I’ll watch any wrestling over football. I’ll even watch Iowa over the nfl and I like football. I just love wrestling
Lehigh: Go
- Thread starter Pitchfork Rebel
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Could be right. But I would think Davis would be pretty pissed if feeling good and kicking Howard's butt in the room.
Who/what are the Steelers?
This perspective is typically held only by those on the losing side of the dynastic equation. Everyone loves their own dynasties and don't consider them bad for the sport. I suspect the Lehigh author doesn't think ultra dominant individual wrestlers are bad for the sport even though the outcome of each of their matches is a foregone conclusion (or not).
And I don't think this argument holds up well in this unique sport in particular where individual wrestler achievement is just as much the focus of attention as team success, if not more. There are interesting storylines to keep fans' attention on both an individual and team level even with dominant teams and individual wrestlers taking the mat.
Part of the intrigue is whether a great team/wrestler will not only fulfill their expected trajectory but also defeat the twin demons of injury and illness to actually make it to the promised land.
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I agree with you, love a tight team race. I think this year, I am going to thouroughly enjoy seeing if PSU can wrap up the team title during Friday morning's quarterfinals.
Philly fans boo White Claw drinkers.
What is truly amazing about Penn State and it's dominance compared to the Oklahoma State and Iowa great stretches is the NCAA rules with limited scholarships. Obviously the school affiliated wrestling clubs have created a different tool of recruiting in today's world .
A story I once read. Before the NCAA applied limits of scholarships in sports was about Bear Bryant. He said he would offer a kid a scholarship even if he didn't think a kid was that good. He just didn't want the kid to go to Auburn or Ole Miss. I believe Alabama had years of over 200 kids on scholarship.
Typical opinion in this day and age. Go after the best, instead of trying to get better yourself.
Sounds like the writer wants them to get a participation trophy.
Sounds like the writer wants them to get a participation trophy.
I didn't think that it was a bad article and I didn't see any hatred displayed towards PSU, although I do think that the Death Star analogy was kind of weird. What the writer misses though is the fact that college football and basketball already have millions of fans that intend to watch the championship game even if they don't know anything about the teams or the players involved. That's simply not true with wrestling, where there's only a small group of devoted fans who really know anything about the teams or the individual athletes and who intend to watch every year. I think story lines like Penn State potentially breaking the all-time scoring record or individual wrestlers that have an opportunity to win their fourth individual titles actually attract casual or non-wrestling fans. People who tune in to see if "those PSU guys" can win a fourth title. I'm convinced that because wrestling is still a bit of a niche sport that PSU's dynasty is in fact good for the sport and does attract fans.
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I think penn st has some backups that probably should wrestle at other D1 programs. Not talking about future starters ,just guys who are good enough to wrestle and start for many programs.
The funny thing is, articles like this are just flat out stupidly and ignorantly wrong on their basic premise. Take any sport and you will find it was the great dynasties that in fact built the sport and create most of its enduring traditions.
Baseball - Yankees.
Football - bears.
Hockey - canadiens
Hoops - Celtics.
Hell, even wresting - ok state.
Baseball - Yankees.
Football - bears.
Hockey - canadiens
Hoops - Celtics.
Hell, even wresting - ok state.
For sure, guys like Evans, Barraclough, and McHenry could contend for NCAAs on another roster but have little to no chance to ever start for PSU. Even a potential AA in Facundo was forced into an unnecessary ORS this year because he had no spot and has guys like Haines, Mesenbrink, Barr, Sealey, Ryder, and Duke who will make it tricky for him to to get a spot back in the future.
I always like to distinguish between discrimination and unjust discrimination. Same deal with competition. Just competition vs unjust competition. I see utter domination from PSU wrestling, but, I don’t see anything unjust about it. No cheating! Scholy limits prevent shelving. Fact is that PSU is doing it the right way (would we expect any less from Cael) and it’s up to the others to compete. Wrestling …. It’s about competing!
As far as our domination being bad for wrestling >>> I’m still seeing plenty of excitement in the ACC (in addition to being a long time PSU ticket holder, I also have season tix for VT). As long as a program puts a few exciting wrestlers out …. you gonna have fans piling into arenas on cold winter nights.
