SocraTease

Over on the Penn State boards, they are spinning the loss as a positive and trying to make wine out of, well, lemons. It's like the cult around a famous Orange figure. Nothing prevents true believers from perceiving a world they desire. They see what they seek. They also think that the Byers is the greatest wrestling announcer alive. He's not only a terrible Homer; he simply does not know wrestling very well (moves, positions, technique, and the nuances of the sport); he often can't properly pronounce opponents names; and when he has announced freestyle matches, it is far, far beyond an embarrassment. But, hey, he gets excited for a Penn State win so that's what counts right?

And please, no one write "wrestling" . . . for whatever this "professional" activity is. It derailed into a circus, a sideshow, a theatre of the absurd, a clown car out of control. And they are ... um ... now milking (!) it for whatever it is worth to people who likely don't appreciate actual sports Oh America. Oh crazy performance kitsch.

Seth Gross seems to be the new "Funky for Freestyle" guy. Like his predecessors, Ben Askren, Wade Schalles and (way back) Rick Sanders, he is totally unorthodox and very unpredictable. He looks like an easy pushover, a kind of wispy reed or JV wrestler about to get shredded, but his style confounds many opponents. Even his red shoes are rather funky. I'm curious to see how RBY (and others like Fix) might wrestle him this year in freestyle.

The LARGE COLORFUL font for Oregon State overwhelms the tiny black and white font of Penn State .... but I fear the actual match might go the other way.

Valencia looks very good. Tech-ed 2 guys in a total of 2 minutes

Suriano looked solid, as did Richards at 57 KG. Wins 6-3 on 2 TDs and a lace

Suriano, Pantaleo and Nolf making debuts. Not sure about other weights. Yianni still in the lineup

Yes, finally about to start on Mat A

How about just using ankle bands instead of the delay. How far away is the hotel? In Chicago?

I picture wrestlers rooting through their laundry in messy hotel rooms. And probably having to chase it down via the Hotel staff because it is being washed or (oddly) ironed

Delay in the US vs. Georgia match because the US team has to go back to the hotel to change the color of their singlets. Ach.

Something was changed in the schedule but FLO did not themselves keep us apprised of the change

Are the men up at the World Cup at 7 pm or 7:30 PM (EST) Flo's schedule has them at 7 PM but I'm seeing nothing

1. Kerk is now #1 at 285 2. PSU has only needed 7 or 8 scoring wrestlers at NCAAs in recent seasons. 3. The transfer portal is still open at 125. 4. If you return 4 National Champs and #1 ranked guy who finished 4th last year, you are still the favorite to win 5. PSU has a proven track record of meeting or exceeding expectations at Nationals. 6. Iowa has a recent track record of underperforming at Nationals 7. Cael ("Carl")

O'Toole also survived a very close match against West Virginia.

Taken out in the semis by Kendell Coleman. Put to his back for a six point move and then gives up a late TD. Another #1 loses this weekend. Correction: I guess he is now ranked #2 or #3 in some of the polls.

I only saw the last period and a half, but Schultz looked lethargic, spent, and far, far from a number 1 ranked wrestler. Kudos to Nevills for getting after it. Schultz should never again be ranked #1 after that performance regardless of what happens to guys in the Big Ten, who deserve to be top three: Kerk, Parris, and Cassiopi.

Loses to A J Nevills in the quarters. 5-2 I think

Hey FLO, next time on FRL, admit your incompetence and apologize for it

FLO is an embarrassment. They can't do anything technically well

Well . . . to be perfectly honest, in my humble opinion, and of course without offending anyone who thinks differently from my point of view, but also by looking into this matter from various differentiated perspectives and without condemning another's perspective but still trying to be objective and disinterested in my analysis, and by considering each and every sound argument, I honestly believe that I completely forgot what I was going to say.

It's an award for amateur athletes. Borroughs is nowhere near an amateur.