Dead Horse Abuse: Fix

[NM1965]

10 hours ago, boconnell said:

100%

He's a FS guy without any reliable attack in a folkstyle match.  He wrestles sumo in FS.  He pushes guys and then scores when they push back.  Slide bys and snaps and par terre turns.   He is so good at that stuff that it's assumed he has folkstyle offense he's choosing not to use.  He doesn't.  Last night is who he is.  7 years of college somehow didn't change his inability to shoot and score.  

7 years of John Smith failing to improve his wrestler. It's astonishing to me how Smith still has a job. If I did a job and got worse at it every year, and didn't give a damn what happened the last 6 years or so I'd be fired faster than you can say "Jackie Robinson". Smith needs to retire or be retired by OSU, if you catch my drift. He doesn't have it anymore, He's got a terrible rep with today's kids, nobody wants to wrestle for him because they don't even really know who he is. He's last generation's guy. OSU needs new blood or they'll see their program continue to slip further into insignificance. 

[NM1965]

11 hours ago, Idaho said:

Not a big Fix fan...but this is a good post match interview. 

 

 

Fix has always been more of a FS guy. Good luck to him, hopefully his coaches at the Sr level won't fail him the way his coaches at OSU did. 

[BIGTENFANBOY]

12 minutes ago, NM1965 said:

Fix has always been more of a FS guy. Good luck to him, hopefully his coaches at the Sr level won't fail him the way his coaches at OSU did. 

I always felt he should have been down at 125. 

[jackwebster]

5 hours ago, NM1965 said:

7 years of John Smith failing to improve his wrestler. It's astonishing to me how Smith still has a job.

Yeah, this story is not gonna instill a lot of confidence in recruits. It could be the case that there wasn't much left for Smith to do. I mean, Fix was in the Cowboy program from birth. He likely knew everything Smith had to teach him. But this possibility is just as damning. It suggests that Smith and his methods have stagnated. I'm not saying anything new, and it's hyperbole born out of frustration. 

 

[boconnell]

5 hours ago, NM1965 said:

7 years of John Smith failing to improve his wrestler. It's astonishing to me how Smith still has a job. If I did a job and got worse at it every year, and didn't give a damn what happened the last 6 years or so I'd be fired faster than you can say "Jackie Robinson". Smith needs to retire or be retired by OSU, if you catch my drift. He doesn't have it anymore, He's got a terrible rep with today's kids, nobody wants to wrestle for him because they don't even really know who he is. He's last generation's guy. OSU needs new blood or they'll see their program continue to slip further into insignificance. 

You're making up some stories here.  You claim nobody wants to wrestle for him and he has a bad reputation, but their recruiting the last few (and next few) years has been strong.  Their real problem has been culture.  They let Ferarri get away with a lot and it wrecked their program.  Coleman Scott had a very positive impact this year and they started 4 freshmen and only lose Fix.  They were improved this year even without a great NCAAs.  Next year they should be improved again.  They are just fine.

[ChickenWing]

6 hours ago, NM1965 said:

7 years of John Smith failing to improve his wrestler. It's astonishing to me how Smith still has a job. If I did a job and got worse at it every year, and didn't give a damn what happened the last 6 years or so I'd be fired faster than you can say "Jackie Robinson". Smith needs to retire or be retired by OSU, if you catch my drift. He doesn't have it anymore, He's got a terrible rep with today's kids, nobody wants to wrestle for him because they don't even really know who he is. He's last generation's guy. OSU needs new blood or they'll see their program continue to slip further into insignificance. 

Agree. My  hunting buddies are ex-Ok State wrestlers and they were encouraged when Coleman Scott was hired from UNC. They just hope he takes over sooner rather than later. Their fear is John will stay until his youngest son, who is on the team, graduates.

[BarSeries]

Fix is a tremendous wrestler. Gutted for him on Saturday night. Seems like a great person. It's hard when you run into RBYx2, Vitox2 and Suriano in the NCAAs.

[Scouts Honor]

14 hours ago, Hammerlock3 said:

him and the other top coaches are on the phone with the head official pretty often, I actually think it contributes to a lot of confusion with coaches behavior, most know what the refs are being told to emphasize.

I also think he wins challenges because he good cop bad cops it with cunningham.

you mean they (the coaches) call the head official during the tournament? 

[Pinnacle]

Liked the interview, just glad I don't have to watch the Fix-Smith team wrestle any more folkstyle. 

