PSU Wrestling Spotlight on former Penn State wrestler: Mike Reid
Former Lion wrestler and football player Mike Reid is a true Renaissance man. An Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association champion, two time All-American football player, and first round draft choice and subsequent two time All-Pro defensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals, Mike has since gone on to have a successful music career. For twenty years he has been writing chart topping country and pop songs for Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd, Barbara Mandrell, Reba McEntire, Bette Midler, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson and Ronnie Milsap, among others. Along the way he picked up several Grammy Awards and numerous other honors such as the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' (ASCAP) "Writer of the Year" award. Mike, who has a degree in Music from Penn State, has also written an opera, "Different Fields", which was commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera Guild (New York) and Opera Memphis.Pictured at right (l-r): MCA Music Publishing's Gary Burr, Wynonna Judd, Mike and ASCAP Vice President Connie Bradley at an ASCAP reception honoring Reid and Judd for their number one song "To Be Loved By You" |
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Mike was an amazing athlete with catlike quickness and balance to go along with his great strength. He wrestled like a lower weight; he had a beautiful duck under and a great single and double shot. His standup was fantastic-he came up like a rocket. He had so much potential. He was a great guy too. When he
came out for the team he went right to work; he had a great work ethic and just fit right in with the guys.
His sophomore year, he came out late for the team because of his football commitments and after he got into wrestling shape he was undefeated. He ended up as Eastern champion at heavyweight and made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament before tearing the cartilage in his knee. After that injury, he wasn't allowed to come out for wrestling again. I would have loved to see him wrestle two more years as he had a chance to be a one or two-time national champion.
I remember during his freshman year (I was a sophomore); we were at Lehigh for a match and Mike disappeared. Nobody could find him for hours until we finally located him in a store window playing the piano. He played all afternoon-that was his way of relaxing. Then he went out that night and kicked the heck out of his opponent. I was ready to take piano lessons-I figured if that was the secret of success then I'd do it too. He was a neat young man and we are still friends today-Mike is a good person. One of the things I admire most about him is that he has always stuck close to his family.
-former Penn State wrestler and head coaach Rich Lorenzo
It was a tough match, a long evening but, overall, an extraordinary night. Rec Hall was packed and people went crazy after my match was over-it was very, very exciting.People had been talking about the PSU/Lehigh showdown all year. Lehigh was number one in the east and Penn State was number two. The crowd for the match was estimated at approximately 8,800-it was absolutely packed. The noise was deafening throughout the match and the lead went back and forth. It came down to Mike's match at heavyweight and he was really excited to be in that position with everything on the line-he loved competition. He won his match and the place just went nuts-people swarmed out of the stands, picked Mike up and paraded him around the floor. -RL
Mike called me last Christmas and one of the things he wanted to tell me about was his son who just had his first tough match. He was wrestling a really good wrestler and was losing but he stayed with it and came back to beat the guy. Mike was so proud that his son had that kind of determination and "stick-to-it" attitude. -RL
