Bobby Steveson came into the University of Minnesota from nearby Apple Valley High School as the top-ranked 195-pounder in the country. A champion at the USA Wrestling Junior Nationals, Steveson looked to be one of the anchors for the upper weights for the Gophers. But injuries took their toll and even though Steveson made one trip to the NCAA Division I Championships, his high school accolades and expectations didn’t match up. Now with his college career over, Steveson talks about what’s next, ...
Apr 21, 2020•1 hr 2 min
A trip to Totino-Grace High School in Fridley had one goal in mind, profile the private Catholic school and its accomplished wrestling program. What happened was what makes sports great - kids doing great things to create great results. Totino-Grace wouldn’t hoist the Section 5AA trophy on Saturday, it’s be a group of kids from Orono who came into the sectional tournament with a 6-12 dual record. Coach Joe McPherson’s Orono Spartans upended Totino-Grace to reach the team state tournament for the...
Feb 17, 2020•42 min
The snow couldn't prevent Augsburg from winning the first women's dual in school history on Sunday, January 19 at Si Melby Hall. Originally scheduled for Saturday night, Augsburg beat UW-Stevens Point 30-12 in the lone home dual of the year. The win ushered in a new era of women's wrestling in the midwest and in Minnesota. Episode 65 of The Guillotine Grapevine talks with Augsburg women's head wrestling coach Max Mejia and Athletic Director Jeff Swenson on their reaction on the outcome and how t...
Jan 20, 2020•21 min
The 18th Clash National High School Wrestling Duals got going on January 3 at Rochester Community & Technical College's Regional Sports Center. Today on The Guillotine Grapevine, we get an insight into the relevance of the tournament, its impact on Minnesota and the Rochester area as well as get insight from sponsors, visiting coaches and locals familiar with the event. Today's show features Al Venz, a parent from Farmington and the host of the Al and Josh Show podcast, Punahou School (Hawai...
Jan 04, 2020•45 min
Leading the Fish House Parade in Aitkin is coach Larry Liljenquist and his Aitkin Gobblers. This episode of The Guillotine Grapevine stumbles across the Aitkin Fish House Parade the day after Thanksgiving. The Grand Marshal for this year's parade, that ran right through the center of town and right down U.S. 169 was the Aitkin wrestling program. While up in Aitkin with my family, I had a chance to interview coach Liljenquist about the town's tradition and how Aitkin loves its wrestling. SUBSCRIB...
Dec 01, 2019•25 min
The fitting representation of the Axe of St. Olaf What’s the most notable sports story that’s involved St. Olaf in the past 18 months outside of its announcement to drop wrestling? The answer, known to the entire sporting world, is the school’s place in the fight to kick out Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference juggernaut St. Thomas out of the conference. The story wasn’t just prominent in the Star Tribune here in Minnesota, but it made the AP and even ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt noted the bo...
Oct 31, 2019•36 min
What level of a responsibility should a college have to take care of its students? That’s the question Florida’s Melissa McGlynn has for the entire St. Olaf College administration. By now, the Minnesota wrestling community knows that St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota announced it would discontinue wrestling at the end of the 2019-20 season. This announcement was released after business hours on Friday, October 18. I’m Hall of Fame wrestling writer and broadcaster Jason Bryant, and this i...
Oct 25, 2019•28 min
Minnesota USA Wrestling head Greco-Roman coach Dan Chandler talks about the performances of the 16U team in Greco-Roman and some of the challenges that the style presents when coaching at all levels. All three 16U champions, Caleb Thoennes, Jore Volk and Gavin Nelson, all join the show. They also verify or dispel rumors of coach Justin Lavalle's fashion and driving ability. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/guillotine-grapevine-podcast/id10...
Jul 19, 2019•15 min
Minnesota USA Wrestling head freestyle coach Jayson Ness talks about the performances of the team in freestyle. We'll also talk with Junior freestyle national champion Patrick Kennedy. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/guillotine-grapevine-podcast/id1032548516?at=11ly5X Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/mat-talk-podcast-network/the-guillotine-grapevine-mat-talk-podcast-network?refid=stpr Spreaker: http://www.spreaker.com/show/the-gu...
Jul 16, 2019•16 min
A national event has a distinctly Upper Midwest presence as the 2019 USA Wrestling Junior & 16U Nationals will come to the Fargodome just across the Red River in Fargo, North Dakota from July 13-19. On this episode of The Guillotine Grapevine, we visit with Steve Saxlund, a Pipestone, Minnesota, native who was a four-time All-American and three-time NCAA Division II champion at North Dakota State. Saxlund is part-owner in a NDSU-themed bar and grill called Herd & Horns, which rolls out t...
