All-Star Team, 2010-2019

[LCpl Schmuckatelli 33]

Saw something on this topic and figured it would be fun to throw out my picks and get you guys’ opinions, too

Here’s my team:

125 - Matt McDonough

133 - Tony Ramos

141 - Logan Steiber

149 - Zain Retherford

157 - Jason Nolf

165 - Kyle Dake

174 - Chris Perry 

184 - Ed Ruth

197 - J’Den Cox

HWT - Kyle Snyder

I wanted to slot guys in at weights where they were at their best, that’s why I put Stieber at 141 and Dake at 165.  

I know Ramos only won one title at 133 but he was a two-time finalist and didn’t feel like there were any better options.  I guess an argument could be made that 133 seemed weaker, or that it was tougher and that’s why nobody repeated at that weight. 

Let’s hear some of your lists!

[Housebuye 2,449]

What criteria are you using? The guy most likely to win a title in their best year? The best lineup against the 2019 field? Best career?

Depending on criteria, I think Spencer Lee has to be the guy at 125. He killed everyone at NCAAs, two years running. 
  
174 I’d probably go with Zahid. I don’t know why he doesn’t get more love. His only NCAA loss is to a 3 time finalist/1 time champ and the only other guy he lost to is a 4 time AA, which he avenged. 

[jchapman 1,340]

Hard to argue with this team as a whole.  I guess you could move Steiber to 133 and add Russell at 141.  A couple of 3X NC Hodge winners that might get consideration would be Ringer at 165 (where do you put Dake then?) and Nickal at 184.

[LCpl Schmuckatelli 33]

I get where you’re coming from but I was sticking to guys who had completed their careers.  Also, Spenser has won only(?) two titles, whereas McDonough was a three-time finalist.  But I wouldn’t argue much against your picks, either.

[MSU158 2,038]

Best at their peak, or best career?  Best at their peak changes things considerably.

125:  Robles.  That Senior version was on a whole different level in folkstyle than anyone I have seen and Lee has been pretty fricking special in March.

133:  Garrett.  Another senior version that was damn near unstoppable.   Even the Clark match was not as close as the score and that was his ONLY close match that season.

141:  Stieber  Yianni is the only one that has a case and I still think he is a step behind.

149:  Retherford  Although I would have paid good money to see 2010 Metcalf against 2018 Retherford.

157:  Dake  Huge fan of Nolf, but Dake became unbeatable his junior year and I can't keep Burroughs off this list, so Dake goes here for Burroughs to go 165

165:  Burroughs  Dake definitely has an argument, but the best of the best BOTH should be on this team.

174:  Valencia  Best overall wrestler amongst not really dominant champs, other than Ruth, whom I put at 184.

184:  Ruth  When he attacked he finished and he almost always attacked A LOT.

197:  Cox  No comment necessary

285: Snyder-same as 197

 

[LCpl Schmuckatelli 33]

4 minutes ago, jchapman said:

Hard to argue with this team as a whole.  I guess you could move Steiber to 133 and add Russell at 141.  A couple of 3X NC Hodge winners that might get consideration would be Ringer at 165 (where do you put Dake then?) and Nickal at 184.

I did exactly that with Steiber and Russell at first but I wanted to slot guys where I thought they were at their best.

[Antitroll2828 1,008]

16 minutes ago, Housebuye said:

174 I’d probably go with Zahid. I don’t know why he doesn’t get more love. His only NCAA loss is to a 3 time finalist/1 time champ and the only other guy he lost to is a 4 time AA, which he avenged. 

Probably because Aaron Brooks is gonna pin him in March 

[Perry 1,429]

125 - Robles/Lee as back up (deserves an HM here) 

133- Jordan Oliver

141 - logan stieber

149 - z retherford

157 - dake 

165 - JB

174 - zahid Valencia 

184 - ed ruth/bo nickal

197 - cox

285 - snyder

[LCpl Schmuckatelli 33]

2 minutes ago, Perry said:

125 - Robles/Lee as back up (deserves an HM here) 

133- Jordan Oliver

141 - logan stieber

149 - z retherford

157 - dake 

165 - JB

174 - zahid Valencia 

184 - ed ruth/bo nickal

197 - cox

285 - snyder

I like your list, but who is your pick if you gotta choose between Ruth and Nickal?

[MSU158 2,038]

22 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Probably because Aaron Brooks is gonna pin him in March 

The same Brooks that got owned by Valencia 6-0 a couple of weeks ago at Senior Nationals?  Considering Brooks is supposed to be a better freestyler than folkstyler, what exactly is not only going to close the gap, but flip-flop it?

[Perry 1,429]

21 minutes ago, LCpl Schmuckatelli said:

I like your list, but who is your pick if you gotta choose between Ruth and Nickal?

If I had to pick I would go with Ruth I think but it is tough

[Gantry 1,872]

Hot take - sophomore year 174 Ruth was the best version of Ed Ruth and better than any version of Zahid, at least in folkstyle.   Put him at 174 and junior year Bo at 184. 

