Iowa has had its share of this kind of talent as well. Just not as many in recent years. I'm just happy that TnT have embraced the concept of going after the high level talent rather than primarily focusing on room development. Will make for a better rivalry.
BOLD Predictions for Nationals
- Thread starter dunkej01
- Start date
Because the one thing TnT do NOT do is room development, this is a good thing. They are not Gable. Their tenure has been marked by stagnation of wrestlers, not development.
This always confused me.
Did the Brands Brothers really not know that they should have been trying to get the best recruits possible? Is this something they just recently learned?
I know it's not intended as such, but - if that's true - that seems like a pretty damning criticism.
In my personal opinion, I believe they went for quantity rather than quality. And when I mean that they didn't take just anyone as evidenced by some very high level talent. I just believe their philosophy was to spread out the scholly money rather than give more to a select few. Tournaments are won by Champions and bonus points, not just multiple All-Americans. I do disagree that they do not develop talent. There are plenty of examples of that. They just needed more with higher ceilings.
I can’t explain how they possibly missed this, but my only guess is they completely turned a blind eye towards just how much more advanced and college ready kids are coming out of high school these days. They held on to the belief that EVERYONE “would need three years in my room before they are a star” when that just isn’t true anymore.
Look at Aaron Brooks. Kid is not enrolled in school yet, and already off beating D1 All-Americans handidly, while sick, and the Brands’ couldn’t even pick up a phone to call him as a recruit (according to board sources).
That's not it. They recruited Zain and Jason among others.
IMO 4 issues:
1. Late in identifying youth clubs as feeders instead of high schools.
2. Recruiting skill over talent -- meaning developed wrestlers over athletes. Cael and Ryan have rosters loaded with athletes who wrestle. Brands has a lot of guys with lower ceilings.
(To be fair, Brands has recruited athletes -- see Zain and Jason -- but every school has big name recruiting misses, and the roster trend is obvious.)
3. Late in reacting to the trend of early commitments (before senior July 1), and kids identifying their finalist schools before then.
Look at their roster -- did anybody other than Renteria (who flipped to Nebraska) commit early? Nelson Brands doesn't count if he did. Maybe Warner? That's likely it.
4. Stuck in the old model of primarily recruiting the traditional B10 footprint. There were always occasional kids from PA or NJ or Colorado, etc., but those were exceptions.
Maybe that worked when the only regional competition was Robinson and occasionally Smith. But then Ryan came. And then Cael came. Michigan got more aggressive out of state. NC State and VT and Missouri began seriously recruiting the B10 footprint. Etc.
Usually that kicks in on Friday after a bad round and several guys do their best HR impersonation.
However, since this is perceived to be over when the team arrives in Pittsburgh safely and checks in at the hotel....so yes it probably is warranted right now because I trust that the use of a bus over say a chartered private plane ride will have our guys hungry.
Agree with everything you said. My point wasn’t so much that they NEVER tried to recruit the top kids, moreso that when they missed they felt comfortable taking kids with much, much lower ceilings believing they could turn them into a comparable product, when they obviously can’t. Especially in the middle/upperweights.
So when they missed on a blue chip recruit, what were they supposed to do to appear less comfortable to you? Mope around in public? Jump around and act like maniacs?
So you are saying if Rasheed makes the finals you would consider ranking him in the top 5? Got it, cool.
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I went line by line for like 20 minutes on Flo with all the facts and rationale for why the 2 seed was a joke. As did Nomad. Sorry you missed it.
Promise I will if he makes the finals.
Interesting. If you felt the need to post this it isn't like you needed to know tonight's outcome to feel comfortable making this post. It isn't even close to being outrageous or out of line.
Yet, waiting until you knew the outcome makes it appear as though you lack stones. Maybe it is just an optical illusion.
I think I jinxed Rasheed.
3 Points about Shakur
A. I think the knee is more serious than we realize. I thought he strained it early 3rd period on 1st scramble.
B He has made ill decisions on scrambles before. He almost pinned himself in his first match.
C. Rasheed has not finished matches well in the third period throughout his career.
In my thoughts from session 1 post I was afraid after that match and the Venz match of him coming up on the bad end of something he could prevent. He was going to do just that, maybe a round or 2 before I expected.
A-hole move, posting this after Rasheed had lost.
I expect better from a public representative of a company that claims to grow the sport. Perhaps I shouldn't.
I’m gonna have to agree with EJ on this one. Act like a pro if you want to be treated like one. Leave the gloating for us unpaid homers.
