Dogbone

Younger beat #3 Wyatt (his only loss), #4, Colton (his only loss), and #5 Elam (his only 2 losses). 

Kerk's hasn't wrestled any of them this year and is ranked above Younger because he stated the year there as the highest returning placer. 

If the regular season matters, then Younger should be the #1 seed.

The religious stuff doesn't bother me and it's not exclusive to PSU.

The "this doesn't matter" BS, we just want to compete is the BS that bothers me.  If it didn't matter they wouldn't open up the checkbook to bring in Nagau, Messenbrink, Truex from other programs or pay Star and Brooks to come back.  They would just let the backups who have been in the room compete if it didn't matter.  Let those guys get better, etc.  No, if you are not a high AA threat, you will be replaced...

It matters to them a lot, and that is okay.

Not an Iowa fan, but Iowa was the favorite in 2020, National Champs in 2021 and were runner up last year.  I don't think anyone was beating PSU this year but the gambling issues didn't help Iowa.

The race for 2nd is still very wide open. Just because Michigan finished 2nd doesn't mean they will be the 2nd highest team at NCAAs. 

There will be alternates.  In Cleveland, Jason Renteria missed weight and the alternate was on site and made weight.  Forget if they redrew the bracket or not, I don't think they were seeding all the way to 33 so it may not have mattered.

So there is no deadline but I would guess Shane at least makes weight and tries to give it a go.

Carter is just drama for drama.  I'm betting they will kiss and make up and he will be on top of the podium on Saturday night in PSU gear as usual.   No clue on his seed tho.

6 hours ago, Takuto_Otoguro said:

No, don't get me wrong. I agree his chances at 74 are essentially close to 0. I just think that it's the same at 65 but add a big weight cut on top of it.

 

Keep in mind he'd have to cut to 65, win the trials, cut weight again to 65 in a matter of weeks and then qualify the weight. Close to impossible IMO.

He has gone head to head with JB and KNOWS how that goes.  He doesn't have that same knowledge with the 65KG guys.  The fact that he has tried twice before and is giving is a try again should tell you all you need to know.     Pretty sure he knows what he has to do to make the Olympics and believes 65KG is his best chance.  

Younger should be in this conversation. 

On 3/4/2024 at 3:48 PM, CHROMEBIRD said:

Good question about the USAW-RTC resources, but when it comes to senior level wrestling are the RTCs incentivized to do what's best for themselves and their athletes, or what's best for USAW? Especially when there are incongruences.

And just to play this out: do fans care more about USAW or individual athletes and their RTCs? Many of the RTCs are "attached" to a D1 program, so the fandom sometimes carries over. While many support whoever is repping the US, others will root against wrestlers because of the RTC they come from (esp HWC and NLWC). 

I think the RTC/colleges should do what's best for their athletes.  I am more curious about the USAW resources. 

Both Micic and Gomez repped USA at age level world championships.  Presumably went to training camps and received USAW coaching.  

I don't care that Micic and Gomez wrestle for foreign countries or that Cliff Keen trains them, but I am not sure how I feel about USAW resources being used to beat American athletes. 

You raise a good question about fandom, were Michigan fans rooting for Gomez to beat Lee and prevent the US from an Olympic spot?    That seems weird to me but I might be in the minority.

On 3/5/2024 at 2:07 PM, FanOfPurdueWrestling said:

That’s what I’m saying!!! Like if you were born there, live there, train there, etc. and you just came here for college of course you can and probably should represent your country (think of Echemendia or  Bastida, they’re likely going to go rep Cuba post grad if they wish to continue, which I hope they do. Or even Lachlan McNeal for Canada.)

 

 

I believe they or their families had to defect from Cuba and can't go back.  I don't think it is likely they rep Cuba, even if they want to

2 hours ago, Alces Alces Gigas said:

Looks like many of you are not seeing the bigger picture.   My concern is how rule can screw up a bracket.

 

Lets say the best kid in the Big 10 gets placed in the 14th spot by this rule, is it right to have him beat the 3 seed 1st round?  And then the 2 seed in the semi finals?    I for one don't feel it is right to screw over the bracket to right some wrong committed by a coaching staff 

It is not fair or "right" but not everything in life is fair. 

