Rulon Gardner, the USA's last Olympic Greco gold medalist (2000), is trying out for the 2024 Olympics in Paris

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

 
Rulon Gardner, the USA's last Olympic Greco gold medalist, is trying out for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.    

https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/olympic-wrestling-gold-medalist-rulon-gardner-isnt-done-yet

Rulon's a nice fellow and he inspired greater interest in wrestling when he defeated eventual Russian congressman and legendary perennial world wrestling champion Karelin for the gold at the 2000 Olympics.   By the way, I asked Rulon what he thinks Karelin was saying to himself as the final moments ticked away on the match clock.   Rulon modestly said "I think he was cussing."      I bet Karelin will be cheering for Rulon's comeback bid for the upcoming Olympics though, don't you?     

Edited October 9, 2023 by TitleIX is ripe for reform

[nhs67]

I feel like that article might be the same copy/paste article we have seen every single year about a month after Worlds/Olympics with the date changed to whatever the following year is and the title changed to either Worlds or Olympics - whichever is 'accurate' for the following year.

[mspart]

Yes Rulon has "tried" to make the WTT the last few years.   But he has not been able to get down to weight.   Perhaps it works this year, but it is another year gone by and he is that much older.   He might be successful and that would really be something.   And if he was succesful, that would be huge news and might bring more interest in international wrestling.   He last wrestled in 2004 Olympics and won bronze on less than 10 toes.   I would give him a slight chance to make the US team.   I would not give him much of a chance on the international scene.   But it would be a good story that I have applauded in the past and been disappointed each time. 

But then I remember standout Andre Metzger's "comeback" in Greco and he was not very successful losing quickly.  Randy Lewis had a similar result in a OTT qualifer.  I think Rulon can win a match, maybe two, in OTTs but that might be it.   He has an automatic pass to the OTTs I think as a former Olympian. 

mspart

 

[jchapman]

1 hour ago, mspart said:

Yes Rulon has "tried" to make the WTT the last few years.   But he has not been able to get down to weight.   Perhaps it works this year, but it is another year gone by and he is that much older.   He might be successful and that would really be something.   And if he was succesful, that would be huge news and might bring more interest in international wrestling.   He last wrestled in 2004 Olympics and won bronze on less than 10 toes.   I would give him a slight chance to make the US team.   I would not give him much of a chance on the international scene.   But it would be a good story that I have applauded in the past and been disappointed each time. 

But then I remember standout Andre Metzger's "comeback" in Greco and he was not very successful losing quickly.  Randy Lewis had a similar result in a OTT qualifer.  I think Rulon can win a match, maybe two, in OTTs but that might be it.   He has an automatic pass to the OTTs I think as a former Olympian. 

mspart

 

Lewis was up a couple weight classes when he made his "comeback", which added another level of difficulty.  He was active on the old board when this took place.  He said he cut over 20 lbs just to make 74 kg (?) and he was so old and out of shape he couldn't wrestle to train for Northern Plains, it would beat him up too bad and he'd get hurt.  All he did was ride the exercise bike and hit the sauna.

[nhs67]

2 hours ago, mspart said:

Yes Rulon has "tried" to make the WTT the last few years.   But he has not been able to get down to weight.   Perhaps it works this year, but it is another year gone by and he is that much older.   He might be successful and that would really be something.   And if he was succesful, that would be huge news and might bring more interest in international wrestling.   He last wrestled in 2004 Olympics and won bronze on less than 10 toes.   I would give him a slight chance to make the US team.   I would not give him much of a chance on the international scene.   But it would be a good story that I have applauded in the past and been disappointed each time. 

But then I remember standout Andre Metzger's "comeback" in Greco and he was not very successful losing quickly.  Randy Lewis had a similar result in a OTT qualifer.  I think Rulon can win a match, maybe two, in OTTs but that might be it.   He has an automatic pass to the OTTs I think as a former Olympian. 

mspart

 

Another factor might be that Schultzy might go the Freestyle route rather than Greco.

That leaves Coon.

[Sublime607]

I really don't see Rulon having much success with his age, weight fluctuations and the hell hes put on his body over the years. It would be a nice story but probably not realistic.

[bnwtwg]

57 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

Another factor might be that Schultzy might go the Freestyle route rather than Greco.

That leaves Coon.

Stop it that's a bigger fib than "Rulon can make weight"

[mspart]

1 hour ago, jchapman said:

Lewis was up a couple weight classes when he made his "comeback", which added another level of difficulty.  He was active on the old board when this took place.  He said he cut over 20 lbs just to make 74 kg (?) and he was so old and out of shape he couldn't wrestle to train for Northern Plains, it would beat him up too bad and he'd get hurt.  All he did was ride the exercise bike and hit the sauna.

Lewis did it to show that Freestyle had become a sport that didn't need conditioning as I remember it.   He did well his first match.  His second match he did not do as well from a conditioning standpoint but still won.   One of those two opponents was really mad they lost to the old man.   Then he ran into Moza Fay and lost pretty badly.   I think his conditioning was not up to the level he needed.  So although he did well, he did not do well enough and this dissuaded him from entering OTTs as a past Olympian.   But it was really fun to watch those matches.   I think he underestimated the amount of effort in FS matches at that time. 

mspart

[Plasmodium]

I hope he makes weight.  Rulon Gardener is awesome.

[AgaveMaria]

The closer we get to the trials the more danger Rulon is in.

