You don't toss away an Olympic silver if you're happy in life.
Spencer Interview post Silver
- Thread starter Pennstate1985
- Start date
I didn't get all this Spencer bashing over his competitive nature and temperament. He comes by it honestly. From his mother 
Stop it. He never even rated an inner circle here.
Comes to the one thread about Spencer, and posts more on it than anyone else. And tells others to stop obsessing over him, you can’t make this up.
I want to hear him cry some more about people booing him. There was a guy in the stands booing that he lost. Just like his senior of high school. Boo hoo. If you wanted spencer to loose wouldn't you cheer when he lost. The iowa fans have his head swollen so big I am surprised he doesn't need a neck brace.
I actually feel bad for Spencer. Everyone, including his wacko parents, have been force feeding the wrestling community that he will be the greatest ever.
Greatest PIAA wrestler ever...nope.
Greatest NCAA wrestler ever...nope.
First 4xer at Iowa ever...nope.
Olympic Champ...nope
He is a very good and accomplished wrestler. He has accomplished more than just about anyone who has taken the mat. He just can't live up to the lofty standards others have put on him. I hope one day he clears his mind of this pressure and thrives in whatever he does outside wrestling.
Reminds me of the Kolat series on Flo. I guess pressure can sometimes help make people great, but my heart goes out to these guys for how their minds process losing. I think that type of mindset breaks a lot of good people.
If you watch the Brand documentary on B1G you will hear them say "I like to win but HATE to lose". This boils down the essence of the difference between Iowa and Penn State wrestling. Obviously nobody likes to lose but our guys tend to look at a loss as just part of the process of improving and that life is about more than wrestling while Iowa just can't get over it. I love Spencer to death as a wrestler but he is completely bought into the Iowa view of winning and losing and that is unfortunate.
I don't necessarily agree with this, although I do agree there is a big difference between our guys and many others - including Iowa - because of what is coming down from the top.
Guys that are competitive really hate to lose, and you really need that drive to reach the top. But along the way there is a maturity and a learned control that comes from focusing on the process and the opportunity. Results - good and bad - become part of that.
I don't think PSU has a patent in that. I've seen this embodied by great leaders at all levels. Cael combined this with recruiting a lot of kids with great talent AND the support system in place for them in the program and outside it.
It's growth mindset and it works in more than just wrestling.
Say his name 3 times and he pops as the Spencer shield.
l
he’s probably gone through more physical pain in the last 5 years than this entire board combined. he specifically mentioned that as a reason he was upset.
i think not tearing his acl 3 times would have allowed him to wrestle with freedom and joy.
he’s probably gone through more physical pain in the last 5 years than this entire board combined. he specifically mentioned that as a reason he was upset.
I'm hoping this was your tone deaf attempt at a joke.
None of this makes Spencer a bad person. He just strikes me as a prodigy that never fully developed emotionally or as a well rounded person outside of wrestling. I’m guessing he’ll mature by leaps and bounds as he takes a step away from wrestling.
Watch Kyle Dake’s interview. Or read his tribute to his Father. He’s obviously a unicorn… but what a thoughtful, reflective, emotionally developed human. And listen to him credit the mental health / performance support he received at NLWC.
To show I’m not an Iowa hater, I saw an interview with Lee and Caitlyn Clark. It was supposed to be fun and light hearted. Clark’s charisma just jumped off the screen. Lee seemed completely out of place and uncomfortable.
Lee’s probably a great person and has accomplished more than 99.99% of people. I just wouldn’t trade places with him in a million years.
Watch Kyle Dake’s interview. Or read his tribute to his Father. He’s obviously a unicorn… but what a thoughtful, reflective, emotionally developed human. And listen to him credit the mental health / performance support he received at NLWC.
To show I’m not an Iowa hater, I saw an interview with Lee and Caitlyn Clark. It was supposed to be fun and light hearted. Clark’s charisma just jumped off the screen. Lee seemed completely out of place and uncomfortable.
Lee’s probably a great person and has accomplished more than 99.99% of people. I just wouldn’t trade places with him in a million years.
I was never even close to the level required to score an Olympic medal so I can’t really say I know how much disappointment Lee or any of the other guys or girls felt when they didn’t reach their goal.
However, I had another experience that a lot of people posting here can probably relate to that, to me, was every bit as disappointing when it happened. Long story, (they always are 🤔 ) but I didn’t get the girl that I was certain was the one meant for me. It was a really heartbreaking experience that left me in the dumps for some time. But it wasn’t the end, and I eventually just picked up and moved on. And guess what, everything turned out fine.
