My apologies to Cash Wilcke...

[Nashville_Hawkeye]

Team: A couple weeks ago, I stated words to the effect that I thought Cash was ranked too high and that I didn't think he had a chance of finishing in the top 15 come March. After watching him perform thus far this year, I wanted to offer the young man my humble apology and say that I'm impressed with what I'm seeing. Hope to see him continuing the run with a victory tonight.

 

[MilleGinja]

Team: A couple weeks ago, I stated words to the effect that I thought Cash was ranked too high and that I didn't think he had a chance of finishing in the top 15 come March. After watching him perform thus far this year, I wanted to offer the young man my humble apology and say that I'm impressed with what I'm seeing. Hope to see him continuing the run with a victory tonight.

Glad to see you come around and admit your error, but he finished in the top 12 last year, what made you think he wouldn't at least repeat that this year?

 

[Nashville_Hawkeye]

Glad to see you come around and admit your error, but he finished in the top 12 last year, what made you think he wouldn't at least repeat that this year?

Dunno...just wasn't convinced. Safe to say that I'm now on that team bus. He's looked impressive thus far this year...

 

[crablegs1]

What is his best win this year? An OT win over a true fresh that he trains with? Cash is solid, but I want to see more.

 

[woodsiding]

My turn: I truly thought that there was no chance that Carter Happel would ever sniff the lineup at Iowa. He has surpassed where I thought he'd be, and is wrestling really well. He's a gritty fighter who is making fast improvements.

 

[Nashville_Hawkeye]

What is his best win this year? An OT win over a true fresh that he trains with? Cash is solid, but I want to see more.

An OT win to Warner isn't all that bad...just ask Willie Miklus and Jake Smith (ranked 2nd and 5th). Seriously though, he's beating the opponents who are put in front of him. We'll see what he does tonight against Mattiace...

 

[Nashville_Hawkeye]

My turn: I truly thought that there was no chance that Carter Happel would ever sniff the lineup at Iowa. He has surpassed where I thought he'd be, and is wrestling really well. He's a gritty fighter who is making fast improvements.

I concur. I definitely didn't think he would be our guy, but like you sad he's just a gritty fighter who seems to be getting better as the season goes.

 

[EWCEWC60]

I wonder if improvements by our guys are due to great coaching and wrestling against a collection of “room” guys?!?

 

[MitchL]

Team: A couple weeks ago, I stated words to the effect that I thought Cash was ranked too high and that I didn't think he had a chance of finishing in the top 15 come March. After watching him perform thus far this year, I wanted to offer the young man my humble apology and say that I'm impressed with what I'm seeing. Hope to see him continuing the run with a victory tonight.

That guy that posts stats also vastly underestimated $$$. $$$ might be dictating 184/197 next season.

 

[artradley]

Glad to see you come around and admit your error, but he finished in the top 12 last year, what made you think he wouldn't at least repeat that this year?

Didn't Gunther finish top 12? There's no guarantee any wrestler matches their previous season.

 

[Dagboi]

I concur. I definitely didn't think he would be our guy, but like you sad he's just a gritty fighter who seems to be getting better as the season goes.

He has a strong resume coming into the season.....4-timer, great HS record, redshirt record of 22-3. Takes a lot of technical skill to achieve that consistency over time.....Looks like he’s figuring out how to translate his game to the college level, the more mat time he gets.

 

[T8KUDWN]

What is his best win this year? An OT win over a true fresh that he trains with? Cash is solid, but I want to see more.

Way to be a douche canoe in a complimentary/positive post about a Hawkeye wrestler.

 

[sstark46]

Didn't Gunther finish top 12? There's no guarantee any wrestler matches their previous season.

Gunther was R16 last year

 

[IAChief32]

Didn't Gunther finish top 12? There's no guarantee any wrestler matches their previous season.

No

 

[SPOONER]

Didn't Gunther finish top 12? There's no guarantee any wrestler matches their previous season.

Gunther wasn’t top 12, no. And let’s face it—Wilke had a hell of a National tourney but he didn’t have a good year last year and was only at the tourney because someone got hurt.

 

[Czech Hawk]

I have been saying Cash is underestimated. He has totally been disrespected by the uncorner the Warner stuff. Now I think Jwar is amazing and after seeing this tournament he needs the time to learn. He is going to be amazing and has great upside. I wish Cash like some of our others would open up earlier. Guys he should beat by more, he doesn't.

 

[IAChief32]

I have been saying Cash is underestimated. He has totally been disrespected by the uncorner the Warner stuff. Now I think Jwar is amazing and after seeing this tournament he needs the time to learn. He is going to be amazing and has great upside. I wish Cash like some of our others would open up earlier. Guys he should beat by more, he doesn't.

I don't know if Warner needs time to learn...I think its a size thing and always have. He was smaller (muscle-wise) than pretty much every guy he wrestled. Brucki from Princeton was built like a brick shithouse. Wilcke was the next smallest guy. Shooting in on a big 97 as much as Warner does takes a lot of strength...he was done by the end of the day. Right now, he would be fine in duals but a tourney with 3 to 4 matches in a day, he needs more strength to finish. He can one off anybody in the country IMO when he is fresh.

