|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Rex Holman added to this discussion on February 7, 2024
|
I find Bartlett's scrambling magic more interesting than the Kilkeary v Davis control issue.
I had to go back and watch this match as it was bugging me as to why Jesse didn't score.
It was a beautiful attack off a side snap followed by a hand to the head and change of level to which he went head low inside, ducking underneath the knee. Then transitioned to opposite leg which was hip on the mat. He hooked the ankle and broke Bartlett's grip. Everything he should've done.
Bartlett used some trickery.
Jesse needed to straighten Bartlett's leg and keep his butt on the mat. You need the correct shoulder position to do so. Bartlett was able to keep his leg bent which allowed him wiggle room to keep his butt off the mat and keep scrambling. Also, he was manipulating where Jesse could put his shoulder. Jesse did 95% of the work necessary to win that position to come away empty handed.
Leg straightened. His hip/butt on the mat. Non-negotiable if you want to win.
Jesse had another beautiful attack in overtime but ended up with his head on the outside. It looked like he could've transitioned to head inside again from the initial attack and put himself right back in the same position as earlier. Wondering if he hesitated because he didn't want to wrestle the same position.
Anyway, that is a position that he should spend a fair amount of time mastering between now and the Big Ten. Lots of drilling, wrestling live from that position and becoming bulletproof on the specifics of what wins.
Otherwise, you see a repeat of inability to finish there.
An opponent that exposes your 'positions that need work' did you a favor. It's up to you to figure it out from there.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Rob Wagner added to this discussion on February 7, 2024
|
I think Jesse has to make the adjustments on HIS shots.
Neither guy will ride the other for too long, and I don't see Bartlett shooting let alone, scoring off that shot on Mendez.
Their next match whether it's at BIGs or NCAAs will be similar to the last where it'll come down to that one score, very likely initiated off a shot from Mendez.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Brian Mathews added to this discussion on February 8, 2024
|
Great technical analysis as always. Definitely a correctable position, but easier said than done.
I think Jesse needs to stay on his feet and finish there. Either pick up his head inside single and bring it high, or look to double off immediately from the head outside position he initially got to in p2 in this match.
Bartlett's only been taken down twice this year, once by Lemley and once by Belton. Both from their feet.
I wasn't too concerned about who won this particular matchup. I think each time they see each other benefits Mendez more than Bartlett. Happy to give away the first one.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Rex Holman added to this discussion on February 11, 2024
|
Bartlett v Mendez and Haines v Franek have instances of great deep shots in which the Penn State wrestlers masterfully defend the attack. Haines broke the lock by Franek and maintained wrist control and scored on him.
It's like the adage, if you are standing around the room trying to figure out who the boss is, it isn't you.
That type of mastery only takes place by skill sets that are acquired through intentional work.
A lot of wrestling at the collegiate level is go out and wrestle hard with knowledge and skills you have, with an emphasis on the hard.
The skills have to be progressively improved and added; they are just as important if not more so.
PSU gets the high aptitude wrestler and continuously develops them. They are taking a gun to a knife fight.
The guys that don't fit into their recipe for whatever reason, i.e difficulty in assimilating style, fitting in, listening, or not performing at a high enough level get let go or move on.
There is a confidence you have when the skillset transcends that of your opponent.
If you compare the wins to the losses; it's always attributable to the guy that is able to score points. That is a function of conditioning and technique.
When you balance out skill improvement, rigor and high aptitude wrestler. Then, you get something special.
Unfortunately, and sounding like a broken record; acquiring skills takes a back seat to rigor.
In plain sight but out of view.
Then. Iowa was the best at rigor and high aptitude wrestlers were naturally drawn there.
Now. PSU which is modeled after Cael, develops skill in the context of rigor.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Justin Hayes added to this discussion on February 11, 2024
|
"That type of mastery only takes place by skill sets that are acquired through intentional work.
A lot of wrestling at the collegiate level is go out and wrestle hard with knowledge and skills you have, with an emphasis on the hard.
The skills have to be progressively improved and added; they are just as important if not more so."
