Spencer’s competition in Turkey
- Thread starter edquinn06
- Start date
It would have been fixed if one of the world medalists challenged Zane. They probably didn't want to make the weight cut for Pan Am's and then the Olympic Qualifier, and likely looked at the field and thought Zane would qualify the weight with no problem.
Those decisions did not work out so well.
The unique circumstance is that he’s one of the best lightweight prospects ever and he’s finally healthy enough to compete at a high level internationally.
Except he wasn’t healthy enough to qualify for any of the criteria to challenge.
I love Spencer and think he would have won the spot if healthy last year. If the US National champ was a criteria he would have gotten a chance. It’s a slippery slope if we start saying….well he’s really good so he gets to challenge. Leading up to OTTs he had basically 0 tests on the senior international circuit.
At least Gary Dolphin doesn't have to try and pronounce that.
Just curious, have any of the wrestlers who chose not to challenge Zane actually come out and explained why? Seems like there are some obvious reasons they might not challenge, but curious if anyone has actually offered their reason in an interview.
Hopefully this ends as a nothing burger (Spencer easily qualifies the weight), but really does seem they need a better approach to ensuring that first and foremost, the darn weight gets qualified as early as possible.
Hopefully this ends as a nothing burger (Spencer easily qualifies the weight), but really does seem they need a better approach to ensuring that first and foremost, the darn weight gets qualified as early as possible.
Haven’t seen any official statements but Vito was battling injuries and trying to win a title at 133. Probly not in his best interest to make weight at 57 kg to challenge then again for the Pan Am qualifier and try to be a 133 full feed guy. Similar for Fix. Assuming since it’s a tough cut they wanted to be at their best for the OTT and not on the second time making weight with the risk of not getting the spot due to the difficulty of cutting twice
It was a weight issue. Also VIto and Fix wrestling NCAA.
Leads more credence to guys taking an Olympic AND moving the trials. It's too close to season.
I’m just not going to live in La La land and pretend Richards would’ve given team USA a better chance to qualify the weight than Lee. The criteria should have some wiggle room.
What’s the wiggle room? You have to have a standard. I don’t disagree that Lee>Richards. It was just proven. What criteria would you like changed? He has to qualify somehow. It can’t be just because we think he’s
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anon_0pi0cv8t1ggvb
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Some countries treat their Olympic representative more like sports teams do. Just because you win the wrestle off, doesn't mean you are guaranteed the spot. I don't think we should take it that far, but if you are the team rep and compete at worlds and don't medal, you should no longer be considered the team rep. You should go back to just being part of the field.
No problem with that. The question is when do you do the challenge tournament? Do u then do another for the Olympic spot? I’d be in favor of making the US Nationals winner the rep for unqualified weights.
The guy from Iran must have extremely WIDE shoulders because how the hell do you fit that last name on the back of a shirt or hoodie??? he would definitely be exempted from filling out any forms where you bubble in the letters of your last name and that kid NEVER had a chance to get a license plate for his bike with a name like his.
It is what it is for 57kg and 65 kg both Lee and Retherford need to get the job done. I have no doubt that if they both wrestle like they dd at the OTT the weights will be qualified. Lee looked incredible in his matches complete domination in all three. I was there watching he still amazes me because Richards and Gilman are strong wrestlers and Lee just over powered them! His knees looked fine in all his matches. IMO getting a few more matches in will be good for him.
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anon_0pi0cv8t1ggvb
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Yep. I liked Spencer's mentality, that he's treating the last chance qualifier as a blessing bc it gives him more competition in preparation for the Olympics. Should be good for him and hopefully build his confidence even more going into the Olympics.
I don't get why this is so confusing to people. Do you guys really believe we should just get to send a full team because we're the USA? Of course there's a process--just like literally every other Olympic sport. Not even the men's and women's basketball teams are guaranteed a spot in the games. They have to qualify.
That damned Jamaican bobsled team and Eddie the Eagle ruined everything.
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Huh? Who said that? I believe the process is flawed, and might be part of the reason the best freestyle team in the world only has 4/6 spots qualified.
who are you arguing with??? no one is saying that the Olympics should let the USA in if they don't qualify....
unless i have a bunch of people blocked and they are saying that.
There are multiple posts in this thread and other that clearly do not understand the qualifying process. "The qualifying weight thing is very confusing." Ummm...how? "We have been good for 10 years at this weight, so..." Like that's relevant.
But your offering no criteria that the one guy you want to have had a chance would have qualified under. Except we think he’s really good.
I love where your heart is at, but there's gotta be a process and I actually think we have a very good one. Not perfect, but very good.
I'm pretty sure his name is Spencer Leechiakvilichenkonavsky. So, we're good.
I know it may be risky because it would be subjective, but I wouldn't have a problem with leaving the criteria but allowing the head coach to make a final decision and override. Coaches get paid alot, they decide who wrestles on their team in NCAAs, and they should have a feel for who is hot, healthiest, and most likely to do well at a qualifier given the competitors. If they override and make bad choices, they are replaceable. At least give the process some flexibility when it comes to qualifying.
But does he train in natural light?
All of these guys are making an extreme pull to 57 KG i’m sure they did not want to stay down in weight any longer than they needed to
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If he is tall then his name could be written vertically down his back.
The solution to the entire situation is move the OTT. Every other country has their team selected prior to the continental qualifier. Move up the OTT. But, but what about the college guys? That’s what freaking ORS are for. We hold hostage the qualifying process because of college wrestling. That is a fact and it needs to stop.
Glad Spencer won the team trials, I think he is our best 57kg guy, but you had to be a 2024 NCAA champ to qualify, not just a previous NCAA champ.
He was the senior US Nationals champion in December. Not referring to NCAA.
I think the "We have been good at this weight" comment (without going back to read) is relevant to the extent that, if we have a weight class in which we excel, something is wrong with the process if we keep failing to qualify it.
One would figure if your country medaled at the weight in the prior Olympics, that country would auto qualify the weight for the next Olympics.
But it’s not shocking a big group of bureaucrats can’t keep it simple and have to make it much more complicated in the name of “fairness.”
Some folks might want to review the 1984 Gable, Randy Lewis, Lee Roy Smith controversy.
Training in Natty Light must be a new thing. Sure didn't help with my recovery back in the day.
4 years? No. Previous world top five get exemptions. We couldn’t get it done there.
