Revisiting the top HS recruits post Final X

[Jimmy Cinnabon]

1. Duke

2. Jax [possibly 1b with Duke as 1a if he beats Vito]

3. Blaze, true 3rd over Hardy

4. Bassett

 

I wonder how many Nicolls it would take to pry Duke away from Penn State?

Edited yesterday at 02:13 PM by Jimmy Cinnabon

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

14 minutes ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

1. Duke

2. Jax [possibly 1b with Duke as 1a if he beats Vito]

3. Blaze, true 3rd over Hardy

4. Bassett

 

I wonder how many Nicolls it would take to pry Duke away from Penn State?

Surprisingly fair list, but if Jax were to beat reigning world medalist (at weight) Vito, I give Jax 1A.

[RandolphTJones]

Jax also 1 year younger 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

10 minutes ago, RandolphTJones said:

Jax also 1 year younger 

Actually, Jax may be older (but a year behind) (UWW has them both as 18)

Edited 23 hours ago by Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[BAC]

Not just the top 3 current recruits. Each have a legit claim to being the best high school wrestler of all time. 

Other guys may have been as good, but the accomplishments of these three while still in high school stack up favorably to (as good or better than) every other guy before them.  All three have multiple NCAA champions on their hit list, and I don't think there's anyone besides these three to make the finals of making senior US freestyle team while still in high school -- at least not since Jimmy Carr in early 70s.

To my eyes, they've been jockeying for "best overall" the past year, with the top spot changing multiple times.

Bassett is great too but I'd have him and Lockett a notch below. 

[nhs67]

Locket getting so much disrespect, yeah?

[scourge165]

4 hours ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

1. Duke

2. Jax [possibly 1b with Duke as 1a if he beats Vito]

3. Blaze, true 3rd over Hardy

4. Bassett

 

I wonder how many Nicolls it would take to pry Duke away from Penn State?

I'll still take Ross over Bassett. 

Finding a guy who can dominate and score points at HWT is harder than finding a '49 pounder. 

The way Blaze is getting to his offense? That's gonna be a problem! His defense is so insane, if he can keep getting to the legs and scoring, he could be a 3X and win it next year at '33 and would end up at...what, '49 most likely. 

[scourge165]

4 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Surprisingly fair list, but if Jax were to beat reigning world medalist (at weight) Vito, I give Jax 1A.

A world gold medalist vs a world silver medalist...

A 4X NCAA Champ vs a 2X Champ

That's a horse apiece IMO. 

 

I think PJ Duke is gonna be the guy who takes over the 74KG weight for about a decade in the near future. It MIGHT not happen until Carr-Mesenbrink get to Wrestle in LA, but it's the perfect weight for him. He can grow into it and he's obviously already elite.  

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

54 minutes ago, scourge165 said:

A world gold medalist vs a world silver medalist...

A 4X NCAA Champ vs a 2X Champ

That's a horse apiece IMO. 

 

I think PJ Duke is gonna be the guy who takes over the 74KG weight for about a decade in the near future. It MIGHT not happen until Carr-Mesenbrink get to Wrestle in LA, but it's the perfect weight for him. He can grow into it and he's obviously already elite.  

2x world medalist vs 1x world medalist

world medalist last two years vs world medalist several years ago

defending world medalist vs OTT DNP

World medalist at weight vs world medalist up a weight

 

I have Vito as the bigger win if Jax pulls it off.  Big if.

And what is with all the Cornell injury issue that no one ever talks about?

[Husker_Du]

i'm not arguing one way or the other, but we really don't know if this Vito is anything close to peak Vito

[scourge165]

1 minute ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

And what is with all the Cornell injury issue that no one ever talks about?

I don't know...they seem to perform well in March, so it's really not an issue. 

 

That's the key component people don't seem to be getting when they belabor this point made by both their own fan base or other fanbases. 

1-It's about their College team.

