Yeah, few guys can get more mileage out of cheap tilts than Spencer, which translates perfectly to FS, and he gets to them so fast. He's also great on his feet. There's no part of his makeup that isn't perfect for FS.
Spencer out of OTT
- Thread starter McScoreley
- Start date
Dang that sucks for Spencer and team USA. Not surprising though. Carrying that entire Iowa team on his back for years has got to be tough on his whole body.
Damn. Hate it for him and for the team USA. The one good knee Spencer was without a doubt the favorite to win trials and I think he could of possibly taken silver. Is par terre game is crazy. His gut and especially his lace is amazing. Without a doubt the 57kg guys have to be breathing a sigh of relief. Well I think they probably felt that way when they saw how the injured Spencer looked. Just sucks.
It’s amazing how much pushing the Olympics back a year as helped some people and hurt others and this is just another example. It killed Spencer’s chsnces. It saved Fix and Valencia’s (even tho his penalty was harsh). It also helped J’Den Cox. It gave him a full year to become as close as he could to a full 97kg.
Not just in wrestling either. The fastest man in the world Christian Coleman had been working his entire life for that one Olympic moment of glory. If the Olympics happen last year he definitely wins the 100m since no one was close to him. A couple months after it was canceled he gets suspended for missing to many drug tests.
On the flip side Travon Brommel was supposed to be the next great US sprinter back when he made the Olympics as a 19 year old in 2016 but injuries have plagued him. Well late last summer he was finally healthy and he’s putting up some crazy times that could possibly win the 100m. I feel great for him because he’s been through so much. Also in track White lightening himself Matthew Boling was not ready for the Olympics last year. This years an entire different story. He could qualify for the 200m but his best event maybe the 400m.
It’s been a crazy year and I can’t wait to watch it all gO down.
I hope Iowa treats this kid, lee, right. He’s done so much for the wrestling program and for through school itself. Build this kid a status lol.
It’s amazing how much pushing the Olympics back a year as helped some people and hurt others and this is just another example. It killed Spencer’s chsnces. It saved Fix and Valencia’s (even tho his penalty was harsh). It also helped J’Den Cox. It gave him a full year to become as close as he could to a full 97kg.
Not just in wrestling either. The fastest man in the world Christian Coleman had been working his entire life for that one Olympic moment of glory. If the Olympics happen last year he definitely wins the 100m since no one was close to him. A couple months after it was canceled he gets suspended for missing to many drug tests.
On the flip side Travon Brommel was supposed to be the next great US sprinter back when he made the Olympics as a 19 year old in 2016 but injuries have plagued him. Well late last summer he was finally healthy and he’s putting up some crazy times that could possibly win the 100m. I feel great for him because he’s been through so much. Also in track White lightening himself Matthew Boling was not ready for the Olympics last year. This years an entire different story. He could qualify for the 200m but his best event maybe the 400m.
It’s been a crazy year and I can’t wait to watch it all gO down.
I hope Iowa treats this kid, lee, right. He’s done so much for the wrestling program and for through school itself. Build this kid a status lol.
Well, he promised to lead the Hawks to a NC and he delivered. Even if I were an Iowa fan I don't think I would begrudge Spencer focusing his efforts on Freestyle and the 2024 Olympics ... he can't wear the Iowa singlet forever.
Cassar could have come back for a 6th or even a 7th year, and possibly NC #2 and #3, but once he reinjured his shoulder I was happy to see him move on to future goals ... the body can come back from injury only so many times.
Not sure whether to laugh or feel sorry for him. Life can't be all that much fun, if you have to take yourself that seriously 100% of the time.
He hadn't made a decision. He said that they would take it day by day, but that he'd like to give it a shot if he could to "go down swinging." The fact he used that phrase kind of sums up why he's not going.
Lol, I don't like Gilman now for the same reason you all HATED him when he was a hawk. He's an obnoxious blow hard. I chose to actively ignore all of his interviews and social media during that time because I liked the product he put out on the mat. Now? The only guy I'll root for him against is Fix cuz of the PED bust.
I don't think PSU has hurt him though. I just think he peaked 3 years ago and he's on the downslope of his career. Still good, and without Spencer he has a shot, but I hope one of the young guns knock him off.
I haven't seen him at Senior level, but at Cadet and JR level he was the absolute best at converting a shot into an ankle lace -- he often didn't even bother with securing the takedown, instead went straight into the rolls.
The takedowns won't come quite as easily, and he won't hit 4 rolls in 10 sec ... but hitting that lace before the opponent is set, is huge.
Nick Suriano looks Willem -Dafoe intense in that photo!
I think he makes the team if Lee competes or not.
LOL! Giman ain't getting past NIck Suriano! Nick is on a mission and killing it this past year on the international stage. He will eat up Gilman and would have eaten up Lee as well!
He is all Killa no Filla!!! He would have made a Scooby Snack out of Spencer this year!
Spencer is also just underrated on his feet because of how dominant he is on top.
