Spencer Lee Interview
- Thread starter Sullivan
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Yes, Iowa can land him but there are a lot of factors against. Near home, great program at PSU, friends on the team etc. Also, Nico winning maybe helped them out a bit. However, if you look at Iowa's lightweights, kind of hard not to see the continued success in both folk and free. Ramos, Dennis, McD, Clark, Gilman have had some serious folkstyle and freestyle creds and they aren't going anywhere. Plus Terry. Don't forget the young guys we have coming in too...they will push him as well. I see Spencer being successful wherever he goes but it just depends on who he wants as a workout partners and as a coach.
Could see him going to tOSU too. I remember seeing tweets about him and Logan Stieber getting a few workouts in Columbus together. That probably helps them.
He sure did shut down. The interview was very nicely conducted. Great open ended questions.
I've also seen tweets about him working out with McDonough, Metcalf and Nelson Brands
Are we sure he's good enough? This video shows him not pinning in the PA finals. 
If I'm Tom Brands not only do I go to his house I bring Terry, Morningstar, Ramos, McDonough and Metcalf along with me. This is the level of wrestlers Iowa NEEDS, because if we miss out on him then Ohio St or PSU will get him and punish us with him.
Do you mind if Gable joins the trip to make it a lucky septet?
Oh, I'd bring Dennis too. I think he's the darkhorse to get the Olympic spot (as much as I like Ramos).
I would guess that it is Iowa or PSU. Hopefully the other young guns kids in the room can dispell the garbage rumors about the all work, no play attitude, etc. at Iowa. Other recruits may buy into it without a friend in the program, but hopefully that is not the case with Spencer.
If one were to make out a list of reasons to come to Iowa vs PSU, Iowa's list should be a lot longer.
He wants great workout partners - Iowa. Gilman, Clark, McD, Ramos, Dennis, Renteria, Mejia. All have a somewhat different style and skill set. If you want to be the best in the world, I cannot think of a better group of partners.
He wants NCAA success. Iowa. Nobody has better success with lightweights at NCAAS than Iowa.
He wants international success. Iowa. Terry is the best lightweight FS coach out there. Add in the lightweight guys in the HWC and the other practice partners and you have a recipe for international success.
PSU certainly will have a draw for him. Nolf and other friends there (has some at Iowa, but probably give PSU the advantage). PSU closer to home. PSU currently winning NCAAs as a team. Carl is likely a better salesman than TnT.
If Spencer's individual wrestling goals are the main priority, it seems like a no-brainer to go to Iowa. Of course, that is what I thought about Suriano.
Waiting with crossed fingers. Wish the young man success wherever he goes. If it isn't Iowa,I hope we have a Mejia or Renteria that are able to pass him up due to the better wrestling partners and better lightweight coaching.
Terry Brands will make this kid an Olympic Champion.
Taking off the black and gold visors, and I still genuinely believe Lee the Brands are the guys to take this kid there. They are the best option in the country.
Taking off the black and gold visors, and I still genuinely believe Lee the Brands are the guys to take this kid there. They are the best option in the country.
You forgot that Iowa City is the location of his wedding and wedding reception. I think gable is Best Man.
Are we sure he's good enough? This video shows him not pinning in the PA finals.
Didn't Lee just tech fall the undefeated PA kid that beat Iowa's best young high school prospect Alex Thomsen something like 4-2.
Kinda puts it in perspective.
IMO Lee is more for sure than Mark Hall.
Not only did he TF him, but the score was 15-0 in 3:42:
http://highschoolsports.pennlive.co...nt-run-to-a-2016-piaa-wrestling-championship/
My co-worker follows the PIAA very closely and attends the 3A tournament each year. He is also a PSU grad and huge wrestling fan. We spoke a lot about the tournament this year after he returned. He said that he was very surprised to hear the discussions at the Giant Center regarding Spencer and his rumored interest in attending University of North Carolina. Claims that this was coming from people who are pretty connected to the PA wrestling scene. I am definitely not vouching for the veracity of this rumor, just that it was apparently being discussed. I have no idea what would attract a wrestler of Spencer's caliber to attend North Carolina. Probably nothing at all to this. But can anyone spell out why this option would even be a remote possibility?
Maybe, I mean isn't Coleman Scott there. and he's a PA kid who owns a bronze. But I don't see it because Spencer has said team titles are important too. Id say its more whoever told you this is getting Spencers relationship and working with Coleman Scott a bit twisted. Joey McKenna also worked out in Iowa City and that rumor of him to iowa is how this stuff starts.
