Elevator

Mendez is excellent - but not unbeatable. Also, the way seedings work, it is not crazy that soneone could win NCAA;s without beating Mendez. Don't think anyone was saying Stanich is the favorate or even likely NCAA finalist. We will see. Guys keep wrestling and developing and get some new tricks and strategies. Anything can happen!

Had forgotten about him. He could be a contender at 141.

Team USA looks pretty good - not sure Garvin took the best strategy into his match.

So RBY, Fix, and McKenna at the RTC - would they be able to work with the lower weight of the collegiate team? https://static.okstate.com/custompages/crtc/team.html Also Khayitov Mirzo is listed - don't know him.

Yes - the sport has some areas where there is room for improvement. Long time in the gym waiitng for ver short time on the mat in youth wreslting can be a problem too. Kids want to have fun and waiting inh a gym is not much fun.

hopefully at least a few are smarter than they/we look!

I would have to concede that is has been many years since I attended a weigh-in.

A counter consideration is personal privacy - guys step on the scale with underwear (and in some cases no underwear) and now we have girls/women wrestling.

Obvious "best practices" lesson from pandemic is that: Universities making decisions about public health policies during a pandemic should consult with their own medical school faculty as well as the head and assistant wrestling coaches.

Penn had PSU in a dual in 2021 and did pretty well! Kerk had the flu or something. Overall, many say that PSU is getting more top recruits. #2 Penn State 20, Penn 16 125: Ryan Miller dec. Baylor Shunk (PSU), 8-2; Penn leads 3-0 133: #12 Michael Colaiocco maj. dec. Brandon Meredith (PSU), 10-2; Penn leads 7-0 141: #1 Nick Lee (PSU) dec. #28 Carmen Ferrante, 6-3; Penn leads 7-3 149: #20 Beau Bartlett (PSU) dec. #23 Anthony Artalona, 4-3 (TB); Penn leads 7-6 157: Doug Zapf dec. Terrell Barraclough (PSU), 4-2; Penn leads 10-6 165: #32 Creighton Edsell (PSU) dec. #33 Lucas Revano, 6-4 (SV), 10-9 174: #1 Carter Starocci (PSU) maj. dec. #21 Nick Incontrera, 13-3; Penn State leads 13-10 184: Donovon Ball (PSU) dec. Jesse Martinez, 11-4; Penn State leads 16-10 197: #4 Max Dean (PSU) maj. dec. Cole Urbas, 10-0; Penn State leads 20-10 285: Ben Goldin PENN win by forfeit; Penn State wins 20-16

Business non-competes (restrictive covenants) are heavily disfavored and often unlawful in some states and many cases - and they would by unlawful here.

overlooked benefit of portal and NIL is it should tend to keep programs on their toes and at their best or pay the price. Kids should have choices when programs/coaches disappoint.

Friendly alumni grudge match a few years after graduation being refereed by the captain of the current team. Format was adjusted for a water/lung break between periods. The vegas line was not in my favor. No score from neutral in first. I lost the toss. He chose top in the 2nd and I managed an escape. Up 1 heading to the third. The rules had changed (unbeknownst to opponent) such that I had choice in the third and took down. He could not believe it and may have lost his poise. I pulled out the win with years of bragging rights!

Harvard seems pretty loyal.

We will never know 100% what went into this process and seems like these coaches have a pretty good culture and make good decisions. Sometimes tough decisions are made that in hindsight will look like a misstep. Of all the incoming PSU portal transfers that appeared to step on toes of existing team members and incoming recruits, this is the one to me that from the cheap seats is troubling. We don't know what the coaches knew and we do not know and we may never know that. Would guess they had to know there was a risk that Ryder would exit and apparently were willing to risk it. Wish him well! Its not easy to move schools and programs and in this case wear the funny cowboy hat.

Started at 58 lbs in the 3rd grade -- my team at the time already had two future state champs and another kid who became NCAA champ. After that I had matches at all of the weight going up and even a few in H.S. at unlimited, although I also was wrestling at 185.

no idea really - but Vega really impressed me at the Classic

hope you were able to circle back and catch him as he was very creative

Could be closer to the truth - kid bets on himself in a prove it deal knowing he will have NIL leverage if he can return to the NCAA finals.

hurtful - sometimes a longer perpective can be enlightening.

If we are going to pivot to a Vak appreciation string of this topic, I will say that I like his contributions to this forum and note my appreciation.

Not going to sit here as you bad mouth American exceptionalism!

Did not know they were a package. There have been some NY wrestlers that did well for Lehigh, one guy from a few years ago named Yozzo was really fun to watch.

Probably a fair number of wrestlers could get some NIL $ and maybe a more certain roster spot with a move, but just do not have the inclination - including because they do not value maximizing those two things over the stability and value of their current circumstances. Grateful for the devil they know. Also, might be few who could score some NIL $$ at OK State, but just will not choke down the cowboy hat.

You are counting Cornell as Ivy? OK