For those interested in the Russian mindset, here is an interview with their Head Coach:

[MSU158]

http://www.michigangrappler.com/news_article/show/651548?referrer_id=1024517


Here is the opening:

(MOSCOW, May 22) Russia wrestling team head coach Dzhambulat Tedeev shared his thoughts and plans about the qualification plan for the Russia Wrestling Olympic team members, the mass brawl on the wrestling mat and the doping scandal.

Russia Freestyle Wrestling Championship 2016 will start next week in Yakutsk on May 26 where the Russia freestyle wrestling Olympic team will be formed to represent Russia at the summer Olympic Games 2016 in Rio, Brazil. One of the most successful wrestling coaches Dzhambulat Tedeev spoke about the importance of the Russia National Championship and how the selection will be organized...............

 

[Tommy Gavin]

 

[255]

Makes a ton of sense to me.

 

[JohnBasedow]

I'm sure the Ohio State dorks are pounding their chest saying this proves their point. They fail to realize that Mahkov and Sadulaev are not in the same category as Stieber. Then again, they fail to realize a lot of things in life.

 

[255]

I think it goes beyond that.
It is one reason they are successful.
A guy who has a great year internationally has one bad tournament and the team ends up with someone with little or no experience. Sometimes that works out but not often enough.
Forget current issues. We have a system and the guys on the team earned their spots. Go USA.
To be the best in the world, we need to look at what the best are doing and see if we can move forward with new ideas.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I'm sure the Ohio State dorks are pounding their chest saying this proves their point. They fail to realize that Mahkov and Sadulaev are not in the same category as Stieber. Then again, they fail to realize a lot of things in life.

Can't wait to hear from CMag, Mojo, Bojo, Nojo, NATO, Sojo, Hump and the rest. Dorks is right.

If Logie Bear didn't give up 87 points a match in freestyle maybe he'd be the rep

 

[artradley]

I think it goes beyond that.
It is one reason they are successful.
A guy who has a great year internationally has one bad tournament and the team ends up with someone with little or no experience. Sometimes that works out but not often enough.
Forget current issues. We have a system and the guys on the team earned their spots. Go USA.
To be the best in the world, we need to look at what the best are doing and see if we can move forward with new ideas.

Exactly. No sense whining about this year, but we should reconsider the notion of a single, high stakes tournament as the method. I prefer a "body of work" approach.

 

[MSU158]

The only U.S. freestylers this would apply to would be Burroughs and Dlagnev. The only reason it would not apply to Snyder is because he had the defending Olympic Champ in his weight class. I would love to say it should/could/would have applied to Metcalf but, even though he had dominated his U.S. competition for some time, he hadn't done enough at World level competitions to warrant it.

By Russian logic heading into the OTT:

57kg: Wide open. Ramos had been the guy for a stretch but no significant Internationational Hardware(although he deserves credit for qualifying the weight).

66kg: Wide open. They may have had a meetings of the minds after the surprise win from Molinaro, but I just don't see anyone warranting a replacement considering how both Metcalf and Green are the only 2 with a solid argument, neither had qualified the weight, and they both had horrible tournaments.

74kg: No brainer. Just like Sadulaev, Burroughs would be exempt, training through Nationals and the OTT.

86kg: By far the most wide open weight and I am positive they would have seen enough from Cox to stick with him.

97kg: They would wrestle the OTT but, If it somehow ended up being neither Snyder or Varner, I think you would see one of them for sure.

120kg: A healthy, or close to it, Dlagnev would most likely get a free ride considering how awful(Rey has been ok but has ZERO offense) the rest of the field has been. Very similar to why they had Makhov wrestle both Freestyle and Greco last year but, being an Olympic year, they are focusing on Freestyle.

 

[255]

That still kinda uses our same logic.
Makes sense.
We would have to look at the whole years body of work to apply what they do. In most cases your right. There still would need to be a tournament to break ties. Frank beat metcalf heads up and is going. I will still lean towards his experience to give a better chance at this weight. I don't see a medal out of frank but that means nothing. He could catch fire. Many colleges use a
Similar system to decide the line up as the Russians do. In many ways, it is a better system. If we are smart, we would look to take some things from it and add it to ours. Look to innovate the system and bring the best we can.

This year is done and it was fair. No question. The rules were applied and the system has worked. Having said that, it does not mean a change is bad going forward if those changes make our team better.

 

[NYWRESTLER94]

I'm sure the Ohio State dorks are pounding their chest saying this proves their point. They fail to realize that Mahkov and Sadulaev are not in the same category as Stieber. Then again, they fail to realize a lot of things in life.

yeah and penn state just has a ton of rational fans