Jul 12, 2019•40 min
Another Storm roundtable edition, this time coming from Insight Brewing in Minneapolis. Join host Jason Bryant along with World Teamer Pat Smith, past World Teamer Jordan Holm, Canada's Joe Dashou and Norway's Hans Martin Male as they talk about the recent happenings in wrestling and how it relates to Minnesota and the Minnesota Storm. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spreaker | Spotify | Google Podcasts | RSS SUPPORT THE SHOW If you'd like to SUPPORT THE SHOW an...
Jul 04, 2019•1 hr 5 min
Brandon Paulson is set to be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame this weekend in Stillwater, Oklahoma. But even though Paulson has that important moment forthcoming, he's had a number of moments with the PINnacle School of Wrestling this summer. Paulson comes by the studio to give his perspective on the Gopher wrestling season, the season of freestyle and Greco and how well represented the club is on the USA world teams. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts | Stitch...
May 29, 2019•38 min
NCAA Division I Gopher Wrestling Preview from the floor of the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with Minnesota head wrestling coach Brandon Eggum. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/guillotine-grapevine-podcast/id1032548516?at=11ly5X Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/mat-talk-podcast-network/the-guillotine-grapevine-mat-talk-podcast-network?refid=stpr Spreaker: http://www.spreaker.com/show/the-guillotine-grapevine Spotify...
Mar 19, 2019•26 min
With over 30 years of coaching experience, the last 26 at Minnesota State in Mankato, it was inevitable Jim Makovsky would reach 300 victories. Now standing at 302 career coaching victories, with 279 of them in Mankato, Makovsky talks about what led him to a career in coaching from his time at Valley City State, how he quit his job, proposed to his wife and pulled all his money out of the bank - on the same day. A music aficionado, the interview almost got derailed early talking about Minnesota ...
Feb 11, 2019•1 hr
Team videographer Cole Schrupp joins The Guillotine Grapevine to talk about his career in the sport, coming from Watertown and what his life's been like around Gopher wrestling. Schrupp started out his college years at Minnesota State before transferring to Northern Michigan and working closely with the school's Greco-Roman program and Minnesotans Andy Bisek and Chas Betts, among others. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/guillotine-grapevin...
Feb 03, 2019•28 min
Episode 52 of The Guillotine Grapevine recaps Sunday's Golden Gopher win over Rutgers at Maturi Pavilion. The eighth-ranked Gophers beat their visitors from New Jersey 22-15 and after the dual, I talk with Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale, Minnesota 157-pounder Steve Bleise, Gopher head wrestling coach Brandon Eggum and Big Ten Network broadcaster Shane Sparks. Do we have more questions than answers at 133 pounds? Listen in to find out. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts: https...
Jan 07, 2019•26 min
Heading into November 25th's dual at Maturi Pavilion, The Guillotine Grapevine catches up with new South Dakota State head coach Damion Hahn. A four-time All-American and two-time NCAA Division I champion for Minnesota, Hahn left Cornell after 12 seasons as an assistant coach and came back to the midwest. Hahn talks about his foundations in wrestling, how he dealt with being the best guy on a losing high school team and how he chose Minnesota and how the team component was a big part of it. Hahn...
Nov 24, 2018•1 hr 48 min
We'll recap Oklahoma State's 23-9 win over Minnesota on Episode 50 of The Guillotine Grapevine. Among guests on this episode are Oklahoma State's Daton Fix, Gopher head coach Brandon Eggum and Gopher wrestlers Gable Steveson and Mitch McKee. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/guillotine-grapevine-podcast/id1032548516?at=11ly5X Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/mat-talk-podcast-network/the-guillotine-grapevine-mat-talk-podcast-network...
Nov 19, 2018•24 min
We're going to #BurnTheBoats with University of Mary head wrestling coach Adam Aho on the latest edition of The Guillotine Grapevine. Aho is a Frazee native who wrestled at North Dakota State before venturing to coach high school for a couple of seasons. He had an opportunity to coach with Jim Makovsky down in Mankato before the Mary gig opened up. We'll talk about his time in Frazee and what it's like wrestling with that program, his relationship with Bucky Maughan and what it's been like build...
Nov 15, 2018•53 min
Coming off homecoming, the Gopher wrestling program looks to some important upcoming dates to not just engage the community, but develop programs to fund the future of Gopher wrestling. On Episode 48 of The Guillotine Grapevine, we visit the wrestling offices at Bierman to talk to head coach Brandon Eggum about the upcoming opening of the new wrestling room, the Wrestling Gala featuring Tony Dungy and the home-opener coming in November against Oklahoma State. Coach Eggum also talks about the lin...
