5 finalists, but the semi-finals were too close for comfort....

[BrucePa]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent. That match could have gone either way and I was preparing myself for the absolute misery of a Nolf loss.

Joseph needs to find his championship gear today. He didn't have it yesterday. The kid from Va. Tech is on a mission.

Hall is wrestling too close for comfort. He needs to win by more than a point.

Nickal is wrestling like he should, and ESPN rightly wants to finish the night with Nickal - Moore part trois.

And the night begins at HWT with Cassar and White....can Cassar avenge his only loss? And it looked like Cassar grabbed Steveson's headgear last night and got away with it.

I'm feeling 3-2 in the finals, and I would be elated at 4-1.

 

[sss]

It’s great when fans demand more than a 1 point victory, after all we’ve worked so hard for it. I wonder if Joseph knows how to find his championship gear? He’s never done that before.

 

[NittanyChris]

Bruce, I get the idea that you are comfortable living on the edge of "absolute misery".

Enjoy the ride, this dynasty is here to stay!

WE ARE!!!

 

[diggerpup]

Wow

What a “crappy” performance of 5 team champions + finalists !!!

 

[PSU87]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent. That match could have gone either way and I was preparing myself for the absolute misery of a Nolf loss.

Joseph needs to find his championship gear today. He didn't have it yesterday. The kid from Va. Tech is on a mission.

Hall is wrestling too close for comfort. He needs to win by more than a point.

Nickal is wrestling like he should, and ESPN rightly wants to finish the night with Nickal - Moore part trois.

And the night begins at HWT with Cassar and White....can Cassar avenge his only loss? And it looked like Cassar grabbed Steveson's headgear last night and got away with it.

I'm feeling 3-2 in the finals, and I would be elated at 4-1.

Isn't that kinda like saying "We only beat Clemson by 3 in the playoff...."
These are the best of the best. Other than Nolf (usually) and Bo, I'm guessing the other guys are really, really good and close to our guys.

 

[nitlion6]

Championship finals 5 - 0.

 

[Dogwelder]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent ...

*cough* IMAR *cough*

 

[dpd926]

Penn State's guys have already had a "dress rehearsal" of the pageantry and sensory-overload production of the NCAA Finals with the annual BJC dual. Tonight, this one match, is why the staff do the BJC dual that way (not for the fans, per se). PSU wrestlers will benefit by their opponents (Berger, Lewis, Moore, White) having never experienced it.

 

[PennStateTurf2002]

NOLF majors tonight. Win probability 99%
Cenzo wins, win probability 75%
Hall in a tight one. Win probability 49%
BO. I have a feeling 1 more WBF 99%
Cassar 60%. He is different from the SS

These are my predictions, I am not a professional analyst.

 

[Crusher1950]

Isn’t the other wrestlers here to win also? Geez

 

[rohrmd9]

Isn't that kinda like saying "We only beat Clemson by 3 in the playoff...."
These are the best of the best. Other than Nolf (usually) and Bo, I'm guessing the other guys are really, really good and close to our guys.

I think the point he might be trying to make is it’s like beating Clemson by 3 in the playoffs when you beat them by 30 during the season? No matter, I agree having 5 finalists is awesome and I’ll take it any way they got there...pins or 1-pt wins.

 

[dmm53]

Hall is going to have to step up his game at bit in the finals.

Valencia is back in top form. He is the only one besides Nickal to bonus everyone so far at NCAAs. He looks hungry and probably wants to avenge the earlier loss to Hall. He already avenged the loss to Lewis.

 

[DingerzForDaze]

The refreshing part about PSU wrestling is that it’s fun. It’s aggressive. It’s bonus points and crazy moves/scrambles.

Yes, it’s dominant in the W/L column, but, that hasn’t been what draws me to wrestling.

To me, a casual fan, watching guys circle each other and barely shoot makes me want to change the channel. I don’t care if the other guy is “really tough.”

I’d rather they institute a rule where you need at least 2 takedowns, or a takedown and backs to win. I’d rather they call you for stalling if you haven’t had a legitimate shot attempt from neutral in 15 seconds, and DQ you on the second stall call. 0 points for escapes. No riding time points.

If that makes me the equivalent of a casual baseball fan who just wants to see dingers, and doesn’t appreciate a pitchers duel, so be it.

Regardless, I just don’t want to see PSU wrestlers not shooting, and not looking to dictate the match, win or lose.

 

[Howie'81]

The refreshing part about PSU wrestling is that it’s fun. It’s aggressive. It’s bonus points and crazy moves/scrambles.

