CHROMEBIRD

Much appreciation for the SIDs who put out dual & match notes for wrestling.

A lot of the discussion has been focused on the commentary, but poor broadcasting to me is more about having a reliable stream & audio that doesn't cut out, showing the scores and RT, keeping the camera on the action - like bread and butter stuff that we have grown accustomed to being mishandled. As for the student commentators, the learn-on-the-job model is a good one. Ideally, an inexperienced person on the mic would be paired with a seasoned commentator or pro, though I realize that's not realistic in our sport.

Do the schools still put out media guides before duals? Those were always a great resource. This board is also a goldmine for background content and commentary fodder. Why did they change the pacing from match to match? Ads?

How does Cuba select its reps?

We'll probably get a sense of how Lee vs. Vito would go based on the Ono match, even if it's transitive property logic. I'm looking forward to Valencia vs. Brooks but hope everyone goes at 100%. I guess it wouldn't be so bad to see guys open things up, but I wouldn't want to see it too loosey goosey either since the stakes aren't super high.

Right, that too. Just when the sport is just about to clear its free pandemic year roster barnacles, the NCAA is thinking about giving athletes 5 years to compete in 5. With that plus roster limits, no longer counting JC seasons, and NIL $ some wrestlers are never going to move on. Yet D1 expansion has been slow going at best while there's the same amount of hs wrestlers graduate. It would be nice to see JC and NAIA wrestling thrive or to have more D1 programs because of this, but ehhh. Also weirdly, if Starocci wins his 5th it might just be a matter of time, rather than an anomaly, before another kid comes along and becomes a 5-timer.

Great to see Spencer back on the mat, even if it's vs. Ono. A lot of people were talking like he might hang it up after Paris. Looks like he's still got the fire burning.

I could see it happening. Look at senior year RBY. We all thought he would be unstoppable coming into the season but he wrestled selectively, didn't seem to take the season seriously, then got worked by Vito at NCAAs. I'm not convinced that college wrestling is a challenge or even interesting for Steveson. If he's just going through the motions and his heart isn't totally into it, anything could happen.

Speaking of, Pico had a wicked snap back in the day. Bassett and Pico would be a fun fantasy match. Ironside has said that the best defense to hard snaps is constant forward pressure. I say downblock and counterattack. Shrugs, deadlifts, and neck flexions are also helpful.

I've got KOT, but would love to see Kharchla on the podium, assuming he can stay healthy. Good test for him coming in exactly two weeks.

Poor broadcasting > no broadcasting It's fine to expect better, though. We can wish for nice things.

If Taylor really wanted to switch things up, he'd wear no vest and only sleeves

Can Burwick be Soda Popinski?

I'm feeling the same way. The season hasn't been bad thus far, but I'm just less excited about it. My interest in college sports in general has been fading a bit. It feels like the transfer portal, NIL, pay to play settlement, realignment, etc. have taken a lot out of the parity and tradition that used to make D1 sports fun.

Conference expansion and realignment has been driven largely by media dollars. There's diminishing returns with adding new teams relative to the incremental media market revenues they bring in, esp when the pie is already being divided 18 ways. Lofty GOR penalties didn't prevent teams from leaving (or suing and trying to leave, if you're in the ACC) but it's hard to imagine recent movers like ASU, CU, and Utah make a move. Anyway, further consolidation of conferences probably isn't what's best for wrestling.