2022 Wisconsin Badger Preview

[Napoleon Dynamite]

Bono Media conference:

https://youtu.be/Ni1XPc71qoM

[Napoleon Dynamite]

125: Barnett
133: Burwick - Rotundo
141: Zargo - Dentino
149: Gomez
157: Model
165: Hamiti - Otto
174: McNalley
184: Weiler
197: Amos
285s Hillger

[mkm13]

It will be interesting how the Burwick/Rotundo battle ends up.  Bono talks very highly of Rotundo again and talked about his big improvement. 

I don't really understand the battle at 141 between Zargo and Dentino.  If for some reason Zargo can't win the spot, I have to believe the loser of Burwick/Rotundo at 133 can beat Dentino.  Nothing against Dentino, but he was 0-10 last year and his closest match was when he was shut out 4-0.  It would be nice if whoever was at 141 had a chance of winning a big 10 match this year and was not basically an automatic loss.


Otto/Hamiti is also interesting.  Otto was also winless last year as well, but he had many competitive matches against good wrestlers.  Otto either needs to make a jump offensively, or hopefully Hamiti is ready to go.

Hopefully Weiler is fully recovered from his surgery.  If he is, and Hamiti does wrestle, 165-HWT is a pretty impressive.

[wrastle63]

It will be interesting how the Burwick/Rotundo battle ends up.  Bono talks very highly of Rotundo again and talked about his big improvement. 

I don't really understand the battle at 141 between Zargo and Dentino.  If for some reason Zargo can't win the spot, I have to believe the loser of Burwick/Rotundo at 133 can beat Dentino.  Nothing against Dentino, but he was 0-10 last year and his closest match was when he was shut out 4-0.  It would be nice if whoever was at 141 had a chance of winning a big 10 match this year and was not basically an automatic loss.


Otto/Hamiti is also interesting.  Otto was also winless last year as well, but he had many competitive matches against good wrestlers.  Otto either needs to make a jump offensively, or hopefully Hamiti is ready to go.

Hopefully Weiler is fully recovered from his surgery.  If he is, and Hamiti does wrestle, 165-HWT is a pretty impressive.

I would have to imagine they wrestle Dentino and Otto against Buffalo and give Rotondo/Burwick time to settle itself out and let Zargo/Hamiti wrestle at opens to start. Allows all the guys to get matches, but doesn't burn a redshirt right away. If Zargo/Hamiti are the best guy for the weight they burn it and let them go, but obviously the coaches see what is happening in the room every day. I am just coaching from home. 

[mkm13]

Zargo is already a year out of high school, so I wasn't envisioning he would redshirt, especially with the big hole at 141.  But I guess if he is not ready, redshirting would be an option.

Having said that, every scholarship has value.  If a guy is given a decent amount of scholarship money and is not significantly better than what we had last year at 141 a year out of high school, is it worth having them redshirt and tying up the scholarship an extra year?  I am not saying this is the case here, just getting back to my point of not understanding Destino potentially being the guy at 141.

[wrastle63]

Zargo is already a year out of high school, so I wasn't envisioning he would redshirt, especially with the big hole at 141.  But I guess if he is not ready, redshirting would be an option.

Having said that, every scholarship has value.  If a guy is given a decent amount of scholarship money and is not significantly better than what we had last year at 141 a year out of high school, is it worth having them redshirt and tying up the scholarship an extra year?  I am not saying this is the case here, just getting back to my point of not understanding Destino potentially being the guy at 141.

I am just saying if they want to use both Burwick/Rotondo at 33/41 then it would make a lot of sense to not burn Zargo's redshirt for a dual against Buffalo, Little Rock, and a couple opens. If Zargo is better than Burwick/Rotondo at 41 then wrestle Zargo right away.

[Harris]

What do you guys think about how Ohio State is doing public wrestle offs and posting the results on twitter?  I think it is kind of cool and old school letting the fans see the competition for a starting spot.  That would make for a good jump around Monday.  Broadcast a live wrestle off for 141 and 165. 

