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I agree with OSUMatFan that Daton will struggle from the bottom in both matches. He needs to be dominant on his feet and in the case of Gross not try to ride him. Gross may be too seasoned for Daton to win but I do think Lizak is beatable so I predict Daton may not only win in Minnesota but could dominate.My expectations are for Daton to split or get swept this weekend as Gross is tough and experienced. This is a redshirt freshman wrestling a defending National champion that is one of the best riders in the country. getting out on bottom is always the Achilles heel of freshman and freestyle greats. Lizak is pretty much the same thing, but a little more vulnerable on his feet.
It would not surprise me if results flip in the spring!
I'll play...Daton should lose both. Right now he's an undersized 133 and he's had very little mat time in college. So my prediction...Daton takes both matches, gives up riding time but no back points, wins on his feet.
Just wondering. .. has it happened before that a true freshman in his first match defeated the defending national champion?
Cannot like that video enough!!
That's embarrassing.... I watched that match ....sigh how quickly we forget
Lee was coming back from knee surgery which he had after losing in the state finals to DeSanto. Piccinini was fairly close in January and was destroyed at Nationals by Lee. Maybe something was wrong with Piccinini because he should have beat Lizak in the dual and got beat at Nationals 16 to 0. So Lee's struggles weren't just adjusting to college but coming off knee surgery and not being in wrestling shape early in the season because of recovering from that surgery. If I remember right many thought he would redshirt. This is my memory of Lee's circumstances last year.Lee even struggled a bit last year with loss to kid from Oregon state, then dominated opponents the last half of season.
Daton loses to gross but beats lizak
Will they wrestle this weekend? If so think fix will need to get 2 or 3 takedowns in 1st period then take neutral. But cant totally avoid being on bottom because Gross routinely takes top when is his choice. Hope it happens. Will be exciting
I;m very stoic at athletic events, that match I jumped & yelled.
I'm guessing he was wrestling unattached with no official OSU coach in his corner.I remember at the OCU tourney when Joe was a freshman and he chose neutral against marsteller. John was pissed Joe came out with the win like 6-3
Plus it was a poor decision on his part because I don't remember Marsteller being a killer on top as a 57 for the cowboys.I remember at the OCU tourney when Joe was a freshman and he chose neutral against marsteller. John was pissed Joe came out with the win like 6-3
Do you really think there is any chance he will choose neutral? Name an early season match where Smith has allowed a wrestle to choose neutral, if you've ever seen such was it a freshman. How is one ever going to learn how to get off bottom against the best if you avoid trying? Now NCAA finals different story, but it ain't March yet.
Hard to disagree with John Smith but I do in this instance. My feeling is you practice hard and learn during practice how to escape. In a match you go with your strengths.John wants to make sure you can escape and will always make a freshman wrestler choose down. It's all practice until March when you wrestle for Oklahoma State!
As fans we like to see our boys win every match. John wants them to win in March. Getting the experience against Gross and Lizak on bottom will be great for Fix. I would think one period on bottom against each would be enough. If it is our choice I would hope John would let them defer in the second period and then choose neutral in the third period if the opponent chooses top.
Plus I don't remember many of our wrestlers that improved a whole lot from that down position in their careers. Does anyone got some good examples of significant improvement. I think you can get demoralized getting abused from the bottom. Now John Smith was different in that he was 150% committed to being the best. Most wrestlers aren't that committed.Hard to disagree with John Smith but I do in this instance. My feeling is you practice hard and learn during practice how to escape. In a match you go with your strengths.
Plus I don't remember many of our wrestlers that improved a whole lot from that down position in their careers. Does anyone got some good examples of significant improvement. I think you can get demoralized getting abused from the bottom. Now John Smith was different in that he was 150% committed to being the best. Most wrestlers aren't that committed.
Hard to disagree with John Smith but I do in this instance. My feeling is you practice hard and learn during practice how to escape. In a match you go with your strengths.
I do know that at Reno in the finals he was behind 1 to 0 against Fausz and he took neutral. He got the takedown to win in the last 30 seconds of the match. Fausz was tall and a good rider but not in Gross's league. I hope Daton shocks the country Saturday night. I remember Kaid's first match against Gross where he got a quick takedown and I thought maybe he can win but in matches my memory is Gross got as many takedowns as Kaid which ended up being very bad for Kaid. Daton can not give up many or maybe even 1 against Gross.If Daton chooses down in the second period he will face the real possibility that he will start in the down position for both 2 minute periods...and possibly get ridden for the last four minutes of the Gross match imo. Guess we will see. Hopefully we’re underestimating his ability to get out.
Z is the only one that comes to mind. He couldn't escape from a wet paper bag when he got here, but by the end of his career no one could ride him. There may be a couple of others. Kaid's lack of improvement in this area is frustrating.Plus I don't remember many of our wrestlers that improved a whole lot from that down position in their careers. Does anyone got some good examples of significant improvement. I think you can get demoralized getting abused from the bottom. Now John Smith was different in that he was 150% committed to being the best. Most wrestlers aren't that committed.
Was there an OSU coach in his corner?I do know that at Reno in the finals he was behind 1 to 0 against Fausz and he took neutral. He got the takedown to win in the last 30 seconds of the match. Fausz was tall and a good rider but not in Gross's league. I hope Daton shocks the country Saturday night. I remember Kaid's first match against Gross where he got a quick takedown and I thought maybe he can win but in matches my memory is Gross got as many takedowns as Kaid which ended up being very bad for Kaid. Daton can not give up many or maybe even 1 against Gross.
Was there an OSU coach in his corner?
Plus I don't remember many of our wrestlers that improved a whole lot from that down position in their careers. Does anyone got some good examples of significant improvement. I think you can get demoralized getting abused from the bottom. Now John Smith was different in that he was 150% committed to being the best. Most wrestlers aren't that committed.
ChickenGross didn't weigh in