Elevator

I don't want his autograph. Just wondered if that is part of the marketing for NCAA wrestlers apparently transitioning to other MMA/UCF/WWE activities.

Anyone know if A.J. will be at NCAA fan fest for autographs? Do other former champs attend fanfest?

technicallity - playing winter rules

I do not know the story w injury status of Vito or any of the Cornell team. Hoping Vito, Starroci, and all competitors are healthy and ready to go!

Have not studied them all, but Cornell may be in a good position to outperform their seeds: Unger - 17 Vito - 6 (this guy can get hot!) Cornella - 24 Fernandez - 9 Shapiro - 3 Ramirez - 3 Baker - 26 Foca - 14 Cardenas - 5 Fernandes - 15 Guys in bold may be seeded a little low? Iowa, Michigan, NCState also might deserve consideration.

This seems to underestimate the risks at this tournament overall. And I say this hoping PSU gets to 10 AA's! there will be so many one score matches that they have to win. Assuming he is healthy, Brooks seems like a lock to make semis but Starocci injur is an unknown. Kerk pretty close to a lock but even if more likely than not, do not see BB, MM or Haines in semis lock territory.

I think it is a little tougher to get 10 AA than in that time period - not that it was easy.

I've only seen a few Orine matches - but he seems like he can contend. ACC guys might tend to be underrated - is this their year?

cannot remember another weight/year where the parity was so deep. Anyone recall one?

seems a little jinxy?

not unlike the mystery of the blessed trinity?

seems like he has solved that gas tank issue this year - but Brooks can come at you with a very high pace for 197

More likely than not that a team gets to these milestones? Would probably take the over at 8 and the under at 10 for PSU. A couple of other programs might be in range. How rare is it. I recall a Minnesota team that had a very balanced team, but too lazy to look it up. Shorter: is this going to be an historic year for team balance?

i have not studied it, but I think there had many years ago been some seeding credit for past NCAA success (prior championships, finals, AA?). Recent examples seem to suggest that is worthwhile particularly w wrestlers who have low match total based on apparent injury but are highly ranked.

This is a good list, but seems maybe Ridge at 149 is more of a scorer than the others. Probably true that against the very best challengers he may rely on stingy defenses - but not as much as the other?

pretty harsh - wrestlers who could not beat Brooks are just about (but not quite) everyone in his weight class each year. do not know how you blame an AA level wrestler that realizes there is no path to varsity competition and transfers

Good point - also semis w Spencer Lee. Back in the day it seemed TJ Williams was unbeatable and he too went down in the semis w a flat performance. Happens.

Lewis went from about 25% to 10% when the seeds came out. THe #9 seed to Starocci may be "fair" to him in some sense - but it is not fair to Lewis relative to seeds 2 - 5.

I should add that the officiating - even with video review - can be unpredictable as people are people. Not meant as a knock on these underpaid dedicated souls that are so important to the sport.

last year Spencer Lee would have polled in the high 90's and probably been #1. I do not think anyone is above 80% as the competition is fierce, style matchups can be quirky, ther can be an element of luck, and there is always injury risk.

Glazier beats Hidlay Dugan beats Keckeisen Incontrera beats DeVos Franek beats Teemer Swisher over Arrington Echemendia over Mendez Bouz over Fix Smith > Stanich Provo > Ayala Sotelo > Volk

125 Max Gallagher (27) 133 Colaiocco (28) 141 Composto (22) 149 Swisher (30) 157 Brignola (20) 165 Fish (21) 174 Starocci (19) 174 Mocco (22) 184 Conway (19) 197 Mac Stout (21) 285 Pitzer (21)

ok - that might be more than 2 points

Two points. Not all who root for a team have the same mindset. Plenty of humble PSU wrestle fans wary of a tough loss. So far this year, the team has met the standard of great without a lot of flat/bad (team and each wrestler) days. But this tourney is so tough that PSU might falter from the seeds/expectations. Would be a big surprise to have them finish below 1st as a team, but as Spencer Lee teaches us, even the most vetted NCAA competitor can get knocked off. These risks make it fun for fans! As tough as Brooks looks at 197, the #2 seed has been off the charts this year as well. Brooks is human and that match could be one of the best ever.

Ramirez is very dangerous and capable of beating the top seeds. Fun tio watch. Same for that Cornell 174 lber wrestling up a weight. Foca has a lot of tricks and I try not to miss his matches. Can be very entertaining.