peanut

JB is 35, almost 36. The oldest freestyler I can recall winning a world title is Bonne at 34. JB’s just too old for the most elite levels of this sport. Even Dake is getting close to the end of his elite career.

Who is the GOAT American wrestler? There is no criteria other than vibes.

JB is a legend, but I think age is too much for him to overcome at this point. Of course, Dake's pretty old too. Nevertheless, he's the reigning silver medalist, and he gets a bye to the finals, so he's got to be the favorite. But I wouldn't be shocked to see Nolf or KOT or Carr win it all.

Chamizo speaks Spanish, Italian, and English. He's trained in Cuba, Italy, the US, Japan, and likely lots of other places. If he ever wants to coach, some OTC better hire him!

Hmm... my lineup guess (although I have no idea how a lot of these weights would go, including Haines vs. MM) 125- Lilledahl 133- Davis 141- Bartlett 149- SVN 157- MM 165- Haines 174- Facundo 184- Barr 197- Mirasola 285- Kerk

It’s not about religion, although it does play role. It’s about political systems. You cannot have a political system based on free speech, freedom of religion, civil rights, democracy, etc. if you don’t defend it from people who pose a clear and present danger to it.

Wouldn't it be nice if Flo would let people cancel at any time?

I really, really hate to say it. But JB may very well retire in two weeks. He's old for an elite wrestler. What can I say? I remember telling my then-girlfriend (now wife) about him in 2011 -- about how he was going to be a world champ. She doesn't care, but I do. I don't really know what to do in a post-JB world.

Right. I don’t know what the decision is based on. But if it’s based on evidence, statements, and credibility, it’s easy to see how Athlete A might be treated differently than Athlete B.

Right. Theres a difference in who attacked who first. There’s also a difference in that Israel is a Western ally while Hamas is not. Fair or not, a Western-led political system cannot exist for long if it does not look out for its survival.

125: Figueroa 133: Bailey 141: Alirez 149: SVN 157: Haines 165: MM 174: O'Toole 184: Keckeisen 197: Little 285: Kerkvliet (if he returns) or Bastida

I have no idea what the standards are, what the evidence was, what statements those athletes may have made, or whether any statements they may have made were consistent with the evidence. But it's easy to imagine a scenario where Athlete A credibly describes being pressured or coerced into appearing at certain events, while Athlete B appears to truly support a certain cause.

Who wins, 2002 Sanderson or 2024 Brooks? In 2002, Sanderson won his fourth NCAA title at 197, was the NCAA tournament's outstanding wrestler, and won the Hodge. Ditto for 2024 Brooks. So who wins? Before you answer, consider that 2024 Brooks has 2024 Sanderson in his corner. If anyone can figure out a way for 2024 Brooks to beat 2002 Sanderson, it's 2024 Sanderson.

Is it possible to subscribe to Peacock for only a month?

It's pretty easy. Which countries are a clear and present danger to the Western-led world order? There are certainly plenty of countries which reject Western values, but only one country launched an unprovoked and violent attack on a Western ally and democracy. (The attacking country also stands accused of a bunch of war crimes.) Then once you identify a clear and present danger to the Western-led world order, you decide whether to ban everyone from that country, or simply individuals who clearly support the attack.

The IOC is founded on Enlightenment values—including individual rights, human rights, and democracy. The IOC apparently sees invasion-supporting athletes as a threat to everything it stands for, and they have a right to prevent those athletes from using the Olympics as a platform to further their agenda.

Looks cool to me.

At last year's world championships, the average age of a freestyle gold medalist was 25.5. There's been talk about JB's age -- who will be 36 this summer -- but what Dake's? He just turned 33. Has he slowed down at all?

Seems like an April Fool's joke.

IMO JB’s main issue is age. Freestyler’s primes seem to be in their mid 20s. But JB turns 36 this summer. Saitiev last won gold at the age of 33, and I suspect that JB’s last gold will end up being the one he won at 34 (in 2022). No shame in aging like everyone else.

Based on the eye test, I think Brooks is only an underdog against DT and Yazdani — and frankly I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s edged past one or both of them already.

Who will win OTTs at 86kg, 97kg, and 125kg? [Corrected]

Who will win OTTs at 57kg, 65kg, and 74kg?

There is a small group of wrestlers who won world/Olympic golds in the same year as an NCAA title — but none of them are four timers. Of that group, Uetake may have the strongest argument for college GOAT. The group is Uetake, Kemp, Smith (x2), Neal, JB, Snyder, and Steveson.

There are professional freestyle leagues in Germany, India, and Iran. Meanwhile, there are no professional folkstyle leagues.