Luke Stanich

[Winners Circle]

Hand up, I was not high enough on Stanich heading into this upcoming collegiate season. This dude is absolutely a title contender in my eyes. I think he is the clear cut #3 and I'll be very surprised if he's not in 1 takedown swing matches with Mendez/Hardy. 

[Truzzcat]

32 minutes ago, Winners Circle said:

Hand up, I was not high enough on Stanich heading into this upcoming collegiate season. This dude is absolutely a title contender in my eyes. I think he is the clear cut #3 and I'll be very surprised if he's not in 1 takedown swing matches with Mendez/Hardy. 

It is hard to unsee his clarion open match against Mendez for me. However, in the same breath I kind of feel like he would have been our best 65kg if he tried to make the senior team.

[Phantom]

Yes, big-time  ...

Edited 4 hours ago by Phantom

[BruceyB]

2 hours ago, Truzzcat said:

It is hard to unsee his clarion open match against Mendez for me. However, in the same breath I kind of feel like he would have been our best 65kg if he tried to make the senior team.

TBF he went 3 matches with Bassett who lost to both Hardy and Blaze at SR WTT. I definitely underestimated Stanich, but I'm not putting him in the top 4 on the senior ladder just yet. 

I always felt that Mendez would have won that challenge bracket at least 7 out of 10 times. He gave up a TD and three guts to Woods and couldn't mount the comeback.

I'm curious to see how good Stanich can be next season coming off of this momentum though. 141 could use some more title contenders.

[Truzzcat]

19 minutes ago, BruceyB said:

TBF he went 3 matches with Bassett who lost to both Hardy and Blaze at SR WTT. I definitely underestimated Stanich, but I'm not putting him in the top 4 on the senior ladder just yet. 

I always felt that Mendez would have won that challenge bracket at least 7 out of 10 times. He gave up a TD and three guts to Woods and couldn't mount the comeback.

I'm curious to see how good Stanich can be next season coming off of this momentum though. 141 could use some more title contenders.

Valencia was 2-1 against woods and 6 seconds from being 3-0 I think that bracket probably could have had 3-4 different winners. In terms of wins I believe the Toprak and Dhzandubaev wins are better than any other current domestic 65kg guy has.

[BruceyB]

7 minutes ago, Truzzcat said:

Valencia was 2-1 against woods and 6 seconds from being 3-0 I think that bracket probably could have had 3-4 different winners. In terms of wins I believe the Toprak and Dhzandubaev wins are better than any other current domestic 65kg guy has.

I agree with the variability in who could have won, but I would favor Mendez to win it most often. As far as international wins, you are absolutely more knowledgeable than me when it comes to international guys, so I will definitely take your word for it.

[Truzzcat]

30 minutes ago, BruceyB said:

I agree with the variability in who could have won, but I would favor Mendez to win it most often. As far as international wins, you are absolutely more knowledgeable than me when it comes to international guys, so I will definitely take your word for it.

I think a lot of it boils down to I am not confident in real at all and do not really think he is our best guy. He earned it he made it through the process but I would definitely prefer Jesse or Stanich as our guy maybe even Brock I think his style would do well internationally.

[bnwtwg]

25 minutes ago, Truzzcat said:

I think a lot of it boils down to I am not confident in real at all and do not really think he is our best guy. He earned it he made it through the process but I would definitely prefer Jesse or Stanich as our guy maybe even Brock I think his style would do well internationally.

This says everything about 65 in the US. Yianni broke through with a medal, but even he was stuck in the domestic dance. Retherford may have brought home a medal last year after consecutive world finals appearances up at 70 (I lend more credence to people who win the OGLC tourney than pretty much anyone not Russian or American), but we will never know due to the concussion. The point is that 65 is always new faces globally and the US is behind - always has been.

[flyingcement]

 

[bnwtwg]

17 minutes ago, flyingcement said: