Team Mexico

[scribers]

On 6/25/2023 at 4:25 PM, Jason Bryant said:

Kind of a morbid request - he wasn’t exactly a nice guy - esp. to the female posters on TWT back in the day, but here’s the link

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/yevgeniy-bashmachenko-obituary?pid=172173028

Not at all morbid really. He made a BIG impact on the forum community, and I never saw the obit. I tried looking but was apparently misspelling his name. I think he was generally a decent person. In spite of the trolling, I never noticed him attacking others personally. He'd lay out the bait (intentionally or not) and there was no shortage of chatter behind him. I never noticed misogynistic postings, but I don't discount your recollections. I didn't spend much time on TWT forums.

[Tripnsweep]

2 hours ago, Tom formerly Tofurky said:

Also, someone above said something about winning a medal in a U.S. singlet being a possible priority. My guess would be winning a medal is the priority, and what singlet you are wearing as it happens is far less important.

I know at least 2 people who rejected wrestling for other countries because of this. 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

2 hours ago, scribers said:

Not at all morbid really. He made a BIG impact on the forum community, and I never saw the obit. I tried looking but was apparently misspelling his name. I think he was generally a decent person. In spite of the trolling, I never noticed him attacking others personally. He'd lay out the bait (intentionally or not) and there was no shortage of chatter behind him. I never noticed misogynistic postings, but I don't discount your recollections. I didn't spend much time on TWT forums.

BIG was one of my favorite posters. Granted - it was probably because he and I would fight tooth and nail over silly things like his infatuation with Troy Nickerson. Gotta like the fight. Turned out he was right.

I missed any anti-girl stuff. Maybe I just didn't see it or catch it.

The TWT forums turned into complete garbage after Schlottke passed. 

[mspart]

17 hours ago, GreatWhiteNorth said:

BIG was one of my favorite posters. Granted - it was probably because he and I would fight tooth and nail over silly things like his infatuation with Troy Nickerson. Gotta like the fight. Turned out he was right.

I missed any anti-girl stuff. Maybe I just didn't see it or catch it.

The TWT forums turned into complete garbage after Schlottke passed. 

I liked BIG also. 

Regarding Schlottke, I did not wrestle him, but was in the UM wrestling room getting ready for Veterans and he was there pounding on people.   That would have been in 2000 or 2001, probably 2001 because he was already a name in the wrestling community there.   I lived in Apple Valley but was associated with the new Eastview HS, while Apple Valley HS was a monster on the other side of the city.   Adam Fokken was State Champ from Eastview in 2001 so that must have been the year.   He and the Head Coach would go at it the entire practice and you could tell he was ready for States.

That was a fun year.   I was a volunteer throwing dummy for them in 2000 and 2001.  

mspart

[Tom formerly Tofurky]

19 hours ago, Tripnsweep said:

I know at least 2 people who rejected wrestling for other countries because of this. 

I don't doubt it, but I don't know that to be as important to some anymore wjth the RTCs here that allow world class athletes from outside the U.S. to train at them.

How recent these two folks you're referencing compete?

[Tripnsweep]

38 minutes ago, Tom formerly Tofurky said:

I don't doubt it, but I don't know that to be as important to some anymore wjth the RTCs here that allow world class athletes from outside the U.S. to train at them.

How recent these two folks you're referencing compete?

Rather not say. I know one was offered decent money by another country, not a particularly strong wrestling country, and rejected it in favor of staying competing for the US. If it helps, both athletes I referred to are no longer competing. I think the best either of them did at the trials was 4th. I also know somebody who made a move to wrestle for another country and he had no problems. 

[Tom formerly Tofurky]

4 hours ago, Tripnsweep said:

Rather not say. I know one was offered decent money by another country, not a particularly strong wrestling country, and rejected it in favor of staying competing for the US. If it helps, both athletes I referred to are no longer competing. I think the best either of them did at the trials was 4th. I also know somebody who made a move to wrestle for another country and he had no problems. 

I'm originally from Chicago(land), and I have known a few U.S. citizens who have had the opportunity to make their way to the World and Olympic Games for other nations through heritage. I guess it all depends on each person and what is most important to them: repping a certain nation or competing for a World/Olympic team opportunity regardless of whose singlet that person is wearing.

