The upcoming roster and depth chart
- Thread starter BrockBronson
- Start date
You can look at it however you want, but the fact remains that Swimming and Track are the more watched events at an Olympics and bring in more revenue. Most Americans, including the rest of the world, want to tune in to watch something that goes from point A to point B and is likely less than 3 minutes.
Most people do not even know the rules of wrestling nor could they even name an Olympic wrestler. Most people however do know Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Simone Biles. Instead of complaining about wrestling being slimmed down, we should be grateful it’s even around still and it gives most youth wrestlers something to aspire too because it certainly will not be around for long. They have already tried to remove it once completely and i am sure the IOC will try again. Maybe it is time for UWW to step up and demand some spots back, but until then the IOC as corrupt as they are will run the Olympics for profitability and care less about those wanting to keep traditions.
Just my opinion
One of the "odder" (FIFY) takes I have read. By extension your logic would be ok with 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 weight class for that matter? If wrestling doesn't need 10 slots then someone could argue wrestling doesn't need 6. Why not just 3; small, medium and Large? Our team should be Zain, DT and Snyder - done deal, 3 golds for team USA and the NLWC ;-)
So 40% of the participants in a sport's worldwide accepted standard are eliminated for the Olympics because they have to make room for more questionable modern sports, some of which are a complete friggin joke?
The reality is wrestling, which happens to be an ancient original sport (yeah I hear you, not freestyle) is giving up spots because of:
3x3 baseball
Badmitten
Synchronized swimming
Baseball & Softball
Beach handball
Breakdancing
Curling
Cycling BMX racing (several)
Futsal
Golf
Rhythmic gymnastics
Trampoline
What's really going on the like everything else the Olympics are woke and striving to create parity where weaker nations have a shot at a medal in some fringe sports.
In my view add the bogus sports if you must, but don't cannibalize others, while severely penalizing the atheletes, in doing so.
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Calling someone else's take dumb and then saying the Olympics are woke because they include golf is pretty amazing.
Respectfully, I’ll try and steer the discussion back to our roster and possible future lineups…..
Any comments on these guesses? In hindsight, the Kasak projections don’t seem feasible. Going to be interesting to watch how the lineups shake out in the next few years.
unfortunately a lot of it is up in the air, however, in my opinion, i think if Starocci wants the taste of the Olympics then this may be the best shot he has as he seems to want to transition to MMA. With that said i am likely in the minority but i would assume Starocci is done with college as he has nothing left to prove. So next year slot Facundo to 174.
That would mean depending on how Facundo does at 174 and how long Mess and Haines can hold weight I would assume 24/25 would be:
Sealy at 157 (although i believe he may be wrestling 160, don’t know how much he is cutting if at all)
Haines 165
Mess 174
Facundo Bench
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Do you really think this is his best chance? What about Dake or Taylor make you think that Starocci can beat either? He is absolutely at the wrong time. The next cycle maybe. I have to assume that both Dake and Taylor step away leaving those weights open to someone else. At this point I think they are both too dominant still.
If Starocci wants to go MMA than he just doesn't get an Olympic shot.
👆👆This 100%. I love Carter but just can’t see any way he beats Dake or DT. I hope he comes back and wins his 4th and then sets his sights on the next Olympic cycle. Wrestle 4 more years and then go mma. He would be maybe 28 at that point? A bit old to start an mma career but still in his prime especially with many top mma fighters fighting into their late 30’s. If he won the Olympics he would be in perfect bargaining position to make big $ at that point. I would be surprised if this is the route he took but I hope it is. I love mma and especially seeing wrestlers dominate but I first want to watch our top athletes wrestle at the highest level. Carter has the ability to do great things in freestyle…just not this Olympic cycle with 2 of the best to ever do it sitting in front of him
You and Still in SC share some good info. But again i am sure it’s not as black and white as you make it out. Carters path to the Olympics does not get any easier in the next cycle especially with how deep the USA is at both 74 and 86kg (not even factoring in a guy like Zahid who moved up to make a world team). Taylor and Dake aren’t getting any younger (although Dake says otherwise).
Bo Nickal’s trajectory and path thru the UFC is an anomaly for where he is at. Not many fighters get the path that he does, although he’s also been backing it up.
Carter prolonging his MMA career would not be the best because no one knows if he will have the same hype. Winning an Olympic gold may not even get him a boost. Cejudo won in 2008 and his first professional fight wasn’t until 2013.
