The Nationals Experience

[y2jriden]

I wanted to bring up some things from my previous experiences and then see if that would lead others to do the same. I certainly haven't been there as often as many here.

I've always bought the radio and then listen to the announcers for a particular match that I might be interested in whether it's penn state or others.

I find the arena announcers to be great. If you listen to them, they are good at getting you to realize there might be a close match or an upset coming or whatever but they help a lot with keeping up with what is going on with every mat.

The scoreboards are usually pretty good at showing match scores and upcoming bouts but I've noticed the last few years that some have been better than others.

I tried keeping my own bracket up to date my first year but quickly learned, basically before 125 was even over that if you want to watch any wrestling, you can't do that. There is just too much going on. Given that, if you buy the program for $20, it comes with bout sheet vouchers for each session. Bout sheets on their own are $5 so it would cost you $30 to get them each session. So buying the program during session 1 actually works out.

While the match ups on day 1 might not be as marquee as later rounds, it's still awesome just take it all in. Then starting with the Friday morning session, it's just ridiculous.

Anyone else have anything that they do that makes the experience better?

 

[RoarLions1]

Big breakfast, big meal between sessions, and sneak a light snack (granola bar, for example) into the arena.

Relax and enjoy and have fun, it's a game played by college students. (apologies for "game", and "played")

 

[tikk10]

FloArena allows you to receive phone notifications about match assignments and results based on either wrestler or team, which is a big help in following everything, especially in the early rounds.

 

[RoarLions1]

PSWC has an app, for quick access to results (click on "Links"), and team scores. Quickest updates on the interwebs in the past.

 

[aalion]

Thanks for the tips and any future tips in this thread. This will only be my 2nd nationals. Looking forward to it!

 

[Used2BEerie]

Going to be making my first trip, have tickets for Saturday’s sessions. To say I’m excited would be a slight understatement.

 

[Phantom of the Palestra]

Also attending my first nationals. Look me up in the Captain Morgan club. I am the chubby guy with a skunk stripe in his beard.

 

[PSUNAV]

If you're in the upper deck, especially way up, the heat rises so you might want to wear layers. This will be be my third nationals and it is a great experience. The other advice given so far is all spot on! Enjoy!

 

[1AA]

I sure appreciate any info on the tourney. Group of 6 coming from the PNW. None of us have ever been so we will be the assholes moving slow and looking lost. Cant wait!

 

[pointingdogsrule]

I found out at the Bigs in Minneapolis that 2 McDonald's breakfast burritos will fit very nicely in your sweatshirt hand pouch. Great for a mid session snack.

 

[AgSurfer]

If you're married, make sure that you take a few photos inside the venue while guys are on the mat and send them to your wife. That way you won't have to worry about being accused of using the NCAAs as an excuse to sneak off to a secret rendezvous at some obscure location.

 

[STAND with PRIDE]

I found out at the Bigs in Minneapolis that 2 McDonald's breakfast burritos will fit very nicely in your sweatshirt hand pouch. Great for a mid session snack.

They also work great if you are constipated. I would not recommend this snack if you are sitting in the middle of a row.

 

[aalion]

Does anyone know the Friday AM session schedule... in particular do they start w quarterfinals out of the gate or is the a round of wrestlebacks first?

 

[aalion]

Does anyone know the Friday AM session schedule... in particular do they start w quarterfinals out of the gate or is the a round of wrestlebacks first?

Never mind - i found my own answer. they start with both - QFinals on middle 4 mats with Consis on outer 4,

 

[RoarLions1]

I sure appreciate any info on the tourney. Group of 6 coming from the PNW. None of us have ever been so we will be the assholes moving slow and looking lost. Cant wait!

Ha...you won't be alone. I have two maps that might help. One is a walking map that I got from the NCAA. It is here (thanks to tikk);

https://www.dropbox.com/s/46755ui52qssffr/D1 Wrestling Walking Map.pdf?dl=0

The other might be better for everyone, as it has restaurants. I'll try to get it posted Monday. Moving my youngest to Virginia this weekend, starting tonight, so will have near "0" time this weekend.

 

[PSU Yinzer]

Any food & watering-hole suggestions ‘dahn-tahn’, near arena or fan-fest?

We’ll definitely explore surrounding Pittsburgh, but not familiar enough with what’s decent within walking distance.

Thanks!

