[smoot27]

Evans - will be a future champion contender, but right now he is closer to a round of 12 talent. I overlooked the Fittery match, but Abdurakmonov schooled him and he is a boarderline AA at best.

Marion - He is wrestling lethargically. I have no doubt he will be ready by March, but I would like to see a better sense of urgency now.

GG - He will be a round of 12 at best at 197. Hopefully he works hard to get back down to his more competitive weight so we have a legit AA contender

McDonough - I'm not worried at all, but he is still a little sloppy at times. He did the same last season too and was back to his dominating self by the middle of the season.

Lofthouse - I expect him to be around a round of 12 talent this season. Could be a darkhorse.

On a positive note, Ramos looks like the real deal. No way he doesn't AA this year. I wouldn't be surprised if he competes with Oliver.

Telford also looks like a big improvement at hwt. At least it's nice to see a hwt with some offense after watching Rasing all last year.

[ICAlumni]

Originally Posted by smoot27

Evans - will be a future champion contender, but right now he is closer to a round of 12 talent. I overlooked the Fittery match, but Abdurakmonov schooled him and he is a boarderline AA at best.

Marion - He is wrestling lethargically. I have no doubt he will be ready by March, but I would like to see a better sense of urgency now.

GG - He will be a round of 12 at best at 197. Hopefully he works hard to get back down to his more competitive weight so we have a legit AA contender

McDonough - I'm not worried at all, but he is still a little sloppy at times. He did the same last season too and was back to his dominating self by the middle of the season.

Lofthouse - I expect him to be around a round of 12 talent this season. Could be a darkhorse.

On a positive note, Ramos looks like the real deal. No way he doesn't AA this year. I wouldn't be surprised if he competes with Oliver.

Telford also looks like a big improvement at hwt. At least it's nice to see a hwt with some offense after watching Rasing all last year.

Don't disagree with anything you said.
Marion looked lethargic today but hasn't up to this point.
Evans is disappointing right now but for as much as he is - Moore is even moreso. I thought both of these guys had AA talent this year and they may, but right now they are struggling. It's especially disappointing considering Moore is dropping a weight and should be stronger.
Didn't like Lofthouse's 2nd and 3rd period energy today. Got a lead and coasted - that's a recipe for disaster.
Vinnie Wagner is a pleasant surprise right now. Thought Fahler would grab the reigns here but he hasn't.
Kelly is just a step away from being a really solid 149 right now. I like him paired with Dziewa for depth.

[smoot27]

We have a boatload of young talent. I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of development by March. Hopefully guys like Evans, Telford and Lofthouse gain confidence and contend for AA status.

[ih8olives]

I like evans alot, reminds me of mark perry, tremendous mat skills coupled with great defensive scoring, i think he will put it together as he gets more used to the cut, you gotta remember two years ago this weekend he was schooling campolatano (#1 in the nation at the time) wrestling 25 lbs heavier than he was today, and yet we freak out over what the cut does to Mcd

[ICAlumni]

Originally Posted by ih8olives

I like evans alot, reminds me of mark perry, tremendous mat skills coupled with great defensive scoring, i think he will put it together as he gets more used to the cut, you gotta remember two years ago this weekend he was schooling campolatano (#1 in the nation at the time) wrestling 25 lbs heavier than he was today, and yet we freak out over what the cut does to Mcd

Very good point - he was a 184 pounder and projected at that weight in college too.
What's more troubling is Nick Moore getting pinned twice. How does that happen?

[HerkeyHawk]

Originally Posted by ih8olives

I like evans alot, reminds me of mark perry, tremendous mat skills coupled with great defensive scoring, i think he will put it together as he gets more used to the cut, you gotta remember two years ago this weekend he was schooling campolatano (#1 in the nation at the time) wrestling 25 lbs heavier than he was today, and yet we freak out over what the cut does to Mcd

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Evans wrestled 189 weighing somewhere in the mid to upper 70's fully clothed. In fact, I believe his family posted as much on TOS.

[castille]

I don't think Evans is a disappointment. I don't think Moore is a disappointment. The posters who label these wrestlers as third, fourth, or fifth place finishers at Nationals are the disappointments. Saying that McDonough is sloppy at times is hilarious. Grant has got the talent to wrestle at 197 but not the strength. I agree with you ih8olives.

[TheGreatTobini]

Please step away from the ledge. Things that we can take away from the Midlands thus far are pretty good.

125: Matt didn't really show us much till after the Midlands last year absolutely NOTHING to worry about here.

133: Ramos looks GREAT and is starting to make a believer out of me. Coming from a guy that has been anti Ramos for a long time that says a lot!!!

