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Honestly, outside of current top D1 coaches and top active competitors, he probably has the highest name recognition there is, at least among current top high school recruits. From his Hodge career, to making the Olympic team, to becoming one of wresting's top MMA fighters, to becoming a lead Flo personality, to running the Asken Wrestling Academy, he's always been in the wrestling limelight, and he has one of the more memorable personalities and styles. My guess is over 95 of the top 100 recruits know who he is. If you're hiring a coach, and the top D1 coaches aren't moving and the top active competitors aren't ready to move into a full time coaching position... do you know a potential candidate who has MORE name recognition among top high school recruits? Heck, he probably has better name recognition among top high schoolers than 90% of existing D1 coaches. You don't have to like the guy, but questioning his name recognition among recruits is a pretty bad take.

Pretty sure they're both in the Big 10

Boom, roasted. You have my vote.

Blair Academy had 3 in the finals in 2005 I believe. Mocco 1st, Esposito 1st, and Mark Perry 2nd.

Hammer, sometimes it's ok to just take the L & admit you are wrong.

cry about it.

I listened well and liked everything he said. I say he would be a magnet to draw talent and succeed at coaching them. Look at Brands - they couldn’t motivate me to do anything yet look at some of their achievements over the years. This guy is respected by the ones doing the wrestling much more than many realize.

Minnesota lost a team point? What is happening. Can we deduct the zebras a collective point for causing lots of confusion?

McKee pins Barnett! That was his final home match.

Everybody talking about Brooks being a lock at 197 forget about Hidlay.

He’s handled himself really well for a TF. That being said I really think he’d have been better off being able to RS this year. He’s been a pinner his whole life and IMO will really be something when he learns to be a wrestler when it’s needed.

I always pull for Cole Matthews now. He's got a good bit of that Will Lewan (lack of) energy. Hoping to see more of that.

good job benny baker

141, right?

More like 15 to 0. The Ohio State guy at 125 did nothing. He didn't deserve the win. And should have been given a second stalling call.

Espn+ but could be tv provider issues

Lujon had like 8 shots to 1.

Ionel enjoys crispy Peking duck served over pancakes with cucumbers, spring onion and a touch of hoison sauce. Specifically from the Royal China in Canary Wharf

I know I've posted it before, but I just can't say enough good things about this Friday night Duals gig. Let's go!

Pan-am games is not the world championships

True 1-8 .... All that aside, I think Asken would be a pretty good coach and recruiter.

What a great episode. Willie is the man for doing it !!!!

It seems logical that the Indian will do the Illini a favor.

Certainly the first three weights are toss ups. Wrestlestat has all three going to PSU, but I do not see that happening. Wrestlestat also has Kasak beating Lovett which would be a major upset. I do not see that happening either. The only match wrestlestat has going Nebraska's way is the other clear toss up to me, Pinto v Truax. I think Nebraska gets 1 or 2 of the first three weights, Lovett, and Pinto making it 7-3 to PSU, maybe 6-4, but I think 7-3.

I finally finished up the 3 hours! It was great to see Willie and CP talking. The chemistry remained (though the video lag messed with it a little). Given Ben's announcement, I'd again put my hat in the ring for new cohost. I'd bring the similar energy to Willie and Ben, though taller, fatter, and less credible. Funnier though.

Much like his recent video, "What's wrong with Iowa". Flo probably would have censored him on this as well. Going out on his own he has more journalistic freedom.

I feel like he will be a very good coach. He is very thoughtful about his approach to the sport. He has developed a philosophy about how it should be taught and how athletes should be managed such that they have long term success. He has used his wrestling academy to test his theories and it has worked exceptionally well. Given his strong opinions and given that he now can prove his methods work, I do not see him accepting an assistant coaching position where he may need to work within someone else's system such that he may need to compromise.

I said that to my wife once it didn't go so well

Kids in their know who he is. UFC. Flo. PFL. Fargo, etc.

lots of exciting matches today - only problem I'm having is choosing between a nice pizza or chinese food for the evening!

