Closest Hodge competition ever?

[CholleyVandine]

Going into the tournament, Nolf is 26-0, Nickal is 25-0.

The team points they have scored per match are separated by nine one-hundredths of a point (5.24 for Bo, 5.15 for Jason)

Nickal has 15 pins. Nolf has 14 pins and a win by injury default.

Nickal only has two regular decision wins, but one was a fairly close two-point win in the Nebraska dual. Nolf has three regular decision wins but the closest was by six points.

Nolf is 6-0 with a pin, a tech fall, two major decisions, and two regular decisions against wrestlers ranked in Intermat's top 10. Nickal is 4-0 with two pins and two regular decisions.

I would give Bo a very slight edge at this point, but I think the Hodge is going to belong to whichever one has the most dominant run in Pittsburgh.

 

[PSU Mike]

Going into the tournament, Nolf is 26-0, Nickal is 25-0.

The team points they have scored per match are separated by nine one-hundredths of a point (5.24 for Bo, 5.15 for Jason)

Nickal has 15 pins. Nolf has 14 pins and a win by injury default.

Nickal only has two regular decision wins, but one was a fairly close two-point win in the Nebraska dual. Nolf has three regular decision wins but the closest was by six points.

Nolf is 6-0 with a pin, a tech fall, two major decisions, and two regular decisions against wrestlers ranked in Intermat's top 10. Nickal is 4-0 with two pins and two regular decisions.

I would give Bo a very slight edge at this point, but I think the Hodge is going to belong to whichever one has the most dominant run in Pittsburgh.

If they both run the table I doubt either goes without the award. It would be heartless.

 

[dmm53]

157 in the Big Tens was MUCH better than 197. 157 is also much better than 197 in NCAAs as a whole.

I hope they can share the award, but if not . . .

 

[diggerpup]

197 is hot garbage .... 157 is much tougher.

.... but Bo seems to have more “splash” moments over his career.

Poor Jason.
I guess playing with your food before eating it doesn’t score as many “Ahhhhhhs”

 

[dmm53]

157 has 4 returning AAs: Berger, Hidlay, Pantaleo, and Nolf.

197 has 3 returning AAs: Moore, Miklus, and Nickal.

In comparison with Nickal, Nolf has more career pins; more than double the career tech falls; more career bonus wins; and a higher career bonus rate.

 

[dmm53]

It's hard to top Nickal's final win last year, but Nolf has originated or given new attention to more creative moves.

 

[McScoreley]

I can't wait until Hodge Finalists are released and Bo tweets to vote for Nolf and Nolf tweets (if he manages to get onto Twitter) to vote for Bo.

 

[y2jriden]

Whoever doesn't win it may go down as the best wrestler never to win it. (At least in recent times)

 

[CholleyVandine]

Whoever doesn't win it may go down as the best wrestler never to win it. (At least in recent times)

Depending on how you're defining "best wrestler," Ed Ruth and Kyle Snyder might politely disagree.

 

[y2jriden]

Depending on how you're defining "best wrestler," Ed Ruth and Kyle Snyder might politely disagree.

I really didn't intend that to start an argument. But I will stand by my statement although I doubt either of them care what I think.

 

[dmm53]

Despite the minor differences in their careers, Nolf and Nickal have a lot in common:

• Both three-time state champs
• Both lost freshman year in finals (despite having beaten their opponent at least once that year)
• Both lost freshman year to (likely) two-time National Champs.
• Both likely to be three-time champs
• Both will likely finish 2-1-1-1
• Both have only three career losses
• Both have more than 110 career wins
• Both have 90 or more bonus victories
• Both will likely have two undefeated seasons
• Both broke the PSU pin record and have more than 50 pins each

 

[billrag]

Despite the minor differences in their careers, Nolf and Nickal have a lot in common:

• Both three-time state champs
• Both lost freshman year in finals (despite having beaten their opponent at least once that year)
• Both lost freshman year to (likely) two-time National Champs.
• Both likely to be three-time champs
• Both will likely finish 2-1-1-1
• Both have only three career losses
• Both have more than 110 career wins
• Both have 90 or more bonus victories
• Both will likely have two undefeated seasons
• Both broke the PSU pin record and have more than 50 pins each

Is that it?

 

[dmm53]

Is that it?

Both have last names that start with "N".

 

[GogglesPaizano]

My vote is for Boson Nickolf the infamous Russian foreign exchange student. Anything else is a travesty?

 

[matter7172]

If there is any justice in the world, these two guys share the Hodge.

 

[SRATH]

Despite the minor differences in their careers, Nolf and Nickal have a lot in common:

• Both three-time state champs
• Both lost freshman year in finals (despite having beaten their opponent at least once that year)
• Both lost freshman year to (likely) two-time National Champs.
• Both likely to be three-time champs
• Both will likely finish 2-1-1-1
• Both have only three career losses
• Both have more than 110 career wins
• Both have 90 or more bonus victories
• Both will likely have two undefeated seasons
• Both broke the PSU pin record and have more than 50 pins each

You forgot both will be on 4 NCAA champion teams. Both seem like the kind of guys who would trade all of the above for the team titles.

 

[dmm53]

Cael Sanderson and Nick Ackerman shared the Hodge Trophy in 2001 so there is precedent for co-winners.

 

[tylersmyth]

Cael Sanderson and Nick Ackerman shared the Hodge Trophy in 2001 so there is precedent for co-winners.

