SocraTease

I have to wonder what kind of shape DT is in. I'm glad he is competing, but it seems like a very late decision and he has probably laid off training since WTT in spring, where he did not look like his old self (gaining zero takedowns on Brooks). He's got to get by guys like Hidlay and Mirasola and Mach and Schulz first.

As a few others have noted, Bassett is indeed just milking social media and drawing out the process for attention or to up NIL money. FLO and other outlets are playing along with the game. So be it, I suppose. The wrestling world is in a pause mode and quiet lull for a while (until the college season starts) with the possible except of freestyle trials this coming weekend. I'm relatively certain that only a few schools have ever been in the running: Penn State, Iowa, and maybe Oklahoma State with long shots like Cornell or perhaps Princeton if he wants an Ivy league education and has the grades and scores to get in.

Maybe their new nickname should be "The Mercenaries" Mercenary -- noun a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army. "He had planned to seize power with the aid of a group of mercenaries"

Top notion guy in all respects. I just saw he is married to Whitney Condor (former world team member) and they have twin girls. Look out if those girls decide to wrestle down the road.

Maybe Belarus can put in their President (aka dictator) Lukashenko at 74KG and Russia can put in "Blackbelt" tyrant Putin at 57KG. And then the rest of semi-free world can beat the crap out of these two authoritarians. Oh, throw in Kim Jung Un for North Korea at 125KG.

Brooks is a faith-based rather than fact-based guy. That tells me to take what he says with a great grain of salt. He's too willing to tell himself (and others) a magical story about the world, and what he sees is no doubt colored heavily by what he seeks (and wishes to see). His stories are far too simple and simplistic to actually reflect a reality that is usually many shades of gray rather than stark black and white. I wonder what Brooks will say if he gets Yazdani or a Muslim from another country in the Olympic finals: my guess is that he might cast it as God's plan to do battle against heretics or something of the sort. NBC might be wise to keep the live mics away from him.

Yes, that is the case.

Yes, all signs indicate that Spencer Lee is extremely strong. His top game and gut wrench is one indication. Another sign is that he can do one-arm pull ups without the aid of the other arm supporting the active arm. I once challenged fellow wrestlers in a wrestling room to do this and no one could.

Zain's path to qualification. He needs to win 3 in a row to. get to the other third place finisher, and then win that final match. A tough route. Four watermelons to crush.

Christopher Hitchens: now there is a guy who can speak eloquently and also write well. Sad to see him taken by cancer.

Perhaps because Jesus was on Brook's team, and DT uses magic rather than relies on miracles and divine intervention, both of which Brook's references

Taylor is definitely good on his (speaking) feet. He hits the right notes. He answers the questions rather than avoids them. He praises others and gives credit where it is due. He offers reasons for optimism. He comes across as honest and genuine. And he clearly is very competitive; but he not only wants to win, he wants to build a solid culture around the program. The fact that he started and ran the M2 training center (with several others) mitigates his lack of experience coaching at the college level. It's easy to see that he has leadership skills. But now, the real work begins. I'm hoping that the powers-that-be schedule a Penn State-Okie State dual this year or next.

Another shot an AA-ing all the weights.

I see lots of posters are drinking tonight. Carr did not dominate Mesenbrink. He won 9-8 and would likely have lost if MM knew the score or the match continued. MM teched Monday, which was something Nolf came nowhere to doing. Monday is also probably better at freestyle than Carr, who only beat MM on a riding point in, yes, folkstyle. Mesenbrink is a U 20 World champ and also a U20 silver medalist. Better credentials than Nolf at that age. But let me be clear: I'm not saying MM is better than Nolf right now.. He's about 7 years younger. Get off the juice. I bet you have a hangover in the morning. Alluseeistheroomspinning

130KG is freestyle's version of Sumo wrestling. And, yes, this image is disturbingly pornographic

I half thought Taylor would leave the shoes on the mat but maybe that is not his style. He's said repeatedly that when he loses the fire, he will hang them up. The flame was kind of low these past two matches and in leading up to it. Was the last time he competed at Worlds? Brooks, on the other hand, was coming off a long season

I don't see how all the other guys that wrestled Brooks this weekend could take him down but DT couldn't do it in two matches. The mysteries of life

End of an era.

Taylor now has to rise to the occasion or go home fishing ... or cow raising. Let's put it out there DT!

Jason Knapp?

Factoid: Elor is half-Russian. Not sure if it is upper half or lower half

Maroulis could wrestle for Greece if she wanted to. Her father is Greek.

Elor and Blades should make good training partners for the Olympics (I'm assuming Elor takes care of business in a few minutes).