Willie's Crystal Ball for 2025

[smalls103]

i feel like i'm taking crazy pills.

you guys have lost your minds.

are PSU wrestling fans getting THAT bored that they have to invent ways to feel offended.

like the audacity of ONLY scoring 148?

or the audacity of possibility of the 184lb reigning champ beating the 174lb reigning champ?

these are things that get you hot under the collar? lol

 

[mjmirv]

I’m not offended, I just disagree.

Over the last 4-5 seasons I’ve done my own PSU points projections and have been +/- 5 points every year. Right now I’m predicting 185 points. I don’t see any way we end up at 148 unless we have a major injury at a weight where we lack depth. Even then I think we still crack 160.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

i feel like i'm taking crazy pills.

you guys have lost your minds.

are PSU wrestling fans getting THAT bored that they have to invent ways to feel offended.

like the audacity of ONLY scoring 148?

or the audacity of possibility of the 184lb reigning champ beating the 174lb reigning champ?

these are things that get you hot under the collar? lol

 

[smalls103]

I’m not offended, I just disagree.

Over the last 4-5 seasons I’ve done my own PSU points projections and have been +/- 5 points every year. Right now I’m predicting 185 points. I don’t see any way we end up at 148 unless we have a major injury at a weight where we lack depth. Even then I think we still crack 160.

you might not say you're offended, but you said 148 is 'a troll job'. (even though 148 is 3rd highest EVER).

mind showing your placements that add up to PSU 185?

 

[smalls103]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

 

[Folkstylefan]

Willie, you know you will upset someone here if you don't predict 10 PSU champs lol. I may not agree with some of your crystal ball rankings but nothing wrong with that. Lilledahl for me is a wait and see, as far as podium. Of course i don't take freestyle results as a measure of where a kids likely going to end up in post season.

 

[CropDuster507]

I love this board, but this thread was a tough read lol.

It's gon' be alright.

 

[donboy6499]

i feel like i'm taking crazy pills.

you guys have lost your minds.

are PSU wrestling fans getting THAT bored that they have to invent ways to feel offended.

like the audacity of ONLY scoring 148?

or the audacity of possibility of the 184lb reigning champ beating the 174lb reigning champ?

these are things that get you hot under the collar? lol

Who’s offended Willie?

It’s the same response you’d get if you posted on a chiefs message board that you predict Josh Allen will have a better season than Mahomes. You don’t think you’d get eyerolls?

The audacity of you to think people can’t post for 10 minutes then walk away and forget about it. Feel like I’m taking crazy pills.

 

[a_mshaffer]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

don't categorize a few posters with all 'PSU fans' ... I think the disappointment comes from having our lead recruiter predicting we won't have 10 AAs

 

[doubleboots]

I think the disappointment comes from having our lead recruiter admitting we won't have 10 AAs

 

[csoult]

Willie's predictions are very reasonable. I think the Carter vs Keck match could go either way, however I completely agree with the Dake and Carter comparisons. Carter has probably had, the best D-fence in wrestling the past two years and that in my opinion always seems to hold up better at NCAA's.

 

[pish69]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

Your crystal ball is always solid as hell and I look forward to when you post them.

Just breaking your balls a little on Carter/Barr (Basch was as well).

Keep doing your thing my man. Always enjoy your takes.

And I’ll give you major props as your end of year Crystal Balls are always spot on

 

[AgSurfer]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

Well there you have it. Four years in a row, you underpredicted PSU's performance. If you're projecting 148 for this coming season, we know there's a good chance we'll do even better. 😁

 

[Cstroke]

i'm sure all of you took Dake over Taylor, too.

only one group of people is saying that taking (in October) Keck over Starocci is wild.

figure it out.

 

[Cstroke]

I think half of the offended stuff is just tongue in cheek to crank willie up, the other 70% is a just bad math.
I do think Willie does his best work 4 bud heavies in and setting the record straight no matter which fan base is cranking on him..
Although you can hear him cracking sometimes on the Hawk website, I think they scramble his brain with some of their arguements.
If you can't see Carter losing to Keck I'm not sure you've been watching much wrestling, it happens every year..

 

[El-Jefe]

or the audacity of possibility of the 184lb reigning champ beating the 174lb reigning champ?

these are things that get you hot under the collar? lol

Picking Keckeisen does not state a mere possibility. It states likelihood.

You should expect pushback on that here.

And it's been pretty tame. Nobody has offered to "meet" you under a bridge like on other sites.

 

[jack66]

Q, Bo, Max, Aaron, Shakur

We've had a lot of success with guys moving up to 197. Most were predicted to struggle against bigger bodies.

I'm guessing Barr will do fine.

 

[Nitlion1986]

Picking Keckeisen does not state a mere possibility. It states likelihood.

You should expect pushback on that here.

And it's been pretty tame. Nobody has offered to "meet" you under a bridge like on other sites.

Most of us are too old anymore to meet anybody under any bridge for any reason.

 

[amattaro]

Willie had Carter by tech fall until we booed JB

 

[RB-Old]

Willie is a goof and an egomaniac at the same time. The best thing for wrestling is if they remade the Addams family and hired him away as Uncle Fester's stunt double.

 

[Flying_Tiger]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

Really not a valid comparison, I'm sure if we looked at your previous preseason ones that are conveniently missing it wouldn't line up so closely.