Yes, it’s dominant in the W/L column, but, that hasn’t been what draws me to wrestling.

To me, a casual fan, watching guys circle each other and barely shoot makes me want to change the channel. I don’t care if the other guy is “really tough.”

I’d rather they institute a rule where you need at least 2 takedowns, or a takedown and backs to win. I’d rather they call you for stalling if you haven’t had a legitimate shot attempt from neutral in 15 seconds, and DQ you on the second stall call. 0 points for escapes. No riding time points.

If that makes me the equivalent of a casual baseball fan who just wants to see dingers, and doesn’t appreciate a pitchers duel, so be it.

Regardless, I just don’t want to see PSU wrestlers not shooting, and not looking to dictate the match, win or lose.

You're inventing a different sport. Why in today's society is everyone bored if everything isn't full of glitz? And a good pitcher's duel is as tense and dramatic as anything in sport. That's because I understand baseball. Maybe you don't understand wrestling?

 

[DingerzForDaze]

You're inventing a different sport. Why in today's society is everyone bored if everything isn't full of glitz? And a good pitcher's duel is as tense and dramatic as anything in sport. That's because I understand baseball. Maybe you don't understand wrestling?

Yeah, maybe I don't. Pretty sure I do, though. But, if that's where someone is going to go in the conversation, then it's best just to let them run there, because I already know where your head is at.

I know my suggestions are extreme ... I didn't say they were likely, or anything of the sort ... just what I'd rather watch than 1st period, 0-0 with 2 weak shot attempts, 2nd period, escape, 1-0 with 2 weak shot attemps, 3rd period, escape, with a mild flurry at the end, and maybe someone snags a takedown, or maybe we head into SV and then rideouts until someone can't break free.

If you want to call that "glitz" ... gimme glitz. Gimme a 15-15 Bo Nickal style wrestler over a 30-0 Sam Stoll. Make it about action and attempted dominance, rather than just surviving.

Regardless, I'd much rather see the 5 PSU finalists tonight go down swinging than to win in the fashion a number of them won last night. Of course, I'd rather see them get the KO than go down swinging, but you know what I mean. I understand how it happens, and why it happens ... I just don't care to watch it. Gimme the glitz!

 

[RoarLions1]

Didn’t we just win the National Champonship? It’s really hard to do, and PSU has eight of nine. Smiling and happy, even grateful and thankful, here in sunny Pittsburgh.

 

[Lion8286]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent. That match could have gone either way and I was preparing myself for the absolute misery of a Nolf loss.

Joseph needs to find his championship gear today. He didn't have it yesterday. The kid from Va. Tech is on a mission.

Hall is wrestling too close for comfort. He needs to win by more than a point.

Nickal is wrestling like he should, and ESPN rightly wants to finish the night with Nickal - Moore part trois.

And the night begins at HWT with Cassar and White....can Cassar avenge his only loss? And it looked like Cassar grabbed Steveson's headgear last night and got away with it.

I'm feeling 3-2 in the finals, and I would be elated at 4-1.

You must have been one helluva college wrestler, Bruce. lol

 

[psualt]

Guys like Hall and Cenzo are so hard to score on you have very few shootouts. I'm amazed at the number of quality wrestlers (Amine and White at the top of the list) who won't just let it fly. It speaks volumes about those two. I expect their opponents to be on the offensive tonight so it could get really interesting.

Nolf, Bo and Cassar are typically always on their offense. If their opponents look to go tonight I expect MD, Fall, and a decisive decision, respectively. If they are content to just keep it close I would expect White as the only one that can slow it down enough to cause our guys problems.

 

[Hotshoe]

Not even to the finals and we already won. Yet our guys have to step up. I hope they know this. Sheesh. What the hell do people want?

 

[jschrantz]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent. That match could have gone either way and I was preparing myself for the absolute misery of a Nolf loss.

Joseph needs to find his championship gear today. He didn't have it yesterday. The kid from Va. Tech is on a mission.

Hall is wrestling too close for comfort. He needs to win by more than a point.

Nickal is wrestling like he should, and ESPN rightly wants to finish the night with Nickal - Moore part trois.

And the night begins at HWT with Cassar and White....can Cassar avenge his only loss? And it looked like Cassar grabbed Steveson's headgear last night and got away with it.

I'm feeling 3-2 in the finals, and I would be elated at 4-1.

I hope Hall wins by 1 point tonight , counts the same when you’re standing on Top

 

[shultz40]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent. That match could have gone either way and I was preparing myself for the absolute misery of a Nolf loss.