 

[Czech Hawk]

I don't know if Warner needs time to learn...I think its a size thing and always have. He was smaller (muscle-wise) than pretty much every guy he wrestled. Brucki from Princeton was built like a brick shithouse. Wilcke was the next smallest guy. Shooting in on a big 97 as much as Warner does takes a lot of strength...he was done by the end of the day. Right now, he would be fine in duals but a tourney with 3 to 4 matches in a day, he needs more strength to finish. He can one off anybody in the country IMO when he is fresh.

I hear ya, I just think he was making rookie mistakes is all. Like letting his guard down some at the edge of the mat. Things that are relatively easy fixes. How to wrestle certain guys, and knowing how they will try to exploit him. The size definitely can be attributing to his issues getting out from the bottom at times. He has the flashes of brilliance and can beat anyone, yes anyone. CM has shown vulnerabilities.

 

[Dagboi]

If Warner's size issues appear to be more of a challenge for him than for Wilcke, what do we think about seeing Warnerov cut down to 184 next year, where his strength will be a real leg up? He seems to have the heart and desire to make such a cut, even if we are talking about 13 American Beef lbs.

 

[Nashville_Hawkeye]

If Warner's size issues appear to be more of a challenge for him than for Wilcke, what do we think about seeing Warnerov cut down to 184 next year, where his strength will be a real leg up? He seems to have the heart and desire to make such a cut, even if we are talking about 13 American Beef lbs.

My friend, I don't know that he's got 13 pounds to give. He looks pretty lean right now...

 

[Chuck C]

If Warner's size issues appear to be more of a challenge for him than for Wilcke, what do we think about seeing Warnerov cut down to 184 next year, where his strength will be a real leg up? He seems to have the heart and desire to make such a cut, even if we are talking about 13 American Beef lbs.

I don’t think it’s a size issue as much as a strength issue. Warner still has the build of a high school kid. As the saying goes, 197 is a “man’s weight.” Some of the guys he was wrestling were physical brutes.

He’ll be completely fine after a year in the weight room under Rutt. He has the technique and skill right now, just not the physical strength to go through the grind of a prolonged tourney.

He obviously doesn’t like losing! I’m confident he’ll get it figured out and learn from this past weekend.

 

[Neo_Hawk]

Agree that another year is the answer. 1 off match he hangs with any 197 out there, he has proven that. But he looked gasses at the end of the Wilke match and ready to pass out in the match after that.

As was said before , 97 is a man's weight. Kid is a future national champ, no doubt in my mind, and judging from his reaction to a loss, gonna be one he'll of a competitor.

 

[MVPFAN]

If Warner's size issues appear to be more of a challenge for him than for Wilcke, what do we think about seeing Warnerov cut down to 184 next year, where his strength will be a real leg up? He seems to have the heart and desire to make such a cut, even if we are talking about 13 American Beef lbs.

Warner is not making 184 IMO. Cash should be able to make it if Brooks could. If he can't or does not want to then I guess he or Warner will be sitting but that is piss poor planning. This is where the coach needs to earn his money and make sure his talent gets on the mat. Wilke needed to get stronger but Brands needs to make sure he does not over bulk.

 

[24 so far]

That guy that posts stats also vastly underestimated $$$. $$$ might be dictating 184/197 next season.

When Wilcke starts beating the guys that Warner already has at the very start of his College career, I'm on board, until then it's a pipe dream.

 

[DonHawkeye]

Cash has a legitimate case for the #2 ranking.

 

[artradley]

Didn't Gunther finish top 12? There's no guarantee any wrestler matches their previous season.

Gunther wasn’t top 12, no. And let’s face it—Wilke had a hell of a National tourney but he didn’t have a good year last year and was only at the tourney because someone got hurt.

I guess I misremembered, but your last sentence is my point: there's no guarantee anybody matches or exceeds last year's NCAA finish. It wasn't outlandish for anybody to be pessimistic about $$$ this season.

 

[MilleGinja]

Warner is not making 184 IMO. Cash should be able to make it if Brooks could. If he can't or does not want to then I guess he or Warner will be sitting but that is piss poor planning. This is where the coach needs to earn his money and make sure his talent gets on the mat. Wilke needed to get stronger but Brands needs to make sure he does not over bulk.

Brands job is to make the plans for Wilcke's weight class now and in the next two seasons. Rutt's job is to get a Wilcke to the right weight so that he can stick to that plan.

 

[SPOONER]

I guess I misremembered, but your last sentence is my point: there's no guarantee anybody matches or exceeds last year's NCAA finish. It wasn't outlandish for anybody to be pessimistic about $$$ this season.

No one thinks there are guarantees in wrestling or life. People do believe there are indicators.

Pessimism is a vague term. Would it have been pessimistic for someone to say they think this year Wilcke could qualify for Nationals and win some matches? I don’t think that would have been a pessimistic opinion but others may disagree.