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Posted

I'd be fine with Hidlay taking the Hodge if (big if) he beats Brooks at NCAAs. The committee might be tempted to give it to Starocci if he wins 4, but Hidlay actually wrestled a full season and took on all comers. KOT, maybe due to quality of competition. Fix, possibly, but also an abbreviated season. It would be well-deserved by Hidlay if he can get past Brooks.

  • Fire 2
Posted
1 hour ago, BAC said:

Hidlay does not get nearly the respect he deserves, and he absolutely is a legit threat to Brooks.  Yes, if he pulls it off the Hodge still goes to Starocci, but the Hidlay-Brooks matchup is still a great storyline.

For three years in a row, Hidlays has lost to Brooks in the NCAAs finals/semis.  All close:  3-2, 6-4 SV, 6-3.  If Brooks didn't exist, then Hidlay would be, at minimum, a 3x finalist and 1x champ, and might even being going for his 4th right now (if he won in the finals in '22-23).  

The main difference is that this year, Hidlay seems to have level-jumped and, more importantly, opened up his offense.  He went from a 25% bonus rate when he lost to Brooks as a freshman, to his current 85%.  Before this year, he'd never bonused a top-10 opponent. This year he majored #3 Beard and #5 Cardenas.  

Of course, Brooks isn't exactly standing still, and is still the favorite. 

But the question I want to know is -- how will Hidlay wrestle him this time?  Brooks has made no secret of the fact that he hates wrestling Hidlay since he won't open up, making for a defensive battle.  Does Hidlay stick with that game plan, or does he open it up more this time -- more like his other matches? 

I hope he opens it up.  He's a senior, and if he really wanted his title he could have stayed at 184. But he decided to make another run at Brooks. If you're going to lose to the man 4x, at least go out on your shield. My own guess is we see a different Hidlay this time around, and the match ends up being very entertaining.

I don't think Hidlay will wrestle Brooks any differently if they meet at NCAAs.  These guys that jump up to 197 a lot of times find it easier to get to their offense.  Nickals bonus rate dramatically increased when he moved up to 197 as has Aarons.  I wouldn't say Nickal or Arron jumped many levels their senior year.  197 has always been a weight with a few studs, sometimes none, with a huge drop in talent. Also, I don't think Hidlay went up to 197 to take another crack at Brooks.  It's an Olympic year and he's filling into 86kg.

I Don't Agree With What I Posted

Posted
1 hour ago, JimmyCinnabon said:

The problem is that opening it up is probably a recipe for disaster against Brooks. 

Yeah maybe, but you don't know until you try, and clearly the defensive strategy hasn't worked.

The guys who have beaten Brooks recently are guys who opened it up:  Zahid.  Taylor.  And Brooks' win over the Russian Nationals champ at U23s was a nailbiter as the Russian was coming after him.  

The list of people with wins over Brooks in the last 2-3 years is very small and none of them won on defense.

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Posted (edited)
21 minutes ago, Le duke said:


Stalled out of the match.

His matches with Brooks are just embarrassing.


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See... that is not how it works.  If he picks up a couple stalls, maybe he wrestles differently?

I'm really curious: have you ever wrestled?

What are your thoughts on some of RBYs matches?

Edited by Interviewed_at_Weehawken
Posted
Just now, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

See... that is not how it works.  If he picks up a couple stalls, maybe he wrestles differently?

What are your thoughts on some of RBYs matches?

tactical circling and using your resources!!

  • Fire 1
Posted
2 hours ago, BAC said:

Hidlay does not get nearly the respect he deserves, and he absolutely is a legit threat to Brooks.  Yes, if he pulls it off the Hodge still goes to Starocci, but the Hidlay-Brooks matchup is still a great storyline.

For three years in a row, Hidlays has lost to Brooks in the NCAAs finals/semis.  All close:  3-2, 6-4 SV, 6-3.  If Brooks didn't exist, then Hidlay would be, at minimum, a 3x finalist and 1x champ, and might even being going for his 4th right now (if he won in the finals in '22-23).  

The main difference is that this year, Hidlay seems to have level-jumped and, more importantly, opened up his offense.  He went from a 25% bonus rate when he lost to Brooks as a freshman, to his current 85%.  Before this year, he'd never bonused a top-10 opponent. This year he majored #3 Beard and #5 Cardenas.  

