boconnell

Why would anyone need to give up their NCAA title for an Olympic gold? What possible benefit could there be to giving up the title? Pico is the last guy mentioned and he fell down the ladder the further he got away from his decision to pass up wrestling in college. Our young guys are better than ever, and there is zero to suggest that folkstyle wrestling is holding them back.

The OSU forum also had some talk after Taylor was first hired that Williams had talked repeatedly about not continuing in the sport. It seems like he's just a young man who is still figuring out life. He seems to want a few different things that are not totally compatible. That makes him like most young men, but also makes him unlikely to reach all of his considerable wrestling potential. I'm sad to see him go. He was a ton of fun to watch. Every minute he was on the mat I felt like I might see that incredible duck under he hits.

Thanks for letting me be defensive and angry and not turning it into a thing. John Smith is definitely not about having fun. I think if you wanted to say he looked miserable lots of the time, I'd agree. I just don't think it was connected to whether he loved his guys (most of them at least).

It's absurd you keep pushing this idea that John Smith was known for hating his athletes. I've probably seen you say something like that a dozen times on here. It's a fairy tale with no basis in reality and I'm not sure why you keep saying it.

You're beating up a strawman here. Nobody is judging Williams. Almost every post in this thread is about Tayor and Cael. I think everyone is happy to extend understanding for JW and root for him to do well going forward.

How dare they charge money for a product that had value! They should have given it away for free forever because they once did!

I agree that some people like it and some don't. I am not sure of the percentages. I know I had enough after two years at the lowest level of college wrestling.

So people tell you it wasn't a living hell for them and your answer is don't act like it's not a living hell. You really can't accept that it's not the exact same for everyone?

Tell us you don't watch wrestling without telling us you don't watch wrestling. Burroughs hit far more singles in the last 5 years than doubles. He's extended his career through a massive technique evolution.

This comment says way more about you than it does about Zain. I have no idea what his health status is, but concussions are as serious as it gets. If anything I wonder what he was doing competing at all and not giving up the spot before the games.

I'm glad I don't have to wake up and watch tomorrow. It's nice to get the results early.

Thank you. I had read it that way all week but wanted to make sure after I saw those matches assigned on track.

Track shows mat A and mat C matches right now for 74 and 125. Is that just showing that those matches will be up tomorrow morning on those mats? They aren't starting 2 new weight classes in this session are they?

This video is an incredible argument. It trumps anything I said.

So she is by far the most accomplished, but you don't think she is as good. And that is enough to claim Biles is unquestionably the greatest. Makes sense.

The Soviets had a woman (Larisa Latynina) win 18 Olympic medals and 9 olympic golds. Both numbers are higher than Biles. I think you can definitely make an argument for Biles, but I don't understand how you can say it's not even a question that she's better than a woman who won more golds and more medals at the same number of Olympics.

What makes Biles the greatest gymnast over the woman who had more golds, more silvers, more bronzes, and more total medals in the same number of Olympics?

This is a great way to take the worst part of another sport and bring it into wrestling.

I think he uses the extra 30-50 lbs to win easily.

I agree. Thank you for proving to me that teams constantly do this and the rare ones that get 'caught' get a slap on the wrist.

Then I guess no team has ever had unofficial contact since 2021.

Are you being serious here? You don't think professional sports agents are in contact with teams their clients don't play for? Most agencies represent players on dozens of teams and they can have legitimate talks with any team in the league with total deniability. In every pro sport guys will sign contracts in literally the first minute of free agency. Is it your opinion those contracts just happen with super fast negotiations?

I understand all of this. I think everybody does. Wrestling and non-revenue are not currently taking money from football in most cases. Football loses money at most universities. It is way more than 6-10 wrestling programs that are self funding. If it wasn't we'd be near 6-10 programs right now. Nothing is being exposed. It's been this way for a long time.

Sports losing money are already being cut. That's why programs in non-revenue sports have to grow an endowment. It's been a while since non-revenue sports just got to leech money from athletic programs. The change you are describing already happened.

I know it will change how they get paid. I meant how is being a business that cuts anything that doesn't produce be any different than how athletic departments have been operating for a long time?