From a purely human perspective it’s great to see Willie and the Flo guys speaking again. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Will be #49 for me

While the anticipation of some great dual match ups this weekend, we have powerhouse Michigan visiting Bloomington tonight, for a 7 pm match with Indiana. (UGH) That’s right (IndianA ) with a A. Last week Hoosiers got their A handed to them. I’m thinking a similar results tonight ,if wolves keep everyone in their line up. ( stars) Who knows. But not that it would make a difference in the final results, for the Hoosiers, not sure if Washington, or Lillard, or Spranger will be in the IndianA lineup. Looking forward to keeping The (A) in Indiana tonight.

I bought a Kindle for the very same reason, but mine is getting a workout!

That is a really good question. His steady perspective and insightful wit aren't something we often see around here.

Here's the olive branch I've been continually trying to raise for peace... If peace bores you, then you should stick to being close minded and vindictive. It doesn't suit you, but it's your choice.

Where has Bernie been? His presence has been missed

I wonder if Arujau not wrestling has anything to do with his opponent ranked #5 in the weigh class.

Willie mentioned on his podcast how he was “railroaded” by then but it was essentially nice to forgive and forget. where can I get a quick overview on the fallout?

Ollie? Yes he was joking. I don’t find his persona funny is the problem. He hams up the worst parts of people from the east coast.

Ersland is a great coach and greater guy. He creates great men and that’s more important than anything else. My biggest arguement for more wrestling programs is that it will make more successful self sufficient and driven young men and women. just love the dude for all he did and needed to share.

I love your guide! Highly recommend.

I will tolerate zero Ollie hate. He’s awesome.

Listening to all the nostalgia here I think that the walkout music for this thread should be Bruce Springsteen's GLORY DAYS. NB: I'm old enough to have played the just released vinyl version, not of GLORY DAYS, but of BORN TO RUN, out my dorm window.

He 100% has another year if he wants. And he will be back to wrestle it.

I made a simple New Year's Resolution to read more books. I'm starting slow, trying to read a new book a month. As an avid podcast listener, I have to get back into the habit of turning pages. January: I completed Prisoners of the Castle by Ben MacIntyre, which chronicles the numerous stories of the escape attempts from Colditz, a German POW camp housed in an old castle. February: Currently reading Trash Talk: The Only Book about Destroying Your Rivals That Isn't Total Garbage. I was interviewed for this one, so it was sent to me and the author reached out to come on the show to talk about it. So when I have a guest on the show who wrote a book, I want to read the book so I'm educated on the topic. This one dives into the psychology of trash talk, interviewing some of the great sports villains across the ages. I'm about halfway through it. Pretty fun stuff and I get quoted in spots, although I do feel I'm being presented there as a pro wrestling journalist rather than a pro-wrestling journalist. I also listened to an audiobook two weeks ago using the Libby app (local libraries) called Games of Deception by Andrew Maraniss, which talks about the first U.S. Olympic basketball team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler-run Germany. I'd previously listened to his book about the first U.S. Olympic women's basketball team in 1976 in Montreal, so while its about roundball, I dig Olympic sports history and that one featured a former great from my alma mater. I don't "count" audiobooks in this exercise as reading, because you're not actually reading.

You got me doubled Gimp, this will be 24 for me.

Michigan is not looking good this year. 1/2 the lineup is imports who have one year left, and they really don’t have the time in the room to blend with the team in the same way. That, and after 6 years in a college room, most of them are are worn out with plywood joints bead together by duct tape. It’s just what that much wrestling does to a body. Austin Gomez is fun to watch, but he has never had a clean style that works well in tournaments, he just falls on his own lat drop sword too often. And the other guys are performing with intense mediocrity. Amine is very likely hurt, I’d say maybe even done for the year given how he got wiped by mesenbrink and all of a sudden mantanona appears. Griffith puts together 3-2 matches, and davison, as much as I want him to do well, looks less fired up this year. Something happens with the grad transfer for money route. It is not as successful as we would all imagine.