The weekend has me busy (I'm in Lima), but being here reminds me of the 2014 Senior Pan-American Championships in Santiago.
The event was much different than what you see online today. There was little institutional branding, videos were only being uploaded within the week, and we had one photo/video person and one writer available for the event. Social media output was low. Results were difficult to check. Live streams were iffy depending on Internet …
You get the point.
Today the level of expectation has risen and the wrestling community has more wrestling available for free online. There are more than 50,000 international wrestling matches posted on the United World Wrestling YouTube page and hundreds more highlights and news wraps.
Video is just a part of the larger ecosystem of content created for the wrestling community, and United World Wrestling is just one partner in the process; InterMat, FloWrestling, USA Wrestling and about 100 other news sites and distribution networks are helping our sport reach our diehard fans and those we hope to bring into the fold. We are able to write to each other about our thoughts, read tweets, see training footage and access our favorite athletes with a click of a button.
This is the golden age of wrestling. A sport steeped in history that only needed a modern distribution network to start to reach its potential
I look forward to reading reactions of fans this weekend who get to sit in their house and watch women's and men's freestyle wrestling (non-stop) from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. What a time to be a wrestling fan!
To your questions …
Josh Moore coaching against Kent State at the Thanksgiving Throwdown (Photo/Sam Janicki)Q: What kind of impact do you see Josh Moore making at Cleveland State? Will he make the program nationally relevant?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Succeeding at any program is always larger than just finding the right person to lead the program. The funding, support and ability to recruit to the institution are also major factors. All things being equal, Josh Moore is as good a hire as any made this offseason.
As an assistant coach Moore was an integral part of Kent State's revival, which included the NCAA championship of Dustin Kilgore. No question he learned more than just mat coaching at Kent State. He saw how to build a program: what works, what doesn't.
Moore will need to rely on those lessons in Cleveland. While the university is surrounded by arguably the best scholastic wrestling programs in the country, there has been an exodus of that talent for many years. To recover Moore will need to bring the community back into the fold, excite that base to send their children to Cleveland State and then convert them on the mat.
Overall, Moore will have to earn the funding he needs to be wildly successful. Investment will come only after success on the mat and in recruiting. I think that it'll happen for Moore. The area is ready to win again, and Moore can be the leader for the job.
MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME
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Q: Thoughts on the Jordan Oliver match with Toghrul Asgarov at Beat the Streets in New York?
-- Sean M.
Foley: I'm bummed for Jordan Oliver. He was only a few days from being able to compete at the U.S. Open. Alas it wasn't to be, but as one door closes …
Wrestling Asgarov should allow Oliver to refocus on his mat needs earlier than he would have given the inopportune reinstatement date. Because Oliver won't be on the ladder he'll need to self-fund any trip overseas this season. Having an Olympic gold and silver medalist come to your nation for a big money opportunity is spectacular luck.
The actual match might be difficult for Oliver to win. Though he'll be two weeks off of the European Championships in Kaspiysk, I think Asgarov is the type of wrestler that gives every first-time wrestler fits. He moves in ways that most opponents don't. Some of it is creativity on the fly, but most his counters, throws and exposures are well-practiced techniques that give first-time opponents a fit.
But in NYC and coming off a year of absence, I like Oliver's chances to keep it close. No better reference point than his 7-6 decision loss to Frank Chamizo at last year's Beat the Streets. Oliver can roll with the best, and with emotion filling his sails he may just find a surprising result.
Q: As I understand it, Daton Fix can get a special wrestle off for the Junior World Team spot (because he placed in the top three), but Gable Steveson cannot (because he placed fourth). Is that correct?
-- Mike C.
Foley: Correct.
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