Articles for Wednesday

[Tom McAndrew]

enjoy


Black Shoe Diaries: NCAA Stats and Awards
(nice article that contains info well beyond its headline)

CDT: Penn State's Zain Retherford wins Hodge Trophy as nation's top collegiate wrestler

PennLive: Penn State's Zain Retherford earns college wrestling's most prestigious award -- the Hodge Trophy

Daily Illini: Illinois wrestling Martinez falls short of third consecutive title

The Columbus Dispatch: Snyder distant third as Penn State's Retherford voted NCAA's best
(Tan Tom showing how to not lose gracefully)

Daily Collegian: Penn State wrestling's Zain Retherford wins 2017 Dan Hodge Trophy

Lewistown Sentinel: Retherford wins Hodge Trophy

Roar Lions Roar: Zain Retherford Wins First Career Hodge Trophy

FloWrestling: Zain Retherford Wins 2017 Hodge Trophy

WIN Magazine: Penn State's Zain Retherford wins 2017 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS

(There were lots of Zain Wins Hodge articles. I limited those I linked to those that included more than just the press release)

FloWrestling: Top 5 Unsigned Recruits At FloNationals

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Ryan = fart noise.

A truly tiresome, excuse-making, recruit-retweeting turd.

 

[Pennstate1985]

Ohio State coach Tom Ryan chuckled incredulously when told that Snyder finished third in the Hodge voting.

"The award is a significant award for obvious reasons; it's the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling," Ryan said. "The best wrestler in college is Kyle Snyder. The problem that we're having in winning this award is that he's so good, his college season is abbreviated because he's overseas a lot.

"That is hurting him (in Hodge voting) in a way that should not be hurting him, but it is. Retherford is a tremendous wrestler. J'den Cox and Nolf are high-level wrestlers. But none of them are Kyle Snyder."

LOL

 

[PSUisawesome]

Ryan = fart noise.

A truly tiresome, excuse-making, recruit-retweeting turd.

Tom Ryan appears to be completely indifferent to his responsibility to the sport as a whole and the young people who compete on other teams. The contrast between Cael's impeccable class and Tom's impeccable crass could not be more stark.

 

[El-Jefe]

Tanning Booth Dispatch article was awful. Lead graph:
"Voters found a way to defeat Ohio State junior Kyle Snyder, who hasn't lost a college wrestling match in the past two years."

No mention of Zain winning the NCAA Most Dominant award or Snyder finishing outside the top 3.

Whiners gonna whine. Winners gonna win.

 

[pish69]

Would love to see Tom Ryan punched in his mouth one day.

So to Tan Tom..criteria for the award means nothing. The fact that we had at least 3 guys if I'm not mistaken score more at NCAA's than Snyder mean nothing, with Zain leading the way.

I don't even get the argument for Snyder..he's an OLYMPIC GOLD medalist and the best in the world on that platform. This is college FOLKSTYLE wrestling, where MAT wrestling means something and IMO we have 3 guys ahead of Snyder in that department.

Let Snyder wrestle a full season, score more points than Zain and win his 3rd NCAA..then he will earn the HODGE.

The Heisman rewards the best player in college (Zain) NOT the number 1 pro prospect/pick in the draft (Snyder)

 

[El-Jefe]

Would love to see Tom Ryan punched in his mouth one day.

So to Tan Tom..criteria for the award means nothing. The fact that we had at least 3 guys if I'm not mistaken score more at NCAA's than Snyder mean nothing, with Zain leading the way.

I don't even get the argument for Snyder..he's an OLYMPIC GOLD medalist and the best in the world on that platform. This is college FOLKSTYLE wrestling, where MAT wrestling means something and IMO we have 3 guys ahead of Snyder in that department.

Let Snyder wrestle a full season, score more points than Zain and win his 3rd NCAA..then he will earn the HODGE.

The Heisman rewards the best player in college (Zain) NOT the number 1 pro prospect/pick in the draft (Snyder)

Even then he won't because Zain will out bonus him. Again.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Would love to see Tom Ryan punched in his mouth one day.

