Great Article in Student Paper Today - The Day Cael Sanderson Turned Wrestling on its Head

[breno14]

https://onwardstate.com/2019/04/17/...nderson-turned-college-wrestling-on-its-head/

Had a lot of interesting information and quotes I'd not heard before. Really great stuff coming from a student writer.

 

[royboy]

https://onwardstate.com/2019/04/17/...nderson-turned-college-wrestling-on-its-head/

Had a lot of interesting information and quotes I'd not heard before. Really great stuff coming from a student writer.

Plenty of detail and quotes from many key people.

Really well done. Must read.

 

[impalanut]

One of the best articles I've read. Not just because it's psu. Well written and week researched. Some of the other wrestling sources signs take notice.

 

[impalanut]

Well researched, darn autocorrect

 

[ss7]

I'm not nearly as informed about this stuff as some on this board, but was this part well known?

"[After the 2009 season,] some injuries were starting to catch up to me and I needed a break. I knew I needed to hit reset physically and mentally to get back to the podium. I made some personal moves to make sure that if I needed to redshirt, I would in fact redshirt for the first half of the season.

I purposefully didn’t show up to classes, so I would be academically ineligible. I had extra credits, so I calculated my ineligibility and eligibility to still perform in January for the Big Ten season, so I could at least have that half a year to get healthy and get back to being that wrestler I came to Penn State as. I forced my redshirt year and possibly my departure from Penn State when Cael realized I was ineligible for the first half of the season and that we had different demeanors."

He intentionally skipped classes to make himself ineligible, which would give him time (half a redshirt year - is that a thing?) to get healthy?

 

[Dungeon Yankee]

https://onwardstate.com/2019/04/17/...nderson-turned-college-wrestling-on-its-head/

Had a lot of interesting information and quotes I'd not heard before. Really great stuff coming from a student writer.

Wow!!! I really enjoyed the article. It was great.

 

[PD4thespawn]

would appreciate any comments on how Coach Casey and Cael became friends. tia

 

[Chickenman Testa]

That post and link should be pinned. Great article.

Man, I would love to read the emails referenced in this quote:

“Cipriano: I wrote a column after Cael was hired called “The Day College Wrestling Changed,” and I got a lot of nasty emails from Iowa fans saying I didn’t know what I was talking about. Things changed that day”

Many of those same fans had a field day on Iowa’s now defunct blog “Black and Gold Pants”(?) The comments after they beat us in 2010-11 are incredibly smug and dismissive of Cael’s chances to do what he said he was going to do.

How you like him now?

 

[El-Jefe]

I'm not nearly as informed about this stuff as some on this board, but was this part well known?

"[After the 2009 season,] some injuries were starting to catch up to me and I needed a break. I knew I needed to hit reset physically and mentally to get back to the podium. I made some personal moves to make sure that if I needed to redshirt, I would in fact redshirt for the first half of the season.

I purposefully didn’t show up to classes, so I would be academically ineligible. I had extra credits, so I calculated my ineligibility and eligibility to still perform in January for the Big Ten season, so I could at least have that half a year to get healthy and get back to being that wrestler I came to Penn State as. I forced my redshirt year and possibly my departure from Penn State when Cael realized I was ineligible for the first half of the season and that we had different demeanors."

He intentionally skipped classes to make himself ineligible, which would give him time (half a redshirt year - is that a thing?) to get healthy?

Yes, his tanking classes to force a shirt was well known -- if not when he was declared ineligible, definitely as he left.


https://www.collegian.psu.edu/archives/article_c873a586-83a9-5969-885f-f5d962e019a3.html

 

[nerfstate]

Colucci has been covering the program well for years now. This is his best one yet by far. “Dynasties are tedious to cover” lol...

Jenkins: “me with my immaturity, and him with his greatness...”

 

[lookleft goright]

Great read, Indeed!!!

 

[tomsc]

Colucci has been covering the program. This is his best one yet by far. “Dynasties are tedious to cover” lol...