That’s not an apples to apples comparison

 

[McScoreley]

Despite the minor differences in their careers, Nolf and Nickal have a lot in common:

• Both three-time state champs
• Both lost freshman year in finals (despite having beaten their opponent at least once that year)
• Both lost freshman year to (likely) two-time National Champs.
• Both likely to be three-time champs
• Both will likely finish 2-1-1-1
• Both have only three career losses
• Both have more than 110 career wins
• Both have 90 or more bonus victories
• Both will likely have two undefeated seasons
• Both broke the PSU pin record and have more than 50 pins each

Thought of one more (not a good one)
Of 2 of their 3 losses, both have come twice from the guy they lost in the finals (including in the finals)

I do want to add this one though after this NCAAs, of the guys they lost to in the national finals, both would be defeated later in NCAA Finals by another Penn Stater (not including themselves for Bo) thus eliminating #3 above.

 

[tylersmyth]

I don’t get the idea that you should split the hodge it’s what makes it so prestigious only one person can win it. Have wrestlers who weren’t as good as bo and nolf won it? Yeah but so what?

You know who else never won the hodge?
Ruth
Cox
Snyder
Greg Jones (how is that possible?)

And one of nolf or bo

 

[Lion-around]

If there is any justice in the world, these two guys share the Hodge.

Assume Nolf and Nickal finish as 3 time National Champions. WIN knows who the voters are for the Hodge Award. Get them on a conference call to see if there is interest in naming co-award winners for 2019. I believe if the option is offered, we'll get co-award winners. Both would deserve it.

 

[McScoreley]

I mean no disrespect with this statement but: If they can give Alex Dieringer the Hodge over Zain in 2016 due to seniority giving him a nod (Zain had a higher bonus %, more pins, bonused through NCAAs, undefeated as well);They sure as hell can let Bo and Nolf split this for what I believe to be unprecedented double dominance.

 

[tylersmyth]

I mean no disrespect with this statement but: If they can give Alex Dieringer the Hodge over Zain in 2016 due to seniority giving him a nod. They sure as hell can let Bo and Nolf split this for what I believe to be unprecedented double dominance.

So they owe it to give it to both guys because Zain didn’t win over ringer? That’s not even top 10 biggest snubs of the hodge. Past credentials is apart of the criteria for the award

 

[uncle jim 62]

Those stats are crazy Not just Penn state fans but all wrestling fans have been blessed to watch these two wrestle! quick ? Nick Akerman D3 ? and was that the only wrestler to win/share a hodge that wrestled D3

 

[tylersmyth]

Those stats are crazy Not just Penn state fans but all wrestling fans have been blessed to watch these two wrestle! quick ? Nick Akerman D3 ? and was that the only wrestler to win/share a hodge that wrestled D3

He had both legs amputated below the knee.

Emmett Wilson won from a NAIA school over Greg Jones who never won a hodge and could argue had/has the best case for best wrestler to never win one. I would put him ahead of whoever doesn’t win from the nolf/Bo debate.

 

[Faiythful]

Both will also have pinned the guy they lost to in the finals.

 

[tylersmyth]

Both will also have pinned the guy they lost to in the finals.

No they wouldn’t have

 

[bigbopper1985]

I sure hope we don't give these guys the kiss of death by assuming they are both going to be National Champs. I was at the Southern Scuffle the year Ed Ruth lost to Gabe Dean. No one.....no one thought that would happen. They were talking about Ed being a 4 time scuffle champ ahead of the finals. So until they win I am not ready to crown them just yet. It wasn't too long ago that we assumed Bo would win the title as a freshman and lost to Myles Martin. My point is don't count your chickens just yet.....wait til Saturday night

 

[PAwrestling]

No they wouldn’t have

Nolf pinned IMar
Nickal pinned Martin
How is that statement untrue.

 

[creamery freak]

No they wouldn’t have

Nolf pinned Imar at Illinois in their team duel as a RS freshman in 2016. Bo pinned MyMar in last years NCAA finals.

 

[jrod65]

Nolf pinned IMar
Nickal pinned Martin
How is that statement untrue.

Read it again. One could take that statement as they pinned them "in the finals". Im guessing thats how Tyler read it.

 

[PAwrestling]

Semantics
I did not take it that way

 

[jrod65]

Semantics
I did not take it that way

Agreed. Just trying to cut short a silly argument.

 

[PAwrestling]

Agreed. Just trying to cut short a silly argument.

Good point sir!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Cold Smoke]

So they owe it to give it to both guys because Zain didn’t win over ringer? That’s not even top 10 biggest snubs of the hodge. Past credentials is apart of the criteria for the award

He had both legs amputated below the knee.

Emmett Wilson won from a NAIA school over Greg Jones who never won a hodge and could argue had/has the best case for best wrestler to never win one. I would put him ahead of whoever doesn’t win from the nolf/Bo debate.

Yeah, well, ya know that’s just, like, your opinion, man.

 

[Jkos11]

If there is any justice in the world, these two guys share the Hodge.

Paging my dude @smalls103

 

[7brwnpsu]

If they can not share the Hodge, and Bo wins it, I hoping Win Magazine starts the Thomas Alva Edison Wrestling Award for the most inventive wrestler. Jason Nolf has to get recognized for making the sport so fun to watch. I'd vote Bo 2nd in that voting.

Damn were we lucky to watch these two. I pray they each gets their 3rd Saturday night.
As Bob Hope said "Thanks for the Memories".

 

[SWPA]

I think the winner of the Hodge trophy should be in the hands of Tyler Berger. His first tweet after Nationals will be who he votes for to win the Hodge and that vote alone will determine the winner.

 

[tylersmyth]

Nolf pinned Imar at Illinois in their team duel as a RS freshman in 2016. Bo pinned MyMar in last years NCAA finals.

My bad I was thinking nolf never pinned imar bad memory on my part

 

[Dogwelder]

My bad I was thinking nolf never pinned imar bad memory on my part

Was it bad memory when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?