Penn State hires Cael Sanderson as the head Wrestling Coach!!
Describe your favorite NCAA Wrestling moment
- Thread starter El-Jefe
- Start date
One Thursday in March, just prior to noon: “Please clear the mats.”
Iowa and the Trophy presentation on a March Saturday night in Minnesota back in 2020.
Only to realize it was a just a dream from sleeping on a MyPillow, Minnesota made!
Only to realize it was a just a dream from sleeping on a MyPillow, Minnesota made!
The big guns doing big things is great, but these two stand out for me.
First time caller...long time lurker. Welcome ambrowns.
Thanks. Couldn’t let this thread slip by without a Carton/Pletcher reference!
Along these lines I must tell my story! My good friend coached at TOSU with Tom Ryan early on and they have remained close friends. Tom invited us back to the Hyatt after the match for a “little celebration”, figuring there is no way PSU can beat us without Nolf and with us wearing our robes! I kept quiet but as the tide changed my friend started getting nervous! After the match, as Rec Hall went crazy, I asked my friend if we were still planning to attend the “little celebration!” Lol!
We did, but it was at the Nittany Lion Inn with the entire PSU football staff and as many loyal fans as they could fit. People were everywhere! WE ARE.......
Ps: I never let my Buckeye friend live it down!
You could tell leading up to it that they were heading to Centre County to be crowned. Their social media was beyond confident for weeks. They must have been stunned.
They were! When I saw Anthony warming up I said to my buddy, they are going with Caesar! He replied, “Cael knows they can’t win and is conceding!” Lol!
After Caesar beat Moore,I will remember the
look on his face forever!
Texas man does not panic, wins final match.
Poor Moore must’ve felt as if he had choked, until Cassar turned out to be a proven stud in the later season.
I was working the 2011 NCAA National Championships as a table worker (doing time keeping, riding time keeper and score keeper for my particular mat that I was working.) In between breaks, we had to go to the opposite end of the Wells Fargo Center and sit in the "competitor seats". During one of my breaks... I'm sitting in the competitor's area and Cody Sanderson is literally sitting one seat down from me. I'm in my GREEN NCAA polo shirt and I hopped down one seat and I introduce myself as a Penn State grad. Cody says hi... and he notices instantly that I'm working at the NCAA's. I'm also supposed to NOT show any favoritism towards any one school or react to any given match.
Q's match with Grant Gramball is about to start... and I'm asking Cody about how Ed Ruth is doing, how he sees Penn State's chances to win the team title and how remarkable it was that Penn State was in the position to win it's 2nd National Title in school history. The 1st of Cael and Cody's leadership.
Cue.... Q and Grant Grambrall walking out to the center of the mat. Cody and I are still talking throughout the 1st part of the match... suddenly Q stands up... hits Grant Gambrall in a standing cradle... I see Cael getting down on the mat... and then we hear the SLAP!!! Cody and I go banana's and high five somewhere near the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center and we MOB EACH OTHER in a ridiculous embrace. It was such an INSANE and SPONTANEOUS MOMENT OF SHEER JUBILATION.
Cue... the awards banquet after NCAA's. I was there and Cody passed me and STOPPED me... "He said to me... "You were the guy... that guy... and we laughed hysterically." He told me that he told Cael what happened during a dinner after Nationals. They had a good laugh about what was going on in the stands... while Cael was slapping the mat.
It's a moment in my life I'll never forget and will cherish for the rest of my life. Where were you when Q... hit GG with a standing cradle. I was mobbing with Cody Sanderson!!!
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I was so jacked up after the end of the semis that night. I called a friend to give him an update and I was so hoarse from yelling that I could hardly talk.
Not anywhere near as exciting as your story, but I remember going to the Holiday Bowl in 1989 when Penn State played BYU. It was a pretty wild game with Penn State pulling ahead at the end. I had some decent 40 yard line seats. I was looking around to see if I saw anyone who I knew, and Bernie Fritz (John's brother) was sitting about 2 rows behind me. We recognized each other, although I don't remember how. We weren't at Penn State at the same time. Anyway, we bumped into each other at the NCAA tournament in March and had a pretty good time talking about how good the game was. John Fritz showed a a few minutes later. He's a pretty good guy too. I think half the thrill of going to the NCAA tournament is the other people who come too.
The other happenings at NCAA's that year. I got to eat lunch with Wade Schalles and Nate Carr every afternoon. I struck up a good rapport with Wade over the three days and we joked incessantly on who was going to win Nationals that year. Wade had the winner on his lap top and he showed me finally at the end of Nationals after teasing me for the entire three days, knowing I was a Penn State grad and fan. His predicted winner... Penn State. He was off by a 1/2 pt point of their eventual point total. Wade's genius and knowledge of wrestling... always on "point".
My other gaffe was when Andrew Long was wrestling Scotty Sentes. Andrew was getting ridden hard by Scotty and couldn't mount much of a challenge. Then all of sudden... reverses Sentes and plants him. I was the score keeper for that match and I ended up jumping out of my seat. I couldn't help it. My disabled time keeper next to me was in a wheel chair and yanked me down to my chair. She's in a wheel chair and I'm 6'2". Lol I begged her forgiveness... I slouched below the ESPN cameras and made myself invisible. Lol That along with Q's pin and Bo's miraculous turn on Myles Martin are my favorite NCAA moments to date. More to come.