Jenkins: “me with my immaturity, and him with his greatness...”

The fairly detailed section on Bubba was definitely interesting. I had known some of that before, but more information came out. I also thought it was handled well, with no one really being the bad guy. I think Bubba handled his comments about it well.

 

[johnstownsteel]

Loved the article!

The Gable quote I'm not quite understanding. Was it a "dig" towards Cael or am I misinterpreting what he said? It almost sounded as if he said Cael went to where there'd be an easier path instead of sticking it out and working hard at ISU.

 

[nitlion6]

Loved the article!

The Gable quote I'm not quite understanding. Was it a "dig" towards Cael or am I misinterpreting what he said? It almost sounded as if he said Cael went to where there'd be an easier path instead of sticking it out and working hard at ISU.

Wasn't sure about that myself. It always feels as though when Gable gives Cael a hand pat it is with the back of his hand across Cael's cheek.

 

[niteowlgt]

I was on a national college wrestling site and all this talk that Cael is in St. College. What? This could finally keep top talent at home. Spinoff posts like it would make us great with long-term consequences. His hiring was made public a day or two later. It was stunning with a great twist. I bought a 9x shirt on Blue-White game day.

 

[PSUAllTheWay]

4-17-09 is the greatest day in Penn State Wrestling history. For many, many years, former PSU wrestlers bemoaned the fact that we couldn't consistently keep the best PA wrestlers home while attracting the best of the rest from around the country to State College. The hiring of Cael immediately changed the game and the past decade has been a dream come true.

 

[Ian]

April 17, 2009 is to wrestling what 1492 is to discovering the new world. Caelumbus discovered the wrestling new world and the old wrestling world has never been the same. Incredible. The vision, the support, the commitment to greatness is phenomenal.

 

[Foreverinbluejeans57]

Wasn't sure about that myself. It always feels as though when Gable gives Cael a hand pat it is with the back of his hand across Cael's cheek.

If you want to see where Iowa’s chest pounding and belittling nature comes from look no further than the idol of their wrestling program. Clearly it has worked extremely well for gable from competing to coaching. But a 180 from Cael’s humble and quiet approach.

 

[royboy]

So many parallels between Gable's career and Cael's career from great college success to international gold to a coaching dynasty. One of the things I find interesting about wrestling coaches is the degree to which they actually get out there and wrestle with their guys. At some point, age and injury make that less practical.

Gable stepped down at age 48 and had hip surgery if I recall. Cael is not yet 40 (turns 40 this June) and seems very fit and involved on the mat. Will his health and interest allow him to do this hands-on style of coaching another ten years? Perhaps longer?

 

[Cold Smoke]

So many parallels between Gable's career and Cael's career from great college success to international gold to a coaching dynasty. One of the things I find interesting about wrestling coaches is the degree to which they actually get out there and wrestle with their guys. At some point, age and injury make that less practical.

Gable stepped down at age 48 and had hip surgery if I recall. Cael is not yet 40 (turns 40 this June) and seems very fit and involved on the mat. Will his health and interest allow him to do this hands-on style of coaching another ten years? Perhaps longer?

Cael might be AD in ten years.

 

[creamery freak]

https://onwardstate.com/2019/04/17/...nderson-turned-college-wrestling-on-its-head/

Had a lot of interesting information and quotes I'd not heard before. Really great stuff coming from a student writer.

Great article, Thanks. Associate athletic director, Jan Bortner spoke at one of the Williamsport Area Nittany Lion club's meetings around 2012 -13 and talked quite extensively about being involved in Cael's interview and hiring process.. He said it was a very secretive situation such as giving Cael a tour of the wrestling facilities and Rec Hall around 3:00 AM in the middle of the week. Jan said they had to be sensitive to Iowa State and the media frenzy that might occur if Cael was publicly seen on PSU's campus. He said it was a great home run hire that I agree with for sure. Jan also said Cael had visions of PSU wrestling matches being held primarily in the BJC but has come to love the awesome confines of Rec Hall and the fans on top of the mat type of atmosphere.