If coaches start to manipulate the rule then they will change it like they did with MFF counting as loses now.  It was being manipulated so they made a change.  

Even if Aaron Brooks is seeding 14th, who really suffers in a qualifier that is sending 7 or 8 guys?  Sure the runner up would be different but 2nd and 3rd seeds would still qualify for NCAAs.  The 2 seed would still only lose to Brooks (wouldn't hurt his NCAA seed) and the 2 and 3 seeds would just meet in the 3rd place match instead of the semis.

Is a great rule, probably not, but it is a rule and one that is not that hard for every other coach to follow.

If Iowa wants to wait to determine their starters that is their choice but that doesn't mean the entire conference should change.   

I get they may have wanted to wait to see if a healthy Schriever was better than Teske but I don't know why you wouldn't just submit Teske as the entry since there was questions around Schriever. 

If Starrocci forfeits out, then the winner of Washington/Sparks gets a pass to the semis. Wonder how Starocci will feel about forfeiting to Washington. 

Oddly, the loser of the Max Maylor/Baumann will then get a MFF into the top 8 and an NCAA bid.

4 hours ago, Idaho said:

I think being in the top 2 on the depth chart and actually playing a snap comes before these goals. 

I agree with this but my point is more about his plans than his ability to pull them off (more power to him if he can).   Right now, he appears to plan on playing football for 5 years and wrestling for 5 years both part time.   If he has any aspirations to play in the NFL (seems likely if he is sticking with football), his best interest would be to prepare for the draft process.   

Hopefully I am wrong and he pulls it off, wins a Natty his senior year and then gets drafted in the NFL.

16 minutes ago, NM1965 said:

Keep his RS for wrestling, what else? He's not going to make it into the NFL anyway. Let's face it, if he was a top prospect in football with NFL dreams he probably wouldn't be going to Iowa, he'd get a lot more attention from NFL scouts playing for somebody like Alabama or Ohio State. No offense, Hawkeye fans, but your football team is usually pretty mediocre. 

It is not whether he will play a down in the NFL, but whether he wants to give it a chance.    

This year Iowa's Pro Day is March 18th.    If he is going to give it a try then he will need to be preparing for the draft, including going to the Combine or doing the Pro Day which occur around the wrestling post season.

My point is unless he plans to give up on the NFL, he is saving his RS for a year he won't be using it.  

First, I have no issues if someone wants to pursue their dreams to make the Olympics and chooses the path of least resistance by competing for another country.  And I will root for them when they are not competing against everyone except someone repping USA .

But do USA wrestling resources aid these same competitors?  Generally curious, if I donate to USA Wrestling does a portion of any of that go to the Cliff Keen RTC, which supports a lot of athletes competing for other countries?  I don't know how the RTC funding works.  

What about coaches? Can Cael coach RBY and then switch to a USA shirt and later corner David Taylor at the same events?  Hypothetical, but curious on everyone's thoughts.

10 minutes ago, H82Lose said:

 I had a long response typed up, but I am not going to post details.  Anthony was a minor when all the shit started with him at Blair, the other private school and Stillwater. I have known them for many years, my kid wrestled Angelo several times, and I can tell you Angelo is a decent kid. I don't say good, because he can show out etc, but he is not going to do the dumb shit the others did. AJ could not stay away from the girls, that was his issue. Anthony just isn't right in the head, he is a mean mofo. 

AJ had many things that happened before he won the title, MANY. I know of 2 off the top of my head where a kid I know was recruited with AJ and they were on visits together. 

This is not about AJ or Anthony, this is about Angelo.  Angelo is not like them, could he end up like them because he was raised around it, quite possibly.  But today, not in the same discussion. 

 

 

 

Good to hear.  I hope we get to see Angelo compete in college wherever it is.

38 minutes ago, NM1965 said:

Man, that seems kinda dicey. I'm not sure Keuter can finish that high and it would burn his RS. He's got potential, Brands should roll with somebody else and let Keuter keep the RS. 

Keep his RS for what?   After his senior season of football, even if he isn't good enough to get invited to the Combine, if he wants to make an NFL roster he will need to train for pro days, interview with NFL teams, sign as undrafted free agent, etc.

