|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Assuming that both teams are healthy after National Duals, here's my look at "The Ruckus in Columbus."
125: Falck md over Triggas
Nikko needs to have energy in this one or he's in trouble. He can keep it reasonably close if he's ready to go. An effort like the one against Kent will prove deadly. 4-0 Iowa
133: Slaton dec Humphrey
Humphrey has the talent to beat Slaton but Slaton has demonstrated the ability to wrestle much harder for seven minutes. I'd love to be proved wrong here. 7-0 Iowa
141: Jaggers dec LeClere--Key Bout
This match will likely be very close with the key being Jaggers ability to generate offense while holding off the typical Iowa charge. Jaggers has more skill but LeClere is a "goer." I'm leaning towards the Buckeye captain at home in front of 14,000 fans <smile> 7-3 Iowa
149: Metcalf dec Palmer--Key Bout
I'm more intrigued by this matchup than any other. Metcalf thrives on being able to get beneath taller opponents and tears them up with his non-stop onslaught. Palmer is a wall of muscle and even shorter than Metcalf. Lance can negate Metcalf's strength and minimize his offense. Can he takedown and ride Metcalf? If so, he can win. My choice of Metcalf is due to the fact that he has had the better season so far but I expect this match to be very close with Lance having the talent to win.
10-3 Iowa
157: Morningstar dec Johnstone--key bout
I really think this bout can go either way. In terms of common opponents, Johnstone beat Guerra who beat Morningstar. But I don't think that's a sensible way to analyze this matchup. Key for Johnstone is his ability to score on his feet. When he can get a takedown, he wins--period. I'm going to pick Morningstar, but, as would be unsurprised if the match goes the other way. Indeed a Johnstone victory would be a key win for Ohio State
13-3 Iowa
165: Sponseller over Perry
I'm calling it now and have no intention of backing away from it. Not only does Sponsy win but it could be big. Perry's huge wt cut is killing him in duals and the Colt with Horsepower is his worst nightmare.
13-6 Iowa
174 : Borschell over Picazo
Borschell has had the better season and it's hard to see how Picazo pulls this one off.
16-6
184: Pucillo dec Keddy
Iron Mike opens up the throttle and Keddy is unable to keep up. A major here is a possibility and would make a big difference
16-9 Iowa
197: Weakley dec Loera--Key Bout
John Weakley is a marvelous talent and looked very good against an improved Mike Blackwell in the Kent dual. However, he needs to limit mistakes. He is better than Loera but will need to keep his composure and wrestle a solid pace the whole meet. This is Iowa's weak spot and Weakley could win big. I see this bout as key due to the unpredictability of Weakley at this point. 16-12 Iowa
285: Bergman dec Fields
Fields is big, strong and solid but he's the not the same skill level--particularly upper body--as the "iceBerg." What Ohio State needs here is headlock and pin but will we get it?
Final score: 16-15 Iowa.
Final thoughts: If Ohio State and Iowa wrestle at National Duals, it will have a big impact on this match. Opponents will have a familiarity with each other that is currently lacking--not to mention film to study. Otherwise, on paper, this dual should be very exciting. I see 141, 149, 157 and 197 as key bouts because of their closeness or unpredictability. A single upset or bonus points could prove the difference. Of course, one of the reasons this match strikes me as so close is that I'm favoring a true frosh over a returning NCAA champion--which is nuts in theory. If Perry can compete with vigor in this dual (which I don't expect but one never knows), it tilts the match more heavily towards the Hawkeyes.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Dan Ransick added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
I think the key for Ohio State is going to be for them to minimize the damage at 125 with Falck who is very tough. I think if Humphrey can knock off Slaton in front of the home crowd it would go a long way in the dual. I think that Johnstone right now has the edge over Morningstar, Johnstone is having a break out year right now for him. The roll Ohio State has been on could help them in this dual.
However the National Duals are this weekend and will they be able to keep the momentum up after that?
Ohio State draws Central Michigan in the first round of the duals.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Leo Zimmer added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Hank thanks for the preview... great insight. I agree with Dan, it will be up to Triggas to keep it close. A MD or pin could set the table for the Hawkeyes.
I'm certainly not alone when I say I can NOT wait to see Palmer vs. Metcalf.
Despite the 18 -5 score vs Patacsil in the Midlands finals, I felt that Metcalf wasn't dominating. That match was in doubt until midway through the 3rd when Patacsil basically quit.
Palmer could very well win this bout...