So to Tan Tom..criteria for the award means nothing. The fact that we had at least 3 guys if I'm not mistaken score more at NCAA's than Snyder mean nothing, with Zain leading the way.

I don't even get the argument for Snyder..he's an OLYMPIC GOLD medalist and the best in the world on that platform. This is college FOLKSTYLE wrestling, where MAT wrestling means something and IMO we have 3 guys ahead of Snyder in that department.

Let Snyder wrestle a full season, score more points than Zain and win his 3rd NCAA..then he will earn the HODGE.

The Heisman rewards the best player in college (Zain) NOT the number 1 pro prospect/pick in the draft (Snyder)

Is there a power lift that would help you pin more guys? Perhaps the Buckeyes spice up their lifting sessions interspersing that in amongst the dead lifts

 

[pish69]

Even then he won't because Zain will out bonus him. Again.

That's what I meant by "outscore him." In other words, If Snyder scores more than 5.56 points per match or whatever the number Zain had, wrestles full season, and goes out 3x champ..than he will earn it..if not..oh well.

 

[KidNittany]

Ryan = fart noise.

A truly tiresome, excuse-making, recruit-retweeting turd.

I will try to give him SOME slack in that Snyder is his guy and this might be his way of sticking up for him. And, the media will print what they want to get a story.

That is all I will give him. Others have done a good enough job explaining how he is wrong, and I think unbiased folks will agree with that.

 

[NittanyLion84]

Is there a power lift that would help you pin more guys? Perhaps the Buckeyes spice up their lifting sessions interspersing that in amongst the dead lifts

This is the only advise, I can think of for tOSU.

 

[CholleyVandine]

Snyder Tweets graciously about Zain deserving the award, then his coach whines like a school boy when the voters agree.

 

[a_mshaffer]

Tom Ryan appears to be completely indifferent to his responsibility to the sport as a whole and the young people who compete on other teams. The contrast between Cael's impeccable class and Tom's impeccable crass could not be more stark.

thought I read a Snyder tweet indicating Zain should win... class show by the wrestler.... now if only the coach..

 

[El-Jefe]

Is there a power lift that would help you pin more guys? Perhaps the Buckeyes spice up their lifting sessions interspersing that in amongst the dead lifts

Or even one that helps them get off bottom?

 

[Pennstate1985]

I will try to give him SOME slack in that Snyder is his guy and this might be his way of sticking up for him. And, the media will print what they want to get a story.

That is all I will give him. Others have done a good enough job explaining how he is wrong, and I think unbiased folks will agree with that.

There was a better way to stick up for your guy and remain classy about the winner.

Ryan could have said:

"The award is significant for obvious reasons; it's the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling. The best wrestler in college based on the criteria for the Hodge Trophy is Zain Retherford. He had an outstanding season and is worthy of the award. I believe in my heart that Kyle is the best wrestler in the country on any given day and would have vied more seriously for this award if he had participated in more events this past season. However, given his freestyle commitments, where he is the reigning Olympic champion, it wasn't possible. That hurt him (in Hodge voting), and that is to be expected."

 

[El-Jefe]

Just a reminder: Tan Tom is president of the coaches association. He's also supposed to be setting a standard for his student athletes.

For all the crap he's pulled in just the past month -- defaulting his son to B10 consis, tweeting about the 174 finals loss being due to Average Replay Officials, and now this -- he needs to start acting like it.

 

[Lyons212]

Just a reminder: Tan Tom is president of the coaches association. He's also supposed to be setting a standard for his student athletes.

For all the crap he's pulled in just the past month -- defaulting his son to B10 consis, tweeting about the 174 finals loss being due to Average Replay Officials, and now this -- he needs to start acting like it.

What is interesting about the average officials, granted that takedown to Hall could have gone either way, however there are plenty of excellent refs and coaches who said the ref made the right call, takedown for Hall. On ESPN's "Off the Mat" coverage, all 3 experts said takedown for Hall, that includes Lee Kemp and Kevin Dresser. Interestingly, when Ryan was complaining during the match, he had not even seen the replay. Maybe he should do a better job of coaching his wrestlers in the technical aspects of the rule book. Look at PSU, both Hall and Nickal benefitted from knowing the rule book, got themselves takedowns and national championships as a result.

