After initially failing to qualify the 65-kilo category at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Frank Molinaro was granted a license on Wednesday after it was discovered that some wrestlers at his weight class had earlier accumulated doping violations.
While the intrigue about how and why these violations came up has international intrigue, the online reaction to Molinaro's original inability to qualify the weight class ended up being the story of the week. There was rage and then more rage and then a whole heck of a lot of finger-pointing.
The biggest gripe registering with fans was that Molinaro, despite his win at the Trials, was not the best wrestler in the country at 65 kilos. As such, the USA should reform their qualification process to not allow for wrestlers to "simply" breakout at the Trials and become an Olympian for the Stars and Stripes. There was also advice that the Trials be decided before the Pan Am qualifier -- an idea with some merit. However, that seemed to be the end of the positive idea making and the Internet pretty much did what it is designed to do, and devolved into a Trump-themed birthday party for 5-year-olds.
Altogether the episode was a regrettable step back for a sport priding itself on national unity.
Though I think that 65 kilos is America's most vulnerable weight class, I think Brent Metcalf has been a consistent top twenty wrestler for the past two years and that should the takedown against Franklin Gomez get called correctly there is no Frank issue. However, that's not where we stood after wrestling on Sunday.
All that aside, it's fairly evident that for unqualified weight classes, where no major international titles have been won and no significant international ranking is held, there should be an open tournament to decide who is the wrestler to qualify the weight class and go to the Olympics. It's that way in most every country in the world and is the system used by the Russians and Iranians.
Where there is a difference in selection process might be for wrestlers who are returning World champions and Olympic champions. Russia rarely sits a wrestler from the national tournament. In recent memory it's only been multiple-time World champion Besik Kudukhov and undefeated-since-2013 Abdulrashid Sadulaev. The theory goes that if they are doing the job asked, why risk upsetting that balance, or worse, injuring them? Nobody at 86 kilos in Russia, or worldwide, has come close to compiling a win-loss record or title history within the same stratosphere as Sadulaev. So why would you ever send them to the Olympics?
That might be the lesson for the United States. Kyle Snyder and Jordan Burroughs made it through their national tournaments, but maybe they shouldn't have to at all? Does anyone give us a better chance to win at 74 kilos? No. Why take on the chance that Burroughs could get hurt, or be upset?
Molinaro was competing at a weight class where almost no major international successes were recorded in 2015 and 2016. Why not let him represent the country if he's able to beat the entire field in a seeded tournament? The accusation against him -- that he performed well on one day -- is exactly what fans should want in their competitors. That single day of greatness describes a whole bunch of the USA's Olympic and World greats, most recently Henry Cejudo.
The real improvements need to come much sooner than the Trials. There should be a real examination of what the goals are for wrestling in the United States. If international success ranks highly on that list then a gradual move from folkstyle to freestyle (and Greco-Roman) should be discussed.
If international success is not a major priority then the community needs to accept that, due to time not competing in the style as a lifelong pursuit, America will have some weaker weight classes, including those that might not qualify for the Olympic Games.
The change wouldn't be easy, but the outcome is obvious: increased international success and more gold medals at the Olympic Games.
To your questions …
Q: I was impressed with Nico Megaludis at the Olympic Team Trials despite the fact that he went 0-2. Both losses were by a point. I believe with full-time freestyle training he will blossom as a freestyle wrestler and represent Team USA at 57 kilos in the coming years. Thoughts?
-- Mike C.
Nico Megaludis with Penn State coach Cael Sanderson (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)I don't know how Cael and staff manage all the workouts and techniques, but the Penn State room is simultaneously the best collegiate wrestling program in the country and is quickly becoming a go-to spot for Olympic-style competitors. In addition to Frank Molinaro, the Nittany Lion room has Olympians Franklin Gomez and Jaime Espinal.
Megaludis on the international stage is going to be something to get excited about for most American wrestling fans. With some added muscle and a year or two of tournaments under his belt I think the odds are that Megaludis will be on top of the heap at 57 kilos, likely with teammate Zain Retherford holding down 65 kilos.
Megaludis' biggest competition going forward might be from Nahshon Garrett -- a thought that should keep American audiences excited about the future of the 57-kilo weight class, and the future medal chances in Tokyo.
Q: I feel like Joe McFarland has underachieved at Michigan. He continually leaves redshirts on the table with his wrestlers: Rossi Bruno, Alec Pantaleo, Brian Murphy, Domenic Abounader and Adam Coon. All of these wrestlers could have used a redshirt their freshman year, but the lack of depth in the wrestling room doesn't allow him to maximize his wrestlers potential. He continually has top flight recruiting classes, but it doesn't seem to materialize tournament time continually hovering around the top 10 the last few years. When does Michigan break through?
