VakAttack

The beautiful thing about Will Lewan wrestling in a semifinal is that I know to watch the other semifinal if I want any shot at seeing something exciting.

https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/10063879-two-time-all-american-stephen-buchanan-transfers-to-oklahoma Officially announced, but for all the chatter last year, this one gave me a chuckle:

I believe that's what the insinuation behind the rumor is, but I just don't think there's any reason to believe that. If there were even a scintilla of proof backing this up, we'll find out when Patrick Minnow pretends he's got the scoop 3 days from now.

Brands said in an interview a few weeks ago that Teske wasn't certified at 125, so, if that is true, he can't be going down to 125 lbs.

Maybe we'll find out Sooner rather than later.

Drake Ayala, Nate Jesuroga, Cody Chittum are the most likely. Tony Cassioppi and Jacob Warner are possibilities this year, as is Real Woods.

I think Lee will be used sparingly, but I believe (with no inside info) that his final Cy-Hawk Dual will be one of those moments.

I...disagree. But would love to be wrong. If Carr can be bullied, Kennedy is one of the few guys who can do it, but Carr is just a more skilled guy IMO. I think Carr wins something controlled like 5-2.

Oh, I wouldn't be shocked if Swiderski wins. He's a big time talent. I just don't think it's a tossup as of now. A semantics debate.

I don't think 184 is a toss up, I think ISU is a favorite; I just could see Assad winning it. I don't think 149 is a tossup either. Johnson's one good result isn't enough to overcome everything, including squeaking by the Grandview. 141 not a toss up either, Real Woods is a top 3 ranked wrestler. I have no idea what to make of 157. Siebrecht is a wild man. He'll be the favorite on paper, but I think that's a toss up.

125: Lee TECH Terukina 133: Teske/Schriever DEC ISU 141: Woods DEC Swiderski 149: Murin DEC Johnson 157: Siebrecht DEC Kraisser 165: Carr DEC Kennedy 174: Brands DEC Broderson 184: Coleman DEC Assad 197: Bastida DEC Warner (toss up, but Warner, after my positive posting earlier this month, has looked down, plus it's a tough stylistic matchup for him) 285: Cassioppi MDEC Schuyler Bottom line, if Iowa wrestles it's best lineup, the dual shouldn't be that close. The above results that have a decent chance of getting flipped are 141, 149 157, 184, and 197.

Let's let him become the starter first.

Iowa's injuries get held out more because of the perceptions about the Brands style. As mentioned, lots of injuries in this sport, including at Penn State. It's a tough sport.

What did Iowa and Brands have to do with the topic? They were 879 miles away, lol. That's not a persecution complex, that's a factual statement.

Ahhh, yes, now the forum is for real where Iowa gets attacked very quickly in an unrelated thread. Now we're cooking with gas. Seems like Iowa just lost two high profile matches without incident.

$10 trillion.

I disagree. By and large, it goes to the most dominat wrestler. For example, Retherford won it as a junior and senior, and there were more accomplished guys in the field. I think you're relying mostly on Dieringer winning it over Retherford (total supposition on my part, I know) but Dieringer was also dominant and a senior, with a bunch of bonus. Neither Brooks nor RBy no Starocci are big bonus guys against even low AA type guys on the regular, with Brooks ebing most likely there. O'Toole is going to have better numbers then them this season and is a prior champ. Unless one of those guys makes a bonus jump, I think we'll just have to wait and see.

Rating Lee an A+ and Brooks an A for top wrestling is...well, it's something. Brooks is a B on top. The only current PSU guy who is a stud on top (not counting the new guys who we don't have enough data on) is Max Dean. The other guys ride to ride (and this is a problem in all of collegiate wrestling, not limited to the PSU guys). The PSU guys will hook that ankle and sit on it, accruing riding time but not making any effort to turn. The Iowa guys who stall on top (Murin, Warner, Nelson Brands) primarily throw in a spiral ride and return the guy (or push them out) over and over again. The only Iowa guys I would qualify as studs on top are Lee (obviously) and Cassioppi.

And why is it you think RBY, Brooks, and Starocci would go over O'Toole?

Wait, who are you objecting to, O'Toole being over everyone other than a dominant Spencer Lee?

The committee has been giving weight to prior accomplishments, but again, RBY and Brooks have the same number of titles. I don't think RBY's prior 8th place finish is going to vault him over a guy with more dominant results. We'll see, I suppose.

You guys are acting like the only data point we have is Gomez beating Yianni. Rankings are not precluded from taking into account prior season's results.

Disagree. If Lee doesn't return, or is a shell of himself if he does, I would favor O'Toole...if he's undefeated. After that I would go Brooks next. O'Toole is going to put up more bonus than everybody other than Lee, plus his weight is better. Obviously predicated on O'Toole running the table. Brooks has the same number of NCAA titles as RBY, and has separated himself more clearly from the field. Not that I think anybody is beating RBY, but I'm talking about in individual matches. After Brooks it would probably go RBY and then Starocci, though.

Giving Brooks an A on top is rich. He stalls, riding only for the purpose of riding. He's probably the best neutral wrestler from 174 up (with Gable not wrestling) and arguably in all of D1.

Dude, Cole Matthew's came out to Tracy Chapman, and I'm immediately in.