 

[CholleyVandine]

That's what I meant by "outscore him." In other words, If Snyder scores more than 5.56 points per match or whatever the number Zain had, wrestles full season, and goes out 3x champ..than he will earn it..if not..oh well.

Even if Snyder had wrestled a full season at the same bonus rate, Zain would have been more deserving of the Hodge.

Snyder averaged 5.11 points a match during the nine matches he wrestled before the post-season. Zain averaged 5.56. Zain scored 26.5 team points at B1Gs, Snyder scored 20.5. Zain scored 28 team points at NCAAs, Snyder scored 24.

Snyder may be the best wrestler in college, but Zain is the best college wrestler.

 

[psuflyguy]

Snyder is a great freestyle wrestler, but an incomplete folk style wrestler. Watched him get ridden like a rented mule in the national semis. He won't lose again because he's so infinitely better on his feet than any other heavyweight. But he is not great on the mat, top or bottom.

 

[dbldoofus]

Ohio State coach Tom Ryan chuckled incredulously when told that Snyder finished third in the Hodge voting.

"The award is a significant award for obvious reasons; it's the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling," Ryan said. "The best wrestler in college is Kyle Snyder. The problem that we're having in winning this award is that he's so good, his college season is abbreviated because he's overseas a lot.

"That is hurting him (in Hodge voting) in a way that should not be hurting him, but it is. Retherford is a tremendous wrestler. J'den Cox and Nolf are high-level wrestlers. But none of them are Kyle Snyder."

LOL

What a specious argument by Ryan. Has anyone won a Heisman by playing college football only 25% of the time while pursuing international goals the rest of the time and handicapping their football team while they are away from CFB?

Look....I love Snyder: Great wrestler, Great ambassador for the sport. I root for him when he isn't wrestling against PSU interests. But if the Hodge is the Heisman for wrestling (granted), then to win the Hodge you need to be dedicated to college wrestling. I understand why Snyder is splitting time between tOSU and USA. And I am glad he is doing so. USA! USA!

I just don't see how someone can expect to win the Hodge as a part-timer. (I know it's Ryan's big mouth saying this, not Snyder).

 

[Hedonist1]

Ryan is a big a-hole and I personally would like to punch him in the mouth. Of course, it would need to be done in a self-defense posture.

 

[CowboyUp61]

Ohio State coach Tom Ryan chuckled incredulously when told that Snyder finished third in the Hodge voting.

"The award is a significant award for obvious reasons; it's the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling," Ryan said. "The best wrestler in college is Kyle Snyder. The problem that we're having in winning this award is that he's so good, his college season is abbreviated because he's overseas a lot.

"That is hurting him (in Hodge voting) in a way that should not be hurting him, but it is. Retherford is a tremendous wrestler. J'den Cox and Nolf are high-level wrestlers. But none of them are Kyle Snyder."

LOL

The best wrestler in college, yes-the best and most dominate collegiate style wrestler, I would say no.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

Ohio State coach Tom Ryan chuckled incredulously when told that Snyder finished third in the Hodge voting.

"The award is a significant award for obvious reasons; it's the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling," Ryan said. "The best wrestler in college is Kyle Snyder. The problem that we're having in winning this award is that he's so good, his college season is abbreviated because he's overseas a lot.

"That is hurting him (in Hodge voting) in a way that should not be hurting him, but it is. Retherford is a tremendous wrestler. J'den Cox and Nolf are high-level wrestlers. But none of them are Kyle Snyder."

