vaisforlovers

Ok, so Iowa is the current front-runner...who is number 2?
I'm looking at Oh. St. and I'm thinking it's them...

any other thoughts? Does anyone think that right now Iowa is not the front runner? Minny was last year so we all know that is subject to change. Lets get some discussion going..

JensenS

Iowa State. Clark/Fanthorpe/Gallick/Mueller/Sanderson/Reader/Carr Jr./Ward/Varner/Zabriskie is a sick line up.

Maybe Ohio State make a run at it again with their new guys coming in

Herkey#1

Iowa State has alot returning and should be one of the top contenders, but I think that Ohio State has jumped them. Iowa State has a long history of underachieving. Last year they had a lineup that could have done some damage but failed to have a high placer besides Varner. Unless most of those AA's from last season step it up and place high on the stand I think that Ohio State takes second again this year or even pushes the Hawkeys for the title.

I take that last part back. Iowa has way too many guys that will finish very high this next year. Falck, Slaton, 141 (Tsirtsis, LeClere or Dennis), Metcalf, Borschel and Keddy are all title contenders.

Morningstar, Covington, Beatty and HWT (Ericson or Raising) will most likely all qualify and are AA contenders.

Lots of firepower!

JensenS

Great! So all ten guys in Iowa's line up are AA contenders at minimum and the majority of them are title contenders.

I don't see a bit of bias there, none whatsoever.

ISU2008

Not to pile on, but Fields was twice the wrestler as Rasing or Erekson and it took him 4 years to AA. Not to mention Beatty didn't even qualify last year. If he adds a lot of weight he will probably qualify but is a long, long shot to AA.

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Herkey#1

There is probably a bias there, but you can make an argument for all of it. Now, having said that they are title contenders doesnt mean that they will all win titles.

Falck has troubles with Ness. Ness may be moving up to 133. If he does that clears the way for Charlie. He has proven that he can beat anyone at that weight. He has also proven that he can give up back pts too, so you never know.

Slaton is a proven title contender.

141 is a little more sketchy but only because we dont' know who is going to get the nod. Tsirtsis has been in the talk since he arrived in IC but hasnt lived up to it yet. LeClere proved last season that he can beat anyone but can also lose to a lesser wrestler. And from the way it sounds Dennis may be better than both of them. I would say that all of those guys have the potential to be title contenders.

Metcalf!

Borschel got third last season. I would say that qualifies him to be a title contender.

Keddy stepped up his game immensly last season pushing him to aa status. With his work ethic and drive I believe that he can make another jump this season and be a high place winner and contend for a title.

M*, Covington, Beatty and HWT all have alot to prove. M* had a great tournament last year and could very well place this season. Covington has not done anything at the DI level yet, but I believe with the tutelage of Brands and Co and with the mindset of the Iowa wrestling room that he will definately make the tournament and possibly aa. Beatty was way undersized last season. He is putting on great weight this year and working on keeping his flexability and wrestling ability. He has the tools, just not the size...yet. Ericson and Raising are two different HWT's. Ericson is small but versatile and quick. He held his own against Zabriskie last year at the Harold Nichols Open and only lost to him by one or two. Raising is a big HWT and is a guy with alot of upside. Many people thought that both of those guys were better than Fields last season but needed a year to grow into the weight and the other a year to mature.

Hope you can see my excitement and realize that it is not just blind bias. I have reason to be very optomistic about this team.

JensenS

Hell, I don't begrudge you anything.

But if you don't think I'm going to enjoy myself this season as a fan of one of the pursuer teams, and take numerous pot shots at the unrealistic posts (I'm well aware that I myself made quite a few of these over the last few years) that get made by fans of the front runner, well my friend you've got another thing coming.

I think Falck, Slaton, Metcalf, Borschel, and Keddy are all AA's next year. The other five who knows...

Herkey#1

Fields may have been a huge recruit coming out of high school but he didnt improve like Ericson and Raising apparantly have. I'm not saying those guys are gonna win titles this year but I think whoever gets the spot has a legit shot at being an AA. Only time will tell, but I think it will happen.

graduated

no one should count out cornell this year. Returning 4 placers- 3 AA's and a National Champ. Also, Nickerson coming back is an obvious plus. They should have a pretty good team. Maybe someone who follows them alittle more will give us their opinion of the 08-09 Big Red.

goferphan

Big Red Top 5...

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