What does that mean?
It might not mean anything at all, but it does show a large disparity in the talent levels of the first and second teams. The opportunities for Greco-Roman wrestlers in the United States are much more restrictive than those of freestylers. Our national style mimics that of freestyle and for a multitude of reasons Greco-Roman just hasn't taken off.
That might soon be changing. Coach Matt Lindland has been aggressively recruiting talent and sending them overseas to experience new challenges. Recently Gabe Dean traveled to Chile and placed second at the Pan-American Championships. Was he a threat to win? No. But work and dedication to the classic style should show results.
Coach Lindland is doing a wonderful job of creating energy and excitement around the program and as the USA team grows in number and reaches new fans there is certain to be an increase in viewership and participation in America.
Good luck to our loveable bunch of Greco guys. I was a doubter, but am quickly becoming a believer and a fan.
To your questions …
Q: Now that Daton Fix just beat Spencer Lee twice, do you see him as a sure thing to win a UWW Cadet World title?
-- Mike C.
Foley: No. The Cadet World Championships is a very, very tough tournament to win. I watched Spencer Lee win his title last year in Slovakia and though he looked dominant on paper there were plenty of wrestlers that could've found the edge.
To understand how tough of a tournament the Cadet Worlds can be look at the 2013 Cadet Worlds in Serbia where Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia) won the title after only three minutes on the mat. The next year he won the Senior World Championships and hasn't lost a match since.
Obviously Sadulaev is the exception, but there are plenty of 18-year-old wrestlers in Europe in Asia who can compete for each and every title up for grabs in Bosnia.
All that stated … Man, Daton Fix is a stud. He looked great at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, placing second, and I think that if he avoids the Azerbaijan hammer that got him in China he has a chance at a World title.
Q: Which U.S. Open champ is the most likely not to win World Team Trials? Who beats him?
-- @Eagle_Fan
Foley: Kyle Snyder. He's got the title, but he'll likely be facing Jake Varner again in the best-of-three finals. Winning once is impressive, but can he pull it off two more times? I'm suspicious. I would love to see him make that type of leap in his game, but I'm aware that at his age and facing an Olympic champion he'll face the toughest test of his career.
Still … I like Snyder and LOVE the reputation he's created for himself in the wrestling community. It would be wonderful to see his hard work and good attitude payoff in a trip to the World Championships or even the Olympic Games.
Q: How much longer do you expect J Robinson to coach?
-- Mike C.
J Robinson talks to heavyweight Michael Kroells at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)We want J Rob to stay as long as possible. Hell, we may need J Rob to stay for as long as possible. Wrestling needs innovators and J Rob has always been one for the sport of wrestling.
Q: Who is your pick to face Jordan Burroughs in the World Team Trials finals at 74 kilos?
-- Mike C.
Foley: David Taylor.
While I respect Kyle Dake and think he has the talent to win the close matches, Taylor has progressed so well in 2015 that he has to be the favorite. That statement assumes that Dake makes it past Howe, which I wouldn't predict right now given Howe's performances at the international level and Dake's lengthy layoff.
I'm only going to dip my toe in this, but I do think that in a matchup with Burroughs it's Taylor who is likely to snag the first win. I won't go overboard and claim he will get another victory, but I do think that Burroughs has a habit of coming into matches flat and that Taylor's excitement may lead him past the first six minutes with a lead in hand.
However, I find it tough to think Taylor can keep that momentum into the second and third matches, though I think he will keep it close, competitive and fun for fans.
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
Creative throw
Michael Jordan dunks on Dikembe Mutombo
Link: Worth a watch, and a laugh
Q: Lee Roper is moving on to coach in college. Do you know where?
-- @Smitty7474
Foley: University of Northern Iowa.
Q: A freestyle match ends 1-1. The first point scored is on passivity. The second point scored is on a pushout. There are no cautions other than ones from the passivity point. Who wins?
-- @Eagle_Fan
Foley: Two passivity warnings creates a 30-second shot clock. If no wrestler scores within that 30 seconds then the wrestler on the clock is given a caution and the opposing wrestler a point. The order of criteria in a tie match:
1. Highest value of holds
2. Least amount of cautions
3. Last technical point(s) scored.
In this situation the wrestler who has the caution would lose.
I think it's important to note that I'm certain that I've never seen this condition, and almost as certain I haven't seen a 1-1 score in freestyle. Even at heavyweight the action tends to conclude with a pushout in the 30-second shot clock. Also, wrestlers typically push the pace with time winding down and many times that creates scoring actions.
Q: Do you think Pat Downey earns All-American honors this year at Iowa State with all the All-Americans returning at 184 pounds? What year is he eligibility-wise?
-- @Rob_SwagginU
Foley: First, a quick rundown on where he's been and what he's accomplished, from the InterMat release.
Downey, a Maryland native, spent time at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs after high school. He started his collegiate wrestling career at Nebraska in 2012. He then transferred to Iowa Central Community College, and this past season won an NJCAA title at 197 pounds.
Downey is an accomplished freestyle wrestler. He captured a Junior World silver medal in 2012. This past weekend he finished fourth in the University Nationals freestyle competition. He picked up wins over 2015 NCAA Division I qualifiers Sam Brooks (Iowa), Lorenzo Thomas (Penn) and Aaron Studebaker (Nebraska).
Nebraska's athletics website Huskers.com only had projections on Downey for 2013-2014, and it looks like he has three seasons of eligibility left, assuming that his partial season at Nebraska was a redshirt.
As for All-American honors in his first year? Meh. I don't like the jump to end in hardware in the first year. Wrestling is tough and the Division I tournament is going to test every athlete, and after a hard year on the mat it could challenge Downey. I'm always hopeful for an athlete and I trust that he can make the improvements necessary to be successful, but I'm not placing a ton of money on him climbing the podium in his first year back in Division I.
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