-- Dave D.
Foley: The Michigan program hasn't had a terrible two-year run. Under McFarland and assisted by Sean Bormet, Josh Churella and Kellen Russell, the Wolverines finished tied for ninth in the NCAAs in 2016 and they were 11th in 2015 with five All-Americans, including NCAA finalist Adam Coon. The 2016 team only had three All-Americans but one of those, Conor Youtsey, was fairly surprising.
While breaking through can certainly take on many meanings, I imagine you mean for a trophy. No matter what school you support, finding a trophy at NCAAs will from now
on be a difficult accomplishment. If you just assumed some combination of Penn State, Iowa, Oklahoma State and Ohio State as shoe-ins for two of the top four trophies each year, you're pretty much putting yourself in a tough spot against teams like Minnesota, Virginia Tech, NC State and Oklahoma.
If you add in the coming resurgence of Arizona State and Rutgers you are faced with a steep hill to climb in finding a trophy.
Still, Michigan has talent, depth, coaching and recruits well. They have the right keys to victory and are just in need of a great tournament.
Maybe that'll happen in 2017.
Q: Fresno State hired Troy Steiner. Thoughts?
-- Gary B.
Troy Steiner was officially introduced as Fresno State's head wrestling coach on ThursdayNot only was Troy Steiner a great wrestler, but he's been in the coaching game for almost thirty years. That's a lot of experience to tap into when starting his program. Building the Fresno State program will take considerable time and that means a patient leader. From what I know of Coach Steiner, and from what I've seen, that won't be an issue.
Lastly, Steiner has considerable regional ties from having been at Oregon State for so many years. Not that he'll need much when heading into such a wrestling-rich area as the Central Valley.
FresYes!
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
Must-watch video. Well done by judo…
Link: My favorite type of story on the Internet: self-righteous man busted for doing what he preaches against.
Q: Outside of Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder, what American freestyle wrestler has the best chance to earn a medal in Rio?
-- Mike C.
Foley: J'den Cox. I don't think that he has a style or game plan that other nations can prepare to defend. Even if a nation like Iran teaches their guy to stop Cox's deep underhook, the youngster is so capable of adaptation (both before a tournament and during a match) that he'll figure out a way to score.
That will matter at the Olympics, which is essentially a 16-man bracket that moves quickly. There won't be much time to scout and prepare for each wrestler, and with the exception of Abdulrashid Sadualev, there aren't many that I think will be able to hang with Cox for a full six minutes.
Q: It's great to see there will be a World Championships for non-Olympic weight classes later this year in Hungary. Predict the Team USA lineup in men's freestyle for the Worlds in December.
-- Mike C.
Foley: I'm not sure if they will hold a separate World Team qualifier, but my guess right now is Reece Humphrey at 61 kilos and Zain Retherford at 70 kilos.
Q: If Adeline Gray wins gold in Rio, will she be considered the greatest American women's freestyle wrestler ever?
-- Mike C.
Foley: The Olympic gold would tie her for World titles with Tricia Saunders, who had four World gold medals and one silver medal. However, if you properly weigh the advancement of the women's sport, the depth of 75 kilos and give a nudge for an Olympic gold then there isn't much doubt that Gray is the best women's wrestler in the history of the USA.
Comment of the Week
By Tyler
So the United States qualified the fewest weights since the 50s. This happened during a time where wrestling talent in the country seems to be very high. How can this possibly happen?
To me, it seems we have a very flawed qualifying system. The winner of a single tournament is who we send but this is often not the best guy. Frank Molinaro really spotlights this problem. While he is good, he is not better than the guys he beat on that day. I think Aaron Pico, Logan Stieber, Jordan Oliver and Brent Metcalf all have a better chance to not only qualify but also medal. James Green, Zain Retherford, Jimmy Kennedy and Kellen Russell all also are probably better on a number of other days.
Our qualification system ignores international results and instead focuses only on domestic. David Taylor has shown the most promise, but we almost sent Kyle Dake who has not done well internationally and if J'den Cox gets hurt it will be Dake instead. The single tournament looks to be more based on fairness rather than results. Coleman Scott has an Olympic medal, but lost a criteria match to a wrestler who likely should have lost in a previous round and was unable to go. Daniel Dennis even said he thinks Scott is the best guy at the weight class!
In the other styles, four weight classes were also not qualified. I do not know the competitors as well, but I am sure similar things happen. Should more be done to make sure the best team is sent?
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