Hannah

[Pitchfork Rebel]

Over the years we've been married, there have been a couple of times Mrs. Rebel has had a instant strong reaction to people. I've learned that in any situation involving people, I should just wait for her reaction. Any flicker of doubt that I married a human Geiger counter for human radiotoxicity were were put to bed when we watched Gamma Ray AJ's post match interview after he won the 2021 crown. I thought she was just disgusted with the puerile bragging; but man she recognized a world class [insert word here].

So all this weekend I watched the interviews and it was obvious HM knew nothing about wrestling; so she tried to psychoanalyze everything. I missed Davis' conf. champ match, so I watched it on DVR. When the post match interview came on, my wife got that look and let loose about how HM diminished a young wrestler who didn't want to play her game.

I realize it's mandatory to have women covering men's sports now; (Extra Stupid Political Network was on in the gym on Friday and the NBA game was only women); but can't they get one that takes the time to learn the rudiments of the wrestling and doesn't want to make everything about "feelings"?

 

[nerfstate]

Over the years we've been married, there have been a couple of times Mrs. Rebel has had a instant strong reaction to people. I've learned that in any situation involving people, I should just wait for her reaction. Any flicker of doubt that I married a human Geiger counter for human radiotoxicity were were put to bed when we watched Gamma Ray AJ's post match interview after he won the 2021 crown. I thought she was just disgusted with the puerile bragging; but man she recognized a world class [insert word here].

So all this weekend I watched the interviews and it was obvious HM knew nothing about wrestling; so she tried to psychoanalyze everything. I missed Davis' conf. champ match, so I watched it on DVR. When the post match interview came on, my wife got that look and let loose about how HM diminished a young wrestler who didn't want to play her game.

I realize it's mandatory to have women covering men's sports now; (Extra Stupid Political Network was on in the gym on Friday and the NBA game was only women); but can't they get one that takes the time to learn the rudiments of the wrestling and doesn't want to make everything about "feelings"?

You know she covered PSU wrestling for years as a student, was friends with Nolf, Bo, etc, and is engaged to Luke Pletcher, right?

 

[Hotshoe]

You know what else, Nolf loved her interview of Braeden.

 

[82bordeaux]

You know she covered PSU wrestling for years as a student, was friends with Nolf, Bo, etc, and is engaged to Luke Pletcher, right?

But she's no Maddie.

 

[nerfstate]

But she's no Maddie.

It cracks me up that Maddie (Nolf, I realize disambiguating is necessary) plays dodgeball with the boys at least weekly—if not daily. She’s one of the first people there every time I’ve been to Lorenzo this year.

 

[nerfstate]

Here’s Hannah interviewing another Maddie


And the boys:

 

[Cowbell Man]

Honestly, this is a foul. Women as reporters do not corner the market on those who might be viewed as asking dumb questions. And like men, they excel at their craft…Lisa Salters, Doris Burke, Melissa Stark, Jamie Little……I’m not going to continue.

Can’t say as I’ve enjoyed Kessenisch’s interviewing either…..

Further, her interview of MM was pure gold, asking why he thinks it’s ok to just let it all fly. Then imagine you are the one thinking all week how you are gonna get an answer out of AB when he knows it’s live and can’t be boiled down into something more compelling as is the case in a writers interview.

 

[nerfstate]

Honestly, this is a foul. Women as reporters do not corner the market on those who might be viewed as asking dumb questions. And like men, they excel at their craft…Lisa Salters, Doris Burke, Melissa Stark, Jamie Little……I’m not going to continue.

Can’t say as I’ve enjoyed Kessenisch’s interviewing either…..

Quint is the worst, IMO. Honestly I think the “fresh off the mat” interview at tourneys is generally flawed. Let the kids get their heart rate down and hug their family first, you’ll get more insightful answers. Then again, we might never have gotten a “that’s what we do!” moment then. Which is why they do it.

 

[Reslo]

Over the years we've been married, there have been a couple of times Mrs. Rebel has had a instant strong reaction to people. I've learned that in any situation involving people, I should just wait for her reaction. Any flicker of doubt that I married a human Geiger counter for human radiotoxicity were were put to bed when we watched Gamma Ray AJ's post match interview after he won the 2021 crown. I thought she was just disgusted with the puerile bragging; but man she recognized a world class [insert word here].

