Wittlake DeCommitment Article
- Thread starter Sportfan2017
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"But besides the feeling he had on his visit, what else changed for him? In a lot of these case the speculation has come down to money or the size of the offer. In Wittlake’s case that wasn’t the issue.
“'After I made my verbal my offer actually went up a little bit,' Wittlake said. 'So that wasn’t the issue. All the coaches at Penn State are straight up about everything so there was really nothing like that that happened at all.'"
“'After I made my verbal my offer actually went up a little bit,' Wittlake said. 'So that wasn’t the issue. All the coaches at Penn State are straight up about everything so there was really nothing like that that happened at all.'"
Yes...there is plenty of hunting in Pa......but if few or none of your teammates hunt and your family is 3,000 miles away....that would be a problem for me. Most people would prefer a group to hunt with. It sounds like PSU is too rural for Suriano and not rural enough for Wittlake. To each their own.
wait a minute - some of the best grouse hunting, real hunting, in the world is right around State College... just have to find where and be tough enough to walk the mountains all day for some flushes..
This is a total lie. Our superiors on other boards said he flipped because Cael ruthlessly cut his offer to make room for Brooks.
No, those guys were right. The NLWC just paid Wittlake on the side to say those things. Sure, it may look like $$ out the door, but it will pay dividends when we try to load up on more top 10 p4p recruits next year.
Mom is to his right, sitting next to him.
This is how you handle a decommitment or transfer. Nothing wrong with saying you were more comfortable somewhere else. Beats they took something from me BS.
Good luck to Travis.
Blonde to left was his recruiting hostess during his OSU visit. Obviously Smith was handed a 3" binder the week before signing day and Tognettis wife lost the job shorty after.
I am actually laughing out loud. Funny stuff there- diceyBlonde to left was his recruiting hostess during his OSU visit. Obviously Smith was handed a 3" binder the week before signing day and Tognettis wife lost the job shorty after.
I get it, and it sounds like Travis does too. I think he would have been great in Happy Valley.
But the board by board takeaways from his quotes will be entertaining. We’ll take the “PSU coaches are really straight shooters” POV, and others (one in particular) will read it as “we” really pressured for that verbal.
But the board by board takeaways from his quotes will be entertaining. We’ll take the “PSU coaches are really straight shooters” POV, and others (one in particular) will read it as “we” really pressured for that verbal.
Sounds like a good kid. I think he just didn't feel that he would be under the microscope as much in Stilly
That filthy wrestling camp cash will just have to get kicked back to someone else then, at least until the NCAA wakes up and starts reading message boards.
It's because Oklahoma is such a beautiful state and so much more like Oregon than
Pennsylvania. Not.
I took that comment not to mean the actual opportunities to hunt and fish but rather the culture on the team--what his future teammates often do in their spare time. That he saw the OSU guys as more like him than the PSU guys. And that's a good reason to choose one school over another.
Of course he'll be cutting so much weight that he'll be too hungry to hunt and fish but whatever, he'll find out soon enough. Just kidding!
that's how they cut weight out there.... find a 'dust bowl' and look for jack rabbits!
“I wish that I would have been more up front with coaches and told them how I felt, but as a 16 year old kid talking to these big named guys you don’t really know what to say and it’s tough to say you’re not interested. So for the guys that are about to go through it, make sure you take your visits. It’s something that I wish I would have done. But take your visits and wait to make your decision, especially when you’re on campus because when they get you on campus, they really want you to commit and it’s hard in person to tell somebody no, so wait it out, look at other schools and be straight forward with people.”
Powerful advise (and excellent self awareness) to any 16-17 yr old prepping for formal visits after that July 1 period has hit. Lots of love, hype and positive vibes happen when those calls/texts start rolling in but it does become overwhelming. I remember clearly my older son's first D1 visit. After a wonderful weekend, Sunday morning, bright and early, was a 1v1 with the head coach and the message was "we want your commitment before you leave or else someone may get your spot". It is very hard to say "I am not ready to commit yet" to someone you respect and admire and leave knowing you could not get this offer again in a few months. I get that for himself and a handful of other exceptional talents this is less of an issue but the power and D1 coach has is real and likely feels overwhelming in that moment.
A mature, self aware young man that will be an excellent leader in whatever he does post wrestling.
Powerful advise (and excellent self awareness) to any 16-17 yr old prepping for formal visits after that July 1 period has hit. Lots of love, hype and positive vibes happen when those calls/texts start rolling in but it does become overwhelming. I remember clearly my older son's first D1 visit. After a wonderful weekend, Sunday morning, bright and early, was a 1v1 with the head coach and the message was "we want your commitment before you leave or else someone may get your spot". It is very hard to say "I am not ready to commit yet" to someone you respect and admire and leave knowing you could not get this offer again in a few months. I get that for himself and a handful of other exceptional talents this is less of an issue but the power and D1 coach has is real and likely feels overwhelming in that moment.
A mature, self aware young man that will be an excellent leader in whatever he does post wrestling.
Travis will be a stud for OSU. Redshirt next year, miss Nolf and a real shot at being a 4 time 157 pound champ.
lol, took me a sec to get that.Travis will be a stud for OSU. Redshirt next year, miss Nolf and a real shot at being a 4 time 157 pound champ.
Class kid. Hope he does well.
Just a final thought on this. I would really have liked to have Travis on the Penn State team, and if it would have made any difference he was more than welcome to use our camp for hunting as much as he wanted. Someone should have said something. Hell there is stream that runs through the property he could have had unlimited fishing and hunting. Just saying.
However, since he has signed his LOI and will now be either a Cowboy or maybe a Scarlet Knight if Goodale can talk to him in the summer I was wondering if maybe we could have the blonde two to his left. You know for compensation and to aid in recovery from the disappointment. I think she would look just as nice in a blue and white PSU Wrestling tee.
However, since he has signed his LOI and will now be either a Cowboy or maybe a Scarlet Knight if Goodale can talk to him in the summer I was wondering if maybe we could have the blonde two to his left. You know for compensation and to aid in recovery from the disappointment. I think she would look just as nice in a blue and white PSU Wrestling tee.
Travis will be a stud for OSU. Redshirt next year, miss Nolf and a real shot at being a 4 time 157 pound champ.
Chance says.....good one.....Tee Hee....Chortle Chortle
If Wittlake doesn't think he will fit in with the team, I'd rather have him figure this out now than a year or two down the road after the staff has invested significant time, energy, and $$$ into him.
I wish him nothing but the best but time to focus on those who want to wear the Blue and White.
I wish him nothing but the best but time to focus on those who want to wear the Blue and White.
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