Wrestlers who finished in a downward spiral

[jackwebster 330]

Probably most of the folks on this board. Describes me pretty well.

[cjc007 774]

Randy Lewis doesn't belong within a mile of this list. He's more of a legend for placing with one arm than he would be amongst the dozens and dozens of 3 time champs.

What about his fake Gold medal?

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[NJDan 1,113]

7 hours ago, HoundedHawk said:

That's not a spiral, and it wasn't due to injury.

He won the '72 Olympics without surrendering a point a couple weeks after blowing his knee.  

Dan Gable doesn't belong anywhere in this thread.  

Um, joking

[FloggingSully 29]

9 hours ago, TripNSweep said:

Ryan Lang. He just wasn't the same after Derek Moore put on the performance of a lifetime in the NCAA finals. I don't think Lang was even an AA the next year.

How much of Lang not AAing his senior year was due to his performance dropping off, and how much was due to him moving up into one of the toughest weight classes ever?

[Fletcher 1,131]

7 hours ago, wrestlingnerd said:

Troy Letters, one of my favorite college wrestlers, had a similar career to McDonough, hampered by injury: 2-1-3-DNP

It's the worst when they still give it a go though. Watching Letters out there his senior year as a shadow of himself was like watching MJ putting himself into the line-up with the Wizards.

[JeanGuy 147]

10 hours ago, NJDan said:

Not fair to say someone spiraled down when the downward path was due to injury.

Kind of is but kind of not. Usually there is a reason that someone declines and a lot of times it is due to injury.

Andrew Alton went 30-10 as a true freshman in  2010/11 with 23 bonus point wins including 18 pins. Then went 27-6 with another 12 pins in 2012/13. Only wrestled 10 matches in 2013/14 and never took the mat again after the Grajales match where he completely gassed.

I think a lot of his issue was also a shoulder injury.

[buf87 84]

Middle weight Oklahoma State guy?  was seeded 2nd and went 0-2, I believe.   5-10 years ago

I found it.  Jamal Parks.  Was 32-2 and seeded 2nd.  Went 2-2 and got beat by Ness (7th Seed) and Sakaguschi of Oregon State

Edited February 11 by buf87

[Crotalus 592]

Zeke Moisey. Incredible run at NCAA his freshman year. Got 8th as a junior and senior was 0-3 at Big 10 and 0-2 an NCAA.

Dean Heil-4,1,1,DNP
64-1 his two championship years then 25-7 his senior year. Just seemed to be burnt out.

How much was burn out and how much was the Dean Heil rule? Or how much burn out was caused by the Dean Heil rule?

[Wrestle81 83]

Randy Lewis because of the senior year injury....I realize he's one of the all time most exciting and one of my the greats

[IGotAPlan 58]

Dean Heil didn't really burn out, the danger rule literally took away what made him good. He made a living off latching on and staying on his back. Can't change a style in 1 year ... at least not everyone can. 

Joe Smith is a much better example. He wrestled as a true freshman and AA'ed, some called him a potential long term rival for Nolf. Sophomore year, he places 4th (taking Kemdawg to SV in the 3rd/4th match) 

He redshirts the following year and comes out looking like he wishes he quit wrestling during that time. 

[Fishbane 185]

4 hours ago, FloggingSully said:

How much of Lang not AAing his senior year was due to his performance dropping off, and how much was due to him moving up into one of the toughest weight classes ever?

I'm not sure, but I think he is one of the few mentioned in this thread that went into a genuine downward spiral.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/mgy8yp/darkness-before-dawn-a-fighters-road-to-recovery

[Hart2pay 4]

Every wrestler that lost there last match. Meaning most of us.

[Charles Wolfe 1]

Joey Slaton

[Janderson133 21]

59 minutes ago, IGotAPlan said:

Dean Heil didn't really burn out, the danger rule literally took away what made him good. He made a living off latching on and staying on his back. Can't change a style in 1 year ... at least not everyone can. 

Joe Smith is a much better example. He wrestled as a true freshman and AA'ed, some called him a potential long term rival for Nolf. Sophomore year, he places 4th (taking Kemdawg to SV in the 3rd/4th match) 

He redshirts the following year and comes out looking like he wishes he quit wrestling during that time. 

Was wondering who would bring up Joe Smith, but it seems like he's more of an HEW example. 

[Fishbane 185]

8 minutes ago, Charles Wolfe said:

Joey Slaton

Sam Stoll.  Were DSJ or Sorenson injured as seniors?

[Schuteandscore 170]

1 hour ago, Fishbane said:

Sam Stoll.  Were DSJ or Sorenson injured as seniors?

DSJ just had a great weight class and don’t believe he was hurt, lost to Realbuto on the front side before beating him for 5th place.  His other loss was to Ian Miller who was super explosive. Sorensen I know became sick, but not sure if it was while he was wrestling

[dmm53 624]

Marinelli ... ? 

Starts every season on fire but finishes in a "downward spiral". Hey, that almost rhymes.  

Oh, the question was about a wrestler's career. :)

[Wrestle81 83]

Everyone has their panties in a bunch....99% of the time when these great wrestler's spiral down it's because of over training injuries....they don't suddenly forget how to wrestle or lose their athletic ability...

[Schuteandscore 170]

2 minutes ago, Wrestle81 said:

Everyone has their panties in a bunch....99% of the time when these great wrestler's spiral down it's because of over training injuries....they don't suddenly forget how to wrestle or lose their athletic ability...

And also, this is wrestling.  These guys are all so good that many times if you wrestled the tournament 3 times at almost any weight class, you could end up with 3 different champs.

[JerryCallo 94]

I know this will be controversial but it appears to me - over the last 15 years or so that Iowa kids tend to do better early in their career and taper off or drop off as they get older - Not sure why - but I think that Brands mentality does not lend it self to being patient for people to heal or be healthy or not cut too much weight - 

Just an observation - I have not seen a similar thing from PSU guys - I think Cael is more grounded that way - less intense - likely more fun to wrestle for than the Brands twins

 

[jackwebster 330]

3 minutes ago, JerryCallo said:

Brands twins

I like this honorific for Tommy and Terry.

[HawkY 112]

26 minutes ago, Schuteandscore said:

And also, this is wrestling.  These guys are all so good that many times if you wrestled the tournament 3 times at almost any weight class, you could end up with 3 different champs.

 If you have someone athletically a tier above everyone else. They can beat the competition 10 times in a row if they had to.  It does happen in the heavier weights from time to time. 

[Schuteandscore 170]

10 minutes ago, HawkY said:

 If you have someone athletically a tier above everyone else. They can beat the competition 10 times in a row if they had to.  It does happen in the heavier weights from time to time. 

Well of course it happens and I’m not talking about out of the ordinary top tier, but even the really good guys, it can and does happen.

[MadMardigain 1,637]

18 hours ago, TripNSweep said:

Ryan Lang. He just wasn't the same after Derek Moore put on the performance of a lifetime in the NCAA finals. I don't think Lang was even an AA the next year.

7th place.  I was a big fan of Lang back then.   Haven’t heard much on him in awhile, but hopefully he’s still keeping himself on track after having a rough patch in life for awhile.  

[flyingcement 917]

Tony Nelson finished his career exhibiting downward pressure by use of the spiral ride.  Sorry ill see myself out.