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Discussion Topic: Ransick's Rumblings: 12-7-2010
Dan Ransick added to this discussion on December 7, 2010
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It's been a while since I have actually written something but I have had this idea for a while. I will post a weekly blog on the hot topics in wrestling. Feel free to post a rebuttal or chime in with some of your takes as well.
Just some thoughts...
-- The Buckeyes are coming off what was a less-than-stellar performance at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational last weekend, failing to have a wrestler reach the finals. I think this is a major red flag as to where this year is heading.
-- Colt Sponseller needs to move back up to 165 pounds. Why? Because he is just not going to be able to sustain energy at 157 pounds all year long. The same goes for Sean Nemec (from 149 pounds back up to 157 pounds). With this being their fourth of a possible five years on the team, I look back on their potential coming out of high school and don't think that either will reach the heights I thought they would. Maybe Sponseller would have benefitted from a redshirt year. To maximize what he gets from his potential stars, Ryan should just scrap one year and have a team that is 100% ready to go after a national title.
-- I don't worry about Logan Stieber, though. From all indications, he was hurt or for some reason not 100%. He'll be fine. If anything, the tough level of competition could be good for him as he'll see where he is among the top college wrestlers. Assuming he's healthy, watch out for what he can do when the Big Ten season comes. He has all the tools to be an All-American this year and I still think he will.
- David Taylor has to be the hottest college wrestler in the nation right now. The way he has splashed onto the scene and is living up to all the expectations is remarkable. I know it's early and he hasn't faced any top ten wrestlers yet but what he did to a very good Jesse Dong (who would be in the top ten if he wasn't redshirting) was unreal. Having known David and his family since he was a freshman, I can tell you that there is just something special about him. Call it the "it" factor. I don't know if he will win the title this year but he will definitely be right in the mix. I fully expect him to outplace two of the top contenders -- Bubba Jenkins and Adam Hall -- by year's end. Along with that "it" factor, he has Cael Sanderson in his corner. Nobody had the "it" factor more than Cael.
-- Finally the high school wrestling season is underway and will "officially" start with the Ironman this weekend. For some reason there doesn't seem to be the same amount of hype and hoopla as there has been in years past. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see what happens this year. There will be some great storylines as always. I personally want to see what Graham can bring to the table against the national powerhouse Blair Academy, especially since Blair will be gunning for them after Graham dominated them in a dual last year. The big loss for Graham of course is Felipe Martinez, now at Oregon Clay. That's a lot of points Graham will have to make up. With that said, I think Bo Jordan will be just fine at 145 pounds for Graham this year. Recent history tells me that Graham won't skip a beat.
-- This will also mark the end of the Monroeville era of prominence as three-time state champions Hunter Stieber, Cam Tessari and Chris Phillips will be graduating. The only question about these three that remains is who's the best of the bunch right now? I would pick Tessari based on what he has accomplished on the national level over the past few years. He was also the only one of the three that won an Ironman title last year. Phillips hasn't done much on the national scene since winning his second-consecutive Cadet Freestyle national championship after his freshman year. This leaves me to wonder. Has he peaked? What will happen at the collegiate level? Right now I would expect him to have a David Craig type of career, a very solid Division 1 wrestler but never matching what he did in high school early on. While I think Tessari hasn't always gotten the love that the others did, I think he will have the best college career of the three.
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Discussion Topic: Ransick's Rumblings: 12-7-2010
Ben Golden added to this discussion on December 8, 2010
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In my mind the three Monroeville seniors are all about even right now. I, too, love what Tessari has done in the last year and a half, and I think he'll be a great college wrestler. With that said, Hunter has the best opportunity to separate himself from the pack this weekend with what might be the toughest weight class (I'm not the most qualified person to make such a claim, but looks pretty tough to me with the top 5 seeds and Bryce Brill).
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Discussion Topic: Ransick's Rumblings: 12-7-2010
Dan Ransick added to this discussion on December 8, 2010
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I do agree that if Hunter wins this weekend he could end up being the best right now. He was perfect over the summer at JRFS Duals in Oklahoma.
What baffles me is Phillips, he burst onto the scene but since then hasn't made much noise on the national level. Burned out? Who knows but what's intriguing is he hasn't signed yet either.
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Discussion Topic: Ransick's Rumblings: 12-7-2010
Jim Kessen added to this discussion on December 8, 2010
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Quote from Dan Ransick's post:
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"I do agree that if Hunter wins this weekend he could end up being the best right now. He was perfect over the summer at JRFS Duals in Oklahoma.
What baffles me is Phillips, he burst onto the scene but since then hasn't made much noise on the national level. Burned out? Who knows but what's intriguing is he hasn't signed yet either."
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Didn't he verbal to NC State?
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Discussion Topic: Ransick's Rumblings: 12-7-2010
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on December 9, 2010
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Quote from James Kessen's post:
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"
Didn't he verbal to NC State?"
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Yeah, man, but he sounded so hazy, man, when he did it, man. Like, peace, man.
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Discussion Topic: Ransick's Rumblings: 12-7-2010
Dan Ransick added to this discussion on December 9, 2010
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My mistake on Phillips. I hadn't seen where he had committed to NC state.
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Discussion Topic: Ransick's Rumblings: 12-7-2010
Michael Rodriguez added to this discussion on December 9, 2010
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Dan...Will there be any sort of Ironman preview?
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