wrestle87

What hallucination are you living in where the brands that stepped on the mat a few days ago was qualitatively the same wrestler who got those big wins? Those wins happened how many years ago? Did you ever spend time in a college room and notice what happens to ~50% of the guys in there, peaking around year 2-3 and then falling off because their joints can’t keep up with the mileage? ”And if reasonably healthy” is the biggest mickey’s magic kingdom fairy dust add-on, brands had tape from his ankle to his hip, he didn’t hit his knee offensively until the last second of the match. Kennedy is at least mobile, can use both his legs and is capable of scoring points besides an escape. I’ll take the wrestler who put pinto on his back and had him on the ropes over the guy whose big moment was a 3rd period escape against hamiti. Cast your wishes in your own mirror, I just want to watch interesting matches with wrestlers who can actually still wrestler. Brands is no longer in that category.

This is likely true, and would be john smith levels of home cooking to the detriment of the team. The Brands we saw last night is not going to get more than two wins at ncaa's, and likely won't get higher than 7th at big tens. Kennedy has a much higher ceiling than that. Brands is clearly very beat up, you can just tell when a guy has multiple joints giving out, they get hesitant and don't want to commit because something is already broken and they don't want it to get worse. I highly suspect this is what Cam Amine is facing. He doesn't wrestle freely anymore. Even if he was always conservative, wrestling clearly physically hurts in a way it didn't use to. Arnold belongs at 174, and is missing out because he likely agreed to be the team player even though he is clearly better than both 174 options. Absolute strength is a level-setter, and he has more horsepower than anyone else on the team can bring at 174. Too bad he got the royal screw job. If they really wanted, would they be allowed to start Gabe and just let him hack his way through Big 10's with no wins? Or does he not qualify because he didn't have enough matches at that weight?

I don't disagree. The rubber only meets the road from here. It's gotta be a pretty hearty assault on the ego too, coming into college with some legit credentials, having to let go of football (intelligently) in pursuit of wrestling, but then just getting big brothered. How he finishes this year will be very impactful for how the next two years go for him. I hope he is able to recenter, but he's up against one of the toughest cohorts of heavies I can remember since the early 2000's.

The only rejoinder that iowa fans have had for the past 15 years since the front row on the outside become the expected standard for where their team race starts and finishes each year.

It's because it is their predominant form of offense...

The poetic symmetry would be undeniable.

I feel bad for Kueter. He is the epitome of a dude who is just bodytype screwed by the weight class divisions. Just doesn't have the horsepower to do anything about it when the big dudes decide to make a move.

65-74-84 in particular looked like they were stuck in molasses. Love the attempted heavyweight mouse trap by hendrickson.

Stalling calls just falling from the sky like christmas snow for Iowa. The Hawkeye credit union must be giving this guy an amazing rate on his car and mortgage.

That's why mrs senior is storing inflatable life rafts masquerading as lips.

Ferrari will be top 3 this year if he wrestles. He should start. Injuries are such a fickle part of the sport, he's the closest match that Starocci has had in years, just proved his level in that match with Plott. Don't love the act but you can't deny the ability.

To Ferrari's credit, he is very good and hands down their best option at 184. This would have been a major against arnold.

Bought and paid for, brought to you by a stall call with action going out of bounds.

How tf does brands not get a single stall call that match. Carver fans, this is why people say you are a purchased clown car of officiating.

Love a good iowa style push and hang. No stalling on brands is really fantastic duplicity.

Stalling on bottom. What's he doing?

Love an official arbitrarily using stalling to dictate outcomes of a dual. That dude did not wrestle a major decision match.

double thy pry definitely not stalling though...

Teemer with the booboo brace, hope he has enough mileage left on his arm to make a good run in the postseason.

Parco's story is amazing, especially his freshman year at Fresno. Worth researching and reading on your own, I don't want to give away too much bc I don't want to ruin it. It is one of the coolest wrestling stories in the past decade.

Hmmm...how do all of the kids who put in time on the mat to have high AA's purchased for their grad year of eligibility? Iowa makes a living buying from the second-hand market. They got Ferrari the younger because they entertained the elders with their associated baggage as well. And you wanna talk about getting recruited over? Go as, tony ramos and thomas gilman how that went for them and how they felt about that...

I didn't mean there to be, but I'm rather behind on my tab-keeping of the goings on in various programs this year. What am I missing?

Another stellar personality trait of this board, taking colloquialisms and interpreting them literally. Jtfc.

I really hope arnold locks up low AA this year and can shop himself in the off season. He's good enough to make a positive impact at a lot of teams. For someone to be that gun shy, that to me says he's not a good fit for the vibe of the Iowa program.