MIDLANDS

[fightfightfight]

"embracing every grind" is something I don't think Zeke has a problem with and I would be willing to guess, just like the past couple of years, this is a precautionary coach's decision based on Zeke's body and where he is at physically.  Zeke and anyone else his caliber doesn't get to where he is at by ducking competition.  However, of course it makes for a great forum topic to chat about.

[npope]

Does Zeke benefit from seeing Martinez at this point in the season? They have at least one or two other opportunities to cross paths prior to a possible national final showdown. I don't know the strategic answer to that question, but I do know that deliberately avoiding marquee match ups hurts the popularity of the sport - people lose interest. I suspect the Badger coaches have their rationale (that they choose not to share with anyone who might actually care) and it might pay dividends at the end of the year (or may not - no one knows), but it certainly hurts interest in the sport more broadly when marquee match ups simply don't happen, for whatever reasons.

[jets152]

I agree! They only have one possible time now to meet up before the national championship and that is at the Big 10. Even then I feel he can't get by Massa. I did watch there match at the CLKI and Massa dictated the match.

Zeke is an incredibly intelligent wrestler, I think his next match with Massa will be very different.

From a selfish fan's perspective, I wish he were wrestling the Midlands, but I assume (which may be foolish) there is a good reason that he is not

[TomM]

I watched the UNI match online.

My one and only uneducated GUESS is broken nose.  I've had five and didn't like or enjoy it and wrestling with one is the pits...
And please don't tell me a guy should wrestle in a open event with a broken nose wearing a facemask. What's the point? Wearing a facemask is a severe disadvantage... especially against superb competition.
IF it is a broken nose, it will heal in time. IF this were the Big Ten tny I'd guess a guy would enter and use a mask.

So, my guess.. broken nose healing....

[fightfightfight]

That's why I said if he can go then he should. Even if he is 80 percent he should go. This brief window of college wrestling comes with bumps in the road, but you don't want to have any regrets. Like "what ifs".

I would love to see him wrestle, as everyone does, but in my opinion, there are a lot more "what ifs" if he isn't 100%, wrestles, and gets injured more, than the "what if" of missing a tournament in December.

[hammen]

That's why I said if he can go then he should. Even if he is 80 percent he should go. This brief window of college wrestling comes with bumps in the road, but you don't want to have any regrets. Like "what ifs".

Wrestling at 80% in a 2-day tournament like the midlands? That's a brutal task with the big ten grind coming up. Entering the big ten grind at less than 95% would make for a very exhausting January and February. I trust the decision. It has worked out in the past.

[npope]

That's why I said if he can go then he should. Even if he is 80 percent he should go. This brief window of college wrestling comes with bumps in the road, but you don't want to have any regrets. Like "what ifs".

Wrestling at 80% in a 2-day tournament like the midlands? That's a brutal task with the big ten grind coming up. Entering the big ten grind at less than 95% would make for a very exhausting January and February. I trust the decision. It has worked out in the past.

Hard to know whether it "has worked out in the past." Maybe confronting the big boys early in the season (win or lose) would have helped any number of Badger wrestlers later in the season. It is an assumption without the ability to verify.

That said, I have no problem sitting a guy if he is hurt. But I think ducking tough competition early in the season (the way tOSU has done in the past) hurts the sport more broadly.

[Barou]

That's why I said if he can go then he should. Even if he is 80 percent he should go. This brief window of college wrestling comes with bumps in the road, but you don't want to have any regrets. Like "what ifs".

Wrestling at 80% in a 2-day tournament like the midlands? That's a brutal task with the big ten grind coming up. Entering the big ten grind at less than 95% would make for a very exhausting January and February. I trust the decision. It has worked out in the past.

Hard to know whether it "has worked out in the past." Maybe confronting the big boys early in the season (win or lose) would have helped any number of Badger wrestlers later in the season. It is an assumption without the ability to verify.

That said, I have no problem sitting a guy if he is hurt. But I think ducking tough competition early in the season (the way tOSU has done in the past) hurts the sport more broadly.

Curious, do other top programs in the conference sit guys before the big ten grind?  Minnesota has a full line-up down at the SS.  Iowa has everyone but Clark it looks like.

[Harris]

What happened to Hunter Ritter?  Says he injury defaulted in the first 22 seconds.

[wrestle03]

knight/purgolder and Barou..................are you guys serious?  You think Zeke is ducking Martinez?  You two are quite comical.  Please tell me your vast wrestling accomplishments and credibility that you can personally question a wrestler?  Get a clue. 

[Barou]

knight/purgolder and Barou..................are you guys serious?  You think Zeke is ducking Martinez?  You two are quite comical.  Please tell me your vast wrestling accomplishments and credibility that you can personally question a wrestler?  Get a clue. 

Nope, respect the heck out of Jordan.  If I had to bet, it is a coaching "strategy".  Similar to the "protect the seed" strategy only this is a "not going to show'em anything" strategy. 

If you read my posts you will see nothing critical of any individual wrestler and I don't think Jordan would duck anyone.

[MNbadger]

Not "showing anything" is a joke.  In this day with video everywhere you don't think they know what he does or how he wrestles??
If he's injured, he's injured.  Otherwise........
And to add, I am not judging but we as a community complain about not seeing marquee match ups but when it is "our" guy it is strategy.
Personally, I believe it is none of anyone's business (except the coach and wrestler) when this happens (or forfeits occur in HS).

[Harris]

Nice gutsy OT win by TJ

[Harris]

Double OT Pin by Mason Reinhardt.  Awesome toughness.

[Coach N.Ryan]

What mat did Mason R. wrestle on? I want to go back and watch it on BTN2GO without having to try every mat. Any help would be appreciated.