LOL

Snyder's other big problem imho in NCAA Folk is that he wrestles HWT (126 kg Freestyle), not 97 kg (214 lbs.) as he does in Free. Sorry if it offends anyone, but Snyder simply is not the dominant HWT wrestler that he is at 97 kg. The Hodge is supposed to go to the most dominant wrestler for the season and Snyder simply is not as dominating at HWT as many others are at other weights. Had Gabe Dean beat Bo, I think he would have won the Hodge given that he was a Sr and he would have been a deserving Hodge Winner. IMHO, Bo's win over Gabe Dean was the most impressive victory of the entire Championship Session on Saturday night. Bo deserved OW for the NCAA Championships based dominating performances to the finals and then beating a two-time returning Champion, and 3x AA (actually 4x since he was already in Finals), at the Weight Class - and arguably an all-time great if he beats Bo in that match.

 

[Media Fan]

Ohio State coach Tom Ryan chuckled incredulously when told that Snyder finished third in the Hodge voting.

"The award is a significant award for obvious reasons; it's the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling," Ryan said. "The best wrestler in college is Kyle Snyder. The problem that we're having in winning this award is that he's so good, his college season is abbreviated because he's overseas a lot.

"That is hurting him (in Hodge voting) in a way that should not be hurting him, but it is. Retherford is a tremendous wrestler. J'den Cox and Nolf are high-level wrestlers. But none of them are Kyle Snyder."

LOL

May not be as informed as you all, but I agree with him.
But, as I saw the criteria, I would agree it should be Retherford.
And after all, it is Snyder's choice to wrestle a shortened season.
Can you see the day when the criteria are adjusted to reflect exogenous events (e.g. Injuries; he was fantastic for 7 matches then....)

 

[21Guns]

As great as Snyder is, he has, in fact, lost in his college career.

Only one guy hasn't.

 

[Pennstate1985]

The more Ryan says thin

May not be as informed as you all, but I agree with him.
But, as I saw the criteria, I would agree it should be Retherford.
And after all, it is Snyder's choice to wrestle a shortened season.
Can you see the day when the criteria are adjusted to reflect exogenous events (e.g. Injuries; he was fantastic for 7 matches then....)

The criteria is the criteria, so I don't understand how your first two sentences reconcile. If Kyle feels a Hodge is important, he needs to forego his Intl schedule and wrestle a full season.

 

[pish69]

The more Ryan says thin

The criteria is the criteria, so I don't understand how your first two sentences reconcile. If Kyle feels a Hodge is important, he needs to forego his Intl schedule and wrestle a full season.

And even if he DOES go full season, I don't see him surpassing Zain because he don't pin people..

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

The more Ryan says thin

The criteria is the criteria, so I don't understand how your first two sentences reconcile. If Kyle feels a Hodge is important, he needs to forego his Intl schedule and wrestle a full season.

Even in the shortened-season he wrestled, he simply was not as dominant on a "per match" basis at HWT as Zain was at 149. People point at Snyder's Olympic victory, but he won that wrestling effectively at 214 lbs. -- he simply is not the dominating wrestler at HWT that he is at 97 kg. There were several wrestlers more deserving (i.e., more dominating on a "per match" basis) than Snyder @HWT this year.

 

[pish69]

My prediction!! Next Year final 4 Hodge Finalists..Zain, Nolf, Bo and Snyder

 

[21Guns]

I honestly think that Snyder may not return next year. There is nothing left to prove, and everything left to lose, especially to a bunch of guys with tree trunks for legs and about 50 pounds on him.

As strong as he is, as amazing as he is, 50 pounds is 50 pounds, and he was pretty fortunate against Kroells, that it wasn't Medbury or Walz on top of him, or else he might have broken ribs right now instead of a pulled cartiledge.

 

[Franklin_Restores_TheTradition]

And even if he DOES go full season, I don't see him surpassing Zain because he don't pin people..

He has trouble Tech Falling good wrestlers at HWT because he doesn't score a lot of NF points (or pins as you say) - very hard to TF someone with just TD and release strategy. The reality is, Snyder is an incredible wrestler, but he is not nearly as good a HWT as he is a 97 kg wrestler (i.e., he would not have won the Olympics at HWT - and the Free HWT Class has basically the same upper-weight limit as NCAA Folk).

