No wrestle offs this year.

leg turk · September 20, 2016, 04:06:30 PM

Welp, that's one more thing I was looking forward to seeing, that I won't be.

No Red-White wrestle-offs

The Coaching staff has decided that there will not be an inter-squad scrimmage this year. We will be using the performance at the early season tournaments to determine who will be representing the Badger Team during the dual meet season. It is far more important to see who performs the best against other teams than who wrestles best against a teammate. That doesn't mean that a wrestle-off later in the year couldn't happen. Our job is to determine the best line-up possible to represent the University of Wisconsin and this is what we believe is the best way to do it.

npope · September 20, 2016, 04:29:25 PM

While I "get it," I lament the fact that the coaching staff abandons one of the seminal aspects of the sport of wrestling - proving you are better by actually beating the other guy. It's one of those embedded prinicples of wrestling - you beat the guy - you are better.

TLV · September 20, 2016, 05:01:47 PM

Quote from: npope on September 20, 2016, 04:29:25 PM
While I "get it," I lament the fact that the coaching staff abandons one of the seminal aspects of the sport of wrestling - proving you are better by actually beating the other guy. It's one of those embedded prinicples of wrestling - you beat the guy - you are better.

I dig it, Pope. But styles matter. UM has done the tourney method for years rather than in the room determinations.

Ivan Stankowski · September 20, 2016, 05:26:01 PM

Wrestle off are another way of promoting your team and something the Badgers seem to have little to no interest in doing

fightfightfight · September 20, 2016, 06:29:54 PM

Quote from: Ivan Stankowski on September 20, 2016, 05:26:01 PM
Wrestle off are another way of promoting your team and something the Badgers seem to have little to no interest in doing

1. Quit looking for an reason why you can't support/watch the program instead of looking to see how you can.

Ex:

"We will be having a pre-season cookout again this year at the Kalscheur Farm on Saturday, October 29. There will be a Team practice/scrimmage in the late morning followed by an afternoon cookout from 2-4pm."

2. Practice/Scrimmage sounds like the same thing without a starting spot associated with it because they want to do the tourney method. Plus a cookout at a great facility with interactions with the coaches and athletes. Seems like no interest to me too...

billymurphy · September 20, 2016, 07:24:02 PM

Nothing more fair than winning the wrestle off to determine who is better.
That is why wrestling is so pure, you can prove it on the mat and leave no doubt.
Wrestling is not a "judgement call".

Ivan Stankowski · September 20, 2016, 09:37:00 PM

Quote from: fightfightfight on September 20, 2016, 06:29:54 PM
Quote from: Ivan Stankowski on September 20, 2016, 05:26:01 PM
Wrestle off are another way of promoting your team and something the Badgers seem to have little to no interest in doing

1. Quit looking for an reason why you can't support/watch the program instead of looking to see how you can.

Ex:

"We will be having a pre-season cookout again this year at the Kalscheur Farm on Saturday, October 29. There will be a Team practice/scrimmage in the late morning followed by an afternoon cookout from 2-4pm."

2. Practice/Scrimmage sounds like the same thing without a starting spot associated with it because they want to do the tourney method. Plus a cookout at a great facility with interactions with the coaches and athletes. Seems like no interest to me too...

Where did I say I don't watch or support? You read that into my post, sorry i think it is a missed opportunity, Just my opinion, doesn't make it right or wrong, solely mine. But to get that I don't watch or support the program out of my post is just wow!!

Ghetto · September 21, 2016, 01:13:26 PM

I think the scrimmage was a good PR move. Not sure what the harm is.

I get the wrestle off isn't always the best scenario compared to wrestling "with the lights on" against outside opponents. Some guys are better "in the room" and then struggle against guys they aren't familiar with.

I guess I get it both ways. Even if it's not to decide positions, I think it is a good idea to wrestle in front of your fan base as much as possible.

leg turk · September 21, 2016, 03:04:54 PM

It's a long season, they probably don't want to get the guys banged up early.

hammen · September 21, 2016, 03:54:36 PM

Glad they made this decision. Sounds like the scrimmage and cookout will be a lot more enjoyable for everyone. The wrestle-offs were no fun from the wrestler's perspective. And honestly kind of a waste of a training day.

wrestle03 · September 21, 2016, 04:55:03 PM

I agree with Hammen. Anyone who has been around wrestling knows that simply because wrestler "A" can beat wrestler "B" does NOT mean that wrestler "A" is the better wrestler. You may just have someones number or your styles are of which where you don't match up well. I think there is much more in judging talent than head to head, but rather how you compete against common opponents.

MarkK · September 21, 2016, 05:11:22 PM

Is there a scrimmage at the cookout?

bigG · September 22, 2016, 07:13:27 AM

LOL! That was good, Rodbender!

fightfightfight · September 22, 2016, 08:01:48 AM

Quote from: Ivan Stankowski on September 20, 2016, 09:37:00 PM
Quote from: fightfightfight on September 20, 2016, 06:29:54 PM
Quote from: Ivan Stankowski on September 20, 2016, 05:26:01 PM
Wrestle off are another way of promoting your team and something the Badgers seem to have little to no interest in doing

1. Quit looking for an reason why you can't support/watch the program instead of looking to see how you can.

Ex:

"We will be having a pre-season cookout again this year at the Kalscheur Farm on Saturday, October 29. There will be a Team practice/scrimmage in the late morning followed by an afternoon cookout from 2-4pm."

2. Practice/Scrimmage sounds like the same thing without a starting spot associated with it because they want to do the tourney method. Plus a cookout at a great facility with interactions with the coaches and athletes. Seems like no interest to me too...

Where did I say I don't watch or support? You read that into my post, sorry i think it is a missed opportunity, Just my opinion, doesn't make it right or wrong, solely mine. But to get that I don't watch or support the program out of my post is just wow!!

Sorry I didn't mean so much watch/support and more to pointing out the fact that you said the Badgers have little to no interest in promoting the team. I was simply pointing out the fact that there is (around the same time) a cookout, meet and greet, practice/scrimmage, all at a great facility. Which seems like even more interest than a wrestle off since it interacts with the fans even more.

bkraus · September 22, 2016, 08:03:40 AM

I think the intersquad benefits the freshmen. Gives them a no-pressure chance at wrestling within the environment that is different than practice. I got a real eye opener my freshman year with it. You get the chance to put on the singlet and warmups. Get on the mat and prepare like you would for a dual. Wrestle with a clock, referee, coaches, mat decisions, etc that just can not be reproduced in a practice setting no matter how much you try to. It also gives the wrestlers a chance to make weight in a no-pressure environment, where if they don't actually make it there is no big deal. So I see benefits in it. it also gives your table workers and meet managers a chance to work out their bugs too before it becomes real.