meZYNbrink

Cauliflower ear is cool, singlets are cool, and 2-pieces are cool. Maybe makes more sense to make it the de facto uniform for youth and then once you get to high school have the option for singlet or 2-piece.

Grow a pair and take it off.

Agree, the classic hwt muffin top might require my girlfriend's Skims bodysuit to keep in check. But for everybody else... lol My main point is that while clubs and schools have the option to wear a 2-piece, it often doesn't come down to the individual level. And we all know what being a kid is like - no one wants to be the odd one out, especially if they are insecure to start. Match simulations are important IMO for kids to understand what a match is going to feel like. Now just imagine if they didn't have to change their uniform for it from what they wore the other 90% of the time.

I see "CONDOM DEPOT" branding not only as a win for the sport but a personal victory...

I agree. BJJ's rise has brought many kids to combat sports, but also has perhaps cannibalized wrestling's participation rates. Can't help but think some kids view BJJ as more approachable due to the uniform.

I've been around the sport long enough to have seen multiple pushes in the last 15 years to move away from the singlet and to the 2-piece uniform. For the life of me, I can't understand why we can't get there. I understand the nostalgia element of the singlet for many, as well as the fact that most of us are creatures of habit. But why can't we move to a more comfortable, less revealing uniform? A few points: Wrestling is one of the only sports that doesn't practice in the competition uniform. 2-pieces would largely solve this. Why prepare for competition in a different uniform? Growing wrestling is a major point of emphasis for many, namely USA Wrestling. We all want to see the level of competition in the US at the highest levels (college/senior), and how can we do that better than by lowering the barrier to entry for kids at a young age/increasing retention rates? 2-piece would help this factor by being less revealing and more practical. There is a stigma, though I obviously disagree, that combat sports (especially wrestling) are inherently homoerotic. We can increase mass appeal of the sport by simply being less naked during competition without compromising range of motion, flexibility, and utility by implementing the 2-piece. There are many other reasons why I think the 2-piece makes all of the sense in the world, but I'd like to hear the board's thoughts on why we are stuck with the singlet. It seems to me that the efforts to switch uniforms in the past were worthwhile, even getting as far as allowing it as a 1:1 option for athletes.

I love the "any 6 wrestlers" schtick, very reminiscent of Quintet and now CJI (both BJJ competitions). However, I don't know if the format will be as adaptable to wrestling as it's been to BJJ. Not sure how much I love the actual ruleset, but it's interesting for sure. I think once I see it in action it will make more sense. I wish them all the best, wrestling needs a professional league (or a few), but we aren't positioned for one the way other sports are. I hope they can build something cool.

Our hardest battles are often against ourselves.

Gold at an oversees tournament as well, looks like he might not be done competing.

This was my reaction. I don't know how it is enforceable, outside of withholding federal money and attacking accreditation. My presumption was that this was a virtue signal.

CDA is one of the most beautiful parts of the US. But your point is fair.

Trump is attempting to limit “pay for play.” Curious for constitutional/legal experts opinions on the implications for NIL deals for wrestlers going forward.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/24/trump-signs-executive-order-on-college-sports-00475765

I never understood why 21 was considered a free year of eligibility while seniors from 2020 (and everyone else who competed that season) got hosed. The only logic I've heard is that in order to incentivize wrestlers to compete in 21, when it was unsure if the championships would be held due to the ongoing pandemic, the NCAA offered it essentially as a preeminent mulligan. But if they were willing to give the free year for 21, why not 20 as well? Just seems arbitrary and capricious. Never sat well and still doesn't.

Lilledahl MD Ayala D Bartlett D SVN D Teemer D (toss up) Mezynbrink MD Levi MD Starroci WBGP (win by grave pissing) Buchanan D Kerkvliet D PSU 25 - UI 9 Feel like I took too many close matches and there are bound to be crazier things happen.

They are not. No ill will to the LDS church, but they have entirely different and contradictory beliefs. It's not as simple as catholics vs protestants.

Seemed like Basch and Willie had an idea that he wouldn't be there, then Flo put out a ton of marketing for the event centered around him... I don't hate Flo but it certainly seemed that they were the only ones saying he would be there.

Don't sell yourself short. A triple in a beer league is a lifelong accomplishment.

Tsirtsis is an Indiana legend. Wish him all the best.

Agreed. Everyone should get 4 chances at NCAAs. His years off make it a bit more complicated to me though. I support it, but it's weird. The class of 2020 guys are who I feel the worst for. That situation was handled so unfairly for them, and then the NCAA gave everyone after them a free year. Seems like salt in the wound.

Couldn't agree more. Wish that during that time I'd been able to be as financially set up as Gable. And I bet most of us have some regrets about the what ifs in our lives, at least GS saw those out. Hope he sticks around here. Only thing that bugs me is the retroactive redshirts and taking pro money, I remember another MN wrestler who made a mixtape that jeopardized his amateur status. NCAA sports have come a long way, probably for the better in most ways. If anything I just feel bad for the guys that came before living on oatmeal and great value chicken breast.

Not that they weren't great wrestlers, but they were not at the level of a Bo or Cormier from a pedigree standpoint. Would love to seem them wrestle in the cage but they are there to get paid.

You should hear how Dana speaks about them. For the record, I love fighting and wrestling. But there are so many more casual fight fans than casual wrestling fans. Wrestling should do all it can to be self sufficient. As much as I love wrestling and love rooting for wrestlers in the fight business, I would like it more if wrestlers could make good money and stay in the sport.

Correct

As long as I've been around the sport (about 15 years) I remember DT being the guy everybody wanted to emulate. Went to a few of his camps as a kid and he was all class. Never thought I'd root for OSU but... here I am.