Of course, Brooks isn't exactly standing still, and is still the favorite. 

But the question I want to know is -- how will Hidlay wrestle him this time?  Brooks has made no secret of the fact that he hates wrestling Hidlay since he won't open up, making for a defensive battle.  Does Hidlay stick with that game plan, or does he open it up more this time -- more like his other matches? 

I hope he opens it up.  He's a senior, and if he really wanted his title he could have stayed at 184. But he decided to make another run at Brooks. If you're going to lose to the man 4x, at least go out on your shield. My own guess is we see a different Hidlay this time around, and the match ends up being very entertaining.

I’ve been excited for this match since I learned of Hidlay at 197. This man took out an international wrestling world silver, in the middle of the college season, to get a berth to WTT and try to make the Olympics. He’s not a washed up “old” guy, he’s a madman on a mission. His win over Michael Beard was dominant, his run at the Bill Farrell included placing higher than Mark Hall, beating the world silver that beat Mark Hall, Beat NCAA champ Taylor Lujan, and lastly beat 3x NCAA champ Deringer in the finals.

 

I’m rooting for him this NCAA and he’s clearly betting on himself. Anyone counting him out is a dummy. 

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I am very active on X: https://x.com/WrestlingSNL

 

 

Posted
3 hours ago, JimmyCinnabon said:

Are you trying to say that Trent Hidlay was robbed of an NCAA title against Aaron Brooks?

 

0_rghVc7i80S8C3tWT.png

  • Fire 2

"Half measures are a coward's form of insanity."

Posted (edited)
6 hours ago, Tyler said:

A little off topic but didn’t Brooks get beat by Myles Amine in the Big 10s a year or two ago 

The Hodge is based primarily on a single season, but not entirely.......

Originally created to celebrate the pin in college wrestling, the Dan Hodge Trophy is based on seven criteria including record, number of pins, dominance, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship/citizenship and heart. The trophy is based primarily on the results of a single season, but past accomplishments are considered as well, particularly in years where the competition is tighter. 

Edited by Fadzaev2
Posted

Starocci's claim is way weaker than it was at the start of the season. He's missed matches, looked tired in a few matches, and his reputation coupled with him whining about not getting it last year isn't gonna break in his favor. If Hidlay did beat Brooks, he'd be a dominant champ who went up a weight and won a senior level international tournment in the middle of the season...thats a pretty good story, additionally Starocci will be unfairly hampered by how often PSU wrestlers get the hodge...

  • Fire 2

"Half measures are a coward's form of insanity."

Posted

You are correct Fadzaev2. BTW, I always enjoy your posts and appreciate your historical comments. If you get a chance, stop by our booth at the WIN Show/Fan Festival in KC and have your photo taken with the Dan Hodge Trophy. -- Mike Chapman, creator of the Dan Hodge Trophy

  • Fire 3
Posted
2 hours ago, Hammerlock3 said:

Starocci's claim is way weaker than it was at the start of the season. He's missed matches, looked tired in a few matches, and his reputation coupled with him whining about not getting it last year isn't gonna break in his favor. If Hidlay did beat Brooks, he'd be a dominant champ who went up a weight and won a senior level international tournment in the middle of the season...thats a pretty good story, additionally Starocci will be unfairly hampered by how often PSU wrestlers get the hodge...

As previously said in this thread, ask Kyle Snyder what senior level accomplishments mean for age group awards.

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i am an idiot on the internet

Posted
4 hours ago, BAC said:

Yeah maybe, but you don't know until you try, and clearly the defensive strategy hasn't worked.

The guys who have beaten Brooks recently are guys who opened it up:  Zahid.  Taylor.  And Brooks' win over the Russian Nationals champ at U23s was a nailbiter as the Russian was coming after him.  

The list of people with wins over Brooks in the last 2-3 years is very small and none of them won on defense.

Fair enough. 

Posted
4 hours ago, Hammerlock3 said:

Starocci's claim is way weaker than it was at the start of the season. He's missed matches, looked tired in a few matches, and his reputation coupled with him whining about not getting it last year isn't gonna break in his favor. If Hidlay did beat Brooks, he'd be a dominant champ who went up a weight and won a senior level international tournment in the middle of the season...thats a pretty good story, additionally Starocci will be unfairly hampered by how often PSU wrestlers get the hodge...

