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Discussion Topic: Watching BTN last night
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on January 18, 2025
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Iowa v Illinois:
If this is the best team Illinois has had in a while, then no serious recruit is going to go there. They have little offense and just try to keep it close and then pull it out. I was a big Mike Poeta fan as a wrestler but this is a low bar for what was once a consistently tough Big Ten program. Lucas Byrd is their best wrestler and he didn't take a shot the entire match in a 4-2 loss to Ayala.
Iowa didn't impress me a lot either. Their program is built on transfers and they are no longer the aggressive squad of past years. They're good but limited. Caliendo appears to be their best wrestler. Ayala is good as well. And I like Patrick Kennedy. He's always on the attack.
Nebraska v PSU:
It's possible to lose a match and still show heart and skill and that's what we saw out of Nebraska. Even when overmatched, they fought. Mark Manning and Tom Ryan are cut from similar cloth. Brock Hardy had Beau Bartlett beat but then sort of gave it away similar to Shumate v Rutgers. Ridge Lovett gave Shayne van Ness a wrestling lesson at 149. Nebraska might be the third best team in the country behind Okie State and PSU.
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Discussion Topic: Watching BTN last night
Roe Fox added to this discussion on January 18, 2025
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Hank: agree with everything.
I will add that I enjoyed the talent I saw with PSU. But while Nebraska up and down the lineup were game, it was deflating knowing no one has a shot at PSU. There are maybe 1-2 guys who I give little chance of getting a title. I put Kerk in there only because Steveson is back. Davis is a lilt sloppy. Maybe Lillidahl but he just beat the “6.
Given the coaching and talent I saw, I can’t say none of the others certainly won’t win it. They improve from match to match and a lot of season is left. There is just something about the attitude and freedom with which they wrestle.
Kasak doesnt even look like the same guy to me.
Van Dee and Ridge are the definition of excitement.
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Discussion Topic: Watching BTN last night
Rex Holman added to this discussion on January 18, 2025
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Ayala is game and wrestling in Carver is difficult. Byrd basically did the same thing to Bouzakis. Hung around, set a trap and waited for his opponent to make a mistake. Ayala is in the hunt for a Natty this year.
I thought Caliendo was an offensive machine. Illinois is a good team but besides Byrd, Ruth is the only one that I see possibly placing and yes, he is the antithesis of his brother in terms of offense.
133 is wide open.
I think Iowa places third this year with AA at 133, 149,157(Teemer),165, 174, 184, and 197. This is Iowa's best team in years. If on, they could win 4 of the matches in the dual against PSU.
As for Nebraska, maybe 125,133,141,149,157. But their best bets are 141 and 149 and they have history of peaking during the regular season and don't typically overperform at NCAAs.
Anyway, my point is that it is all practice until the post season; accolades during the season are nice but end up being half empty if you don't achieve your goals.
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