RUDIS Wrestling Podcast

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#51: 2019 U.S. Open - Finals Recap Apr 29, 2019

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#50: 2019 U.S. Open - Men's Semifinals Recap and Finals Preview Apr 29, 2019

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Yianni Is Living in the Matrix
On this special live broadcast Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan breakdown all the wrestling from the U.S. Open leading up to the finals and make their predictions for the finals. The first topic they jump into is someone everyone is talking about, Yianni Diakomihalis. Diakomihalis has had an amazing tournament thus far highlighted by his tech fall over Jordan Oliver. It’s exciting to see considering Diakomihalis hasn’t had many opportunities to show what he can do in freestyle. Askren and Dernlan break down his mat and body awareness. The 65 kg final between Diakomihalis and Zain Retherford will be one of the most exciting matchups of the entire tournament.
65 kg (15:18)
After talking about Diakomilhalis vs Retherford, Askren and Dernlan discuss other key matches that went down in the 65 kg bracket. One great match was Joey McKenna vs Dean Heil. Heil came up big with two, four point moves in the second period getting the win 12-9. Heil then only had 15 minutes until his next round match against Jordan Eierman. Askren says in order to save time and allow more time between matches they should consider getting rid of challenge blocks before the quarterfinals.
57 kg (21:07)
The first match they break down is Nathan Tomasello vs Thomas Gilman that ended with Tomasello cautioning out in the second period. Askren was surprised at how dominant Gilman looked after Tomasello tech falled his way to the semifinal match. Tomasello and Gilman always had very competitive matches in college. They go on to talk about Daton Fix. They point out how many tournaments Fix shows up to which is a lot more than most wrestlers.
61 kg (25:35)
Askren and Dernlan give credit to Joey Palmer making it all the way to the semifinals as a fairly unknown wrestler. He got past Tyler Graff in the quarterfinals which is a very tough task. Another wrestler Askren highlights in this bracket is Beau Bartlett. Bartlett is a high school junior and ended up finishing 8th place beating some notable collegiate wrestlers.
70 kg (29:02)
Ryan Deakin has been on a storm through this star-studded bracket. Deakin was Dernlan’s pick as a guy that could be a major disrupter at NCAAs but he faded off during the NCAA Championships. He’s been showing the world what he can do in Freestyle and will face James Green who beat Jason Nolf in their semifinal matchup.
74 kg (32:54)
Isaiah Martinez has been hammering everyone on his way to the finals. He faces Thomas Gantt in the finals. Askren says the most interesting thing about this weight class is to see what the wrestlers at non-Olympic weight levels decide to do.
79 kg (35:02)
Askren coached Nick Becker who’s wrestling out of Askren Wrestling Academy. Becker dropped to Chance Marsteller and now he will face Matthew Finesilver in the third-place match. Marsteller faces Alex Dieringer in the finals. Askren predicts Dieringer going down to 74 kg and Marsteller going up to 86 for the Olympics.
86 kg (35:43)
Pat Downey beats Myles Martin in the semis 9-7. It was all Martin in the first period up 7-0 but wasn’t able to hold off Downey in the second. Downey faces Nick Heflin in the finals.
92 kg (38:03)
Hayden Zillmer has been really impressive all tournament but he has a tough task in the finals against Bo Nickal. Askren calls for fireworks in the finals and wants to see how Nickal wrestlers a bigger wrestler in Zillmer.
97 kg (38:43)
One of Dernlan’s top wrestlers, Ben Honis has made it to the finals and will face Kyven Gadson. Honis beat Ty Walz in the semifinals. Walz is a guy many thought could give Snyder a run which shows how good Honis is.
125 kg (40:03)
Adam Coon made his way to the finals as expected and he’ll face Anthony Nelson.

