What was the lore/hype around some of legends coming into college?

[Kerouac]

I'm not old enough to have been around for the emergence of guys such as Cael, the Brands Bros., Kolat, etc. into college. Through miscellaneous interviews and articles I have heard stories such as Kolat at the Midlands in high school, but prior to the advent of social media, what was the national hype and opinions on these guys (and others) as recruits. Nowadays, with sites such as Flo, InterMat, and Instagram, everyone sees who the best are, where they train, where they compete, and their recruiting journeys. How was it back in the day though?

[ionel]

Folks on the prairie talked about The Moose coming down from the north country.   

[The_KC_Godfather]

  On 7/10/2024 at 9:25 PM, Kerouac said:

I'm not old enough to have been around for the emergence of guys such as Cael, the Brands Bros., Kolat, etc. into college. Through miscellaneous interviews and articles I have heard stories such as Kolat at the Midlands in high school, but prior to the advent of social media, what was the national hype and opinions on these guys (and others) as recruits. Nowadays, with sites such as Flo, InterMat, and Instagram, everyone sees who the best are, where they train, where they compete, and their recruiting journeys. How was it back in the day though?

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If you haven't already, I would get a subscription to Flo and watch some of their films. You get a sense of the Brands Bros, Kolat, etc. history and younger years in those specific films (ie. Terry, The Story of Cary Kolat, Mocco, Cormier,etc.).

[ionel]

There was a lot of hype and talk when Sheets and Monday were both headed for OSU, especially considering their senior year  matches.  However crickets on social media.    

[alex1fly]

Watched Cael wrestle several matches in person. We marveled at how he was always multiple steps ahead of his opponent.
 

In general there wasn’t much talk about wrestlers beyond matches and rankings. So not much lore so to speak, at least in my circles. 

Edited July 11, 2024 by alex1fly

[ionel]

Its been said (at least once) that even before Uetake came over to the states, etching had been found in a cave in the Glass Mountains describing how he would never be challenged.  

[ionel]

When Danny Hodge committed to OU most folks in Norman hid their apples in the cellar.   

[Jim L]

  On 7/11/2024 at 12:15 AM, ionel said:

There was a lot of hype and talk when Sheets and Monday were both headed for OSU, especially considering their senior year  matches.  However crickets on social media.    

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Very unusual to for wrestling to get any mention in SI. HS wrestling maybe 1 or 2 times per decade.

https://vault.si.com/vault/1980/03/17/hes-really-a-rugged-competitor-high-school-star-kenny-monday-came-off-the-carpet-to-mop-up-on-the-mat

[RandolphTJones]

I remember when I was first getting into wrestling, the first name I remember people talking about nationally was David Craig out of Florida. I know he didn't pan out at all on the college scene but i'll always remember the hype. I think he committed to Lehigh? Maybe wrestled a year. 

[Kerouac]

  On 7/11/2024 at 1:05 AM, ionel said:

When Danny Hodge committed to OU most folks in Norman hid their apples in the cellar.   

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Once heard that Danny Hodge lived in a dug-out creek for a period of time... wrestling mythology rules.

[D3 for LU]

  On 7/11/2024 at 3:48 PM, RandolphTJones said:

I remember when I was first getting into wrestling, the first name I remember people talking about nationally was David Craig out of Florida. I know he didn't pan out at all on the college scene but i'll always remember the hype. I think he committed to Lehigh? Maybe wrestled a year. 

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Nah... more like four to me!

View the Wrestler (wrestlingstats.com)

D3

[PortaJohn]

My top 3/4 are

1) as a kid it was Cary Kolat

2) While I was in high school Mocco 

3) As an older feller tie between Chance Marstellar and Aaron Pico

[ionel]

  On 7/11/2024 at 2:11 PM, Jim L said:

Very unusual to for wrestling to get any mention in SI. HS wrestling maybe 1 or 2 times per decade.

https://vault.si.com/vault/1980/03/17/hes-really-a-rugged-competitor-high-school-star-kenny-monday-came-off-the-carpet-to-mop-up-on-the-mat

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Nice find!

[11986]

  On 7/10/2024 at 9:25 PM, Kerouac said:

I'm not old enough to have been around for the emergence of guys such as Cael, the Brands Bros., Kolat, etc. into college. Through miscellaneous interviews and articles I have heard stories such as Kolat at the Midlands in high school, but prior to the advent of social media, what was the national hype and opinions on these guys (and others) as recruits. Nowadays, with sites such as Flo, InterMat, and Instagram, everyone sees who the best are, where they train, where they compete, and their recruiting journeys. How was it back in the day though?

