No Clark Tonight?
- Thread starter OpenWater
- Start date
Hey Vak, jammy agree's with you, so there's that.
Protecting seeds have nothing to do with this conversation, as Tom stated. he is more concerned about the athlete than the seed. He is a sure fire 1-3 Big10 seed no matter if he were to wrestle Nato or not. If he is 100% by then, then he will have his shot in the finals. If he wins that, he is certainly 1-3 seed at nationals, which if he is 100%, gives him a shot at the finals. Not sure the debate here. We should have won OSU without him, we did, he is injured, why risk further injury, it happens all the time in all sports.
Protecting a seed would be holding a guy out when he's not injured. Never seen it happen at Iowa. You play to win as a whole, for the season, it's not a pissing contest, every match.
BUT, I do accept the fact that this is your opinion and this is the place to voice it. I don't agree with it b/c the track record does not support what you are saying, but I don't view this as a troll job and respect your opinion. Jammy on the other hand, wow, you must have a pathetic life, sorry for that.
Whatever makes you feel better. On that forum they say I'm the biggest Hawk homer on the Internet, so....maybe I just state what is my actual opinion?
I'm not accusing him of protecting seeds. I have no idea what's going on in Brands' head. Protecting a seed is definitely a possibility, since it's not just about getting the 1 seed at Naitonals, but if Clark wrestles NaTo and loses, that's his second loss, and if he loses again at B1Gs, now you're looking at a likely 4 seed. But I don't know that that's why it happened. I simply said it was a bad look. If Brands had said he was banged up or reinjured, I'd probably never have mentioned it. But he said he could go and he chose to hold him back. It looks bad, to me. To me, unless a guy can't go, he should be out there, especially when it's the marquee match of the dual. I will always point it out when I see it because I think it damages our sport on a the whole to skip out on marquee in-season matchups.
And thank you for talking like an adult about it. I can obviously agree that people are more than welcome to disagree with me on something subjective like this.
You bring up a strong counterpoint in the "ducking for seed" argument. Whether Clark wrestled Nato or not last week, he would very likely be opposite Nato at B1G's anyway, and probably nationals too.
I guess I took this as, " he is obviously banged up, but could have gone if needed".
Of the many shortfalls Tom Brands has as a Head Coach, I do think he actually cares about promoting the sport and wrestling guys in duals whether it is "good" for them or not from a seeding perspective. Someone that comes up with something like the Grapple on the Gridiron and makes it come to fruition gives a damn about the "perception" IMO.
History suggests Tom Brands wouldn't duck anyone, I think that is pretty clear, IMO. That said, I don't know if this has been thrown out there before, and it's just a thought mind you, more speculation like everyone else is throwing out there........................ but I really think if Clark were a sophomore instead of a Senior, he'd have been more likely to go out against Nato in that dual and let the chips fall where they may, win, lose or more injury chances. I do really think there is an element in that regard, and Brands wants Clark to go as long as he can and as far as he can in his last year. Maybe it's B.S., but I think it's a factor in doing what he did and sitting Clark.
And lastly, seeding is a crapshoot and always has been. Every time you think you've got it figured out you'll get shit on a 1/2 dozen times.
Sure. Entirely possible. And I agree that Brands' history buys him more leeway than Ryan gets. Like I said, I don't KNOW why he sat him, I just think it's a bad look. People are free to disagree with that.
I get what you are saying that it is a “bad look”, but I would say only to a few. Those who follow fairly closely understand Clark is injured and not likely to be any healthier this year and is just gutting it out. On the PSU board we argued this and while some took the negative, I think most understand and give Brands and Clark the benefit of the doubt because it goes against everything we know about both, to think it was anything but necessary for his health, and to try to give him his shot at a NC.
Therefore to me, it is not a bad look at all. Admittedly, Clark is my favorite non-PSU wrestler and with Cortez out, I will be rooting for him to win. I have watched Clark favor his shoulder and just hope he has a shot come March. I think a 75% Clark can beat all the rest, but Nato is tough even at 100%.
It will be I think long odds (especially of being healthy enough), but I hope he at least gets his chance to try, therefore, imo, they should wrestle him as much or as little as his health determines, regardless of how it looks and regardless of seeding thoughts. Let the chips fall...
So an Hawk fan actually thinks Cory Clark is ducking someone.
Let's be honest, it was cute that some people said Stieber was ducking Ramos. No one actually believed that. That's not to say that Ryan hasn't done it. I believe he either sat or moved up Pucillo for a dual against someone (Herbert?), so I do think he's saved the seed before. But stop with the "rational" thinking that CC is ducking anyone.
Let's be honest, it was cute that some people said Stieber was ducking Ramos. No one actually believed that. That's not to say that Ryan hasn't done it. I believe he either sat or moved up Pucillo for a dual against someone (Herbert?), so I do think he's saved the seed before. But stop with the "rational" thinking that CC is ducking anyone.
Maybe Brands and Company are realizing there is little to gain at the end of the season tournys from having a roster filled with guys beat to sh..t? The competition is so close at the top, doesn't it make sense to error on the side of caution or, wait...........
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