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The Daily OrangeWrestling | Longtime Syracuse coach Carlin to be inducted in Hall of Fame
By Jason Tarr
Posted: 9/13/07, 2:17 AM EST Section: Sports
"He would ask you how you feel to make a point, and you couldn't even talk because you were in so much pain," Rogers joked. "His dedication to the sport and passion for it really rubbed off on his guys."
With this dedication and passion, Carlin built the program at SU virtually from the ground up. He and members of his team even gutted an old building and built their own wrestling facility, which sat next to Manley Field House for a number of years.
"He had an old coaching style," former Syracuse Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel said. "He didn't need facilities, he never asked for anything; he just did with it what he had, and what he had was self-generated. He built the program, he sustained the program, and he did his own recruiting."
But after building the program for almost 40 years, Carlin watched as it crumbled under the pressures of Title IX. SU disbanded the team in 1996 and Carlin retired at age 62 the following year. He continues to feel angry, frustrated and saddened by the decision. He often pauses before speaking about that year, almost searching for the words to describe the pain he still feels.
"I was crushed, needless to say," Carlin said. "I had put my whole life into the wrestling program, and it was like going back to square one."
It wasn't the first time Carlin had overcome adversity in his position. In the late 1960s, SU cut all scholarships for eight years to every sport except football and basketball, leaving Carlin with eight seasons of mediocrity. In the late 1990s, Carlin's team was sanctioned along with the SU basketball and lacrosse teams for a violation and the squad lost 10 scholarships over four seasons.
But it has been Carlin's ability to overcome these hardships that have allowed him to have such a long and illustrious career.
"You learn to get back up when you have been knocked down in life," Carlin said. "Get back on your feet and move on with your life, and that's what you have got to do in this world."
Since his retirement and the disbanding of his team, Carlin has enjoyed living on Oneida Lake, going to Florida in the winters, playing golf and working on his newest project: fundraising to help build a park in Brewerton, N.Y.
Despite these activities, Carlin still retains his love of wrestling. His grandson competed in pee-wee wrestling for a time and Carlin, in true form, was there to show him the moves. Each year, he sees former wrestlers and frequently talks on the phone with former teammates, players and coaches.
"I enjoyed my years at Syracuse and I enjoyed the coaching, but what I missed most after my retirement was working with the young kids because they kept me young," Carlin said. "I am looking forward to the induction because any day I can get together with any of my old wrestlers will be a great day."
With this dedication and passion, Carlin built the program at SU virtually from the ground up. He and members of his team even gutted an old building and built their own wrestling facility, which sat next to Manley Field House for a number of years.
"He had an old coaching style," former Syracuse Director of Athletics Jake Crouthamel said. "He didn't need facilities, he never asked for anything; he just did with it what he had, and what he had was self-generated. He built the program, he sustained the program, and he did his own recruiting."
But after building the program for almost 40 years, Carlin watched as it crumbled under the pressures of Title IX. SU disbanded the team in 1996 and Carlin retired at age 62 the following year. He continues to feel angry, frustrated and saddened by the decision. He often pauses before speaking about that year, almost searching for the words to describe the pain he still feels.
"I was crushed, needless to say," Carlin said. "I had put my whole life into the wrestling program, and it was like going back to square one."
It wasn't the first time Carlin had overcome adversity in his position. In the late 1960s, SU cut all scholarships for eight years to every sport except football and basketball, leaving Carlin with eight seasons of mediocrity. In the late 1990s, Carlin's team was sanctioned along with the SU basketball and lacrosse teams for a violation and the squad lost 10 scholarships over four seasons.
But it has been Carlin's ability to overcome these hardships that have allowed him to have such a long and illustrious career.
"You learn to get back up when you have been knocked down in life," Carlin said. "Get back on your feet and move on with your life, and that's what you have got to do in this world."
Since his retirement and the disbanding of his team, Carlin has enjoyed living on Oneida Lake, going to Florida in the winters, playing golf and working on his newest project: fundraising to help build a park in Brewerton, N.Y.
Despite these activities, Carlin still retains his love of wrestling. His grandson competed in pee-wee wrestling for a time and Carlin, in true form, was there to show him the moves. Each year, he sees former wrestlers and frequently talks on the phone with former teammates, players and coaches.
"I enjoyed my years at Syracuse and I enjoyed the coaching, but what I missed most after my retirement was working with the young kids because they kept me young," Carlin said. "I am looking forward to the induction because any day I can get together with any of my old wrestlers will be a great day."
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