Any banquet news / stories official thread
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Ed Sulkowski Award - Darrel Zaccagni
Oustanding Alumnus Award - Rich Lorenzo
Carl A. Winterburn Award (Manager Award) - Janna Wood
Ridge Riley and Ernie Lucas Awards - Multiple, selected at home and away duals
Charles M. Speidel Award (most takedowns) - Jason Nolf, 140-something
Bill Koll Award (most pins) - Bo Nickal, with 18
Joe Scalzo Award (most points during season) - Jason Nolf
Most Bonus Points Scored Award - Bo Nickal
Academic Achievement Awards:
1st Year - Austin Hoopes
2nd Year - Austin Clabaugh
3rd Year - Brian Friery
4th Year - Dom Giannangeli
5th Year - Jason Nolf
Community Service Award - Franny Bisono
All American Awards - Bravo-Young, Lee, Nolf, Joseph, Hall, Nickal, Cassar
Hodge Award, from WIN - Bo Nickal
The scrapbooks were amazing again.
The seniors spoke; Nickal, Nolf, Nevills, Cassar, Bisono, Stossel, Friery, Higgins, Shak. Great kids, all of them, thank you's all around. Good stories, some funny, some serious.
Oustanding Alumnus Award - Rich Lorenzo
Carl A. Winterburn Award (Manager Award) - Janna Wood
Ridge Riley and Ernie Lucas Awards - Multiple, selected at home and away duals
Charles M. Speidel Award (most takedowns) - Jason Nolf, 140-something
Bill Koll Award (most pins) - Bo Nickal, with 18
Joe Scalzo Award (most points during season) - Jason Nolf
Most Bonus Points Scored Award - Bo Nickal
Academic Achievement Awards:
1st Year - Austin Hoopes
2nd Year - Austin Clabaugh
3rd Year - Brian Friery
4th Year - Dom Giannangeli
5th Year - Jason Nolf
Community Service Award - Franny Bisono
All American Awards - Bravo-Young, Lee, Nolf, Joseph, Hall, Nickal, Cassar
Hodge Award, from WIN - Bo Nickal
The scrapbooks were amazing again.
The seniors spoke; Nickal, Nolf, Nevills, Cassar, Bisono, Stossel, Friery, Higgins, Shak. Great kids, all of them, thank you's all around. Good stories, some funny, some serious.
Anthony Cassar said he was speaking today as a Senior... but he ended his speech with "don't be surprised if he's speaking at the same event next year." The crowd laughed and applauded loudly at the same time.
Anthony said... "The coaches and himself would sit down and discuss his 2020 Olympic aspirations and what was best for the team and do just that." He made it very clear to the Banquet crowd that the discussions are in play if he would get another year and what would go into the thought process... Get another year and see where he stands with making the Olympic Team... And of course, ever the Lemon Pie sweet talker... ended his speech and said... "Don't be surprised at seeing me back here next year giving a similar speech." CROWD GOES NUTS!!!
Anthony said... "The coaches and himself would sit down and discuss his 2020 Olympic aspirations and what was best for the team and do just that." He made it very clear to the Banquet crowd that the discussions are in play if he would get another year and what would go into the thought process... Get another year and see where he stands with making the Olympic Team... And of course, ever the Lemon Pie sweet talker... ended his speech and said... "Don't be surprised at seeing me back here next year giving a similar speech." CROWD GOES NUTS!!!
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Earlier at the banquet, the Penn State Wrestling Club, gave an oversized check for $125K, to Penn State Wrestling. Later, during senior speeches, Nolf goes up for his speech and picks up the check and jokes, they’re giving this check to me right? Everybody laughed, but fellas, I think we have a compliance issue here. Hopefully HR and Vodka don’t find out about this.
