Status: Fini

January 16th Amendment: OK - the seeds are out and I am fairly pleased with how I fared.  I should have known De la Salle was not going and did not know anything about Madill, OK.  And, of course, a few guys changed weight classes on me and some others simply are not there.  So I am going to count when I am dead wrong, but not if one of my seeds was knocked down a notch for someone from Madill.  My scoring percentage (with only five seeds, so one miss equals 20%) are behind any notes.

106 - No worries: 100%

113 - Eli Larriviere instead of Austin Pfister for Jesuit made that a lot easier to do by eliminating a nasty Mobius Loop.  Mr. Wheat dropped down on me.  Those changes negates my two misses: 100%

120 - D'Antonio and Bush are not there, but I missed Trappey and did not put Des Bordes at #3: 60% (I missed Trappey because I cannot read - Basile's Raymond Bushnell was seeded fourth.)

126 - I bit on what someone else told me and moved Mr. Mauro up, and I did not know Markey was back.  Two excused, one not: 80%

132 - One unexpected from Madill and, unless he had beaten Klein on Wednesday, I didn't think Soileau should be that high (albeit I think he will finish that high, at least): 80%

138 - Lococo got third last year at the Classic but did not fare as expected at State, and that is where I went wrong.  He is doing fine this season, including a hard third at the Warrior Open.  I missed that!: 80%

145 - I'm not penalizing myself for Johnson over Rando - that was pretty much a toss, up although I maintain a two-point loss to the #1 seed should not have knocked Rando down: 100%

152 - Smack dab dead on!  100%

160 - I can see Mancuso over Rodriguez as the Raider freshman has two losses (Evans and Faul) while Mancuso only has one (Evans): 80%

170 - If Duhon, Jr. were there he would have been #5: 100%

195 - I had to give Patron the nod due to his out-of-state accomplishments, particularly at the Kansas City Stampede.  Switches like that only mean one is wrong.  Cashio dropped, so I cannot be blamed for that, nor for the Madill entrant: 80%

220 - I totally missed McNeil, didn't think about Arnett and should have given Simoneaux more credit: 40%

285 - I missed Santiago and Wilson: 60%

Final Grade:  In my estimation the seeding committee validated about 83% of my choices, which, of course, only matters to me.  Now it is time for the wrestlers to prove us all wrong!

[The following is from January 15th, with the exception of the notations of the Louisiana Classic seeds which differed from mine in red, and the wrestlers who are not the entered in crossed-out blue.]

It is pointless to make a list like this if one does not submit it prior to the actual seeds being available, which is not scheduled to happen until midnight tonight noon tomorrow.  Granted, it is pointless for me to make this list anyway, as it is not going to sway anyone at the Louisiana Classic seeding committee - my opinions are simply not that highly esteemed.  Making such a list, however, and comparing it to what the "experts" come up with, does provide me with a yardstick with which to measure my current state-wide wrestling acumen.

It also allows for a little gamesmanship, which is not allowed when seeding for the state championships.  When I find the list used to seed the state tournament I will post its location, but suffice to say, school-run tournaments are not always seeded using those criteria.  I imagine the Louisiana Classic seeding committee will use that method, but I am free from such restrictions.

Actually, the only criteria I am really not using is the major credence given to returning state champions. I am more of a "what have you done lately" kind of guy.  I also tend to not promote those who have dropped down a weight class until they have proved themself in that weight class.  Dropping has its advantages, but cutting down can have disadvantages as well.

A couple of coaches mentioned a few things I did not know and may have swayed my choices.  While I do not think anyone will care if I exhibit favoritism toward those lines of thought, I think it best not to name the coaches.

Naturally, and with regrets, I am sure I have missed some wrestlers who should be on this list, and/or I have made mistakes in reading TrackWrestling records.  Regardless though, for what it is worth, in the table below are the seeds I would have in the top five places at the 2015 Louisiana Classic.  After the seeds are released I will note the differences, possibly plead my case if I think otherwise, admit where I erred and, come Saturday evening, I will be happy to eat crow.

2014 state champions (Division) in bold.

Feel free to disagree: editor@lawrestlingnews.com

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