Zain

[McScoreley]

Beyond all the controversy, I just wanted to give a huge shoutout to Zain and our coaches for how quickly he improved in freestyle in such a short amount of time. I saw a lot of doubters of Zain and his ability to translate his game to freestyle. Some saying, he over relied on his top game (LOL) in folkstyle and his neutral and scrambling abilities aren't strong enough to have a long international career.

He is leaps and bounds better at freestyle after that year off. In his interview on Flo yesterday, he didn't want to use the word "burnout" at the end of his 2018 PSU season but my interpretation is he was a bit stressed after a long 5 year career at PSU. He said he didn't want to but was very focused on the team race score against Ohio State. I think he psyched himself out a little bit and that was a big reason he didn't pick up bonus against Heilmann and Perry (I think he TFs them in the very least if he's normal, making the team race a lot more comfortable)

Funny enough, I kind of saw something similar with Jason and Bo this year. Jason obviously with his heart attack match against Hidlay and Bo seemed to have preferred to play it safe against Moore the third time when he handled him much easier the first 2 times. When you're at the tail end of a stellar career, I think a lot is on your mind and you're thinking you just don't want to blow it (think Dan Gable his last match ever)

Just a little over 6 months ago, Zain got handled pretty good by JO (making him 0-3 effectively against him at the time) and then he proceeds to beat him and Yianni twice to make his 2nd world team. He's just getting started also. I don't think he even scratched his ceiling yet.

I don't doubt we'll see very similar progress from Jason Nolf down the line and possibly VJ as well if he chooses to heavily pursue Freestyle. You know funny enough, VJ I can see being great at freestyle similar to why Cox is. He's very hard to takedown if he doesn't want you to take him down.

As for Bo, his talent is insane but there is a lot of smoke his long term plans don't involve freestyle so I am rooting for him to become the next Cormier in UFC. The future of PSU folkstyle wrestling is bright as always but soon, PSU alumni will be have a much stronger representation at the next level as well.

We Are!

 

[pish69]

CONGRATS ZAIN! He is all that embodies Penn State wrestling. Heart, talent, determination, winner, humble, champion, gratitude!

 

[Rhino80]

I was born and raised in Benton, so I obviously have a soft spot for Zain. So very proud of that guy , made huge jumps and made the adjustments to get the job done.

 

[dunkej01]

Even when we win we lose. And that's ok.

Yesterday......

The.
Dynasty.
Got.
Better.

Today.....
The.
Dynasty.
Is.
Better.

And tomorrow .....

You know the drill and the haters are going to hate and that's what comes with winning.

Our guys win with class, most are very humble in victory and all respect their opponents.

#itswhatwedo
#offseasonisf**season
#eatitturk

 

[Scryed]

It's easy to be humble in victory, the question is how well can you take a loss. Taylor as an example is NOT good at this as was demonstrated when he lost his world team spot to Cox.

Congrats to Zain, now let's see if Cornell will somehow make a match 3 happen

 

[dunkej01]

It's easy to be humble in victory.......now let's see if Cornell will somehow make a match 3 happen

Negative ghost rider the pattern is full.

 

[El-Jefe]

It's easy to be humble in victory, the question is how well can you take a loss. Taylor as an example is NOT good at this as was demonstrated when he lost his world team spot to Cox.

Congrats to Zain, now let's see if Cornell will somehow make a match 3 happen

Doesn't humility in defeat require actually accepting defeat?

 

[PSUer1989]

It's easy to be humble in victory, the question is how well can you take a loss. Taylor as an example is NOT good at this as was demonstrated when he lost his world team spot to Cox.

Congrats to Zain, now let's see if Cornell will somehow make a match 3 happen

Zain was a class act after the "perfect throw" loss to JO. I think he has consistently demonstrated nothing but sportsmanship his entire career.

 

[McScoreley]

It's easy to be humble in victory, the question is how well can you take a loss. Taylor as an example is NOT good at this as was demonstrated when he lost his world team spot to Cox.

