Schedule suggestion

[Callthestall]

I read on another thread about Lemon Pie's disaprovement on the schedule this year. A suggestion would be:
If for wrestling the Big 10 would divide the conference into an A division (Better teams) and a B division. You wrestle all teams from your division plus 3 or so from other division. It would guarantee that all the top teams should see each other and would create a more competitive balance.
At year end the bottom 1-2 teams in A division would wrestle in B division the following year ,with the top B team(s) moving up.
This scheduling is done in European Soccer Leagues and our local tavern slate quoit leagues.
Your thoughts.?

 

[El-Jefe]

To what effect?

Is the goal to have a marginally tougher B10 schedule? Is it to compete in a major mid-season tournament? Is it to prepare for nationals?

Besides, there will always be some vocal portion of the fanbase that won't be satisfied until we add annual nonconference duals against OKST and Cornell, compete at both CKLV and Midlands, and have the entire team in traction in March.

I trust Cael.

 

[pish69]

Yeah. I’m with El Jefe. The goal is to win national championships and Cael seems to have that down pat.

I get Lemons issue because as fans we love every opportunity to see this team compete. That being said until we’re not competing for championships and winning most, then I’ll worry about our schedule

 

[El-Jefe]

This is all on USA Wrestling for scheduling Olympic team pre-qualifiers during the regular season.

Senior Nationals is
1 week after CKLV
Same weekend as Reno
Within 2 weeks of Midlands and Scuffle

Choice of insufficient recovery vs. stifling the wrestlers' development and goals vs. missing a college tourney. Seems like an easy choice to me -- if we want to keep attracting world class talent.

 

[RoarLions1]

My post is not about this season, it's future-looking.

(In response to an above post) So all the "B" teams wrestle each other and see fewer "A" teams, meaning it's a season attendance killer. That, among other things.

One idea I do like is to add a 10th Big Ten Conference dual to the season, so there's only 3 teams each school doesn't see, instead of 4. With limited competition dates (16), it could be done with one more same-day, or consecutive day duals, per NCAA rule, and not affect the number of current out-of-conference duals or tournaments. Baby steps -- scheduling is already a bear, and the coaching staff is very conscious of keeping the guys fresh and peaking in the post season.

I'm also ok with not changing a thing. Eight of nine isn't a distant memory.

 

[Reslo]

I know that it's difficult logistically, but not wrestling Iowa every year is akin to canceling the South Wales Derby*

*this comparison may not be applicable in the US.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

I know that it's difficult logistically, but not wrestling Iowa every year is akin to canceling the South Wales Derby*

*this comparison may not be applicable in the US.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

[Antaeus]

While I generally find minimal value in basing any discussion on an LP disapproval, Call raises an interesting point. I’ve watched enough wrestling meets to recognize that more has to be done to support NCAA wrestling, in general, and Big Ten wrestling, specifically. For when teams have little chance to compete, they often have no chance to fill seats. Roar’s point is well-taken that entering a B classification would potentially worsen the prospects of underperforming programs - particularly in recruiting, attendance and revenues.


An alternative to consider might be the East/West format followed by football. The obvious advantages might include: 1) even the worst team would have a more surmountable climb over only 6 teams to become a division champ (versus the current 13 teams to become Big Ten champ), 2) 2 division champs present a championship payday and ensuing national attention and 3) it eliminates the risk of a unsatisfying co-champion year.


Just trying to find a way to grow the sport without negatively affecting PSU.

 

[Mat Burn]

Eliminate Rutgers and Maryland. Frees up some more dates.

 

[GogglesPaizano]

It's pretty clear that this season is a bit of an anomaly and I am going to sit back and enjoy without getting spun up on the content or strength of the optional portion of the schedule.

Going in to the season Cael knew he had two key peices of the puzzle with an injury history with one recovering from a major injury (197 and 185). He also had to accommodate several who need to continue to train for both Free and Folk and entry into at least the US Nationals in December. His plan clearly takes both factors into account.

The Scuffle can be a bit of a meat grinder so can CKLV and others. It makes zero sense to me to put this team through any high end opens this year, just for bragging rights.

If we get to March fully healthy, and with a few Oly qualifiers then the year has been a huge success. Wrestling can be a war of attrition. Any wrester can be hurt at any time. Watch HR blow up if one of their must have's gets taken out at Midlands.

In the mean time or studs can work on their game without stressing every joint in their bodies on top 5-10 kids in meaningless Nov, Dec tourneys.

 

[Ja1339]

I read on another thread about Lemon Pie's disaprovement on the schedule this year. A suggestion would be:
If for wrestling the Big 10 would divide the conference into an A division (Better teams) and a B division. You wrestle all teams from your division plus 3 or so from other division. It would guarantee that all the top teams should see each other and would create a more competitive balance.
At year end the bottom 1-2 teams in A division would wrestle in B division the following year ,with the top B team(s) moving up.
This scheduling is done in European Soccer Leagues and our local tavern slate quoit leagues.
Your thoughts.?