 

[y2jriden]

I believe this is how the sessions are laid out, with scoring, correct me if I'm wrong about anything

Thursday morning
1. Pigtails on 8 mats - 1.0 + bonus(1.0, 1.5 or 2.0)
2. First round on 8 mats - 1.0 + bonus

Thursday night
1. Pigtail consys on 8 mats - 0.5 + bonus
2. Second round on 8 mats - 1.0 + bonus
3. First round consys on 8 mats - 0.5 + bonus

Friday morning
1. Quarters on 4 inside mats(holding for each weight) - 7.0 + bonus, Second round consys on 4 outer mats - 0.5 + bonus
2. Third round consys(R16) on all 8 mats (starting on outer 4) - 0.5 + bonus

Friday night
1. Semis on 2 inside mats(holding for each weight) - 7.0 + bonus, Blood round consys(R12) on 4 outer mats - 3.5 + bonus
2. Consy quarters on all 6 mats (starting on outer 4) - 3.5 + bonus

Saturday morning
1. Consy semis on 3 mats - 3.5 + bonus
2. 3, 5, 7 place matches (holding for each weight) - 1.0 + bonus

Saturday night
1. Finals on 1 mat - 4.0 + bonus

 

[a_mshaffer]

Any food & watering-hole suggestions ‘dahn-tahn’, near arena or fan-fest?

We’ll definitely explore surrounding Pittsburgh, but not familiar enough with what’s decent within walking distance.

Thanks!

strip district is nearby and is loaded with places. I can't make a recommendation though...

 

[SCstunners]

A group of 9 of us go to nationals every year. We do a lot of fun things, but what I enjoy the most is between sessions we find a bar to sit and talk and we make our own spreads and make our picks for the upcoming bouts. Person with the lowest number correct typically buys the first round that night. Been to quite a few nationals, wrestling is always amazing. Surround yourself with some good people and it will be the best 3 days of the year.

 

[NoVa Lion]

strip district is nearby and is loaded with places. I can't make a recommendation though...

There is a T Line (Steel Plaza) stop a couple of blocks from the arena and it is free to ride in the downtown area and the next two stops (Wood Street & Gateway) after that one are in the downtown area and if you do google maps there are a TON of restaurants close to those T stops.

 

[NoVa Lion]

[QUOTE="y2jriden, post: 4055030, member: 37607 Given that, if you buy the program for $20, it comes with bout sheet vouchers for each session. Bout sheets on their own are $5 so it would cost you $30 to get them each session. So buying the program during session 1 actually works out.[/QUOTE]

For brackets it's a lot cheaper if you just print your own rather wasting money on a program, which is nothing but a bunch of ads. You can find them online easily including updated brackets after each session.

 

[dpd926]

Any food & watering-hole suggestions ‘dahn-tahn’, near arena or fan-fest?

We’ll definitely explore surrounding Pittsburgh, but not familiar enough with what’s decent within walking distance.

Thanks!

Lots of good places!

Between the Arena and downtown, try the Union Standard (in the Union Trust Building); either the Tap Room (small) or Terrace Room in the Omni William Penn; or the Commoner, which is in the basement of the Hotel Monaco. Closer to Fan Fest location is Tako. The Sharp Edge, on Penn Avenue about one block from Fan Fest, has a huge selection of beer (many Belgians). Bakersfield Tavern is right near there too - really good food. There are three restaurants in one building - Sienna Mercado and two others- all of which are good. Proper, a few blocks from Fan Fest, has good brick-oven pizzas (and candied bacon). Market Square has a lot of places - Wingharts has great burgers, and Primanti's is Pittsburgh's most famous sandwich joint. Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian meat joint, has a Full Churrasco experience that includes all you can eat of about 12 different types of beef/lamb and six different cuts of chicken - if you're not careful it could turn into the scene from the Monty Python flick in which the guy explodes after eating the teeny, tiny breath mint.

 

[PSU Yinzer]

Lots of good places!

Between the Arena and downtown, try the Union Standard (in the Union Trust Building); either the Tap Room (small) or Terrace Room in the Omni William Penn; or the Commoner, which is in the basement of the Hotel Monaco. Closer to Fan Fest location is Tako. The Sharp Edge, on Penn Avenue about one block from Fan Fest, has a huge selection of beer (many Belgians). Bakersfield Tavern is right near there too - really good food. There are three restaurants in one building - Sienna Mercado and two others- all of which are good. Proper, a few blocks from Fan Fest, has good brick-oven pizzas (and candied bacon). Market Square has a lot of places - Wingharts has great burgers, and Primanti's is Pittsburgh's most famous sandwich joint. Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian meat joint, has a Full Churrasco experience that includes all you can eat of about 12 different types of beef/lamb and six different cuts of chicken - if you're not careful it could turn into the scene from the Monty Python flick in which the guy explodes after eating the teeny, tiny breath mint.

