Austin DeSanto at the 2021 NCAA Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Last week, Seattle Wide Receiver DK Metcalf ran in USA Track & Field's Golden Games 100 meter race and, despite coming in dead last, the American sports audience was all abuzz.
He ran a 10.36, with the winner clocking in at 10.11. The NBC broadcast of the preliminary race clearly focused on DK, opening and closing the segment with him. Ato Boldon, a four-time Olympic medalist, was on the call and commented that 'you couldn't tell he didn't belong in this field' and that he was impressed.
Indeed it was a good showing for a non-pro sprinter and someone that (6'4'', 235) large.
Later in the week, I came across an article from an old colleague, Jojo Gretschel, in which she expresses mixed feelings about the ordeal, saying that she respected Metcalf's effort and courage but lamenting the fact that the video generated 1.7 million views, which blew out any other from the event.
This affair reminds me of another debate that's been broiling online recently in the fight game. Boxing purists have scoffed at the sideshow events - many involving Jake Paul, some involving e-sports celebs with no fighting background whatsoever - pulling in big viewership. Why, they say, would people tune in to carnival acts featuring people with very little skill?
Jake Paul is a lot of things, but he was also correct to retort, 'I made more money for the Ben Askren fight than most UFC fighters made in their career.'
What's the point of this, Willie? What's the import to wrestling?
The point is this: people like what they like. You've heard me over the years repeatedly say that I just don't get college wrestling being wildly more popular than the international styles, despite the latter being a demonstration of exponentially more skill.
And I've heard the wrestling community roll their eyes at all the pub Austin DeSanto received before he ever became an All-American.
People like what they like. And they like what they know. They know NFL stars. They like 'what's-he-gonna-do-next' Austin DeSanto probably more than multiple-time World Medalist Kyle Snyder.
It's time for us hard heads to accept it.
Sometimes I want to shout to the wrestling gods because no one is paying attention to a second-round match at the U.S. Open between two NCAA Champions. But that also doesn't mean we have to poo-poo when people tune in in droves to watch an insignificant exhibition between Burroughs and Askren.
To your questions:
Of the gents who made the Junior team, who do you anticipate making the US Team (top 3 spots) soonest, in order? - NHS67
Love the question. I assume you're talking MFS, but I just want to note that Braxton Amos did make the US SR National Team in GR. So let's start there. I think Amos and Ferrari (who didn't compete at JR's but was eligible) will be among the first to enter the Top-3-in-SR's conversation. I know that's a bold statement as Kyle Snyder and J'den Cox aren't going anywhere, but I don't think it's a stretch to believe they start approaching the level of guys like Kollin Moore and Mike Macch (yes, they both lost to those guys at the Trials). And remember, Ferrari made (and won) 92kg JR Nationals last November, beating Rocky Elam in the finals. There's been talk of Ferrari moving up, but 92 might be an excellent place for him. I'd add Rocky in that mix as well. In addition to being 2nd to Ferrari at JR Nationals, he won the spot on the JR World Team last month and took 5th at Senior Nationals at 86kg last October, where he teched Max Dean, CJ Brucki, and Brett Pfarr. He's damn good, and super-advanced in FS.
Here are the others to choose from: Richie Figueroa (57), Jesse Mendez (61), Beau Bartlett (65), Bryce Andonian (70), Keegan O'Toole (74), Colton Hawks (86), and Wyatt Hendrickson (125).
Figs (three world teams), Mendez (two world teams), and O'Toole are probably the most advanced in FS of that group. And though it sounds sorta crazy, I think Figs probably has the quickest path to Top 3. 57kg might very well clear out after this Olympics. I'm doubtful Mendez can hold 61kg for longer than, say, a year. And O'Toole is at a crazy deep weight.
There are two things for sure, though. 1) It will be fun to follow; we've had about the same cast of characters at the SR level for quite some time and eventually, there will be a changing of the guard. 2) It's probably gonna be a while before any of them are Top 3 at SR's in FS. It's different levels and the RTC model is keeping guys in the game much longer.
This Week's Throwback
Tony Jameson Going for His 4th State Title
Jameson didn't have a great college career, but he was one of Ohio's best ever. In his senior year, going for his fourth title, he had this crazy opening round match. He could have been pinned about half a dozen times. Highly entertaining bout.
Could you ever see it being feasible for wrestling to be a two-semester/two-season sport, with folkstyle in the fall and freestyle in the spring similar to how track has an indoor/outdoor season? And would you be in support of that idea? - @VirtualNCAAs
Support the idea? I pretty much introduced it. I've been ranting about it for years. And though I used to think that it would never happen (and I still think it's a longshot), there are signs that the powers-that-be are open to it.
My premise is simple. The wrestling season is totally chaotic and frankly nonsensical. We have open tournaments in the first semester then spend the entire second semester with one-day weigh-in duals. Then culminate with multiple-day weigh-in conference tournaments before an NCAA Championship with the only 3-day weigh-in of the year.
Having a split season 1) gives more structure to the season 2) would allow for more (potentially) participation of backups and redshirts and 3) would present better preparation for the NCAA tournament.
Open the year with nothing but duals and have a dual meet National Championship in December. In the second semester, run opens, CKLV, Scuffle, and Midlands. Then conferences and NCAA's.
Sounds simple enough, right? And makes you wonder why this hasn't just been 'the way' since wrestling's inception.
The only thing preventing it is getting all the stakeholders - the coaches and the tournament directors - on the same page.
Do you believe the presence and/or advantages of RTC $ tilts the competitive advantage too much?- @BFarnham
No. The existence of RTC's is a convenient excuse. Are you suggesting that Penn State, Iowa, Michigan, etc., wouldn't be performing the way they are if there were no RTC's?
Missouri has no RTC and has been nails. OK State's RTC (and the money funding it) has gone away almost entirely and yet they are a podium contender every year. Nebraska's RTC isn't the biggest by any stretch and yet they spend most of the decade with two guys on the World Team.
Read the opening to the column this week. Kids like what they like. On the biggest day of the year in wrestling with the most viewership, everyone sees three or four Nittany Lions ball out. During big duals in the middle of the season, they see massive crowds at Carver.
RTC's or not, they are going to attract a lot of attention.
People need to stop blaming RTC's and just work harder and get better. The RTC's are an incredible development for US wrestling and its athletes. And, not coincidentally, since the advent of them, America is as good and as deep as we've ever been.
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