Rutgers can aspire to be perennially top 10

 

[y2jriden]

I like the idea of going with East and West divisions. Right now we wrestle 9 B1G duals. If we went with divisions, 6 of your duals would be against the rest of the division. Have 2 scheduled duals vs the other division. That's 8 so far. Those 2 duals can rotate similar to the scheduling rotation now. Then the 9th dual is
East 1 vs West 1
East 2 vs West 2
….
East 7 vs. West 7

East teams host in even years, west hosts in odds. So each school knows they either host of travel on a previously scheduled day for that 9th dual.

Also, only count divisional records for the standings. That way it isn't influenced by a team having to wrestle PSU/OSU or Iowa/Nebraska or anything like that.

The divisions as they currently stand break down pretty evenly

East has PSU,OSU, Mich
West has Iowa, Minn (traditional good if not as much recently), Neb

You always get a true champ this way and you also never have a year where any B1G teams are #1 and #2 nationally and don't wrestle.

Also, make that last dual around Feb 15 which is about when most teams have their last Big Ten dual as it is. That way complaints can't be made that it affects the post season and we can still host someone such as American for senior day

 

[SetonHallPirate]

I read on another thread about Lemon Pie's disaprovement on the schedule this year. A suggestion would be:
If for wrestling the Big 10 would divide the conference into an A division (Better teams) and a B division. You wrestle all teams from your division plus 3 or so from other division. It would guarantee that all the top teams should see each other and would create a more competitive balance.
At year end the bottom 1-2 teams in A division would wrestle in B division the following year ,with the top B team(s) moving up.
This scheduling is done in European Soccer Leagues and our local tavern slate quoit leagues.
Your thoughts.?

Look awfully similar to the "Comment of the Week" here? https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/11933

 

[Callthestall]

Look awfully similar to the "Comment of the Week" here? https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/11933

I d like to say great minds think alike but I'm not sure if either of us have a great mind.
I certainly never saw that article. I didn't join this forum until March of 2016 and article was from 2013 and I never went to Intermat for information prior to joining this site.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

My post is not about this season, it's future-looking.

(In response to an above post) So all the "B" teams wrestle each other and see fewer "A" teams, meaning it's a season attendance killer.

Not sure if this really applies, given that (for example) Northwestern generally draws flies for their home duals, even when those opponents are Penn State and Iowa. Generally, when they get to see Penn State every three years, it's less of a novelty for them.

 

[RoarLions1]

Not sure if this really applies, given that (for example) Northwestern generally draws flies for their home duals, even when those opponents are Penn State and Iowa. Generally, when they get to see Penn State every three years, it's less of a novelty for them.

From the NU website, from the 1/11/19 PSU dual, "The Wildcats wrestled in front of 1,810 fans, the second-most at home in the last five years, and the most at the New Welsh-Ryan Arena."

 

[SetonHallPirate]

From the NU website, from the 1/11/19 PSU dual, "The Wildcats wrestled in front of 1,810 fans, the second-most at home in the last five years, and the most at the New Welsh-Ryan Arena."

That's probably the smallest number of fans Penn State has wrestled in front of since their dual at Northwestern in 2016.

 

[dunkej01]

Considering my current local, they better give a reach around to American and UoM, otherwise my time here is over.....(snaps fingers and hair flops as I walk away)

 

[Grip220]

No Dice!

 

[NoVaLion2]

No Dice!

Blocked.

 

[BoHunter0210]

I think we have a tough B1G schedule with Iowa, Wisky, Nebraska, and Ohio State. I trust in Cael.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

I think Iowa, Wisky, Nebraska and Bucknuts have a tough B1G schedule with Penn State. I trust in Cael.

Fify

 

[Callthestall]

My post is not about this season, it's future-looking.

(In response to an above post) So all the "B" teams wrestle each other and see fewer "A" teams, meaning it's a season attendance killer. That, among other things.

One idea I do like is to add a 10th Big Ten Conference dual to the season, so there's only 3 teams each school doesn't see, instead of 4. With limited competition dates (16), it could be done with one more same-day, or consecutive day duals, per NCAA rule, and not affect the number of current out-of-conference duals or tournaments. Baby steps -- scheduling is already a bear, and the coaching staff is very conscious of keeping the guys fresh and peaking in the post season.

I'm also ok with not changing a thing. Eight of nine isn't a distant memory.

Roar, I understand what your argument is about helping the teams that struggle to draw by wrestling a established top tier program but I think the Big Ten could find a way to at least guarantee the bottom tier team with at least 1 home match against one of the top tier teams from the other division.
I think you grow the sport more by having competitive matches which can be marketed to the overall public. Simaler platform with what NFL does in marketing their game of the week.
My 3 pet peaves about wrestling are :
Some matches should not be scheduled because lack of competitvnes. ( Mostly High School)
To many weight classes in high school causing forfeits.
Not adding a 220 weight in college.