I agree but not wrestling because of possible injuries just doesnt look good. If wrestlers are dealing with stuff already and don't want to risk worsening it, that's different. This week, I'm missing all the discussions of what Hawks will get for seeds in the Midlands years ago.
Happy Soldier Salute Week!
- Thread starter dtripp26
- Start date
You are most welcome
Extra Time, and likely with Nat Duals in Nov/Dec now, you will not see a full lineup at SS in the future
They are wrestling and have been with a beefy early schedule. If you think wrestlers only get better with more matches and no injury risk, should we then schedule every tough non Big Ten team in the Fall?
But i need these wrestling events to distract me from my life!!
Making weight is the strain not the actual practice
Then cancel SS, give the athletes a break, and let us complain about the “good old days” when Midlands was all the rage.
Just realized that the Iowa Women are not wrestling Soldier Salute this year. That sucks. I assume that means Soldier Salute has no womens wrestling this year. If Iowa men field half a team of starters, they are gonna ruin this tourney and kill it for the future. Might as well just make it a JV open tourney to compete against D2/D3 kids like the Luther Open.
We'd be lucky to get half the starters based on what's been said here.
Very tough schedule, no argument.
But there was a time, not long ago, when wrestlers got up to 40 matches a season. Gable had 118 matches in 3 seasons, Sanderson had 159 in 4. Now guys are lucky to get 25 matches a year and need rest. I don’t like it, but that’s how things have devolved, unfortunately.
i can’t imagine Gable having said, “we have a tough schedule and I need rest so I don’t get injured.” This isn't an Iowa thing though-everyone is guilty.
I’d rather see Angelo earn the one seed than wrestle Sinclair again. Even if he loses a dual to Mc or Welsh he can avenge it at Bigs.
it’s statistically much easier to make the finals from the #1 seed, than the others.
I cannot imagine Gable saying that either. We are far from those days. The training, tactics, prep, strength, nutrition, competition has been raised since then. Do you get better only by wrestling matches or do you get better by practicing what you are going to do in matches? What is the balance?
I doubt anyone would question that Nats are the prize. Various paths to get there. Our schedule is plenty tough, likely toughest.
Tom going full cael not wrestling the guys too much what a genius nice to see DeLuca must still be hurt. Ugh.
Welp! Shouldn't have injuries this weekend.
I hope there’s an alternate plan for the guys sitting out. I’m not sure how you’re promoting wrestling doing this.
That list is so BS! I want my money back. Not even all the good non-starters. I wish I hadn't bought tickets in advance. What's the point of having this tournament if that's who we're sending? We need a better tournament on the schedule, not a JV one.
JV tourney. Really sucks for those of us that already bought tickets and have three nights in hotel reserved. This will be last time we drop a $1000 attending Soldier Salute.
Loved the idea of an Iowa tourney, wish it would’ve built to be a top men’s and women’s tourney. Now it’s gonna feel like some kinda cyclone make believe tourney to get some matches in
Welp, not really much of a reason to tune in...
I hope Tom's spies are on the board rn!!! Time to 86 the SS!
Really thought this event had been building momentum in recent years.
First, a date change eliminates the women's half of the event. Now, the Iowa men send a (with all due respect) skeleton crew of entries - after 26/30 postseason starters had competed the previous three years.
You certainly won't hear me complain about 'having' to cover the tournament as part of my job - but I'd be lying if said my excitement level hadn't dipped considerably from where it's been in years past...
First, a date change eliminates the women's half of the event. Now, the Iowa men send a (with all due respect) skeleton crew of entries - after 26/30 postseason starters had competed the previous three years.
You certainly won't hear me complain about 'having' to cover the tournament as part of my job - but I'd be lying if said my excitement level hadn't dipped considerably from where it's been in years past...
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Brands & Co might want to think about doing some damage control on the Soldier Salute fiasco if there is any desire/plan at all to continue with this tourney in coming seasons. This disaster could have major repercussions impacting future season ticket sales and/or HWC Inner Circle membership.
sick salute to the troops this tournament is
Agreed. Change the name or cancel it.
Like a month ago I posted how Iowa needs to scrap the soldier salute and go to a real tournament… got crucified for it. End this sham of a tournament or seriously invest it.
There was nothing wrong with the previous editions of the tournament - esp. with the unique opportunity for Iowa fans to watch the men's and women's programs compete side by side. And it seemed to be building in quality/prestige year over year.
Here were last year's finals matchups, and there were plenty of decent semis as well:
Finals
125 #14 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State) dec Mack Mauger (Missouri) - 5-4133 #3 Drake Ayala (Iowa) TF Kale Petersen (Iowa) - 20-5
141 #9 Josh Koderhandt (Navy) dec #6 Vance Vombaur (Minnesota) - 4-2
149 #4 Kyle Parco (Iowa) dec #6 Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina) - 7-5
157 Daniel Cardenas (Stanford) dec #24 Jared Hill (Wyoming) - 5-1
165 #2 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) dec #10 Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) - 7-6
174 Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) dec #15 Danny Wask (Navy) - 6-2
184 Angelo Ferrari (Iowa) won by forfeit over #5 Gabe Arnold (Iowa)
197 #1 Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) MD Aeoden Sinclair (Missouri) - 15-4
285 #13 Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec Bennett Tabor (Minnesota) - 1-0
And IIRC, Minnesota had entered several other starters (perhaps even Steveson) before a flu bug hit a few of them the week of.
That's far from a 'sham of a tournament.'
It’s by far the worst holiday tournament between midlands, the scuffle, and the salute.
The women got to compete for like two years before they were kicked to the curb (an atrocity for a city that deems itself wrestletown USA, maybe there was another reason why they didn’t include the women I’m not educated about.)
Sure last year it was fine (with the finals featuring 4 non starters). But it absolutely has turned into a sham tournament.
maybe an overreaction (and admittedly a little upset) and love the reporting Tanner, but you cannot deny how disappointing this is. Participating in no individual style tournaments during the season is a mistake (imo).
hopefully I’m wrong and this is a 1 off and the team is sick or something.
The women got to compete for like two years before they were kicked to the curb (an atrocity for a city that deems itself wrestletown USA, maybe there was another reason why they didn’t include the women I’m not educated about.)
Sure last year it was fine (with the finals featuring 4 non starters). But it absolutely has turned into a sham tournament.
maybe an overreaction (and admittedly a little upset) and love the reporting Tanner, but you cannot deny how disappointing this is. Participating in no individual style tournaments during the season is a mistake (imo).
hopefully I’m wrong and this is a 1 off and the team is sick or something.
It's going to be in the 50s here in Dakota. I will find something to do. Someone post the Ludington matches please so I can watch next week.
Well yeah, I meant other teams sending guys here to beat up on some backups. Hawks just taking another weekend off.
I can tell you that the women were in no way 'kicked to the curb.'
That side of the tournament was stopped because of the date change (see the announcement below) - which pushed things in too close of proximity to the National Duals.
As for your (or anyone's) disappointment, I don't deny it. In fact, I completely share it.
But one can be monumentally disappointed while also not overexaggerating the facts (intentionally or not).
For instance, go look at the Midlands results/finals from earlier this week.
The Soldier Salute had already become a much better holiday tournament than that and might honestly still be even this year despite all of Iowa's absences.