CHROMEBIRD

IIRC Truax was slotted for 197 but was forced to go down because Brooks wanted to be a full-sized 86 for OTTs that year

Because it's not a bad way to get folkstyle fans out of their comfort zone and into freestyle. Incrementalism versus an abrupt cutover. IIRC, AGON came around during the ball grab era. Some of the rules were experimental at the time (e.g., step-outs) but would now closely resemble the freestyle ruleset. If memory serves it was more or less today's freestyle rules but with sudden victory, no criteria, and it was 3 periods with top/bottom/neutral, and I believe escapes were initially rewarded with a point... but that was changed. Imo, the style didn't force freestylers or folkstylers to adjust their fundamentals and technique very much.

It's mostly pushed down to the conferences and individual programs. The NCAA tests for PEDs throughout the year and for illegal narcotics during postseason NCAA tournaments, but it's random and with up to 2 days advance notification. Most schools get zero or just a day's notice that they've been selected for drug testing. The theory is that schools will want to do their own regular testing because they'll be able to get in front of penalties in case a kid tests positive. And sometimes, athletes can unknowingly test positive based for a banned substance in a medication or OTC dietary supplement that shows up as a masking agent, so this gives them time to stop use of the product or request a medical exception. The NCAA's banned substances list is pretty much identical to the WADA classification system. People have long joked about the prevalence of PEDs in wrestling and other college sports. In the name of fairness, it might sound ideal for the NCAA to test all schools regularly all year 'round for all possible banned substances, but they wouldn't have the scale or resources to do so. So, here we are.

Yeah, Mason Manville is currently captain of the all-shirt wrestling team

As far as a pro US league goes, I thought AGON was a nice hybrid and ahead of its time. I wouldn't be opposed if Askren, Flo, etc. gave it another try, esp if there's an appetite from sponsors and it gives RTCs and training clubs new competition opportunities.

Thanks. Did Facundo take a greyshirt year out of hs? If he gets his medical waiver, I think he'll make the all-shirt team as a RRRS soph. Impressive.

Volk is a solid get but ngl, I would love to see Cruz win the spot.

Didn't Facundo sit because of an injury? I figured he would've been the starter if he wasn't in crutches and could challenge Kasak for the spot next season, unless he wants to go 165. But it is pretty wild that PSU starters live in a world where they could get sick or banged up and their sub steps in and challenges for a title without missing a beat.

Hah, yes! That's the guy. I also forgot about the dude @pcostilow mentioned who gave up pimping for Jesus Talk about a role made for AJ

Ah yes, should the national runner-up at 197 who said he hates cutting weight drop down and cause an even bigger logjam in his team's lineup after the guys he lost to at 197 move on?

Jimmy actually making good on one of his bets?

Ed O'Bannon tho

It kinda sucks that Nolf isn't around the PSU room anymore. He and Ono would probably get along as genuine students of the sport. MM too, but he probably says weird things when he speaks and would confuse Ono.

Please enjoy each NCAA title equally.

Say what you will about PSU, but they have the dopest waffle parties and play the best defiant jazz I've ever heard. I try to live by their 9 Core Principles.

US Open is our WTT qualifier and I don't think Ono will be changing his athletic nationality. He can compete in the Bill Farrell.

It would be kind of funny if he ever took that persona to the WWE. Wasn't there a popular WWF televangelist character way back in the day?

Fans have complained for years that the NCAA should take a lighter touch and cede more autonomy to athletes and conferences. This is what college sports under a free market looks like.

Like six months ago people were saying what a great coach and mentor Ryan was after getting Sammy Sasso back on the mat. Then tOSU finishes in the top 5 (2nd behind the big 3) and a bunch of folks start freaking out. Fans need to take a deep breath.

Amazing.

It's an embarrassment of riches for sure, but Cael will probably rationalize it as merely a business decision in the same way wrestlers these days look out for their own individual interests first, and then sprinkle on some guru-speak about it not mattering if you start or not, because it's about learning to be a champion in life or whatever.

Is Rocco getting an NIL bump from PSU? It's wild that he would give up whatever he's getting at tOSU plus his choice of starting at 174 or 184 to go to Penn State and maybe (probably) not crack the starting lineup just because he's a PA guy who loves Cael & Co. Like what is even happening?

Agreed. A lot of folks mistake the Hodge criteria as hard metrics when they're really guidelines and guardrails. If we really wanted to adhere strictly to the stated criteria, WIN magazine could simply assign weights and indices to record, dominance/bonus, quality of competition, and sportsmanship and have an algorithm say who the Hodge winner is.

Bit of a big qualifier at the front and end there, but I think I would take that bet.

Athletic Department employees at public universities are public employees. You can look up the salaries of coaches and staff at state schools right now. I expect with the adoption of pay-to-play that athletes' salaries will become public in the future.