As an overall career of wrestling who comes to mind as the best? Some names to look for are Cael Sanderson, John Smith, Dan Gable, etc.

I'll have to go with Dan Gable!

I would vote for Bruce Baumgartner.  4 olympics and 4 medals. 

jack podgorski

Ha Ha thats funny!  :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Lets say Kyle Ruschell just because he is from kentucky and I think placed higher than any kentucky boy. My real vote is Cael Sanderson.

John Smith was pretty amazing.

My all time favorites

1) Dave Schulz

2) Dan Gable

John Smith's technique was just on a higher level then almost any other American Wrestler

john smith for sure

in no order i would say the 10 best would be

dan gable

dan hodge

cael sanderson

dave schultz

john smith

pat smith

buvaisar saitiev

bruce buamgartner

alexander karelin

tom brands

in no order i would say the 10 best would be

dan gable

dan hodge

cael sanderson

dave schultz

john smith

pat smith

buvaisar saitiev

bruce buamgartner

alexander karelin

tom brands

prob dan gable.  the russians tried to hand pick wrestlers who could beat him and train them for that.

in no order i would say the 10 best would be

dan gable

dan hodge

cael sanderson

dave schultz

john smith

pat smith

buvaisar saitiev

bruce buamgartner

alexander karelin

tom brands

what? what about me bro?

what? what about me bro?

Dan Gable... Hands Down.

Not the best of all time but def. should be mentioned Rulon Gardner. Did the unthinkable, lived the unthinkable.

Not the best of all time but def. should be mentioned Rulon Gardner. Did the unthinkable, lived the unthinkable.

I thought of him too but he didnt do much outside of his incredible upset of Alexader Karelin

I thought of him too but he didnt do much outside of his incredible upset of Alexader Karelin

Name one other Olympic Bronze medalist with only 4 toes. Besides his Olympic gold he was also a World and World Cup champion. USOC Sportsman of the Year (second wrestler in history to receive honor). I guess you're right. Not much........

Rulon did a lot don't get me wrong but I don't know if he should go down as the greatest US wrestler ever.  If you look at his whole career it is pretty impressive, especially considering the 2001 World Champion was also from the US (Dremiel Byers) and Rulon had to beat him out.  However Rulon wrestled in Greco and therefore unless he was a four time Olympic medalist or multi-time World Champ I don't know if he should be considered.  Also was an All-American only twice I believe at Nebraska which is hardly worthy of mentioning him at the top of the list.  He may be in my top 20 but nowhere near the top.

Name one other Olympic Bronze medalist with only 4 toes. Besides his Olympic gold he was also a World and World Cup champion. USOC Sportsman of the Year (second wrestler in history to receive honor). I guess you're right. Not much........

Those achievements are far more then I can ever get. But like jpizar said he wrestled in Greco, this also never said best American wrestler it said Best Wrestler period. The throws in all the great Russian, Japanese, Ukrainian, etc. wrestlers as well. Im not saying he wasnt an incredible wrestler he just is not at the levels of Dan Gable, John Smith, or Dave Schultz. Id also throw Yojiro Uetake into the mix cause im a hopeless Oklahoma State homer

Those achievements are far more then I can ever get. But like jpizar said he wrestled in Greco, this also never said best American wrestler it said Best Wrestler period. The throws in all the great Russian, Japanese, Ukrainian, etc. wrestlers as well. Im not saying he wasnt an incredible wrestler he just is not at the levels of Dan Gable, John Smith, or Dave Schultz. Id also throw Yojiro Uetake into the mix cause im a hopeless Oklahoma State homer

I do think you were dissing Rulon. And, now I think you're dissing all of Greco. Just because you haven't wrestled Greco or have an appreciation for it puts you on the same level as other "haters" of wrestling who make comments like this.

JPIZAR, you dissappoint me too. As a student and now teacher of our great sport, you should know that Greco is the closest style we have to what our proud history was built upon.

To get back on topic, I wouldn't put Rulon as the greatest ever but, I would put him as the greatest international amdassador our sport has had in America. I would put him in the top 10 of America's, FWIW.

Greco is a great sport. I find it the toughest of all the levels of wrestling. I would put freestyle closer to folkstyle though, it seems to be an easier transition.