Freestyle he will always be a threat because he has that good gut wrench. Looking forward to him, Vito and Spencer at Olympic Trials. Hopefully they get the weight qualified. 

[Gantry]

Quite frankly a lot of folkstyle wrestlers peak around their redshirt soph year or so, then they are at the same level the rest of their career.   Scouting is a huge factor in that, people know your best moves in neutral and from top and avoid those.  After that it's better TD defense and ability to ride for those wrestlers, you can list dozen of AAs in a similar boat this year if being honest. 

Fix isn't alone in that regard, though I'd say he definitely got better on top later on in his career. 

 

 

Edited March 25 by Gantry

[JimmyCinnabon]

I don't understand hating wrestlers. The amount of time and work these guys have to put in to wrestle at that level is insane. I don't dislike a single NCAA wrestler.* 

Daton Fix seems like a good dude. It kind of got me when he said wrestlers are people too and talked about all the hate he gets which I think gets to him because he understandably doesn't get why people just hate him for no good reason. People can hate the style a wrestler has or something but these are actual people here and if the worst thing you know about them is that they wrestle a boring style and you hate them because of that I think you need to grow up.

 

* You would have to do something outrageous for me to dislike you as a wrestler. Maybe you commit crimes or you flip off the whole crowd like a maniac or something. You know, the extreme examples. 

Edited March 25 by JimmyCinnabon

[Elevator]

I have probably never rooted for Fix in NCAA matches, but he is a warrior that deserves some love and appreciation from the wrestling world.  He is dedicated and highly skilled and successful, even if he did not quite get the brass NCAA ring.  I tip my hat to his outstanding career and many records set.

Edited March 25 by Elevator

[Wildcat92]

8 hours ago, NM1965 said:

I think the thing that bothers me about Fix's 7 years at OSU and his 2-2-2-4-2 finishes is this: he NEVER improved at OSU. Not one whit. You could even argue he was a better wrestler as a FR than as an upperclassman. How does a guy spend 7 years in a D1 room and not improve one iota?

John Smith and his coaching staff let Fix down. They failed him, and Fix was age level world champ before getting to OSU as far as I remember. If Fix had gone to Iowa, PSU, or Ohio State it's almost guaranteed he'd have won a title or two (maybe more). 

John Smith has to go. 

its also quite possible that Fix maxed out his potential as a HS senior/college freshman.

[Idaho]

I'm not a John Smith fan by any means... two coaches I really dislike and he is one of them. I agree with the comments about him and the program.....But for Fix himself, the guy lost 6 matches in 4 years... Suriano in OT... RBY in OT....RBY by 1.... Vito my Major... McGee by 1.... Vito by 2

The only "bad loss" he took was maybe  McGee.  He lost to a world champ by major last year - a guy who steamrolled everyone. He came back past his prime and ended up in the match until the last minute. What did people expect to happen there? If he had beat Vito it would have been because Vito was hurt and then it doesn't count. Was Fix picked to win over Vito? No.  I'm not convinced based on this season that he got worse, when the only loss he took was a world champ that he wrestled tougher against this year than last. Is this where the vito was hurt and Fix stalled comes in? 

 

Edited March 25 by Idaho

[jackwebster]

I just rewatched the match (because I'm a masochist?). I watched with the sound off (because I'm not that much of a masochist). Fix didn't back up nearly as much as I remember. And, he nearly pulled off the takedown on the edge, a la Perry vs Howe. If he got that foot ... Idk. Re bricks and such, I got a hot take: the challenges he won might have led to the stall call(s). Ref was trying to right a wrong.

Edited March 25 by jackwebster

[Dogbone]

Fix is now the greatest wrestler to never win a title.   He just lost to the defending World Champ and everyone is pretending like he regressed.   I know he was in college for 7 years, but there might not be another human, regardless of age, that can beat Vito when he is on. 

I don't understand how he is so good at freestyle yet appears to rely (or wants to rely) on his top game in folkstyle to win big matches.   But the hate for Fix seems to have gone too far.   There do seem to be a lot of challenges in his matches (probably because they are so close) but JS does win a fair number of them.  That isn't Fix's fault. 

[Barracuda141]

7 hours ago, NM1965 said:

I think the thing that bothers me about Fix's 7 years at OSU and his 2-2-2-4-2 finishes is this: he NEVER improved at OSU. Not one whit. You could even argue he was a better wrestler as a FR than as an upperclassman. How does a guy spend 7 years in a D1 room and not improve one iota?

