The_KC_Godfather

I’m more saddened that his birth year is 4 years after I graduated high school

Couldn't have said it better. I watched it this morning and like you said, what an inspiration. To get up in front of someone who took so much from you and wish him well...his parents should be very proud of the man they raised.

Oh, I don’t believe for a minute that there was no reaching out prior to entering the portal. Basch has multiple times said on his podcast that he text Rocky and he said he wasn’t in the portal. Do I believe everything I hear? No. Do I try to respect 20ish year old college guys and give them the benefit of the doubt and expect (hope) that they follow the rules? Yes. Naive, yea, but try to think the best of people. Especially guys that I’ve watched since they were kids. For me, this one is a little closer to home, so likely give more benefit than I have others. We’ll see where he goes and in my mind, that will depict the motive.

My guess in this situation is that Mizzou simply doesn’t have the donors/NIL funds that Iowa/Michigan/tOSU has. It’ll depend on where he goes, but there are likely two scenarios. One he hears about the bags of money wrestlers are getting by entering the portal + a better RTC, or two he’s following his brother to Rutgers. Mizzou has a serious lack of RTC now that J’Den left (look at ASU’s transfers after Sunkist closed), and I believe he has/had international aspirations. A guy of Elam’s caliber, who can compete with Barr and AJ, should command a lot of cash.

I’m sad to see Rocky go, but I get it. Little money to be had from wrestling post-college, so gotta take it when you can. I’d like to see him head to Iowa honestly. Willie and Basch were talking about an insane lineup with Caliendo dropping to 57, can’t remember who they said at 65, then Arnold at 74, Ferrari at 84. Now if you add Elam at 97, holy smokes!

If Gilman’s wife’s family is near state college, it makes sense. Other than that, it would make zero sense to leave Stilly with the season they just had and the firepower they have coming their way over the next two seasons. Hope it’s not true, but family comes first (especially kids growing up around grandparents).

But does he know that?! Lol. In all seriousness….does he look at what Taylor did this year with Hendrickson and wonder if DT could do the same with him? Not saying he could, but does Feldman consider that? I don’t know. He should at least explore it…

Any more rumors about Feldman or Mirasola’s possibly entering the portal?

AJ to UNC is bad news simply because of what Kohl said about the women there. I wonder if his commitment to God includes celibacy...

In today’s economy, that ain’t much… In all seriousness, of those things you listed (housing, meals, tuition, etc.), what portion of that can be covered by the school via scholarship? I’d imagine Nasir Bailey gets tuition + ??? anywhere he wants to go, so would think things that scholarship money can’t cover are what’s being packaged up. I also wonder if some of the donor cash is tied to incentives similar to the NFL (Rush for 1,000 yards, get an extra $2mm…Win B10’s and get an extra $50k).

Not really. Bailey maybe, but I’m shocked Mizzou even entertained Williams with the off the mat stuff. I’d prefer to ensure we don’t lose Mendoza’s commitment by adding a Bailey.

Ha I was just about to reply…The Brother Love Show!

Welsh to PSU...Haines to OKST?? 2026 174lbs final, Taylor gets his revenge...

I agree with what MizzouFan01 said below about Hawks...fringe AA. BUT...to your second point, I would have thought he would have developed much more by this time at Mizzou. I looked at the staff from their "title run" season in 14/15 and one of the main things that stuck out was that they don't have a strength and conditioning coach anymore (it was Larson at that time). They also had Clemsen and Johnston, who's coaching styles may have been different than the current crew. I thought Sammie Henson was on staff then too (that may have been the previous year when J'Den was a freshman). So I don't know...the injuries have seemed to pile up more and more and it makes you wonder if the training methods aren't working (or are overworking). It's either that or the worst luck I've ever seen (Surtin, Gioffre, Steed, O'Toole, Hawks, Rocky all had injury time). It seems to me that they need some new blood on the coaching staff. I'm guessing Maple is the heir apparent when Smith decides to retire, so don't think he's going anywhere. I love Dom and think he's great. Maybe the answer, as MizzouFan01 said, is bringing in a lightweight coach (Alan Waters, anyone?). And I think they need someone focused on strength, conditioning, and wellness. Nitzel did have some bright spots this season and I was pleasantly surprised. He'll be a RS SR, so maybe they do RS Stillwell (although I'm sure he's raring to go after spending the last year at the OTC with J'Den). I personally hope to not see Kade Moore in the lineup ever again. I'm being too harsh, but he is so frustrating to watch (almost as much as Gioffre and Conway) and I've given up at this point

Just my opinion as I have no insider info, but I could see the lineup going one of two ways next year. 1) They RS all of the incoming freshmen and save them for the following year (in which case I think they’d use Walkers RS). Or 2) they let Mendoza/Rath/Bambinelli/Stillwell out of the cage right away and hope for a strong national tournament before they lose Hawks and Elam. They could of course all use a RS, and Smith usually does unless you’re KOT…but with some of the HEW we saw this past weekend (uhemm Iowa), I wonder if we’ll start to see more true freshmen passing on the RS. Somebody on another thread made a good point about how a lot of injuries are happening later in careers because of all of the scrambling and the effect it has on your knees.