Iowa v. Minnesota BTN Replay Thoughts

[Gantry]

I feel like this board uses size too much as an "excuse" with regards to Sanders. This guy wrestled 119 pounds in 2007 and was good enough to be high school national champ - are we really saying in 4 years he can't gain another 6 pounds and still be at the top of the heap? He's a great wrestler but just a notch below the best-of-the-best. No shame in that, but I'm not buying the size differential. The top3 wrestlers are simply better...

[goferphan]

I guess I thought we were talking about hypothetical situations, not reality. I would assume that McDonough would need to be down 4 going in to the 3rd to most likely take neutral and just over a minute riding time.

[r.payton@att.net]

You'd best loan Sanders a ball bat if you want him up 4 going in to the third against McD-

[vaisforlovers]

It's not that he doesn't weight 125 pounds. I'm sure that he does. It's the fact that the other guys shrink their 140+ pound bodies down to 125.0 pounds of "Steel." Once the big guys get their weight down it's a very tough match up giving up that much length/strength.

Look at guys he's had trouble with:
Mcd=Huge
Esco=Huge(135 as senior in HS)
Long=Now at 133
Jarrod Garnett=Big, strong, explosive
Anthony Robles=Freak Strength

Sanders is very skilled but when he wrestles other guys with size and skill he struggles. You can discount his size as a disadvantage all you want, but in my opinion it is a factor.

Do you think Sanders lost to Garnett because of Garnetts superior technique and conditioning? Or are there other factors in play?

[grimreaper]

The only way sanders will ever beat McDonough is if McDonough forfeits. Gambrall quits in the third period. It doesn't matter if he is leading the match or losing. Trust me, I have watched him wrestle the last five years.

[goferphan]

That's a pretty solid list of guys to lose too, just saying.

[Gantry]

Do you think Sanders lost to Garnett because of Garnetts superior technique and conditioning? Or are there other factors in play?

Garnett beat him by 10 points and it was the first match at NCAAs, right after weigh-ins. Isn't that when these huge guys are most likely to struggle? I think he outwrestled him and was the better man that day. I think if you both weigh in at the same weight an hour (or is it longer at NCAAs?) before and you win by 10, you won on your wrestling ability.

[vaisforlovers]

As I said if they manage their weight properly. Garnett clearly did. Hour weigh ins don't matter if you are managing your weight properly.

[Gantry]

Fair enough, but I'm still of the opinion that he won stricly on wrestling ability that day and not size advantage. We'll agree to disagree.