Respect

[LJB]

Get on board or get left behind…

https://www.fivepointmove.com/usa-greco/gardner-back-nationals-joins-potent-heavyweight-field/
 

[Dogbone]

Hopefully he steps on the scale and has control over his weight and health.   Not a contender but I imagine this was a goal to get back into shape.     Best of luck!

[LJB]

i reffed a couple of practice matches of his a couple of months ago...

he had already got back down to 315 by december...

he is a different type of human...

do not sleep on his chances...

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

10 minutes ago, LJB said:

i reffed a couple of practice matches of his a couple of months ago...

he had already got back down to 315 by december...

he is a different type of human...

do not sleep on his chances...

I'm not sure about his chances, but will agree that he is a different type of human.  I was privileged to be able to watch him train at a workout as the 2000 trials were imminent.  He was drilling technique HARD.  He had two separate training partners who were rotating in on him, a new guy in his face immediately after he took down the first.  This went on and on and on.  It seemed like 30-45 minutes, but I wasn't keeping track and it was decades ago.  His gas tank and work ethic were incredible.  The pace was astounding, especially for such a large human being.

[LJB]

2 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I'm not sure about his chances, but will agree that he is a different type of human.  I was privileged to be able to watch him train at a workout as the 2000 trials were imminent.  He was drilling technique HARD.  He had two separate training partners who were rotating in on him, a new guy in his face immediately after he took down the first.  This went on and on and on.  It seemed like 30-45 minutes, but I wasn't keeping track and it was decades ago.  His gas tank and work ethic were incredible.  The pace was astounding, especially for such a large human being.

chael told me rulon would finish every practice and then line everyone up and go live goes with everyone of them...

watching him from 3 feet away at 51 a few months ago i believe every story i have ever heard...

it will be an huge honor for my younger to be in the same Top Team singlet as rulon this week...

[LJB]

i took this pic saturday...

[Plasmodium]

Always been a fan of Rulon, so best of luck to him!

[mspart]

I hope he does well and places high enough to make WTTs.  

And next year he is an automatic in to OTTs unless they have changed those rules also.   Any olympic champion has auto in at OTT. 

mspart

[mspart]

When I was in HS, the coolest name in collegiate wrestling was Andre Metzger.   I have always loved that name.   He recently tried to get back into wrestling by going with GR.   It did not work out too well for him.   I suspect the same will happen to Rulon.   But if he has the gas and the blocking moves he exhibited so well in his heyday, I suspect he could place.    But he is 51 years old and that usually does not mean great victory on the OPEN stage.     That's why they have Veterans competition. 

mspart

[PSUSMC]

If Rulon's hand fighting and positioning are anywhere close to what he had, he'll be in any Greco heavyweight match.

If he's "in the match" he can win the match.

[mspart]

He just needs to place top 7 to move on to WTTs.   But that may be a taller order than he can handle at 51 years of old age.    Any of you 50 year old codgers think you could perform at that kind of level?   Mucho respeto!

mspart

[jchapman]

This will be great fun to watch.  I can't help but to root for him.

[mspart]

Everyone rooted for Randy Lewis back a few years ago, but he didn't have enough to beat the more solid guys.   I believe he won two matches in the last chance tourney he was in. 

mspart

[LJB]

2 hours ago, mspart said:

When I was in HS, the coolest name in collegiate wrestling was Andre Metzger.   I have always loved that name.   He recently tried to get back into wrestling by going with GR.   It did not work out too well for him.   I suspect the same will happen to Rulon.   But if he has the gas and the blocking moves he exhibited so well in his heyday, I suspect he could place.    But he is 51 years old and that usually does not mean great victory on the OPEN stage.     That's why they have Veterans competition. 

mspart

130kg is the only weight that someone could just decide to try greco on a whim and make a team...

and i would not have said that before coon did it...

rulon knows REAL greco...

i would not be even a little shocked if he balled out in vegas...

 

[mspart]

13 minutes ago, LJB said:

130kg is the only weight that someone could just decide to try greco on a whim and make a team...     This is True I think. 

and i would not have said that before coon did it...

rulon knows REAL greco...   Yes that is a given as Oly and World Champ and Oly Bronze. 

i would not be even a little shocked if he balled out in vegas...

 

Melvin Douglas came out of retirement and won a spot on the Olympic Team.   He was no 51.   But there was some rust.   I was at the US Open for that and he was fun to watch.   And he was funny.   He was very entertaining. 

mspart

[jchapman]

1 hour ago, mspart said:

Everyone rooted for Randy Lewis back a few years ago, but he didn't have enough to beat the more solid guys.   I believe he won two matches in the last chance tourney he was in. 

mspart

Randy was up several weight classes for his comeback, was impressive to see him beat some good D3 wrestlers that day.

[mspart]

Yes, he looked good until he wore out.   I think his point was that you did not have to be in good shape anymore to wrestle FS.   But that spring in his step from years earlier cruelly abandoned him. 

mspart

[D3 for LU]

Hey guys... if you didn't check this out already...

SENIOR GRECO-ROMAN SEEDS SET FOR U.S. OPEN

By Richard Immel, USA Wrestling | April 24, 2023, 6:31 p.m. (ET)

 

130 kg
1. Cohlton Schultz, Sunkist Kids WC
2. Tanner Farmer, Illinois RTC
3. Adam Coon, Cliff Keen WC
4. Courtney Freeman, Marines
5. Donny Longendyke, Minnesota Storm
6. Rulon Gardner, Rulon Gardner Gold Medal Gym
7. Luke Luffman, Illinois RTC
8. Kaleb Reeves, Eastern Iowa WC
9. Tom Foote, New York AC

... wow...

D3

[nhs67]

Sleeper in that bracket is Luffman.

[El Luchador]

HWT is a different game. If a Cinderella story like this was to happen it would be at HWT. I've also heard Rulon doesn't gas, his cardio was legendary. 

[Plasmodium]

Interesting bracket. Schultz better than Coon this time around.  Tanner Farmer has an interesting story.  Plus Rulon.

[LJB]

i have rulon's top team singlets in the car, but, not sure he is rocking them now...

 

obla di obla da...

 

[jchapman]

Does this mean we will get a Coon/Rulon matchup at 3/6, assuming they both win up to that point?  I’m not familiar with how the brackets are constructed for the Open.

[mspart]

I think the fact they seeded Rulon 6th is huge.  That is a lot of respect for a 51 year old.   It will be fun to see how he handles the young'ins.   Or not.

mspart

[bnwtwg]