jackwebster

Vega makes YD look like Charles Atlas.

If you did this, it would quickly lose its shine, a la the All-Star Classic. Re tOSU: I might be completely misreading your tone, but is this mockery? If so, that's too bad. tOSU had an impressive dual team vs everybody but PSU, and the event gave them a place to showcase this. I will just repeat the cliches about the fan-friendly nature of duals. Imagine you dont know much about wrestling: Wouldnt the OSU vs Iowa dual be more exciting than last night's finals? To overexplain, duals almost always have mismatches and beat-downs -- even pins! -- as a result. The marquee matches will intro new fans to the stuff most of us like When you add in personal narratives, school rivalries, and fan engagement, you have an attractive product. . . even stall calls get a roar from the crowd (Ryder / Arnold . . . or any match in CHA ever). I imagine most of the students at the OSU / Iowa dual did not tune in this weekend. But, what's the likelihood that they'll hit a dual next year?

This. Picking-up his boy after a disappointing finish tells us a lot about the team (BTW we -- fans-- know exactly what Vega is talking about bc of our access to the team. This one comment makes the OSU narrative and the fans' investment in it richer )

Shot tally: ~7 for Vega; ~3 for Mendez. Granted, Vega's shots were immediately and fully defended (in fact, one of Mendez's shots -- the one that proved disastrous -- was a reshot off Vega's). But, how is having his shots fully defended evidence of Vega stalling?

No doubt, but PSU is uncatchable if OSU )or anybody else) doesn't win the recruiting war. The headlines will help bc it's more about follows and likes than about moves. How much more more remains to be seen.

The decision to give fans all-access to the program is looking like stroke of genius. . . for now.

Idk. I think he just needs to get close enough to use "all four hands," i.e. latch-on with both arms/hands and legs/feet. Doesn't seem to matter how. He'll take a terrible shot (BTW 7 shots to Mendez's 2/3 last night) just to get give THE OTHER GUY a chance to work short offense. He just needs a chance to latch on. That dude is doing all sorts of weird gripping and readjustments the entire time he's attached. E.g. did you see the weird grip he had on the inside of Mendez's knee? (His thumb was down.)

Haha. At least he didn't call him "well-spoken."

The broadcast team mentioned his club coaching status several times. I got the feeling that he was fishing. Too obvious?

Yeah (at least not yet). Again, Eche presents the worst match-up for him bc he's super strong and doesn't really go to his knees when he shoots. If Eche had that same attack to the other side, it would take away Vega's whizzer and cradle. Idk.

You know what? Youre right. I was thinking like a old dude who believes in clutch hitters and such. Today -- and Im being totally serious -- 1 win with massive exposure might prove better for recruiting than 2 or 3 with little.

Youre a strange person.

Maybe.

Hot take: Alvan's low-profile is why Lockett fell apart on the backside. He thought that he lost to a nobody, and this cranked his imposter syndrome to 11. (I know. I know... he had a win. Still, I'm pretty convinced)

I disagree: They did Vega dirty.

Really ? Dammit! Im filing a formal protest.

Did Merrill black his own eye when he sprawled on his face in the first period?

Funny story: I was watching with my wife, and she was totally confused when Rock said that Duke just "bullied" Robideau. She was like,"I didnt see him do anything uncalled for." I had to explain that "bullying" was a compliment. Ahhh, wrestling and its virtues ...

This. In that last match, he sold out physically and emotionally on those first "almost" takedowns. He's one tough SOB to keep brawling like that. Re Lockett: I think it's imposter syndrome, and he's had an adrenaline dump before the match starts. Re Robideau: I see a nervous freshman learning how to handle pressure, and he's done a great job. Re Ryder: Dude's wrestling with one arm In short, I dont think any of it is about overtraining.

"Hung with him"? He put it on Forrest ... but, but, but, look at the exchanges, esp the first. Forrest twice reached for an elbow that wasn't there (The second time, he got put on his back.) He did the same thing in a second period exchange. Idk he just looked off (and so did the rest of the team). That said, Seidel scored twice from the same attack. He caught Forrest stepping in both times. It's concerning bc it's the exact attack he used in the st finals to get to the leg. But, this time he scored twice. So, yeah, exciting rematch. PS: will Seidel go down? What if he cant get two take downs in the first?

I keep imagining a blood-round match where a guy in custom shoes is trying to hold a 3-2 lead when in the finals seconds he gets hit with his second stall, backs out of bounds for another, and Taylor finally breaks character, screaming "I TOLD YOU TO STAY PRESENT, M#%$F%ER!" and throws a chair across the mat.

No way I would ever lay the evil of my actual predictions on the board.

(Cue dream sequence) if 33 and 41 are wrestled back to back and both matches are OSU vs OSU, then Forrest rolls and Vega rides the wave over Mendez.

Want an absurd prediction? # of champs for both teams depends on what weight they start at?

As a fan, does anybody else prepare for this tournament by convincing themselves that their team will flop? Probably pretty common, but it makes these three days a brutal sort of anticipation.