Joseph needs to find his championship gear today. He didn't have it yesterday. The kid from Va. Tech is on a mission.

Hall is wrestling too close for comfort. He needs to win by more than a point.

Nickal is wrestling like he should, and ESPN rightly wants to finish the night with Nickal - Moore part trois.

And the night begins at HWT with Cassar and White....can Cassar avenge his only loss? And it looked like Cassar grabbed Steveson's headgear last night and got away with it.

I'm feeling 3-2 in the finals, and I would be elated at 4-1.

Last years team did not lock it up until Bo beat MMart.

 

[jack66]

It appears we are now victims of our own expectations. Maybe we wrestled a bit tight yesterday because of those expectations.

Sure, we all love watching the high wire act, but the guys showed they also have a strong baseline defense when they need it.

 

[sss]

Yeah, maybe I don't. Pretty sure I do, though. But, if that's where someone is going to go in the conversation, then it's best just to let them run there, because I already know where your head is at.

I know my suggestions are extreme ... I didn't say they were likely, or anything of the sort ... just what I'd rather watch than 1st period, 0-0 with 2 weak shot attempts, 2nd period, escape, 1-0 with 2 weak shot attemps, 3rd period, escape, with a mild flurry at the end, and maybe someone snags a takedown, or maybe we head into SV and then rideouts until someone can't break free.

If you want to call that "glitz" ... gimme glitz. Gimme a 15-15 Bo Nickal style wrestler over a 30-0 Sam Stoll. Make it about action and attempted dominance, rather than just surviving.

Regardless, I'd much rather see the 5 PSU finalists tonight go down swinging than to win in the fashion a number of them won last night. Of course, I'd rather see them get the KO than go down swinging, but you know what I mean. I understand how it happens, and why it happens ... I just don't care to watch it. Gimme the glitz!

I’m guessing you didn’t enjoy PSUs 2 national championships in football then? Was the 52-49 loss to USC in the rose bowl a couple years ago more exciting and fulfilling?

 

[pointingdogsrule]

NOLF majors tonight. Win probability 99%
Cenzo wins, win probability 75%
Hall in a tight one. Win probability 49%
BO. I have a feeling 1 more WBF 99%
Cassar 60%. He is different from the SS

These are my predictions, I am not a professional analyst.

Did you stay at a Holiday Inn last night?

 

[creamery freak]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent. That match could have gone either way and I was preparing myself for the absolute misery of a Nolf loss.

Joseph needs to find his championship gear today. He didn't have it yesterday. The kid from Va. Tech is on a mission.

Hall is wrestling too close for comfort. He needs to win by more than a point.

Nickal is wrestling like he should, and ESPN rightly wants to finish the night with Nickal - Moore part trois.

And the night begins at HWT with Cassar and White....can Cassar avenge his only loss? And it looked like Cassar grabbed Steveson's headgear last night and got away with it.

I'm feeling 3-2 in the finals, and I would be elated at 4-1.

I'll be happy if Hall beats Valencia by one point tonight too like another poster. I wonder if having the guys wrestling this close to home is a bigger distraction, especially when quite a few of them are from the Pittsburgh area. If they were out of the area it might be easier to focus on the mission with less distractions. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

In 4 years, I'm not sure I saw Nolf with all he could handle in an opponent. That match could have gone either way and I was preparing myself for the absolute misery of a Nolf loss.

Joseph needs to find his championship gear today. He didn't have it yesterday. The kid from Va. Tech is on a mission.

Hall is wrestling too close for comfort. He needs to win by more than a point.

Nickal is wrestling like he should, and ESPN rightly wants to finish the night with Nickal - Moore part trois.

And the night begins at HWT with Cassar and White....can Cassar avenge his only loss? And it looked like Cassar grabbed Steveson's headgear last night and got away with it.

I'm feeling 3-2 in the finals, and I would be elated at 4-1.

Most assinnine post of the universe of all boards over all time

 

[Lyons212]

I'll be happy if Hall beats Valencia by one point tonight too like another poster. I wonder if having the guys wrestling this close to home is a bigger distraction, especially when quite a few of them are from the Pittsburgh area. If they were out of the area it might be easier to focus on the mission with less distractions. Just my 2 cents.

I thought the same thing, especially about Nolf. Attempting to cap off an absolutely brilliant career with a 3rd national championship and fourth time in the finals. All the while you are wrestling for you home state school an hour from your home. Probably a lot more media attention, requests for tickets and the pressure to not disappoint. A lot to deal with.

 

[DingerzForDaze]

I’m guessing you didn’t enjoy PSUs 2 national championships in football then? Was the 52-49 loss to USC in the rose bowl a couple years ago more exciting and fulfilling?

