Why is Clarion on our schedule?
- Thread starter railbirrd
- Start date
Increase win probability in each match on senior recognition day.
I've been seeing a pattern over the last few years of our last dual being against teams that don't measure up against Penn State. Different side of the coin, Iowa usually wrestles Ok St. This is normally senior day if I am not mistaken. I think it is a part of the staff's preparation for bigtens and nationals. The wrestlers can open up a bit more against Clarion and gain some confidence heading into the post season where we know the ultimate goal is winning another team national championship as well as winning as many individual national championships as possible.
Clarion has had a really good season, so this publicity could also help a smaller program in their recruiting by showcasing their talents.
Clarion has had a really good season, so this publicity could also help a smaller program in their recruiting by showcasing their talents.
Because Cael understands how to grow the sport.
Whats wrong with a mid-major school wrestling PSU? Good for the other programs to see where they are at, and what they need to do to get better--plus see the best school in person, how they act, how they compete, etc. Not sure why this is taken as a slight? This is why we can't grow the sport with this elitist attitude.
Back in the day when there was not a cap on dates, D1 schools would wrestle D2 and D3 schools in the area as well as the mid majors. Of course, kids got 40 - 50 matches in in a year and did not default out of tournament matches unless they were really hurt.
It is good for the smaller schools to get a taste of the big guys and also for the big guys to have little fun. Then again D2 and D3 schools could qualify for the D1 national tourney and become an AA or champ - which did happen quite a bit.
It is good for the smaller schools to get a taste of the big guys and also for the big guys to have little fun. Then again D2 and D3 schools could qualify for the D1 national tourney and become an AA or champ - which did happen quite a bit.
The last time the Lions wrestled a significant challenge for the last match it was against Okie State and Suriano broke his ankle.
There are many good reasons too wrestle Clarion or Buffalo on the last regular season weekend. To limit the injury probability is probably number one.
There are many good reasons too wrestle Clarion or Buffalo on the last regular season weekend. To limit the injury probability is probably number one.
Hate to break it to you, but the list of OOC schools that can give us a challenge is getting shorter and shorter every year. We take what we can get and it’s nice to wrestle Pa teams
Peaking is all in the mind anyway
Yep thanks I did not mean it as a slight at all. Sorry if it was taken that way. Great to wrestle Clarion for good will and the reasons others mentioned above but I wondered if there was a particular connection to Clarion such as a former PSU wrestler that was the head coach. In the past Cael has taken the team to the west coast to allow those on the roster to wrestle near their hometowns. That's what I was getting at. I love the attitude teams like Buffalo, Binghamton, etc bring to a dual meet vs PSU!
I wish Penn St would schedule a home and home with teams like Missouri, NC State, VA Tech, Cornell, etc…It would create some very good match ups. Not disparaging the schedule as the results prove PSU is always prepared for Nationals but would make the regular season more fun to watch.
They did wrestle Iowa State in a team dual tournament this year and last year Cornell and Arizona State. All 3 top notch teams.
But then there wouldn't be any room on the schedule for Coe College or Montana State Northern.
Helping local teams ($$'s), wrestling conference duals (8 currently), a match with Lehigh every year, a couple in-season tournaments, plus getting in any promises (road trips, which don't happen every season) made to wrestlers, and it makes for a full schedule with only 16 competition dates allowed. And tbh, the last two seasons we didn't get in a full 16.
This season we wrestled Iowa, Michigan, Iowa State and Ohio State, all top-10 when we wrestled them, and five other teams that are in the top-30. Last season, as someone mentioned, we wrestled Cornell, Arizona State, and Nebraska and had another solid schedule.
Wrestling a top team every week just isn't realistic.
This season we wrestled Iowa, Michigan, Iowa State and Ohio State, all top-10 when we wrestled them, and five other teams that are in the top-30. Last season, as someone mentioned, we wrestled Cornell, Arizona State, and Nebraska and had another solid schedule.
Wrestling a top team every week just isn't realistic.
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We did a home and home with VT a few yrs ago, and with Arizona State since then.
Perhaps we'll do one with NC State or UNC after Sealey enrolls.