 

[royboy]

Cael might be AD in ten years.

From what I can tell, Cold Smoke, he might sooner be out trout fishing with you.

He loves wrestling and Penn State, but he also seems to value his family, the great outdoors, and a degree of privacy. Not a great fit with the AD job.

 

[El-Jefe]

Cael might be AD in ten years.

Hard to imagine Cael wanting to do that level of fundraising, dealing with the internal and external politics of that job, being in front of the national football media, etc.

Also there will still be Sanderson and Cunningham kids left to coach in 10 years.

 

[NJPTCAP]

Great article!

 

[pawrestlersintn]

That post and link should be pinned. Great article.

Man, I would love to read the emails referenced in this quote:

“Cipriano: I wrote a column after Cael was hired called “The Day College Wrestling Changed,” and I got a lot of nasty emails from Iowa fans saying I didn’t know what I was talking about. Things changed that day”

Many of those same fans had a field day on Iowa’s now defunct blog “Black and Gold Pants”(?) The comments after they beat us in 2010-11 are incredibly smug and dismissive of Cael’s chances to do what he said he was going to do.

How you like him now?

RossWB had a very large shovel, and kept digging...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2009/4/17/842722/sanderson-hates-ames-takes-psu

Nothing too egregious after the 2010 Iowa win, other than the article itself...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bl...29/1284010/welcome-back-cael-1-iowa-wrestling

Less than two months after this one, they would start to eat their words...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com...ail-iowa-wrestling-topples-1-penn-state-22-13

 

[El-Jefe]

April 17, 2009 is to wrestling what 1492 is to discovering the new world. Caelumbus discovered the wrestling new world and the old wrestling world has never been the same. Incredible. The vision, the support, the commitment to greatness is phenomenal.

Some other fan bases probably see that date as more like Pearl Harbor.

Except, of course, that the Japanese lost the war.

 

[jrod65]

That post and link should be pinned. Great article.

Man, I would love to read the emails referenced in this quote:

“Cipriano: I wrote a column after Cael was hired called “The Day College Wrestling Changed,” and I got a lot of nasty emails from Iowa fans saying I didn’t know what I was talking about. Things changed that day”

Many of those same fans had a field day on Iowa’s now defunct blog “Black and Gold Pants”(?) The comments after they beat us in 2010-11 are incredibly smug and dismissive of Cael’s chances to do what he said he was going to do.

How you like him now?

This Hawk fan knew that Cael would be successful at PSU, but freely admit that I didn't envision him being this successful this quickly. I was never smug or dismissive of him either(although I'm sure many were). I was a huge fan of his when he was wrestling at Iowa State. I remember watching his ankle picks, and trying to emulate them when I was in HS. I was at Nationals his senior year and was one of the 10,000+ that gave him a standing ovation.

So to answer your question, I like Cael a lot, just hate that he and PSU are the champs right now.

That was an excellent article. Thanks for posting.

 

[tikk10]

RossWB had a very large shovel, and kept digging...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2009/4/17/842722/sanderson-hates-ames-takes-psu

Nothing too egregious after the 2010 Iowa win, other than the article itself...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bl...29/1284010/welcome-back-cael-1-iowa-wrestling

Less than two months after this one, they would start to eat their words...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com...ail-iowa-wrestling-topples-1-penn-state-22-13

Those takes by RossWB are a cautionary PSA on the dangers of making bold sports predictions. it's like uncorking an expensive bottle of wine only to find out it's aged into gasoline. Of course, the boldest, blue-sky predictions from the Penn State fans in the comments (including our own @jtothemfp) turned out to be scarily prescient. Good thing the comments are locked down because Penn State fans would be doing endless end zone dancing there.

The dismissive preening, typical of similar takes then, makes it easy to understand the glee some get from the respective schools' reversal of fortunes. For myself I don't see the point in belaboring it (partly because why bother, partly because I'm of the act-like-you've-been-there school, partly because the arguments render BWI and elsewhere dumpster fires), but I at least get the glee because it was inevitable.

