Tan Tom in interview says Snyder "GOAT".....
- Thread starter RLSalty
- Start date
Greatest college wrestler of all time is Cael. Hard to argue 0 losses 4x champ. Tan Tom can make excuses that synder was traveling or coon is huge. I always thought in wrestling we didn't make excuses. Synder is great and 1 of college all-time greats. But not the greatest. Better argument is Zain or Captain America.
Bruce Baumgartner wasn't too bad either. This from Wikipedia...
Baumgartner was born in Haledon, New Jersey. He is one of the most accomplished American wrestlers of all time, winning 4 Olympic Medals (2-Gold, 1-Silver, 1-Bronze), 9 World Championship Medals (3-Gold, 3-Silver, 3-Bronze) and 4 Pan-American Medals (3-Gold, 1-Silver,); he has also won 12 World Cup Medals (7-Gold, 5-Silver), an NCAA title (and 2 Runner-Up finishes), 4 Olympic Festival titles, 2 AAU National titles and a Junior National title.
During high school, Baumgartner excelled on the wrestling team, going 23-0, but was defeated in the NJ State Championship match. During the off-season he threw shot put and discus on the track team, setting several records in the shot put. Baumgartner is a four-time Olympian and owns four Olympic Medals: two gold, one silver and one bronze. He holds a Bachelor's degree in education from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN where he competed collegiately for 4 years. He frequently worked out alongside Kurt Thomas, the Olympic Gymnast. During his collegiate career he finished runner-up at Nationals his sophomore and junior years, and was the 1982 National Champion his senior year completing an undefeated season of 44-0. His collegiate record was 134-12 with 73 falls. In 1995, he was presented the James E. Sullivan Award by the Amateur Athletic Union as the outstanding amateur athlete in the U.S. He was sponsored through the New York Athletic Club. Baumgartner attended Manchester Regional High School in Haledon, New Jersey.[3]
Baumgartner ranked as one of the top super-heavyweight freestyle wrestlers for more than a decade. Winning his first World Championship medal, a bronze, in 1983; he won the World Championship in Los Angeles. He confirmed his status with the Communist Bloc (Eastern European) wrestlers by winning in 1986, clinching his first of his three world titles.
In his second Olympic final in Seoul, he took silver, behind Georgian David Gobejishvili. Four years later, in 1992, he won the rematch in Barcelona, en route to a second Olympic gold. After winning world titles in 1993 and 1995, Baumgartner was favored to win his third gold in Atlanta, but a loss to Russian Andrey Shumilin left him with a bronze medal.
Baumgartner was born in Haledon, New Jersey. He is one of the most accomplished American wrestlers of all time, winning 4 Olympic Medals (2-Gold, 1-Silver, 1-Bronze), 9 World Championship Medals (3-Gold, 3-Silver, 3-Bronze) and 4 Pan-American Medals (3-Gold, 1-Silver,); he has also won 12 World Cup Medals (7-Gold, 5-Silver), an NCAA title (and 2 Runner-Up finishes), 4 Olympic Festival titles, 2 AAU National titles and a Junior National title.
During high school, Baumgartner excelled on the wrestling team, going 23-0, but was defeated in the NJ State Championship match. During the off-season he threw shot put and discus on the track team, setting several records in the shot put. Baumgartner is a four-time Olympian and owns four Olympic Medals: two gold, one silver and one bronze. He holds a Bachelor's degree in education from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN where he competed collegiately for 4 years. He frequently worked out alongside Kurt Thomas, the Olympic Gymnast. During his collegiate career he finished runner-up at Nationals his sophomore and junior years, and was the 1982 National Champion his senior year completing an undefeated season of 44-0. His collegiate record was 134-12 with 73 falls. In 1995, he was presented the James E. Sullivan Award by the Amateur Athletic Union as the outstanding amateur athlete in the U.S. He was sponsored through the New York Athletic Club. Baumgartner attended Manchester Regional High School in Haledon, New Jersey.[3]
Baumgartner ranked as one of the top super-heavyweight freestyle wrestlers for more than a decade. Winning his first World Championship medal, a bronze, in 1983; he won the World Championship in Los Angeles. He confirmed his status with the Communist Bloc (Eastern European) wrestlers by winning in 1986, clinching his first of his three world titles.
