wrestle87

Also, why does Bono have to go? I hear this about a lot of programs coaches right now, when in reality PSU is outclassing most programs optically that it makes these other teams, which aren’t doing poorly by their historic standards, look like trash. Of all the teams I’ve watched this year (and I will admit to watching a borderline unhealthy amount of wrestling), there are 3 teams I would say have actually wrestled “well”. Penn State, Okie State, and Cornell. Teams who have been on-par with expectations, but who don’t have enormous expectations to begin with are are Penn, Minnesota, and that’s about it. Now, is this actually the case, that EVERY OTHER TEAM is having a crappy year? No, that’s just not mathematically possible. Is wisconsin having a bad year? I dunno, they have half the lineup who can sniff an AA, that’s not shabby. Same for rutgers. 3AA’s is a watershed year for either of those programs. That’s also the same number of AA’s that Michigan and Ohio State could bring back, and UMich and OSU need some guys to really show up. Gomez isn’t a lock for michigan by any stretch, and neither is anybody in ohio state’s lineup except mendez. The old topic of dual teams vs tournament teams comes up again. Is Nebraska going to be that close to PSU in the national tournament as they were in that dual? Highly unlikely. I look to our good friend @Wrestleknownothing for the actual points impacts of different results, but what is a broadly competitive match at 157, for example, is likely the difference between a finalist and a blood round guy, similar dynamics at 165, and at 149 in the opposite direction. For as long as we are a one tournament sport, which is really at the heart of the beauty and the cruelty of the sport at every level (states, NCAA’s, Olympics), this intermediate wrestling is entertaining, but only because it gives us hope for what might happen in March.

There was a rather famous/infamous football coach who rocked this exact outfit for quite some time.

I originally had an extra sentence in there about why I didn’t put Suriano in there for that exact reason. But you’re absolutely right. If we just look High School and college, I think he definitely takes it. And he would quite possible be even more in the conversation if PSU, Okie State and Cornell hadn’t teamed up to put some covid in his water bottle before the olympic trials.

Depending on the level we’re talking about, I think it has to go between Jordan Burroughs, Damion Hahn and Bruce Baumgartner. Hahn makes the cut here bc JB didn’t get really good til his junior year in college.

If you are throwing up a sideways troll job to convince people to only come up with reasons Penn State will win, I'm impressed bc this is smart. Penn State dudes always lay a relative egg at some point in the season, it's almost like they plan for it so they can do the important learning weeks out from Big Tens, and can just be money mode by NCAA's. I don't believe Penn State has lost an NCAA tournament in any season that Cael actually tried to win it in. Realistically, I think the ranges we will see will fall as follows: 125 - 7th-5th 133 - 7th-4th 141 - Finals 149 - DNP 157 - 3rd-1st 165 - 4th-1st 174 - Finals 184 - 5th-3rd 197 - Finals HWT - Finals

I could be completely making this up in my head, I think he said in an interview that brooks was a mountain he hadn’t gotten over yet, and he wanted another shot at it so he moved up a weight.

This right here, he talks about it on Cayden Henschel’s podcast, says as soon as he got there he knew it was a bad fit, and between committing and enrolling he went from being a fargo non-placer to being a 2x age group world medalist. Also said he thought about transferring, but that it would look trashy if he transferred out after getting world medals bc people would think he was shopping his accomplishments.

I just went back and rewatched Pinto Truax. I know Pinto has ~20 very impressive seconds every match, and he is ranked highly, but I really could see Truax going 4 for 4 placing 4th at NCAA and Pinto getting bounced in or before the blood round. Truax was all up in his kitchen the majority of the match, with a variety if attacks to boot. I really want Pinto to place, but that dude needs a few other moves besides a bulldog underhook and a flash high crotch. Trent Hidlay already taught the whole 184 weight class how to defend an Underhook.

For a long time I had hoped Ayres wasn’t this calculating, but that may be wishful/naive thinking, he spearheaded the movement to get girls wrestling into the NJSIAA, was it all just to get his daughter into Princeton? With him being the second coach in a row to forsake the home he built for California dollar signs(the first being Koll), that really isn’t great company to keep.

That was a nutmashing at heavyweight. Gotta give Nebraska credit, they came ready to rumble, this was closer than I expected it would be.

I wouldn’t be shocked to see Allred and Pinto flipflop next year. Pinto got huge after Christmas break. I think the weight cut is part of the reason he fades.

Manning gives a crap about his guys, he’s pretty fired up today but that’s not his only speed the way it is with the Brands. If you go watch him when he cornered burroughs at international tournaments he is coach style excited, but he’s usually all smiles. This is a cohort of guys he has the better part of a decade invested in, especially his middle weights. I think this is a special team for him.

Allred on his way to getting majortechpinfalled by the jesus crusader with the oaken neck.

I leave that match feeling better about Truax than Pinto. You can’t regularly flame out in the 2nd and 3rd and pull down AA honors, which be definitely is capable of.

100%. The way Big ten guys always get paired up, I’m calling that he sends Amine to the backside of the bracket way earlier than expected.

Oh no…the coffee grinder!

Taylor is clearly strong as an ox. Also, Mesenbrink is tough. Wrestling with a popped rib is a special experience.

To be fair, Shunk is a Senior, I’m not 100% sure but this might be senior night, Regardless, it is Penn State’s last big dual match of the year. It’s cool of the coaches to let Shunk take the mat. That sort of thing matters to practice room warriors.

That was extremely impressive from Caleb Smith. Watch out for him at Big Tens. Hope he can keep that going during NCAA's too.

"Our favorite company is coming out with a new type of mat, that can take any abuse you will throw at it. During the break, you can watch 30 seconds of our documentary about the new coffee grinder practice mat brought to you by Resilite"

I hope we don't see mallards flying formation...

In most cases you definitely can't blame the coach, but there's no doubt that it has a significant impact on athletes and the program as a whole, especially in a sport like wrestling. When I think of the best coaches, they are around for the growth of the athletes, and they in many cases turn down certain opportunities because the relationships with their athletes is more impactful. I was definitely blessed at least in High School, when the coach who filled in (exactly in Dubuque's current spot) wound up being the type of coach who was really there for the wrestlers, dude saved saved and grew the program way beyond what it had ever been before, but it took ~4 years of low numbers before it built back.

Dang, I didn't realize Gray left too. I had these sort of short-notice coaching "adjustments" happen both during High School and College. It is weak. I understand when coaches need to do it, people have good opportunities etc, but it does send a terrible message to the wrestlers about every interaction you ever had with them.

I was basing it off the continuing role he has in the development of his athletes at the college level like o’toole, and how I think he would do if he were to have an entire team at the college level. I think once established, his guys would be the perennial #2 team. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that missouri is always the funkiest most creative team when they hit the mat year after year. Funky is their technique base—>Askren fingerprints all over it.

#1 I have Cael, and #3 even though he doesn’t officially coach anymore I have Gable. I’m very open to discussions about where Mike Grey goes, bc clearly he has been the magic behind Cornell’s success for a long time.