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The argument against a new weight class between 197 and HWT

EvilMonkeyInTheCloset

EvilMonkeyInTheCloset

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Feb 25, 2008
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How would a 210-225 lb weight class "kill" the sport?

Does a guy like Dreshaun Ross really need to add excess bulk in order to compete with the size of college heavyweights?

Let's completely ignore the fact that in modern times, the gap between 197 and 285 is greater than 197 and every other weight class below it.

And, I'll gladly push back on the main argument that it'd be a supply and demand (participation) issue like with soccer and how all our "best athletes" go play football or basketball.......................

The other main argument will probably be Title IX and the one extra scholarship issue. If Title IX is really gonna be this staunch roadblock to adding one weight class/scholarship that is legitimately needed (deal with it if any "wrestling geniuses" believe it isn't......) for this sport, then Title IX itself needs to be amended. It shouldn't exist to prevent the growth of sports, or only allow growth if it allows more growth for women's sports first.

Sorry not sorry. šŸ˜


Oh wait, sorry. I forgot about the threads title.......as I was saying, but yes, please, argue against adding a weight class between 197 and HWT, actual wrestling fans.
 
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Misalorales

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EvilMonkeyInTheCloset said:
How would a 210-225 lb weight class "kill" the sport?

Does a guy like Dreshaun Ross really need to add excess bulk in order to compete with the size of college heavyweights?

Let's completely ignore the fact that in modern times, the gap between 197 and 285 is greater than 197 and every other weight class below it.

And, I'll gladly push back on the main argument that it'd be a supply and demand (participation) issue like with soccer and how all our "best athletes" go play football or basketball.......................

The other main argument will probably be Title IX and the one extra scholarship issue. If Title IX is really gonna be this staunch roadblock to adding one weight class/scholarship that is legitimately needed (deal with it if any "wrestling geniuses" believe it isn't......) for this sport, then Title IX itself needs to be amended. It shouldn't exist to prevent the growth of sports, or only allow growth if it allows more growth for women's sports first.

Sorry not sorry. šŸ˜


Oh wait, sorry. I forgot about the threads title.......as I was saying, but yes, please, argue against adding a weight class between 197 and HWT, actual wrestling fans.
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I'd be okay with just sliding the weights up. Keep the same spacing of 8,8,8,8,8,9,10,13 heavy for all I care. Also likely to never happen as well as long as 57kg is an Olympic class... 133-141-149-157-165-173-182-192-205-heavy... Probably makes more sense for the modern American adult male.
 
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MSU158

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It just simply isnā€™t needed. It may help a very few select wrestlers, but all you have to do is look at the high school numbers. What weights are the most voided and have the least participants? What weights are the least voided and have the most participants?

if you were adding a weight simply due to talent and participation, you would do it smack dab in the middle and wouldnā€™t even consider anything in between 197 and 285 other than maybe moving 197 a little over 200 to space out adding a weight in the 150-160 rangeā€¦
 
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GLC1969

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Ok if youā€™re adding a weight class because someone is too small for the weight class what about, the rare kid that weighs 115. Wrestling is an equal opportunity sport too small get bigger to. Big get smaller
 
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Sett1997

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I don't understand how anyone can think a class between 197 and 285 is not needed. That's almost 90 lbs. Lol
That would be like a 110 lb. person wrestling a 197 lb. person.
So if you are 215 you are just screwed. Does that seem fair? Throw a 225 or 215 class in there. What does it hurt?
 
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Sett1997

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Crablegs1 said:
Oh they could field them, theyā€™d just be bad wrestlers.
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Like Kyle Snyder? Ben Kueter? A.J. Ferrari? Where is your logic on this statement Crabs? Post some logic. Might have some people join wrestling in the tween if there was actually a class they fit into.
You think there aren't any high school athletes in the 210 to 235 range?
 
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_Mjolnir_

_Mjolnir_

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By 19 I was 6'2" 205lbs. I went from the low 170's my Fr year of high school to gaining 10lbs a year until I was in the mid 190's my Sr. year. My body needed to grow. No matter what I did it kept growing. By 19-20 no way I could get below 205 without sacrifice athletic ability. In college had a lot of guys just like me who wrestled but ultimately had to choose football. In early 20's was in peak shape at about 212-214.
 
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MSU158

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Sabula said:
Why? Absolutely no reason to assume that. So you're backtracking from your initial comment about only benefiting 2 or 3 guys. And we were just told that a recent hit champ was right in that range.
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2 or 3 is a bit of hyperbole, but it truly is a very low number. Again, it really isn't an opinion. It is based on very real numbers. All you have to do is look at the high school participation numbers and then even look at the toughest high school tournaments in that weight range.

On top of it all, 197 and 285 aren't exactly the deepest weight classes. Add a weight class in between them and not only will you be adding a very thin weight class, you will almost certainly be making those 2 weight classes even thinner...

With that said, I do understand people arguing that there is a very large gap between 197 and 285. I even understand that gap sucks for the "tweeners", but I am absolutely certain that it would only benefit a VERY small portion of high school wrestlers that pursue wrestling at the next level...
 
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Corby2

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Libertylover said:
They have to eat insane amounts of food every day just to maintain that. AJ did an interview around tournament time last year saying there should be a 220-225 type class, and besides himself, he used Ben as a prime example of someone who would be perfect at that weight.
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We all have opinions. Mine is that we don't need at weight between 197 and Hwt. Most guys who go from 197 to Hwt would want another weight class. Kueter, AJ and Voelker are all top 10 at HWT they're doing fine
 
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MSU158

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Evil Monkey,

Instead of laughing, have you actually looked at the participation numbers? Have you watched the top tournaments at those weight ranges?

The simple, unbiased truth is that the most talented and highest concentration of high school wrestling is smack dab in the middle weight classes. If you are talking about the need for an additional weight class, wouldn't it make the most sense to put that weight class where it would benefit, not only the most, but the best, wrestlers moving on to the next level?

I assume you were a "tweener" in the 197-285 range and this is personal to you. If so, I do feel where you are coming from. In a perfect world, college wrestling would have 14 weight classes and we wouldn't have to belabor this point. But, when speaking about adding a weight class that benefits the most wrestlers, while also putting the best product on the mat, adding it between 197 and 285 is probably the least effective option...
 
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MSU158

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Praguehawk said:
There are a ton of great athletes that would compete at 220. Lot of linebacker type guys that would fit better there than at heavyweight or cutting to 197.
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So are you saying that these types that don't wrestle in High School would all of a sudden wrestle because college has this weight class? Because there actually is a 220 weight in High School and it is arguably the thinnest weight class there is ...
 
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JoeBagobagels

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Sett1997 said:
Like Kyle Snyder? Ben Kueter? A.J. Ferrari? Where is your logic on this statement Crabs? Post some logic. Might have some people join wrestling in the tween if there was actually a class they fit into.
You think there aren't any high school athletes in the 210 to 235 range?
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In powerlifting they used to follow the Olympic weight classes. So way back in a day it was 198 and then super heavy way.

Soon after they added 242 I believe and super heavyweight. Then before long 220, 275 308 were also added. SHW was now known as 308+.

So if we wouldn't even spread of weight classes we could potentially add a little weight to each weight class.

It's possible but probably not probable it might reduce a little cutting for much of the field.
 
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