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U20 and U23 WTT

Rumors are Spratley was already beating McKee in the room (including the wrestleoffs) but they gave McKee 125 as long as he wants it, which is why he transferred.
It wasn’t that they gave it to McKee, they told Spratley that they would allow McKee to wrestle him off if he used his sixth year. Spratley didn’t think McKee would use it and thought the spot had no competition. Spratley did beat him in the room as a redshirt though.
 
Was shocked to see Ethan Riddle hang with Josh Barr as well as he did. Riddle might be a better option at 174 for the gophers than I was considering. Does Barr usually have a lot of tight matches?
 
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It wasn’t that they gave it to McKee, they told Spratley that they would allow McKee to wrestle him off if he used his sixth year. Spratley didn’t think McKee would use it and thought the spot had no competition. Spratley did beat him in the room as a redshirt though.
Apologies, just heard it was something about McKee. For the record, I don't think there's anything wrong with giving favoritism to the veteran guy who's proven himself in the postseason big time.
 
Was shocked to see Ethan Riddle hang with Josh Barr as well as he did. Riddle might be a better option at 174 for the gophers than I was considering. Does Barr usually have a lot of tight matches?
Against good competition most of his matches are tight. Riddle had a great tournament though. His win against Mulvaney was really good. Barr has a ton of physical tools but needs some refinement. I still believe he will be an absolute stud in college but he definitely needs his redshirt year to work on some things just like most incoming freshman
 
Wow!! Aden Attao techs Koy Hopke 12-2 in the first. Total domination. Attao is massive and just pushed Hopke all over the mat
doing some googling now haha. kid is a brute and more technical than he looks. reminds me a lot of (formerly fat) tony. maybe quicker feet. great understanding of leverage and uses his size so well. not surprised he’s an elite greco guy.
 
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doing some googling now haha. kid is a brute and more technical than he looks. reminds me a lot of (formerly fat) tony. maybe quicker feet. great understanding of leverage and uses his size so well. not surprised he’s an elite greco guy.
He moves really well for being so huge. Much quicker than people probably think and he uses his size perfectly. Gets that underhook and uses his leverage to push guys all over. Hopke looked like he had no idea what to do even when he got in deep
 
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Wow! Jax takes out defending U20 world champion Jore Volk 9-8! Kid is so savvy for a high schooler

Bassett is super tough as well. He loses 8-5 to Spratley but was down 8-1 at the break and won the second period. Not bad for a high school sophomore against a college kid

Spratley vs Jax should be great. Winner gets Lilledahl in a best of 3
Just got to rewatch some matches. Nasedo looked great and could turn into a tough 125. Davis has Volk beat. I didn’t like the way he was taking breaks. That won’t work in the Big Ten.

That spratley is a man against little boys vs Jax and Bo. Mature 20 yr man vs 16 yr old boys. They battled tough and both pushed him pretty hard. They seem to keep making each other better. I questioned if they could withstand the man strength and they seemed to.

I am watching Sealey next. Then can’t wait to watch these finals.
 
Against good competition most of his matches are tight. Riddle had a great tournament though. His win against Mulvaney was really good. Barr has a ton of physical tools but needs some refinement. I still believe he will be an absolute stud in college but he definitely needs his redshirt year to work on some things just like most incoming freshman
it’s his reliance on offense from space that has to get ironed out. he started being more intentional with his set ups and hand fighting late in the match and looked much better. the underhook throwby was really nice.

with his build, i could see him becoming really effective with inside reach picks and low singles off the collar like DT early in his career (and of course Cael). Standard picks too I guess but that’s a bigger transition from what he already does.
 
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Just got to rewatch some matches. Nasedo looked great and could turn into a tough 125. Davis has Volk beat. I didn’t like the way he was taking breaks. That won’t work in the Big Ten.

That spratley is a man against little boys vs Jax and Bo. Mature 20 yr man vs 16 yr old boys. They battled tough and both pushed him pretty hard. They seem to keep making each other better. I questioned if they could withstand the man strength and they seemed to.

I am watching Sealey next. Then can’t wait to watch these finals.
Bassett seems like a real quality individual. Saw on a recent Cayden Henschel podcast, he's gonna be 18 before his sophomore year. I graduated when I was 17. I think he said COVID had something to do with it but I hate the trend of holding dudes back like that for sports reasons. Haines being 18 and doing what he did is extremely impressive if he was 21 as a freshman, it's still a hell of an accomplishment but I do think you put an asterisk there.
 
Bassett seems like a real quality individual. Saw on a recent Cayden Henschel podcast, he's gonna be 18 before his sophomore year. I graduated when I was 17. I think he said COVID had something to do with it but I hate the trend of holding dudes back like that for sports reasons. Haines being 18 and doing what he did is extremely impressive if he was 21 as a freshman, it's still a hell of an accomplishment but I do think you put an asterisk there.
If that's true, then he won't be eligible for his SR year of HS. IIRC PIAA rules state you must be under 19 as of 7/1 to participate in a given year.
 
Bassett seems like a real quality individual. Saw on a recent Cayden Henschel podcast, he's gonna be 18 before his sophomore year. I graduated when I was 17. I think he said COVID had something to do with it but I hate the trend of holding dudes back like that for sports reasons. Haines being 18 and doing what he did is extremely impressive if he was 21 as a freshman, it's still a hell of an accomplishment but I do think you put an asterisk there.
He is not going to be 18 before his sophomore year
 
He is not going to be 18 before his sophomore year
Yeah - he's turning 17 this year, older for sure but 18 would just be ridiculous. I also wouldn't be shocked if Bassett does the senior skip move anyways and just move/train at where he's committed to. He never has seeked weaker competition to look good, I think people just are upset people used to go a 7th grader did XYZ!
 
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Only thing worse than “You just don’t get it” Freestyle wrestling fan is “You just don’t get it” soccer fan.

But the gap is closing every year!
I don't want to get it, no wrestling at all I don't know to call it but it certainly isn't wrestling!!back points when your not on your back 4 points for putting someone on their butt and more just insane!
 
Sealey reminds me a ton of Van Ness, maybe not the athlete Van Ness is. Relentless pace and attacks and an insane tank, still pretty sloppy at times in scrambles, sometimes goes back into the same attacks out of frustration. Van Ness had a bunch of ? losses on the free scene. I'm pretty sure Bartlett pinned him in like 20 seconds before also since he just walked into a front headlock.
 
Only thing worse than “You just don’t get it” Freestyle wrestling fan is “You just don’t get it” soccer fan.

But the gap is closing every year!
Worse is the "I won't even try to get it" wrestling fan.

Really, if we claim to support the athletes, trying to get the rules is microscopic effort compared to theirs.
 
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singleton is really impressive. great game plan for arnold. haven’t seen anybody score on him like this ever.
 
Mendez with a 4-3 win over Kasak in match 1. Not really much in it. Kasak with the only TD, Mendez with 3 step outs and honestly a pretty ridiculous shot clock point.
 
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Mendez obviously is the real deal but still was hoping Tyler would be ahead since he likely has a size advantage as of right now/is fresh for the matches. Either way, good match!
 
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Worse is the "I won't even try to get it" wrestling fan.

Really, if we claim to support the athletes, trying to get the rules is microscopic effort compared to theirs.
Thank you for writing thoughts in my feeble brain.
 
Like you said ... almost like he might know a thing or two about Gabe's tendencies ...
gabe’s dad has a bunch of videos of them training on his instagram going back years. probably wrestled the equivalent of hundreds of matches.

the simple snatch single was genius. it’s almost impossible to get to gabe with conventional penetration. singleton used timing and length to get around that.
 
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