Jimmy

[matter7172]

Is it just me, or did a switch flip with Jimmy in the third period of the Carton match? Those four takedowns seem to (perhaps) point the way for him. I watch the Wisconsin match and I see a guy is constantly attacking and, more than that, a guy who is able to switch his approach seamlessly when the initial approach is stymied and even if the second or third is stymied. He wasn't stopping until the takedown was achieved.

I really like what I've been seeing from Jimmy. I was in the camp that talent, length or size weren't really the issue for him and he seems to have turned a major corner in his wrestling. I'm hopeful that he will continue to wrestle this way - he's got to like the results, too.

 

[garw]

He seems to have the speed to get in on a leg on just about anybody. The finish is clearly more decisive. Carton couldn't drape over him and grab an ankle in the third. I am heading out and going to Happy Valley for the match this afternoon. (Rare treat) I am really looking forward to seeing if his drive to convert continues. 3 matches in a row starts to become a trend. Seems like a fun loving kid. It would be great for him to enjoy some success and recognition in the time he has left. The rest of the matches today sound like more of world domination practice.

 

[findtheStrength]

lets hope the friday-sunday doesnt get to him. i dont expect him to lay an egg today, but would like to see him win convincingly and stay aggressive

 

[ev_flores0331]

Jimmy Gulibon is my favorite Penn State wrestler. Gets dumped on by a lot of "fans" but just keeps coming. Keep it up, Kid. It'll get you a long way in life.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

We've certainly seen flashes like this in the past, that frustratingly aren't sustained. I hope that this time, it really is like a switch, which he controls. And, that's the thing. He has let the switch control him, instead of him controlling it.

There is no doubt the talent is there for him to be wrestling on Saturday night. And, it looks like the mental mindset might be there to back it up. He just needs to believe it.

 

[ev_flores0331]

A lot of us forget how it felt to be exhausted, gasping for breath, lactic acid burning through our legs. So now we sit here in the cheap seats, yelling "stalling!"

LOL

 

[greenmanRD]

I think Jimmy could potentially AA, and that it's good for him to begin hitting his stride now. He needs to get that 3 seed at B1Gs (assuming Ashnault remains 1).

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

Is it just me, or did a switch flip with Jimmy in the third period of the Carton match? Those four takedowns seem to (perhaps) point the way for him. I watch the Wisconsin match and I see a guy is constantly attacking and, more than that, a guy who is able to switch his approach seamlessly when the initial approach is stymied and even if the second or third is stymied. He wasn't stopping until the takedown was achieved.

I really like what I've been seeing from Jimmy. I was in the camp that talent, length or size weren't really the issue for him and he seems to have turned a major corner in his wrestling. I'm hopeful that he will continue to wrestle this way - he's got to like the results, too.

A couple things seem very different to me regarding Jimmy - he is finishing TDs much better and has added several new weapons to his "neutral offense" arsenal. He added the Head-Outside Single and has used it successfully several times. He also added a Hi-C to Double-Leg finish (has always been able to get in on the Hi-C consistently, but has added a finish that Mega often used...i.e., continued to move up and convert to "power double" rather than lock on the Hi-C and end up moving lower). Lastly, he has added a Head-Inside Single which he moves up on and finishes as a Double very similar to how he's finishing the Hi-C....he used this TD a couple times on Friday evening successfully along with the Head-Outside Single. Jimmy's "updated" arsenal is much more dynamic and opponents are having real trouble stopping him - he has looked like an unstoppable TD Machine the last 4 periods. Will be interesting to see how he wrestles the 1st Period today - I'd like to see him come out and wrestle it more like some of PSU's more dynamic scorers....really try to get on top of his opponent in the 1st score-wise and breaking them via a relentless assault of TDs and releases. Should be interesting.

 

[slushhead]

We've certainly seen flashes like this in the past, that frustratingly aren't sustained. I hope that this time, it really is like a switch, which he controls. And, that's the thing. He has let the switch control him, instead of him controlling it.

There is no doubt the talent is there for him to be wrestling on Saturday night. And, it looks like the mental mindset might be there to back it up. He just needs to believe it.

Yes, we've seen this sort of "switch" go off in the past (think Clark @ Bryce Jordan 2 yrs ago). Almost like panic sets in when he realizes an important win is about to escape him.

I'm not going to try to read into it or extrapolate to predicted outcomes. Just hoping we see enough of it for him to have a successful 3 days in St. Louis, and have his last NCAA match be a win.

 

[dunkej01]

Borrowing this from Biglerville on FOS.

