You don't pick against Bo. Mentally he's a beast and just doesn't give in. I take bo Everytime and that's not a slight against AB he is a legend in his own right. Would be one hell of a match.
197 this year
- Thread starter Str8DBLz
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I always thought Bo was one of the best ever...just amazing wrestling abilities and some pretty fricking incredible funk to go with it. I'm trying to think of a 97-pounder who at their best would make me bet against Bo at his best. I'm just not seeing it aside from of course the GOAT (your coach). J'den Cox is a possibility but even as good as he was I don't think I would bet against Bo at his best. Not trying to take away from AB and his body of work, etc., but with Bo, especially after his freshman campaign, it always seemed like he was a cat - as in a f-ing mountain lion - playing with his dinner, regardless of who he wrestled. Some of the Iowa guys don't like my posts because I can come across as a PSU fan, which of course is not the case at all. But damn I sure would have liked to have seen some of your hammers over the past 10-12 years wearing black and gold singlets.
Cox did beat Bo at Trials, so that's a legit possibility.
The other recent 197 who would've had a shot against Bo was Quentin Wright. Bo was probably better, but those 2 would let it fly and anything could happen. Like Q once said: someone's getting pinned right now and I hope it isn't me.
His Dean match in the Natty Championships was pretty close. Would have been interesting to see the best of 3 there. Think Dean would have won at least one.
Gabe said much later (like years later) that he had suffered a rib injury prior to the NCAAs. If you watch his earlier matches in the tournament, you could tell he was suffering from it. He was *not* making excuses.
That QW quote is one of the best ever.
He’d even have him as Associate Head Coach. 😉
Of course (Dean was a career 184). Just responding to someone else's reference to that NCAA final.
It seems so strange that “little Max“ wrestled a higher weight than “big” brother lol.
A
anon_d29z1jdixxwey
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Can’t disagree with anything you wrote about Bo. It’s almost blasphemous or ridiculous to pick against him. My thinking was that Cox and DT neutralized Bo - of course, in freestyle. My gut says that AB could neutralize Bo, but who knows. Maybe I’ll put up my next million to make it happen.
Would love to see a lot more of those type of matches. Marinelli and Joseph matches were the best...the only thing you knew was that something big was going to happen.
I wouldnt say Brooks is the “smarter” of the pair but I feel he is the more methodical precisionist. He plays it safe 99% of the time and rarely takes risks.
Bo was absolutely fearless and that cost him his first title. Did that stop him from going huge against the SAME GUY 2 years later?? Hell no!! They’ll never be another Bo Nickal.
OTOH I feel like we’ve seen a few Aaron Brooks, just not with 4 Natties.
Bo was absolutely fearless and that cost him his first title. Did that stop him from going huge against the SAME GUY 2 years later?? Hell no!! They’ll never be another Bo Nickal.
OTOH I feel like we’ve seen a few Aaron Brooks, just not with 4 Natties.
I agree. All fair points, and odds are Aaron will be our second ever 4xer ;-)
As time moves on history can play games with the memory. Bo was an unfortunate flash of a second roll-through, on one of his offensive moves, from being our first ever 4xer, and he still almost pulled it out after that 6 pointer.
Both Aaron and Carter have been tossed to their backs leading to a loss in similar ways. Not everyone can be a Levi or SVN ;-)
The competition Bo has faced to win those championships including Gabe 'the destroyer of worlds' Dean was IMO, tougher than what Brooks has faced so far to build his legacy.
Aaron is more of a tactician, Bo more of a gun slinger, no doubt. The separation for me always comes down to considering pure dominance over winning percentage or even titles. This is why a 2xer DT has to remain in the conversation as our best ever. Pins, winning percentage and most especially bonus percentage tell a complelling story and Bo is #3 all time. There is a lot of separation here when considering both Aaron #15 and #20 Carter. They simply do not dominate opponents to the extreme extent DT, Nolf, Bo, Ed and Zain all did. The way Cael did.
Career Bonus Wins – Penn State Wrestling Club
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No doubt in my mind had Bo dedicated himself to freestyle he would be a future world champion, and likewise I can't bet against him head to head vs Aaron folk or free.
one time at the US Open, Quentin landed on his head and was totally out of it.
i followed the trainers and him to the trainers' table b/c i really cared about him...(if you know him, how could you not).
when he finally came to he looked at me and said 'well heck. i guess i lost.' first words out of his mouth.
i followed the trainers and him to the trainers' table b/c i really cared about him...(if you know him, how could you not).
when he finally came to he looked at me and said 'well heck. i guess i lost.' first words out of his mouth.
No doubt, you don't win a national championship as a true freshman without an elite skill set, especially as an upper weight where you need the horsepower as well. That being said, I suspect he's walking around at 220-225. Dropping to 197 is not going to be easy and he will most likely lose strength and stamina compared to what you are seeing in the room in the off season.
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Except Deuce Rachal’s saying was: I’m getting pinned right now and I don’t care who sees it.
Brooks might have a little more trouble finishing some takedowns on taller guys.
He will own guys late in matches. He was a hammer when he was cutting 20 pounds. Picture his cardio when not cutting hard .
He will own guys late in matches. He was a hammer when he was cutting 20 pounds. Picture his cardio when not cutting hard .