Stay away from snowmobiles. Don't trip going through doors. Watch out for icy sidewalks. Don't get frosbitten fingers opening car doors in the snow. Don't go out in the dark without a flashlight.

Rulon is disaster prone so safety tips are  needed.

[MPhillips]

1 hour ago, AgaveMaria said:

Rulon is disaster prone so safety tips are  needed.

The refrigerator has been his nemesis lately. 

[AgaveMaria]

59 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

The refrigerator has been his nemesis lately. 

Just watch, Thanksgiving is coming and he will open the freezer door and a Turkey will fall out and break his toes.

[Dark Energy]

Wish the guy the best but this repeated story line is depressing.

[nhs67]

10 hours ago, Dark Energy said:

Wish the guy the best but this repeated story line is depressing.

I believe had he taken the approach of health management, in regards to his weight, when he first started this journey he wouldn't have to worry so much about it at this point.  He would be either there or within striking distance.

Instead it's "Let me practice a little... feel like I got it still... then cut 60lbs in two months... at the age of 50... -ish..."

[bnwtwg]

2 hours ago, nhs67 said:

I believe had he taken the approach of health management, in regards to his weight, when he first started this journey he wouldn't have to worry so much about it at this point.  He would be either there or within striking distance.

Instead it's "Let me practice a little... feel like I got it still... then cut 60lbs in two months... at the age of 50... -ish..."

It was a whole human more than "just" 60 pounds. He said he lost 200 and was still 15 over when they pulled the plug. You do the math...

[mspart]

That's more than this human, I can tell you that!!!

mspart

[neutral]

He will never get the weight down. 

[mspart]

Hopefully he kept the weight down from last year, he looked pretty good.   But that is tough I know.   Any recent pictures of the big lug?  He better get working now. 

mspart

[1032004]

On 10/9/2023 at 2:48 PM, nhs67 said:

Another factor might be that Schultzy might go the Freestyle route rather than Greco.

That leaves Coon.

That would seem silly considering he’s 0-3 against Cassioppi in folk, so don’t see him beating him let alone Parris, Hendrickson or Kerk.

[nhs67]

54 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

That would seem silly considering he’s 0-3 against Cassioppi in folk, so don’t see him beating him let alone Parris, Hendrickson or Kerk.

He's the one who said he was unhappy with Greco leadership and was considering a different path moving forward.  I didn't say it for him.

What other path is there for him, if he stays wrestling?  Calling it quits after Folkstyle?  I don't buy it.  The guy has Olympic aspirations.

And don't think for one second that he wouldn't absolutely be a factor, were Gable to not give it a go.  He has the size and horsepower.  Let him focus on Freestyle for the year while spot-starting for ASU in Folkstyle and I would absolutely be a factor.

[bnwtwg]

2 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

He's the one who said he was unhappy with Greco leadership and was considering a different path moving forward.  I didn't say it for him.

What other path is there for him, if he stays wrestling?  Calling it quits after Folkstyle?  I don't buy it.  The guy has Olympic aspirations.

And don't think for one second that he wouldn't absolutely be a factor, were Gable to not give it a go.  He has the size and horsepower.  Let him focus on Freestyle for the year while spot-starting for ASU in Folkstyle and I would absolutely be a factor.

If he switches to freestyle then he would just be Dom Bradley 2.0 so he should stick with greco and very seriously consider training outside of the US.

[nhs67]

1 minute ago, bnwtwg said:

If he switches to freestyle then he would just be Dom Bradley 2.0 so he should stick with greco and very seriously consider training outside of the US.

We haven't seen a Schultzy with a focus on anything other than Greco since he has gotten in college.

I won't write him off because of that.  Especially with the successes he has had in Folkstyle while focusing on Greco as well.  Many things he does will translate over well and could help his Folkstyle a bit, too.

I won't pick him nor do I actually think we see him leave Greco for Freestyle... I just think he would absolutely be a factor.  He is probably the physically strongest Ox we have on our circuit right now.

[bnwtwg]

Just now, nhs67 said:

We haven't seen a Schultzy with a focus on anything other than Greco since he has gotten in college.

I won't write him off because of that.  Especially with the successes he has had in Folkstyle while focusing on Greco as well.  Many things he does will translate over well and could help his Folkstyle a bit, too.

I won't pick him nor do I actually think we see him leave Greco for Freestyle... I just think he would absolutely be a factor.  He is probably the physically strongest Ox we have on our circuit right now.

I don't write him off for the lack of FS exposure. I write him off because Parris, Hendrickson, Davison, and Kerkvliet are grown-ass men now and would run a chugga chugga choo choo train double through the big boy. Stalling is not allowed in FS like it is in folk.

[nhs67]

6 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

I don't write him off for the lack of FS exposure. I write him off because Parris, Hendrickson, Davison, and Kerkvliet are grown-ass men now and would run a chugga chugga choo choo train double through the big boy. Stalling is not allowed in FS like it is in folk.

Let him train a sprawl for a few weeks.

[bnwtwg]

3 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

Let him train a sprawl for a few weeks.

He's had 23 years to figure that out and the only thing he learned was a head pinch. He has always been dependent upon being bigger and stronger than his opponents but now that everyone is an adult the field has caught up. Having the largest neck and skull only goes so far. I stand by my opinion that he wouldn't finish higher than 8th and may likely not place if he switched to FS.