Brandon Slay's gold medal

[fullnelson 114]

  Brandon Slay's gold medal has been under appreciated by many, but he really had a bum rap regarding the event, for many reasons. First he accomplished something that very few ever did, he defeated the great B Satiev, who was the heavy favorite, and I might add this was in the height of Satiev's career, unlike Karelin's controversial loss in the same year to Rulon. (and I say controversial only because of a rule that changed as a result of that match). Second, Leipold got most of his points because of improper clinching (totally subjective); Slay did lose a subsequent activity point only due to being put in a desperate position to score, because of the controversial interpretation of the clinch. Slay beat Satiev fair and square, but lost in the finals amid controversy, but people only remember that Slay 'got lucky' with the drug ruling (itself controversial) against Leipold. And finally, Slay was denied the moment that all Olympic champs dream of, standing at the podium, listening to the national anthem in front of the world on the grandest stage in all of sports. He earned the gold medal; his win over Satiev was one of the greatest upsets of all time.

[irani 653]

I could not agree more with everything that you wrote.  Defeating Adam Saitev on its own is almost a bigger accomplishment than getting a gold olympic medal!

[TripNSweep 470]

I always thought Lowney beating Kougashvili was more impressive.  Though Gogi had a tendency to underperform at the Olympics for some reason. 

[Downtown Brown 33]

1. Except it was B Satiev and not Adam. 
2. what was the key to Slay meteor like rise? It seems like he was average at best a year before. 
3. He got the national anthem and ceremony, it was just on The Today Show rather than the arena.

[Jim L 232]

I don't remember anything that egregious about his loss. The clinch rule sucked, but I don't think it was a horrible call... He did nothing that showed me he deserved to win that match. 

I do agree that getting a gold medal months after is anticlimactic, but I think that he is underappreciated because he has no other international accomplishments before or after his one great tournament

[Cradle1 239]

Slay was a beast in 2000.  I recently watched his match with Joe Williams on YouTube from US nationals that year, had no idea what an ass kicking it was. Other than 2000, Williams was unbeatable domestically for about seven years so that was eye opening.

[Jim L 232]

14 hours ago, Downtown Brown said:

...
2. what was the key to Slay meteor like rise? It seems like he was average at best a year before...

Is this speculation that he was doping? I have not heard this... 

[AHamilton 535]

19 hours ago, Downtown Brown said:

1. Except it was B Satiev and not Adam. 
2. what was the key to Slay meteor like rise? It seems like he was average at best a year before. 
3. He got the national anthem and ceremony, it was just on The Today Show rather than the arena.

2.  I think he was a multiple time age group medalist? Also had a good game plan and style to beat Satiev.  Satiev was the best ever, but if he was vulnerable to anything it was blast doubles and gut wrenches.  Slay was great at both techniques.

[TripNSweep 470]

21 hours ago, Downtown Brown said:

1. Except it was B Satiev and not Adam. 
2. what was the key to Slay meteor like rise? It seems like he was average at best a year before. 
3. He got the national anthem and ceremony, it was just on The Today Show rather than the arena.

I think for Slay once he got over the Joe Williams hump that helped him mentally more than anything. I don't think he had ever beaten Williams before that year's open.  Williams beat him in college, and after college and had been a world medalist.  Slay had the physical talent to win, but he didn't have the mental strength or belief he could win.  Once he got over that, I think he gained a lot of confidence in himself and carried that over to the Olympics.  I remember when Burroughs made his first world team and Tsargush was in his quarter of the bracket and people were complaining that he had such a bad draw. Burroughs just said that he was the bad draw.  Once Slay embraced that kind of thinking more, I think it helped.  Also add in that this was before YouTube existed and that I think Slay had only wrestled in 2 international tournaments.  Russia was expecting Williams to make the team and when he didn't they were probably a lot less concerned about whoever America was sending, since they hadn't heard of him or seen him wrestle (probably).  It was a great upset though, Slay was very prepared and extremely ready to win, and his unfamiliarity probably threw Satiev off just enough.  

[BigTimeFan 973]

On 5/23/2020 at 12:57 AM, Cradle1 said:

Slay was a beast in 2000.  I recently watched his match with Joe Williams on YouTube from US nationals that year, had no idea what an ass kicking it was. Other than 2000, Williams was unbeatable domestically for about seven years so that was eye opening. 

Yes. I agree with you and fullnelson. Year 2000 Slay was on fire. I think he came into his own after steadily improving since a really strong college career. His match against Satievin no way shape or form flukey. He beat him AND looked like the better wrestler that day. Same with his win against Williams in the US Open finals.

His college career was is probably underestimated. He took 2nd in NCAAs twice losing 7-4 vs Williams (3x NCAA champ) in 1998 and 3-2 vs Mark Branch in 1997 ( 1-2-2-1 in NCAAs). This is only to say he had a couple of really tough brackets. 

[Seena 5]

No one can obviously take away from Brandon of the fact that he soundly beat Bouvaisa Saitiev just to advance from the Pool. That tournament (2000 Olympics) was a huge year in Americans beating the best at their weight class from Russia (Rulon over Kareline, Lowney over Kogouashavili, Slay over B.Saitiev). In my opinion, I felt Slay's win over Saitiev was more stunning that Rulon over Kareline. Because Slay as I mentioned soundly beat Saitiev and proved it was no fluke. Rulon's situation was a penalty point, didn't soundly beat Kareline. But because Kareline was unbeaten while Saitiev wasn't, most may view Rulon's victory being bigger. Although Brandon may have been one and done after the Sydney Games, nobody can't take away what he accomplished. That match with Leipold (GER) was only a show as Leipold played an acting game too much to win cheap. But also dependent on Roids to get him there. 

[GoNotQuietly 892]

Well Slay scored a bunch of offensive points against Saitiev, while Rulon could have wrestled Karelin for a thousand years before he scored his first offensive point, so I think you're right in that feeling.

Saitiev is GOAT, but it always seemed so silly to me that he still pretends that loss doesn't bother him. 

[AHamilton 535]

6 hours ago, GoNotQuietly said:

Well Slay scored a bunch of offensive points against Saitiev, while Rulon could have wrestled Karelin for a thousand years before he scored his first offensive point, so I think you're right in that feeling.

Saitiev is GOAT, but it always seemed so silly to me that he still pretends that loss doesn't bother him. 

... but also salty that Slay retired and he never got a rematch!

[BadgerMon 180]

Too bad for Leipold about the nandrolone in his bloodstream....his style was not a good match for Slay as it was. Poor decision on his part. Last I read, he was in denial of the doping.

Not many guys make their country's Olympic team FOUR TIMES.

Edited June 1, 2020 by BadgerMon