141: Marion will get destroyed tonight and may be in more trouble after Jan. 5th so hopefully he either gets going and becomes more consistant or we could have issues here also.

149: Although I am a HUGE Carew backer Kelly should get ranked after this weekend which is a Huge step in the right direction.

157: While Moore did not have a bad tourny our guy is DSJ. I said before and I will say it again he WILL BE A NATIONAL CHAMP this year!!!!

165: Evans did not have a terrible tourny either a lot of good things came away from the Midlands for him. He never quit and kept fighting. He's a solid wrestler just a few expectations that were a bit high for him out of the gate.

174: Lofthouse has a chance to be in the top 5 again with a win tonight nothing wrong with that. He did coast a bit against Blanton but he will be fine.

184: Wagner.... Seriously, I was/am happy with his performance and wish he had a few more years to develop a bit more.

197: GG is only been wrestling for about a month and everybodyelse has 2 months experience on him. Do I think 197 is right for him...... NO but its not my choice.

Hwt: Telford..... He finally beats the 1 kid that he could never beat and advances on and just might be in the top 5 after this weekend.

All and all I am pretty happy here's to hoping all our guys win tonight but if they don't its still early and we have some time to improve guys. We are ahead of last year by light years.

[ICAlumni]

Marion will not get destroyed tonight. He's not going to get destroyed all year. He may lose, but he's too good to get destroyed.

Moore did not have a good tourney - he got pinned twice. No one considers that good... especially Nick.

Evans lack of aggressiveness and early brain-farts to get behind big are troubling. He's going to be an outstanding wrestler but he needs to get his head on right.

Carew is finished. There are already two wrestlers at his weight better than him. I think Brands is done with him.

Lastly, I think McD will win the NT but if you aren't worried with how he's looked so far then you need to watch him some more. I've talked with a lot of long time wrestling fans and season ticket holders and to a man, they all agree that something is off with him. Do I think he'll get it right by Nationals? Yes. I'm glad he didn't get Mele in the finals.

[smoot27]

Originally Posted by castille

I don't think Evans is a disappointment. I don't think Moore is a disappointment. The posters who label these wrestlers as third, fourth, or fifth place finishers at Nationals are the disappointments. Saying that McDonough is sloppy at times is hilarious. Grant has got the talent to wrestle at 197 but not the strength. I agree with you ih8olives.

McDonough has been sloppy at times this year. ISU match he was gassed in the third as well against Delgado.

Moore got stuck twice. Not sure how that isn't disappointing

Have the talent to wrestle a weight but not the strength huh? I suppose McDonough has the talent to wrestle 184 but just not the strength GG is out of his element at 97 and needs to go down period.

Learn the sport.

[ih8olives]

Originally Posted by HerkeyHawk

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Evans wrestled 189 weighing somewhere in the mid to upper 70's fully clothed. In fact, I believe his family posted as much on TOS.

Well if you read it in a post than it must be true...

[HerkeyHawk]

Originally Posted by ih8olives

Well if you read it in a post than it must be true...

Yeah, you're right...his family would have no idea. Get real.

[castille]

Well smoot, after sixty years, I do know wrestling. If you watched Gambralls matches you would have noticed not much offense. He'd get in on the legs but could never finish. If Moore was the starter then I'd be concerned somewhat. You have to remember the quality of wrestlers evans faced. Evans senior year he weighed around 177#. Don't be telling me to learn the sport.

[CRwrestling]

my biggest disapointment is montel. still trying to wait until the last 30 seconds to win big matches. evans is still in his first year in the lineup as a freshman, and hasn't quit fighting in any match, no way that is disappointing.

tobini, are you mark reiland? you are the only poster/fan who still has doubts that ramos is better than moore, has faith that carrew is an aa, and puts st. john ahead of dake.

[ih8olives]

Originally Posted by HerkeyHawk

Yeah, you're right...his family would have no idea. Get real.

Thus my point, someone goes on the internet and claims to be someones family member and you take it for gospel? Besides that, what was your point? That since he was wrestling 189 weighing 175 it's less impressive ? More impressive? That he should be doing better at 165? Worse?

2 Years ago he was the number one ranked 189 in the nation, now he is wrestling 165, hes a freshman with an amazing skill set, but I think he has trouble wrestling from behind, and he needs to score first, when he has scored early (ben jordan match) he gets on a roll winning scrambles, and scoring points on top and defensively. Like I said, I see alot of mark perry in him and we all know how that turned out... or atleast I am sure one of Perrys family members can post his credentials on TOM, to establish credibility.