2022 NCAA All-American Real Woods (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)For better or for worse, The NIL era is fully upon us, and not even three weeks into the college offseason, it's all anyone can talk about. Heck, I think all my questions are about it. It's almost as if the entire process of transferring changed when Nick Suriano jumped to an interconference school sans any penalties. Then the transfer portal became prominent. Next, everyone in 2021 received a free year.
Now we've got this strange NIL situation that seems to be drenched in vagueness and nobody knows what's right and what's wrong. I don't know if Real Woods received a large sum of money or not and I really don't care. Real Woods set a goal to get a Stanford degree and was close to accomplishing that when he thought he may have lost his wrestling team for good. After that didn't happen, he was able to stay and graduate while still being able to compete. Now fully on his way to a diploma with two years of eligibility left, Real decided to take his talents elsewhere. Now it's rumored his talents were bought by the school he chose. What school is that? Iowa! Yeah, that Iowa! The most famous college wrestling team ever. The school every wrestler ever probably dreamed of wrestling for at some point. Did he maybe get some money to wrestle there? Very possible. Good for him. Get a Stanford degree, then get paid to wrestle two years at Iowa. You're living right. The NIL has opened a world of possibilities as far as recruitment. Get used to it. Real Woods is far from the last time we see this.
To the mailbag.
Who is Jagger giving an NIL deal to, to bring them to RU? Or any other school in Jersey, for that matter. @luke_w_wise
I don't want to be accused of tampering or step on the toes of any of the fine Scarlet Knights wrestlers already rostered, but there's a two-year-old in Southeastern PA named Anthony DiMarco, Jr who shows some real promise. His old man likes to write fantasy wrestling articles, but the son is the real deal. I hear he's leaving daycare mid-semester to get into the nursery school room quicker to prepare for a possible three years of kindergarten. Top five on my Baby Big Board.
My Cousin Vinny, Goodfellas, or The Godfather? What is your take on cheese? @SethPetar
Cheese stinks. Mafia movies don't. One of these is a lawyer movie starring a mafia movie legend. Fun fact: mob movie comedy classic My Blue Heaven was written
by Nora Ephron as a companion piece to Goodfellas, which was written by her husband, Nicholas Pileggi. Hey, what a day for a mow!
How much money would need to be “in the bag†to get Jagger to enter the transfer portal? @Jkos11
And leave Intermat? Easton would fall.
Have you ever been Jermed? @wiems19
Ewww. I hope not. Oh, you mean Mat Jerms. The hottest podcast on the internet. Alright, Jeremy, I'll bite on your shameless plug. But only because I named it. Seriously though, go check your local listings for my good pal Jeremy and his foray into the world of podcasting. A huge supporter of women's wrestling, the Jerm already has a great list of guests lined up.
What is the percentage of Post Grads who enter the portal with years of eligibility left and will that change how you think due to the use of NIL and RTC ? @MindsetCoachBW
This is where things will get tricky. If you were a lowerclassman during the free year, you are likely to graduate with at least one year of eligibility left and maybe even two. Now you have the right to be a full free agent who has fulfilled all of his duties to your original school. It's the best of both worlds. Three worlds when you throw in the money factor. And since barely anyone redshirted during the free year, you can bet your behind the coaches will think twice about sitting them for a year in the future, knowing anyone can bolt at any time. Anyone who was a true freshman last year and redshirted this year is really in the driver's seat. You have four years of eligibility left and two years of school down. The student-athletes have never had a better chance to maximize their talents for all their worth.
Do you really follow college wrestling? @MaceikoW
About as much as people follow you. This guy has tweeted 180 times with one person listening. Just call him on the phone. Have a good weekend all! Baseball is back!
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