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Moments of the Banquet:
* Penn State has a DREAM announcer in Jeff Byers. He commands a room as well as he commands the mic during a Penn State dual or bouts at Big Ten's or National's. Ira Lubert, who presented the yearly wrestling awards, made a comment that Jeff Byers was the best collegiate wrestling announcer. You'll find no debate here. He's SIMPLY THE BEST. No one and literally no one can call a wrestling match like Ironhead. I go back and listen to a match with Jeff to get the emotional feel X INFINITY that I felt watching it live the 1st time. Jeff Byers is a Penn State Treasure.
*Former Coach Rich Lorenzo... who I also love and always seek out at home matches to say a kind word to... Said what all Penn State fans feel and felt (prior to the Championship Years) inside themselves. Coach Lorenzo and I'm paraphrasing... Said that he always wanted a coach to come along and take Penn State wrestling to the prominence it has skyrocketed to in the past 10 years. You could tell in Coaches voice, the utter personal pride and sheer joy of how powerful of a collegiate wrestling program that Penn State wrestling has become. He emphasized the technical wrestling prowess of Penn State wrestlers, but he also commented on how proud he was of how Penn State wrestlers conduct themselves off the mat... as gentleman, ambassador's of the sport and you felt that he looked at Penn State wrestlers as his own sons. You could hear the immense pride and how overjoyed Coach was at the state of the program. Coach Lorenzo did also say that it took a person like Cael to fulfill his vision for Penn State wrestling.
Rich Lorenzo is the Dean of Penn State wrestling and you can tell how much he is revered by Penn State fans. After retiring from coaching, Coach Lorenzo has done nothing but support Penn State wrestling through numerous fund raising endeavors and be an ambassador for it's current success.
Coach Lorenzo also spoke of winning 5 individual National Championships two years ago as his fondest Penn State wrestling memory of the past 10 years. But he also, spoke of the pain, as a retired coach, of Mark and Vincenzo not reaching their goals to be National Champs. I thought it was Cael speaking... because you could hear the pain in Coach Lorenzo's voice when discussing them not getting the end result each wrestler worked so hard to achieve.
Coach Lorenzo also joked that he wished he could wrestle for Penn State and for Cael if he had eligibility left... but he was afraid that he wouldn't be GOOD ENOUGH to make the team. THE CROWD ERUPTED!!!
* Penn State has a DREAM announcer in Jeff Byers. He commands a room as well as he commands the mic during a Penn State dual or bouts at Big Ten's or National's. Ira Lubert, who presented the yearly wrestling awards, made a comment that Jeff Byers was the best collegiate wrestling announcer. You'll find no debate here. He's SIMPLY THE BEST. No one and literally no one can call a wrestling match like Ironhead. I go back and listen to a match with Jeff to get the emotional feel X INFINITY that I felt watching it live the 1st time. Jeff Byers is a Penn State Treasure.
*Former Coach Rich Lorenzo... who I also love and always seek out at home matches to say a kind word to... Said what all Penn State fans feel and felt (prior to the Championship Years) inside themselves. Coach Lorenzo and I'm paraphrasing... Said that he always wanted a coach to come along and take Penn State wrestling to the prominence it has skyrocketed to in the past 10 years. You could tell in Coaches voice, the utter personal pride and sheer joy of how powerful of a collegiate wrestling program that Penn State wrestling has become. He emphasized the technical wrestling prowess of Penn State wrestlers, but he also commented on how proud he was of how Penn State wrestlers conduct themselves off the mat... as gentleman, ambassador's of the sport and you felt that he looked at Penn State wrestlers as his own sons. You could hear the immense pride and how overjoyed Coach was at the state of the program. Coach Lorenzo did also say that it took a person like Cael to fulfill his vision for Penn State wrestling.
Rich Lorenzo is the Dean of Penn State wrestling and you can tell how much he is revered by Penn State fans. After retiring from coaching, Coach Lorenzo has done nothing but support Penn State wrestling through numerous fund raising endeavors and be an ambassador for it's current success.