One last tid bit. My play by play guy sitting next to me during the entire tournament... none other than Shane Sparks. He was cutting his teeth then on doing play by play for the in stadium play by play that you could pay for at the tournament. One day, Shane was late... and I had to cover for him. After hours of sitting next to him and talking to him, I grew to see his talent for calling wrestling matches. He had every wrestling journal known to the wrestling world at the time when he came to our table that he used while calling the match to add content to his call. He was a wrestling junkie and I loved him for his enthusiasm and his happy go lucky nature. When I covered for him the day he was late... he was nothing but kind and appreciative. That's what you do for fellow wrestling junkie's... and someone I grew to admire over the days we worked together. It doesn't surprise me know that he's doing commentary for the Big Ten Network. Anyone could see his talent.... even back in 2011. He just loves wrestling and it's a clear passion. It you don't love his calls... then you don't love wrestling. He's a student of the sport and his love comes clearly through for the sport we all love here.
My other gaffe was when Andrew Long was wrestling Scotty Sentes. Andrew was getting ridden hard by Scotty and couldn't mount much of a challenge. Then all of sudden... reverses Sentes and plants him. I was the score keeper for that match and I ended up jumping out of my seat. I couldn't help it. My disabled time keeper next to me was in a wheel chair and yanked me down to my chair. She's in a wheel chair and I'm 6'2". Lol I begged her forgiveness... I slouched below the ESPN cameras and made myself invisible. Lol That along with Q's pin and Bo's miraculous turn on Myles Martin are my favorite NCAA moments to date. More to come.
One last tid bit. My play by play guy sitting next to me during the entire tournament... none other than Shane Sparks. He was cutting his teeth then on doing play by play for the in stadium play by play that you could pay for at the tournament. One day, Shane was late... and I had to cover for him. After hours of sitting next to him and talking to him, I grew to see his talent for calling wrestling matches. He had every wrestling journal known to the wrestling world at the time when he came to our table that he used while calling the match to add content to his call. He was a wrestling junkie and I loved him for his enthusiasm and his happy go lucky nature. When I covered for him the day he was late... he was nothing but kind and appreciative. That's what you do for fellow wrestling junkie's... and someone I grew to admire over the days we worked together. It doesn't surprise me know that he's doing commentary for the Big Ten Network. Anyone could see his talent.... even back in 2011. He just loves wrestling and it's a clear passion. It you don't love his calls... then you don't love wrestling. He's a student of the sport and his love comes clearly through for the sport we all love here.
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@amalone please continue to share your Amazing stories
Shane is great. Would love to talk wresting with him. He is the living embodiment of the phrase - if you love what you do for a living, you’ll never work a day in your life
Cody Sanderson is an outstanding guy. Very personable and if he has it ( nothing pressing) he will give you his time. Great story by the way.
1. In Philly my first NCAA, in between rounds me, Goldbanger and crew at the bar inside the arena and Q et al walk thru and have a little discussion with us.
1a. Watching the OSU fans reaction when Bo goes from in danger to a fall over Myles... priceless!
1a. Watching the OSU fans reaction when Bo goes from in danger to a fall over Myles... priceless!
Nick Gwiazdowski beating the big lug Tony Nelson from Minnesota to help PSU win the title!!!
That was a good one too. Hundreds of PSU fans giving Gwiz a standing ovation.
Veni, vidi, vici. 2011, 2014, a few others since. This one, though was particularly special.
I will NEVER tire of that story! Thanks for sharing it. I was so thrilled that someone like you that has such a tremendous love for PSU an PSU wrestling got a chance to witness one of the most exciting wrestling events in the history of PSU with one of the PSU coaches! Totally freaking AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Wrestler steals pin chain from opponent, secures team title, because he's dangerous and that's just what he does.
sitting matside for finals in St Louis (after being in nosebleed section for first 5 sessions).....after Zain and Nolf win, Joseph hits the mat against Martinez. Two high school local wrestlers were sitting next to me. I turned to them and said, Joseph is not afraid. He likes the double overhooks and inside trip. Then it happened. They looked over to me and smiled. I just nodded. Then Hall and Bo made it 5 individual titles in a row and another team title. It was a few fine tasting beers back at hotel that night.
Maybe not the most exciting moment ever, but I thought it was really classy when Zain walked over and handed that little boy his headgear after winning his first national title.
Deakin gets taken down 5x in the 1st,3x in the second and gets 7 escapes to trail Nolf 16-7. 3rd period he knows what to do to stop the bleeding. Go for the rideout and give up 3 penalty points. Nolf made good wrestlers look like they should have ducked
LL... I'll be forever grateful that you my friend STILL REMEMBER the story from 9 years ago. You allow me to still remember it as if it was... yesterday. You have a very keen sense of timing and we were ready for the story to come out again. You're the BEST and we keep telling stories about life as we go and that's what makes like.... so much more enjoyable.I will NEVER tire of that story! Thanks for sharing it. I was so thrilled that someone like you that has such a tremendous love for PSU an PSU wrestling got a chance to witness one of the most exciting wrestling events in the history of PSU with one of the PSU coaches! Totally freaking AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEEE!
It was SO UNBELIEVABLY AWESOMEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Thanks for remembering and bringing back an oldie but goodie. You have that distinct knack for doing so. Never lose it or we'll lose out on great experiences that allow us to remember all over again. You're just that person who never forgets and lives for those great moments, even though it wasn't you who experienced it. That's why you're the BEST!!!
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Here was the Andrew Long match I referenced. If you weren't jumping up also after that match... you weren't aware of how hard Andrew Long was being ridden and dominated before he planted Sentes. Classic thinking you're dominating... get too confident and Andrew Long had the ability to destroy that confidence with his unbreakable will. That's what made that moment so great.
