Nittany

Hate to say it, but we're going to see more and more low scoring matches unless stalling is called more frequently and more consistently. Refs generally seem to not want to insert themselves into matches, but defensive wrestling often pays dividends by rewarding the wrestler that didn't take the risk. Just ask Sergio Vega. The kid has great defense, but he literally waited 7+ minutes to counter a Mendez shot (couple half shots in regulation, but nothing really committed) in my opinion. Hard to blame Vega for optimizing his skillset given the rules and how matched are officiated, but it makes for some boring azz wrestling.

If you wrestle 7 full minutes + 2 minutes of SV without a single committed shot, you're banned from the sport for life.

Agreed. It's not hard to tell in a match who is trying to improve from that tactic and who isn't. One way would be to treat it like riding below the waist. The ref starts a count, and the wrestler than initiated the "dive" has 5 seconds to score or let go. Failure to score or let go and the offending wrestler gets hit with stalling. The net result would be less stallmates, ahem, stalemates and more action. Also need to speed up the reviews or get rid of them.

I see your point in elevating the pin as the ultimate desirable outcome in a match, but you're also arguing for less total wrestling.

Whoa...do tell!

This.

Stop the roll through ankle/foot grab. Too often its sole purpose it to force a stalemate (which is just stalling by another name). You may disagree, but I don't care. I know crap wrestling when I see it.

Deakin was just not f-ing around there...

If this were only true.

Glad to see him back to form and back in the finals. I especially appreciated him walking to the center of the mat and pointing at the mat in an effort to get Crookham to stop backing up and playing the edge. Good stuff.

John Lange, 7 seed for Penn State in 1998. Lost in the first round to David Wells of Cal Poly 15-5. Wins 7 (!) straight on the back-side to take 3rd. In the consolation semi-finals he pinned David Wells.

You guys are arm chairing it - in the moment, he felt he could ride and chose top. Good decisions can have bad outcomes.

Skullet

Fix has been living too close to the edge and I think Ragusin takes him out.

Vito