Fans of all sports love to tune in to see the unbeatable possibly be beaten. The smart ones bring an extra pair of glasses.
The Lehigh dual is scheduled to be on the Big Ten Network at 2pm today.
For the full season, check the spreadsheet linked in pinned thread call Penn State Wrestling Schedule and Video/Audio Streaming Options: https://pennstate.forums.rivals.com...chedule-video-audio-streaming-options.324100/
Not sure about many of you but I’ve never watch the NCAA’s for the team race. I watch for the individual competition and championships. Wrestling is different. It’s more individual than it is team. Saturday night is one of the best competitions of the year. Drama is embedded in the 10 weight classes at NCAA’s. Never disappoints!
What is crazy is that if Penn State went to any other conference. Whatever conference it went to would then be the best wrestling conference.
Well, to be fair, a tooth and nail team race can be super exciting, too, but you’re right, even when there’s not, there are still 10 individual competitions with their own excitement and storylines, too, so it’s much less important in wrestling to have a close team race than other sports.
I understand what you are saying, but the decision of which school to attend is a LOT bigger than where you might start and only the student-athlete (perhaps in consultation with their family) knows what’s best for them.
I just posted on the ticket board too. Something unfortunately came up this morning and I can not make it to the match today. I have 2 season tickets (Good seats behind Lehigh's bench) Section S5L Row 6. Face value is $29 each. Text me if interested (610-751-5603).
Actually, the writer is the beat writer for Lehigh Valley area for the Allentown Call-Chronicle (or at least was) and other publications and was awarded Amateur Wrestling News top wrestling writer award back in 2020, so he's not a hack or a hater, at least imo. https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/hi...ilson-named-nations-top-wrestling-writer.html
And he acknowledged it's not a popular opinion (nor very astute in my mind - the solution is for other programs to get better. And there's nothing wrong with inducing other programs to get better).
You are correct that Brad is certainly no hack. He is certainly one of the top wrestling writers in the country.
His disdain for the dynasties, however, is no secret. I'm sure he is reveling a bit in BECA maybe coming back to the pack this year, he probably giggled a bit at FCA getting waxed by Sem the other night and I'm sure he's rooting for whoever is wrestling Notre Dame GP next week. He may have a little bit of the hater in him.
(The Bears only enduring tradition is having terrible QBs.)
The guy comes across as a crybaby whining about PSU being too good? PSU’s run should be celebrated for how amazing it is what they are doing and not criticized.
Steen at 125
Kasak at 149
Cochran at 197.
All other weights the regular starters per Casey.
Kasak at 149
Cochran at 197.
All other weights the regular starters per Casey.
I kind of like the idea of Steen at 125 today. Let's give him a shot to see if he has moved up a level or two. Good to give Kasak and Cochran a shot too. No need to pile it on Lehigh and I like seeing guys who practice every day get a chance to wrestle in Rec Hall.
Wilson is a great wrestling writer and not afraid to speak his mind. He's similar to David Jones writing about Franklin and football team. Wilson has been devastated by health issues. The idea that he still goes to the gyms and cover wrestling speaks volumes of his passion for the sport.
I’ve seen him on social media. Let’s just say he’s not a fan of Penn State
I liked the article. He calls Cael the best coach of our lifetimes, notes that the PSU wrestlers conduct themselves with class and that our wrestler's abilities take your breath away. He is certainly not bashing the program. He simply offers an opinion that he would like to see a more level playing field. That's his opinion, even if we disagree. It is good to have dialogue with differing opinions. The [Lehigh] writer certainly was more fair than a Lehigh woman who sat next to me at the Southern Scuffle around 4 or 5 years ago. She opposed EVERY PSU wrestler with criticisms and verbal barbs. There were several PSU fans in the area and it seemed she wanted all of us to know how much she hated the PSU program. When she departed for concessions or the bathroom, several of the people turned around and asked me what set her off. It certainly wasn't me. I rooted for all of the Lehigh wrestlers not pitted against PSU.
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