What makes him so good at freestyle is that he's probably as complete a wrestler as the US has outside of DT and Dake. Can attack legs, control center, scramble, transition into turns, and also turn without hitting a transition. He has both an elite lace and gut which is also rare in this country.
There are guys that can beat him in certain positions or at certain skills, but imo he was by far the most complete guy at the weight. Shame he got hurt at Big Tens.
Somebody made this observation on another board, but has there ever been a more dominant wrestler who gets injured as often as Lee? Even in high school when he was pinning and teching everyone he got injured. Crazy when you think about it.
I think another big area where Spencer is underrated is upper body. If I'm not mistaken, his mom was an olympian or world champ, or somewhere along those lines in judo. I seen a few guys in high school test the waters there, I never remember him throwing for big points, but also, he never got thrown. He seemed comfortable and confident in those positions. The kid is the complete package in any and all positions. I realize senior level is a different ball game, but I don't know if I'd bet on anyone besides him. Obviously I'm pulling for Gilman because he's with us, but once the team is set, whoever has the privilege and earned to wear the red, white, and blue get my support at every weight.
He's great upper body.
125 lbs Quarterfinal - Spencer Lee, Iowa vs RayVon Foley, Michigan State
125 lbs Quarterfinal - Spencer Lee, Iowa vs RayVon Foley, Michigan State
At big tens their freshman year, Foley went yolo off the whistle with double unders and Spencer went double overs inside reap to a back arch and bombed him off the mat lol.
Did he? Do you think he should have dropped out of college to wrestle freestyle? Awfully convenient for a Penn State fan.
Gilman AIN"T beating NIck Suriano!!!! Gilman is just warm up for Nick now. He is wrestling on another level right now!
While I agree that Nick has definitely stepped up his game, I made no prediction of who I thought would win. Now that we are talking about it, I think Gilman will come out on top. Gilman had a few set backs, but so did a few of our collegiate guys, specifically Carter, who turned around and won a NC. IMO the Sanders pin was a fluke, but I think Gilman will really pick up the offense against Suriano, if they meet. Suriano has always been more of a defensive wrestler, but freestyle rewards aggression more than folk. Weird things happen during freestyle matches with a lace, feet to back, etc. Im excited for the trials, and we will know who represents the USA shortly.
It might be difficult for you to believe, but Spencer is even better at freestyle. He is an animal!
Agree. It's sort of interesting then, why he always chooses folk when the time comes though.
Because he is the Ultimate Teammate. Period. Much Respect to Spencer
Lee knew wrestling Folk this past season was his only path to being a 4xer. Cant blame him, but now he’s suffering the consequences.
Kind of tough to argue Spencer is simply a beneficiary of a rule set.
Wasnt implying “simply”. Moreso Spencer built his arsenal to match the rules. Good for him, and it just so happened they worked for Folk too.
"Suffering the consequences" of winning his 3rd title and 1st team title together with his friends?Spencer wasn't going to just sit at home in a bubble playing Pokémon all day. It was probably a really easy decision for him.
Sometimes knee injuries happen to people that do of the most mundane things. I guess he could have forgotten Folkstyle this last year, not won his 3rd, not won a team title and tore his knee in practice training for Freestyle anyways. See what I'm saying?
Spencer made a choice to go for 4, looks like he is on his way to doing so. It has cost him a chance at the olympics. Sucks for him and possibly team USA, but becoming a 4x champ is so rare it is hard to blame him. As a non Iowa fan I think its fair to question the decision though or at least question the importance he places freestyle since coming to college. He could still wrestle folk next year, get his 4th and then have an entire year of concentrating purely on freestyle before 2024. Either way, I hope Spencer heals up in time to walk out and accept Iowa's runner-up team trophy in Detroit.
Spencer made a choice to go for 4, looks like he is on his way to doing so. It has cost him a chance at the olympics. Sucks for him and possibly team USA, but becoming a 4x champ is so rare it is hard to blame him. As a non Iowa fan I think its fair to question the decision though or at least question the importance he places freestyle since coming to college. He could still wrestle folk next year, get his 4th and then have an entire year of concentrating purely on freestyle before 2024. Either way, I hope Spencer heals up in time to walk out and accept Iowa's runner-up team trophy in Detroit.
You can question the decision all you want but the decision is up to Spencer and IMHO it is a good one. With two bad knees tough to win the trials let alone the Olympics and if does win the spot that means any surgery is put off until September and wrestling next season at Iowa goes out the window.
Which is why he didn't do it. Because he puts college wrestling ahead of his personal freestyle future. I think it's a mistake but time will tell.
Saw this on tHR and it got some production value
This isn't surprising. I figured this would be the case whenever he announced he tore his ACL at the B1G. This is disappointing. I was looking forward to Spencer winning an Olympic Gold. I hope he is able to come back just as strong as he was, but I certainly cannot blame him here.
But is Spencer even better at being a person? 🧐
I ask because that is the new standard.
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Opinions on an opinion board who would have thought right lmfao
But is Spencer even better at being a person? 🧐
Spencer has WHIMPY KNEES! Nick Suriano FEASTS on whimpy knee Hawkeyes!! Like Gilman as well!!
