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Imar and the spotlight

PSUisawesome

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Feb 22, 2017
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watching Imar basically fold after watching the consistently ice water performance of the PSU grapplers I was aware that Cael is doing a much better job helping his kids deal with the spotlight. Mark Perry has done a great job with Imar but the wrestler that walked onto the mat against VJ was carrying the weight of expectation on his shoulders in a way that none of the PSU kids ever do. This is yet another aspect of how our kids perform so well when the stakes are high ( except for that weird Bo match at the big 10s).
 
watching Imar basically fold after watching the consistently ice water performance of the PSU grapplers I was aware that Cael is doing a much better job helping his kids deal with the spotlight. Mark Perry has done a great job with Imar but the wrestler that walked onto the mat against VJ was carrying the weight of expectation on his shoulders in a way that none of the PSU kids ever do. This is yet another aspect of how our kids perform so well when the stakes are high ( except for that weird Bo match at the big 10s).
Imar's run is over when it comes to him wrestling Cenzo....Cenzo is only going to get a lot better in the room ! Keep in mind Cenzo was up by 2 when he pinned him....
 
Imar's run is over when it comes to him wrestling Cenzo....Cenzo is only going to get a lot better in the room ! Keep in mind Cenzo was up by 2 when he pinned him....
I wrote on another thread about how much VJ's style hides a brilliant tactician under a lot of hustle. And I wouldn't count Imar out. He looked compromised during the semis he may fix what was broken.
 
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ESPN ran a clip from an interesting IMar interview right before the finals, where he talked about becoming too-quickly exhausted on the mat if you're not entirely focused. Not sure he was exhausted out there but it did seem, similar to the first Nolf match, that he didn't know what to do when the tide turned and responded with uncharacteristic mistakes. He's been in close matches before but he always seemed in control. Here, I felt like Cenzo was going to beat him when he escaped to start the third, based entirely on how the match had gone to that point.

And in both cases (Nolf and Cenzo losses) he didn't seem to know how to fight off his back; or perhaps he just gave up too easily.

I also think IMar probably beats Cenzo more often than not. Recall Cenzo had to storm back against a gassed Daniel Lewis and had to hit a miracle inside trip against Logan Massa to get to the finals. Both those results could be flipped. He's right there with all the top contenders but it's hard to say that he can't still lose to these same guys.
 
ESPN ran a clip from an interesting IMar interview right before the finals, where he talked about becoming too-quickly exhausted on the mat if you're not entirely focused. Not sure he was exhausted out there but it did seem, similar to the first Nolf match, that he didn't know what to do when the tide turned and responded with uncharacteristic mistakes. He's been in close matches before but he always seemed in control. Here, I felt like Cenzo was going to beat him when he escaped to start the third, based entirely on how the match had gone to that point.

And in both cases (Nolf and Cenzo losses) he didn't seem to know how to fight off his back; or perhaps he just gave up too easily.

I also think IMar probably beats Cenzo more often than not. Recall Cenzo had to storm back against a gassed Daniel Lewis and had to hit a miracle inside trip against Logan Massa to get to the finals. Both those results could be flipped. He's right there with all the top contenders but it's hard to say that he can't still lose to these same guys.

I've argued forever that gassing isn't always what fans think it is. There are many factors, not related to conditioning, physical conditioning anyway. I agree that this Imar looked like the same tired Imar that Nolf beat.
I think Cenzo had some similar matches early on and then got comfortable out there. I also wouldn't count out Imar, but we saw Cenzo improve quite a bit, he's probably not done yet either.
 
ESPN ran a clip from an interesting IMar interview right before the finals, where he talked about becoming too-quickly exhausted on the mat if you're not entirely focused. Not sure he was exhausted out there but it did seem, similar to the first Nolf match, that he didn't know what to do when the tide turned and responded with uncharacteristic mistakes. He's been in close matches before but he always seemed in control. Here, I felt like Cenzo was going to beat him when he escaped to start the third, based entirely on how the match had gone to that point.

And in both cases (Nolf and Cenzo losses) he didn't seem to know how to fight off his back; or perhaps he just gave up too easily.

I also think IMar probably beats Cenzo more often than not. Recall Cenzo had to storm back against a gassed Daniel Lewis and had to hit a miracle inside trip against Logan Massa to get to the finals. Both those results could be flipped. He's right there with all the top contenders but it's hard to say that he can't still lose to these same guys.
The X factor with both Cenzo and Hall is that they were freshman in their first NCAAs. there will be enormous growth for both these kids over the next couple years. I think they will both compete for the hodge trophy there junior and senior years. Which is a level of wrestling they were no where near this year. The question is can anyone keep up with them while they are coached by Cael inc ?
 
