I just want to clarify what I said earlier. Could Chad Mendes make the team right now? Probably not. But if he dedicated himself to making the team. My bet is he could make the team by 2012. Thats what I meant.
Jordan Keckler you are a lame!!! how in the hell can you state that Mendes can be an olympian when he hasnt even tried the international scene nor the olympic ladder. In addition most wrestler have an upper hand in the MMA world because the transition is similar and maybe alot easier training. Usually Wrestler can pick up other sports alot easier and for other sports to pick up wrestling takes alot of time and effort. with this being said you are a lame!!!! Chad Mendes stop being a cry baby...you lost and jaggers beat you fair and square..!!!!!!!!!
I think this is great, how Sammy had him cycle his workouts from 2 - 3 intense weeks and then 2 weeks lighter, less intense training.
Too many wrestlers (or their coaches) aim to kill it every time, and then they are burnt out by seasons end, when, they need to be feeling fresh and strong and healthy.
Not always the best wrestlers are most successful, it can often be the person who is healthiest!
--z--
Got to agree with Keckler 100%! Will MMA draw some wrestlers that "could"? Yes. Bust most (95%) including Chad, that transition into MMA don't want to make a run at the Olympics. Message #77 of Lee Kemp's Blog talks about Passion, and that one must Love what they are doing in order to be the best. Not that Chad doesn't love our great sport, but he has redirected his goal, more power to him! He got an education, he got media exposure, and now he has a great Trainning situation. Chad will end up holding a belt one day, and he will have wrestling and those he motivated him to wrestle to thank. Get 'em Chad, Central Valley will be right behind you all the way!
chad mendes could definitley make the olympic team if he really wanted too. But he doesnt want to. So watch him become a huge star in the MMA. Mark my words.
Chad Mendes was a good wrestler, dont get me wrong. But honestly, who really thinks that he would make the olympic team if he continues to train wrestling.... not me.
I saw your match with Jaggers in the finals. It looked like you were mixing in a little bit of your MMA when you tried to rip his foot off. Good luck with MMA, you intensity is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I must add that I do NOT blame any of these young men for reasons for choosing MMA over Olympic/International wrestling (money, desire, love for fighting, etc.). My original statement was simply that wrestling for the USA on the international will continue to suffer due, at least in part, to the MMA luring away these young superstars. Sad to me because wrestling has and always will be my favorite sport and being a patriotic American, I want nothing more than to see the USA wrestling team compete well on the international/Olympic level. Unfortunately, in my humble opinion, with the rise of MMA and all that goes with it (women, money, drugs, God knows what else at those Vegas post fight parties), I fear the sport that is so true, pure, and loved by so many (WRESTLING) will suffer as a result. A sad day for our beloved sport. Good Luck to Chad Mendes, I wish you all the luck and success in your new found sport and please always know that you will be welcomed back to our beloved sport with open arms should MMA not work out for you (or in the unfortunate event you get caught in a Go-Go-Plata to a reverse arm bar and have your appendages torn off then beaten senseless with them).
Frank and Ken Shamrock, Royce Gracie, BJ Penn, Randy Couture, Matt Hughes all are successful MMArtist and are not ed. Petty since you have a "real job" how about putting your money where your mouth is and sponsor some of these world class athletes so they don't end up in MMA or living in their cars broke.
"Yeah lets have an athelite like chad train for four years in the olympics and be broke and live in a car just to be a training partner. come on tj x stop being a moron and think realistic"
and get your brains bashed in and end up ed for life? Sounds great. I'd rather be broke living in my car and healthy than rich for two years and ed for life...these guys are doing major life threatening damage to their bodies. Let's see where they are all at 25 yrs from now...get a real job
Yeah lets have an athelite like chad train for four years in the olympics and be broke and live in a car just to be a training partner. come on tj x stop being a moron and think realistic
That's nice, here is another future international/Olympic hopeful for the United States or at least a great workout partner/alternate but once again, the MMA swoops in and steals him away from our sport. Our existence on the international scene will contine to fade as the MMA continues to lure away all this great young talent, very sad.
Chad Mendes finished his NCAA wrestling career right near the top, but not quite there. He will use this as motivation to drive him as he makes the transition over into the mma world. He feels that he will be very competitive as he trains with some of the top fighters, including current WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber September 8, 2008
Chad Mendes Starts Fighting
PS. You are lame.
Too many wrestlers (or their coaches) aim to kill it every time, and then they are burnt out by seasons end, when, they need to be feeling fresh and strong and healthy.
Not always the best wrestlers are most successful, it can often be the person who is healthiest!
--z--
and get your brains bashed in and end up ed for life? Sounds great. I'd rather be broke living in my car and healthy than rich for two years and ed for life...these guys are doing major life threatening damage to their bodies. Let's see where they are all at 25 yrs from now...get a real job
ps. Well put Brandon!