Also fighting in the MMA doesn’t net you as much as you think unless you are truly one of the biggest stars like McGregor. Donald Cerrone had to fight 55 times over the course of 16 years just to even break $10 million. Plus you have to factor he pays a gym, his coaches, trainers.
Now let’s look at Carters injury at the Open. He has had a hand injury as well. You never know what happens over the course of the next 5 years. And on the flip side, Dake and Taylor are also susceptible to injury whether that’s at Worlds or another ranking series or training.
Who knows what weight Carter even wants to go however with trials (i believe 2 weeks after NCAAs) he would be cutting throughout the season such that to make 74kg easier unless he goes 165 all year or goes undersized at 174. Or his other option is to bulk up to 86kg in a short time frame. or he just calls it a career and ends on a high note and starts Olympic prep
Definitely not. I just think that Dake and DT both hang it up after this Olympics. At that point Nolf would be the favorite at 74kg. I think Carter is a true tweener right now so he should take the coming years and grow into an 86 like DT did. That seems plausible over the course of years. It’s never easy to make the US team but Carter is a special talent. I don’t really see him wrestling for another cycle but I sure hope he does.
Carter cutting to 74kg in 2028 seems unlikely and 86kg even without DT has Aaron hanging around. I think he should distinguish himself as the only 5 timer most likely forever since I don't see another covid freebie being given away in the future. However, he has to win his 4th before choosing to go for a 5th.
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Yeah, I think Carter's realistic future as it relates to the Olympics is in 2028 and up at 86, if at all. Unfortunately for him this cycle it's the wrong time, and wrong weight. Beating Aaron in 4 years in should prove as difficult as beating David, or Dake down a weight now. Likewise, Nolf will be the man at 74 by then. Being a tweener sucks, maybe by 2028 we can get 10 weights back.
I remain hopeful that Carter kills it this year while "full sized" at NCAAs.
As for who is the odd man out on the roster, gaining the benefit of a redshirt? Whether it be Levi, Mesinbrink, or Facundo, the worst part is we will be denied watching one of them wrestling much for another year. I will be shocked if Facundo doesn't come screaming back to an AA level. The impact to the team with any of the three sitting is relatively inconsequential, unless 170.5 is your goal.
I remain hopeful that Carter kills it this year while "full sized" at NCAAs.
As for who is the odd man out on the roster, gaining the benefit of a redshirt? Whether it be Levi, Mesinbrink, or Facundo, the worst part is we will be denied watching one of them wrestling much for another year. I will be shocked if Facundo doesn't come screaming back to an AA level. The impact to the team with any of the three sitting is relatively inconsequential, unless 170.5 is your goal.
I am like you. If Dake moves on and Nolf is the heir apparent I think Starocci can definitely beat Nolf. He has a lot of the same traits as Dake (incredible defense and strength). I am just not sure if he can get big enough for 86kg. At 86kg he has to contend with Brooks and Zahid as the favorites once Taylor clears. I am sure some others will emerge but nobody else on the current list is really a contender.
I agree, I don't think he is beating Jason. I know about the past on the backside where they met
Yeah that was another very odd, Nolf vs Dake-like match. Jason's offense against very sound defenders remains a bit of an enigma. It didn't help matters much that Nolf pretty much exposed himself late in the match, but generally speaking Carter was the aggressor. That's still a 79kg Carter. I don't like the idea of him down at 74.
In the next cycle we will probably see KOT,Carr, Facundo, Mesinbrink, Sealy etc all at 74. These guys are farther along FS-wise then Carter was at their point of career IMO. The path aint gettin any easier, and the folk/free transition time for these guys wont take long.
Right now? Maybe only KOT and probably not even him. In 4 years who knows?
I tend to agree. I look at Starocci as being pretty similar to Dake. Superior defense and strength to most he goes against and when you watch Dake/Nolf you can see how important those qualities are in F/S.
Give me KOT in 4 years.
Mostly because I feel Carter will be knocking dudes TFO in 4 years.
Olympics are waaaay more corrupt than anything we in the US see in our professional sports. The Olympics are what the NCAA strives for. Billions of dollars for administrators, the opportunity to compete and a couple bucks here and there for the athletes.
CMar aint done yet either
Really pulling for him to bring home some bling this fall. No one deserves it more.