So all this weekend I watched the interviews and it was obvious HM knew nothing about wrestling; so she tried to psychoanalyze everything. I missed Davis' conf. champ match, so I watched it on DVR. When the post match interview came on, my wife got that look and let loose about how HM diminished a young wrestler who didn't want to play her game.

I realize it's mandatory to have women covering men's sports now; (Extra Stupid Political Network was on in the gym on Friday and the NBA game was only women); but can't they get one that takes the time to learn the rudiments of the wrestling and doesn't want to make everything about "feelings"?

Female interviewers AND announcers?!? Oh no! If we don't do something soon, women will even be allowed to vote and drive!

 

[mvattivo]

I was listening to Byers, so, I haven't heard the interviews yet. I'm going to go back and watch them when I get a chance.

However, she certainly isn't tough to look at when she's on t.v.

 

[backdrft76]

She's better than Quint, and the best thing matside on BTN since forever.

If anything, Tim Johnson needed to be gone years ago. And Jim Gibbons is worn out. BTN needs to have Shane and Amine doing it full time.

 

[Pennstate1985]

women will even be allowed to drive!

I am personally against my wife driving. She's a distracted driver.

 

[donboy6499]

She's better than Quint, and the best thing matside on BTN since forever.

If anything, Tim Johnson needed to be gone years ago. And Jim Gibbons is worn out. BTN needs to have Shane and Amine doing it full time.

I feel like we need Shane and Rock. That would be the Madden/Summerall of college wrestling.

 

[WildTurk]

She is a pretty face to put on TV. She wouldn't be there if she looked like a female Willie

 

[dsites52]

Am I being trolled? I think our kids are more the problem than she was. And I get they have their beliefs and that is great for them, but when they get asked questions specifically about the match or championship they just won and their response is “Everything is a lie. We’re all dead, anyway” me and my girlfriend’s eyes get REAL wide.

 

[matter7172]

She's better than Quint, and the best thing matside on BTN since forever.

If anything, Tim Johnson needed to be gone years ago. And Jim Gibbons is worn out. BTN needs to have Shane and Amine doing it full time.

But without Tim and Jim, how are all the good folks in Iowa gonna be able feel like it's still the 1980s, that Iowa still rules the wrestling world and that Iowa Public Television is the only way to experience college wrestling? 🫠💙

 

[El-Jefe]

She's better than Quint, and the best thing matside on BTN since forever.

If anything, Tim Johnson needed to be gone years ago. And Jim Gibbons is worn out. BTN needs to have Shane and Amine doing it full time.

 

[donboy6499]

Am I being trolled? I think our kids are more the problem than she was. And I get they have their beliefs and that is great for them, but when they get asked questions specifically about the match or championship they just won and their response is “Everything is a lie. We’re all dead, anyway” me and my girlfriend’s eyes get REAL wide.

What's wrong with our kids? I don't know that I have ever heard any of them say that, what wrestling are you watching??!!

 

[WildTurk]

Am I being trolled? I think our kids are more the problem than she was. And I get they have their beliefs and that is great for them, but when they get asked questions specifically about the match or championship they just won and their response is “Everything is a lie. We’re all dead, anyway” me and my girlfriend’s eyes get REAL wide.

Kerks interview was interesting/odd. Some brainwashed indoctrination going on there.

 

[Callthestall]

Strickly my personal opinion. I do not mind the female mat or field reporter. I think Andrews is decent. I disdain them doing play by play in a man's game.
I didn't mind the girl yesterday. The Davis interview certainly could of went better. Branden probably would have been the same way to any reporter. I just think that's who he is. I also think that most Penn State wrestlers are geared to having success at Nationals. They look at yesterday as a warmup. Did you see Cael lack of enthusiasm when presented the Big 10 "paper weight".

