Olympics or dual vs Russia ?

[alliseeisgold]

Easy answer for me. All the Olympics are anyways is a pissing match of who has more medals between us and russia ......of course their is great matches from other countries ...but at the end of the day. It's the US vs them aspect that keeps wrestling somewhat relevant.

There is also something about a dual format that makes it more intense.

[KingOtoguro]

A dual would be pretty awesome, but we are talking about the Olympics.  Despite some of the #1's not being present, I'll still watch and enjoy Olympic competition.  Sure, 57/74/86 and 97 wouldn't be as stacked, as well as the GR/WFS categories, but it's wrestling.  We watched the 2022 worlds without Russia/Belarus and these Olympics probably won't be much different.

[alliseeisgold]

45 minutes ago, KingOtoguro said:

A dual would be pretty awesome, but we are talking about the Olympics.  Despite some of the #1's not being present, I'll still watch and enjoy Olympic competition.  Sure, 57/74/86 and 97 wouldn't be as stacked, as well as the GR/WFS categories, but it's wrestling.  We watched the 2022 worlds without Russia/Belarus and these Olympics probably won't be much different.

Exactly. We see worlds every year. We never see Russia vs USA dual.

 

[wrestlingshoe]

When you go to the Olympics you have a chance to take in the Olympic atmosphere outside of wrestling.  The Olympics is more than just wrestling. If I could only do one, Olympics, no doubt. 

[WrestlingRasta]

On 7/9/2024 at 8:01 PM, alliseeisgold said:

Easy answer for me. All the Olympics are anyways is a pissing match of who has more medals between us and russia ......of course their is great matches from other countries ...but at the end of the day. It's the US vs them aspect that keeps wrestling somewhat relevant. 

But then you got Greco…and women’s…

 

[nhs67]

Easy answer is the Olympics.  I am not going to be blinded by whatever political nonsense is going on.  Every kid who loves wrestling grows up dreaming of the Olympics - not wrestling Russia in a dual.

[WrestlingRasta]

Just now, nhs67 said:

Easy answer is the Olympics.  I am not going to be blinded by whatever political nonsense is going on.  Every kid who loves wrestling grows up dreaming of the Olympics - not wrestling Russia in a dual.

Agreed.  In no universe is one team vs another team bigger than…we’ll call it 16 of the top 20…wrestlers in the world in the grand event that you only get one opportunity in four years.  
 

You could do two duals a week no problem. Which..would be fun, but…

[MPhillips]

50 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

Every kid who loves wrestling grows up dreaming of the Olympics - not wrestling Russia in a dual.

Indeed.

The ultimate goal for a kid that was a serious wrestler in the early/mid eighties was the Olympics( maybe that has changed). There was nothing bigger to us. Attended many World Cups when they were held in Toledo when the Soviets were there, they were great, but they weren't the Olympics.

[Truzzcat]

I think a World Cup with Russia,USA,Iran,Azerbijan,Japan,Mongolia would be really really awesome. I honestly think Iran could have as good of if not a better team than Russia this year they can win 65,86,125 pretty realistically. With an outside shot at 97.

[alliseeisgold]

2 hours ago, MPhillips said:

Indeed.

The ultimate goal for a kid that was a serious wrestler in the early/mid eighties was the Olympics( maybe that has changed). There was nothing bigger to us. Attended many World Cups when they were held in Toledo when the Soviets were there, they were great, but they weren't the Olympics.

Willie made a great point once. It was when the Olympics were disbanding wrestling or changing weight classes  The great Willie said. Paraphrasing "f the Olympics"

I agree. Wrestling doesn't need the Olympics. It's better because it's once every 4 years ? Wtf ? Just makes it more rare. But not better. I mean it's like wal mart buying a local mom and pop and saying it's better because it's wal mart. There's just a brand on it. Ain't no difference. The mystique is overblown.

And then when you bow down to a corporate brand like that...you lose your rights and freedoms that made you great. Eventually they may kick you out anyway. And for what ? To say it's "the Olympics". Sounds like some kim Kardashian shit to me 

[WrestlingRasta]

So what you’re arguing is the Olympics aren’t really about the athletes anymore and their achievements, it’s about the marketing and branding and revenue. That about right? 

[nhs67]

14 hours ago, alliseeisgold said:

Willie made a great point once. It was when the Olympics were disbanding wrestling or changing weight classes  The great Willie said. Paraphrasing "f the Olympics"

I agree. Wrestling doesn't need the Olympics. It's better because it's once every 4 years ? Wtf ? Just makes it more rare. But not better. I mean it's like wal mart buying a local mom and pop and saying it's better because it's wal mart. There's just a brand on it. Ain't no difference. The mystique is overblown.

And then when you bow down to a corporate brand like that...you lose your rights and freedoms that made you great. Eventually they may kick you out anyway. And for what ? To say it's "the Olympics". Sounds like some kim Kardashian shit to me 

Your comparison does not make sense.  It isn't like buying a mom and pop.  It is like a mom and pop buying the Walmart.  Walmart is the bigger name.

You can try to argue about wrestling being bigger than the Olympics, but that just simply is not true.

You are entitled to your opinion.  However, I feel it must be mentioned that your opinion can also be wrong - which it is in this case.

[wrestlingshoe]

If you've never been to the Olympics, you may never understand. The aura is totally different. It can't be matched in any other arena. 

[Jason Bryant]

I’ve said this over and over, and I’ll say it again. You kill funding for 90-95% of countries with wrestling if it’s no longer an Olympic sport. Olympic committees and the governments that fund them don’t spend resources on non-olympic sports (there’s a handful of outliers).

Your suggestion is sport suicide.

Hard pass.

[alliseeisgold]

10 hours ago, Jason Bryant said:

I’ve said this over and over, and I’ll say it again. You kill funding for 90-95% of countries with wrestling if it’s no longer an Olympic sport. Olympic committees and the governments that fund them don’t spend resources on non-olympic sports (there’s a handful of outliers).

Your suggestion is sport suicide.

Hard pass.

Ok. Sure - take advantage of the Olympics but don't sell your soul and be ready to pivot at any second. I'm not against the Olympics per say . But is it overrated ? Absolutely. 

And would I rather watch Russia dual USA vs Olympics ? No question. If the Olympics is only special because of it's rarity of once every 4 years, then that means Russia vs USA dual is extra extra rare and even more special

There is a reason Willie has the monikor "the greatest mind" in wrestling. His Olympic take was legendary. 

[alliseeisgold]

Why Paris Olympics even better then worlds with Russia ? 

It's not. The only thing the Olympics has is "mystique" which is something but also a whole lot of nothing in tangible aspects of competition- and actually becomes nothing once you realize it's only based if some old fat guys allow you in instead of pickleball or bowling or Cornhole. I don't need a hall of fame to tell me Pete rose wasn't a hall of famer and I don't need a Luis Vuitton sticker to say wrestling only matters every 4 years

Olympics is cool - but without Russia no way it's the pinnacle achievement in any way shape or form.