 

[doubleboots]

Most of us are too old anymore to meet anybody under any bridge for any reason.

 

[82bordeaux]

Willie is a goof and an egomaniac at the same time. The best thing for wrestling is if they remade the Addams family and hired him away as Uncle Fester's stunt double.

You've been spending too much time reading the Hawk board. That's their line.

 

[SJP80]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

Whats the timing on the final crystal ball vs the preseason. The possibility is for a significant difference.

 

[Agoodnap]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

Nice data. If it's easy enough, I'd love to see the same for Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio State, Cornell, and Okie State. If not all, at least for Iowa.

 

[Shot of Espresso]

I haven’t gotten the sense that anyone is offended, just people that disagree with your predictions?

Are we all supposed to sit here and write how all your crystal ball predictions are 100% perfect? I thought you put them out to generate discussion and that is all I see here.. Maybe it’s just me?

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Willie had Carter by tech fall until we booed JB

His fans still have a fatwa out on Mitchell due to his “dirty” wrestling.

I guess they got temporary amnesia watching Tyler Berger

 

[GogglesPaizano]

i think it's a coin flip match.

I'll take that bet, we love ya even when you're a total Joey.



Heads Carter wins, Tails Keck loses!

 

[McScoreley]

My prediction is that he underwhelms early, but is wrestling well by March. I would be surprised if he's not a top 15 guy by the end of the year.

Well done ... you're getting warmer but not quite there yet, give you another shot.

 

[GogglesPaizano]

Just for fun i went back and looked at my final team projections. This is what i had for PSU in previous final editions of Crystal Ball (i don't have a record of what i had them at preseason.)

2024 Projected - 169
2024 Actual - 172.5
2024 Crystal Ball

2023 Projected - 129
2023 Actual - 137.5
2023 Crystal Ball

2022 Projected - 129
2022 Actual - 131.5
2022 Crystal Ball

2021 Projected - 98
2021 Actual - 113.5
2021 Crystal Ball
(the biggest miss here was a 7.5 differential on Michael Beard)

i do know that my values tend to be a touch low on bonus, but not much.

I see a trend ;-)

 

[McScoreley]

Guys this is Willie doing PSU a favor. He figured our entire team needed some preseason motivation.

Mesenbrink doesn't because to be honest, the kid already is just super energized as is. Honestly I wish he moved Kerkvliet to 3rd behind Feldman and Hendrickson and said "For dropping out of NWCA despite clearly being healthy in all the videos since, I can only conclude Kerk doesn't have the fire and will get caught by the pack"

 

[wrestlingfan22]

i feel like i'm taking crazy pills.

you guys have lost your minds.

are PSU wrestling fans getting THAT bored that they have to invent ways to feel offended.

like the audacity of ONLY scoring 148?

or the audacity of possibility of the 184lb reigning champ beating the 174lb reigning champ?

these are things that get you hot under the collar? lol

I just think, similar to dice, that anyone who picks against Carter in any NCAA match is overthinking it. He hasn't lost in 3 entire seasons and I don't think that changes anytime soon

 

[5q]

Whats the timing on the final crystal ball vs the preseason. The possibility is for a significant difference.

an hour before the finals...lol

 

[smalls103]

I haven’t gotten the sense that anyone is offended, just people that disagree with your predictions?

Are we all supposed to sit here and write how all your crystal ball predictions are 100% perfect? I thought you put them out to generate discussion and that is all I see here.. Maybe it’s just me?

no. it's great. i love discussing, which is what we're doing.

i'm just genuinely surprised at the amount of scoffing at

1) a pick between two champs
2) a historic team prediction (and that's without a 197, where i want to see who starts)

 

[82bordeaux]

no. it's great. i love discussing, which is what we're doing.

i'm just genuinely surprised at the amount of scoffing at

1) a pick between two champs
2) a historic team prediction (and that's without a 197, where i want to see who starts)

Admit it. You love being corrected.

 

[bourbon n blues]

i feel like i'm taking crazy pills.

you guys have lost your minds.

are PSU wrestling fans getting THAT bored that they have to invent ways to feel offended.

like the audacity of ONLY scoring 148?

or the audacity of possibility of the 184lb reigning champ beating the 174lb reigning champ?

these are things that get you hot under the collar? lol

I understand engagement farming, but seriously, why does anyone care about anyone's prediction prior to the season? It's not like they're going to change anything during the season and we will see how things work out soon enough.

 

[Ja1339]

197 i'm taking a wait and see approach. Barr is my dude and i hope he crushes it. there just isn't a whole lot of data on him vs the guys in the field at 197.

Pardon me if I misunderstood, but I assumed one of the main differences/benefits between the Crystal Ball rankings and the regular Preseason rankings was the Crystal Ball rankings didn’t require a lot of data on head to head matchups.

 

[WaffleShopper]

First it was that we lost our minds for disagreeing with him and now it's softened to being a friendly discussion. I think someone just likes to be offended (and it's not the PSU fans on this board).

 

[Nitlion1986]

First it was that we lost our minds for disagreeing with him and now it's softened to being a friendly discussion. I think someone just likes to be offended (and it's not the PSU fans on this board).

It does make for future 'rasslin stories to tell on podcasts.

 

[Pennstate1985]

I tried to make a Willie pinata but it cost too much in candy cost. Can I sue Willie for the excess candy cost? Asking for several friends.