Chamberlain to give Greco a go

[IronChef 720]

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2019/November/06/Jason-Chamberlain-going-Greco

Interesting switch at age 29. I assume he'll be going for 67kg, which is easier to make than 65kg would be for freestyle.

[Ogalthorpe Haywood 317]

Says something about our greco program. It would be a bad look for USA greco if he made the team. 

[jon 158]

Good look. Chamberlain making the team may well spur other guys to cross over.

[ptz305 145]

Wasn't he a greco stud back in high school? I'd say he has a better shot in GR than FS. 

[bman546 11]

2 hours ago, IronChef said:

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2019/November/06/Jason-Chamberlain-going-Greco

Interesting switch at age 29. I assume he'll be going for 67kg, which is easier to make than 65kg would be for freestyle.

This fallacy that anyone can just switch over to Greco and find success is a joke. Rau beat Downey in freestyle 18 months ago... easier for an American due to our wrestling folkstyle to cross over from Greco to freestyle than to cross over to Greco... I wish the guy all the best, but I don't expect him to be much competition for Ellis Coleman, Jamel Johnson, Hayden Tuma, Ray Bunker etc. Dan Dennis tried Greco at the Open... 

Edited November 6, 2019 by bman546

[IronChef 720]

In case it was unclear, when I said "easier to make," I meant the extra 2kg, given that he has been at 70kg lately. I don't think he's more likely to make the Olympic team in greco than freestyle.

[spladle08 725]

Ive always thought Chamberlins stalling self. Had more of a Greco style and build....
Not saying he will make the team but dont think he will be any less likely than he was in freestyle. He will still try to stall out the top guys and score off counters.

Actually nevermind. He definitely has a better chance at making it in greco. In freestyle there are a handful of guys (domestically) he cant beat because they are legitimately world class.

In greco, his physical gifts allow for the stingiest of defense. And solid counter offense. He's right there with anyone.
To take it a step further, thats part of why we lose on the world stage in Greco. We are all about constant action and big throws when 80% of Greco is defense.

Ill continue to trumpet: our unrealistic love of offense (and his wild junior gold ...i know) was the reason for this Kamal Bey pandemonium. When its the same as Mango or anyone else. Their highlight reel offense against bad wrestlers gets us salivating. But then they get to the world stage and get pushed out 3x then try some wild crap and get taken down to lose 5-0 without a wiff of cracking that defense, we say "bad draw" or some nonsese.

Pushout and basic takedowns will get you far in greco.

Highlight reel throws are great. But.... go Chamberlin

[WillieBoy 713]

Who will ever get a chest wrap on Wilt Chamberlain? Greco should fit him as he'll win a lot of matches because guys will keep hitting his legs trying to grab above he waist.

 

[gutfirst 219]

On 11/6/2019 at 12:37 PM, Ogalthorpe Haywood said:

Says something about our greco program. It would be a bad look for USA greco if he made the team. 

Pure buffoonery. Was Hazewinkel making the freestyle team after switching from Greco a bad look for free?

[Ogalthorpe Haywood 317]

11 minutes ago, gutfirst said:

Pure buffoonery. Was Hazewinkel making the freestyle team after switching from Greco a bad look for free?

Of course 

[mostTD 33]

An experiment that will never happen.  Hold the Greco Trials a month after Freestyle Final X.  

I bet freestyle guys that didn't make the team could take 5-6 of the Greco spots based on pure athleticism.   

[ConnorsDad 569]

42 minutes ago, mostTD said:

An experiment that will never happen.  Hold the Greco Trials a month after Freestyle Final X.  

I bet freestyle guys that didn't make the team could take 5-6 of the Greco spots based on pure athleticism.   

We only have 6 spots in the Olympics and they would not win a match.

[nhs67 901]

41 minutes ago, ConnorsDad said:

We only have 6 spots in the Olympics and they would not win a match.

I'm going to speculate that was meant to mean at least half (5 or 6 of 10) on a worlds year, rather than Olympic.

[KTG119 817]

5 hours ago, mostTD said:

An experiment that will never happen.  Hold the Greco Trials a month after Freestyle Final X.  

I bet freestyle guys that didn't make the team could take 5-6 of the Greco spots based on pure athleticism.   

they could probably just step into judo and make that team too

[WillieBoy 713]

4 hours ago, KTG119 said:

they could probably just step into judo and make that team too

While beating Lance Armstrong in a bicycle race during breakfast?

[Cradle1 239]

14 hours ago, ConnorsDad said:

We only have 6 spots in the Olympics and they would not win a match.

 The one guy who I think could make the team with a small amount of Greco training is Kyle Dake.