RandolphTJones Posted March 31, 2025 Posted March 31, 2025 Quick answer: Whomever Bob felt like dishing out the most $ too.
ionel Posted March 31, 2025 Posted March 31, 2025 42 minutes ago, Jim L said: Thread isn't about who would have had the best career, but who would have received the most NIL. Pico is a good answer, some of the most impressive results ever for a HSer But didn't Gable pretty much pin his way thru HS? .
Iwrite Posted March 31, 2025 Posted March 31, 2025 In 1956, Dan Hodge won three national titles (NCAA, freestyle and Greco-Roman) in a month's time with 13 straight pins, heading into his senior yeat at OU. Then on April 1, 1957, Dan becomes the first wrestler to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, still the only one to this day. But Dan Gable was the most publicized wrestler by the national media that I ever saw. The amazing long streak of 180 in a row over 7 years and his incredible training routines and pinning prowess made him prime copy even in media centers that had never paid attention to wrestling. And then came Cael. 1
Jim L Posted March 31, 2025 Posted March 31, 2025 2 hours ago, ionel said: But didn't Gable pretty much pin his way thru HS? I assuming that you mean Dan Gable. He wasn't making the final for a world/Olympic world as a HSer
Boring Posted March 31, 2025 Posted March 31, 2025 3 hours ago, Jim L said: Thread isn't about who would have had the best career, but who would have received the most NIL. Pico is a good answer, some of the most impressive results ever for a HSer I didn't contradict that, I merely stated he actually did nothing in college.
CHROMEBIRD Posted March 31, 2025 Posted March 31, 2025 22 hours ago, WrestlingRecords.com said: My top 3: Yianni Diakomihalis: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/yianni-diakomihalis/ Cael Sanderson: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/cael-sanderson/ Jordan Oliver: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/jordan-oliver/ Jordan Oliver for sure. He was pretty smart and charismatic on social media, posted good content, and had a decent following before it really mattered much. All big pluses for potential sponsors. I'd round my list with Robles and Ben Kjar. 1
GimJustafan Posted June 4 Posted June 4 On 3/30/2025 at 11:21 PM, pokemonster said: I think Aaron Pico. He was obviously out looking for money a la his Bellator contract and regularly completely obliterated Zain without even breaking a sweat. If NIL was around back then, I think Pico wrestles and takes Zain's Hodges and then some.
trojanhorse Posted June 4 Posted June 4 What about Anthony Robles? I feel as if people could really get behind his story of overcoming adversity and he would be able cash in on it. The Brands brothers when they were competing with the epitome of Iowa wrestling. Imagine how much they would have earned from all the posters and commercials promoting the Iowa brand
Interviewed_at_Weehawken Posted June 5 Posted June 5 (edited) 20 hours ago, headshuck said: Gable Steveson? What would Iowa have paid for a year? They had the chance... I feel as if he met with them? Edited June 5 by Interviewed_at_Weehawken
jackwebster Posted June 6 Posted June 6 On 3/30/2025 at 4:37 PM, ionel said: Shirley you meant Pendleton. Rimshot. I can't tell how much of you is real and how much is meta.
jackwebster Posted June 6 Posted June 6 On 3/30/2025 at 4:57 PM, MizzouFan01 said: He would be also, but Ben’s last two years would’ve earned him a huge bag of cash. I was thinking the same. Out high school, he couldnt have commanded much. Which leads to the question: Would he have transferred for that huge bag of cash?
CyGold Posted June 6 Posted June 6 On 3/30/2025 at 3:25 PM, WrestlingRecords.com said: My top 3: Yianni Diakomihalis: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/yianni-diakomihalis/ Cael Sanderson: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/cael-sanderson/ Jordan Oliver: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/jordan-oliver/ Interesting topic. IF we are looking back at HS recruits IIRC Joe Hesket was the talk of the town in Ames (above Cael). They both shot up the rankings to #1 and were undefeated a long way through their Rfreshman years. He would have made more NIL than Cael imo. Tim Kreiger was also highly sought after in HS.
MizzouFan01 Posted June 6 Posted June 6 7 hours ago, jackwebster said: I was thinking the same. Out high school, he couldnt have commanded much. Which leads to the question: Would he have transferred for that huge bag of cash? Nah. Ben has said Coach Smith and the Tiger staff were the only ones to truly believed in him and that they were ok with him being him. He would’ve stayed, just as KOT did even after being offered big $ from other schools. 1
AgaveMaria Posted June 6 Posted June 6 Agree that coming into College Joe Heskett was higher rated than Cael. But, Dan Gable was getting press all through High School and going into College was thought the top prospect. He would have been the top money prospect - unless Yojo and OSU were actually in the picture. Uetake was the man from before Day 1. 1 ” Never attribute to inspiration that which can be adequately explained by delusion”.
Caveira Posted June 6 Posted June 6 On 3/31/2025 at 8:41 AM, RandolphTJones said: Quick answer: Whomever Bob felt like dishing out the most $ too. Ira Lubert and the psu slush fund paid cstall the highest amount of nil in the history of the sport. Ira is a zillionaire, also in real estate and Ira Lubert’s overall financial contributions to Penn State (PSU) exceed the specific $7 million donation made by Bob Nicolls to the University of Iowa wrestling. Ira Lubert’s publicly disclosed, lifetime donations to Penn State total at least $15 million, though his exact all-time giving is likely higher due to unpriced private contributions.
MoveCountermove Posted June 7 Posted June 7 3 hours ago, MizzouFan01 said: Nah. Ben has said Coach Smith and the Tiger staff were the only ones to truly believed in him and that they were ok with him being him. He would’ve stayed, just as KOT did even after being offered big $ from other schools. I agree and have heard as much from him on a few occasions. Also, worth noting that he’s not passing on a bag and staying in Mizzou for $0, just a smaller bag (likely)…hypothetically.
ionel Posted June 7 Posted June 7 8 minutes ago, MoveCountermove said: I agree and have heard as much from him on a few occasions. Also, worth noting that he’s not passing on a bag and staying in Mizzou for $0, just a smaller bag (likely)…hypothetically. A year's supply of Frisbees ... Mizzu could make it happen. .
MoveCountermove Posted June 7 Posted June 7 22 minutes ago, ionel said: A year's supply of Frisbees ... Mizzu could make it happen. Later in life, he opens up a Disc Golf shop and course…Funky Ben’s Funky Run and Disc Golf Emporium
ionel Posted June 7 Posted June 7 5 minutes ago, MoveCountermove said: Later in life, he opens up a Disc Golf shop and course…Funky Ben’s Funky Run and Disc Golf Emporium No doubt he had/still has NIL value. .
MoveCountermove Posted June 7 Posted June 7 20 hours ago, ionel said: No doubt he had/still has NIL value. AWA contacted me 48 minutes after that post asking for rights to the name, seems he’s self-aware
Idaho Posted June 8 Posted June 8 When Danny Hodge shows up with an apple in his hand in Bob's office, there is no limit to how much he will get. 3 Sponsored by INTERMAT
Nevaeh Lavarias Pearl City High School, Hawaii Class of 2027 Committed to Kent State Projected Weight: 124
Braeden Simoneaux New York Military Academy, Louisiana Class of 2027 Committed to Wyoming Projected Weight: 184, 197
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