Can we get some more of em over here?
Olympics
- Thread starter AtownPoke
- Start date
Nothing to be done about it because athletes can rightfully train wherever they want but I don't think having basically the whole USA team train at the same club isn't ideal.
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Look at these wrestlers that wrestle at other smaller wrestling countries. They are doing great. They can get the individual attention and resources needed to succeed.
Yeah but you also have small region of Russia supplying a large portion of the worlds elite. All that competition and a culture of wrestling makes monsters
Probably not a popular opinion but I would find someone that teaches their techniques and bring it over. I can’t define it because I’m not a wrestling expert but I like it. Maybe we don’t teach it because it doesn’t relate to folk style?
We have all of their "techniques" - that isn't the issue.
We can all thank JB and Carl for how american wrestling has COMPLETELY changed. Go back and watch folkstyle matches and freestyle matches from 1997-2010.
we were BAD at wrestling guys. Just a bunch of dudes who wanted to wear guys out - but also too prideful to get pushouts. Thanks to JB showing that a downblock/knee sprawl is actually better than just sprawling - we got better positionally. We've embraced a much more free-flowing wrestling thanks to Carl specifically. Not just relying on brute strength, but technique to go with our American qualities.
There's nothing wrong with our system. At all. We won 2 world titles and finished second for the 2021 Olympic Title. It's just that there are SIX weights. which is f'ing ridiculous. If we had a 61, 79, 70 - we're all a much happier bunch.
The previous philosophy stems from Gable. He was one of the best ever but he was all about out hustling and outlasting opponents. Honestly, there is still a Big place in wrestling for those components, but if that is all you do, you end up as a one demential wrestler.
If your talking about demential wrestlers/coaches you've got to put Brands at the top (or bottom). He is definitely one demential wrestler.
So, I actually thought the same. And Askren has said as much. But here's the problem. Our lack of success in FS directly coincides with Gable's RETIREMENT.
Watch the Gable guys when gable coached - they wrestled to score points. They were very technical AND diverse. No wrestler was truly the same.
So here's the problem - after Gable leaves - Gable's "perceived" advantages as a coach get bastardized by guys that were coached by or under him. So even guys like J Rob and Tom, who's worst impulses can't be controlled by Gable - helm programs of their own that attempt to mirror the most recent dynasty.
So now you get a snapshot of every trying to follow one of the most dominant dynasties in all of sports and the tail wags the dog. They think conditioning and pulling a head down is the way to win NCAA and FS championships - because that's what THEY did. Completely forgetting that Gable coached to his athletes strengths. He never changed them. He made sure they were mentally tough and physically prepared. And worked at making them better at their strengths. He did a lot more top/bottom work than many of us have been lead to believe. And they were technically diverse.
All that to say, let's place blame where it squarely belongs - A group of gable cast-offs and those chasing gable attempting to be just like him.
Well said!
It is so frustrating to be coached by and watch a coach push what they perceive as effective for a kid.
Copies of an original are still copies and not as clean and crisp. It will be interesting to see if DT is a copy of an original or if he adds to the recipe and builds something new and better from what Cael does. It takes an entreprenurial and visionary person to change a sport. In the last 50 years, there have only been two true visionaries. Gable and Cael. Is DT next, or someone else.
Regarding USA wrestling, would we be better off having a Pre-trials in the spring the year before the Olympics and selecting our tentative representative at each weight, and they wrestle the next year internationally to get points toward seeding and qualify the weights. Then in the spring of the Olympic year, there is another Trials to actually select our actual Olympic representative. The tentative representatives go straight to the finals, but by then they would be seasoned int'l participants with a good deal more tape on the competition.
I feel like we are only serious about freestyle internationally one year of every four. If we go two of every four, I feel like we would perform much better and gain seeds.
I feel like we are only serious about freestyle internationally one year of every four. If we go two of every four, I feel like we would perform much better and gain seeds.
Remember - it was 6 guys. And due to age, weight cut, family circumstances and NCAAs - international just wasn't a possibility. And our trials were (WAY) too early.
We already have a "tentative" representatives that goes to the finals - gotta medal. And considering it's an Olympic weight - it's more than earned.
Spencer - hurt. But did wrestle Pan Ams, Bill Farrell, the Open, and OG qualifiers
Zain - didn't even know he was going to compete until January. did wrestle OG Qualifier
Dake - father was sick all year
Brooks - NCAAs. But did wrestle at U23s in the fall. Weight cut too much to wrestle in another tourney
Snyder - did compete. Always competes
Parris - Did compete, but his performance isn't indicative of what he is. Just completely shot his wad.
🤔. Kind of like Bobby knight. Now, hear me out, I’m not a knight fan, but everyone thinks of him as a complete SOB (well deserved) who focused only Xs and Os, but when he coached the original dream team, they all loved him and said he got the most out of them. This was Bird, Magic, Ewing, etc. So, maybe these guys were great coaches for a reason 🤷🏼♂️
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