Coach Lorenzo also spoke of winning 5 individual National Championships two years ago as his fondest Penn State wrestling memory of the past 10 years. But he also, spoke of the pain, as a retired coach, of Mark and Vincenzo not reaching their goals to be National Champs. I thought it was Cael speaking... because you could hear the pain in Coach Lorenzo's voice when discussing them not getting the end result each wrestler worked so hard to achieve.
Coach Lorenzo also joked that he wished he could wrestle for Penn State and for Cael if he had eligibility left... but he was afraid that he wouldn't be GOOD ENOUGH to make the team. THE CROWD ERUPTED!!!
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Bo gave his Senior speech and said he wasn't prepared, but went on to give a 10 to 15 minute speech using words like "surreal" to describe the end of his wrestling career. Jeff Byers as a side note, talked about the legendary careers of both Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal and the numbers were staggering, 59 pins for Bo Nickal, 60 for Jason Nolf. Ironheads voice always rising to a crescendo when announcing either wrestlers names. The admiration is so apparent with Jeff and these two unimaginable wrestlers, you'd think both were Jeff's biological sons. It goes that deep with Ironhead.
Bo when on to tell two serious yet, telling stories of when he had Mono as a RS freshman and Bo was on the phone with his parents telling them he had mono... when Coach Casey Cunningham showed up knocking at his door at almost the exact same time... Telling Bo... "We're going to the hospital." Bo commented how much that act and moment meant to him and how much each coach meant to his overall development as a person and wrestler and how he couldn't thank them enough for who he has become. He thanked so many people behind the scenes who directly lead to his personal success. Never talking about his incredible talent. It's what Rich Lorenzo was alluding to. The people in the glasses and dress shirts, are just as incredible as human beings as they are when wearing a singlet.
Bo went on to tell another story of being at a tournament and getting a craving for an In and Out Burger that is one of his fav places to eat. Going back to living in Texas. Coach Cody made an In and Out Burger run for Bo and it never left Bo's mind what his coaches were willing to do for him. Lol Stories that told the connectedness that binds the golden fibers together between wrestler and coaches.
Jason Nolf again with the funny intro saying the Penn State wrestling clubs $125,000 check was his personally drew a hilarious response from the 800 people at the Awards Banquet. A record crowd. He also, and I've never heard Jason get emotional... got emotional talking about the support of his parents taking him to tournaments as a kid. Jason was hilarious. He told of how easy college wrestling was compared to high school wrestling. He said... in high school he'd get up very early to go to school, go to classes for 8 hrs a day, have a two hour wrestling practice at his high school and then drive a hour to Young Guns to practice for hours. Then drive home and repeat the following day.
In college... he'd get up at 11:00 am. Go to one class and then he'd have a 2 hour practice later in the afternoon and call it a day. The crowd roared with laughter.
He also said that Shak (Shakur Rasheed) and himself were caught after practice drilling in the wrestling room and the coaching staff put an end to that because they might get injured. He then alluded to the fact... hey... what were they were worried about... We (Shak and himself) never got injured... The CROWD again... went bonkers laughing.
I never saw Jason so loose... but when he broke up thanking his parents... I had to clear my own throat. As soon as Jason's voice broke... the immense crowd... drowned out the convention center in RESOUNDING and EMPHATIC APPLAUSE.
Jason was very poignant in thanking Dan Monthly for his recovery last year. He told the crowd his injury was much severe than what he allowed outsiders/fans to know. Jason stated how much Dan Monthly meant to him in getting back on the mat and how much Dan cared about him as a person, throughout the recovery process. He told of how Dan is a straight shooter and told it how it was and not as how you'd want to hear injury news. Jason was poignant to state that Team Trainer, Dan Monthly was the reason he was able to get back on the mat.... and win a National Title... literally on one leg. (Paraphrasing) David Taylor has also called Dan Monthly one of the best trainers in the World.