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as I recall Cael was less hyped than his teammate Joe Heskett. The Brands bros I don't think were that hyped.  Kolat was very hyped, the Midlands stuff, SI article, the backflip, and so on.  

[The_KC_Godfather]

  On 7/11/2024 at 4:02 PM, PortaJohn said:

My top 3/4 are

1) as a kid it was Cary Kolat

2) While I was in high school Mocco 

3) As an older feller tie between Chance Marstellar and Aaron Pico

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Marsteller was a major one, as I remember. 4-time undefeated out of PA. I still wonder (especially with his later success) how his career may have gone differently not being at OSU.

The Alton brothers were big names, as was Metcalf and Nickerson.

Close to home for me, and was a BIG deal out of the Missouri wrestling scene at the time, was TJ Hill.

 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-mar-16-sp-9420-story.html

[RandolphTJones]

  On 7/11/2024 at 3:55 PM, D3 for LU said:

Nah... more like four to me!

View the Wrestler (wrestlingstats.com)

D3

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Was going straight off memory D3, this ole noggin doesn't work like it used too!

[RandolphTJones]

  On 7/11/2024 at 4:02 PM, PortaJohn said:

My top 3/4 are

1) as a kid it was Cary Kolat

2) While I was in high school Mocco 

3) As an older feller tie between Chance Marstellar and Aaron Pico

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High school for me was J Jaggers and Lance Palmer (NE Ohio)

Palmer was probably the most hyped i'd ever seen, and that would include Dustin Schlatter. Not who everyone was claiming to be the best, but closest to any star or celebrity status in that world. 

Palmer a brother who was also destined to be a 4x state champ (he was) his family was known for wrestling bears, and the St. Eds notoriety certainly helped. 

[Ohio Elite]

  On 7/11/2024 at 7:47 PM, RandolphTJones said:

High school for me was J Jaggers and Lance Palmer (NE Ohio)

Palmer was probably the most hyped i'd ever seen, and that would include Dustin Schlatter. Not who everyone was claiming to be the best, but closest to any star or celebrity status in that world. 

Palmer a brother who was also destined to be a 4x state champ (he was) his family was known for wrestling bears, and the St. Eds notoriety certainly helped. 

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You remember the time palmer pinned Schlatter in the Minny Osu dual??   Schlatter was my favorite 

[BuckyBadger]

Mocco had a lot of hype, not just because of his wrestling accomplishments, but also because he looked a 28 year old scary man.

Edited July 11, 2024 by BuckyBadger

[ionel]

  On 7/11/2024 at 8:21 PM, BuckyBadger said:

Mocco had a lot of hype, not just because of his wrestling accomplishments, but also because he looked a 28 year old scary man.

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But did you see the dad & brother?

[MPhillips]

Al Fried 1989 STED. Believe he beat Kolat at a US Open after college.

Palmer STED.

Schlatter PERRY.

Taylor SPG.

Chris Phillips MONROEVILLE is one that got away.

Agreed with Mocco and Pico.

 

 

[PortaJohn]

  On 7/11/2024 at 7:47 PM, RandolphTJones said:

Palmer a brother who was also destined to be a 4x state champ (he was) his family was known for wrestling bears, and the St. Eds notoriety certainly helped. 

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Collin Palmer vs David Taylor is the best HS match to ever happen

[Ohio Elite]

Better than Metcalf vs Schlatter? Very possible....

Edited July 11, 2024 by Ohio Elite

[PortaJohn]

  On 7/11/2024 at 6:31 PM, The_KC_Godfather said:

Marsteller was a major one, as I remember. 4-time undefeated out of PA. I still wonder (especially with his later success) how his career may have gone differently not being at OSU.

The Alton brothers were big names, as was Metcalf and Nickerson.

Close to home for me, and was a BIG deal out of the Missouri wrestling scene at the time, was TJ Hill.

 

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-mar-16-sp-9420-story.html

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All great ones for sure.  I remember hearing about Nickerson from a Cornell wrestler who said was going to be better than Travis Lee.  That was a pretty big statement at the time.  Altons also legends.  And of course there was Spencer Lee.  But I put Marsteller above all of them.  I heard about Chance when he was still in middle school.  Some freak of nature youth wrestler who never lost and was training with Cary Kolat.  

[BuckyBadger]

  On 7/11/2024 at 8:29 PM, ionel said:

But did you see the dad & brother?

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I remember watching ESPN’s The Season, and his Dad came off as both scary but also pretty funny and down to earth.