ESPN ran a clip from an interesting IMar interview right before the finals, where he talked about becoming too-quickly exhausted on the mat if you're not entirely focused. Not sure he was exhausted out there but it did seem, similar to the first Nolf match, that he didn't know what to do when the tide turned and responded with uncharacteristic mistakes. He's been in close matches before but he always seemed in control. Here, I felt like Cenzo was going to beat him when he escaped to start the third, based entirely on how the match had gone to that point.

And in both cases (Nolf and Cenzo losses) he didn't seem to know how to fight off his back; or perhaps he just gave up too easily.

I also think IMar probably beats Cenzo more often than not. Recall Cenzo had to storm back against a gassed Daniel Lewis and had to hit a miracle inside trip against Logan Massa to get to the finals. Both those results could be flipped. He's right there with all the top contenders but it's hard to say that he can't still lose to these same guys.


Solid observation.

It's almost as if IMar felt the Nolf & Joseph losses slipping away from him late in the 2nd and to start the 3rd.

And that's a little surprising when you go back and watched how IMar remained focused and defeated a very tough Ian Miller in OT during last year's NCAAs semis.
 
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I thought imar was gased at the end of the second. He had been thrown to his back and ridden pretty hard......harder than he is used to. VJ pushed him oob at the end and he had nothing. Blank stare just like after the pin. He took his good time covering and the announcers noticed. It was over then. VJ sealed it by escaping with riding intact.
 
VJ had an amazing lucky streak in his last 6 matches. He beat all 3 guys that had defeated him this year. He hit 3 inside trips when the odds seemed to be against each in ~1 point matches in the 3rd period against #6, #2 and #1 to close the season. Couldn't be anything but luck, correct?

:rolleyes:
 
I think poor IMar has been over endorsed by the tools at the 4 letter network. Re-hashing personal things for the benefit of the audience sounds good when it works but when it doesn't we are left with a hollow look and that's it. He's been to the top before and may be again but to anoit the guy backfired. Same with the Cornell dude against Bo. Who knew Bo was going to keep it close, generally avoid the big move (that may not work) and win the way he did. Bo and VJ are now playing with "house money" have their bling and can let it rip in the future. Those slide bys from VJ were a thing of beauty. IMar exploited. Wrestlers wrestle. That what VJ and Bo did.
 
How can you say a guy is over endorsed. He was a two time national champion going for his third as a junior. If that's not the kind of guy who they should be exploiting, then tell me who they should be. If not him, then it should be Dean. Quite honestly, that narrative is what makes for an even better story.
 
The X factor with both Cenzo and Hall is that they were freshman in their first NCAAs. ...
Yup. It's like the movie Alien. If a cat does not get the young Alien (Cenzo or Hall) soon after it bursts out of a chest, it's gonna be hell to get the Alien afterward. :)

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To me , IMar appears to wrestle in explosive spurts. Both loses were matches where he was pushed to wrestle hard the entire match. The mistake I thought Jason made in the two loses, is he remained in IMar's tie ups way too long, instead breaking away a continually pushing the pace. IMar uses the tie ups to conserve energy, for one his explosive bursts.
 
To clarify SJP they (and anyone else) deserve all of the hype they can get. It would have been interesting to see what each had to say after the match. ( the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat stuff) Big build up for both these guys then crickets from ESPN. Not saying IMar is not great or entertaining. He is both. It would have been great to get a little follow up on them, instead of just the victors after the match. I was surprised with Hall's interview after the Valencia match in the semi's. MH discussed the history between the two which surprised the announcer as much as me. More extensive than I would have guessed. A little more insight on what it takes to get to the top as well as getting knocked off would be interesting to me.
 
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To me , IMar appears to wrestle in explosive spurts. Both loses were matches where he was pushed to wrestle hard the entire match. The mistake I thought Jason made in the two loses, is he remained in IMar's tie ups way too long, instead breaking away a continually pushing the pace. IMar uses the tie ups to conserve energy, for one his explosive bursts.
Agreed and he appears run on emotional highs and lows. Lying with his forehead on the mat towards the end of the second period was bizzare for someone of his caliber in his situation. There has to be 20 kids who did not make the finals who routinely displayed more mental toughness during this tourney. This was my point. He was not mentally or emotionally prepared for the fight he found himself in. Cael's kids were.
 