Bo Nickal also thanked Dan Monthly personally and the help of Bonnie Epstein, who you can tell the wrestlers love and why Cael includes her in all of the National Title photos. She is Penn State Wrestling's Sports Counselor. (The older lady with the white hair many have referenced here as... WHO IS SHE???) She is revered by the team to a wrestler. Jason and Bo thanked her personally and I know that had to make her night.
Nick Nevils thanked Adam Lynch who was always available for him... when ever he had an issue. Adam fixed it for him. Adam is Director of Wrestling Operations, but seemed like the Team Psychologist and Mr. Do it All also.
Bo when on to tell two serious yet, telling stories of when he had Mono as a RS freshman and Bo was on the phone with his parents telling them he had mono... when Coach Casey Cunningham showed up knocking at his door at almost the exact same time... Telling Bo... "We're going to the hospital." Bo commented how much that act and moment meant to him and how much each coach meant to his overall development as a person and wrestler and how he couldn't thank them enough for who he has become. He thanked so many people behind the scenes who directly lead to his personal success. Never talking about his incredible talent. It's what Rich Lorenzo was alluding to. The people in the glasses and dress shirts, are just as incredible as human beings as they are when wearing a singlet.
Bo went on to tell another story of being at a tournament and getting a craving for an In and Out Burger that is one of his fav places to eat. Going back to living in Texas. Coach Cody made an In and Out Burger run for Bo and it never left Bo's mind what his coaches were willing to do for him. Lol Stories that told the connectedness that binds the golden fibers together between wrestler and coaches.
Jason Nolf again with the funny intro saying the Penn State wrestling clubs $125,000 check was his personally drew a hilarious response from the 800 people at the Awards Banquet. A record crowd. He also, and I've never heard Jason get emotional... got emotional talking about the support of his parents taking him to tournaments as a kid. Jason was hilarious. He told of how easy college wrestling was compared to high school wrestling. He said... in high school he'd get up very early to go to school, go to classes for 8 hrs a day, have a two hour wrestling practice at his high school and then drive a hour to Young Guns to practice for hours. Then drive home and repeat the following day.
In college... he'd get up at 11:00 am. Go to one class and then he'd have a 2 hour practice later in the afternoon and call it a day. The crowd roared with laughter.
He also said that Shak (Shakur Rasheed) and himself were caught after practice drilling in the wrestling room and the coaching staff put an end to that because they might get injured. He then alluded to the fact... hey... what were they were worried about... We (Shak and himself) never got injured... The CROWD again... went bonkers laughing.
I never saw Jason so loose... but when he broke up thanking his parents... I had to clear my own throat. As soon as Jason's voice broke... the immense crowd... drowned out the convention center in RESOUNDING and EMPHATIC APPLAUSE.
Jason was very poignant in thanking Dan Monthly for his recovery last year. He told the crowd his injury was much severe than what he allowed outsiders/fans to know. Jason stated how much Dan Monthly meant to him in getting back on the mat and how much Dan cared about him as a person, throughout the recovery process. He told of how Dan is a straight shooter and told it how it was and not as how you'd want to hear injury news. Jason was poignant to state that Team Trainer, Dan Monthly was the reason he was able to get back on the mat.... and win a National Title... literally on one leg. (Paraphrasing) David Taylor has also called Dan Monthly one of the best trainers in the World.
Bo Nickal also thanked Dan Monthly personally and the help of Bonnie Epstein, who you can tell the wrestlers love and why Cael includes her in all of the National Title photos. She is Penn State Wrestling's Sports Counselor. (The older lady with the white hair many have referenced here as... WHO IS SHE???) She is revered by the team to a wrestler. Jason and Bo thanked her personally and I know that had to make her night.
Nick Nevils thanked Adam Lynch who was always available for him... when ever he had an issue. Adam fixed it for him. Adam is Director of Wrestling Operations, but seemed like the Team Psychologist and Mr. Do it All also.
