Carter Starocci, Cael's Hodge-block, and Hotel California

[Is_there_vodka_in_heaven]

Rule is that he had to come out to the mat twice to take losses in order to be eligible for an NCAA at-large.

Is that right? Is that a new rule? Has the at large process changed? What if he had a sickness or something that prevented him from weighing in that day.

Ridiculous rule imo. He should've been eligible to qualify for nationals this year without having lost multiple matches his MFF at big tens. He didn't win a match there. How does him going and medically forfeiting make him any more qualified than not wrestling there? Absurd, illogical rule.

 

[sstark46]

Is that right? Is that a new rule? Has the at large process changed? What if he had a sickness or something that prevented him from weighing in that day.

Ridiculous rule imo. He should've been eligible to qualify for nationals this year without having lost multiple matches his MFF at big tens. He didn't win a match there. How does him going and medically forfeiting make him any more qualified than not wrestling there? Absurd, illogical rule.

This is nothing new, guys have been doing this for years if they are banged up heading into the conference tournaments but will be healthy enough to wrestle at nationals.
It is a new rule as of this year, however, that athletes need to compete in 2 matches at the qualifying tournament, in past years just one match was required. And these need to be actual, "competed" matches, not just MFFs, which means that the athlete has to at least take the mat and have the match start for it to count. Starocci started both of his matches and injury defaulted at 1 second to meet this criteria.

 

[Rotisserie Scrotz]

Is that right? Is that a new rule? Has the at large process changed? What if he had a sickness or something that prevented him from weighing in that day.

Ridiculous rule imo. He should've been eligible to qualify for nationals this year without having lost multiple matches his MFF at big tens. He didn't win a match there. How does him going and medically forfeiting make him any more qualified than not wrestling there? Absurd, illogical rule.

Just the way it is (and has been). If you don’t show up, weigh in, toe the line, and “wrestle” for at least 1 second, it does not count as a match. No match = no particpation = ineligible for NCAAs.

 

[WildTurk]

Starocci was not a longshot to win the Hodge at any point this year. He's been on everyone's short list all season long.

Flowrestling (JD Rader) had Carter as #1 in their January 10 Hodge rankings and moved him all the way down to #2 in the February 19 rankings.

Hodge Voting Criteria are Record, Bonus-Point%, Quality of Competition, and Sportsmanship. Without these two Cael-mandated losses, Carter was trying to go undefeated for a 3rd straight year so his record was not going to be an issue. His bonus % going into Big 10s was 91.6%. His Quality of Competition was shaping up to be competitive. And we all know that Sportsmanship is just a category to allow people to vote the eye test, career results, or for a split between two media favorites like Brooks-Starocci.

"SPORTSMANSHIP"

Carter was never going to win the Hodge

 

[jneffer]

"SPORTSMANSHIP"

Carter was never going to win the Hodge

i dont' know...i thought they might do a "shared" hodge with brooks and starocci if they both get their 4th

still could, i guess

 

[ping72]

i dont' know...i thought they might do a "shared" hodge with brooks and starocci if they both get their 4th

still could, i guess

Am I crazy in thinking that the Hodge is Keegan O’Toole’s to lose? Especially if he goes through Hall/Olejnik, Carr, then Mess?

His bonus percentage is lower, but he’s had a tougher schedule.

 

[bourbon n blues]

i dont' know...i thought they might do a "shared" hodge with brooks and starocci if they both get their 4th

still could, i guess

Yeah, Carter isn't that bad sportsmanship wise.

 

[Agoodnap]

Thought you'd like to know.

 

[moug]

Thought you'd like to know.

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You didn’t hear our collective sighs of relief?

 

[raslen007]

Thought you'd like to know.

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Pretty much what we already knew was going to happen.

 

[USPMAN]

With age comes wisdom…..
But I’m also a beleiever in letting kids nake their own nistskes, and I am nonfan of heicpter parenting….
Carl is right, but beinf eight is bit the piont tn be nde here…..
When tou got a stroenf head on your handss, give the strong head the oportjnity ti rove himself righr or wronf.
Im no starfish fan, but carl nees ton step aside here and let the dide rove hisself.

 

[Rotisserie Scrotz]

It was a LONG day….just don’t remember the afternoon onward very well.

 

[WildTurk]

Yeah, Carter isn't that bad sportsmanship wise.

Compared to Brooks?

 

[sstark46]

Compared to Brooks?

At least neither of them are doing the weird thing where they force themselves to "help" their opponent up like Nickal did his senior year

 

[bourbon n blues]

Compared to Brooks?

Compared to most athletes in say basketball and football yeah. Compared to Brooks? Brooks beats him imo.

Compared to that Guido doing splits and showing his butthole? Well he’s much better there lol.

This is social media and silliness associated with it but it accomplished its goal. Him being the most talked about person in the tournament.