Old Glory

Desanto is fun to watch but his immediate post-match behavior has been over the top these last two matches. Long way from the Brent Metcalf mantra of not showing emotion so the other guy doesn't think it was a big deal to beat him. I'm rooting for the kid but there's room for passion and even a little bit of showmanship while still demonstrating good sportsmanship.

I'm surprised by the timing, with Virginia Tech's season having recently started.

Did Metcalf officially retire? Lance did beat him in the Big 10 finals.

Wrestled in high school as a way to stay in shape for football. Was a backup on a very good team with several state place-winners. I did win the only tournament I ever entered (just a j.v. tourney as a sophomore). Never lost interest in the sport, though. When you know firsthand how grueling it is, the high-level matches are especially captivating. Can't even imagine being that good.

Wouldn't Caldwell's win be considered just an upset rather than a shocker? I think he was undefeated that season and had reached the quarterfinals the year before. He'd already beaten Metcalf that year. (I think Metcalf also beat Caldwell that same season but the match didn't count on their records. Never could find a video of that one.)

His opponents often look bewildered.

Somewhere, Gene Simmons is blushing

Yep, it's posted on ESPN3

You were not alone, and I was trying to keep an open mind. Happy New Year.

Great photo. I didn't have a rooting interest but it seemed as if IMar panicked and took an unnecessary risk with so much time remaining, and only down by a point.

Agreed. Glad the boys at least fought back and made it competitive.

Bill Belichick approves of this move.

Vilifying him is exactly what you're doing. You called him a coddled, cheating, front-running quitter. He hasn't accomplished very much, so maybe you're right.

I'd add a third possibility: He wasn't wrestling for a medal, he was wrestling for a larger place in history -- and that big-picture pressure took him out of the moment just enough to contribute to the first loss. That's based on his interview after the second match.

Speaking of Molinaro, this is worth the 9 minutes. Really a first-class, insightful interview from after his last match: http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/frank-molinaro-its-huge-sacrifice-reach-olympics