Please know that this Website is best viewed on a computer (preferable) or a tablet.  I refuse to even try to imagine how it may appear on a smartphone, a lack of effort which is enhanced by the fact that there are no smartphones in my home unless they are brought by pre-approved visitors, and the use of those is frowned upon there.  The photographs on the Website are, of course, free to "steal."  I do not know how that is done on a smartphone, and the process is different on different tablets, but on a "real" computer (as in NOT AN APPLE product) one opens the thumbnail into a larger image, right-clicks the mouse and use "Save image as..." function to save it to wherever you would like it on your computer.

Photographs in General

I try to get photographs of as many kids as I can.  In particular, I like photographing kids who do not get photographs of themselves published much if at all.  Those kids, even if less talented than others, still work themselves out to the max every day, get the crud beat out of them and quite possibly throw-up every day, yet they still come back the next day.  They deserved to be recognized.  Everyone's t-shirt at the bottom of their lockers smells just as wretched as any others' does.

In that spirit, I have included some photographs I normally would not consider publishing.  They started a bit out of focus, but if enhancements made them as good as what some other media outlets have published, I have included them.  The same goes for some of the better matches, i.e., quarterfinals and the like.  A marginal photograph is better than no photograph at all, and that is why there is a demand for small frames.

Photographs (School and Divisions)

It is obvious that there are more photographs and information listed on Division I wrestlers and programs.  This arises for several reasons:

• There are more wrestlers in the Division I programs, and thus more wrestlers in the Division I weight classes and thus more Division I matches;
• Many Division I matches last longer than Division II and III matches due to the larger amount of wrestlers in most Division I programs;
• Currently, there are two sets of twins in Division I.

Photographs (Individuals)

Some wrestlers have numerous photos of them published, while others may not have any.  The costs associated with high-end cameras and lenses does not guarantee great photos, although it accounts for more "keepers."  The following, though, explains why some photos are deemed not suitable for publication:

• I like some wrestlers better than others.  OK - that is often true as some conduct is questionable.  But that is actually not a factor I use.  I prefer not to punish other peoples' teenagers;
• There are ten mats at the state championships, but the Louisiana Wrestling News only has five photographers - some matches simply are not photographed;
• Some wrestlers may compete for a team whose wrestler(s) defeated the editor 40-odd years ago.  Life ain't fair;
• Some wrestlers go for the "fast pin," eschewing everlasting longevity on the World Wide Web.  If winning is more important than being found on a Google Images search, well, one's priorities are just that;
• Some matches end too quickly for a photographer to find a vantage point from which to photograph them.  Wrestlers should know where the cameras are during all of their matches;
• Some matches consist more of the wrestlers' posteriors, which, in the end, do not make the best shots;
• Some photographs, due to the nature of some singlets, could feasibly be interpreted as pornographic.  See Justice Potter Stewart;
• I just forget about some matches.  "Sundowning" occurs faster every year.

I confess I did have to buy two photos from RomaPics as they All-Academic team members were introduced prior to any LWN photographers being ready to take photographs.

Photographs (Podiums)

I liked the way the awards were presented at this tournament, stopping after half of the finals matches were completed to present awards to the top six wrestlers from 106 lbs. to 145 lbs. on three podia - one for each division.  However, my photographers were not allowed inside the barricades to photograph the award winners, and only a few podium shots from a side angle were taken.  I found this particularly maddening because, while I like photographs of the entire podium and all of the placers, I also like to get individual head shots of the wrestlers.  It is my belief that some wrestlers would like to have photos of themselves on the podium, but not always dwarfed by others who placed higher than they did, and thus have higher spots on the podium.  My photographers and I were relegated to search the crowd after the matches were over looking for photographs of wrestlers with brackets, medals or certificate.  While I intend to request better access to the mats for the entire tournament next year, I will at least push very hard to allow Louisiana Wrestling News photographers to be inside the barricades for awards ceremonies.  We have the lenses and the common sense that will allow us to take photographs without getting in the way of the photographers contracted by the LHSAA.

Photographs (Quality)

A number of things can determine whether a photo comes out sharp or, less sharp than others or just plain blurry:

• The photos are blurry due to incorrect settings on the camera;
• The photos are blurry due to unanticipated motions of the photographers when taking photos;
• The photos are too bright or too dark for photo editing software to "fix;"
• When great shots present themselves, the photographers may not have time to make sure the auto-focus option on the lenses is concentrated on the wrestlers rather than something on the far side of the mats, or simply on the shoe of a wrestler rather than their bodies;
• Some photos are not as "sharp" as others, but may be the only ones available for publication despite the reasons mention above in this section.  Some may be tolerable if used in smaller frames than 4"x6", 5"x7" or 12"x12" ones for which they are cropped.  Absolutely terrible ones will not make the "final cut."

Seasonal Records

• Unless otherwise stated, the match records include results of competition against Louisiana-based opponents only, even if they occur at out-of-state events;
• Matches against out-of-state competition are not counted as they may be low in number, or of little consequence to the wrestler's season;
• Forfeits and byes are not used when tabulating wins and losses;
• Junior varsity matches are not counted  hen tabulating wins and losses;
• The records presented are the final records after the state championships.

Finals Matches Descriptions

When necessary, the descriptions of the finals matches were derived from viewing TrackWrestling (TW) videos, and are subject to the following flaws:

• Sometimes the TW camera is not moved when the wrestlers are on a certain part of the mat (usually in the left and right the corners of the mats closest to the out-of-bounds areas on the camera side of the mats;)
• Some moves are performed faster than a 56-year-old is able to discern what happened, despite several reviews;
• Some moves are either unknown to the editor or are called something other than they were called in the less politically correct days of which I am most familiar.

Errors

Erors quite probably exits, and inklude, butt our not limitted too, the folowing areas:

• Finals matches descriptions;
• Misspelled names;
• Unintentionally uncouth prose by the editor.

My goal is to make the coverage of the state championships, and, for that matter, any events, as accurate as possible.  Hence, I appreciate being informed about and will make corrections to errors in my coverage.  The Louisiana Wrestling News, as all readers certainly know, is not run on a 24-hour cycle and thus I will happily spend time to make sure information is correct.  Simply send an email to me describing where errors have been made, and I will do my best to correct them.

Yours in wrestling,

Martin G. Muller

Editor - Louisiana Wrestling News

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