Between the Lions - Byers Interview 3/27/19

[RoarLions1]

Enjoyed this listen. Some cool insight into Cassar late in the broadcast.

Plus I have two questions for this community;

How do you feel, as an overall fanbase about the notion that PSU Wrestling fans are complacent/spoiled?

Do you feel, as Jeff states, that there's more parity than ever?

 

[Kale_yeah]

Q1-we all ways smell that way.

Q2- maybe in the big ten.

 

[nitlion6]

Q1 There is always the Penn State doom and gloom pessimism, but assuming PSU puts it's best possible lineup on the mat next year and the team falls a step short. Say they lose a dual and finish 2nd in the Big10s and NCAAs, man when the doom and gloom pessimism meets a reality things on here will be ugly.

Q2 Parity. It used to be Iowa was the alpha with regular threats from Okie St, Minnesota or Iowa State. Penn State is now the alpha with threats from Ohio State, Okie St and Iowa. There is not anymore parity as far as the number of teams seriously capable of winning a team title. However, with the ACC taking wrestling seriously there may be more places putting out high quality wrestlers. May be.

 

[GogglesPaizano]

Great! Thx for the post

 

[RandyL]

How could we not be spoiled.

 

[Jkos11]

Q1: We are still looking for the 4 timer, how can we be complacent

Q2: Parity is a weird thing, in CFB there is Alabama and Clemson and about 10-15 teams that interchange every year for the last 5 or so. That’s parity to an extent, her we have PSU OSU OKST and Iowa who really are the cream of the crop with say 15 or so teams that fight out for 5-10 for the last few years, so if you think parity is in one sport then it’s in both.

 

[NoVa Lion]

I don't think the overall fan base is spoiled, but there are certainly some that are. Everyone has to remember that the percentage of fans that post on these message boards is very small so a vocal minority can make it seem like the entire fan base is spoiled, arrogant, holier than thou, etc.

As to parity I don't think there is much different now from 10, 20, or 30 years ago. The teams at the top have changed a bit but every year it seems there are only a handful of teams that are deep enough to compete for the team title. It seems like we have been very dominant when you look back at 8 titles in 9 years, but several of those years the team race was very close. See last year. Also, although we have had our share of injuries over the years, we have yet to have any of them cost us the team title.

 

[Hotshoe]

Not spoiled, just some have unrealistic expectations. This page at least is pretty level headed.

As far as parity? I think it's lesser. When was the last time a small school was in the top four or five? Remember when Bloom was a real threat as well as others? Not much anymore.

 

[nitlion6]

Not spoiled, just some have unrealistic expectations. This page at least is pretty level headed.

As far as parity? I think it's lesser. When was the last time a small school was in the top four or five? Remember when Bloom was a real threat as well as others? Not much anymore.

Edinboro finished 3rd in 2015

 

[Ja1339]

As far as parity? I think it's lesser. When was the last time a small school was in the top four or five? Remember when Bloom was a real threat as well as others? Not much anymore.

Well Lock Haven did beat Rutgers last year, but yes I agree with your point here.

 

[BruceK-PSU83]

I must have missed the insight regarding Cassar .... ???

 

[RoarLions1]

I must have missed the insight regarding Cassar .... ???

Sorry, wasn't at the end...it's about the seven minute mark + …

It's my opinion that Cassar's response to 2018 was extraordinary, especially at his age. He took a path that very few would take. He's a 1-percenter, but in a very, very good way. As JB tells it;
-- Won his last bout in 2018 against the #1 kid at 197
-- Is told he's #2 on the team, and the Coaches are going with Shak post-season
-- After that, his is not a normal reaction...and Jeff does a great job explaining

I'm partial to wrestling, as a sport, and recognize it's place in the sports spectrum, but this is a story worth telling as a human-interest, feel-good story.

 

[matter7172]

Well Lock Haven did beat Rutgers last year, but yes I agree with your point here.

Basically every team with a winning record has beaten Rutgers the last two years. Next year, it will be true also.

 

[psu_flip]

There's a good portion of the fan base that is spoiled. How can you not be with 8 championships in 9 years? My kids' ages range from 15-23. All they know is PSU wrestling dominance.

With regard to parity, we may see more of it next year with Nolf and Nickal moving on, but we've all heard that one before.

 

[tikk10]

Hard not to be spoiled, especially for newcomer fans or fans who haven't been regularly exposed to lots of garden variety wrestling. Witnessing every Columbia home dual helps keep things in perspective for me.

I don't know much stock I'd put in Byers statement about parity to the extent he was basing it the small sample size of where the ten champs hailed from. Team scores are a more telling metric and to that end it's still a pretty top-heavy sport. Compare to, say, the NHL, where a salary cap and greater freedom of movement forces parity and guarantees no team ever win the Cup 8 of 9 years.

That said, the sport has improved and much of that, IMO, is due to the fact that kids growing up in the sport today have better access (YouTube, Flo) to today's stars. Consequently, kids are coming to the sport less ignorant than in the past, sharpening the improvement curve overall, and revealing more diamonds in the rough.