2-It's about doing the best you can to keep them healthy and performing well at a high level. 

It's not about a 34 year old Kyle Dake getting banged up, or a ~27 year old Vito Arujau who trains part time with Titan on the West Coast. 

 

Seriously, Iowa fans...let this one die. You've been keeping it going for so long...

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 minute ago, scourge165 said:

I don't know...they seem to perform well in March, so it's really not an issue. 

 

That's the key component people don't seem to be getting when they belabor this point made by both their own fan base or other fanbases. 

1-It's about their College team.

2-It's about doing the best you can to keep them healthy and performing well at a high level. 

It's not about a 34 year old Kyle Dake getting banged up, or a ~27 year old Vito Arujau who trains part time with Titan on the West Coast. 

 

Seriously, Iowa fans...let this one die. You've been keeping it going for so long...

I'm an NC State fan first.  It is just that Cornell has had a ton of injuries to their stars.  Yianni something like 11 surgeries, tore ACL as a freshman.  Vito just not the same a senior, but still won.  Shapiro some serious issues the past couple years. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

4 minutes ago, Husker_Du said:

i'm not arguing one way or the other, but we really don't know if this Vito is anything close to peak Vito

Will he ever be?

[Husker_Du]

good question. seems to be a lingering neck issue.

[scourge165]

3 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I'm an NC State fan first.  It is just that Cornell has had a ton of injuries to their stars.  Yianni something like 11 surgeries, tore ACL as a freshman.  Vito just not the same a senior, but still won.  Shapiro some serious issues the past couple years. 

Well...as much as you post here and as often as I post here, you'd think I'd know THAT, now just how much you talk about Penn State and Iowa.

 

And what happens? It's Wrestling dude. I've had 15...16 surgeries. There's no avoiding it. They'll come for everyone. 

Concussions aren't generally the result of training-Shapiro.

Vito has ben pretty consistently healthy, but they pile up. 

Especially when it's Sr level Wrestling. So...I don't know why "nobody" talks about it because I give it so little thought. 

[jchapman]

3 hours ago, BAC said:

Not just the top 3 current recruits. Each have a legit claim to being the best high school wrestler of all time. 

Other guys may have been as good, but the accomplishments of these three while still in high school stack up favorably to (as good or better than) every other guy before them.  All three have multiple NCAA champions on their hit list, and I don't think there's anyone besides these three to make the finals of making senior US freestyle team while still in high school -- at least not since Jimmy Carr in early 70s.

To my eyes, they've been jockeying for "best overall" the past year, with the top spot changing multiple times.

Bassett is great too but I'd have him and Lockett a notch below. 

Bobby Weaver was the alternate for the 1976 Olympic Freestyle team.  He graduated high school in 1977, so he truly was still in high school.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

26 minutes ago, scourge165 said:

Well...as much as you post here and as often as I post here, you'd think I'd know THAT, now just how much you talk about Penn State and Iowa.

 

And what happens? It's Wrestling dude. I've had 15...16 surgeries. There's no avoiding it. They'll come for everyone. 

Concussions aren't generally the result of training-Shapiro.

Vito has ben pretty consistently healthy, but they pile up. 

Especially when it's Sr level Wrestling. So...I don't know why "nobody" talks about it because I give it so little thought. 

Vito has been pretty healthy, just had his first surgery(s).

Iowa is my second favorite, behind NC State ... for a number of reasons.  Then Oklahoma State.  I do like Cornell, as my son was coached by a Cornell guy from the Grey era.  PSU used to be very high on my list, back in the old Lorenzo/Fritz days.  GA my freshman year had placed for PSU the year before.

I hope you go after the "Iowa is always hurt!/Knee brace!/Shoulder brace!" guys with as much energy!

I hope you go after the guys

[Husker_Du]

Vito has not been healthy in years. 

i'm not saying that's a product of the Cornell room, but it's a fact. 

[scourge165]

26 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Vito has been pretty healthy, just had his first surgery(s).