Penn state hasn’t won a hodge in like 5 years 

Posted
5 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

Also, I don't think Hidlay went up to 197 to take another crack at Brooks.  It's an Olympic year and he's filling into 86kg.

I could be completely making this up in my head, I think he said in an interview that brooks was a mountain he hadn’t gotten over yet, and he wanted another shot at it so he moved up a weight.

Posted

As an avid VT fan and as much as it pains me to say, trent is the real deal and improved over last year. A finals appearance is highly likely and a win over Brooks wouldn’t be shocking at all with the way he’s wrecking people. He’s got a deep gas tank and breaks people in the third period, if the match makes it that long 

Posted
I’ve been excited for this match since I learned of Hidlay at 197. This man took out an international wrestling world silver, in the middle of the college season, to get a berth to WTT and try to make the Olympics. He’s not a washed up “old” guy, he’s a madman on a mission. His win over Michael Beard was dominant, his run at the Bill Farrell included placing higher than Mark Hall, beating the world silver that beat Mark Hall, Beat NCAA champ Taylor Lujan, and lastly beat 3x NCAA champ Deringer in the finals.
 
I’m rooting for him this NCAA and he’s clearly betting on himself. Anyone counting him out is a dummy. 

The only World/Olympic 86kg silver medalist in the last 5 years is Deepak Punia, DT or Yazdani.

2019 W Punia
2021 O Yazdani, W Taylor
2022 W Yazdani
2023 W Yazdani

Then I realized you meant Kentchadze, who is a 74kg guy, who took 2nd at 74kg in 2018.


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Posted (edited)
6 minutes ago, Le duke said:


The only World/Olympic 86kg silver medalist in the last 5 years is Deepak Punia, DT or Yazdani.

2019 W Punia
2021 O Yazdani, W Taylor
2022 W Yazdani
2023 W Yazdani

Then I realized you meant Kentchadze, who is a 74kg guy, who took 2nd at 74kg in 2018.


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he lost 6-7 to Sidakov this year and beat mark hall at the same tournament that Trent beat him and then Trent went on to beat Dieringer im not sure if you were trying to discredit what beating kentchadze means 86 is not his optimal weight ill give you that but hes still damn good regardless. Trent also did it in the middle of the folkstyle season.

 

edit: Dieringer being the guy that beat Starocci last year that probably means more to you than anything given your posting history.

Edited by Truzzcat
  • Fire 3
Posted
31 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Penn state hasn’t won a hodge in like 5 years 

really? should have checked, just remembered zain x2 Taylor 2x and Nickal...

At the least I hope you would understand if I said the rampant success of the program doesn't do as well as an underdog hodge narrative.

"Half measures are a coward's form of insanity."

Posted
13 hours ago, Hammerlock3 said:

really? should have checked, just remembered zain x2 Taylor 2x and Nickal...

At the least I hope you would understand if I said the rampant success of the program doesn't do as well as an underdog hodge narrative.

Just pointing out they’ve been the best team for 11 plus years and for the last half decade they haven’t won a hodge , and it’s crazy that a guy as winning and dominate as Jason Nolf never won one 

Posted
3 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Just pointing out they’ve been the best team for 11 plus years and for the last half decade they haven’t won a hodge , and it’s crazy that a guy as winning and dominate as Jason Nolf never won one 

yeah makes sense. I should have spun it like "oh yeah thats exactly what I meant they hate giving it to PSU ever sense they won it 5 times in 7 years"

"Half measures are a coward's form of insanity."

Posted

197 is stacked in the top 4 spots. Beard and Sloan (in spite of their losses) have built up tremendous resumes- Beard's is one of bonus and Sloan's is one of wrestling the whole top 25 dominantly.

Posted
21 hours ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Just pointing out they’ve been the best team for 11 plus years and for the last half decade they haven’t won a hodge , and it’s crazy that a guy as winning and dominate as Jason Nolf never won one 

Jason Nolf was jobbed so bad. He was a generational NCAA wrestler who had the awful luck of being "only" the second most dominating wrestler his sophomore (Zain), junior (Spencer), and senior (Bo's Helping Hand) seasons. If there was ever a season that a Hodge should have legitimately had co-winners it should have been his senior season.

  • Fire 2

i am an idiot on the internet

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