Perfect; thank you!!

 

[RoarLions1]

Food, beer, time with friends is important. Happy to say there are plenty of food options in Pittsburgh...which will be more like New York City, food-wise, than Oklahoma City, Des Moines, or Cleveland.

We spent soooooo much time walking and standing in line (at those three venues, as examples) that it took away from our time together talking wrestling.

 

[pawrestlersintn]

If your wife's birthday falls during Nationals, make sure not to forget to tell her happy birthday.

SMDH.

 

[a_mshaffer]

make sure you have time after the sessions to unwind as you might be quite hyped based on the action!!

 

[y2jriden]

[QUOTE="y2jriden, post: 4055030, member: 37607 Given that, if you buy the program for $20, it comes with bout sheet vouchers for each session. Bout sheets on their own are $5 so it would cost you $30 to get them each session. So buying the program during session 1 actually works out.

For brackets it's a lot cheaper if you just print your own rather wasting money on a program, which is nothing but a bunch of ads. You can find them online easily including updated brackets after each session.[/QUOTE]

Where do you print them?

I was just trying to point out it's a better buy to get the program than to buy each bout sheet individually but everyone is welcome to do what they see fit.

 

[y2jriden]

There is a T Line (Steel Plaza) stop a couple of blocks from the arena and it is free to ride in the downtown area and the next two stops (Wood Street & Gateway) after that one are in the downtown area and if you do google maps there are a TON of restaurants close to those T stops.

You can also just walk rather than riding the train if you'd like to get some exercise.

 

[rassling]

For brackets it's a lot cheaper if you just print your own rather wasting money on a program, which is nothing but a bunch of ads. You can find them online easily including updated brackets after each session.

Where do you print them?

I was just trying to point out it's a better buy to get the program than to buy each bout sheet individually but everyone is welcome to do what they see fit.[/QUOTE]
Intermat are printer friendly

 

[NoVa Lion]

For brackets it's a lot cheaper if you just print your own rather wasting money on a program, which is nothing but a bunch of ads. You can find them online easily including updated brackets after each session.

Where do you print them?

I was just trying to point out it's a better buy to get the program than to buy each bout sheet individually but everyone is welcome to do what they see fit.[/QUOTE]

Intermat, Flo, take your choice. The brackets are out there for free on multiple websites.

 

[y2jriden]

Where do you print them?

I was just trying to point out it's a better buy to get the program than to buy each bout sheet individually but everyone is welcome to do what they see fit.

Intermat are printer friendly[/QUOTE]

Right but I'm not at home with a printer for each session

 

[y2jriden]

Intermat, Flo, take your choice. The brackets are out there for free on multiple websites.

I understand that but I didn't mean what website, I meant, physically, what printer do you use to print them? I like to have printed bout sheets so I'm willing to spend the $20

 

[amalone]

My best Nationals experience was being a time keeper & official scorer for the 2011 National Championships in Philadelphia. The high in getting up every morning knowing I was going to be on the floor of the Wells Fargo Center was indescribable. I got credentials and was able to walk the floor with the mats set up Wednesday night and see the scoring towers set up without a person in the place. It was SURREAL. I still remember Dr. Pat McCormick telling us Wednesday night how we needed to be perfect in our jobs as the wrestlers who were to take to the mat wrestled most of their lives to get to this point.

I loved eating breakfast and lunch with Wade Schalles and Nate Carr at "our" table. It never seem to occur to me at that moment who was sitting at my table and who I would have an opportunity to have deep wrestling conversations with. Just some of the best to ever wrestle. Wade and I had a running bet who would win Nationals. I had my obvious pick which he seemed to counter in our conversations. Wade had made a pick before the tournament started and would only share it with me before the finals started. His pick was PENN STATE and he was only off a half of a point off from Penn State's ending point total. Ever the sly one... The LEGEND of Wade Schalles only grew in my eyes.

