 honors they received.”
Since the beginning of the Smith era in 1992, 62 wrestlers have earned their degrees and 76 wrestlers have earned academic All-Big 12/8 honors.
Smith’s tenure as head coach is evidenced by the large amount of accolades the program has received, but Smith still doesn’t like to forget about his roots.
“For me Oklahoma State was very important part of my career and it helped cultivate me into an athlete and the person I became,” Smith said. “It was big difference in me being able to do the things I did, to see all the support I received played a major role in helping me achieve my goals.”
The drive to succeed, Smith explained, has trickled down into his coaching, as well.
“I think a lot of it is drive. It’s the want, it’s the hunger, it’s the desire all balled up, and not accepting defeat,” Smith said. “There have been times when you do come up short and all you can expect out of yourself is to put the right emotions into anything you are doing and you can be willing to accept the results.”
A drive to succeed could push the talented Cowboys either way. As the fall semester nears, Smith’s goals of winning a 34th championship looms in the sunset.
“We have to earn it. We have to remind ourselves everyday that championships are not given away; they are earned each year,” Smith said. “It is about bringing out our very best from the start of practice and being very focused on the areas we have to improve.
“Even with the team we have coming back, if we don’t improve, the nation is going to catch us.”
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