I contend PSU does this better than any other program and is the reason they will continue to win the NCAA each year for the foreseeable future.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
David Rourke added to this discussion on February 12, 2024
|
IMO, it seems like most college wrestlers lack awareness for danger takedown positions! So many neutral scrambles that could be danger takedowns typically result in stalemates or in Mendez's case vs Bartlett, the period ended. Mendez was in a great position to secure a danger takedown at the end of the 2nd period, but the period ended as he was trying to secure a traditional finish position. He was battling for a while to cover the hips for the traditional TD, but simply rocking Bartlett towards his back would've initiated the danger count. And the unfortunate thing about this is that he lost in SV...on a danger takedown. Yes, it was a poor danger TD call, but the ref called it. In the Indiana match yesterday, Feldman had 3 great danger takedown opportunities that resulted in stalemates. Those missed TD's didn't make a difference in that match, but he is in that finish position A LOT and it would definitely make a difference in tighter matches. It's part of the rules and it's a great way to score from non-traditional scoring positions!
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Brian Mathews added to this discussion on February 13, 2024
|
|
Quote from David Rourke's post:
|
|
"IMO, it seems like most college wrestlers lack awareness for danger takedown position!"
|
Agree, good point. With the new rules the idea of "finishing" a takedown needs to shift and be practiced/drilled differently in certain positions.
There are opportunities there, particularly in the crackdown.
Feel like Johnni DiJulius' whole career would've been different if these rules were in place back then.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Rex Holman added to this discussion on February 13, 2024
|
Agreed the danger count can be gamed or at least more efficiently used to score.
Position recognition and affordance are developed by spending time in certain positions and wrestling from there and understanding it. Some wrestlers have an aptitude for getting into a crackback or a low single and exposing their opponents back.
I wrestled Brooks Simpson of Iowa, my freshman year at ASU in the dual. I kept getting to his legs and exposing his back but really did'nt know what I was doing and had no instruction afterward on how to finish. Anyway, he was close to being pinned but I came away without scoring.
I did it again in the dual against Sharratt in Iowa City. I had worked on it and he had to bail out. That time I scored. I was better versed in that position.
Therein lies my understanding and opinion about scoring from these positions that are gray. Jesse can score there if he improves his understanding of the position. That being said I've seen some of the most impressive defense/countering coming out of the guys from Penn State. I thought Levi Haines was really good last year. This year, he is great. He masterfully countered a Franek attack that was solid. IMO Franek could have finished with better skill. Bartlett did'nt allow his leg to be straightened nor did he allow shoulder position. Therein lies the answer for Jesse to finish that position.
But, you likely don't get there without the intentional work and attention to detail. I did eventually, but it was because I put myself there enough that I figured out a way. In effect, I knew the position and variables better.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Jack Muni added to this discussion on February 13, 2024
|
I would like to know how much time do the PSU guys spend rolling around with the former PSU wrestlers like Taylor, Megaludis, Nolf, Joseph etc.? And OSU's Snyder?
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
Brian Mathews added to this discussion on February 14, 2024
|
|
Quote from Jack Muni's post:
|
|
"I would like to know how much time do the PSU guys spend rolling around with the former PSU wrestlers like Taylor, Megaludis, Nolf, Joseph etc.? And OSU's Snyder?"
|
You're never going to get a concrete answer on that topic out of Cael & co., but clearly they train together both during the season and especially offseason.
There's a reason PSU has two backups that would be top 10 guys at their respective weights. Just like there was a reason Kollin Moore made huge jumps early in his career.
It's a massive advantage.
|
|
|
|
|
Discussion Topic: Mendez v Bartlett
David Rourke added to this discussion on February 22, 2024
|
|
Quote from Brian Mathews's post:
|
|
"Feel like Johnni DiJulius' whole career would've been different if these rules were in place back then."
|
The danger rule derailed Dean Heil's senior year. He was a 3xAA & 2xChamp coming into his senior year, with the national tournament in his hometown of Cleveland, and he did not place.
As for DiJulius, I agree that he would've benefited from the danger TD in the crackdown position. However, IMO, it seems like the drop-down rule really hurt him. If you recall, Johnny would work his way into a crackdown from the top position too, then reverse hook the opponent's elbow when they chest wrapped him, and then rock them to their back for some swipes. Unfortunately for Johnny, it usually took more than 5 seconds to transition into the near-fall criteria which meant he was getting hit for stalling before he got into Near-fall criteria.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