Unless he gives up on his NFL dreams, he won't be wrestling his RS senior year.

On 3/3/2024 at 7:45 AM, H82Lose said:

I disagree, he has some "punk" in him but he has been a good kid his entire wrestling career. He has flexed on coaches etc, which I would beat the hell out of my kid for doing that, but zero trouble from him. Anthony and smeared crap on walls, stole cell phones, jumped kids etc, AJJ has flashed woman, and you know the history there. We will see, it is a gamble for sure, but he is not guilty at all of association IMO

Is this true?  Everyone talks about him like he is a boy scout, but he has also been a minor so not all information is public.   

He very well might be a good kid but is this belief because he doesn't have a public record or does he really help old ladies across the street every week.

It wasn't until after AJ had won NCAAs that he ran into legal issues (that I am aware of), but if you listen to some of the Okie State stuff, it sounds like he was a distraction in the room.  They don't arrest you for doing the splits/double bird to the home crowd but the AD didn't seem to enjoy it. 

The problem with the current rule is guys back up all the way to the edge then circle in so they don't get hit.     I get the concern regarding grounding but to me if you are first to step out of the inner circle and the first one out of bounds, I am fine with a pushout type rule. 

More times than not, no one really engages until they are half way out of bounds. If the action was started in the center guys would go out of bounds less.

Also the Soldier Solute champion with a "win" over a former National Champ!  Probably a low AA to Rd 12 guy.

If he goes, I would hope he makes a firm commitment to compete at Olys.  I would hate to see him win the spot and then back out again.   

I am tired of the will he/won't he drama.  Hope the man figures outs what he wants to do with his life and pursues it 100%, whether its wrestling or WWE. 

That stinks.  Damn.

37 minutes ago, TylerDurden said:

 

 

I see these as explanations about why he could win any one match - which I don't necessarily disagree with - not why he could win five in a row at the NCAA tournament from a double-digit seed.

I don't really buy the idea that 20 guys have a shot to win the title, even at 125 this year. The early-season chaos happened, so I understand the viewpoint but I think it has jaded our view of the contenders. 

Beating DeAugustino, Spratley, Kaylor and Davis doesn't make the guy a title contender. It makes him a low AA threat where he'll have to beat someone like Volk, who has beaten Smith twice this year. If Smith had beaten Richie Figs, Ayala, Barnett, or McKee didn't tech him, I could see the rationale a bit more. If you want to say 20 guys have a shot to AA, I'll buy that, but they aren't all title contenders.

His early-season, sudden-victory win against Ramos is noteworthy and we can't take that away from him, but the subsequent results from both guys suggest that was an aberration. 

As it always does, it will work itself out because they have to step on the mat. I've been wrong before and if Smith wins the title, I'll be wrong again. 

We can revisit after the B1Gs and see if opinions have changed. 

 

 

I get your point but who outside of maybe Ramos, who has shown he can drop an unexpected match, has shown a history of winning 5 straight matches?

The way I look at 125 it is has a lot of parity and it is probably match-up dependent. You don't have to beat all 33, just the 5 that you hit in the tourney.    For example, Smith may not be able to beat Volk but he might be able to beat a guy who can beat Volk. 

2 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Are you assuming PSU’s floor is a lineup that does not include Starocci?

I think he goes and still wins it but if making up a hypothetical PSU floor then, yes, that would be my assumption to create a floor.   

33 minutes ago, TylerDurden said:

He was the No. 5 seed last year and was two and BBQ. Yes, I realize a year in the Nebraska room is better than one at App State, but I just don't see it.  

 

You are being too harsh on him.  His losses were to Cardinale, who AA'd and had Ramos on the ropes in the quarters and former AA Deagustino.  

I think you need to look at this way.  Is anyone's ceiling above PSU's floor (not saying they will wrestle to their floor but the team race is such a non topic, its all we got).   Initially I didn't think so but now admit it is possible despite it being very unlikely. 

Similarly, about 20 guys can win 125 and someone is going to have to win 5 in a row so it is possible. 

22 minutes ago, ionel said:

Who is his top 4 win if Carr wins B12?

KOT