Lehigh Thoughts
- Thread starter dicemen99
- Start date
yeah, was hoping he'd mirror zain after his first year. he was pretty solid as a frosh, but went to another level after the rs year. thought mark would do the same. agree on close matches. like playing with fire.
But Hall did not have a redshirt year to improve and mostly to grow, since IMHO, he is still an undersized 174. Even so, he has been pretty good so far. People are complaining because he didn't get bonus against the #4 kid in the country. Talk about spoiled.
Interesting comment. I've heard it from others too. I know my weight, and standing next to Mark at the NLWC Golf Outing, he just looked full-size to me...and "bigger to my eyes" than last year (and yes, I considered he'd be above his wrestling weight at that time). Again, all visual.
Plus, the comments from the coaches about weight distribution on each kid being different, and that they feel he's full-size...not sure where that leaves us. I'll go with my eyes, though they ain't what they used to be
.not at all. just responding to the fact that many worry that close matches are a pretty dangerous place to be vs. good wrestler's. well aware of the rs year zain had. think mark is further along skill wise as a fr. than zain was with his international exposure.
I don't think anyone is complaining about results per se. It's more a sense that if he opened up, he would be better. He seems to hit takedowns that get him two with ease and then he goes into a defensive posture. I agree with others that he's playing with fire, but I guess the same thing could be said about Heil.
The NWCA match with Valencia was a similar match, except that time he did get bitten. And he wasn't far off from getting bitten again with Kutler.
I just feel there is a much more dynamic neutral wrestler waiting to come out for Hall.
Spoiled or just flat out lucky. Us PSU fans get to watch a lineup that has 4 wrestlers than can pin any opponent at any time. I'm not even counting Cenzo, and he showed us was he's capable of last March. How many teams have ONE wrestler that makes you not want to blink, or you might miss an incredible stick. Hey, maybe that does spoil us fans to a degree, but man, I'm just enjoying it.
Stop the hyperbole!!!! Zain does not pin guys in a “blink”! He makes them suffer first!
IMO, you've completely mischaracterized the discussion.
#4 kid in the country or not, Mark is clearly on another level from this kid. The main point is that Mark has the incredible talent and skills to create some separation from a kid like that, not even to get bonus points, but so that his victory is more secure. When engaged in a 1 point battle late in the match, one is more at risk of losing by a lucky shot or a horrible officiating call. If he were up by 4 or 5 points, his victory would be more secure. Don't you think? Or do you think Mark is not good enough to take Kutler by 4 points?
During the beginning of the Hall-Kutler match, I was a little concerned that it would be a tight, suspenseful match with little risk-taking. But then Hall hit that amazing duck, and I was like "Oh man, destroy him with that all day."
But then that was it for offensive attempts. Like others have opined here, I wondered why he wouldn't just try to score a couple more times to establish a safety net before going into operation lockdown.
Then I wondered if he was just holding his cards. If he has supreme confidence that he can hold a 1-pt lead against a tough guy, why put the arsenal on display? Strategically, I would imagine scouting against his stuff becomes easier with greater sample sizes. Surely the Hawkeyes aren't the only ones saving themselves for Miss March.
But then that was it for offensive attempts. Like others have opined here, I wondered why he wouldn't just try to score a couple more times to establish a safety net before going into operation lockdown.
Then I wondered if he was just holding his cards. If he has supreme confidence that he can hold a 1-pt lead against a tough guy, why put the arsenal on display? Strategically, I would imagine scouting against his stuff becomes easier with greater sample sizes. Surely the Hawkeyes aren't the only ones saving themselves for Miss March.
Oh man, Slush, good call! Would really like to explore this one more this season. If we think injuries and weight are kept in secrecy!
Thanks -- but I probably should have noted an even more realistic contributor . . . that Hall could very well see Kutler again at Nationals, and so for that matchup alone it makes sense to avoid giving him a "full feel" this time around (that would be Zac Brunson's job).
