dragit

Cool thread and discussion. I think Smith has to be number 1. Six in a row, two Olympics, extraordinary tactician. Tougher calls after that. I'd have a hard time deciding between Snyder and Burroughs. Snyder six golds, including an Olympics, and two of his worlds included wins over Sadulaev, with the win in this year's bracket a lasting achievement. Burroughs one more championship than Snyder and really was the U.S. leader for years, and had tougher competition to make the team. But he really laid an egg at that Olympics. Luckily with a four person monument, don't have to definitively decide between these two. I think Big Bruce fourth, that's a big pile o' medals. Gardner does deserve an honorable mention because of his Miracle on Ice type upset, but his volume of medals is a lot smaller than the rest. There are some interesting guys knocking on the door. Gable and Sanderson. If this was a greatest American wrestler (including college), they might be the top two. Gable's amazing dominance in college (the loss was so shocking that it underscored the dominance) and the shutout Olympics. Sanderson the only undefeated college guy and an Olympic gold. Both retire early to become the two best coaches ever. With the coaching, they kind of have their own private Rushmore in an overall category different than this thread's question. Dake and Taylor. Both probably would have more titles if hadn't been less advanced in their careers than Jordan was for several key years, and not disadvantaged by the rules vs Burroughs, it was crazy how tired they were against a fresh guy. Dake could also be in the running for greatest American wrestler with Gable and Sanderson. He has a lot more world medals than them, was the only nonredshirt four timer, and has that championships in seven different weight classes talking point.

I'll take that as a rhetorical question.

Ah, but the strawberries. That's where I had them.

I'm sure that you are the hero and protagonist of a very interesting story just like you are in all sorts of other stories where things didn't work out and ended in an unpleasant dispute.

Wait, you tried to do something productive and serious and it didn't work out but instead ended in an unpleasant dispute?

You'd probably have to pay the nerds a lot more than that.

I think this is qualitatively different than any of the Kolat robberies. I can see arguments on both sides and wouldn't be shocked if the final judgment on the close call was influenced by politics. But this isn't the grotesque debacle that brought shame to the sport like the multiple Kolat frauds.

That's a great straight line that no one took you up on.

End of the finals match vs Gwiz?

A touch of greatness. Give the man his due.

Hendrickson 10-0. Total domination. Best version of him I've seen. Looks faster and more athletic. Look out

Long day at the office, so finally had a big enough chunk of time to watch Bassett's quarterfinal match. Amazing. Inspirational. I assume someone from USA Wrestling will remind him to declare Magomedov's soul on his Customs form when he goes home.

Sounds like a credo to me. Although an ironic one in this instance.

Cue the steel balls again https://youtu.be/5eHHCG-wHFA?si=mI0pJGcdYAF1iLSd

Seems perfectly normal. Could you imagine guys like Doug Dake, God rest his soul, and David Taylor Sr. carrying on like that as their kids made names for themselves?