 

[nerfstate]

We only got one chance to interview Braeden during availability. He's not yet polished by training to speak general platitudes, and I think he probably has a very similar view of media as his head coach. Kerk also seems like he'd be more comfortable anywhere else than in front of a mic. Doesn't make them bad people--heck, maybe it's the opposite.

 

[dsites52]

What's wrong with our kids? I don't know that I have ever heard any of them say that, what wrestling are you watching??!!

Nothing is wrong with them. I was obviously paraphrasing Kerk’s post-match for the sake of comedy. I know the point he was trying to make, but if you take out the inference and just listen to what he actually said, it was a bit grim. Haha.

 

[Callthestall]

Kerks interview was interesting/odd. Some brainwashed indoctrination going on there.

I don't know if I would use those words but no doubt he looks at wrestling as only a small aspect of life. I wonder if the Starocci situation was part of some of his response. Just a thought, but Kerk maybe has been caught in middle of Carter situation. I believe they are friends. In addition I could see Carter using Kerk's Freshman year as an argument about competing injured.🤔

 

[donboy6499]

Nothing is wrong with them. I was obviously paraphrasing Kerk’s post-match for the sake of comedy. I know the point he was trying to make, but if you take out the inference and just listen to what he actually said, it was a bit grim. Haha.

Right on, missed the post-match interviews except for the ones people on the board told me were must-see so I went back and watched. Haven't seen his yet.

 

[316_Lyons]

I don't know if I would use those words but no doubt he looks at wrestling as only a small aspect of life. I wonder if the Starocci situation was part of some of his response. Just a thought, but Kerk maybe has been caught in middle of Carter situation. I believe they are friends. In addition I could see Carter using Kerk's Freshman year as an argument about competing injured.🤔

Kerk's freshman year situation and Carter's current situation are apples and oranges.

 

[tikk10]

I think she did a good job overall and did fine with having to roll when Davis wasn't giving her much to work with. Davis obviously isn't used to being interviewed straight off the mat and did something that you occasionally see rookies do, which is actually consider the question literally and attempt to answer it honestly, as opposed to responding with widely accepted patter.

It's not a deposition, it's a dance, wherein both participants are typically aware
that the questions are merely being posed to elicit a genuine response (e.g., excitement, disappointment, relief) to what just happened. The athlete can take it wherever they want, and most athletes who have been there before know how to either deliver what's expected or even lead the dance (e.g., Nickal does this extremely well).

Davis clearly didn't know how to dance, and it might be helpful if someone sat down with him to impart some canned, can't-miss cliches because Davis will be in that position again before long.

Another aspect to this is that most athletes straight off the mat are often incoherent because their heads are still in the match and haven't yet made the switch to normal human. I think that was part of this. In one sense it's unfair to the athletes, but it's also just a necessary part of the sport and wrestlers need to have a gameplan for how to approach it.

But Mears did fine in a tough spot, I thought, b/c Davis kept kicking it back to her with, uh, very short answers. The obvious alternative was to cut the entire thing shorter, but that's awkward too. Davis will get better at it because he's a bright kid--his interview outside the practice room earlier in the season was a good indicator of who he is.

 

[Callthestall]

Kerk's freshman year situation and Carter's current situation are apples and oranges.

I don't disagree with you, but Carter might look at that a little different. For Carter it's all about competing and the moment. I think most wrestlers on team would not question a coaches decision in public view. Carter is not a typical Penn State wrestler from his history of social post. It's who he is. I was using the Kerk freshman situation as something Carter could see as being unfair.

 

[Brian LB-U]

Hannah was great. I’d take her any day over Quint and Billy Baldwin. Apart from the post-match interviews, which are always going to be awkward when the wrestlers don’t answer her questions, she provided some nice insights when they pulled her in. I’d love to see her to become a staple at nationals.

 

[dsites52]

Hannah was great. I’d take her any day over Quint and Billy Baldwin. Apart from the post-match interviews, which are always going to be awkward when the wrestlers don’t answer her questions, she provided some nice insights when they pulled her in. I’d love to see her to become a staple at nationals.

