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I don't disagree that returning medalist &/or team members shouldn't get such a huge advantage with byes. Just seed the tournament but then use normal brackets. Make even returning medalists earn their spot every year. But I would hate the idea of replacing an individual who earned their spot with someone else simply because the powers that be think they are better, more experienced or match up better.

My only beef there is that they've really mis-managed how they bracket the weights with the non-Olympic weight medalist getting a bye to the semi's. They should just empty out one quarter of the bracket, but they don't. They wrestle 2 regular bracket halves as normal--then give the 1-seed half a bye to the final and make the unlucky guys drawn into the other half face another match. So the 12 seed only has to win 3 to get to the final, but the 6 seed has to win 4? That makes no sense. I don't have a problem with them giving that bye to the semi's, but it needs to be done with an empty quarter and full bracketing of the other 3 quarters. All this to say...in a more equitable world, Mendez comes into the "semi-final" having only previously wrestled 2 matches instead of 3. His intensity, aggression, and physicality (the things that win him matches) were notably reduced by the time he'd finished 3 other wars and arrived at Zain in his 4th match. Meanwhile, Nick Lee is in the final having wrestled twice.

Perhaps but I am glad that our wrestlers have to earn their spot, and that the powers that be don't step in & decide this guy or that guy is going instead because "we think" they give us a better chance.

2024 Learn From The Best Wrestling Camps Sign Up Today! https://www.learnfromthebestwrestlingcamp.com Feature Clinician Announcements: JOE WILLIAMS 2X World Bronze Medalist 2004 Olympian 3X NCAA Champion - Iowa 12X US National Champion BRAYTON LEE NCAA All American 3X National Qualifier Junior National Champion Current Indiana RTC Athlete

Yeah, there are certainly arguments that Gilman's defense/physicality/senior-level experience, Mendez' pressure and athleticism, and Taylor's consistency and experience would have given us higher probabilities for success.

GIVE THEM TO ME

Legend. RIP Steve

Ton of rumors are starting to heat up in the FW semi-state

I think David Taylor would if competing be our best chance at a Gold. Given Brooks will be competing at 86, I believe Dake to be our best chance at a Gold, but find it most likely that we will have 4-5 medalist none of which being Gold. I was quite disappointed with the results of our OTT, thinking multiple wrestlers were beaten on the day by opponents that will not perform as well against the international competition.

OK thanks. Why am I not surprised. So even though Russia is banned as a team & their athletes must compete as individuals, they still hold spots as a team.

Had great times and memories with him on ISWA trips, do miss those orange pants. RIP

Even though they're labeled as "Individual Neutral Athletes" at the Games, Belarus and Russia are still being treated as if their nation qualified each weight and they can send whichever athlete they want at that weight, as long as they're approved by UWW and the IOC. Athletes forbidden to go are ones where investigations have found ties to or support of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

@maligned You guys know a lot more about this stuff than I do, but how would he be allowed in now? The athletes from Russia & Belarus have to compete as Individual Neutral Athletes. Since Sadulaev was not allowed to qualify as an individual, what possible spot could he take in the Olympics?

Steve put a ton of time into the sport doing anything to help out and make the sport better. He will be missed by many.

Warrior RTC Summer Camp Friday, June 14 - Silas Allred (Neutral) Session 1 1:00pm-3:00pm Session 2 4:00pm-6:00pm Saturday, June 15 - Travis Barroquillo (Top & Bottom) Session 1 9:00am-11:30am Session 2 12:30pm-3:00pm How to Register: Contact Coach McClurg text 317.501.8306 or email info@warriorrtc.com Name, Grade, Weight, School Cost - $60 for one day or $100 for both days (cash, check, card) 377 E Tillman Rd Fort Wayne, IN 46807 Camp Flyer June 14-15 Wrestling Camp.pdf

It's always true that the draw matters. For a variety of reasons, but especially if there's an opponent who is a bad match up for your wrestler getting knocked out before you have to face them. So many times that path to the finals makes a big difference in who makes it to the gold medal match. I feel like all of our gents can potentially beat nearly every opponent in each's respective weight class. Obviously it's very unlikely they will each beat every opponent but as Maligned said, the floor is high with this sextet. No one is a gold favorite, again mentioned by Maligned, but they are all capable of gold or silver, in my opinion. Lee and Dake would be my favorites to win it all, but Parris, Retherford, Snyder and Brooks are SOOO good too. Having 6 weight classes just creates a surfeit of talent at each weight. In this case, the end result is a loaded US team. I can't wait for this to start. There is nothing like the Olympics. Hope Kayla and Sarah bring home some hardware. Pretty crazy that one out of every 4 wrestlers on the men's and women's teams is a Hoosier. Very nearly 1 out of 3 wrestlers from Indiana if Nick Lee beat Zain.

RIP Steve

It is with a heavy heart that we must say goodbye to, not only a Beech Grove legend, but a legend in the sport of wrestling throughout the entire state of Indiana. Steve Nontell passed away this morning and if you knew Steve, you know how much he loved and advocated for our great sport. I know he’s up there sporting his orange pants as we speak. Rest In Peace, Coach!

really good breakdown, hard to disagree with anything you said (you also phrased the higher floor but lower ceiling thing really well) just two small technical corrections: - Zare has not won 3 straight world titles. He dominated in 2021 for Gold (after Tokyo), but then lost a close match 4-2 to Taha in 2022 in the last 5 seconds to win Bronze, then dominated again in 2023 for another Gold. Zare vs Taha: 4-0, 2-4, 4-0. Zare vs Geno: 15-11, 3-6, 9-2, 11-0. Taha poses the biggest challenge to Zare given his physicality but Zare won't repeat his 2022 mistake and will likely dominate everyone again to win Gold. Fun fact: Zare only turned 23 a few months ago but if he wins Gold in Tokyo he will have 5 World/Olympic medals (3 Gold). - Azarpira has wrestled Snyder twice (the last match wasn't their first encounter). in the first match (Feb '23) Kyle won 3-0 but in their more recent match (Jan '24) Azarpira won 6-3. As you said, Azarpira is very young (22) and on an upward trajectory while Kyle is arguably plateauing. btw I think it's not entirely settled that Sadulaev won't be going to Paris, there's still a chance he will be allowed to compete

Good opportunity to get some matches in before any summer duals and tournaments. Registration opens soon on Track. NO USA CARD NEEDED!

We need a team for the Zionsville Eagle. The current teams are Zionsville, Chesterton Senior High School, Floyd Central, Center Grove, Franklin Central, Lawrence North, Edgewood. It is an individual tournament. Your wrestlers are guaranteed to get 4 matches. Please reach out to me if interested. dwelch@zcs.k12.in.us

I wonder if he and AJ Schopp had some familiarity. Schopp is headed there from his Purdue post as their new assistant HC. Schopp was a multiple time AA at Edinboro.

Maybe you are colorblind? You think you are seeing green but you are seeing red? LOL

Yea … I only see (5) . (106, 113, 126, 132, 138) 285, was probably only one that caught fire in the State Series . Should he been ranked earlier ? Idk, gotta beat ranked kids to get ranked .