Dake vs Taylor

[JapanMan]

Woody you guys can keep believing this style of wrestling is good for the sport. I've noticed less people at matches and less kids wrestling. But I'm not in the circle here so my opinion probably doesn't matter. But thats okay I'll keep watching until it doesn't exist anymore. I'll also drop off the forum because it's not an open forum for open opinions. There's a saying that goes something like "If you always do what you always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten". Wrestling is at that crossroads.

Your right this is a public forum, but you obviously do not understand wrestling. That was a great match by both wrestlers. As good as those two are what else could you ask for. They are so close I was impressed to see what I saw tonight. For anyone that says that was not an exciting match you do not truley understand wrestling. For those that know the sport or understand college wrestling know that it does not get any better than that. Your way off haha sorry to single you out, but that's just silly and way off.

[Kjohnson]

Glad to see it was on ESPN and not a side channel of ESPN. And if anyone ever records an athletic event, you always allow for more time. On TW you have recording options on their DVR.

[DocWrestling]

If the NCAA wrestling tourney is not this weekend it is not going to be on ESPN for the finals and not going to be on the overflow channels for earlier rounds.  ESPN knows everyone is watching basketball so they find programming for people less interested in basketball.

Wrestling is simply lucky that over the years it has proven to get more viewers than women's basketball because that is whay wrestling bumped out.

A far as the time issue three things,
1) I agree with the DVR being able to record longer so most did that
2) The NCAA was likley not expecting so many coaches challenges which delayed the time
3) It was probably a good thing for wrestling to have it run over into sportscenter as a lot of fans turned it to sportscenter at 10pm to see basketball highlights and they got the end of a great wrestling match and a great interview.  More viewers likely actually saw the match because it went over.


I did think that it was amzing to see Tom Ryan and Tom Brands sitting next to each other in  the stands while there two wrestlers went at it

[jaguarwrestler]

Taylor didn't look very sharp in the 3rd, he didn't seem gassed but he didn't seem to have anything left.... he didn't seem to be wrestling like a guy 2 points down in the 3rd in the biggest match of his life. They did let Dake get away with the same boring ride for a long time but I believe Taylor failed to make a better effort to get out. I wanted Taylor to win, he wrestled great in the 1st and by the middle of the second he seemed to fade away.

[boowrestle]

Very exciting match,great finals throughout,JMO,Dake isnt a 4timer if Howe wasnt hurt.

[handsandtoes]

I can't believe how most people are missing the amazing part of this. Dake has 3 national titles in 3 years, going for number 4! Now here is what wrestling should be (but usually isn't) This kid says if I'm doing this I'm doing it right. Not only am I going for number 4 but I am going to move up another weight class to wrestle the defending national champion at that weight and quiet possibly the "second" best wrestler in the country. Now that my Friends is what wrestling is about!!!!! Hats off to Drake that kid has got B----lls!

[dman]

Man....it is amazing how some peoples opinions are so far off from mine sometimes.  Not that I am right, just can't believe how people can watch the same thing and have drastically different perspectives and opinions about how it all happened.  Dake was amazing and is an amazing wrestler.  Was he stalling in the 3rd....you are d@#@ right he was.  Who wouldn't be?  Some of you guys must not have watched high level wrestling enough to not think that the Dake/Taylor match was a great match for the sport and for the fans.  Dake is a 4 time NCAA champion in 4 different weights and he is going to get criticized for how he did it.....and how he did it against one of the most dominating wrestlers the last 3 years??  WOW!  I would like to live in some of your guys life's for a day to see what it is like.....then again maybe I don't.  Ha!

And for those that do not know how to record a live sporting event and you miss the ending and blame the network cause you are not a smart person.....amazing?!!   

And I agree with hammen.....great event last night and what a great sport!!