Just this past weekend, I was reminded of Russia earning eight medals in seven weight classes, sweeping the finals. At 66 kilos, Ramadan Shahin repped Turkey, but it was well-known he was born and raised in Dagestan, repping Russia many times at World-level competitions, before transferring to Turkey. It paid off for him with consecutive World and Olympic golds.

Also, wasn't there a poster back in themat.com days who was making effort to rep a Caribbean Island nation that wasn't P.R. or Cuba?

[Tripnsweep]

2 hours ago, Tom formerly Tofurky said:

I'm originally from Chicago(land), and I have known a few U.S. citizens who have had the opportunity to make their way to the World and Olympic Games for other nations through heritage. I guess it all depends on each person and what is most important to them: repping a certain nation or competing for a World/Olympic team opportunity regardless of whose singlet that person is wearing.

Just this past weekend, I was reminded of Russia earning eight medals in seven weight classes, sweeping the finals. At 66 kilos, Ramadan Shahin repped Turkey, but it was well-known he was born and raised in Dagestan, repping Russia many times at World-level competitions, before transferring to Turkey. It paid off for him with consecutive World and Olympic golds.

Also, wasn't there a poster back in themat.com days who was making effort to rep a Caribbean Island nation that wasn't P.R. or Cuba?

Langowski from Chicago/NW repped Mexico because his mom was born there. Leigh Jaynes who was a world medalist for the US in 2015 unretired and wrestles for Cabo Verde now. A guy I coached against when he wrestled in high school tried to represent Guam. A guy who wrestled at ASU and is a high school coach around here repped Costa Rica a few times. There are all kinds. You can essentially buy citizenship in Dominica, not the Dominican Republic, or the Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, which is where Dan Bilzerian's dad is basically in exile. I'm sure other countries like St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, have similar schemes. It isn't cheap but it isn't beyond means of normal people. I think for St. Kitts and Nevis it's like $125k. Now if you believe enough in yourself and think you can make it to the Olympics and worlds with little or no support from that country's Olympic committee or national federation then go for it. 

[Tom formerly Tofurky]

On 6/27/2023 at 12:45 AM, Tripnsweep said:

Langowski from Chicago/NW repped Mexico because his mom was born there. Leigh Jaynes who was a world medalist for the US in 2015 unretired and wrestles for Cabo Verde now. A guy I coached against when he wrestled in high school tried to represent Guam. A guy who wrestled at ASU and is a high school coach around here repped Costa Rica a few times. There are all kinds. You can essentially buy citizenship in Dominica, not the Dominican Republic, or the Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, which is where Dan Bilzerian's dad is basically in exile. I'm sure other countries like St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, have similar schemes. It isn't cheap but it isn't beyond means of normal people. I think for St. Kitts and Nevis it's like $125k. Now if you believe enough in yourself and think you can make it to the Olympics and worlds with little or no support from that country's Olympic committee or national federation then go for it. 

I remember Langowski and his situation well. He ended up running an ice cream shop in Logan Square for a bit.

Thanks for the info on the others.

Don't forget that Alex Dolly, former UNI wrestler, repped Ireland for a bit.

I'm sure it can be done. The Russians have been doing it for ages, as have many Americans, so I don't see fewer guys here passing up the opportunity in order to sit home and watch from a sofa.

[Tripnsweep]

10 hours ago, Tom formerly Tofurky said:

I remember Langowski and his situation well. He ended up running an ice cream shop in Logan Square for a bit.

Thanks for the info on the others.

Don't forget that Alex Dolly, former UNI wrestler, repped Ireland for a bit.

I'm sure it can be done. The Russians have been doing it for ages, as have many Americans, so I don't see fewer guys here passing up the opportunity in order to sit home and watch from a sofa.

I'm surprised there aren't more Canadians. I know Matt Gentry was 5th at the Olympics and Gary Bohay was a world medalist for Canada after wrestling at ASU. But I can't think of any others. 

The one defection/transfer I always thought was strange was Gennady Tulbea who went from Moldova to Monaco. It isn't easy to become a Monegasque citizen unless you have a lot of money. Something coming from a poor country like Moldova seems unlikely. 

