Tchfllsrfke

Bring this back

Duke didn't have a takedown. A locked cradle from the front where the wrestler can neither turn nor go behind has never been a takedown. If it is, all the lanky kids need to do from a front head is a reach around and release. All that said, bad form to award the 3 preemptively. Shoulda let the kids keep wrestling until control is established or not.

Change the stalling rule so a point is given on the first warning. That way people will avoid even the first stalling call and there won't be such an insurmountable separation at the end when we see so many matches closing with a futile flurry from one wrestler and back-back-backing downblocks by the other. All wrestlers should be looking to score at all times. 1st Stall-1 point, 2nd-1 point, 3rd-1 point, 4th-2 points, 5th-match end.

PSU has one graduating senior, a couple of absolutely dominant juniors and some sophomores and freshman who will be dominant for a while (no doubt will have some new freshman that are top tier). But... David Taylor has some freshman that are great out of the gate and can develop dominance, along with some great incoming classes. Can Taylor's OSU compete with Sanderson's PSU in 2027? Top the podium in 2028?

Could happen, those Okies are on the bubble. I'm not sure "freshman" is a very useful term for competency. You might say a freshman is a bit untested, but between Vega, Jaxon Joy, PJ Duke, Lockett, Angelo Ferrari, Sinclair, Montanona, Mirasola, not to mention the INSANITY at 133, where freshmen might earn the top 5 spots, I don't think being a freshman is relevant to much.

Here are my initial thoughts. It doesn't quite pass the "eye" test--doesn't seem like either team should be able to score that high. Where do you think I got it wrong?

I'll bet on OSU

Knee, back, shoulder, elbow, hip. Anything but just hands. If you can't get him to touch a knee, you're not in control.

True, and refs will go over and over these things as a group behind closed doors. Still, it could use some sort of intensive training to get refs more consistent across the board. The more consistent they are, the better wrestlers can just wrestle.

I don't mind that. I have my doubts that some of the most recent PSU wrestlers have the pinning ability that backs up their dominance and I want an incentive for them to prove it. They're incredibly dominant; now show that you can finish the job. If they can't then it leaves room for someone else to challenge them even without as many champions. That further will press PSU to get pins, if they have someone chasing their tail by getting all the bonus points they won't get without TFs. Aggressive wrestling is good for the sport from TDs to turns, pins, and throws. Reward multidimensional dominance more and two dimensional dominance less. PSU or not, I'm for all out wrestling. PSU did this a lot better before the 3-point TD and it is what made them so fun. They aren't as fun to watch anymore and are turning folkstyle into a freestyle competition.

Correct. You've proven your dominance and you've also demonstrated you can't pin him. We don't need to watch more minutes of you dominantly proving you're better but unable to pin. No reward for the lack of pinning ability, only for the dominance.

Not quite. Anyway, I don't think it's good for the sport to have the minutes in matches between 10-point separation and the TF so inconsequential and uninteresting. I'm arguing for more meaningful wrestling throughout--make the wrestlers want takedowns AND pins, not allowing them to disregard the latter.

A name is a name. What's most important is what the response is on the mat. If you like, I noted toward the end, that you can stop the match at a major and make the Major a 10-point separation. The sport should be more than a takedown tournament, which is what we're seeing from even high-level wrestlers clearly capable of much more.

The most exciting sport in the world is forgetting one aspect that makes it so electrifying: Pins a.k.a. Total Victory. 3 point takedowns and 4 point near falls--excellent improvement to benefit aggressors. Now there's one simple way to go a bit further: Eliminate the 5-point and bonus tournament point Technical Fall. There is already a point awarded for dominance--that's a Major Decision. Sure, end the match when a wrestler is up by 15, but why reward them if they end the match without a Total Victory? If you're better, Decision-3 points, if your way better, Major Decision-4 points. We don't need differing degrees of "better", that's what the Major Decision is already for. What's more, Tech Falls are more and more common and, disappointingly, most common amongst some of the most dominant wrestlers who seem to put in very little effort toward a Pin. Why should you get extra points for a takedown clinic? This is folkstyle wrestling where Total Victory and supreme dominance is only demonstrated when you can, against a man's will, make him look at the lights. Technical falls are increasingly common, especially with 3-point takedowns. That’s not necessarily bad — offense is good for the sport. But here’s the unintended consequence: Elite wrestlers often stop pursuing high-risk, high-skill pinning sequences once the technical fall is within reach. Why chase a cradle or commit to a tilt series when you can simply secure another takedown and end the match with bonus points? If we want great top wrestling, we must incentivize it. Right now, the rulebook rewards takedown clinics more than finishing ability. That’s backwards in folkstyle wrestling — a style built on control and domination on top. If you're concerned about matches slowing down after a wrestler gets to 8-points up, fine. That just means you're concerned that the wrestler who deserves the Major is impotent in pinning efforts. But I'll give you an olive branch: since the 3-point takedowns Majors are too easily obtained--make Majors require 10-point separation. Still concerned about the time of match from 10-points to 15 going slowly? Fine, call the match when the Major Decision is reached at 10-point separation. Once a wrestler has demonstrated dominance we don't need additional dominance unless it is the ultimate dominance of a pin. The sport should clearly communicate this hierarchy: You are better (Decision). You are clearly better (Major). You are utterly dominant (Pin). Technical falls blur that line. They create a fourth category that sits awkwardly between dominance and total victory — and in doing so, they dilute the value of the pin. If wrestling is serious about rewarding aggression, it must also reward finishing. Make the pin matter more. Eliminate bonus points for the technical fall.

I'm not sure you understand the word "atop". Legendary coaches, no doubt. Iowa may fall off the podium this year but it will be fun to see how the Brands respond next season.