In his second Olympic final in Seoul, he took silver, behind Georgian David Gobejishvili. Four years later, in 1992, he won the rematch in Barcelona, en route to a second Olympic gold. After winning world titles in 1993 and 1995, Baumgartner was favored to win his third gold in Atlanta, but a loss to Russian Andrey Shumilin left him with a bronze medal.
Iirc - In his hallway interview, Ryan gave great praise for Cael as the greatest college wrestler with the 159-0 record. (Don’t recall exact words)
He also made a case that Snyder is the first to be so dominant internationally, while still in college. (Again, don’t recall the exact words)
Seems there is room to praise both for their special spots in history, without diminishing the other.
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Not am I only old and fat but also forgetful , performing at such a high level for that long he should be up there. Probably should get some points for hiring Tim Flynn (I think that is the case)
Yes - this seemed to be what I took away from that interview as well. Overall I thought that interview was pretty good. A little whining about refs but generally came across as a good guy. It helped of course that while he was giving it Zain (I think) came walking past in the background carrying the big NCAA Championship Trophy!
[Jim Gibbons most memorable quote here.]
Greatest WHAT of all time? Greatest freestyle wrestler? Greatest collegiate wrestler? Greatest wrestler?
Cael is the greatest college wrestler of all time.
Kyle Snyder seems well on his way to being the greatest American wrestler of all time.
Haha, I saw that too. I was hoping the PSU wrestler would stop in the background and face the camera for a sec with a wink and a smile. Alas, whoever it was seemed completely oblivious to the fact Ryan was being interviewed a few yards away. There’s probably a clever joke in there somewhere.
Greatest Ohiostatewrestler All Time.
How can the GOAT get pinned in the finals? And have multiple losses to guys who were never national champion (McIntosh, Coon, Nathan Burak for crying out loud!)
At least he's still behind us. Beats the alternative.
I can accept the idea that Snyder is in the discussion as the greatest freestyle wrestler but there is absolutely no way that he should even be considered as the greatest collegian wrestler, even just for this year, much less of all time. This is exactly the kind of hyperbole that has given and maintains the poor attitude about Ryan.
Well, in the same interview, Ryan also had something to say about the 184 lb final. Something to the effect of "If the match hadn't ended early, I think we had a great chance of winning." Seriously.
I'll try to find the exact quote when I have more time. The video is in a different thread here on this board.
I'll try to find the exact quote when I have more time. The video is in a different thread here on this board.
It would be fall down laughing funny to have a video of the fall, followed by Bo saying 'you come to Penn State to win titles that's what we do'....followed immediately by Tom saying 'if the match hadn't ended early, I think we had a great chance of winning'
This is one TOUGH crowd.
Geez...I thought, considering the incredible disappointment he must have been feeling, he manned up pretty well....just as I thought he did immediately after the dual meet which he expected to win.
I am never, and I mean NEVER...letting you guys see me being interviewed.
Geez...I thought, considering the incredible disappointment he must have been feeling, he manned up pretty well....just as I thought he did immediately after the dual meet which he expected to win.
I am never, and I mean NEVER...letting you guys see me being interviewed.
...Snyder is certainly not the greatest collegiate wrestler ... not even in the top five... but Ryan likes to pontificate.
1. Sanderson 154-0 4x OW (oops 159-0)
2. Hodge 46-0 36 Falls... Never taken down in his career ... back then only 3 years eligibility ... 2x OW
3.Uetake 58-0 2x OW ... Olympic champion following sophomore season...!
4. Koll 45-0 2 OW Considered the toughest wrestler of his era ... NCAA changed the "slam" rule because of his effective use ...!
5. Gable 118-1 Couldn't wrestle as a freshman - entered and won the prestigious (back then) Midlands Tournament and won the finals with a victory over a defending NCAA champion...!