IMar has 2 career losses and some of you are ready to call him a has been.

Don't forget, IMar was absolutely dominant as a Fr. He has the talent to get #3, but I admit he's working from a big disadvantage. Joseph has a room full of national champs as workout partners to push him, I don't know if the Illinois room has anything close.
 
Possible he just got flat outwrestled by a very good wrestler...?
I think that's definitely what happened but it's hardly the only way to look at it. They're close enough in talent that it's as reasonable to analyze why IMar lost as it is to say, well, Cenzo outwrestled him. Suggesting IMar may have been mentally drained doesn't detract from Cenzo's win because if true, he put IMar there.
 
I think that's definitely what happened but it's hardly the only way to look at it. They're close enough in talent that it's as reasonable to analyze why IMar lost as it is to say, well, Cenzo outwrestled him. Suggesting IMar may have been mentally drained doesn't detract from Cenzo's win because if true, he put IMar there.
I would add that we have witnessed something truly extraordinary and can learn from a number of features of this achievement. The mental toughness PSU wrestlers demonstrate was a huge advantage during this tournament and was rarely equaled. The challenge Gabe Dean faced in Bo was arguably less than the one Mark Hall faced with Zahid or CJ faced with Imar but the PSU wrestlers never blinked. Gabe did. This is leadership and culture and I am extremely interested in the specific attitudes Cael fosters.
 
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The coaching staff has come a long way from Q's loss to Bosak in 2012. I don't believe he loses that matchup in 2017. Heck, just the next year he was coached up and beat Kilgore. We all learn all the time.
 
IMar is always the guy who pushes through and pushes back. Even when he is losing steam he pushes past it and the other guy is the one who gives ground. Always. Even in the first two meetings between Cenzo and IMar.
In the Nolf pin IMar wrestled Jason at a pace equivalent to a sprint and got run over by a train.
The Joesph win, Cenzo stayed even with IMar and the quickness of those slide by moves told me Cenzo was well prepared (read well coached). At the beginning of the 3rd when IMar lifted Cenzo and was getting set to slam Cenzo back to the mat, that was the King telling the challenger not yet young man. The roll through was the young man pushing back harder than others and telling the king, not today. A simple and only a several second moment in the match, but a huge psychological moment. It was here where the match was still very much up in the air that IMar started to reach. Cenzo was dictating the hand fighting, he was winning the neutral positioning he was stone walling the King and Cenzo was the one getting stronger.

As IMAR was forcing the double unders and and stepping in he was the desperate competitor. A tiring, desperate yet still dangerous competitor and boom. Cenzo, fresher, stronger and wrestling with no fear stepped and hit a move he is as good as anybody with.

Future matches between the two should be interesting, but there is a difference between the Nolf pin and the Cenzo pin. Against Nolf IMar tried to wrestle at Nolf's preferred pace a frantic non stop sprint. The adjustment he needed to make for Jason was wrestle at amore controlled and deliberate pace. Cenzo beat IMar wrestling IMar's match. The only adjustment IMar can make is to wrestle better, and as a 2-loss 2-time champion IMAR has only how much improvement available to him?
 
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Cenzo 4 loses...Subjeck, Zeke & Imar x2

Cenzo avenged all loses by the end of the year

Cenzo beat #2 Imar (Nat Final), #3 Massa (Nat Semi), #4 Zeke (Big Consi Final), # 5 Rodgers (Nat Duals), #6 Lewis (nat qtrs), #7 Walsh (Keystone Finals)

People on the interwebs are just hating if they try to diminish his season and his run.
 
Cenzo 4 loses...Subjeck, Zeke & Imar x2

Cenzo avenged all loses by the end of the year

Cenzo beat #2 Imar (Nat Final), #3 Massa (Nat Semi), #4 Zeke (Big Consi Final), # 5 Rodgers (Nat Duals), #6 Lewis (nat qtrs), #7 Walsh (Keystone Finals)

People on the interwebs are just hating if they try to diminish his season and his run.
His victory was epic as was his run. The only thing more epic is who is becoming.
 
Cenzo 4 loses...Subjeck, Zeke & Imar x2

Cenzo avenged all loses by the end of the year

Cenzo beat #2 Imar (Nat Final), #3 Massa (Nat Semi), #4 Zeke (Big Consi Final), # 5 Rodgers (Nat Duals), #6 Lewis (nat qtrs), #7 Walsh (Keystone Finals)

People on the interwebs are just hating if they try to diminish his season and his run.
Who would do such a thing?
 
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