If Dake wins it this year...

[rodneydeeeee 0]

Actually in contact sports you do get credit for "growing." In boxing they credit it all of the time. It's one of the most impressive things about Floyd Mayweather. That his skills are able to translate vs any size opponent. It's a very big deal.

 

In a sense... These are still kids fresh out of high school that are 'really' growing. Pacman, Mayweather, etc are already grown men that have peaked and aren't naturally growing.

[rodneydeeeee 0]

Rodney, what if Dake takes a redshirt? Don't forget Cael lost in his redshirt. What would have happened had he wrestled that season...we will never know. We do know Dake went on to a title.

 

I see what you're saying, but I still think the official 0 in the L column is hard to top.

[The_Education 24]

I don't think it matters whether Dake wins at 157 or 165. If Dake wins a title this year, he'd have to be placed above Pat Smith, but below Sanderson. Cael's going undefeated for four years is a big deal.

 

As for Dake's international prospects, it remains to be seen. Although Cael had a lot of success, Pat Smith was not able to do much internationally. But even Cael had trouble at times. And let's not forget that Burroughs has yet to lose internationally. Dake will have a tough time just making the world team.

 

I know Dake's win over Taylor is fresh in everyone's mind, but let's not get carried away.

[scribe 1,824]

Cael wasn't particularly good at freestyle in relationship to his dominance in folkstyle. Don't get me wrong, Olympic medalist and always in play for a medal at all times, but there is a difference.

 

For Dake to make the world team, he will have effectively beat the gold medalist to do so. Our WTT is shaping up to be great theater for quite a few years at 163.

[bob_meadows_167 0]

Dake takes the Cake

[AnklePicker 643]

Rodney you don't think Mayweather grew throughout his career? He may not have gotten any taller but neither has Dake. Mayweather turned pro at 19 and won his first world title at 21.

[rodneydeeeee 0]

A kid is still maturing at age 18,19 and 20. Mayweather was in his upper 20's early 30's when he got into his money bouts with Chico, Gatti, De La Hoya, etc.

[dsnc471 25]

And let's not forget that Burroughs has yet to lose internationally. Dake will have a tough time just making the world team.

 

This is true if the international weights stay as they are now for the next 5 years, but I think there are going to be some changes to the weight classes soon. I don't know what they will be, but some of the numbers floating around are pretty favorable to Dake (like a weight class in the 150s that Dake could make but Burroughs couldn't), but we'll see. And one of the proposals out there would really screw Burroughs, if the weights went from 154 to 176. Internationally 154 would be ideal for Dake. 176 not so much for Burroughs. The one thing we've learned from freestyle wrestling is that the rules, and the weight classes can really have a big effect on who rises to the top.

[leshismore 216]

why doesn't anyone recognize that Ivy guys taking a year off is the same thing as redshirting?

Do you cook your shoe in a crock pot before you eat it?

[ScarletKnight 80]

It will be hard to win it this year at 165 and if he loses tonight, everyone will abandon ship.

[scribe 1,824]

It will be hard to win it this year at 165 and if he loses tonight, everyone will abandon ship.

 

It won't be the first time the Dake ship had only a few passengers.