Several others I would rank higher include Kyle Dake, Gray Simons, Pat Smith and Logan Steiber... and I have seen each of them wrestle...
...the other factor in this is that the heavyweights are usually the least talented wrestlers on the team because athletic kids over 200 pounds gravitate to football and basketball - the money sports - which results in a much smaller pool of available athletes competing in wrestling... and I realize that is a broad brush but I believe it is a real factor.
1. Sanderson 154-0 4x OW (oops 159-0)
2. Hodge 46-0 36 Falls... Never taken down in his career ... back then only 3 years eligibility ... 2x OW
3.Uetake 58-0 2x OW ... Olympic champion following sophomore season...!
4. Koll 45-0 2 OW Considered the toughest wrestler of his era ... NCAA changed the "slam" rule because of his effective use ...!
5. Gable 118-1 Couldn't wrestle as a freshman - entered and won the prestigious (back then) Midlands Tournament and won the finals with a victory over a defending NCAA champion...!
Several others I would rank higher include Kyle Dake, Gray Simons, Pat Smith and Logan Steiber... and I have seen each of them wrestle...
...the other factor in this is that the heavyweights are usually the least talented wrestlers on the team because athletic kids over 200 pounds gravitate to football and basketball - the money sports - which results in a much smaller pool of available athletes competing in wrestling... and I realize that is a broad brush but I believe it is a real factor.
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Haha. I feel the same way for the most part. Must be tough to have your every word microanalyzed by both friend and foe. OTOH, it’s part of the bargain you strike when you insert yourself into the limelight.
Sanderson = 159-0
Just sayin...
His final college accomplishments were a record of 159–0, 4 NCAA titles, 3 Dan Hodge Trophy awards, 4-time NCAA Outstanding Wrestler, and 4-time Big 12 Conference Champion.
Just sayin...
First freshman in NCAA tournament history to be named the NCAA Wrestling Team Championship's most outstanding wrestler.
First underclassman to win the Hodge Trophy.
In the off season, he won the World University title in Tokyo, Japan.
Won 3 Dan Hodge Trophies as outstanding wrestler.
Summary:First underclassman to win the Hodge Trophy.
In the off season, he won the World University title in Tokyo, Japan.
Won 3 Dan Hodge Trophies as outstanding wrestler.
His final college accomplishments were a record of 159–0, 4 NCAA titles, 3 Dan Hodge Trophy awards, 4-time NCAA Outstanding Wrestler, and 4-time Big 12 Conference Champion.
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I get the hype and promotion angle, but it’s always a little surprising to me when a coach engages in these GOAT discussions. When the subject of debate is inherently tethered to personal perception, preference, and temporal filtering, the ultimate question is unanswerable. Who is the best musician or rock band of all time? The one that won the most grammys, sold the most records, had the highest grossing tours, etc, etc, etc? No, it’s probably the one I fell in love with first or like best now. It’s a fool’s errand to try to publicly declare a GOAT. There will always be 100 guys standing next to you eager to point out the more worthy candidates you overlooked.
Freestyle tbd...Folkstyle not in top 10 imo. Still one of the very best (top 20) to ever compete in college wrestling. What he did when you combine the 2 is flat out amazing. I liken it to when Bo Jackson was playing pro baseball and pro football at the same time. You can't use the other sport in the argument about who is the best player in the sport you are talking about, but you sure can use it to prove a point about the level of athletic talent.
i think tom was still shell shocked when he said that. How can you be the GOAT having been pinned in the NCAA finals?
Let him say whatever he wants, wherever he wants, whenever he wants. Not sure why all this bothers so many. Maybe it's just me, I can't stop being happy for our coaches and wrestlers, and grateful for our program long enough to have time to judge Tom Ryan or any other coach for that matter.
Honestly, when you look at his body of work in college, I don't know that he cracks the top 20.
No, you're right; overall it was a good interview. Ryan was candid and forthright aftter what had to be a big disappointment. Give him credit for that. The candor and lack of standard "coach speak" were refreshing. It's just that Ryan made a couple of "WTF?" type statements.