Oct 11, 2018•34 min
We head over to Bierman on the campus of the University of Minnesota to talk with 2009 U.S. World Teamer and Minnesota Storm freestyle coach Dustin Schlatter. A three-time All-American, Schlatter moved off the Gopher coaching staff to take over as the main RTC freestyle coach. We'll talk to Schlatter about his transition, why he and older brother C.P. chose Minnesota, coaching Gable Steveson at the Junior World Championships and the dynamic that brothers on the same team can create, both individ...
Oct 04, 2018•35 min
As Team USA heads to the Junior World Championships, we've got a number of Minnesota tie-ins to discuss and we'll do that on Episode 46 of The Guillotine Grapevine with Pinnacle's Jared Lawrence. Lawrence looks back on his own experience at the 1999 and 2000 Junior World Championships and talks about his prospects on how the Minnesota natives will fare in Slovakia. We'll also ask Lawrence some Gopher-related questions from his time in the lineup pitched to us by Minnesotan Chris Willaert, who fo...
Sep 13, 2018•42 min
The Guillotine Grapevine goes on the road to Daytona Beach, Florida to check in with All-American Golden Gopher Manny Rivera. The California native is entering his second year as the head wrestling coach at CSU Bakersfield. Rivera talks about his time in Minnesota, getting recruited to Minnesota, interactions with J Robinson and Joe Russell and finally punching through to place as a senior. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spreaker | Spotify | Google Play Music |...
Aug 07, 2018•35 min
Taking a visit over to the home of a few members of the Minnesota Storm to talk about some wrestling topics on Episode 44 of The Guillotine Grapevine. Join host Jason Bryant as he moderates the roundtable with Joe Rau, Donny Longendyke, Zach Sanders and Pat Smith. Among the topics are Final X, wrestling terminology, how the greats would compete in today's wrestling scene and what the better wrestling state is. It's a backyard discussion that's just like you arguing with your friends. SUBSCRIBE T...
Jul 06, 2018•1 hr 31 min
A trip to Pinnacle Wrestling School on a Tuesday evening will bring all sorts of characters to the mats. On Episode 43 of The Guillotine Grapevine podcast, we'll talk with Cadet World champion Greg Kerkvliet and Shakopee state runner-up Paxton Creese on their preparation for the upcoming summer circuit. Kerkvliet will try to make both the Cadet and Junior World teams, while Creese is also gearing up for a trip to Guatemala for the Cadet Pan Am Championships. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE...
May 16, 2018•32 min
John Peterson grew up loving wrestling out in the western part of Minnesota. With two twin brothers who excelled, it was easy for him to follow their opponents from around the state. As Peterson got older, he took his love for the sport and his passion for broadcasting and put them together. On Episode 42 of The Guillotine Grapevine, we talk to the Fertlie, Minn., native about his broadcasting career and how some graduate work at St. Cloud State led him to be named the National Wrestling Media A...
Apr 19, 2018•37 min
St. Cloud State captured its third NCAA Division II wrestling championship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 8-9. On the latest episode of The Guillotine Grapevine, Huskies head wrestling coach Steve Costanzo joins the program to talk about his team's rise to prominence in Division II and what went into the third championship in four years for St. Cloud State. The Huskies had six All-Americans and return eight of its 10 qualifiers from 2018. What's been the philosophy for Costanzo in his team's tit...
Mar 21, 2018•46 min
In the lore of Minnesota wrestling, Friday, February 2 might go down as one of the most important in the state's history. Not because the dual outcome impacted a state or sectional title, but because you saw two world champions collide as two of the state's power programs met in front of a capacity crowd at Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights. Episode 40 of The Guillotine Grapevine goes before and after the Gable Steveson-Greg Kerkvliet super match. Steveson, a three-time world champion at...
Feb 03, 2018•21 min
The Minnesota Golden Gopher wrestling team current sits as the 14th-ranked team in Division I wrestling. After a 30-7 drubbing at the hands of Michigan on Sunday, January 21, Coach Brandon Eggum explains what has to be done and how the team is fighting through a litany of injuries. We'll open up Episode 39 of The Guillotine Grapevine talking with Simley alum Nick Wanzek. The senior 165-pounder is coming off a big win over Logan Massa and has been wrestling well of late. Then we get into a long c...
Jan 24, 2018•42 min
The PINnacle Wrestling School has been one of the nation's most successful in recent years. Co-founded by Jared Lawrence and a handful of former University of Minnesota wrestlers, PINnacle has evolved over the last 10 years into a program college coaches notice. Lawrence talks about the foundations of the club, the new location in Roseville, how college coaches trust he and fellow club runner Brandon Paulson and what the club opts to service and promote. SUBSCRIBE TO THE GUILLOTINE GRAPEVINE App...
Dec 26, 2017•31 min