 

[21Guns]

He has trouble Tech Falling good wrestlers at HWT because he doesn't score a lot of NF points (or pins as you say) - very hard to TF someone with just TD and release strategy. The reality is, Snyder is an incredible wrestler, but he is not nearly as good a HWT as he is a 97 kg wrestler (i.e., he would not have won the Olympics at HWT - and the Free HWT Class has basically the same upper-weight limit as NCAA Folk).

The above statement is fact.

 

[21Guns]

All I want to see is another shot of Mark Perry walking off the mat with IMar after being shattered in St Louis by Cenzo.

That was pure gold.

 

[lpfirman]

Would love to see Tom Ryan punched in his mouth one day.

So to Tan Tom..criteria for the award means nothing. The fact that we had at least 3 guys if I'm not mistaken score more at NCAA's than Snyder mean nothing, with Zain leading the way.

I don't even get the argument for Snyder..he's an OLYMPIC GOLD medalist and the best in the world on that platform. This is college FOLKSTYLE wrestling, where MAT wrestling means something and IMO we have 3 guys ahead of Snyder in that department.

Let Snyder wrestle a full season, score more points than Zain and win his 3rd NCAA..then he will earn the HODGE.

The Heisman rewards the best player in college (Zain) NOT the number 1 pro prospect/pick in the draft (Snyder)

What did he get? Something like 5 votes and Zain got how many?

Seems to me the math is rather easy..

 

[Cowbell Man]

Snyder's other big problem imho in NCAA Folk is that he wrestles HWT (126 kg Freestyle), not 97 kg (214 lbs.) as he does in Free. Sorry if it offends anyone, but Snyder simply is not the dominant HWT wrestler that he is at 97 kg. The Hodge is supposed to go to the most dominant wrestler for the season and Snyder simply is not as dominating at HWT as many others are at other weights. Had Gabe Dean beat Bo, I think he would have won the Hodge given that he was a Sr and he would have been a deserving Hodge Winner. IMHO, Bo's win over Gabe Dean was the most impressive victory of the entire Championship Session on Saturday night. Bo deserved OW for the NCAA Championships based dominating performances to the finals and then beating a two-time returning Champion, and 3x AA (actually 4x since he was already in Finals), at the Weight Class - and arguably an all-time great if he beats Bo in that match.

You mean the 197 lbs where Snyder was last seen counting the ceiling tiles?

 

[Ja1339]

Snyder Tweets graciously about Zain deserving the award, then his coach whines like a school boy when the voters agree.

I may have one pacifier left from the earlier case I ordered for those whining about PSU recruiting

 

[nitlion6]

There was a better way to stick up for your guy and remain classy about the winner.

Ryan could have said:

"The award is significant for obvious reasons; it's the Heisman Trophy of college wrestling. The best wrestler in college based on the criteria for the Hodge Trophy is Zain Retherford. He had an outstanding season and is worthy of the award. I believe in my heart that Kyle is the best wrestler in the country on any given day and would have vied more seriously for this award if he had participated in more events this past season. However, given his freestyle commitments, where he is the reigning Olympic champion, it wasn't possible. That hurt him (in Hodge voting), and that is to be expected."

Damn. You have high expectations of Tom.
We all know it was because average voters had to take a long bus ride after stopping at the clinic for a Z-pak.

Furthermore we know Kyle wasn't the best wrestler in college wrestling this past season - everybody knows that was PD3.

 

[nitlion6]

Just a reminder: Tan Tom is president of the coaches association. He's also supposed to be setting a standard for his student athletes.

For all the crap he's pulled in just the past month -- defaulting his son to B10 consis, tweeting about the 174 finals loss being due to Average Replay Officials, and now this -- he needs to start acting like it.

There is the standard, then there is the entitled Ohio State "Have you seen my Woody" standard.

 

[nitlion6]

Snyder Tweets graciously about Zain deserving the award, then his coach whines like a school boy when the voters agree.

Could be Kyle is genuinely a nice, thoughtful, insightful, intelligent, gracious, classy man and Tom is not.

 

[Dogwelder]

Ryan is a big a-hole and I personally would like to punch him in the mouth.

Are you saying you like to put your fist into the openings of a-holes?

That might be too much information for a family-friendly website!