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Folkstyle

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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Chris Thomas added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

Many wrestling fans across the country put KD and D.T. on a pedestal in the wrestling committee. However, both have failed to make a World Team thus far. Both decided to to move up to 86kg to avoid Burroughs. It didn't work as D.T. lost to Dake yet again. Dake had a golden opportunity to make the World Team against an inexperienced senior level wrestler Cox and fail in the best of three. Although, Cox is already a monster Dake and Taylor will have an uphill battle as Cox improves. Is possible that KD and D.T. are just better folkstyle wrestlers? Should American wrestling switch to freestyle from the youth level on up? I would bet our results internationally would improve eminently.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

No need for the switch as it does not guarantee success. Currently, we have an Olympic champ (and multi-time world medalist) on the team in Burroughs, a returning world champ in Snyder, and a returning world placer in Dlagnev. All three competed in folkstyle.

Additionally, every other country on the planet trains FS (and GR) exclusively. How many countries do not have a gold to show for it? Heck - or even a medal!?



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Hank Kornblut added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

We'd be the best Olympic style country in the world if we focused on it full time. Lots of old white guys with crew cuts (and their progeny) favor folk. Personally, I've coached all three styles and folk is by far the least fun for the competitors. Still, it's our uniquely American style and slowly we're making it more lively with solid rule changes. I kid about the people who favor it but agree with those who say it's our heritage and we ought not to discard it.

Kyle Dake and David Taylor are both excellent freestylers but stuck behind Burroughs (and a system that favors him as long as he keeps earning world level medals). Personally, I think Dake should do Greco. He is a freakish talent in any style.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Brady Hiatt added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

Quote from Chris Thomas's post:

"Is possible that KD and D.T. are just better folkstyle wrestlers? "



I think you see two guys that if we go back to the weight classes from forever ago to the 2000's, they'd make their fair share of world and Olympic teams. I see both as being men whose bodies don't fit into a current weight class.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Roe Fox added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

An argument might be made Dake is the third or fourth best American freestyler. He might have a gold if not for JB.

Cox is not only talented but had far more horsepower than Dake, in my opinion.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Brady Hiatt added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

Quote from Roe Fox's post:

"An argument might be made Dake is the third or fourth best American freestyler. He might have a gold if not for JB.

Cox is not only talented but had far more horsepower than Dake, in my opinion."



I think Taylor matches up with Cox well. He needs somebody else to beat Dake -- because he just comes up short every time, which is a major bummer.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Lou Demas added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

Mark,

Switching to Freestyle exclusively will not guarantee success but it sure would increase it.

The top wrestling countries in the world do freestyle and Greco exclusively. We are not one of them.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Jack Muni added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

Re: Cox. He's big and athletic. I think it was a case of Dake & Taylor coming up to the higher weight, and Cox was coming down and had the strength advantage, which really showed up when he leaned into Dake when he had the single and nearly pushed him off the mat. Cox is our best chance at that weight, even though he lacks international FS experience.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Michael Rodriguez added to this discussion on April 11, 2016

I concur with Hank. It's not that they're not great freestylers, it's that when they're at their best weight they're behind the best westler in the world. They're Jim Jordan (or Randy Lewis) to his John Smith...or any of the #2 guys in Russia.

At 189 they are both brought back to earth a little. Horse power has a real place in our sport, there are weight classes for a reason and size matters. At the senior level you can't give up that kind of size and be successful. I also think many people are underestimating how good Cox is. If not for a loss to a soon-to-be World Champion in the semis his sophomore year, he'd be going for his fourth title next year. He's an amazing wrestler.

I don't think we should move straight to freestyle, but I do think it's moving in that direction.

Finally, I agree that Dake should go Greco. It seems like a no-brainer to me.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Deven Dittrich added to this discussion on April 12, 2016

Taylor should get a restraining order against Dake. Geez, that guy....



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Mark Niemann added to this discussion on April 12, 2016

Quote from Lou Demas's post:

"Mark,

Switching to Freestyle exclusively will not guarantee success but it sure would increase it .

The top wrestling countries in the world do freestyle and Greco exclusively. We are not one of them."



There is no guarantee for the underlined portion, as evidenced by the vast number of counties that won't medal but train FS/GR exclusively.



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Discussion Topic: David Taylor and Kyle Dake
Lou Demas added to this discussion on April 12, 2016

Mark

Can you explain why all 50 states practice folkstyle in high school and yet consistently some states are always better than others.

And if wrestling freestyle and Greco exclusively have not helped the top countries in the world ,consistently be the top countries. Why are we not one of them?



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