#49: U.S. Open Wrestling Preview Apr 29, 2019

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#48: 2018 World Championships Men’s Freestyle Scoring Breakdown Pt. 3 Apr 18, 2019

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#47: 2018 World Championships Men’s Freestyle Scoring Breakdown Pt. 2 Apr 16, 2019

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Positive Encouragement
This episode is the second part in a series of statistical scoring breakdowns by Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan. The wrestling communities positive reaction to this analysis and data gathered by Askren has been overwhelmingly positive and encouraging. It shows the demand and interest in this topic of tangible wrestling data. This podcast will focus on the largest category of points scored which was shots.
Double Legs (3:17)
An interesting stat from this data is that double legs outscored single legs. This is contrary to most technique studies Askren and Dernlan have seen in the past. They're interested to see if this tournament was an anomaly and what the statistics would look like with even more data. If you do add in the low single and knee pull then single legs are number one over double legs. When there's so much emphasis put on one stat, as a wrestler and as a coach you need to get extremely proficient in that technique and scoring areas.
Rule Changes Impacting Stats (7:07)
Another point of emphasis Askren brings attention to is that if you shoot a double leg and keep your hands locked, you'll be awarded four points. This was not the case until 2018 and because of this, it gives a giant incentive to favor doubles over singles. Something else that comes from this is if you're the defensive wrestler and you chest wrap the offensive wrestler when they shoot their double, you'll most likely turn down and give up two points instead of four. The defensive wrestler bailing and giving up two shows the pendulum swing to the opposite side from just five years ago. Askren and Dernlan talk about their stories of the danger of shooting a double in the past because you didn't know the way the officials would call it.
No Difference by Weightclass (15:54)
Askren brings up a good point that for many of these techniques and finishes it is not isolated to one or two weight classes. The light and heavy guys are both using these techniques. This goes against Askren's preconceived notions about the techniques that would make for example a heavyweight successful.
High Crotch Finishes (22:40)
Something Askren feels is easy to defend and therefore doesn't teach a lot is a high crotch to drive across double leg. This technique scored 54 points at the 2018 World Championships so obviously, it is a useful and effective technique. This is an example of something coaches can take away from this data. Although you may feel something isn't worthy, if the numbers are undeniable then you should probably listen to them. This could also be due to the proficiency of defense at this level.
Where the Fight Begins (32:51)
Askren uses an example of a wrestler he was coaching who kept shooting a head inside single leg and getting shut down. After losing the match the wrestler was satisfied with the fact he got to his opponent's leg 5 times. The point to his story is that the goal is not to shoot and get to the leg the goal is to shoot and score. The fight only begins once you get to the leg.
Setups (36:26)
There are three types of setups. Open with separation, middle which is wrist or bicep control, and collar ties, and control ties like underhooks, overhooks, etc. Askren says the most important is being good in the middle. At a high level, wrestlers aren't coming out of position for no reason.
To Download 2018 World Report Go to: https://therudis.com/world-championships-scoring-breakdown-pt-2/

#46: 2018 World Championships Men’s Freestyle Scoring Breakdown Introduction Apr 12, 2019

