InterMat profile: Lehigh's David Craig

[LoSt]

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.

Rankings are based primarily off where you finished last year, and what you did lately. Thorn did not finish well at all last year and has done nothing lately. Diaz finished as a R12, has been actively competing against quality opposition, with his only loss coming to Cleveland. Sure Cleveland was an AA in 2008, but he was still an AA, and more importantly he has started off the season very well with 3 falls and a convincing win over R12 Diaz.

Again, I'm not saying Thorn cannot pan out to be a top 10 guy this year. And as a minny fan I hope he does. But to rank him at #4 at this point in time is simply ludicrous and I cant believe people are even trying to defend it.

[JensenS]

Nobody is defending it.

Most people who I see here are relatively indifferent, save for you of course.

[LoSt]

"I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree with Thorn's ranking. The kid is very good."

[Lancers149]

A. Thorn had a better overall SEASON last year than Diaz.

B. Diaz has only wrestled one quality opponent this season, which resulted in a loss to a wrestler Thorn beat last season.

C. You can't drop Thorn simply because Minnesota has not wrestled anyone of note yet. That's not his fault. He has won all the matches he has wrestled.

D. This thread is supposed to be about David Craig. I apologize for my posts not related to the subject.

[LoSt]

A. Thorn had a better overall SEASON last year than Diaz.

B. Diaz has only wrestled one quality opponent this season, which resulted in a loss to a wrestler Thorn beat last season.

C. You can't drop Thorn simply because Minnesota has not wrestled anyone of note yet. That's not his fault. He has won all the matches he has wrestled.

D. This thread is supposed to be about David Craig. I apologize for my posts not related to the subject.

A. Diaz had a better season then thorn and beat more quality opponents with less losses. You are putting wayyyy too much stock in a depleted Jaggers, who dropped a ton of matches and was as low as #17 or so in the rankings before he came back at the end of the year (in which he avenged his losses to Thorn).

B. Diaz has lost to a top 10 guy this season and is 7-1 on the year with a championship in the Navy classic. What Thorn did against cleveland a year ago is completely irrelevant to this set of rankings. Thorn has wrestled 0 guys who are even in the top 30.

C. We aren't "dropping" thorn from anything. He should never have been highly ranked in the first place, and he has won 0 quality matches this year, so should not have moved up from his initial ~15ish ranking.


D. You are a wrong.

[Lancers149]

My point is Thorn should have been higher than Diaz to start the season and should not be lower now just because he has not competed as much as Diaz. That's out of his control. Thorn is undefeated and Diaz has a loss to a wrestler Thorn beat. Seems pretty simple. Championship at the Navy Classic? Come on. Is that worth bringing up? I'm sure Thorn gets a better workout in the Gopher wrestling room.

[LoSt]

My point is Thorn should have been higher than Diaz to start the season and should not be lower now just because he has not competed as much as Diaz. That's out of his control. Thorn is undefeated and Diaz has a loss to a wrestler Thorn beat. Seems pretty simple. Championship at the Navy Classic? Come on. Is that worth bringing up? I'm sure Thorn gets a better workout in the Gopher wrestling room.

How can you possibly argue that an US guy who went 1-2 should be ranked higher then an US guy who made the R12 in the preseason? That just boggles my mind... Do you only follow the b10?

I will re-iterate that I am a Gopher fan and I really want to see Thorn take that next step this year, but his ranking is grossly undeserved at this point.

[Lancers149]

No, I don't just follow Big Ten. Mack Lewnes went 0-2 at the NCAAs last season. Does that mean he should not be ranked ahead of 2009 AAs and R12 guys? Of course not. You have to take EVERYTHING into account.

[LoSt]

No, I don't just follow Big Ten. Mack Lewnes went 0-2 at the NCAAs last season. Does that mean he should not be ranked ahead of 2009 AAs and R12 guys? Of course not. You have to take EVERYTHING into account.

News flash: He was ranked behind 2009 AAs, and rightfully so. Is Mike Miller really the #1 guy in the country? No, but he's earned that spot until he loses it.

You can try to argue that Mike thorn is a better wrestler then Chris Diaz, and I wont take a side either way. but to say he should be ranked higher, ESPECIALLY from the pre-season rankings, is just assinine.