[JapanMan]

Was he in the realm of stalling? I think he was, but I don't think it was that bad. A lot of people still are missing the big picture here. 1. If you are going say dake was stalling, then so was Taylor. 2. These guys are so good I cannot even comprehend it, so why anyone is crying stalling on dakes 3rd period ride is wrong. They are so evenly matched that a good solid ride and a few takedowns are going to win a match. It is all strategy, and dake knows all he has too do is ride and look busy. If Taylor would of made a legitimate effort to get out then I could see where the stalling could come into play. 3. Does anyone realize how much skill it takes to ride a guy like Taylor for that long. Dake mentally beat Taylor with that ride, and he broke his will. It is funny to see the difference in opinions, but I sat with three guys that know wrestling, and they all thought that was a great match for two guys of that caliber. For those of you that expected this to be a 15-14 match and our disappointed in the performance and stalling etc. do not understand the sport. Too many people judge the match on the final score. That is everyone's determining factor in how good or bad it was. When I watch any type of wrestling whether HS or college I focus on the body of work. Hand fighting, head position, setups,  defense, re-shots, funk, momentum shifts, and I am just naming a few. Watch that match again and look at these different criteria, and then maybe you will understand where I am coming from. If you still can't appreciate then maybe I should move to Iowa haha. Because there fans understand it. They cheer not only when points are scored, but also when a guys scores respect by gutting out other positions that help you win matches and not necessarily score points.

[canvasback]

Overall, I thought the entire finals was one of the most entertaining I've seen in years!To me, the most exciting match was Welch & St. John, Steiber & Ramos was next.  Wright was very, very, explosive!  I didn't expect that coming from the opponent he had.  Dake & Taylor, the first period was awsome and then Dake took over and simply controlled Taylor.  Remember when he rode Molinero for eternity!  The heavys were better than I anticipated.  Overall a very good finals!

[mike]

Very exciting match,great finals throughout,JMO,Dake isnt a 4timer if Howe wasnt hurt.

JMO, who cares about Andrew Who

[TLV]

Was he in the realm of stalling? I think he was, but I don't think it was that bad. A lot of people still are missing the big picture here. 1. If you are going say dake was stalling, then so was Taylor. 2. These guys are so good I cannot even comprehend it, so why anyone is crying stalling on dakes 3rd period ride is wrong. They are so evenly matched that a good solid ride and a few takedowns are going to win a match. It is all strategy, and dake knows all he has too do is ride and look busy. If Taylor would of made a legitimate effort to get out then I could see where the stalling could come into play. 3. Does anyone realize how much skill it takes to ride a guy like Taylor for that long. Dake mentally beat Taylor with that ride, and he broke his will. It is funny to see the difference in opinions, but I sat with three guys that know wrestling, and they all thought that was a great match for two guys of that caliber. For those of you that expected this to be a 15-14 match and our disappointed in the performance and stalling etc. do not understand the sport. Too many people judge the match on the final score. That is everyone's determining factor in how good or bad it was. When I watch any type of wrestling whether HS or college I focus on the body of work. Hand fighting, head position, setups,  defense, re-shots, funk, momentum shifts, and I am just naming a few. Watch that match again and look at these different criteria, and then maybe you will understand where I am coming from. If you still can't appreciate then maybe I should move to Iowa haha. Because there fans understand it. They cheer not only when points are scored, but also when a guys scores respect by gutting out other positions that help you win matches and not necessarily score points.

Well put sir! Taylor's speed and range got the first TD and then Dake shut him down. That first escape(which I thought was a reversal) was awsome. Dake picked him up and manhandled him like a rag doll. On the mat, Taylor couldn't ride him and nothing worked from the bottom. I did not think that Dake was stalling, he was as he said: 'riding him like a dog'!  As to Howe....wherever he wrestles next year, I hope Taylor schools him.

[MantyShip160]

Very exciting match,great finals throughout,JMO,Dake isnt a 4timer if Howe wasnt hurt.

By all accounts of what others are saying Howe would of been at #174 this year and is projecting to be there next year.

[Rush66]

Leave it to NCAA wrestling though to not get the entire match in by the allotted time for the broadcast.  Anyone taping it, only got to see 1 1/2 periods of wrestling.  We wonder why they eliminate wrestling from the Olympics.  We can't even find a way to get the best match in over a dozen years in during the allotted time of the broadcast.  Nice job NCAA wrestling!

I recorded it and got the whole match.  What service do you have.  I use direct tv.

[billymurphy]

That is not stalling.  That is control.  Watch the top seeded heavyweight wrestler if you want to see stalling.  After he gets an escape he does not move and stays right next to the edge of the circle with his back to it.  He does not even move forward to the center of the mat.  He just stands there waiting for the guy to come to the edge of the mat where is standing there.  I would like to see more stalling called, but I do not think it is stalling when you have the half nelson in.

[MNbadger]

boowrestle, Howe=NO chance to beat Dake