11/9/14: 8-3 over #2 Mason Beckman
1/11/15: 5-4 over #4 Orange DiJulius
1/30/15: 9-3 over #8 Rossi Bruno
2/8/15: 8-5 over #3 Cory Clark
3/7/15: 3-1 over #8 Zane Richards
3/20/15: 9-4 over #2 Ryan Taylor
3/21/15: 9-5 over #10 Beckman
3/5/16: 3-2 over #4 Micah Jordan
3/17/16: 17-2 over #5 Matt Manley
1/6/17: 6-3 over #9 Tommy Thorn

 

[Flying_Tiger]

Franklin, I noticed that as well. It looks like he is transitioning to the double leg from the single right about the time he usually would start getting bogged down trying to finish.

 

[El-Jefe]

Borrowing this from Biglerville on FOS.

11/9/14: 8-3 over #2 Mason Beckman
1/11/15: 5-4 over #4 Orange DiJulius
1/30/15: 9-3 over #8 Rossi Bruno
2/8/15: 8-5 over #3 Cory Clark
3/7/15: 3-1 over #8 Zane Richards
3/20/15: 9-4 over #2 Ryan Taylor
3/21/15: 9-5 over #10 Beckman
3/5/16: 3-2 over #4 Micah Jordan
3/17/16: 17-2 over #5 Matt Manley
1/6/17: 6-3 over #9 Tommy Thorn

Jimmy looks pretty good in odd numbered years. Speaking of which ...

 

[El-Jefe]

Franklin, I noticed that as well. It looks like he is transitioning to the double leg from the single right about the time he usually would start getting bogged down trying to finish.

That is such a Zain move. I recently re-watched his destruction of Tsirtsis, and on a couple of those takedowns Zain switched from a single to a double the instant Tsirtsis' weight shifted from one leg to the other. Lethal.

 

[Cold Smoke]

Jimmy looks pretty good in odd numbered years. Speaking of which ...

Jimmy Gulibon's senior year could, just maybe, make one hell of a movie.

 

[jrd23psu]

I am more excited for Jimmy Gulibon than any other wrestler on the team right now. It truly is like a switch went off. He shot off the whistle today and he punished the kid from NW. Now, the NW kid isn't very good but the way Jimmy punished him is exactly how a kid of Jimmy's pedigree is supposed to wrestle a kid like that.

He has always been able to get to a leg, but he would always drop down on the ankle and never finish. His shots are so quick and he's finishing them just as quick. It honestly looks like he really worked with Nico the way he's rolling through and finishing. Other times after switching off to the double he's just powering through for the TD. He's even varying his attacks, as we saw today, by shooting to other side on both head inside and head outside singles.

This Jimmy can beat anybody at 141. If a switch has been flipped then I pity any who wrestle him going forward. Even his top game is much better.

 

[TangSoo]

Jimmy's getting angry!

 

[pawrestlersintn]

The crowd recognizes it, too. A little extra enthusiasm in the cheer ate his match, I thought.

 

[diggerpup]

Something clicked inside Jimmy.

Not sure if Zain been working with him on the single transferring into a double, or working with Nico ....

Whatever it is, Jimmy looks like he has bought in and he's believing.

He's always had the gas tank. His gas tank plus this new arsenal he found is going to be dangerous.

 

[21Guns]

Jimmy is getting stronger every day now. Hoping that as he goes now, that his seed comes up gradually.

 

[RoarLions1]

Pletcher his most challenging dual left...he must take care of business Friday. Gets Heil in the Dual Championship Series, which win or lose, won't affect his Big Ten seed. Beat Pletcher, and looks like a #3 seed is likely. Illinois and Maryland starters both < .500.

 

[jrd23psu]

Pletcher his most challenging dual left...he must take care of business Friday. Gets Heil in the Dual Championship Series, which win or lose, won't affect his Big Ten seed. Beat Pletcher, and looks like a #3 seed is likely. Illinois and Maryland starters both < .500.

Who is the 141 for UMD? I'm watching the ASU/ILL dual right now and the 141 match is on. Maruca having trouble with Barron for ILL. I think Jimmy could eat either for lunch.

EDIT - Check that, this is the 149 match. The Illinois kid lost at 141. He didn't look great, either.

 

[RoarLions1]

Who is the 141 for UMD? I'm watching the ASU/ILL dual right now and the 141 match is on. Maruca having trouble with Barron for ILL. I think Jimmy could eat either for lunch.

EDIT - Check that, this is the 149 match. The Illinois kid lost at 141. He didn't look great, either.

Brandon Walker, I believe.

 

[dunkej01]

Brandon Walker, I believe.

No relation to "walker" texas Ranger.....

