Spencer and Austin review

[ionel]

1 minute ago, PortaJohn said:

I'm more of a  jajensen kinda guy.  That fella commits

True ... but I tell ya, that @JuanMogen kid has got game.  

[VakAttack]

8 minutes ago, Smsu150 said:

Had Covid not happened, it is was highly likely that Spencer Lee would have won a national title in 2020.  There is little debate about that.  He was most dominate during the 2019 - 2020 season.  I

I agree with this.

 

Quote

It is also likely that it would have been Spenser Lee representing the US in the Olympics in 2020, again had Covid not happened.

I don't agree with this.

Quote

In 2021, Lee tore a his ACL on his good knee, therefore compromising what he was able to do on the wrestling mat.  Ultimately, he had surgery to repair both knees forcing him to sit out nearly all of the 2021 - 2022 season, and some of the 2022 - 2023 season.  Anyone that has ever wrestled, can appreciate how difficult it must have been for Lee.  As good as he was, it's very difficult to return in that time frame to 100%.  The Spencer Lee that wrestled at nationals in 2023, was not the same guy that was dominating his weight in 2020.  I don't think many would debate that. 

This part ties in with the general trend we're seeing of the guys in their 6th/7th year regressing, pobably just due to bodies getting beat up.  College wrestling can be a grind.  I do think COVID likely cost Spencer 4 titles and Iowa another team title, but it is what it is.  It sucks, though.

[PortaJohn]

2 minutes ago, ionel said:

True ... but I tell ya, that @JuanMogen kid has got game.  

Juan, definitely.  He has that wealthy Andalusian libertine vibe

[Truzzcat]

If I recall correctly, the rumor mill was that spencer was beating Thomas in the room and that was a big reason he ended up going to NLWC and then became an enormous Iowa hater overnight. It was a rumor so I have no idea if there is any truth to it and he also could've progressed after getting to NLWC, but I think spencer had a good shot if nothing else.

[Smsu150]

15 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

If I recall correctly, the rumor mill was that spencer was beating Thomas in the room and that was a big reason he ended up going to NLWC and then became an enormous Iowa hater overnight. It was a rumor so I have no idea if there is any truth to it and he also could've progressed after getting to NLWC, but I think spencer had a good shot if nothing else.

That was certainly a rumor that was out there.  Lee would have already been in the final based on his US Open win that year. Gilman would have needed to advance through the qualifying tournament to to match up with Lee in the finals.  At that point, in my opinion. Lee is the favorite. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

17 hours ago, FanOfPurdueWrestling said:

So what did DeSanto do in 2021 to the reporter?? Can’t seem to find it 

I thought it was an NCAA employee escorting him to do a presser?

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

19 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

Agree.  One of the most fascinating parts of their journey as teammates just completely glossed over.  The documentary should've been a 2 or maybe even 3 part mini series

It was good, but I would have been happy with 30-45 minutes.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

19 hours ago, TNwrestling said:

I've only ever seen people say he must have autism but nobody has ever confirmed it.

 

Regardless, just bc someone is autistic doesn't mean they get a pass for being dirty. 

How dirty was he after he transferred to Iowa?  Dirty, not just being a jerk.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

17 hours ago, Wrestleknownothing said:

This.

While DeSanto had problems before, and during his stay at Iowa, by the time he finished up, and now that he is at the HWC, I do not think anyone who is being objective can say he has not made a ton of progress with his impulse control. 

This is the best version of him we have seen and that is a direct result of his engagement with Iowa coaches and teammates.

Your fair approach to this is commendable.  Many others are blinded by their hatred.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

15 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

If I recall correctly, the rumor mill was that spencer was beating Thomas in the room and that was a big reason he ended up going to NLWC and then became an enormous Iowa hater overnight. It was a rumor so I have no idea if there is any truth to it and he also could've progressed after getting to NLWC, but I think spencer had a good shot if nothing else.

A more specific rumor mentioned by wrestling "insiders" was that their last workout went very very badly for Gilman.  I am not sure if this was made Thomas leave, or if the move had already been planned.

[KLCarnegieTech_1969]

On 3/13/2024 at 3:09 PM, VakAttack said:

Your post is now whining about him "whining."  He's allowed to describe his life experience and what he feels, you're allowed to criticize it, but you're just doing the thing you're accusing him of doing.