I hope Lee can shake off his current feelings and just move on like I did. Maybe he wants to stay involved with wrestling or maybe he’ll decide it’s time to start down a new path. I don’t define myself today by a disappointing experience from 40 years ago, and I hope Lee doesn’t define himself only by the big ones that he lost. Sure, he’s always going to remember what happened, but life has so many surprises and blessings that at some point he’ll be able to shrug and just say something like, “So what?”
For some reason, the circus always seems to follow Lee, his family, and his coaches whereever they go. Wonder why?
BRANDS MADE HIM HATE THE OLYMPICS !!!!
Does this include Tullfan's terminal diagnosis?
Yeah. The kid needed surgery and healing early on but was pushed into Iowa savior mode as a true freshman. He should have then had the opportunity to represent team USA throughout his college years…but no… that one Iowa NC was more important than his personal development.
Oh…and be careful comparing the Spencer physical pain index with others. There are a large number of folks here that have dealt (and are dealing) with some seriously painful health issues.
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I'm not sure I agree. Conceivable, but would he ever become less competitive in some other endeavor?
Right now it's hard to see him getting passed over for that promotion. Especially if Ayala got the job.
This same thread on the Iowa board has 30% of the total comments this board has but sure theres no obsession here.
Complete circle jerk in these comments of the same regurgitated sentiment on how “see THIS is the difference between PSU and Iowa”. I guess Cael and David were showing gratitude in losing and it being part of the process when they threw a fit after the Cox match. There were bigger things in life than wrestling in that moment, such as Cael tossing a chair at a ref.
Ah dude. There you were making a point, and then you let your emotion get the better of you and your stupid shone through.
Cael did not toss the chair at the ref.
Holy Father, how many Acts of Contrition must we do for Taylor's unseemly behavior in the Cox loss, that we have criticized repeatedly over the years but apparently not enough for His Holy Eminence?
No. I talked to the Pope, he says Taylor, Cael and us are all penanced up. He did mention the Lord would appreciate it though if we showed tolerance for an occasional fool he will periodically send our way.
This has been discussed. Do you not understand “heat of the moment” vs. an hour or more afterward? Also, arguing a call vs. “No one will remember my Silver and I’m quitting!!!”
Listen…most of us have said and done juvenile things…and it is proper to be called out on it. Spencer is no different.
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Bullshit. There are many on here that have sustained injuries that neither you or SL could possibly fathom. The only difference is that we don't hide behind them and use them as an excuse when we come up short of our goals. Besides, arent excuses for wussies??
It's time to blow it up. I'll grab the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. What number to we count to again???
I shredded my calf muscle in the first week in June and have been rehabbing it since the second week in June. In the past week and a half I finally started walking without a noticeable limp. I have used that as my excuse for no deadlifts, no cleans and only squatting the bar without any weight, but I am a mid 60s wuss.
I am also thankful to know, contrary to our Iowa friend's belief my pain in not somehow imagined nor minimal.
That sounds like a tough rehab process to go through. Question: If you can't do deadlifts, how do you expect to get off the bottom? 😁
Ok, Dake is a 33 year old man with 3.5 kids. Spencer is just getting out of college, there is a big development period in there for most young men. Additionally, Dake has had his fair share of immature BS. His public feud with Jordan Burroughs on Flowrestling, his b*tching for years about the world team process (I agreed with him on this), not to mention the circus he put on during the review of the Bronze medal match, not a great look.
Yes, I laughed out loud. Told my wife since I haven't been deadlifting I should practice more on the bottom.
He was criticizing his silver medal, didn’t see him say jack shit about anyone else’s medal. If anyone is inferring anything here, it’s you. Spencer has the right to feel any way he wants to about his performance. Heck he’s already gained perspective and appreciates his accomplishment more than he did an hour after loosing.
"Twenty years from now, you try and name Olympic silver medalists. I bet you can't," he said. "It's because no one cares."
I dunno…sounds like he is talking about more than just his own silver medal.
I hope you are right that he has gained some perspective and appreciation.
Again he said that about himself, you’re still the only one inferring anything. He has the right to say anything he’d like to say. He’s earned it by competing at that level.
Btw do you not think Brooks is disappointed or Zain or Dake. Come on man.
But whatever, believe what you’d like.
