scourge165

I'd like to consider another entry...Dreshaun Ross. He's never going to have the same type of wins as it's just...not the same, there aren't the same numbers for a Jr HWT to come in and beat multiple National Champs at HWT and conversely, he's just not going to have as many elite level Wrestlers all bunched in together, but if he is all in on Wrestling, he would be the guy I'd take. I think he's going to be a more athletic Tommy Rowlands...and perhaps a bit bigger.... if he really focuses on adding good weight. To have a HWT who could be a 4X AA and 2...maybe 3X NC, I might take that over a 157 or 141 who has marginally higher placements just because it seems easier to find guys who can get you points at those weights then at HWT.

LOL...shut up...I woulda but I got caught...and...and the ref made a bad call and I definitely wasn't pinned. "Hilltopper," just...sounded vaguely like a kids tournament!

He somehow looks like a guy in an old-timers tournament who is smoking a dart about 30 minutes before he's about to Wrestle and then Wrestling like he's taking it about 60% serious and trying to not gas out. I'm still unsure how Slay beat him. He also looks like he SHOULD be physically controlled by a guy like Joe Williams. I mean, I get strength of just one aspect of Wrestling, but...it IS a pretty important one. He is so so damn slick, calm, under control at all times. Thanks. Euro's and 86, not 85. But he was still about 80KGs at the weigh-ins. I believe the majority of his losses came vs other Russians. Peak Burroughs vs peak Saitiev would have been a fun matchup. It seems to me JB's style of Wrestling would have been MORE conducive to beating him than others. That blast double rather than getting in on a single and having to finish given his ability to scramble out of it. *I'm NOT comparing their Wrestling credentials or who was the better Wrestler. Just the best version of JB vs Saitiev.

With Facundo Wrestling '57 last year and you making that comment, my brain glitched a moment and I thought you were talking about Haines being the PSU transfer to beat him out. But yeah...that would be amusing. I think it's unlikely. '84 is going to be a helluva weight next year though...and if Ryder could cut down and do so in a healthy way, that would probably be the easiest route to a title. But I really doubt he can.

I don't know Storely, but Gross seems like he's got a personality that is particularly suited to work with kids and HS Wrestlers. I'm also more inclined to go with guys who just did things a bit different than guys who were just hammers and had freakish athletic ability(though Kolat is an exceptional coach). So Gross, Askren...a guy like Gomez who teaches kids to just go for it(and then they can go to a College where the College coaches teach the kids to go for it juuuust a little bit less often, particularly when you're getting in on and the legs and dominating the match)...Andronian. Those types. It's the Scoring+Fun+Hard work ideology that I think is great for kids. I see this kids...and I've seen it in my own Family(even 20+ years ago) where you have kids who are good, but a Dad is just out there SCREAMING at a kid and he loses and that kid gets all emotional and then they run off. I had a couple uncles like that. Guys who won a few JV Matches and now they're treating the Hilltopper Classic, School Boy 110 LB weight class like the 54th Olympiad. I've seen a few of them quit, a few just melt down in big matches later on, I've seen it with other kids. My Dad and Coaches...they MIGHT ask what I learned after saying good job. My Dad probably not even that, just 'what do you want to eat on the way home.' So yeah, I think a coach that does NOT emphasize results until you're in HS is the BIGGEST criteria. I feel like this should also just be a blanket statement or rule for kids at all levels and also common sense, but for some reason(parents wanting to live vicariously through their sons) it's not...

What announcers even said 174 was his best weight last year? During...the U20s last year or when? Also...if the goal was just to have everyone cut down another weight, why go with David Taylor? Just keep Smith around... He looked plenty big for 184 and that was...again, last year. He handled Arnold, didn't get up any strength and was taller. Looks like a pretty healthy '84. And I'm going to assume he's been lifting and getting stronger. Wasn't he listed as a 84/97 coming in? I know he was Wrestling 182 3 years ago...so 174 seems like an aggressive cut for an entire season. Going there for a weekend or to make a world team is one thing, but doing it consistently seems...like a very bad idea.

Well...he wasn't arrested and he's young. So why are the odds so low that anyone else would pick him up? Couldn't just be a clash of personalities?

Well, we used to practice it a whole lot, but it's HS, there are some very uncoordinated guys but if you're running with the ball...what's the difference between a punch in the arm vs a helmet or anything else hitting your arms. It's cool now how a lot of players, DBs especially, but all defenders...are taking striking classes to get better at thowing punches to create fumbles. The old Peanut Tillman, Charles Woodson move is becoming far more common place.

