Vito

[mookie]

Flo's documentary of Vito Arujau is very well done. In a follow-up interview with Mark Bader, he seems quite dismissive of his loss to Ryan Crookham. Says he's looking forward to meeting up with Ryan at EIWA and Nationals.

[Oracle]

Whatever. Vito saying that is him trying to convince himself. He doesn't look sharp at this moment, but we all know what he is capable of when he's on. To my eye, Ryan Crookham didn't look that sharp in the last 2 duals either. Both will need to peak at the right time and then it should be fun to watch.

[mookie]

Bader: "Were you familiar with Crookham before the match?"

Vito: "I knew he was Lehigh's backup or something".

[martinsilvestri]

Underestimating and failure to prepare for Crookham probably was a legitimate factor. But yeah, of course he's going to find a way to frame it in a way that maintains his confidence. No real significance to any of that. He may adjust and beat Crookham next time or he may not. I'm more concerned about Daton Fix who looks fresher this season and motivated to get his championship (midlife crisis is a powerful thing). Ragusin also can't be slept on. 133 is a great weight this year between the old "living legends" and newcomers. We are fortunate to have our guy right in the middle of it. Trying to enjoy the moment!

[whiz wit]

The Cornell coaching staff doesn't prepare its wrestlers or require its wrestlers to prepare for likely opponents in a dual meet against a good team?

[Spladle1989]

Wasn't in a dual meet, was at Journeyman

[whiz wit]

Wasn't in a dual meet, was at Journeyman

.... and I was at the LU-Cornell dual. I think I better stop posting. The brain is too far gone.

[gimpeltf]

The way he said that is similar to other Russians/Azerbaijanis in similar situations. Satiev said much the same about Slay. It sounds cocky but it's more matter of fact (to them).

[martinsilvestri]

The Cornell coaching staff doesn't prepare its wrestlers or require its wrestlers to prepare for likely opponents in a dual meet against a good team?

there's preparation and there's preparation. until the journeyman tournament, nobody saw Crookham as that kind of threat. was he studying tape on Ryan and developing a strategy the way he did against RBY and against Magomedov? i doubt it.

if people really did their homework they could identify Crookham's danger from his high school career, but my guess is Vito and Grey felt they had bigger fish to fry, until they didn't. Crookham will need to prepare for the rematch to be a war - and i bet he is.

[gimpeltf]

Ryan didn't wrestle Jr year or Sr year until state duals.
He didn't wrestle much last year either.