[headshuck 2,626]

Taylor over Dake at 157.

[MSU158 2,038]

6 minutes ago, headshuck said:

Taylor over Dake at 157.

I like what you did there.......

[ionel 2,732]

57 minutes ago, headshuck said:

Taylor over Dake at 157.

In your dreams.  But sure ... a good fantasy pick.  ;)

[ugarte 526]

gabe dean an ill-advised reach back against bo from being the obvious answer at 184. but i have to say bo.

[AZ_wrestling 119]

I’ll take Nickal at 184 over Ruth and at 197 over Cox. He was a better folkstyle wrestler than both. Far more dominant last year than any year Cox had in college. 

[AZ_wrestling 119]

If we’re going best at their peak, I’d go:

125 - Lee

133 - Oliver

141 - Stieber

149 - Retherford 

157 - Nolf/Dake 

165 - Dieringer 

174 - Ruth/Valencia

184 - Nickal

197 - Cox

285 - Gable (yes I think today’s Gable beats Snyder at HW). 
 

Surprised so many have forgotten Ringer. Incredibly dominant at 165. 

 

[MSU158 2,038]

52 minutes ago, AZ_wrestling said:

I’ll take Nickal at 184 over Ruth and at 197 over Cox. He was a better folkstyle wrestler than both. Far more dominant last year than any year Cox had in college. 

You are falling into the Taylor over Dake argument there.  Cox came right out of college and medaled at Worlds. Nickal came out and got hammered by Cox. 

Cox didn’t win pretty, but his positional awareness was on par with Dake. 

[treep2000 1,152]

I think one has to go by collegiate accolades only for their all-decade team.  Thus...

125 - McDonough with Lee a close 2nd.

133 - Ramos

141 - Stieber

149 - Dake (one could pick any of the four weight classes for him.  Thus, to get the BEST lineup overall, I slot him ahead of Zain)

157 - Nolf

165 - Taylor

174 - Zahid

184 - Nickal

197 - Cox

Hwt - Snyder

[AZ_wrestling 119]

3 minutes ago, MSU158 said:

You are falling into the Taylor over Dake argument there.  Cox came right out of college and medaled at Worlds. Nickal came out and got hammered by Cox. 

Cox didn’t win pretty, but his positional awareness was on par with Dake. 

People use to the Dake vs Taylor argument to dismiss the “dominance” factor in hypothetical matchups way too much. 
 

Fact is Bo’s style was better suited for folk.  And lol at got hammered. He won 4-2 the first match at a heavier weight class than Bo had ever wrestled in college.

[nhs67 2,101]

11 minutes ago, treep2000 said:

I think one has to go by collegiate accolades only for their all-decade team.  Thus...

125 - McDonough with Lee a close 2nd.

133 - Ramos

141 - Stieber

149 - Dake (one could pick any of the four weight classes for him.  Thus, to get the BEST lineup overall, I slot him ahead of Zain)

157 - Nolf

165 - Taylor

174 - Zahid

184 - Nickal

197 - Cox

Hwt - Snyder

Any version of 149lb ZReth beats the 149lb soph version of Dake. Dake transcended after his soph season.

[Antitroll2828 1,008]

1 hour ago, AZ_wrestling said:

If we’re going best at their peak, I’d go:

125 - Lee

133 - Oliver

141 - Stieber

149 - Retherford 

157 - Nolf/Dake 

165 - Dieringer 

174 - Ruth/Valencia

184 - Nickal

197 - Cox

285 - Gable (yes I think today’s Gable beats Snyder at HW). 
 

Surprised so many have forgotten Ringer. Incredibly dominant at 165. 

 

Because ringer will always be behind Taylor and dake who both titles at 165 and also JB has one in that same span...your crazy for gable though...he hasn’t even won a conference title yet , sure maybe he ends up a 3 timer but Snyder won a world gold medal then knocked off the defending 2 time champ ....gable doesn’t have close to the accomplishments of Snyder 

Edited January 3, 2020 by Antitroll2828

[MSU158 2,038]

21 minutes ago, AZ_wrestling said:

People use to the Dake vs Taylor argument to dismiss the “dominance” factor in hypothetical matchups way too much. 
 

Fact is Bo’s style was better suited for folk.  And lol at got hammered. He won 4-2 the first match at a heavier weight class than Bo had ever wrestled in college.

Did Bo not wrestle 197?  What is 92kg?  I will do the math for you. 92x2.2=202.4. So that 5.4 lbs is a huge factor?

As far as got hammered goes you again are ONLY looking at the score. Cox controlled him from start to finish. 

[kad 6]

125 - Lee

133 - Oliver

141 - Stieber

149 - Retherford

157 - Dake (wrestler of the decade)

165 - Taylor

174 - Ruth

184 - Nickal

197 - Cox

285 - Snyder

really tough to leave out Nolf, Dieringer, and Burroughs at 157/165; but Taylor (2X Hodge, 4X finalist), along with Coach Sanderson, changed the sport. Zahid also deserves mention.