NEWS: 2027 pledge Sonny Amato announces decommitment
- Thread starter Tanner Lafever
- Start date
Endene quit and entered the portal, his decision for $.
Amato decommitted so far as I know.
Bassett again decommitted, his decision.
Don't think any were removed from the team unless I missed something.
Arnold yes, Brands announced it although it was short lived and Gabe returned.
Anyone waiting on the 27/28 classes to save TnT, and Iowa wrestling, is going to be disappointed.
The rest of us know how this will turn out.
The rest of us know how this will turn out.
I wouldn't show up out of the blue either and that's the part that I'm not buying from Mineo, that he was just expected to show up and that this was not clearly laid out to him. I'm not buying the no contact part either, that's one thing I think Iowa does fairly well (keeping tabs on commits). Didn't they send M* out east this year to touch base with commits during their state tourneys?
I do think this does have something to do with Amato not showing up for camps / training at Iowa. You can argue whether that's worthy of pulling a skolly or not. Me personally, as sketchy as our recruiting has been, I might have a little more indulgence / tolerance than Tom has shown.
Not because of Amato decommitting, that's just a pebble... but because it's one pebble in a sack full of rocks.
I lost the last shred of respect that I had for Mineo when he completely disappeared after A.J.'s latest arrest. This is a guy that wants to post anything and everything regarding wrestling first, and when a big story like this breaks on a guy he's been riding with, he's completely silent. Also, even as a PSU fan, I get annoyed with his completely obvious Iowa hate. He desires to be treated as a respected wrestling resource, but, then he does childish stuff towards an Iowa team he clearly dislikes. Say what you want about Willie, Basch, Pyles, etc., but, they don't do that.
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That's a pretty heavy loss for Iowa, this guy was legitimately talented. Not sure how much stock to put into Mineo gossip given what others have said. Didn't basset and Melvin Miller end up decommitting due to not being able to train with the team? Would this be a total inverse of that, or am I off base here?
No you're right, I thought about that irony. I think Corby nailed his skill set, Amato is tough on top and has a little unorthodox style to him that works to his advantage.
Kind of early to project if Freddy Bachmann grows like Joey did but he likely does and maybe he slots in at 157; 165 Joey; 141-149 is sorted out with Youngblut, Regan and Borge.
Mineo is bad for the sport. If he goes away it is addition through subtraction.
Poor Brands would have really benefitted from seeing Dog Day Afternoon.
Is what Mineo said even a real thing -- namely, that a high school wrestling recruit, over the summer before his senior year, is expected to travel to a university 1000 miles away and train with the team?
If it's a thing, it's of relatively new vintage, because I thought the whole reason Bassett left was that Tom wouldn't accommodate his request to train with the team over the summer before his senior year in high school.
If it's a thing, it's of relatively new vintage, because I thought the whole reason Bassett left was that Tom wouldn't accommodate his request to train with the team over the summer before his senior year in high school.
I believe Basset’s issue was who was paying the travel costs.
Not sure if the coaches are that demanding, but I can see where TnT only want super dedicated kids on the roster. Amato may have just been acting like a normal high school kid who wants to have fun with his friends and enjoy his summer. That isn't always acceptable to someone who wants to take a team to the top or someone who wants to be the best. Being a high level D1 athlete takes a weird amount of focus and almost an obsessive behavior. It sounds like TnT were thinking this kid was going to or was already washing out.
Good thing Perry didnt get the boot when he was walking around drinking straight from a bottle of Jack and winning nattys
The rule during Bassett was you had to live within 250 miles now that has been removed. So now a HS kid can train at any RTC he wants that started Sept 1 2025
Do you agree right call to boot a kid that is training on his own, but not making the trip out west to practice and be at camps? From what I understand, it's not like he was given an ultimatum or even a warning
How do you believe that you have all of the details to this? There has to be more, imo.
I dont believe I have all of the details. But the ones I think I have, seems like a very questionable decision by Brands
I really wish we could have navigated through this in a way that met both parties needs. Getting Bassett and company to the Hawks would have helped level up the program for a few years. Wherever this went wrong and beyond repair was truly a bad day. I am sick of thinking about it.
I also don’t think Mineo is accurate in his description here, that’s just a guess based on his history of being full of ****.
Jayden James decommitting from Virginia Tech to go to PSU
Sergio Vega decommitibg from PSU to go to Okie State
Harvey Ludington decommitting from ASU to go to Iowa
it’s not just everyone leaving Iowa…
Stop with the facts already
Withholding judgment until the full story is out, but nothing surprises me at this point. It almost doesn't matter what the story is. Constant drama and continued lackluster results are a bad combination.
I was thinking we had too many at that weigh range 141-157 had Duffy (2026), Regan, Borge, Youngblut, Amato (2027), F. Bachmann (2028), with the Kenny’s at 125/133 and Joe Bachmann at 165. So 6 guys have to figure out 3 weights… one had to go. I like our guys and wish they all stayed, but it was never going to work. With Calkin’s and Mocco both coming in 2026 at 197/285, we just need to figure out Arnold/Ferrari replacements at 174/184 and we’re pretty set for a long time, even without Amato.
Yep. Short of a major behavior/personal issue on the part of Amato, this is another negative the program can't afford.
Bottom line this is a highly ranked kid we wanted and who wanted to be a Hawk, from an area of the country we need to continue to recruit at a high level, and he isn't coming now. All the spin on the reasons isn't going to fill the hole on the roster in a couple years.
You are so kind to offer the PSU point of view. Thanks
What is he wrong about? Is this going to help with NJ recruiting? These things dont happen in a vacuum
We still got Duffy, 2 Kenny’s, Ferrari, Ludington and DeLuca. Pretty strong connection to NJ…
Past vs future. Like saying the Hawkeyes are tops because of Gables run, or that Brands are tops because of the Metcalf era...
Ah, didn’t know high school Senior P Kenny, high school Junior S Kenny, and freshly graduated Duffy were considered the past.
also college freshmen Ludington and DeLuca and sophomore Ferrari.
All the “past,” none of them in the “future”
my bad.
Were they recruited before or after the event with Amato that occurred yesterday? When evaluating that event's impact on NJ relations, you are trying to reference things that occurred before the event
Vega decommitted from Cornell
Bassett leaving was Bassett’s fault. It’s too bad, but if he wanted to be a Hawk he could have been.
It will definitely probably most likely be someone else’s fault this time too…
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