Down Goes the #1! -Part 7

 Well this one is going to be short and sweet. I guess maybe I should have went 70-73 for early 70's, 74-76 for mid 70's & 77-79 for late 70's.  Instead I put 77' as a mid 70's. If for no other reason than substance, should have gone 77 as late 70's.  Why?  Because between 1978 & 1979 at the NCAA DI tournament only two #1 seeds were beat before the NCAA finals. Everyone else either won the NCAA title as they were predicted to or they finished as the NCAA runner-up.  Here are the two times the #1 seed went down before the NCAA DI finals in both 1978 & 1979. 

1978 134 - U.S. Bill Walsh Cleveland State Upsets #1 Lee Roy Smith Oklahoma State in R1

A two time state champion for North Olmstead, Bill Walsh's claim to fame while competing for the Vikings of Cleveland State was the day he knocked off #1 seed Lee Roy Smith of Oklahoma State in the first round of the 1978 NCAA Division I championships. Smith of the famous Smith family had placed 5th as a freshman in 1977. While neither placed here, Smith would go on to place 4th as a junior in 1979, winning the NCAA title in 1980 as a senior.  A four time BIG 12 champion, post college Smith would win World Cup Silver in 1981 & World Silver in 1983. 

1979 UNL - U.S. Steve Williams Oklahoma Upsets #1 Jeff Blatnick Springfield in the QF

I write this next excerpt with a tear in my eye as Steve Williams & Jeff Blatnick were not only two of the greatest HWT's to ever step on the mat, but two of the best genuine human beings the sport of wrestling has ever known. Blatnick was a NCAA Division II wrestler who had finished as the DII runner up in 1977, winning back to back DII titles in 1978 & 1979.  Having placed 6th in 1978 at the NCAA DI tournament, all that was left to do was win a NCAA DI title. It all looked good until he ran into a redhot freshman from the University of Oklahoma, who after making a name for himself on the football field, was now doing it on the mat. Williams won a tight 6-5 decision. Yet ironically enough, that'd be the end of Williams steam as it only began Blatnick's. While Williams would lose his next three matches to finish 6th, Blatnick would win his next four to capture 3rd.  Williams would finish 5th in 1980 as a sophomore, then taking 3rd as a junior & finishing out his career as the NCAA runner up.  Both Blatnick and Williams went on to phenomenal careers post college. Williams became extraordinarily successful in professional wrestling. Blatnick despite a near death experience with Cancer would win World Cup Silver in 1980, Olympic Gold in 1984 & World Cup Bronze in 1987 before having a career as a commentator. He covered amateur wrestling, MMA/UFC & professional wrestling.  

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Down Goes the #1-Part 8 coming soon that will cover the early 1980's!