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Pletcher his most challenging dual left...he must take care of business Friday. Gets Heil in the Dual Championship Series, which win or lose, won't affect his Big Ten seed. Beat Pletcher, and looks like a #3 seed is likely. Illinois and Maryland starters both < .500.

I like Jimmy's chances against the squattier guys - he seems to have more problems with the longer guys

 

[KSLion]

Is it just me, or did a switch flip with Jimmy in the third period of the Carton match? Those four takedowns seem to (perhaps) point the way for him. I watch the Wisconsin match and I see a guy is constantly attacking and, more than that, a guy who is able to switch his approach seamlessly when the initial approach is stymied and even if the second or third is stymied. He wasn't stopping until the takedown was achieved.

Have always thought the source of his problem, whatever it is / was, was located somewhere between the ears. As a very rare, four-time HS state champion he should've had all the confidence in the world coming into the Penn State room. But somehow, some way, something got lost along the way. The skills and conditioning are there, but something's been causing him to be unable to consistently bring it all together against wrestlers not wearing a PSU singlet, too often wrestling just well enough to lose, through several seasons. Maybe, hopefully, he's finally been able to exorcise the demons. We'll know more when he gets a chance to go against people ranked higher than #12.

 

[NittanyLion84]

I would love to see Jimmy AA in his senior year.

 

[tuggerjug]

Have always thought the source of his problem, whatever it is / was, was located somewhere between the ears. As a very rare, four-time HS state champion he should've had all the confidence in the world coming into the Penn State room. But somehow, some way, something got in the way. The skills and conditioning are there, but something's been causing him to seemingly not be able to bring it all together against wrestlers not wearing a PSU singlet, too often wrestling just well enough to lose. Maybe, hopefully, he's finally been able to exorcise the demons. We'll know more when he gets a chance to go against people ranked higher than #12.

maybe his lack of confidence is born from reading a "fan" forum that identifies his "problems" as between the ears and laments his failed promise and hopes he can exorcise his demons.........

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I would love to see Jimmy AA in his senior year.

It would greatly upset a bunch of trolls on TheMat and elsewhere

 

[KSLion]

maybe his lack of confidence is born from reading a "fan" forum that identifies his "problems" as between the ears and laments his failed promise and hopes he can exorcise his demons.........

Maybe -- but I doubt it. Your theory puts the cart before the horse. The kind of speculation you refer to only began after it became obvious he'd been struggling over the long term, not before-. See the recent public comment by Cael Sanderson to the effect that the coaches are never quite sure "which Jimmy is going to show up".

 

[hlstone]

Brandon Walker, I believe.

Jimmy - Walker

 

[GOLDBANGER]

Have always thought the source of his problem, whatever it is / was, was located somewhere between the ears. As a very rare, four-time HS state champion he should've had all the confidence in the world coming into the Penn State room. But somehow, some way, something got lost along the way. The skills and conditioning are there, but something's been causing him to be unable to consistently bring it all together against wrestlers not wearing a PSU singlet, too often wrestling just well enough to lose, through several seasons. Maybe, hopefully, he's finally been able to exorcise the demons. We'll know more when he gets a chance to go against people ranked higher than #12.

I think where he lost some confidence coming in as a Four-timer was, if you all can recall, how he got ridden when he was on the bottom. If my memory serves, in one of his first matches as a RS freshman, against Beckman, he got ridden pretty long and hard. It seemed like he never got over that problem from his first season as a starter. Of course we have seen flashes of brilliance out of him and I am VERY hopeful that with his recent performances he can AA again. We all know he can beat anyone at this weight, especially if he continues to look so good.

 

[Rhino80]

Thought the press conference was pretty telling , "Trying to relax before my matches" and "Have fun". Cael's comments about being excited to see Jimmy happy as well. I think allot of us know from experience what a grind a wrestling season can have on a person. Imagine that with huge expectations piled on top of it. Hope he continues to do well and ends his career on the podium. Jimmy has always been a good kid , good effort , no off the mat stuff , easy guy to root for.

 

[manmythlegend1]

I love Jimmy, being a huge PA wrestling fan how can you not pull hard for one of the few 4 time PA State Champions. I am very excited for him, He seems to be in a good place right now. Looking the Best he has in his collegiate career (in my opinion)and he should soon be graduating with an awesome education at a discount cost. I hope he shocks the Wrestling community with a National Championship!!!!!! I will miss pulling for him, If he hits life like he has been wrestling the last few matches, That will guarantee success for the young man post college and that is more important for these youngsters than anything else

 

[Dogwelder]

Thought the press conference was pretty telling , "Trying to relax before my matches" and "Have fun".

I also like Jimmy's quote: "I've been trying not to think too much in my matches." That's a great thought for increasing flow and pace.