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The Hodge presenters from WIN magazine commented on how much they enjoy coming to the PSU wrestling banquet to present the Hodge trophy. The one speaker commented that last year he talked to Bo's Mom at Nationals and she told him that she voted for Zain for the Hodge trophy, when Zain and Bo finished 1st and 2nd. He told Bo he would have won it if his Mom would have voted for him and it got a pretty good laugh. How fortunate are we as wrestling fans of PSU to have Wrestlers place 1st and 2nd two years in a row and win 5 of the last 8 Hodge trophies!
Thanks Aaron,
Awesome recap and I can also feel your passion whenever you post. Some real awesome fans here and beyond supporting a real special group of kids, tough to beat that
I can't think of a more positive experience in my life, JSchrantz, going through working the 2011 NCAA's working as a score keeper.... Meeting Coach Cody mid way through the competition, having a heart felt conversation pertaining to Ed Ruth... Eating breakfast and lunch with Wade Schalles and Nate Carr... Sitting next to Shane Sparks every day talking wrestling.... to this unbelievable run.
Talking to Frank Molinaro about his future plans.., recounting with Cody about hugging/mobbing each other after Q pinned Grant Gambrall in 2011 at the Wells Fargo Center and I had just met him 5 minutes earlier. David Taylor, Ed Ruth, Q, Frank Molinaro, Nico Megaludis, Matt Brown, Zain Retherford, Bo Nickal, Jason Nolf... the Andrew Long's, the James Englishes... I mean for the LOVE OF GOD... I couldn't script it for myself any better. I got to work the EIWA FINALS as a score keeper in 2011. Scored Kyle Dake's last loss... then went to Philadelphia two weeks later and had full access to the the greatest spectacle in sports.
It's been a ride I never want to get off. Never. It all seems like a dream. Penn State has won more NCAA titles than any other collegiate Team in the past 10 years... almost x 2. Alabama has 5 titles in Football as compared to Penn State's 9 Titles. And with Shak coming back and Anthony baiting the Penn State faithful that he's coming back... Mark Hall back, Cenzo back, Nick Lee back, RBY back... You have the nucleus to do it all over again.
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My son was in the buffet line behind Mason Manville and Cassar’s father. Mason was telling Cassar’s father about the time in practice that he caught Anthony and threw him to his back. When it happened, Bo said that Mason “daddied” Cassar. After that, Mason kept calling Cassar his son. Mason told Cassar’s dad to bring it up when he got back to his table because it makes Anthony mad. Lol.
Thanks for the great stories. It is almost as if I went there......and they let me in. Only one of those is remotely possible
What did Cael say about Seth Gross?
It was a pretty nice awards party thrown by Roar, Norma, Grace et al.
I believe it was Nick Nevills who was thankful for all the help Adam gave him.
Speaking of Adam he had a cute newborn in arms so look to the recruiting class of 2037 to be loaded.
Jason Nolf post Wrestling has a career option of being a dog walker.
Sandy Barbour must increase Cael's paper budget next year. His speach was written on paper also used by Charlie Speidel (my words).
If I heard him correctly senior Franny Bisono said one of the team's wrestlers at the beginning of each season would say he was quitting the team if they didn't get a cotton candy machine for the wrestling room. Franny informed the audience that that wrestler was Bo Nickal who threatened to quit each year over the lack of the machine.
I believe it was Nick Nevills who was thankful for all the help Adam gave him.
Speaking of Adam he had a cute newborn in arms so look to the recruiting class of 2037 to be loaded.
Jason Nolf post Wrestling has a career option of being a dog walker.
Sandy Barbour must increase Cael's paper budget next year. His speach was written on paper also used by Charlie Speidel (my words).
If I heard him correctly senior Franny Bisono said one of the team's wrestlers at the beginning of each season would say he was quitting the team if they didn't get a cotton candy machine for the wrestling room. Franny informed the audience that that wrestler was Bo Nickal who threatened to quit each year over the lack of the machine.