I agree. All fair points, and odds are Aaron will be our second ever 4xer ;-)
As time moves on history can play games with the memory. Bo was an unfortunate flash of a second roll-through, on one of his offensive moves, from being our first ever 4xer, and he still almost pulled it out after that 6 pointer.
Both Aaron and Carter have been tossed to their backs leading to a loss in similar ways. Not everyone can be a Levi or SVN ;-)
The competition Bo has faced to win those championships including Gabe 'the destroyer of worlds' Dean was IMO, tougher than what Brooks has faced so far to build his legacy.
Aaron is more of a tactician, Bo more of a gun slinger, no doubt. The separation for me always comes down to considering pure dominance over winning percentage or even titles. This is why a 2xer DT has to remain in the conversation as our best ever. Pins, winning percentage and most especially bonus percentage tell a complelling story and Bo is #3 all time. There is a lot of separation here when considering both Aaron #15 and #20 Carter. They simply do not dominate opponents to the extreme extent DT, Nolf, Bo, Ed and Zain all did. The way Cael did.
Career Bonus Wins – Penn State Wrestling Club
No doubt in my mind had Bo dedicated himself to freestyle he would be a future world champion, and likewise I can't bet against him head to head vs Aaron folk or free.
Gimme AB as preseason Hodge, I feel CS might have some weight struggles late in the season IF he truly plans on dropping too 74k by mid April.
Meanwhile AB will be on full feed.
For the most part I agree with both of these posts but it would be zero fun to simply let them stand without taking the other sideI agree. All fair points, and odds are Aaron will be our second ever 4xer ;-)
As time moves on history can play games with the memory. Bo was an unfortunate flash of a second roll-through, on one of his offensive moves, from being our first ever 4xer, and he still almost pulled it out after that 6 pointer.
Both Aaron and Carter have been tossed to their backs leading to a loss in similar ways. Not everyone can be a Levi or SVN ;-)
The competition Bo has faced to win those championships including Gabe 'the destroyer of worlds' Dean was IMO, tougher than what Brooks has faced so far to build his legacy.
Aaron is more of a tactician, Bo more of a gun slinger, no doubt. The separation for me always comes down to considering pure dominance over winning percentage or even titles. This is why a 2xer DT has to remain in the conversation as our best ever. Pins, winning percentage and most especially bonus percentage tell a complelling story and Bo is #3 all time. There is a lot of separation here when considering both Aaron #15 and #20 Carter. They simply do not dominate opponents to the extreme extent DT, Nolf, Bo, Ed and Zain all did. The way Cael did.
Career Bonus Wins – Penn State Wrestling Club
No doubt in my mind had Bo dedicated himself to freestyle he would be a future world champion, and likewise I can't bet against him head to head vs Aaron folk or free.
1. We most certainly will see another Bo in our lifetime. We always do regardless of the sport someone always comes along .
I think babe Ruth and Ted Williams might be exceptions to this but I’m biased and now rambling so I will move on
2 the passing of time not only hinders are memory but makes a legend grow . Bo’s legend will almost certainly grow with each passing year. If brooks goes on to be an Olympic champion I would say the same .
3. We all have different takes but Bo’s approach To wrestling maybe call it style probably had a lot to do with his MMA goals
I always watch brooks and have caught myself thinking many times “dude go this isn’t freestyle” . Am I alone in this thinking ?
Brooks goals most certainly include an Olympic goal medal. I think by and large both him and Carter are somewhat bored of college wrestling.
4. I love the point about dominance but let me counter it in two ways .
A. in large part it’s a style difference. Sure that style difference costs team points but it doesn’t change the outcome of a 1-1 match
B. What’s more important to me than dominance is how do you fair against the best competition
I’ll pick 5 matches albeit 4 in freestyle that were already mentioned above .
Two against jden cox , two against David Taylor combined in those 4 matches Bo had zero take downs . To be fair he was undersized and out gunned by jden .
The fifth match was against the aforementioned Dean. One of my all time favorites . Bo had one take down, not sure he gets that take down against Brooks. And if they wrestled again I’m not sure who wins.
5. How many times do you watch brooks wrestle and think he is going to lose ?
6. brooks hasn’t even wrestled 197 yet . A full year of college matches to watch and enjoy and for brooks to get better.
So In a hypothetical matchup Brooks vs Bo at the end of their senior years in some sort of alternate time universe , I simply don’t know . Seems way too close to call. I could easily see brooks winning several lo scoring matchups in a row and I could easily see Bo cradling brooks for a pin.
If this wasn't a forum and we were having a conversation on the golf course or at a bar . I’m sure I would have been interrupted several times with expletives going back and forth .
The saddest part of all of this is we will never know what Bo could have done in freestyle. I certainly would not disagree in the thinking he could have been an Olympic champion. In brooks I think we see it .
Goggles, pls clarify whether your liked this post for its content or merely for its length. 😜
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anon_d29z1jdixxwey
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Didn't we see someone quite similar to Bo at the same time? A guy named Nolf, I can't remember his first name. Farm boy strength, fearless, creative, no physique, pinned a ton of guys, 3-time nat'l champion. Maybe not quite as farm boy strong, a quarter ounce less fearless, not as "cocky" (???) but every bit as confident.
I like Bo but would rather watch Jason. Probably the lightweight in me
Wow, that is my strategy for many of your posts, lol! 😝 just kidding….
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