Re: Grubbs article in the North County Times today 1/8........
by AnonymousBy: TOM SHANAHAN - For the North County Times
Q: Have you seen the state championship medal won by your uncle, John, or by your La Costa Canyon coach, Dwayne Buth?
A: No. Coach Buth said he showed me his medal last year, but I don't really remember it. My uncle isn't a cocky guy, and he has his stuff put away. I've never really asked him about it.
Q: How much pressure do you feel to match your uncle's state title?
A: It's not really pressure on me. They didn't push me into the sport. I decided to do it on my own.
Q: When did you realize that you come from a wrestling family?
A: Around middle school, when I started getting into sports. In eighth grade, I asked my uncles and dad for help in wrestling.
Q: You don't see wrestling highlights on "SportsCenter." What are ESPN program directors missing about your sport?
A: Wrestling is a different sport, so a lot of people don't understand it. But I think if you watch it and pay attention, it's pretty exciting. If they tried to understand it, they'd find it more interesting.
Q: What sports do you like watching on TV?
A: When college wrestling is on TV, I like to watch that. I also like to watch the Chargers and the NFL.
Q: What's your favorite weekend wrestling invitational?
A: Last year we went to Reno (Nev.) for the Tournament of Champions. I liked it because it's a different state and we stayed in a hotel that's really cool. There were a lot of fans at the meet. It was almost like the state meet."
Q: You didn't place at your first state meet last year, but what did you learn from it?
A: I was really nervous because I had never been there before. I think I'll be more comfortable at state this time, and that will give me an advantage. I'll just try and wrestle like I always do.
Q: What's the toughest part about keeping your weight down?
A: Hanging out with friends who are eating whatever they want. That's a lot of temptation.
Q: What's your favorite thing to eat the day after wrestling season ends?
A: I like to eat ice cream.
Q: What do you like about competing for your high school team?
A: A lot of my friends on the wrestling team are cool to hang out with. It keeps me in shape and makes me work hard.
Q: What do you like about offseason wrestling competition?
A: It helps to get more experience, get more matches. They're fun to go to because you don't have worry about winning or losing. You just go out and wrestle. You can go out and work on things and learn from your mistakes.
Q: What was your best youth sport before you focused on wrestling?
A: I played baseball for a couple of years. I played second base and shortstop.
Q: Who is the biggest influence on your wrestling career?
A: I'd say my dad. He's really supportive. He takes me to a lot meets and helps financially with the cost of traveling and going to meets. He's always there for me if I win or lose.
Q: What's the best camp you've been to?
A: The La Costa Canyon team goes to the Camp of the Champions. Last year we went to two -- one in Riverside and one in Redlands.
Q: What's the most important thing you learned at camps?
A: The camps are pretty interesting, depending on the camp you go to. They teach you how to work hard, and that makes practice not as hard."
Q: Poway is such an overwhelming state and national power, virtually unbeatable for San Diego schools. What's the team's attitude when you face Poway?
A: Our coaches tell us we can win the dual meet, but in reality we know it's probably not going to happen. We know we have to wrestle our best. If we do that, then we know there isn't anything else we could have done. But there's not much you can do against them.
Q: What are your goals for the season?
A: I want to be a CIF Masters champion again and (I'm) hoping to place in the top three at state.
Q: What about matching the state title of your Uncle John or Coach Buth?
A: That's more of a long-term goal for me.
Bryan Grubbs
School: La Costa Canyon
Sport: Wrestling
Weight class: 112 pounds
Year: Sophomore
Born: April 3, 1992
Height: 5-foot-3
Accomplishments: Season record of 22-1 after winning the Jim Londos Tournament on Saturday at Orange Glen. Last year he was the CIF Masters champion at 103 pounds and a rare state-meet qualifier as a freshman.
Legacy: Grubbs' father, Michio, and uncles, John and Mike, were wrestlers at El Camino in the 1980s. John was a state champion in 1986 and 1987. Mike was an All-American at Cal State Fullerton as an NCAA fifth-place medalist in 1994.
Quick hits
Spaghetti or pizza? Pizza
Boxing or mixed martial arts? Mixed martial arts
Favorite movie: "Dumb and Dumber"
Favorite TV show: "Family Guy"
Favorite NFL player who was a college wrestler: Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal
Comedy or action? Comedy
Favorite athlete: Cary Kolat (two-time NCAA wrestling champion at Penn State)
UCLA or USC? USC
In your iPod: I have a lot rock music, with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica.
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