Manning: Burroughs Deserves the 'Ultimate Sendoff'

Randy York’s N-Sider

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As the Countdown to Rio de Janeiro intensifies, Nebraska’s head wrestling coach is counting on Huskers from everywhere giving 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs “the ultimate sendoff” with a packed crowd Saturday, free to the public, at The Railyard in Lincoln’s Haymarket Area.

“Jordan is chasing history, and we want Husker fans to join together Saturday to help him realize his dream of back-to-back Olympic Gold Medals in Rio next month,” Nebraska Wresting Coach Mark Manning said. “World-class performers like Jordan are rare, and we want him to know how much Husker fans care and why they’re behind him every step of the way.”

Burroughs Would Be First Husker Male Athlete in History to Win Two Golds

Chasing history is an accurate statement. If Burroughs wins in Rio, he would become the first Nebraska male athlete in history to win two Olympic Gold Medals.

The Atco, N.J. (Winslow Township) native also would become only the third American wrestler in history to win back-to-back Olympic Gold Medals, joining John Smith (1988 & 1992) and George Mehnert (1904 & 1908) with that honor.

The favorite to win the 74KG Olympic weight class, Burroughs is a worthy recipient of a “good ole’ fashioned” Nebraska sendoff prior to his departure. Everyone who’s interested in seeing and cheering on one of Nebraska’s greatest athletes ever is invited to attend one of Burroughs’ last home workouts Saturday at 5 p.m. inside the Nebraska Wrestling Room, located in the Hendricks Training Complex at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs, Tom Osborne and Mark Manning inspect Huskers' new athletic gear.

Railyard Social Hour Begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sendoff Ceremony at 8:30 p.m.

A social hour will begin at the Railyard at 7 p.m. Saturday, 90 minutes before the official program begins. University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds and Nebraska Hall-of-Fame football coach and former NU Athletic Director Tom Osborne will join Manning in the sendoff/salute. Even though Manning was in Oklahoma this week recruiting, Nebraska’s wrestling coach took the time to answer 10 questions from the N-Sider. Please join our conversation:  

Q-1: Why should Husker fans everywhere take the time on Saturday to come to Lincoln’s Railyard in the Haymarket Area and give the USA’s reigning Olympic Gold Medalist a world-class sendoff to Rio de Janeiro?

A: “Jordan has to be in consideration of going down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest wrestler in American history. We need to get behind a legendary competitor who’s trying to do what only two wrestlers in Olympic history have done – win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. Even Dan Gable, who many consider to be the greatest wrestler of all time, did not win back-to-back Olympic gold. I think it’s great that Dan will be in Lincoln Saturday night to salute Jordan. So will Tom Brands, the head wrestling coach at Iowa. It’s all about Team USA right now, and Jordan Burroughs is one of the biggest names out there. Jordan is a proven and humble local hero. I’d like to see a crowd so big Saturday night that you can hardly move.”

Q-2: What traits does Jordan Burroughs have that makes him so popular globally?

A: “Jordan embodies what the American spirit is all about and what the Olympics are all about. He’s one hard-working American kid who grew up with the dream of being on the Olympic team. He’s had to work for everything he’s gotten. He’s a self-made guy. To me, it’s about the values of the Olympics. You want to celebrate the American spirit. That’s the thing that separates America and the other countries. American spirit requires a great work ethic. Jordan’s a kid who came from nowhere and trained himself into a wrestling icon. That’s why Jordan could go down not only as one of the best American wrestlers ever but also one of the best wrestlers in the world.”

Q-3: Talk about sendoffs. How did you get the President of the University of Nebraska System and a legendary college football coach to help Husker fans say goodbye and good luck and we’ll all be watching you on your way to gold again? 

A-3 “I think both know how important it is to get behind Jordan before he heads to Brazil. We can’t thank Hank Bounds, the President of the University of Nebraska, and Coach (Tom) Osborne enough. Both very graciously accepted our invitation, and we’re glad they did. Coach Osborne was the athletic director when Jordan first got to Nebraska. Not many people know this, but I called Coach on a Sunday night after Jordan won his first world title in 2011 and told him that more world championships would be coming our way. Coach had just got out of church when I called him, and it was a proud moment to share. Jordan now has four world championships and is chasing another in Rio. Coach Osborne knows Jordan’s character. He knows what type of young man he is and that he’s a great family man. We as Nebraskans should be proud that Jordan is a product of our university. He embodies what we stand for and he lives it out every day. That’s what President Bounds and Coach Osborne appreciate about Jordan.”

