Soldier Salute Recap, Reaction
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
Fryowa
Administrator
Brands is playing daddy ball at 74 and he shouldn’t be. Arnold should be at 74 this year and Ferrari at 84. Gabe would destroy Brands and Kennedy. Still doesn’t keep both wrestlers next year but it’s the best thing to do right now.
There’s zero chance Arnold and Ferrari are still both on this team if that keeps up because neither one is going to sit the year with NIL out there. I’m hearing lots of chatter about Arnold going to OSU, which is obviously just chatter at this point. But no way they both stay here.
Either way Iowa’s is still just fighting for distant 2nd in B1G and distant 2nd at nationals with 5-6 other teams and it’s hard to get excited about wrestling anymore. I’ve pretty well checked out other than casual watching because if there’s no chance to win it all what’s the point? Just like it would’ve been for other teams when Gable was coaching. I never thought in a million years anyone would’ve outdone what Gable did but here we are. Sanderson is going to blow the doors off his records and it wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t do it with boring 3-2 stall-fest matches.
Been a huge wrestling fan for 40 years and I’ll say it again, folkstyle wrestling in 2024 sucks ass and it’s unwatchable. Until they get rid of riding time and add a push out rule like freestyle I don’t think I can ever get back on board with it. It’s a terrible product. At least Gable had a fun, aggressive style to watch but Sanderson’s philosophy is to get a 1 point lead, ride guys for 1 more point, then play tag running around the mat for the last 2:00 taking stall warnings until time runs out.
Nope. You can have it. It’ll just keep watching international FS on Flo which is actual good wrestling, while everyone in the US keeps watching this boring ass folk and wondering why our country can’t compete at Worlds and the Olympics.
I think they should have a rule where if you are a head coach, or even a coach in that sport you can not recruit sons and or daughters, it does mess with your judgement. Its kind of like gambling.
Also didn't Zalesky coach the Hawkeyes for nine years got three first place, took forth in 2006 and get fired? How many has Brands got? I like TNT by the way, but alot of these kids are coming out of Christian Schools and TNT just dont seem to fit in when it comes to that.
Also didn't Zalesky coach the Hawkeyes for nine years got three first place, took forth in 2006 and get fired? How many has Brands got? I like TNT by the way, but alot of these kids are coming out of Christian Schools and TNT just dont seem to fit in when it comes to that.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
Arnold leaving would be a major blow to the program, both talent-wise and from a perception standpoint. I really hope the rumors aren't based in reality, and, yes, IMO he should be our 74.
If he's physically more comfortable at 84 I don't necessarily see that as a negative. Ferrari has the frame to potentially move to 97 next year (If he sticks around. Who knows with that family...). Either way, it is criminal not to have both in the lineup.
I'll be curious to see if Aiden Valencia at Stanford enters the portal after this season. His sister already is here, and he would easily slide into 41 for us. He's a hell of a wrestler and I wouldn't be shocked to see him on the podium at nationals.
As for folkstyle, I agree that changes need to be made. I actually like a hard ride but there needs to be a quicker time limit until stand-up and a trigger to go on the clock if not engaging with a lead. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the way freestyle is set-up, though. Personally, I'd like to see some kind of hybrid of the two.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
I think completely getting rid of riding time is one of the first changes I would make.
Put the top guy on a clock immediately, but I would make it a little longer than FS. No turn after, say, 40 sec, and back to stand-up.
Also, reward early escapes, such as before 15 sec, with 2 points instead of one.
Fryowa
Administrator
Folkstyle is just stupid though the way it’s setup now.
Sanderson has cracked the code which is to get a one point lead, riding time point, then stall with no fear of giving up a stalling point at the end. It’s ridiculous.
Nothing will fix that strategy until you completely get rid of riding time, add a push out rule, and a shot clock to eliminate stalling. i.e. freestyle. The 3 point TD rule only exacerbated the problem rather than fixing it because (due to stalling still being allowed a warning rather than going to a shot clock like FS) it made guys more defensive and chicken shit to get taken down.
It’s what literally everyone else in the world trains in, it’s 100% offensive, exciting, fast-paced wrestling, and the US will be at the bottom of the international food chain until we stop messing with this obsolete and boring style.
All you need to do is phase it in over 5 or 6 years. See a date and say as of XYZ calendar year the NCAA will only sanction freestyle. High schools, youth clubs, etc can do whatever they want; the better teams will make the transition. At the top levels of collegiate wrestling the staffs are all well-versed already anyway because the best wrestlers and coaches have competed in both. Also nowadays kids are being trained in both, all the youth wrestlers in the country who take the sport even remotely serious are wrestling folk in school during the winter and freestyle on weekends and off seasons anyway. Why make kids do both, especially when one is boring as hell and watered down by the modern ride & stall strategy that’s taken over the sport?
Everyone wants all these little incremental rule tweaks that don’t do shit to fix the problem because they’re either sentimental and don’t want to admit the sport is dying, or they simply don’t understand freestyle wrestling. Welp…the garbage product you’re getting now (viewership and attendance are down across the board) is what’s going to continue until they finally bite the bullet and ditch folk for good.
#1DieHardHawk
Well-Known Member
Agree for the most part. Everyone is going to have their individual preferences in terms of rules.
Personally, I find freestyle to be a little hectic with the current format. Standups occur way too quickly, and, if you are going to have a push-out rule, get rid of the incentive to drop to a knee. It doesn't make sense.
I'd get rid of the push-out in favor of the folkstyle penalty for fleeing/backing up. Shoving an opponent over a line isn't a wrestling move, IMO, but there should be a penalty for actively avoiding engaging.
Instead of the official deciding when the mat action has stalled, start a clock at the takedown. If the wrestler is on top for, say, 40 seconds, and is unable to turn, then stand them up. There's skill involved turning your opponent and freestyle doesn't allow for it. Adding extra points for quick escapes also incentivizes mat action.
Lastly, freestyle needs some type of sudden death OT. Don't go immediately to criteria. Let the wrestlers decide the match.
I will add that as bad as folkstyle has become, I personally still prefer it way over Greco Roman. I wouldn't shed a tear if GR was eliminated.
