The Grateful Dead was the most successful and durable touring band in rock-and-roll history, often traveling from city to city on very little rest.
But one group will rival the band's tenacity this weekend - the ASU wrestling team. The Sun Devils face their toughest road trip of the year.
Beginning tonight, the team will take flights from Phoenix to Los Angeles, then from L.A. to Portland, from Portland to L.A. and from L.A. to San Luis Obispo. From there, the Sun Devils will take a bus to Bakersfield, Calif., fly back to L.A. and, finally, return to Phoenix. The entire trip will take less than five days. The team knows its stamina will have been tested when the plane lands Monday.
"It will affect us, but our goal is to win the Pac-10," ASU head coach Thom Ortiz said.
ASU sophomore grappler Ryan Bader welcomed the challenge of the grueling road schedule. "We wrestle two hours a day and lift every day, so we're prepared for stuff like that," he said.
If the traveling doesn't get to the Sun Devils, the competition might. Less than a week removed from a victory over hapless Pac-10 rival Oregon, ASU will take on Portland State Friday night, followed by a pair of duels on Sunday with Cal-Poly, and nationally ranked Cal State-Bakersfield. All three teams are conference opponents.
"(They are) tough teams," Bader said. "A lot of people underestimate Bakersfield - they're pretty good right now. But we got all Pac-10 (opponents) this weekend, and that's what we look forward to."
Bader scored an impressive victory Friday over Nebraska's B.J. Patton, who, at the time, was ranked third in the nation. Bader's next big challenge will be Cal State-Bakersfield's Matt Monteiro, who is currently ranked fifth nationally.
As far as the team goes, this will be ASU's final road trip of the season as they look forward to home matches with Fresno State and Northern Iowa before hosting the Pac-10 championships at the end of the month.
Reach the reporter at vic.vela@asu.edu.