[Plasmodium]

Israel seems like a pretty easy path to worlds for Jewish people.   Currently all the Finesilvers rep them, at a minimum.  Three will be in this upcoming ranking tournament. There must be quite a few Americans take this route over the years.  Durlacher, I think.

[mspart]

2 hours ago, Tripnsweep said:

I'm surprised there aren't more Canadians. I know Matt Gentry was 5th at the Olympics and Gary Bohay was a world medalist for Canada after wrestling at ASU. But I can't think of any others. 

The one defection/transfer I always thought was strange was Gennady Tulbea who went from Moldova to Monaco. It isn't easy to become a Monegasque citizen unless you have a lot of money. Something coming from a poor country like Moldova seems unlikely. 

Impressive vocabulary!!   I mean that sincerely.   I don't know how I would have said that.   Monacoan?   Monacolese?  Person from Monaco?  

mspart

[nhs67]

33 minutes ago, Plasmodium said:

Israel seems like a pretty easy path to worlds for Jewish people.   Currently all the Finesilvers rep them, at a minimum.  Three will be in this upcoming ranking tournament. There must be quite a few Americans take this route over the years.  Durlacher, I think.

There were two sets of twins, so not all the Finesilvers represent them if there are three representing them currently.

Also Matt Finesilver, the larger of the younger twins, is having to wrestle 92 KG.  He was 174lbs a year ago then went 184lbs this season just to wrestle 92 KG (202.8lbs) this freestyle season.  Not an ideal/easy path there.

[BuckyBadger]

1 hour ago, Plasmodium said:

Israel seems like a pretty easy path to worlds for Jewish people.   Currently all the Finesilvers rep them, at a minimum.  Three will be in this upcoming ranking tournament. There must be quite a few Americans take this route over the years.  Durlacher, I think.

Durlacher didn’t rep Israel, he repped the US and medaled at Worlds in 06.

In general you are correct, it’s not hard to rep Israel if you have a Jewish grandparent. But I don’t think it has happened too often with Americans.

I believe Evan Bernstein (Ophir  Bernsteins father) wrestled for them at the 88 Olympics after wrestling in college here.

Edited June 28, 2023 by BuckyBadger

[Tripnsweep]

2 hours ago, mspart said:

Impressive vocabulary!!   I mean that sincerely.   I don't know how I would have said that.   Monacoan?   Monacolese?  Person from Monaco?  

mspart

That undergraduate degree from ASU paying for itself. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

18 hours ago, nhs67 said:

Also Matt Finesilver, the larger of the younger twins, is having to wrestle 92 KG.  He was 174lbs a year ago then went 184lbs this season just to wrestle 92 KG (202.8lbs) this freestyle season.  Not an ideal/easy path there.

 

In the most recent European Championships, Matt Finesilver faced off against Ermak Kardanov, who trains with the ILLINI RTC, for the bronze medal. Ermak is from Russia but now wrestles for Slovakia. In the match, Finesilver seemed to have a bigger frame at 92 kg, but I've also heard that Kardanov is dropping to 79 kg for Worlds! 

 

 

A question that I have is this: If a wrestler earns UWW ranking points at one weight, but then drops down to a lower weight, does he keep those points? If you ask me, that wrestler should get bonus points. Something like 1.5x. 

Of course, the dream of ILLINI fans is for Jesse Delgado to take the leap and wrestle for Mexico and meet Zane in a medal match. Two former training partners going at it! 

[nhs67]

2 hours ago, ILLINIWrestlingBlog said:

 

In the most recent European Championships, Matt Finesilver faced off against Ermak Kardanov, who trains with the ILLINI RTC, for the bronze medal. Ermak is from Russia but now wrestles for Slovakia. In the match, Finesilver seemed to have a bigger frame at 92 kg, but I've also heard that Kardanov is dropping to 79 kg for Worlds! 

 

 

A question that I have is this: If a wrestler earns UWW ranking points at one weight, but then drops down to a lower weight, does he keep those points? If you ask me, that wrestler should get bonus points. Something like 1.5x. 

Of course, the dream of ILLINI fans is for Jesse Delgado to take the leap and wrestle for Mexico and meet Zane in a medal match. Two former training partners going at it! 

I don't think they follow.  Results are for the weights wrestled.