I brought Rulon up because of the Caldwell upset. The magnitude of Caldwell beating Metcalf was nothing compared to Rulon beating Karelin. They compared Rulon beating Karelin to the USA hockey team beating the Soviets. Ironically they called it the "Miracle on the mat". I mean here is the setting, Karelin hasn't been beaten in international competition in 13 years! He hasn't been scored on in the previous 6 years leading up to his demise. The previous time they faced each other Rulon got beaten 5-0 which doesn't seem much but they said it was like a big victory points wise in greco. In Caldwell's case the last time they faced each other Metcalf teched him. I find it amazing when a wrestler can come back from a loss like that and do something beyond anyone's expectations. Not trying to compare Rulon and Karelin to Metcalf and Caldwell as wrestlers but to their situations that they were in. I think a bronze(with no big toe) and gold medal in the Olympics and one world championship from Rulon is definently top ten worthy in my eyes. His heart is as big as Dan Gables. It's crazy Cael hasn't been mentioned yet. 159-0, flawless I mean he is the most successful wrestler to date. He has met everyone's expectations wrestling on the mat wise. He hasn't done a bad job as head coach either. I would like to see Iowa State dominate Iowa personally. I think Dan Gable edges out Cael just because Cael isn't finished with his career as a coach. Longevity wise I don't see Cael beating Gable's run as a coach. The reason Gable was so successful as a coach, this has been brought up by Askren on flo, is because of his mentality and the mentality he gave his wrestlers. His wrestlers may not have been the strongest, fastest, or most athletic ,although most had one of these traits, but they were all conditioned well and they had the mentality that they were going to win because they "believed". His kids believed they were the faster wrester or the better technician or the stronger wrestler.

I know this is a little off topic but I believe this is some good matireal. One my coaches in high school was telling me he talked to Gable once. He asked him "If there is one thing to remember in coaching what would you tell someone?" Gable replied, "You should never give up on any of your athletes because some have to be coached differently than others." Basically what he was saying was you should never approach all of your kids the same when coaching. Some kids need hugs, others a slap in the face before they get out on the mat.

Back to topic though, I didn't put it in the title but I was generally referring to wrestlers from the USA who have come up through the NCAAs and such. I cannot comment on whether or not Hodge was a good wrestler or what because I haven't done the research on them but in my opinion here are my top wrestlers in order, Gable, Sanderson, Smith, Rulon, Zeke Jones, and Bruce Baumgartner.

I do think you were dissing Rulon. And, now I think you're dissing all of Greco. Just because you haven't wrestled Greco or have an appreciation for it puts you on the same level as other "haters" of wrestling who make comments like this.

JPIZAR, you dissappoint me too. As a student and now teacher of our great sport, you should know that Greco is the closest style we have to what our proud history was built upon.

To get back on topic, I wouldn't put Rulon as the greatest ever but, I would put him as the greatest international amdassador our sport has had in America. I would put him in the top 10 of America's, FWIW.

I have no issues with Greco, I forgot to mention my point is that most great college wrestlers always seem to enter Freestyle. Maybe im wrong, ive only ever wrestled Folk and Freestyle

Ha Rulon Gardner is one of my heroes, an incredibly gifted wrestler. I just dont put him on the same level as Gable, Smith, Sanderson, Watanabe, Baumgartner, Karelin, etc.

Ha Rulon Gardner is one of my heroes, an incredibly gifted wrestler. I just dont put him on the same level as Gable, Smith, Sanderson, Watanabe, Baumgartner, Karelin, etc.

How would he not be on the same list as Karelin; when he beat Karelin? Granted Karelin was old at the time, the fact still remains.

How would he not be on the same list as Karelin; when he beat Karelin? Granted Karelin was old at the time, the fact still remains.

Thats like saying that Joey Sanders should be mentioned as one of the best ever from Ky because he beat Courtney.

if its just u.s. wrestlers then the greatest should be cael sanderson- only 4x undefeated national champ, 3x hodge trophy winner, first underclassmen to win it, gold medal in 2004 olympics, silver medal in 2003 world championships, and a 3x national freestyle champ

for the other great u.s. wrestler then it should be john smith- i mean really do i have to say

but my pick for the greatest would have to be aleksandr karelin- was undefeated from 1987-2000

Gold 1988 Seoul Super heavyweight

Competitor for  Unified Team

Gold 1992 Barcelona Super heavyweight

Competitor for  Russia

Gold 1996 Atlanta Super heavyweight

Silver 2000 Sydney 97 - 130 kg--- first lost point in 6 yrs

World Championships

Gold Martigny 1989 Up to 130 kg

Gold Ostia 1990 Up to 130 kg

Gold Varna 1991 Up to 130 kg

Gold Stockholm 1993 Up to 130 kg

Gold Tampere 1994 Up to 130 kg

Gold Prague 1995 Up to 130 kg

Gold Wroclaw 1997 Up to 130 kg

Gold G

Thats like saying that Joey Sanders should be mentioned as one of the best ever from Ky because he beat Courtney.

Not at all. It's actually about the exact opposite.

Not at all. It's actually about the exact opposite.

I think you're both right and wrong.  I can see where he was coming from because beating Courtney was no small feat, he was damn good as an eighth grader.  But I think a better comparison would be Cory Spencer beating Travis Sullivan because it was Sullivan's last match like Karelin's.

I think you're both right and wrong.  I can see where he was coming from because beating Courtney was no small feat, he was damn good as an eighth grader.  But I think a better comparison would be Cory Spencer beating Travis Sullivan because it was Sullivan's last match like Karelin's.

My point exactly.