Jagger's Friday Mailbag - 3/8/2023

It’s the greatest weekend in college wrestling and you have a lot to do so I won’t even waste time here. Plenty of questions so let’s jump right in! 

What are the minimum wrestlers PSU could use and still win the Big Ten? Could they win with only seven guys if they wanted to? (133,141,157,165,184,197,285) Dabreadyi 

They have a hard enough winning the conference tournament with a full squad. I swear it’s like Memphis Raines trying to steal Eleanor. Something always goes wrong. Ok, maybe not always, but it is oddly a thing. But I doubt we see an issue this year even if Starocci can’t go. But yeah, I could see just that seven being enough if you get five champs out of it. 

Should I change out of my tournament khakis for the SoCon finals? Rachel Gallardo, SoCon correspondent 

Of course, you should! Khakis are your work clothes and you’re putting in a day’s work covering the matches. The finals is an event and should be treated like the Met Gala. Personally, I like to look as haggard as possible on most days so it’s a bigger surprise when I have to style it up. I tend to get told I clean up well a lot. And have fun! Tell Levi Hopkins I need a title for my fantasy team! 

Tips for someone attending their first conference tournament! Morgan Hackney 

I don’t know, I‘ve never been to one! But apparently, khakis are the ideal fit for such a long day. And much like our girl Rachel at the SoCon, the InterMat honeymooners of Morgan and James Hackney have you covered on all things Big 12, so go check them out. The Rolling Stones also recently put out an album called Hackney Diamonds which has nothing to do with this at all, but I’m just stalling until the next question. Tell Troy Spratley I need a title for my fantasy team! 

We all know #JaggerVision is going to be up all weekend, but what is the setup looking like? How do you decide what goes on the center screen? Fantasy Championship Wrestling

For tourney season it’s all about economy and utilizing your space so the biggest screen gets a quad box. Most likely I’ll go with the B12 there and spread the B10 mats across the other four screens. Then I’ll throw what’s left on the computer and tablet devices for quick access when there’s a match I want to see. The start times are all staggered quite nicely where you don’t get overwhelmed by everything at once. The ACC being only on Sunday is a big help and fills the gaps between medal rounds. In total, I can probably get about 16 mats running at once> Will I watch all 16? I doubt it. Will I stare at my phone the entire time and miss all the action? There’s a high probability of that. 

Who are the most Jersey representatives in each conference that we should watch for? Kevin Claunch 

Hmm, let me go take a look. The EIWA is loaded with Jersey guys because we’re all Ivy-level brains over here. Certainly, all eyes will be on Luke Stanich and if he can continue his superb true freshman season. Likely an all-Jersey final with Ungar if the seeds hold true. Joey Zargo has had a solid year for Wisconsin and has a chance to finish above his seed at 149 in the Big Ten as the field is pretty open after Lovett and Gomez. The ACC seems to have Vincent Santaniello as our only rep besides the great Mekhi Lewis. I’m also claiming Trent Hidlay because he has family here and we have the best sandwiches. It’s a natural fit. But wait! We’ve also got Dylan Cedeno out there for my man Steve Garland in Virginia! The Big 12 seems to be severely lacking Jersey guys and that makes sense since we don’t like to be landlocked. In the MAC, I’d like to see Quinn Kinner finish strong and not get Munson’d in the middle of nowhere. 

What is the non-Big Ten weight that Jagger is most looking forward to during the conference tournament weekend? Rhino 

Easily 141, at the ACC tournament. Check out Robbie Wendell’s preview for more but you have four guys and can win or lose to each other on any given night. It should be interesting. 

Who is Jagger picking to win each of the seven conference tournaments? Dan Seifring

All 70 weights or the seven team champs? It doesn’t matter because I simply don’t have an answer for you. Have you seen my record in the picks contest? The idea that someone pays for my expertise is baffling. 

Jags, my charming friend, with U Jamestown leaving the NAIA for the NCAA, the NAIA Women’s Tournament (where the headgear is optional but the thrills are not) needs a new home. Where in the best wrestling state would you put the best college freestyle tournament? Salty Walkon 

Marietta, Georgia seems like the right fit if you ask me. We need more southern exposure and Life U has earned the right to host with the success they’ve had over the years. Earl has noted how much he enjoyed the WCWA tournament when it was run by Life back in the day.

From my wife: "What will Jagger do for questions when you have to go back to work?" Burger King of Kings 

Whoa, whoa, whoa. You can’t leave now. It’s about to enter the slow period and I need content. You could even get an entire mailbag all to yourself at some point. Keep those questions in drafts for future use. 

Did the Ivy League make a mistake breaking away from the EIWA? Mike Abromitis 

I don’t think so. But it will take time to know for sure. I only hope it leads to all the Ivy schools fielding a team, but I know that’s wishful thinking. 

Well, that’s it. Get your affairs in order and get your screens up. The postseason is here which is a bit sad since it means the end of the season is near. Don’t forget to check the streaming guide for start times!