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Jack Muni added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Just a thought on Hank's assessment of 149. The one time I saw Metcalf get beat by Schlatter, riding time was critical. Brent can be ridden, and if you can stop his escape "roll" as Dustin did, Palmer will have a chance. Lance is fairly tough to TD himself. So as Dustin did, get the first TD & ride. (unless you can pull off that move Caldwell did on him, spladle from the standing position? <excited> )
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Michael Rodriguez added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Leo Zimmer...I totally understand that there are times when a match is closer then the score, but to say that Metcalf's 18-5 major of Patacsil "wasn't dominating" is just wishfull thinking. Patacsil didn't "quit", he was broken. You Ohio State guys can't have it both ways. When Sponseller opens up in the third period with his huge gas tank and gets four unanswered takedowns it's domination, but when Metcalf does it, the other guy quit.
As for the topic, I think Iowa wins 125, 133, 149, 165, 174, and 197. A jaggers loss wouldn't shock me, but a Pucillo or Bergman loss would.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
I believe both could occur...Metcalf can have superior conditioning AND his opponent could quit.
If I had to choose, I would say, in that match, Metcalf's opponent should have gotten to his feet!!! But I have seen where a guy circles to the front with a hand on the head and no escape is called...not until contact is broken. THat is where, IMO, the score gets blown way out.
Also, I believe it to be a fair accessment that Metcalf has a HUGE tank and the other guy did indeed quit. I believe Metcalf could go as hard as anybody for 15, 20, maybe even 30 minutes. That does not mean that he can't break his opponents as well.
Sponseller too has great conditioning. Whether or not he has the ability to make his opponents "mentally tap", IMO, at the college level, is yet to be seen. (Face it! He's only wrestled 3 weeks!!! But if his senior national finals match is any indication...things look bright for Sponseller.)
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
My bad, Michael. It just hit me. What I did in that last post was conduct unbecoming of an Ohio State fan. My I never include logic and reasoning into any of my future posts concerning The Ohio State University! <smile>
See you on the 18th. (Might want to get there early. Sounds like we will have to fight our way through to get those coveted seats! waxx.tv had better show as well!
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Mike: I think Metcalf and Sponseller are similar in how they compete.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Ben Roerig added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
My only concern with Sponseller vs. Perry is with Perry having lost two matches he "should" have won this year due to his temper (although he certainly would have lost anyway) and improper weight cutting (he publicly stated so, something i'm sure Brands will be monitoring closesly from here on out), he should definitely have the motivation. Sponseller's offense is based on taking shot after shot after shot, whereas Perry has limited offense of his own, but is a good counter wrestler. This concerns me just because Perry certainly has the ability to turn someone else's shot into a pin for himself. Not that I foresee this happening, as I also believe a win is extremely feasible for Sponseller, but I believe it to be a legit outcome to consider. Of course it is one thing for Perry to be motivated, it's another thing for him to be able to keep up with Sponseller's maniacal pace.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Leo Zimmer added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Michael,
Why does it have to be a "you Ohio State fans" thing? Metcalf is an outstanding wrestler, and as Mark (and others) pointed out, seemingly never tires... If you watch the match (5 or 6 times like I have) you will see that Patacsil lost his will to win. If you want to make an argument that he did so because Metcalf was still coming at him so strongly... I won't argue.
The point is... Palmer won't quit (or tire if you like) like Patacsil did. And if the match is still in question in the third period, it won't end up 18-5!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Jack Muni added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Ben, my biggest concern for Colt is Perry's top position, either after a TD or beginning of a period. You know the boots are coming in, and he can tilt anybody. Will Colt be able to fend off Perry's extraordinary riding & tilts/turns? How much energy will be expended to try to escape?
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Leo: I think the 18-5 was the team score. I only mention it because I made the same mistake. I don't think anybody honestly believes Metcalf will win by an 18-5 count. But then again, who knows!?!?! Maybe Michael thinks that!!!!!!!! <laughing>
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Rex Holman added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
I will be watching the Colt v Perry match very closely. Against Reader ( Iowa St) at the Midlands, Perry's fingers appeared to find their way into Reader's face on the feet and the mat. Also, With Perry's ride he uses the opponent's headgear to leverage a half(not legal); Also, his facelift on top is more of a sleeper hold(not legal). Actually, I will hope for George Kun to ref as he has a tendency to be big on wrestler safety and most likely won't allow for any borderline wrestling.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Roe Fox added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Rex: Great points and I don't think the idea of debateable "tough" tactics applies only to him. Slaton and a couple of the others seem to show their "toughness" by extra curricular junk. So far, Ryan seems to have a tough team that keeps its head. OSU will certainly be tested on the "keeping its head" part against Iowa.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Ohio State v. Iowa
Ben Roerig added to this discussion on January 8, 2008
|
Most of Iowa's team seems to have a spotty record sportmanship wise. Slaton should have been penalized in his match vs. Coleman Scott, Metcalf had his infamous head-butt incident a year or two ago, and Perry has had a whole slew of slip-ups. I'm sure i'll be lambasted and told it's "a tough sport," but being tough and taking cheap shots are two different things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