Cael didn't comment on the wrestlers as he has at past banquets. Cael said the reason was at last year's banquet he forgot to mention Ethan Wissler and he joked that Ethan reminded him about it with quite a few texts. So sorry there was no Seth Gross talk.What did Cael say about Seth Gross?
Jason had Mark Hall's dog that Mark absolutely adores... and somehow Jason let Mark's dog get loose and the dog eventually was found seven houses down from where Jason lost the dog and when he found the dog.... He told the dog... he was now... HIS DOG. Crowd busts out laughing.
The highlight of the Banquet for me is always the senior speeches. I know that amalone did a great job of mentioning many of the statements said by Bo in his speech. There was one thing Bo said in closing out his speech that shows you how well grounded these young men are about life in general. Bo stated that his life is not defined by the fact that he is a wrestler. Bo said his life was defined by his faith in Jesus Christ and what he did on the cross for him over 2000 years ago. I thanked Bo for being such a great witness for his faith in the Lord and also the fact he's a pretty good wrestler to boot. Bo's speech was awesome and was my personal favorite part of the banquet.
I spoke to Bonnie Epstein after the banquet, what a nice lady. I told her that if I ever hear she is going to retire, I'm going to get rid of my season tickets. We are blessed how invested and a key asset she is to this program's success. Several wrestlers thanked her in their speeches.
Much respect @amalone you not only gave a completely thorough recap of the event, but you went above and beyond with your description of the emotions evoked. @Nate Bauer/BWI Staff and @BWI PHIL GROSZ didn't do a better job than you. I felt like I was there watching the event myself. Again, TERRIFIC JOB!!
At the beginning of the banquet... the 2018-2019 Video Recap was shown and it was exceptionally done as we've come to expect every year. After the video... Jeff Byers , Master of Ceremonies, read off these stats
along with the dual winning streak being at 59 straight matches and emphatically and slowly made the statement... WHAT A DECADE IN PENN STATE WRESTLING IT HAS BEEN. What an understatement.
Crowd sat quietly as Jeff read off one stat after another... Penn State's almost perfection in semi-finals at Nationals in the past 10 years... Wish I had the exact numbers. I think it was 23-1 in National semi-finals in the past 10 years. The percentage of wins in the National Finals was immensely impressive also. The dual win streak being at 59 straight. Bo Nickal and Jason Nolf never losing a dual meet while winning 4 National Titles in the four years they wrestled together. Jason and Bo staggering bonus point percentage in their career matches was read off. Jason having 60 career pins and Bo having 59. The afterglow in the room after Jeff read the numbers off in spit fire fashion was palatable.
He spit out so many glowing stats... the numbers began to just "pile up" in kind of a over kill way. The Kind of the numbers that define a wrestling dynasty. Jeff also read off the semi finals wins at Nationals were almost double any other team and the amount of finals wins were almost double any other team in the NCAA. Five of the last eight Hodge Trophy winners were Penn State wrestlers and the stats kept coming... It was WOW, ARE YOU KIDDING ME... and THAT'S COMPLETE DOMINATION on the highest level of competition, the biggest of stages.
along with the dual winning streak being at 59 straight matches and emphatically and slowly made the statement... WHAT A DECADE IN PENN STATE WRESTLING IT HAS BEEN. What an understatement.
Crowd sat quietly as Jeff read off one stat after another... Penn State's almost perfection in semi-finals at Nationals in the past 10 years... Wish I had the exact numbers. I think it was 23-1 in National semi-finals in the past 10 years. The percentage of wins in the National Finals was immensely impressive also. The dual win streak being at 59 straight. Bo Nickal and Jason Nolf never losing a dual meet while winning 4 National Titles in the four years they wrestled together. Jason and Bo staggering bonus point percentage in their career matches was read off. Jason having 60 career pins and Bo having 59. The afterglow in the room after Jeff read the numbers off in spit fire fashion was palatable.