I was a fan of both national championships. There's plenty of action, even in a defensive battle in football. Each play, everyone's flying around, trying to break through the line, or defending a pass, blitzing, etc. Just because they aren't successful on O, doesn't mean there isn't action. A rough comparative to wrestling would be if they were both taking a ton of shots, and really working on top to get a tilt, and just couldn't finish, because of great defense. But circling and tie-ups, with folks too hesitant to commit to more than a couple shots just isn't the least bit interesting. My take on this isn't novel, as there are hardcore wrestling fans who complain about the boring styles of Team X, or Wrestler Y, all the time.

 

[BrucePa]

My point when I started this thread is that Cenzo and Hall just didn’t look like champions in this tournament. Both could have easily lost yesterday and both went down today.

 

[Lion8286]

My point when I started this thread is that Cenzo and Hall just didn’t look like champions in this tournament. Both could have easily lost yesterday and both went down today.

Need you to put on the singlet, Bruce. Show them how it's done!!

 

[BrucePa]

My point when I started this thread is that Cenzo and Hall just didn’t look like champions in this tournament. Both could have easily lost yesterday and both went down today.

Need you to put on the singlet, Bruce. Show them how it's done!!

I was just remarking on what I saw....Lewis and Valencia put on their singlets and showed them how it’s done.

 

[Dogwelder]

I was just remarking on what I saw....Lewis and Valencia put on their singlets and showed them how it’s done.

So the guys who looked better won. What a surprise!

 

[BrucePa]

I was just remarking on what I saw....Lewis and Valencia put on their singlets and showed them how it’s done.

So the guys who looked better won. What a surprise!

OK, I was sharing an observation that caused me concern. I accept the ridicule.

But next year, this team is anchored by Joseph and Hall, and they are unlikely to defeat Lewis and Valencia. That should be a cause for concern for all of us.

 

[El-Jefe]

OK, I was sharing an observation that caused me concern. I accept the ridicule.

But next year, this team is anchored by Joseph and Hall, and they are unlikely to defeat Lewis and Valencia. That should be a cause for concern for all of us.

Is it possible to enjoy this year's national title for 2 full hours without being concerned about next year?

 

[jack66]

OK, I was sharing an observation that caused me concern. I accept the ridicule.

But next year, this team is anchored by Joseph and Hall, and they are unlikely to defeat Lewis and Valencia. That should be a cause for concern for all of us.

The shame of it all!

They might only take 2nd again?

I think you might be just a tad spoiled.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Is it possible to enjoy this year's national title for 2 full hours without being concerned about next year?

I’m concerned that only a few are concerned

 

[millerjs32]

Is it possible to enjoy this year's national title for 2 full hours without being concerned about next year?

Answer. NO
Lot of Debbie Downers! You'd think we lost the championship. Some wrestlers did lose there final bout, but we also had 3 winners. We can think about next year in Sept.
So Proud of the entire team. I did not wrestle, but had a few wrestlers on the football team. Toughest guys on the team. All heart.
My Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[KidTwist]

Hall is going to have to step up his game at bit in the finals.

Valencia is back in top form. He is the only one besides Nickal to bonus everyone so far at NCAAs. He looks hungry and probably wants to avenge the earlier loss to Hall. He already avenged the loss to Lewis.

How the F*CK is Valencia making weight? He is twice the size of every other 174 pounder??????? What does he have a hollow leg? I am sorry but how can he be that tall and big at the same time and make weight? He looks like a 197lber out there??? It is easy to win wen you have such a size and strength advantage.

 

[goStanford18]

How the F*CK is Valencia making weight? He is twice the size of every other 174 pounder??????? What does he have a hollow leg? I am sorry but how can he be that tall and big at the same time and make weight? He looks like a 197lber out there??? It is easy to win wen you have such a size and strength advantage.

They both weighed-in at the same weight Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning. That's all that matters. Have you seen how big Brucki or Weigel look? How about Cox a couple years ago? Or the brick wall that is Kyle Conel? The size of Zahid is sometimes greatly dramatized on this forum. Hall is plenty strong enough to handle Zahid and has proven so in the past. I love watching these two wrestle. In my mind, they are two of the very best P4P, and both would be 3x Champs by now if they did not have to face each other every year.

 

[dunkej01]

Valencia in his own words post championship was that he might not move up to 184 and that he was not cutting much weight at 174.

draw from it what you will.

His brother is the one that pays the price I think because he has the look of a guy who is cutting a lot of weight.