That being said I am all for the Spencer Lee's of the world going to UNC or these top 10 P4P kids going to schools like Michigan St, Wyoming, Cal Poly, Utah Valley St..whatever. Sad to see the Chad Redd's of the world leave their home state of Indiana when they or Purdue could so use their services.
I say this as a hawk fan a bit down on recruiting but its getting old every kid is going to PSU or Ohio St like a bunch of followers. I think a group of kids getting together to bring back Arizona State is awesome for wrestling.
Might be a possibility, if he wants to compete for a basketball championship.
This makes total sense. In his interview Spencer said he hated folkstyle wrestling - so does North Carolina.
Spencer doesn't seem like the type of kid who would get 'sold' on a recruiting pitch. He seems incredibly self driven, and knows EXACTLY what he wants. In a way Toms 'No nonsense' style of recruiting (allegedly) may indeed strike a big chord with Spencer, especially because the ultimate goal of the Hawkeyes are olympic gold. & while the Hawks may not have the hardware at the world level, they have the world team SPOTS. You can't win gold without making the team. In Iowa city, Spencer would have the BEST training environment for a lightweight who wants to accomplish big goals at the NCAA and Olympic levels.
You were rather confident that Lee was coming to Iowa. Are you backing off that a little now?
Sadly, the cryptic nature and the guys he referenced made me think he has already decided on PSU. Hopefully, I am wrong. I personally believe that his ultimate goals are best attained training under Terry, but who knows. We often forget recruits are still kids. A lot of factors go into the choices they make that adults wouldn't even begin to contemplate.
I hope for both himself and Iowa that he chooses the Hawkeyes, but I am much less confident than I was before seeing this.
I hope for both himself and Iowa that he chooses the Hawkeyes, but I am much less confident than I was before seeing this.
This is what a PSU lineup could look like if Lee went there. Only doing this to show how many top P4P guys they have.
25 Lee pfp 1
33 Suriano pfp 10
41 Cortez pfp 15
49 Retherford pfp 3
57 Nolf pfp 4
65 Joseph pfp 5
74 Hall pfp 1
84 Nickals pfp 8
97 ? pfp
Hwy Nevilles pfp 5
That's without Manville. Don't know where that pfp 11 will slot in.
That lineup is averaging a top 5 Pound for Pound guy at each weight.
25 Lee pfp 1
33 Suriano pfp 10
41 Cortez pfp 15
49 Retherford pfp 3
57 Nolf pfp 4
65 Joseph pfp 5
74 Hall pfp 1
84 Nickals pfp 8
97 ? pfp
Hwy Nevilles pfp 5
That's without Manville. Don't know where that pfp 11 will slot in.
That lineup is averaging a top 5 Pound for Pound guy at each weight.
I thought cael was working hard on the recruiting trail? He can't even get p4p #1's at every weight? Looks like he's got some room for improvement!
2 out of 10 is not that bad. If gets to 40% or 4 out of the 10 starting weights, then I would start to worry.
That said, here's the most recent post from our board on a longer Lee thread (Spencer Lee - What am I missing?)
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Gray52Well-Known Member
I had some interesting conversations while in NYC this past weekend. My opinion of those conversations is that it is still a two team race (nothing new), that PSU and Iowa are still being seriously considered (again, nothing new). Wishing it true won't make it so. A week ago, I was certain we'd land Lee. Today, im more prepared for an alternate reality.
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You want cryptic - take that last sentence.
He's got a lot of people guessing.
FYI, 5 of the 9 starters listed are not from PA. .....so much for the argument that Cael has it easy recruiting in his own backyard. Sky is not falling, but Iowa needs to change how they recruit. Especially, if Lee goes to PSU.
I've been one of the few PSU fans who actually think he chooses Iowa. I have my reasons but I guess more than anything it's a gut feeling.
I don't have any sources or connections but I think he ends up at Iowa or somewhere other than PSU. I think that is why he hasn't committed yet. I think he knows where he is going and it is easier to keep it a secret so that he doesn't have to answer the question about why he didn't choose PSU everywhere he goes. My rose colored glasses tells me that he is going to Iowa but it is nothing more than my opinion...dream?
Mentioning his good friendship with Nolf and admiring the scoring of Nolf, Retherford and Ringer does give one pause.
He did, however, say he wants to wrestle in front of the largest crowds.
He also mentioned his friendship with Mike...as in Michael Kemerer.
Yeah, he'll have to muddle through with those slackers Retherford and Nolf.
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