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Download Infographic Here: https://therudis.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/0322-ben-infographic-13.jpg
Askren vs Burroughs
During this episode of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan break down. First, they jump into talking about the announcement of Ben Askren vs Jordan Burroughs at Beat The Streets New York City. Askren will take on Burroughs in the main event May 6th at Madison Square Garden weighing in at 79 kg. Beat The Streets is a non-profit organization that's mission is to help youth reach their full physical, cognitive, and social potential. They do so by providing a positive atmosphere where kids can learn teamwork, exercise, and responsibility. It's the best of both worlds, an extremely entertaining matchup that fans want to see and it's all for a good cause.
If You Want it Done Right (6:17)
Last year after the Men's Freestyle World Championships Askren saw people putting up technique statistics but he wasn't sure if they were correct. He decided to hire some help and create a scoring form for 172 matches. They noted every single point scored and categorized them. During this podcast, Askren and Dernlan will talk about the overview of this project. Over the next few podcasts, they will discuss specifics and breakdown the interesting information you can pull from this data. In the future, Askren will do the same analysis for a folkstyle tournament. This will hopefully inform everyone about the scoring differences between folkstyle and freestyle.
Surprising Statistics (12:11)
Something that stood out to Dernlan in the data was that out of all matches there was only one time where someone scored with a crotch lift. This is one of the top moves taught in youth wrestling. In par terre, Askren was shocked that gut wrenches beat out leg laces almost five to one. This is surprising considering the potential to score multiple points from leg laces whereas you have to earn every gut wrench point.
Comparing Categories (20:20)
Askren points out to keep in mind when comparing categories that certain moves score points for each category. For example, if a wrestler used a control tie to get to the shot to push their opponent out that is points in all three categories. This shows you what setups give the best opportunities to score. Askren and Dernlan will be able to break down the setup, shot, and the finish. Not only is the data broke down this way but it's also broke down by weight classes. We can see the different techniques that are the most effective at each weight class. Askren thought there would be more noticeable differences in weight classes but the trends by weight class just aren't there. It goes to show you have to be proficient in every position no matter your weight.
Attack, Attack, Attack (30:10)
Askren brings up something Isaiah Martínez and him talked about in the last podcast, aggressiveness. Especially at a young age being fearless and constantly attacking will allow you to figure out the areas you're struggling. If you put yourself in situations where you're making mistakes eventually you'll figure it out and improve.
Shot Clock & Penalty Points (32:30)
Dernlan is interested in these two categories because of the possibility of a shot clock or penalty point being the difference maker in the match. We see this often where a penalty point such as hands to the face gives one wrestler the edge. Askren discusses how only one match was there more than two points scored in this category.
Point Totals (42:00)
Askren and Dernlan take a look at the categories totals. Breaking down the par terre scoring is simple, 2 points from a crotch lift and 270 from either a gut wrench or a leg lace. Push out either came from a control tie or a shot. Shot clock had 82 points. A category Askren thought would produce more points was front headlock which only had 56 points. Another category that has many variations and produced 36 points was slide by.
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#45: Exclusive Isaiah Martínez Interview Apr 09, 2019

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Ben Askren sits down with Isaiah Martínez for an exclusive interview.
Everyday Training (0:00)
Fighting Career (5:08)
How it All Began (6:38)
Just Attack (8:20)
Young Wrestlers (13:31)
Early College Career (18:03)
Freshman Year (24:18)
Sophomore Year (26:38)
Vincenzo Joseph (31:59)
Professional Career (33:08)
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The Way #11 | A RUDIS Wrestling Podcast: Switch: Keep the Switch Going Apr 05, 2019

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On this podcast, Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Chapter 11, “Keep the Switch Going” from the book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard by Chip and Dan Heath. This is the last chapter of Switch. The book has been about how to enact change within an organization or team. Dernlan and Kolat have tied these strategies and ideas into wrestling. Kolat specifically has shown how he utilizes these lessons and tactics in everyday life at Campbell. Kolat says this book has definitely helped him be a better head coach. To make a change you have to start with yourself by walking the walk, and talking the talk.
Evolution of the Sport (3:05)
Setting the Bar Correctly (5:40)
Know When to Hold the Line (9:08)
Find the Bright Spots (17:20)
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#44: Askren & Dernlan's Season Ending Awards Apr 05, 2019

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Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan break down their picks for the best dual, match, rivalry, upset, top wrestler, pinner, scrambler, freshmen, most exciting, and overall best wrestler.
Best Match (7:10)
Best Rivalry (11:03)
Best Upset (17:35)
Best on Top (22:03)
Best Pinner (26:57)
Best Scrambler (28:33)
Best Freshmen (32:08)
Most Exciting (34:54)
Overall Best Wrestler (39:42)
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#43: Top 10 Coaches of the Year Apr 03, 2019

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Beat The Streets
In this episode of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Ben Askren and Matt Dernlan discuss the top 10 coaches of the year.
How to Judge (6:23)
Number 10 - Troy Steiner (12:15)
Number 9 - Chris Ayres | Coleman Scott (17:37)
Number 7 - Kevin Dresser | Scott Moore (28:03)
Number 6 - Scott Moore | Tom Brands (32:10)
Number 5 - Doug Schwab | Brandon Eggum (38:35)
Number 4 - Brian Smith | Scott Goodale (39:22)
Number 3 - Cael Sanderson | Chris Ayres (44:51)
Number 2 - Kevin Dresser | Tom Ryan (49:13)
Number 1 - Cael Sanderson | Scott Goodale (51:23)
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