Right. And in fairness to all the kids, I’m all but certain they probably lie awake thinking about what they will say when they win. So, the question they are asked is a bit immaterial as they are gonna say (most of what) they practiced in their head and not answer some sterile question about their accomplishment. I think mat-side interviewer is a tall order.

 

[316_Lyons]

I don't disagree with you, but Carter might look at that a little different. For Carter it's all about competing and the moment. I think most wrestlers on team would not question a coaches decision in public view. Carter is not a typical Penn State wrestler from his history of social post. It's who he is. I was using the Kerk freshman situation as something Carter could see as being unfair.

Yep, I hear you, just pointing out that if Carter is using that as justification for his stance, it's a poor one to point to. If Carter's only chance to qualify was to wrestle, he'd have been wrestling. Fortunately for him, he has (or would have had) the luxury of 12 more days of recuperation time. It's amazing that the overwhelming majority of the board predicted how things played out with him medically defaulting. How many times does Cael have to say their focus is on Nationals. In reality, Carter's story will have much more intrigue at Nationals (minus the tweet) than had he wrestled and won this past weekend.

 

[SpikingWhamos]

Over the years we've been married, there have been a couple of times Mrs. Rebel has had a instant strong reaction to people. I've learned that in any situation involving people, I should just wait for her reaction. Any flicker of doubt that I married a human Geiger counter for human radiotoxicity were were put to bed when we watched Gamma Ray AJ's post match interview after he won the 2021 crown. I thought she was just disgusted with the puerile bragging; but man she recognized a world class [insert word here].

So all this weekend I watched the interviews and it was obvious HM knew nothing about wrestling; so she tried to psychoanalyze everything. I missed Davis' conf. champ match, so I watched it on DVR. When the post match interview came on, my wife got that look and let loose about how HM diminished a young wrestler who didn't want to play her game.

I realize it's mandatory to have women covering men's sports now; (Extra Stupid Political Network was on in the gym on Friday and the NBA game was only women); but can't they get one that takes the time to learn the rudiments of the wrestling and doesn't want to make everything about "feelings"?

Considering the contents of this post, I think maybe you are overestimating your wife's radar for toxicity.

 

[dsites52]

Considering the contents of this post, I think maybe you are overestimating your wife's radar for toxicity.

“You mean you let the women sit….ON TOP OF THE HORSE?”

 

[David Keller]

Female interviewers AND announcers?!? Oh no! If we don't do something soon, women will even be allowed to vote and drive!

and wrestle, oh my!

 

[nerfstate]

Considering the contents of this post, I think maybe you are overestimating your wife's radar for toxicity.

I mean, I ALSO thought AJ came across and a complete tool after his NCAA title too. . . .

 

[LDandy]

I'm not sure what OP and his wife were watching, but I think most here would agree that Hannah did a pretty good job. She has at least a working knowledge of the sport, and she conducted herself very professionally. OP needs to cut her some slack as she's not acting as play by play or color commentator. She was there to hold a microphone and ask guys how they felt after winning a match. She did her job.

 

[RoarLions1]

Everyone noted in this thread brings something positive to their trade, yet GENERALLY (meaning not all) the comments here have a negative bent. I couldn’t do what they do. Not busting on the posters here, it’s a reflection of our society to focus on the negative.

 

[El-Jefe]

Kerks interview was interesting/odd. Some brainwashed indoctrination going on there.

Give Cael more time. He turned around Gilman's public speaking.

 

[mvattivo]

Kerks interview was interesting/odd. Some brainwashed indoctrination going on there.

This isn't only directed at you, as I read the post on the Iowa board. The fact that the only thing that Iowa fans can do is criticize and obsess over our interviews after winning championships is a great feeling as a PSU fan. Hell, we've sparked a religious debate over there.

 

[WildTurk]

This isn't only directed at you, as I read the post on the Iowa board. The fact that the only thing that Iowa fans can do is criticize and obsess over our interviews after winning championships is a great feeling as a PSU fan. Hell, we've sparked a religious debate over there.

One of your fans brought it up. I responded to him.

 

[WildTurk]

Give Cael more time. He turned around Gilman's public speaking.

Gilman didn't post on social media at Iowa. Cael turned that around to I suppose.