Jim L

My memory gets a little questionable as well, but I "remember" him beating nationally ranked PA state champ while he was in 8th grade (maybe he was a FR). Either way maybe the GOAT of middle school wrestlers, the sentiment that he never met expectations as a 4X PA undefeated champ, multiple time AA in college shows that there is no worse curse than unlimited potential.

Very unusual to for wrestling to get any mention in SI. HS wrestling maybe 1 or 2 times per decade. https://vault.si.com/vault/1980/03/17/hes-really-a-rugged-competitor-high-school-star-kenny-monday-came-off-the-carpet-to-mop-up-on-the-mat

Well its not good. If my team is not expecting to be in serious consideration, getting on the list and dropped early just seems to re-enforce that we are nowhere to being a school that top rated wrestlers should consider.

They are also getting talked about as early rejects. Not the best publicity IMO. We also talked about the handful of teams that did not even make the list

Seems like a sh*tty way to bring attention to the schools that are being eliminated early. "These schools suck so much that they are eliminated quickly" Yeah, I wasn't going to ever date the prom queen, but being one of the first to be crossed off her list is a kick in the nuts that I don't need

The same athletes usually win. If a lot of the field was equal and it was truly chance, you should see a wider variety of winners.

Viewers who don't typically watch sports are the target audience for gymnastics (and figure skating, diving, etc) and obviously this is largely female (plus the pervs?) This is the key demographic for networks to boost their ratings as sports fans are going to be watching the Olympics anyways (and like me they will complain about how much coverage gymnastics gets).

Is this AIN situation occurring is other Olympic sports?

Difference was the belittling attitude he had denigrating all style besides Greco, with no experience ever wrestling any style.

Mondo Duplantis is my vote for the current world's great athlete. Current World Record holder for pole vault. Not sure if it is 100% accurate, but their was a claim that he was faster running with a pole vault than any NFLer was measured during any game. The athleticism of pole vaulters is amazing and he is the best of all time. Speed power and agility Also for those who get worked up by Americans competing for other countries. he was born and raised in the US and still trains here, but has an American father and Swedish mother and has chosen to represent Sweden

I was a Barry Sanders fan as well, but he was not even the starting RB on his college team until his Senior year, IIRC. Hard to believe was a pure athlete and had things come easy to him.

I actually googled this because ii sounded almost real at first, after googling and rereading I feel pretty foolish

Jamil also never was a AA in college

After the fall of the Soviet Union, where it felt we were in an existential battle for survival, cheering for only for USA athletes just is not the same for me. I love to see US guys win, but I don't feel like less of a patriot if I cheer for Austin Gomez over Zane.

1x qualifier IIRC, Same as NCAA

Thanks, king.

Did he even play in High School? Seems like a gigantic long shot. Steve Mocco who had the same type of build as Steveson was a backup on a mediocre Oklahoma State team for half a season IIRC. Probably a more likely outcome than Stephen Neal's I wish he would return to international wrestling but if his heart is not in it, there is no point.

Considering how easily he won his last two NCAA tournaments I don't see any point in him going back for another tournament even if he does have eligibility.

I have not followed any of this. Doesn't he have a commitment to the Air Force?

Yes. My memory have become all jumbled.. I think I am combining Cael losing a close match to Gutches, with a young Gutches beating World Champ Kevin Jackson

Yes. Women's and Men's gymnastics are much different sports even though they share the name. FS and GR are closer to each other than gymnastics

I think generational talent is different than generational results. I don't remember anybody thinking Brooks was clearly a #1 guys coming into Penn State. He has obviously exceeded those expectation. In my mind, the last generational talent we had was Gable Steveson. He very early on dominated Heavies like no one I have ever seen before. His results lagged a bit until he improved his tactics and mental game.

Didn't he beat Les Gutches to make his first world team while still in college. I know Gutches was not an Olympic champ, but was a world champ, so pretty close.

What is old is new. In 1968 Columbia had widespread and even more radical student protest where students took over university buildings https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Columbia_University_protests The protests came to a conclusion in the early morning hours of April 30, 1968, when the NYPD violently quashed the demonstrations, with tear gas, and stormed both Hamilton Hall and the Low Library. ... approximately 132 students, 4 faculty members and 12 police officers were injured, while over 700 protesters were arrested Violence continued into the following day with students armed with sticks battling with officers. Frank Gucciardi, a 34-year-old police officer, was permanently disabled when a student jumped onto him from a second story window, breaking his back. The Wiki article mentions that there was long term effect on the university. Columbia suffered quite a bit in the aftermath... Applications, endowments, and grants for the university declined significantly in the following years. "It took at least 20 years to fully recover. Interestingly they don't mention how they have not had one single NCAA wrestling champion since the protest

Mekhi has a Jr World Title which he won reportedly. with almost no FS training. I think his history of injuries make hos ranking about right