I’ve been to Amman twice. The first time for about 5 days for an mma fight I did and the second for a month where I coached wrestling at an mma gym. Both times I got sick at first as well but definitely not as bad as these ladies. Maybe our stomachs need some toughening up. After a couple days I was fine though and absolutely loved the food. The shawarma was incredible
U20’s August 14th-20th
- Thread starter zzs006
- Start date
I was actually at a wedding with a few Greco guys over the weekend, oddly enough. After a few beverages, I got the gumption to chat up a World Team member about their program and what they have going on. I felt bad, but like, I wasn't not gonna try to talk some Greco, when given that kinda opportunity lol.
It’s still gonna take time. Devoting more time/athletes/resources to training Greco fulltime is important. Now, additionally, they need more time overseas and/or we need more foreigners over here. The hard part is that our wrestlers are so wired from wrestling 3 youth tournaments/weekend on 1/4 sized mats with 15 adults yelling 15 different things at them. Most “Greco” even at Fargo is like… Americanized. The wrestling and the officiating. Sometimes those that wrestle Greco in the more worldly sense are damn near penalized because they allow kids to wrestle with their heads down and their hips out. It disincentivizes risk when they allow the opposition to not present/engage. It's frustrating.
The program has had administrative problems. I think those currently leading can certainly help. Thought Ivan could, but that went south rather fast. All sorts of rumors around it. USAW only cares as much as they feel compelled to, it seems. But there’s still guys living the dream. I pray they don’t kill it for ****ing beach wrestling best 2 outta 3 nonsense.
USA wins a lot of FS stuff in age group because it’s easily tied to the most professional level of wrestling (now college) and we compete more than probably any other country prior to the U17/U20 levels. You notice, it tapers through U23/Seniors. Parents push their kids to wrestle FS and see the benefit. Greco is the middle child everyone overlooks. We need more coaches in D1 to push (or at least allow/understand) Greco. But why would they, when they don't see nearly the direct correlation to the highest earning potential in our sport, currently?
I'm hopeful for the Senior & U23 teams. It's gotta start somewhere. But yeah, I don't think anyone is not privy to the fact that it's not important to most of our country.
Building off of Crop’s point, I do think Greco is rather under appreciated in the US. I loved watching guys with a Greco understanding compete. Throws could come from literally anywhere and at any time.
When my brother and I were coming up and learning more about wrestling, we would sit and watch the Mango brothers highlight tape on YouTube. We’d sit with jaws on the floor watching how they’d seemingly toss their opponents at will. Watching that led us to watching videos of guys like Quentin Wright and Dylan Ness. They weren’t afraid to go upper body and throw the kitchen sink at people.
Last year, I started to introduce my JH wrestlers to the world of Greco. They were initially unsure, but quickly became enthralled at the notion they’d get points for literally powerbombing their opponent. Many of them asked to learn more about Greco after the season.
I’m not sure what it’ll take for Greco to see more growth, but kids are definitely interested when presented with it correctly. Maybe it’ll take a transcendent superstar similar to Burroughs, Dake, Cael, etc. to jumpstart it, I have no clue.
When my brother and I were coming up and learning more about wrestling, we would sit and watch the Mango brothers highlight tape on YouTube. We’d sit with jaws on the floor watching how they’d seemingly toss their opponents at will. Watching that led us to watching videos of guys like Quentin Wright and Dylan Ness. They weren’t afraid to go upper body and throw the kitchen sink at people.
Last year, I started to introduce my JH wrestlers to the world of Greco. They were initially unsure, but quickly became enthralled at the notion they’d get points for literally powerbombing their opponent. Many of them asked to learn more about Greco after the season.
I’m not sure what it’ll take for Greco to see more growth, but kids are definitely interested when presented with it correctly. Maybe it’ll take a transcendent superstar similar to Burroughs, Dake, Cael, etc. to jumpstart it, I have no clue.
So is pickled herring.
I've yet to develop an appreciation for greco, and maybe that's because, as @BigFella235 hinted at, there's not been a bona fide American superstar since Rulan (and his superstardom was by proxy and short-lived), decades ago. I'd like to think I'm less shallow but that could be it.
It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem--you don't get superstars without investment and you don't get investment when there are no superstars. And I think there's a shared belief that while folk and freestyle have shared benefits, re training and style, greco is an entirely different language, and success there won't enhance your college career.
There's also the pragmatic issue of there not being a lot of money in wrestling, regardless of style; accordingly, there's perhaps a perception that investment in greco will detract from freestyle or folk.
But I do admire the hell out of your St. Jude-like passion, Crop.
Luke Lilledahl’s All Full Matches at the U20 World Championships, While Earning the Silver
