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Editorial: Why second-team matters
Op-Ed · November 02, 2017


Joe Panozzo didn’t start, yet the University of Northern Iowa still included him when it inducted the rest of the 1977-78 wrestling team into its Hall of Fame.


Anyone who regularly plays sports will know why this is less a kind gesture and more a genuine appreciation for his contributions, and the contributions of any non-starter.

Panozzo is quite modest about how the Panthers benefitted from his help, but he is not blind to it.

Panozzo was a junior on the team that season, and he and fellow 190-pound wrestler Kirk Myers started the season with similar skills. In fact, most successful wrestling teams have two or more athletes in the same weight class — sparring partners. Panozzo noted that, over time, Myers progressed faster than he did, so the coach picked Myers for more starting spots.

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” Proverbs 27 reads, and coaches put this belief to work to sharpen their teams. From basketball to volleyball to football, teams looking for an edge scout their opponents, watch film and run plays they expect to see in the coming match-up.

In scrimmages, smart coaches do not pull players aside for one-on-one tips on how to beat their fellow teammates. They say it in front of both players, so both know what to expect, making it harder on both at the same time and seeing who comes out on top.

Panozzo and Myers battled each other for starting position, and Myers edged him out. But without Panozzo challenging him, how far could Myers improve? Keep in mind that Panozzo is getting better, too, every time they practiced.

The Panthers finished 12-4 in their conference and went on to win the 1978 NCAA national championship. Myers was one of the wrestlers to finish in first in his weight division, and one of seven to place in all weight divisions. A big chunk of Myers’ credit goes to Panozzo.

The 13-year resident of West Branch still makes light of his involvement.

“It’s like the Cubs who didn’t dress (for the World Series),” he said. “They still got a ring.”

And, they still earned it.