He spit out so many glowing stats... the numbers began to just "pile up" in kind of a over kill way. The Kind of the numbers that define a wrestling dynasty. Jeff also read off the semi finals wins at Nationals were almost double any other team and the amount of finals wins were almost double any other team in the NCAA. Five of the last eight Hodge Trophy winners were Penn State wrestlers and the stats kept coming... It was WOW, ARE YOU KIDDING ME... and THAT'S COMPLETE DOMINATION on the highest level of competition, the biggest of stages.
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I laughed out loud when Brian Friery gave a shout out to strength coach “Medium” (not Big) Mike Schroeder and thanked him for taking a 106 lb freshman and turning him into the monster you see before you here today.
So none of you guys made a pirated copy of the banquet video for your board brothers
Shame!!!!!
Shame!!!!!
Don't blame us, Flo had the film rights, our hands (and cell phones) were tied!
Jason Nolf's parents are lucky they only live two hours away. Jason got a LOT of hardware. His dad walked out with all of his awards and I figured they got about 3 miles per gallon on the way home.
Jason also shared one of Cael's jokes. It showed the depth of Cael's teachings when you can add amphibians into the mix.
Jason also shared one of Cael's jokes. It showed the depth of Cael's teachings when you can add amphibians into the mix.
Bo told a mono story...as a stubborn freshman, not wanting to go get checked, and saying such to his parents, Bo found Casey outside his door at 9:00pm, being told he's going to the hospital. Casey stayed with him till getting home around midnight. That incident was a defining moment for Bo and just how much these coaches cared...mentioning that Casey has a family, and children, yet took time for him.
Jason mentioned an "unbelievable" college experience, and stated that losses and adversity (I guessed this was abut his injury) can make one stronger, or cause one to head the other direction and doubt oneself. The emotional thank you to his parents was from his heart. Also told "Cael's favorite joke"...what happened to the frog that parked at a fire hydrant? Punchline...he got towed (toad). So corny, it was funny.
Nick Nevills called Adam Lynch "the fixer", and not just for wrestling-related stuff, but life stuff as well.
Others already commented about Cassar's comments. Ditto.
Franny Bisono thanked the coaches in a humorous way (but that's all I wrote down, I don't remember exactly what he said). Franny did mention if he didn't thank his Mom, she'd cry, and in a more serious tone thanked his parents for their "endless love and support".
Scott Stossel noted how the coaches took a chance on a kid on the club team, and he would be forever grateful.
Brian Friery mentioned the "strange conversations" with coaches and team-mates on all the van trips over the years. Mentioned 3 words that define PSU -- sport, team, and culture, then proceeded to talk about each.
Patrick Higgens was great, wrapping things up (until Shak did his thing!). Patrick was "the official holder of the trophy" during his career -- and he passed the torch during his speech. He started a quote from "the greatest coach of all time", saying "Once you've wrestled...", caught himself in mid-quote and changed that to one of Cael's favorite sayings, "so what!", then explaining all the life lessons learned from this staff.
Shak then appeared and mentioned he was returning, to the crowd's delight.
Brian, Nick, and Neil, the Hodge presenters did a pretty good job with the presentation, and stories about Bo's Mom Sandy (with jelly beans at Fun Fest) unable to "vote" for Bo.
Cael mentioned a quote from Jeffrey Holland that starts, "Try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that "Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright," but..." to make a point about each person being the best that they can be, and focus on the positives each has to offer, referring to the wrestlers. Told a Coach Shroeder story about finding a "campsite", or place to camp out within PPG Paints. Also mentioned that the wrestlers in this class took their smallest scholarship offers to attend PSU.
Worth mentioning are this year's video (awesome), the PSWC donation to the University, and the academic achievements that were noted by an early speaker. Fabulous affair, largest group ever -- and it was great seeing those that stopped by to say hello.