When I was at my table doing scoring... guess who was the "IN ARENA" announcer who was doing play by play for fans who paid to get play by play at my mat??? None other than... SHANE SPARKS. We saw each other every morning and we talked wrestling in between his announcing gig. I never would have imagined that his announcing gig there would have propelled him to where he is now with the Big Ten Network... but I could see his drive, his preparedness (he came into the arena with stacks of official stat sheets, magazine articles on specific wrestlers he would be announcing (using those as back drop stories that he uses today ie. Anthony Cassar... he was the consummate wrestling junkie and at that time... I didn't quite understand his "HIGH ENERGY" when calling a match. He made Ironhead almost sound lethargic. Lol

I also got to hear most of the coaches corners banter at each other. T & T being the most vocal and you can tell even then... there was a "rivalry" with Cael and Cody by the comments spewing from the Brands. It was pure comedy.

I got also got to meet Cody Sanderson in the competitors area of the arena on a break from being in the corner for Quintin Wright vs Grant Gambrall. I snuck down to where he was sitting alone and engaged him in a conversation about Ed Ruth's condition, where Penn State stood in the Team Race and the next thing I knew I was high-fiving and hugging Cody Sanderson close to the rafters of the Wells Fargo Center after Q's historic pin. I've never had a better fan wrestling moment... and I was at the match of the Century last year (Ohio State vs Penn State and have had season tickets since 2011) and attended matches back to when I was a student in 1994. (The age of greats like Sanshiro Abe, Cary Kolat, Russ Hughes, John Hughes and Kerry McCoy).

I'll never forget re-sharing the experience of that historic pin with Cody & Cael at the 2011 Awards banquet and where we all were during it. (Cael's famous pic getting ready to slap the mat... still fresh in my memory.) Nothing compares to Nationals and the hype of each and every match. Enjoy my fellow Wrestling room brothers and know memories that will never be forgotten are created in such an environment.

(POST NOTE: I did jump out of my seat when scoring Andrew Long's come from behind PIN versus Scotti Sentes and had to be pulled back into my seat by my time keeper who was in a wheel chair. That lovely girl from Michigan helped save me from from any cringe worthy embarrassment as we couldn't show any slant, favoritism or clear rooting for one team or another. It was hard when you've bleed blue and white almost my entire life. It was only natural to react in such a way during a big match. AL was getting handled at that time... ridden like a mule and turned the tide of the match in a split second.

YOUTUBE VIDEO OF THAT MATCH:

I did score Kyle Dake's last lost when he wrestled in the EIWA finals against Kevin LeValley. Kyle was looking to be a 4 Time EIWA Champion and there was of course talk of him being a 4 time National Champ at 4 different weight classes. I circled Kevin LeValley's name and handed my score card to the Referee to sign and that was that. Two weeks later... I was scoring his National Tournament wins and he became a collegiate wrestling legend. Memories beyond belief. Enjoy them all my friends.

FLO VIDEO OF THE KYLE DAKE VS KEVIN LEVALLEY MATCH:
https://www.flowrestling.org/video/5269373-kyle-dake-l-kevin-levalley-bucknell-4-2

 

[STAND with PRIDE]

If your wife's birthday falls during Nationals, make sure not to forget to tell her happy birthday.

SMDH.

Why would you even consider marrying someone with a March birthday

 

[a_mshaffer]

Why would you even consider marrying someone with a March birthday

that's as bad as a bday/anniversary in October/November - Grouse season!

 

[pawrestlersintn]

I understand that but I didn't mean what website, I meant, physically, what printer do you use to print them? I like to have printed bout sheets so I'm willing to spend the $20

Most hotels have business centers. With printers.

 

[y2jriden]

Most hotels have business centers. With printers.

Thanks You guys are hell bent to save me 20 bucks

 

[pawrestlersintn]

Thanks You guys are hell bent to save me 20 bucks

Just so you have the $20 to buy me a beer. Always thinking of ways to help a guy out.

 

[1AA]

Ha...you won't be alone. I have two maps that might help. One is a walking map that I got from the NCAA. It is here (thanks to tikk);

https://www.dropbox.com/s/46755ui52qssffr/D1 Wrestling Walking Map.pdf?dl=0

The other might be better for everyone, as it has restaurants. I'll try to get it posted Monday. Moving my youngest to Virginia this weekend, starting tonight, so will have near "0" time this weekend.

Much appreciated. I'm printing it out. We are in a day early so will probably go check out downtown Wednesday night.

 

[dpd926]

Much appreciated. I'm printing it out. We are in a day early so will probably go check out downtown Wednesday night.

For a fun, "'only in the 'Burgh" night...take an UBER to the North Side Elks to listen to the open jam session of the Pittsburgh Banjo Club and some inexpensive eats/drink. When you get a little bored of the banjos, head around the corner to the Park Inn for their bluegrass night. It is a great night of entertainment!