peanut Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Gilbert Arenas recently talked about what basketball player's admire in other basketball players. He responded to a question about how Allen Iverson could rank Kobe as the second best basketball player of all time, even though most people would rank him lower -- and I enjoyed Arenas's insights on the subject. According to Arenas, basketball players don't go by stats or accolades. They go by how a basketball player played. He said when you think of the greatest players of all time, 80-90% have truly freakish athletic ability -- MJ with huge hands and a 48" vertical, or Shaq with his enormous size. But in terms of NBA talent, Kobe was nothing special. His quickness, speed, height, hand size, and vertical didn't distinguish him. Athletically, he was standard. But, Arenas said, what Kobe did with is body was the equivalent of taking a Mercedes S500 and pushing it like a Bugatti. (Kobe famously had a freakish work ethic.) And that is what basketball players look at. Are there similar examples of wrestlers who other wrestlers see as great, whereas fans might rank those same wrestlers lower? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerlock3 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 for me its andrew howe. 1 "Half measures are a coward's form of insanity." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrestle87 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 No question there definitely are. It tends to be a combo of being relentless and imposing your will more than just scoring points, but also in one way or another being relatable, allowing people to think “man, if I just became a psycho hermit my whole life, I might be able to do it too.” Zain retherford definitely. Not bc of his success but the way he did it. He was stronger and better, and showed both every match. Same with nick lee, dude was always all gas no breaks in college. Mack Lewnes, dude was always in scraps and sporting a black eye. I’d put ed ruth on here but he made it look too easy, he was just too close to cael status to be relatable. Even though taylor always beats him, Yazdani is a wrestler’s wrestler. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Cinnabon Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 AJ Ferrari 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D3 for LU Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 (edited) 56 minutes ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said: AJ Ferrari D3 Edited January 18 by D3 for LU 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgaveMaria Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Dan Gable for the full career, College & International. John Smith for International. Very good in College, unmatched in International with 6 in a row. 1 ” Never attribute to inspiration that which can be adequately explained by delusion”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elevator Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 In his day, mean Gene Mills. Did not get the chance at Moscow Olympics, but as I recall he had a real shot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspart Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Les Gutches comes to mind. World champ at every age level, 2 time NCAA champ from Oregon State. He didn't have the advantage of a Gable as coach, or an Iowa as a training ground. But he was dominant. mspart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanut Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 1 hour ago, AgaveMaria said: Dan Gable for the full career, College & International. John Smith for International. Very good in College, unmatched in International with 6 in a row. Gable is a good call. He wasn’t undefeated in college like numerous others were. He didn’t win a world-level title in the same year as an NCAA title like numerous others did. He won two world-level titles while others have won more. Yet he’s revered. His coaching career has something to do with it. But I’m guessing his tremendous work ethic, his mentality, and his toughness also had something to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PortaJohn Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 @peanut Always assumed its been established that Dave Schultz is "that guy" 2 I Don't Agree With What I Posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNwrestling Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Kolat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerlock3 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 14 minutes ago, PortaJohn said: @peanut Always assumed its been established that Dave Schultz is "that guy" he's really popular and shockingly technical but not known for physicality or shape. Its all subjective but IMHO i'd read those strengths into my guy. Maybe he's a wrestler's wrestler in free but not folk? "Half measures are a coward's form of insanity." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PortaJohn Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 37 minutes ago, Hammerlock3 said: he's really popular and shockingly technical but not known for physicality or shape. Its all subjective but IMHO i'd read those strengths into my guy. Maybe he's a wrestler's wrestler in free but not folk? Based on how the OP framed his question regarding certain attributes that Gilbert Arenas highlights I don't see anyone else who was more admired than Dave Schultz for exemplifying those same attributes in wrestling I Don't Agree With What I Posted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fadzaev2 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 (edited) 57 minutes ago, Hammerlock3 said: he's really popular and shockingly technical but not known for physicality or shape. Its all subjective but IMHO i'd read those strengths into my guy. Maybe he's a wrestler's wrestler in free but not folk? I'll agree with the freestyle part .....but he was VERY physical....ask anyone who wrestled him.....it was not so much the "push, pull, snap, in your face"....it was in a brutal front headlock" as well as brutal legs ......I watch him make a 3 time NCAA Champion (to remain un-named) squeal with legs/force half before he turned him over and pinned him. Physical....VERY He might be my guy for the answer on this post....hard to pin it down though (no pun intended) Edited January 18 by Fadzaev2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnwtwg Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Kyle Snyder. Not afraid of competing (both quantity and quality of competition), not afraid of seeking improvement, not afraid of hard work, never speaks ill of others, leads by example. The trip to meet Sadulaev was the cherry on top. 1 i am an idiot on the internet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerlock3 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 31 minutes ago, Fadzaev2 said: I'll agree with the freestyle part .....but he was VERY physical....ask anyone who wrestled him.....it was not so much the "push, pull, snap, in your face"....it was in a brutal front headlock" as well as brutal legs ......I watch him make a 3 time NCAA Champion (to remain un-named) squeal with legs/force half before he turned him over and pinned him. Physical....VERY He might be my guy for the answer on this post....hard to pin it down though (no pun intended) yeah, i guess when i said physical I just meant in terms of handfighting and pulling heads and stuff. 1 "Half measures are a coward's form of insanity." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Cinnabon Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 How about Quentin Wright? Probably the least physically imposing 4x AA, 3x finalist and 2x champ ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyBT Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 I saw an interview (after being named co-hodge winner) where Gable Steveson was asked about Spencer Lee. His response was “I don’t want no part of that”. I think there was a huge amount of respect between the two of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhs67 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 The Iranian contingents have always spoken extremely well of Jordan Burroughs. "I know actually nothing. It isn't even conjecture at this point." - me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspart Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 The Turks did not like Mark Schultz so much though. mspart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hammerlock3 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 25 minutes ago, mspart said: The Turks did not like Mark Schultz so much though. mspart at the olympics I saw one give him a hand once. "Half measures are a coward's form of insanity." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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