Yeah...just to be clear, I was talking about two different issues as they addressed BOTH throwing the headgear, etc...and then 48 hours to review(right?)... I suppose thinking back, I used to ref kids Football...and I'd do it with HS officials. We were a good team, we played a top 10 team in the Country(there'd have gotten beaten by 4-5TDs by at least 15 teams in the big 3 states, Cali, Florida and Texas). Big Rivalry game... and our DE gets ejected. I was playing OLB. He was dumbfounded. They said he threw a punch. So the next day, I'm doing a game with these two refs(it was a married couple that were comically bad at their job) and I did it with another guy on the team. They described it, he showed them a rip through and they said, "yes, that's exactly it," and then commented he "punched the RB on the game play." So...rip move with a fist and trying to punch the ball out. We both told them how...common that was and legal and they disagreed. And I don't know what happened. I think he COULD have gotten another game, but maybe the post-game write up(the refs have to review the game) may have proven it was an awful call. Anyway, down 16-0 at half, opening half 60 yard KR(would have been to the house, but our KR was slow as hell...damn good looking and brilliant when discussing Wrestling/Politics, but 4.80 speed...hand timed so..ya know, 4.85). Anyway, fun game, great comeback, clueless refs and...that's the story.

Eh, there's always a few weak brackets at the S32.

Saitiev didn't even appear tall, he just had...INSANE balance, hips and a feel for Wrestling that may be unprecedented. He Wrestled...85KG I believe it was and he weighted about 80KG at one WC. As for the best ever, I'd throw Sadulaev into that group and I will die on that hill, but I still think what makes this sport great is you can reach the top no matter your build. While I believe Lillendahl is a massive underdog and...doesn't really have a chance vs Lee, he's on a trajectory to be an Olympian or World Team member...yet they have very different builds.

Yeah...that's kinda wild, isn't it? I've seen him listed at 5'7-5'8. I'd be inclined to go with that 5'7. Not that I've held a tape measure up to him, but I have been in the vicinity of Brooks...and Cael for that matter(again...not knowing either) and Brooks was short. A few inches(At least) shorter than Starocci who I'd put at...~5'10, 5'9. I would think the ideal size, height would be ~6'2 or so at 184-197. Though length is more important, but I feel like I'm being proven wrong here. Taylor was a bit taller as far as I can tell. Burroughs is the ideal build though. Thick, big hips, core and long arms. So I don't think the height matters so much as the length. Hard to tell what Dake is(I'd GUESS 5'9, but I would just be guessing). I think Snyder has a bad build relatively speaking. I think it makes Wrestling Edit-Tazhudinov and Sadulaev particularly tough. Of course...I have zero Olympic or World Medals, so...what do I know...

I looked up top 30 best times and there was ONE that was not Ledecky(I believe it omits one of Summer McIntosh's times for whatever reason). But then you go to top 50 times...EVER and she's got at least 40 of them. We're been pretty lucky to see some...historically great athletes. Phelps is great, Ladecky's had preternatural endurance. Kinda like Simone Biles or...Usain Bolt. There are a few, but not many athletes who are just so incredibly dominant, it's hard to wrap your head around. I grew up with my Grandparents on a lack and my parents had a pool(my Uncle did excavating, a friend of the family actually did lining, another did concrete)...so I swam a LOT growing up. For fun, to work out, whatever. The thought of swimming a MILE or even a half of mile here like this...is mind blowing. And while it SHOULD be obvious it's not just natural talent, I believe she's never once had a beer and has this super strict diet. I'm not a swimming fan just as I'm not a huge Gymnastics fan, but how can you not respect someone who is as dedicated and as talented as some of these athletes and love watching them compete? I would LOVE to see each of them in the 2028 Olympics. I don't know if that's feasible as it pertains to Biles(now THAT is a sport you need a pretty specific body type).

I would think Cael Sanderson(whom I believe to be taller than the 6') or Tazhudinov...who is 6'3. Also, how much different is Chance's build from Brooks? Brooks is the same height, but he's going to 97KG.

Chris Bono, Aaron Brooks, I wouldn't say Starocci was particularly long, Kyle Snyder. I think that was a great point, Wrestling is unique because ANYONE of any body type can have success. Cael or Brooks at 197... Tommy Rowlands or Kyle Snyder at HWT...Dean Hamiti or Mark Schultz...Spencer Lee or Stephan Abas and I could keep going, but the point seems obvious. I would say Marstellar winning a spot on the world team and Pletcher being the overwhelming favorite in '20...make them not winning the outliers, not proof they faught their body style.