Jason mentioned an "unbelievable" college experience, and stated that losses and adversity (I guessed this was abut his injury) can make one stronger, or cause one to head the other direction and doubt oneself. The emotional thank you to his parents was from his heart. Also told "Cael's favorite joke"...what happened to the frog that parked at a fire hydrant? Punchline...he got towed (toad). So corny, it was funny.
Nick Nevills called Adam Lynch "the fixer", and not just for wrestling-related stuff, but life stuff as well.
Others already commented about Cassar's comments. Ditto.
Franny Bisono thanked the coaches in a humorous way (but that's all I wrote down, I don't remember exactly what he said). Franny did mention if he didn't thank his Mom, she'd cry, and in a more serious tone thanked his parents for their "endless love and support".
Scott Stossel noted how the coaches took a chance on a kid on the club team, and he would be forever grateful.
Brian Friery mentioned the "strange conversations" with coaches and team-mates on all the van trips over the years. Mentioned 3 words that define PSU -- sport, team, and culture, then proceeded to talk about each.
Patrick Higgens was great, wrapping things up (until Shak did his thing!). Patrick was "the official holder of the trophy" during his career -- and he passed the torch during his speech. He started a quote from "the greatest coach of all time", saying "Once you've wrestled...", caught himself in mid-quote and changed that to one of Cael's favorite sayings, "so what!", then explaining all the life lessons learned from this staff.
Shak then appeared and mentioned he was returning, to the crowd's delight.
Brian, Nick, and Neil, the Hodge presenters did a pretty good job with the presentation, and stories about Bo's Mom Sandy (with jelly beans at Fun Fest) unable to "vote" for Bo.
Cael mentioned a quote from Jeffrey Holland that starts, "Try not to compare your children, even if you think you are skillful at it. You may say most positively that "Susan is pretty and Sandra is bright," but..." to make a point about each person being the best that they can be, and focus on the positives each has to offer, referring to the wrestlers. Told a Coach Shroeder story about finding a "campsite", or place to camp out within PPG Paints. Also mentioned that the wrestlers in this class took their smallest scholarship offers to attend PSU.
Worth mentioning are this year's video (awesome), the PSWC donation to the University, and the academic achievements that were noted by an early speaker. Fabulous affair, largest group ever -- and it was great seeing those that stopped by to say hello.
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What a great thread to read through.
Thank you all very much!
Thank you all very much!
The video was straight FIRE this year.. hope it gets released so we can post it here for all to see.
Ditto... CF... and it was my personal favorite part of the banquet also. I know I'll always remember the things that mattered most in Bo's life that transcended just being a great wrestler. He is a great human being who walks in the path of righteousness and respect for his fellow human beings. Bo... is all time favorite as a person as well as a wrestler. To me the person transcends who he is on the mat.
One of the times Cassar came to the podium a woman in her sixties behind me said - take your shirt off.
I’m sure LP understands.
I’m sure LP understands.
I thought after Iowa set the attendance record at Kinnick Stadium, Cael would soon have a match at Beaver stadium to take it back. I now believe as the year end awards banquet grows in size each year, the Penn State Wrestling Club will need to move the banquet to Beaver stadium long before any wrestling match would need it.
I pictured LP to be younger.
Mike Schroeder, Strength and Conditioning Coach. Super guy, another of the resources that would do anything for the wrestlers. There's a bio in the Media Guide if you happen to have one, and I'm sure I could find one on the interwebs if you can't. In the photo below, he's the man between Cody and Vincenzo.
Mike Schroeder, Strength and Conditioning Coach. Super guy, another of the resources that would do anything for the wrestlers. There's a bio in the Media Guide if you happen to have one, and I'm sure I could find one on the interwebs if you can't. In the photo below, he's the man between Cody and Vincenzo.
Thanks!
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