Ched64

Eric Grajales was a highly touted recruit to Michigan back in 2010ish. i think he was a 5 time state champ out of florida. over his career, he was one of the more exciting wrestlers on the circuit but didn’t crack AA until his final year with a 3rd in 2013. Though slowed by injuries and a questionable gas tank, he was extremely entertaining and always a difficult out.

Kemp also likely got shafted when, at the peak of his career, Russia invaded Afghanistan and the US boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. If you get a chance, or haven’t already, that documentary on Kemp is extremely well done and highly entertaining. The part that involves Dan Gable is really something.

He did win powerade and ironman his junior year but certainly not the resume of other freshman champs. Also remember Jakob Camacho had another year of eligibility this year. Not sure if he got hurt or lost a wrestle-off but Vince was ranked quite high all season putting up a bunch of ranked wins.

Joe Demeo who I referenced below was the coach at Stanford when Mark and Dave were growing up in Palo Alto. They would often come to Stanford practices and work out with his team while in high school. Mark came to a premiere of Foxcatcher that Frank Popolizio organized in Albany and Coach Demeo was there. They were trading stories back and forth during a Q and A after the showing and Demeo said he couldn’t believe the ferocity that the Schultz boys brought to those practices.

Love it…both Schenectady NY guys who wrestled for Joe Demeo’s ATWA program in Albany! Frank wrestled for D3 Brockport and AAd four times winning twice…in addition he AAd twice in tw shots at the D1 tourney as d2 and D3 champs were invited to D1s at that time. He had a great intl career after college finishing 5th at the Olympics along with myriad other accolades. Jeff Blatnick is more familiar to many wrestling fans for winning gold at the 84 Olympics after recovering from non Hodgkins lymphoma the year before. Local lore has it that he was causing some trouble in the halls of Niskayuna High one day. Legendary NYS coach Joe Bena (Gwizs hs coach many years later), a shop teacher at school pulled him aside and talked him into coming to a practice and he was hooked.

he has found his role…let him do it on his terms…dealing with the academics may be beyng his wishes…or should be

no, cael still is

Taylor is doing what any good ceo does…he is letting his experts coach the kids in their area….watch cael…everyone one of his guys have responsibility of the kids in their sphere…i know it sounds strange but Rob Koll has been an unbelievable delegator of responsibility at every stop…his tenure at Cornell was top notch…Cael is amazing in the same way…do you have a similar track record?

Snyders take down was with 12 seconds left no? Sent it to OT?

So you think real $$ changed hands to have another guy do an absolutely clean finish to get a cheap take down for the recipient lose a match on National Tv etc? I have watched the match now three times and the final takedown 6 times…i don’t see it.

carter did a great job as always…his world view should be THE world view of youth sports…excellence in self over results…but wyatt had a huge finish that encapsulated that very thing…he would get my vote

Flo

They are out there by themselves in front of a national TV audience and 20,000 people in the same room putting it on the line. No teammates to blame their foibles on. Every error is owned by them and seen b a huge crowd yet they go and do it at a very young age. Greatest sport there is.

Not an overly religious guy but super proud of our sport for fostering the community around them to draw strength for these kids.

watching tonight, I couldn’t have been more proud of our sport and the smart, insightful young adults doing interviews seconds off the mat in the biggest moments of their lives! One thing that came up multiple times was the process. There is lots to look at here as past, current and future coaches of kids. It isn’t about winning, it is about working hard and getting it right. The outcome is the secondary consideration. Getting the right mindset and work ethic will bring the results not vice versa. Every result tonight was the result of the lifestyle and effort, not the goal. Everyone wants to win, the difference is what you put in.

have you thought this through?

I think the thing that sets Dake apart is that he moved up his senior year not because he grew out of 157 but specifically because Taylor was at 165 and he wanted the challenge. I know one of the Banachs were involved in something like that but really, who does that? Move up to take on arguably the absolute best wrestler in the country at that time? Then he beats him 3 times to nil. I think Cael is the GOAT but Dake is right up there. 4 years straight, no redshirt, no covid. He was never interested in style points…he was just a winner flat out all through that run.

What was particularly egregious was that they then put him at the 9 seed so the guy who got moved from 2 to 1 actually had to beat a 3x Natl Champ in the quarters vs wrestling the 6 seed who actually made the finals!

One of the things I really like about D3 is that there are tournaments throughout the year at which the entire team wrestles. Starters and backups all getting in the mix. If guys are going to commit to wrestling in college, it is nice that they give them ample opportunities to mix it up. I am also surprised by the credentials that some of these kids have. Multiple time State Champs, placers and qualifiers from all over. If you think about it, there are very few kids that have find their way to D1. It is good to know that hundreds of others can continue to do something they really love after high school.

Very well said indeed. In fact, before I jumped on this thread, I was looking at UNI's progression over the last decade. I never paid much notice until Joe Colon grabbed my attention 10+ years ago. Since then, they have done a fantastic job of quietly growing that program into a real contender. Great observations here that got to the heart of the matter.

It seems like just yesterday that a whole slew of folks were bashing the Brands Bros and calling for their heads. Boy, has PSU broken the spirit of so many Big Ten fans or what?

I don't count Messenbrink in that mix as he was doing Grade 13 in Cali...but I will say that Michigan has done a great job with JC. He was never very good from the bottom...a Cornell weakness...I was shocked they put him down vs Buchanan and he was up and out. Super happy for him as he seems like a great kid who knocked off the two guys ranked above him in 24 hours. Who knows what the future holds at Natls but he got his degree from Cornell and now is in grad school at Michigan. I assume he will be just fine regardless.

I don't think Parco is a definite...just have a feeling