Iowa is my second favorite, behind NC State ... for a number of reasons.  Then Oklahoma State.  I do like Cornell, as my son was coached by a Cornell guy from the Grey era.  PSU used to be very high on my list, back in the old Lorenzo/Fritz days.  GA my freshman year had placed for PSU the year before.

I hope you go after the "Iowa is always hurt!/Knee brace!/Shoulder brace!" guys with as much energy!

I hope you go after the guys

Sure...I'll get right on that.

 

I hereby decree any criticism of Iowa coaches Terry and Tom Brands null and void as their training style has evolved with the sport of Wrestling, they are regularly peaking in March... namely as I'm REALLY tired of hearing anytime another Wrestler of any age or circumstance, no matter how unrelated to the criticism the Brands Brother and Iowa program received(and then amplified more than any person could have by continually and daily expressing their outrage at this wholly unjustified critique) ... being used to complain about... something. 

 

There shall be NO questions asked why Iowa transfers more often than not(yes, I know multiple 3rd place finisher in a weight Aaron Broks and others vacated won the title this past year...barely edging out Josh Barr)

36 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I hope you go after the "Iowa is always hurt!/Knee brace!/Shoulder brace!" guys with as much energy!

I hope you go after the guys

 

You hoped I went after the "Iowa is always hurt!/Knee brace!/Shoulder Brace!" crowd, though I doubt I've evicted them from the minds of Iowa fans where they live rent free.

 

You repeated you hope I go after the guys. This was so important so as to mention it twice.

 

So ladies, you can say this all you like and it is fine. Weekhawken does not wish me to "go after" you with the same enthusiasm. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

4 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Sure...I'll get right on that.

 

I hereby decree any criticism of Iowa coaches Terry and Tom Brands null and void as their training style has evolved with the sport of Wrestling, they are regularly peaking in March... namely as I'm REALLY tired of hearing anytime another Wrestler of any age or circumstance, no matter how unrelated to the criticism the Brands Brother and Iowa program received(and then amplified more than any person could have by continually and daily expressing their outrage at this wholly unjustified critique) ... being used to complain about... something. 

 

There shall be NO questions asked why Iowa transfers more often than not(yes, I know multiple 3rd place finisher in a weight Aaron Broks and others vacated won the title this past year...barely edging out Josh Barr)

 

You hoped I went after the "Iowa is always hurt!/Knee brace!/Shoulder Brace!" crowd, though I doubt I've evicted them from the minds of Iowa fans where they live rent free.

 

You repeated you hope I go after the guys. This was so important so as to mention it twice.

 

So ladies, you can say this all you like and it is fine. Weekhawken does not wish me to "go after" you with the same enthusiasm. 

That was really long.

Who is Aaron Broks?

[scourge165]

8 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

That was really long.

Who is Aaron Broks?

Awesome! So, like...300 characters is "really long?"

I wonder if you added up all the characters whining about the 5-year-old 'Iowa guys get hurt and don't peak at the end of the year,' claim that you just KEEP rehashing to the point where you're not bringing it up about Vito...

Oh, and I completely understand how you were unable to connect the dots about the 197LB Wrestler who took a Bronze in the Olympics named "Aaron Broks." That was a tough one to crack. 

 

Can I hear about your most favorite teams again in order? NC State and then Iowa and then Okie State and then Cornell because someone from there coached your son!

That was about as much fun as hearing my nephew's favorite Pokeman Cards!

[juniorvarsity]

Last year it was pretty obvious that Marcus Blaze was the high school wrestling goat(IMO). Right now, that has changed it it now goes to PJ Duke. However, if Jax makes the team next month then I would move Jax up to #1, but we can argue about what type of Vito did he beat, but both would have beat World medalists(Vito more accolades). And then it is all about what happens at Worlds to truly take the crown, although Jax and Bo Bassett have another year to do something goat worthy(edge Jax right now).