 

[dunkej01]

Some other fan bases probably see that date as more like Pearl Harbor.

Except, of course, that the Japanese lost the war.

Have we heard Gilman's thoughts on this????

 

[creamery freak]

That post and link should be pinned. Great article.

Man, I would love to read the emails referenced in this quote:

“Cipriano: I wrote a column after Cael was hired called “The Day College Wrestling Changed,” and I got a lot of nasty emails from Iowa fans saying I didn’t know what I was talking about. Things changed that day”

Many of those same fans had a field day on Iowa’s now defunct blog “Black and Gold Pants”(?) The comments after they beat us in 2010-11 are incredibly smug and dismissive of Cael’s chances to do what he said he was going to do.

How you like him now?

Chickenman, I hope I am remembering this right but I think Big 10's were held at PSU in 2010, which was Cael's first year as the head coach. I remember Cael standing in the corner watching matches and the Iowa fans behind him were verbally gloating with every Hawkeye win and with every PSU loss. I'll bet Cael was thinking 'wait till next year', we'll be telling a different story then. Little did we know it would be 'wait till the next 10 years plus', I'm enjoying the ride!

 

[Chickenman Testa]

RossWB had a very large shovel, and kept digging...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2009/4/17/842722/sanderson-hates-ames-takes-psu

Nothing too egregious after the 2010 Iowa win, other than the article itself...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bl...29/1284010/welcome-back-cael-1-iowa-wrestling

Less than two months after this one, they would start to eat their words...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com...ail-iowa-wrestling-topples-1-penn-state-22-13

The board remembers

 

[dropster45]

So many parallels between Gable's career and Cael's career from great college success to international gold to a coaching dynasty. One of the things I find interesting about wrestling coaches is the degree to which they actually get out there and wrestle with their guys. At some point, age and injury make that less practical.

Gable stepped down at age 48 and had hip surgery if I recall. Cael is not yet 40 (turns 40 this June) and seems very fit and involved on the mat. Will his health and interest allow him to do this hands-on style of coaching another ten years? Perhaps longer?

Most coaches would be hard pressed to wrestle live in a D1 room with guys their own weight passing the age of ~ 40. After that, it’s a matter of how often you want to have surgeries. The 40+ body can’t take the physical pounding anymore.

 

[dropster45]

One thing to always remember when comparing Gable to anyone is that he had 2 extra scholarships per year thruout most of his coaching career.
So that means that each team had 8 (yes 8!) additional & eligible full ride recruits on it in any given year.
Cael, on the other hand, is getting it done without steroids.

 

[NoVa Lion]

Chickenman, I hope I am remembering this right but I think Big 10's were held at PSU in 2010, which was Cael's first year as the head coach. I remember Cael standing in the corner watching matches and the Iowa fans behind him were verbally gloating with every Hawkeye win and with every PSU loss. I'll bet Cael was thinking 'wait till next year', we'll be telling a different story then. Little did we know it would be 'wait till the next 10 years plus', I'm enjoying the ride!

BIGs were last at PSU in 2009 when Cael was still at ISU.

 

[James P. Whitters III]

I really enjoyed reading the article, and it is interesting hearing perspectives from those who were happy. It was crazy in Cyclone nation when the rumors started flying and many of us were on our phones trying to figure it out. I was talking to David Zabriskie when he confirmed what we already heard from the rumor mill. It felt like a death in the family. It was one thing to lose Cael at a time when we just knew we were tracking down Iowa and the double team they had over there was expiring. David Taylor was coming to town and there were rumbles about several other big time recruits. Iowa fans were quick to claim Cael knew he couldn't beat Brands so he was running. It turned out he was running to grab his nuclear bomb. I'm very happy Cael is having success and I must say that I did see it coming. Best coach in the country+best high school wrestling+wealthy school in the best wrestling conference= forget about it.