Manning Reminds Jordan: August 19th the Most Important Day of the Olympics

Q-4: On a scale of 1 to 10, what’s Jordan Burroughs’ score before he even takes the mat in Rio de Janeiro?

A: “He’s definitely a ‘10’ now and has to be a ‘10’ the minute he arrives. I remind Jordan all the time that August 19th is the most important day of the Olympics because it’s the first day he competes. Most people don’t know that a blind draw is one of the biggest dynamics in Olympic wrestling. It’s not like the NFL or the NBA where the two best teams move on. There will be about 20 guys in Jordan’s weight class, and like everyone else, he’ll walk up to the scale, turn over a number and that’s what his seed will be. Depending on the draw, he might have the two toughest matches in the first two rounds. You never know how it’s going to work out. The two best wrestlers could could go head-to-head in the first round. The blind draw makes our sport unique.”

Q-5: Is there ever a day in any week when Jordan Burroughs doesn’t see gold?

A: “Jordan thinks about gold all the time. I think about gold all the time. You have to be prepared. That’s our mindset. We work every day expecting to meet the best guy out there right away.”

Q-6: Can you give us some idea of the pressure Jordan will face in Rio and how he can somehow defuse that pressure?

A: “We work on pressure a lot and make sure we talk about it. Jordan is human and there’s that element of feeling the pressure. You gotta make sure you always combat it. The pressure’s there, and you always have a way to keep your thoughts positive and your mindset where it needs to be. Anyone can get distracted, so it's a constant point of communication.”

Q-7: People who meet Jordan can’t believe how competitive he is because he’s full of grace, always smiling and so good-natured. How do you describe his demeanor?

A: “What means the most to me is Jordan’s heart as a competitor and his heart for people. He has a very big heart for his family and a circle of trust around him on a daily basis. Everything about him relates to a great heart. He has to dig down for a takedown or dig down for that win. He just goes and does it all with the heart of a champion. That’s what I appreciate about him. He competes very, very hard, but seems to always be at peace. No. 1, he has a very supporting, understanding wife. God knew what he was doing because Lauren’s father was a wrestling coach for 38 years, so Jordan's wife and the mother of their two children grew up with the grind he faces every day.”

Jordan Burroughs made a habit of giving back to the community. On Saturday, that favor will be returned.

The Thought of Winning Back-to-Back Gold Medals Makes Manning Choke Up

Q-8: I don’t want to jinx anyone, but what do you see when you envision Jordan winning another Olympic Gold?

A: “I get choked up just thinking about it. Week in and week out and year in and year out, you look at those long days of work and go over all the details that we’ve been covering lately. The Olympics will bring out Jordan’s best. It’s gonna be terrific!”

Q-9: I understand the blind draw and realize that upsets can happen, but who’s waiting in the wings ready to beat the great Jordan Burroughs?

A: “There are some great wrestlers in Jordan’s weight class. Aniuar Geduev is an Iranian wrestler who’s on record saying that he expects to beat Jordan. Russia has a great wrestler in his weight class. There’s some other guys out there that are tough. Jordan’s just gotta go and do it and run through them. We communicate all the time. Bryan Snyder (Nebraska associate head coach) will be in Brazil watching and Robert Kokesh (Nebraska volunteer administrative assistant and three-time NCAA All-American) will be in Rio as Jordan’s official workout partner.”

Q-10: Nebraska wrestling is trending and elevating year by year. If Jordan Burroughs wins another gold, what kind of impact will that have on his alma mater?

“The international style of wrestling is something I love and my coaching staff embraces and enjoys. We want to be the best place in America that can help the best wrestlers reach their goal of being a World and Olympic champion. We are obviously not a mainstream sport like the NFL, MLB, or NBA. But making a world team or being an Olympic champion is very important in this country. I think we’ve proven that we can help young men reach their highest goal. Not many programs can say that and we’re one of them because we’ve done it. I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves because our main focus is on Jordan and helping him be at his very best come August 19th. The other stuff will figure itself out.”

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