65kg 2028 we need people to grow!

[boconnell]

3 hours ago, Winners Circle said:

I highlighted that to show that this weight is consistently the toughest weight in the world, and I don't think anyone would argue that. So yes, I think it is pretty relevant. 

But without looking at who did or didn't win medals for us, there is zero context and zero relevance.  Our next 65 KG guys are very different than the last ones and will compete in different 65 KG weight classes against different opponents.  

You mention we have 1 gold in that stretch.  It's Bill Zaddick who is not close to the best American in this weight, but had a good draw and a good day.  That's because he wasn't competing against the most consistently tough weight class in the world.  He was competing against the 2006 66KG field.  It didn't matter how good that weight usually was, it mattered who was there that day.  Blaze and Forest won't compete against the guys of the past 25 years.  They will compete mostly against the guys they've been competing against and the u20/u17 guys who preceded and followed them.

[boconnell]

3 hours ago, Lucho said:

I guess that is true. It's just a shame as there are so many phenomenal athletes that won't be able to showcase themselves if it gets removed from the olympics. I personally enjoy both styles equally but I think I'm in the minority here. If greco gets removed from the olympics, the sport will die. Apart from Iran, I dont think any other country will even bother sending proper teams to compete. It will just make freestyle much more competitive which isn't the worse either tbh. It's one of those things that sounds good on paper but is quite difficult to pull off in reality. It's only been kept somewhat alive possible because of the freak athletes who compete in it.

I'm not in favor of its removal.  I doubt it's removal gives more weight classes to men's and women's FS.  I think removing Greco is just a sad day for wrestling.  I was just pointing out that a great sport can be ruined by a lack of rules innovation, and at a high level greco has been ruined.

[Winners Circle]

15 minutes ago, boconnell said:

But without looking at who did or didn't win medals for us, there is zero context and zero relevance.  Our next 65 KG guys are very different than the last ones and will compete in different 65 KG weight classes against different opponents.  

You mention we have 1 gold in that stretch.  It's Bill Zaddick who is not close to the best American in this weight, but had a good draw and a good day.  That's because he wasn't competing against the most consistently tough weight class in the world.  He was competing against the 2006 66KG field.  It didn't matter how good that weight usually was, it mattered who was there that day.  Blaze and Forest won't compete against the guys of the past 25 years.  They will compete mostly against the guys they've been competing against and the u20/u17 guys who preceded and followed them.

Zain (multiple times), Nick Lee, Yianni (also medaled once), Stieber, JO, Metcalf (multiple times), Doug Schwab (multiple times), Kolat (multiple times), are among those who have failed to medal. I'd argue that those guys are all pretty good.