[dad 2 5]

What do you guys think about how Ohio State is doing public wrestle offs and posting the results on twitter?  I think it is kind of cool and old school letting the fans see the competition for a starting spot.  That would make for a good jump around Monday.  Broadcast a live wrestle off for 141 and 165.

I miss those from a few years ago at the field house

[vsmf2010]

What do you guys think about how Ohio State is doing public wrestle offs and posting the results on twitter?  I think it is kind of cool and old school letting the fans see the competition for a starting spot.  That would make for a good jump around Monday.  Broadcast a live wrestle off for 141 and 165.

I miss those from a few years ago at the field house

I miss them too but completely understand the argument for not letting wrestle offs decide the lineup. The familiarity and style matchup of your teammates really make a wrestle off a  questionable way to decide the lineup and I support the coaches using other criteria to make that decision 

[dman]

I sort of understand it too...to a point.  But...a BIG but, how often, if ever, has a person consistently lost a wrestle off, but went on to out perform, CONSISTENTLY, the person who they lost the wrestle offs to?  To me the "familiarity" conversation works both ways...sure wrestler's get familiar with each other and what their tendencies are, but if one figures it out and beats the other person every time, doesn't that also say something about the kid that looses...ie., why can't they figure out how to win?  If they truly were "better" they would figure out a way to beat their teammate.

I personally would run multiple wrestle offs if two athletes are close, and then let those wrestle offs and the results of opens determine who the starter would be, including other more subjective things like, being a leader, competitiveness, team needs, contribution to the team, moral, etc.  But with all that being said, if wrestler A can consistently beat wrestler B, then wrestler A should be the starter.  That is the beauty of wrestling if you ask me.

[BackwardsHatAttack]

I sort of understand it too...to a point.  But...a BIG but, how often, if ever, has a person consistently lost a wrestle off, but went on to out perform, CONSISTENTLY, the person who they lost the wrestle offs to?  To me the "familiarity" conversation works both ways...sure wrestler's get familiar with each other and what their tendencies are, but if one figures it out and beats the other person every time, doesn't that also say something about the kid that looses...ie., why can't they figure out how to win?  If they truly were "better" they would figure out a way to beat their teammate.

I personally would run multiple wrestle offs if two athletes are close, and then let those wrestle offs and the results of opens determine who the starter would be, including other more subjective things like, being a leader, competitiveness, team needs, contribution to the team, moral, etc.  But with all that being said, if wrestler A can consistently beat wrestler B, then wrestler A should be the starter.  That is the beauty of wrestling if you ask me.

Can someone explain this to me as if I were 5?

[SP]

If you win the wrestle off you earn the spot.

[Amosfan]

I don't think Braxton Amos has ever been ranked 112th in anything in his life before and I don't think you will ever see it again  .  I am going to take some time to enjoy this historical moment.

Gee-wizz. Now I'm worried he may not make the Big 10 tournament.  Lol 😆

[MakingABadgerer]

Welcome Amosfan. We’re all Amosfan’s here (except maybe a few usernames for the same guy who likely uses a pick instead of a comb and is still reeling from that surprise knee to the face).

Wrestlestat has an excuse, it’s a computer program designed for a very specific purpose.
197 is going to be the toughest weight class in NCAA this year. I doubt that anyone gets through undefeated. Braxton is #7 at the senior level in freestyle and #2 in Greco but
He isn’t ranked in the top 33 in the ncaa 197 with Flo & Intermat (and they purportedly pay someone to think about these things). Insomnia hit last night so I started searching for results.
Here’s a link to a matchup between Braxton and one of the guys both Flo and Intermat have ranked. Not sure which is more laughable: Braxton being unranked or the stalling call when he was up by a bunch?
https://www.flowrestling.org/video/6283671-220-lbs-amos-vs-smith

[BuckyMatt]

Braxton is a Program Changing individual. A better person than he is wrestler, I can’t wait to see all the positivity and production he brings to our Badgers. 
Let’s sit back and enjoy the ride!