Because apart from Brock Mauller, they have a wrestler with the second best name in college wrestling.
Suds Dubler.
(It gives me fond memories of my days in Pinchot when weekend operation planning began with "Stargazer's" refrain: "I don't know what we're doing this weekend, but I'm pretty sure it involves alcohol". Ah, to be young again)
Suds Dubler.
(It gives me fond memories of my days in Pinchot when weekend operation planning began with "Stargazer's" refrain: "I don't know what we're doing this weekend, but I'm pretty sure it involves alcohol". Ah, to be young again)
Haha! I know we get chastised for going to some weak tournaments and scheduling a weak opponent here or there. However, with Iowa States improvement and facing Okie St every year, it does make our out of conference schedule tougher. I just think more top ranked out of conference opponents would be exciting for everyone. I get the NCAA rules limit this which brings up a question. If the Power 5 does break from the NCAA, does anyone think the new organization will allow more competition dates?
Hell, we can't get a home & home series with Iowa and they're in the same conference.
Yeah, I agree. I think we’d all like to see more marquee duals.
The return of ‘national duals’ has been a positive step, but your point still stands. PSU vs NC St or Cornell would be a welcome addition to the schedule for fans. Not sure if the coaches feel the same way.
I’d love to have NC State. Pops has a nice thing going recruiting wise in PA and just seems like a great guy. If I had a second team it would be them.
When we agree to a home and home with other top teams, they don’t come to State College when it’s their turn.
Fans would like more top notch competitions, but it isn't something Cael, Brands, Koll, Ryan or most any other coaches are clamoring for. Smith would like Cael and other Big10 coaches to agree to a few more Okie State matches, but I haven't read anything where he states he woukd like more competition dates.
I'd like to see Bloomsburg, F&M, Bucknell, Drexel, Edinboro, and Lock Haven on future schedules. This is good for PA wrestling and the sport in general. We already wrestle Lehigh and Penn doesn't need any help. Pitt can rot.
Without Buffalo we don’t get the epic Nolf-Todrank matchup.
I doubt you will see Buffalo again under Cael. The last two times we wrestled them, they held out their highest ranked wrestlers.
As a former Clarion Wrestler, there was a great rivalry between PSU and Clarion in the 80s. Support other Universities in the greatest State for wrestling in the country.
Clarion had a great program that generated a decent annual profit (attendance and wrestling camp revenue) for the university. Instead of supporting the program they killed their golden goose.
Boro would get slaughtered if they wrestled PSU this year. They’re just not the same Boro teams of years past. When Flynn/Moore/Port left for WVU, they were absolutely decimated by transfers. Years later, they’re still a long (LONG) ways away from being the team trophy winning team they were a few years ago.
Clarion has had a nice little resurgence under Coach Ferraro. He’s pulled in some solid kids to help keep them afloat. None quite the level of the Wade Schalles, Kurt Angle, Bekzod Abdurakminov (sp?), or Frankie Edgar type guys of years past, but solid guys nonetheless
Clarion has had a nice little resurgence under Coach Ferraro. He’s pulled in some solid kids to help keep them afloat. None quite the level of the Wade Schalles, Kurt Angle, Bekzod Abdurakminov (sp?), or Frankie Edgar type guys of years past, but solid guys nonetheless
Golden goose might be an overstatement, maybe a golden parakeet. Cael's program would be a golden goose.
I would love to see two early tri meets-
One in Pittsburgh - PSU, Pitt and WVU
One in Philly- Lehigh, Bucknell and PSU
One in Pittsburgh - PSU, Pitt and WVU
One in Philly- Lehigh, Bucknell and PSU
Lehigh, Bucknell and PSU in Philly? Where would they wrestle?
Maybe wrestle a Philly school like Penn and/or Drexel in Philly?
I like Drexel and Penn good call. Scratch Lehigh and bucknell.
Scheduling a team like Clarion is good for the sport of wrestling in the state of PA. Our guys get a chance to open things up and send the crowd home happy on Senior Night, while Clarion gets the chance to go against top competition in a great environment. Win/Win. Considering our results since 2011 it's hard to question anything Cael does in terms of scheduling or preparation.
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