 

[Needanap]

One thing to always remember when comparing Gable to anyone is that he had 2 extra scholarships per year thruout most of his coaching career.
So that means that each team had 8 (yes 8!) additional & eligible full ride recruits on it in any given year.
Cael, on the other hand, is getting it done without steroids.

Are you sure that math is correct?

To simplify the math, lets round up the 9.9 scholarships and use 10 total as the official max scholarships a coach can award to wrestlers on the team. You are claiming that the extra 2/year actually translates to a total of 8 additional full ride scholarships at any one time during the time in question. Using that logic are we to believe that the original 9.9 (10 with our assumption) translate to an additional 40 full ride scholarships and that Gable was working with a total of 48 scholarships during that time?

 

[Dogwelder]

Are you sure that math is correct?

To simplify the math, lets round up the 9.9 scholarships and use 10 total as the official max scholarships a coach can award to wrestlers on the team. You are claiming that the extra 2/year actually translates to a total of 8 additional full ride scholarships at any one time during the time in question. Using that logic are we to believe that the original 9.9 (10 with our assumption) translate to an additional 40 full ride scholarships and that Gable was working with a total of 48 scholarships during that time?

Was the math correct when one billion Germans attacked the beaches of Pearl Harbor?

 

[tomsc]

Great article, Thanks. Associate athletic director, Jan Bortner spoke at one of the Williamsport Area Nittany Lion club's meetings around 2012 -13 and talked quite extensively about being involved in Cael's interview and hiring process.. He said it was a very secretive situation such as giving Cael a tour of the wrestling facilities and Rec Hall around 3:00 AM in the middle of the week. Jan said they had to be sensitive to Iowa State and the media frenzy that might occur if Cael was publicly seen on PSU's campus. He said it was a great home run hire that I agree with for sure. Jan also said Cael had visions of PSU wrestling matches being held primarily in the BJC but has come to love the awesome confines of Rec Hall and the fans on top of the mat type of atmosphere.

A non-wrestling side-note. Former Assoc AD Jan Bortner used to be a star tennis player for Penn State and a former women's and men's tennis coach at PSU. He has become quite the wrestling fan over the years. Even though he's retired, living in FL, I saw him at this year's NCAA's. A great guy!

 

[El-Jefe]

RossWB had a very large shovel, and kept digging...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com/2009/4/17/842722/sanderson-hates-ames-takes-psu

Nothing too egregious after the 2010 Iowa win, other than the article itself...
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bl...29/1284010/welcome-back-cael-1-iowa-wrestling

Less than two months after this one, they would start to eat their words...
https://www.blackheartgoldpants.com...ail-iowa-wrestling-topples-1-penn-state-22-13

The first article + comments are hilarious in how dismissive they were.

May we never allow success to make us so arrogant.

 

[dicemen99]

Are you sure that math is correct?

To simplify the math, lets round up the 9.9 scholarships and use 10 total as the official max scholarships a coach can award to wrestlers on the team. You are claiming that the extra 2/year actually translates to a total of 8 additional full ride scholarships at any one time during the time in question. Using that logic are we to believe that the original 9.9 (10 with our assumption) translate to an additional 40 full ride scholarships and that Gable was working with a total of 48 scholarships during that time?

I don't know why anyone would insist on extrapolating that out to the 4-year figure - it just confuses the issue when the rule is per year.

The actual number in the NCAA report was 7.65 (or something very close to that) over 4 years, which is 1.9/year. IF that were today, it would be the equivalent of working with 11.8 while the limit is 9.9. I believe the limit was 11 at that time (I think the 10% cut across the board came shortly after the period they examined), so the real number is 12.9 vs. 11 which is about 17% more. Not quite as exciting as claiming they were working with 8 extra scholarships, but still a nice little edge in a grey area at that time (hey, that's sounds very familiar!). As for the claim that this was widely abused, the other wrestling programs in the report were under .5/year, so, again, still a nice little edge.