Thank you Media

 

[JimmyCinnabon]

On 3/13/2024 at 1:54 PM, Winners Circle said:

Call me crazy, but I thought Spencer came off as a complainer and a whiner. Multiple times he complained about how if he doesn't tech someone, people lose their minds. I'm sorry but I don't feel bad for you for being extremely dominant to the point people think something is wrong if you look 'off'. He also had a nice rant complaining about how COVID altered his life because he 'probably would have been a 4-time NCAA champ' and it ended his hopes of an olympic run. You weren't a 4-time champ because you lost, not because COVID.

 

The problem is that after he won his third title he said, "excuses are for wussies." And now he is excusing why he didn't win four titles and why he didn't have an Olympic run (other guys who wrestled in college had Olympic runs while in college).

I even think these are perfectly legitimate points. Maybe if COVID doesn't happen he would have been a 4xer (we will never know) and maybe that does lead to an Olympic run for him. It's a fair thing to say. It's just that he set the bar at, "excuses are for wussies" a year before he didn't win his fourth title and here we are with him giving us what sounds exactly like excuses. It's really easy to say things like that when you win. If he had never said what he said I think people would look at it differently. These criticisms are of his own making.

[Daddy Dave]

Posted Wednesday at 12:59 PM

  On 3/13/2024 at 10:54 AM, Winners Circle said

Had Covid not happened, it is was highly likely that Spencer Lee would have won a national title in 2020.  There is little debate about that.  He was most dominate during the 2019 - 2020 season.  It is also likely that it would have been Spenser Lee representing the US in the Olympics in 2020, again had Covid not happened.

In 2021, Lee tore a his ACL on his good knee, therefore compromising what he was able to do on the wrestling mat.  Ultimately, he had surgery to repair both knees forcing him to sit out nearly all of the 2021 - 2022 season, and some of the 2022 - 2023 season.  Anyone that has ever wrestled, can appreciate how difficult it must have been for Lee.  As good as he was, it's very difficult to return in that time frame to 100%.  The Spencer Lee that wrestled at nationals in 2023, was not the same guy that was dominating his weight in 2020.  I don't think many would debate that. 

 

Lee got what he earned, you're only wishing he had 4. When he won in covid year it was a very weak field including the finals match so there's his gift. Karma. The 2 other best guys in the weight weren't able to wrestle because the EIWA sat out. Glory and Vito. So he got lucky that year. Glory would have put a beating on that bad knee, and he never showed fear wrestling him like most other guys that went into the match defeated. 

If my uncle had tittles he'd my aunt.

 

[whaletail]

On 3/13/2024 at 2:40 PM, Wrestleknownothing said:

This.

While DeSanto had problems before, and during his stay at Iowa, by the time he finished up, and now that he is at the HWC, I do not think anyone who is being objective can say he has not made a ton of progress with his impulse control. 

This is the best version of him we have seen and that is a direct result of his engagement with Iowa coaches and teammates.

I can't recall a single issue since probably his second year at Iowa.  I'm not a Hawkeye fan, or Brands fan, but he really appears to have thrived there.

[1032004]

On 3/13/2024 at 1:54 PM, Winners Circle said:

Call me crazy, but I thought Spencer came off as a complainer and a whiner. Multiple times he complained about how if he doesn't tech someone, people lose their minds. I'm sorry but I don't feel bad for you for being extremely dominant to the point people think something is wrong if you look 'off'.

I made a tangentially related thread to this after he did the Barstool interview and commented about what people were saying in that too.

But I don’t think it’s about “feeling bad for being extremely dominant,” it’s that it seems like the pressure got to him, and he cared too much about what other people thought. He’s got to be the most accomplished wrestler I’ve heard talk so much about what other people said about him.  I was surprised in this doc he even commented about how his dad told him what people were saying about him on forums when he was like 8 years old!   

[pawrestler]

1 minute ago, 1032004 said:

I was surprised in this doc he even commented about how his dad told him what people were saying about him on forums when he was like 8 years old!   

Super bizarre of his dad to do that. Not even sure an 8 year old should know what a forum is much less that they’re the topic!