Re: InterMat profile: Lehigh's David Craig

**r.payton@att.net** · 11-26-2009, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by vaisforlovers

80% of all D1 teams I would say start their year with easy matches. Try to find me a team w/o some soft spots and i'll be impressed.

I'd say 80% is a low #. Who is the common opponent in all matchs ? The scales -and in Miny's case 47 matches of that final cut of 4-6 pounds takes it's toll later in the big 10 and NCAA's -where you have to make weight constantly and are usually facing a top 20 guy every week.

**gobigred** · 11-26-2009, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by vaisforlovers

80% of all D1 teams I would say start their year with easy matches. Try to find me a team w/o some soft spots and i'll be impressed.

I like Cornell's early schedule this year: Maryland, Body Bar, Vegas Invitational, Southern Scuffle, National Duals, Lehigh, Iowa State. There may have been some soft spots at some weights at the Binghamton Open (not an official event for Cornell) and in Jan at NY State Intercollegiates (usually limited participation by starters).

And then the Ivy season starts.

**Zapp Brannigan** · 11-26-2009, 07:55 PM

What an interesting discussion of David Craig.

**LoSt** · 11-26-2009, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Lancers149

If you disagree, post YOUR top 10. I think Thorn should be ahead of Nauman if for no other reason than Thorn was 3-0 against Molinaro and Nauman was 0-2 against Molinaro. All the guys in question (4-10) had some bad losses last year. I see 141 this year being like last year.

Diaz had some bad losses last year and not as many quality wins as Thorn. Plus, he had a common opponent loss (Novachkov). Cleveland lost to Thorn and Diaz last season.

Diaz is a returning R12, Thorn is not. Cleveland beat diaz this year and is undefeated thus far, thorn has not even wrestled, yet somehow is jumping up in the rankings. I think Thorn is about ~12 right now

**LoSt** · 11-26-2009, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by JensenS

I don't think I would have cared that much either way. My level of happiness in life isn't dependent on where various college wrestlers fall in the rankings at their respective weights.

So in your opinion right here you think Thorn should be ranked #9.

I won't even harp on the fact that one of those guys that you said should be in front of Thorn had just as poor of a postseason as he did and was defeated by Thorn every time that they wrestled last year.

I guess I don't see the point of the outrage about five spots in the rankings (with both spots being in the top ten) after just a month of the season.

Cleveland is a returning AA who just beat Diaz and is undefeated on the year

**goferphan** · 11-26-2009, 08:34 PM

Thorn has wrestled this year albeit not against very good competiion. That being said, Thorn also has some really quality wins last year against pretty decently ranked wreslters and has hung in very close against guys like Drouin, Russell and Gallick and beaten Jaggers.

**Gantry** · 11-26-2009, 08:53 PM

That was a good article, to me it sounds like a guy who is really burnt out of wrestling. Seems like an interesting guy, but he definitely needed a redshirt year to recharge the batteries and get the juices flowing again.

**Lancers149** · 11-26-2009, 08:56 PM

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree with Thorn's ranking. The kid is very good. He beat Jaggers twice and Molinaro three times. I saw him give Tanelli all he wanted a couple times. I like Thorn anywhere from fourth to seventh in the rankings. It will work itself out on the mat. As I said, Diaz had some bad losses last year and not as many quality wins as Thorn. Plus, he had a common opponent loss (Novachkov). Cleveland was an AA in 2008, which I don't think is all that relevant now, plus Thorn beat Cleveland in a head-to-head meeting last season. Thorn belongs higher than Cleveland, Diaz, and Nauman, who was 0-2 against Molinaro.

**goferphan** · 11-26-2009, 09:01 PM

I think the key to Thorn this year is some consistency. I think he got spanked last year by Prater and had some pretty eye opening losses. He needs to know when to go after points and when to try to just stay in a match against the higher level competition. I love his attacking style but I think he got a little sloppy sometimes last year. If he cleans it up and wrestles consistently and puts himself in a position at Big Ten's to finish 2nd or 3rd, he will get a better seed and not have to take on a guy like Drouin so early at NCAA's. The key will be a decent seed and a couple of early round wins, then the sky's the limit. Alright, the turkey is making me light headed so I will stop again.

Thread Tools

Display