2008 Woodie Awards
Childhood friends bring laughter, enthusiasm to NU wrestling team
Dave Houfek
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: Sports
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Vince Jones and Jordan Burroughs have been best friends nearly as long as they've been wrestling. The tandem met in a youth wrestling club in their hometown of Sicklerville, N.J. when Jones was seven and Burroughs was five.
Growing up together, they often spent the night at each other's houses and made it a point to have pizza and play video games before tournaments.
After Jones' first year at Nebraska, Manning was back on the recruiting circuit where he stopped in Sicklerville once again to recruit Jones' younger companion.
"I just put in the word," Jones said. "Jordan did everything himself. He went to nationals and he won state. He did it pretty much by himself."
The two were back together for the start to the 2006-2007 school year, where they quickly let old habits come back. Whether it was betting over who could eat a whole pizza or take down the other in a game of NCAA football, the two roommates' competitive natures and light-hearted personalities never skipped a beat.
Jones said one of his best jokes ever was a prank phone call to Manning that happened before he had signed with Nebraska.
"I told him I was going to Penn State, then I hung up," Jones said. "I guess he was all rattled and everything. Then I called back and said, 'psyche, coach.'"
When asked what the two bring to the table, Manning had to fight through his chuckles before he said that they bring a lot more laughter and humor to the team, along with a commitment to be the best in their weight class.
"They're always cracking on someone or each other," Manning said. "They're competitors, boy, their intensity level rises up when it's go time, and that's neat to have that on our team."
Manning believes it is important to have not just good wrestlers but good people on the team, and that the way Jones and Burroughs feed off of each other in tournaments and in practice greatly helps their performance.
Jones said that when Burroughs puts up a lot of points in a match, it will get him excited and ready to go for his bout. Likewise, Burroughs said he is more confident and comfortable knowing his best friend is right beside him and has already experienced everything that he will go through.
The two didn't think they could get much closer, until they came to Nebraska and had to rely on each other even more while being away from home. That closeness has carried into every aspect of wrestling.
"I've wrestled with him for a long time, and I know what he can do," Burroughs said. "I always expect him to win, because he's always been the one I've looked up to."
Both said that they are enjoying the limelight of being two of the best wrestlers in their weight classes and that being a part of the No. 2-ranked team in the nation has been like a dream come true. Nevertheless, the best part of it all has been that they are experiencing it together.
"I knew for it to be a more comfortable fit here I needed somebody like Jordan to be here with me," Jones said. "I wouldn't rather have anybody else but him be here with me, he's like my brother."
DAVEHOUFEK@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
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