John Smith and his coaching staff let Fix down. They failed him, and Fix was age level world champ before getting to OSU as far as I remember. If Fix had gone to Iowa, PSU, or Ohio State it's almost guaranteed he'd have won a title or two (maybe more). 

John Smith has to go. 

John Smith should be held accountable for Okie State's recent failures as a team and whether him or his staff haven't been able to develop the talent in the room. With that being said, Fix should also be held accountable for his lack of development. Being in an elite division 1 room with one of the greatest wrestling minds of all time and he's ADDED NOTHING to his offense. In 4 finals matches, he's scored 0 takedowns. He's regressed in just about every aspect of his wrestling. He used to be a savage on top. Now? Not a feared rider/turner. So yes, John Smith needs to be held accountable..and so does Fix.

Now for the "abuse" directed at Daton. Athletes get booed all the time so I'm not sure why people are disappointed in the boos. People are booing his boring style, not him as a person. If he doesn't want to get booed, then be offensive and aggressive. Nobody is booing Vito, Austin Gomez, Messenbrink, Aaron Brooks, etc. Why not? They're being offensive and exciting. When you back up, have a defensive mindset, only look to counter, take zero committed shots, etc. you're going to get booed. Also, people boo other athletes all the time. Who cares? That's what happens when people pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to watch a product. Fix is older than Tua, Trevor Lawrence, and the same age as Justin Herbert and Justin Fields. He's a grown man. If those athletes are preforming poorly, they get booed too. 

[ChickenWing]

2 hours ago, JimmyCinnabon said:

I don't understand hating wrestlers.

If you attend a little league wrestling tournament (6-10 yr olds) and listen to the crowd you will understand where that originates.

 

* You would have to do something outrageous for me to dislike you as a wrestler. Maybe you commit crimes or you flip off the whole crowd like a maniac or something. You know, the extreme examples.  AJ maybe?

 

 

 

[JimmyCinnabon]

2 minutes ago, ChickenWing said:

 

 

 

Circle gets the square!

[JimmyCinnabon]

1 hour ago, Idaho said:

I'm not a John Smith fan by any means... two coaches I really dislike and he is one of them. I agree with the comments about him and the program.....But for Fix himself, the guy lost 6 matches in 4 years... Suriano in OT... RBY in OT....RBY by 1.... Vito my Major... McGee by 1.... Vito by 2

The only "bad loss" he took was maybe  McGee.  He lost to a world champ by major last year - a guy who steamrolled everyone. He came back past his prime and ended up in the match until the last minute. What did people expect to happen there? If he had beat Vito it would have been because Vito was hurt and then it doesn't count. Was Fix picked to win over Vito? No.  I'm not convinced based on this season that he got worse, when the only loss he took was a world champ that he wrestled tougher against this year than last. Is this where the vito was hurt and Fix stalled comes in? 

 

Mickey Phillippi would like a word with you, outside in the alley. 

[Hammerlock3]

4 hours ago, Scouts Honor said:

you mean they (the coaches) call the head official during the tournament? 

no during the week or before dual meets and what not. The contact is pretty consistent.

[Scouts Honor]

people always booed JB.

yet he got the takedowns...

[Scouts Honor]

Just now, Hammerlock3 said:

no during the week or before dual meets and what not. The contact is pretty consistent.

so they are ASKING about situations...

or TELLING what should happen

[Ivan Stankowski]

I don't HATE Fix, I don't like his style of wrestling HUGE difference.

My wife, who is a non wrestler made snacks and drinks  and watched the finals with me, well after the 133 pound match she said" I cannot do this anymore, I would rather go to the dentist"  and I cant say I blame her .

He probably is a great person, never debated that, for me, he is not fun to watch, but that is a far cry from hate 

[lu1979]

14 hours ago, NM1965 said:

I think the thing that bothers me about Fix's 7 years at OSU and his 2-2-2-4-2 finishes is this: he NEVER improved at OSU. Not one whit. You could even argue he was a better wrestler as a FR than as an upperclassman. How does a guy spend 7 years in a D1 room and not improve one iota?

John Smith and his coaching staff let Fix down. They failed him, and Fix was age level world champ before getting to OSU as far as I remember. If Fix had gone to Iowa, PSU, or Ohio State it's almost guaranteed he'd have won a title or two (maybe more). 

John Smith has to go. 

There are no guarantees about anyone winning a title at any time in the future - Who knew how good RBY was going to get? or that Vito would blossom and get even better than that? Reaching the finals 4 times is amazing  - this year at least he just got beat by a better wrestler.