BruceyB

Why are you being so pretentious on this topic? It's a wrestling forum. I didn't even know that Cabo was Spanish for Cape until this thread. Want to roast me?

You mean the amazing viewing experience of one men's FS match followed by one women's FS match followed by one greco-roman match, then repeat?

This kind of X from the late 90s?

He didn't give up a takedown in the high school season. I went back and looked, he lost to Deluca on a fleeing the mat call (he probably would have been taken down if he didn't lunge off the mat). And he lost in ultimate tie-breaker OT to Davino. So no TDs in either loss. But man, I have to say it. Marcus Blaze is one boring SOB in folkstyle. We're really in store for Bartlett 2.0

Gene Mills is the one that proposed the bet. It was his idea. Let the man do his thing.

Separating the top four and then random draw is the perfect format. It creates more excitement in the early rounds rather than watching top 4 slaughter the bottom 4 in rounder 1.

I could be completely wrong, but by looking at Vega, he just looks like a guy that would benefit from a year of strength training and filling out his frame. I'd be worried he's going to get moved around and overwhelmed by more mature and stronger guys at 141. Luckily he has his 5 dates so we can get an idea of where he's at during the season.

This is a no brainer. I don't know if I've ever actually watched Vega wrestle. Is there really a chance that he'd be ready to take out Jamison or Swiderski?

Stay away too anal for me. ftfy.

I agree. I actually pull back my take after reviewing his wrestlestat again. I thought he notched some bigger wins at NCAAs but I was mistaken. I'd lean more towards him being a 3-5 type guy until he shows a bit more.

I understand your point, but you really think that there just haven't happened to be any generational talents at 65kg (generally considered the toughest weight) in the last twenty years, but 74kg has had 3 consecutive wrestlers in Tsargush, Burroughs, and Sidakov that have locked down the weight for the last 15 years? The odds of that just don't seem likely to me. I tend to believe there is a reason that the podiums 74, 86, 97, and 125 have more familiar faces each year than the three lightest weights.

No, not at all! I would just consider him a contender at heavyweight next year if his knee heals up and he continues to improve. He really got bullied by the big boys last year, and I don't think anyone that's left will be able to do that to him.

I have to push back on that a bit. As mentioned in the original post, no one in the last 20 years have won 3 golds at 65, and only three wrestlers have won 2. Unlike 74kg where Tsargush won 3 titles, Burroughs won 6, and Sidakov has won four and would like have more if it weren't for the Russian ban. That's three consecutive dynasties that have dominated 74kg, where no one has been able to accomplish such a feat at 65kg. It's no guarantee his skill set at 74kg is as effective against lighter, quicker wrestlers at 65kg.

You just actually bolstered my argument. PSU underperformed, but because their floor was so high, they still set the scoring record. If you ran this tournament through a simulation 10 times, how many other times do you think Lilledahl, Bartlett, SVN, Kasak, and Haines all fail to make the finals? I'd bet they all finish no lower than third 10/10 times.

Bastida AA'd once in 2022. He has all of the talent, but until he makes it through a season and actually performs in March, I'm not putting any faith in Bastida. Not to mention, if you actually read what I said, "I think Kueter should be about as big a favorite as anyone..." I did not say he was the biggest favorite, but that I would consider him in the mix with Bastida, Ghadiali, and Trumble. Kueter made huge strides in his first full year of competition and is likely on a higher trajectory of improvement than these guys going on into their 5th and 6th years of college.

I'd be curious what his injury could be that would effect him for more than 6 months. But regardless of what happens, I think they're going to have an AA at 141.

What do you want to see happen at 141?

People are really not giving Cole Mirasola enough credit. He took two losses, one to Luffman and one to Feldman as a true freshman that is adjusting to wrestling heavyweight. Next year will be interesting because with the final bosses gone, this weight is wide open. I think Kueter should be about as big of a favorite as anyone going into next year. None of the top guys are going to be the size of Kerk, Wyatt, Schultz, or Gable next year.

During Cael's run since their first team title in 2011 these are their seasons ranked by NCAA finalists / champions. 1. 2022: 5 finalists / 5 champs 2. 2017: 5 finalists / 5 champs 3. 2024: 6 finalists / 4 champs 4. 2018: 5 finalists / 4 champs 5. 2021: 4 finalists / 4 champs 6. 2019: 5 finalists / 3 champs 7. 2012: 5 finalists / 3 champs 8. 2013: 5 finalists / 2 champs 9. 2016: 5 finalists / 2 champs 10. 2023: 5 finalists / 2 champs 11. 2025: 3 finalists / 2 champs 12. 2014: 2 finalists / 2 champs 13. 2011: 3 finalists / 1 champ 14. 2015: 1 finalist / 1 champ As you stated above, no team has ever had an higher average seed than this years PSU team. Given that, this is the best team that Penn State has ever put on the mat. So how can the best team be in 11th for total finalists and tied for 8th for total champions without underperforming? This is actually their worst season in the last decade as far as finalists and champions are concerned.

65 kg - Tagen Jamison, Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) 65 kg - Carter Young, Cowboy RTC/ Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) With Jamison registered at 65kg, I'm assuming he's either staying at 141 or battling Swiderski for the spot at 149. Also, with Carter Young competing at 65kg, I'm curious if he throws his hat in the ring at 141 as well.

Look, we're nitpicking at their record breaking performance. You're ignoring my point though. How many times has PSU had a #1 seed lose in the quarters? What is their winning percentage in the semis? What is their winning percentage when the higher seed in the semis? How do the percentages this year stack up against their historic success in those rounds? Lilledahl and Kasak came back for third, great. But taking losses in matches where they were both heavy favorites would be a down performance regardless of them coming back for third. Bartlett, SVN, Haines, and Kerk all losing, making PSU 1-4 in the semis in toss-up matches was a down performance for the round. People thought PSU could realistically have 9 wrestlers make the finals, and 8 legitimate title contenders going into the tournament, and only 3 made the finals, and they left the tournament with 2 champions. It would have been a Jimmy take if you went into the tournament saying that Lilledahl, Bartlett, SVN, Kasak, Haines, and Kerk would all be wrestling on the backside of the bracket on Saturday.

#1 Lilledahl losing in the quarters, #2 Bartlett losing in the semis after beating Jesse twice, #3 SVN getting throttled early by Lovett, #1 Kasak losing to Blaze, #2 Levi losing to Hamiti, #3 Kerk (granted injured) losing as well. All six of those wrestlers were being picked by many to win the whole tournament. Penn State having 6 potential champs fall short of making the finals feels like a pretty big under performance when considering their track record in those types of matches.

Indeed. Since the recruiting class of 2020.. 2020: #3 recruit Patrick Kennedy (1 time AA with 1 year to go) 2021: #5 recruit Drake Ayala 2022: *crickets* 2023: #2 Keuter, we'll see what happens with #5 Arnold. 2024: #2 Angelo Ferrari They are turning recruits into AAs at a staggering pace. TnT have turned 3 top 5 recruits into AA's over the course of 4 recruiting classes!? The Brands are on fire. Luckily they have money to plug the other 7 holes that would be left in their line-up. Enter, Dean Peterson, Nasir Bailey, Jordan Williams, Sammy Alvarez, Mikey Caliendo, and Massoma Endene.

You're correct. When I was moving data Taghavi and his two golds got left out of the medals by country data. Thank you.