Congrats to Zain, now let's see if Cornell will somehow make a match 3 happen

What does something David Taylor did two years ago have to do with Zain? I've never used the ignore feature before but you're the first.

 

[CowboyUp61]

Zain was a class act after the "perfect throw" loss to JO. I think he has consistently demonstrated nothing but sportsmanship his entire career.

I agree, Zain is a class act, and have never seen anything that would indicate otherwise.

 

[Scryed]

I was responding to the comment above me that made the Cart blanche statement that psu guys are always classy. I didnt bring up Zain bc I agree, he has always seemed like a classy guy to me and is very easily liked imo. No hatred directed towards Zain at all here. DT just runs me the wrong with with hit attitude

 

[Lyco1990]

I was responding to the comment above me that made the Cart blanche statement that psu guys are always classy. I didnt bring up Zain bc I agree, he has always seemed like a classy guy to me and is very easily liked imo. No hatred directed towards Zain at all here. DT just runs me the wrong with with hit attitude

You should see how DT interacts with youth wrestlers. Take a minute to talk to him, he is classy and approachable.

 

[pabison]

It's easy to be humble in victory, the question is how well can you take a loss. Taylor as an example is NOT good at this as was demonstrated when he lost his world team spot to Cox.

Congrats to Zain, now let's see if Cornell will somehow make a match 3 happen

Reference Taylor: I wouldn’t have been humble either. That match was a joke. Cox failed to engage and backed up the entire 2nd period. He should have been put on the clock, injury or no injury. You don’t get a free pass just because you’re injured. You either wrestle and win or you lose. He did neither and the refs let him get away with it.

 

[El-Jefe]

Reference Taylor: I wouldn’t have been humble either. That match was a joke. Cox failed to engage and backed up the entire 2nd period. He should have been put on the clock, injury or no injury. You don’t get a free pass just because you’re injured. You either wrestle and win or you lose. He did neither and the refs let him get away with it.

Taylor-Cox match:

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Reference Taylor: I wouldn’t have been humble either. That match was a joke. Cox failed to engage and backed up the entire 2nd period. He should have been put on the clock, injury or no injury. You don’t get a free pass just because you’re injured. You either wrestle and win or you lose. He did neither and the refs let him get away with it.

I’m a DT fan, but my issue with him was his tweeting about Cox’s performance at Worlds that year. He should have kept those thoughts to himself.

 

[dunkej01]

I’m a DT fan, but my issue with him was his tweeting about Cox’s performance at Worlds that year. He should have kept those thoughts to himself.

True

And the injury thing is off message.

 

[dunkej01]

I was responding to the comment above me that made the Cart blanche statement that psu guys are always classy. I didnt bring up Zain bc I agree, he has always seemed like a classy guy to me and is very easily liked imo. No hatred directed towards Zain at all here. DT just runs me the wrong with with hit attitude

I intentionally left out "losses" and said " most respect..." out of many objections to DTs actions.

But you ran with your cause because it fit your preconceived bias. So you do you.

#turkareyou2related

 

[PSUer1989]

It is not impossible to root for DT and support him, while not always liking his social media presence...

 

[a_mshaffer]

I’m a DT fan, but my issue with him was his tweeting about Cox’s performance at Worlds that year. He should have kept those thoughts to himself.

true... wish I only made one mistake...

 

[pabison]

S

True

And the injury thing is off message.

So “Sweat- Gate” was a separate match from when he did his Running Man re-enactment? My memory is a little jumbled because he’s always leaking water.

 

[dunkej01]

S

So “Sweat- Gate” was a separate match from when he did his Running Man re-enactment? My memory is a little jumbled because he’s always leaking water.

Lololol

I'm poolside laughing and our friends go what's up.....I said sweaty running man and wrestling.....they said "you get next round"

Hahahaha

 

[McScoreley]

I don't condone David Taylor's post 2017 WTT Finals antics and subsequent bashing of J'Den on Social Media.

However, he's human just like everyone else. Anyone who has followed David over his time here and subsequently knows that was out of character for him.

 

[dmm53]

Anyone know if there is a timeline for the "XYZ" decision: Final X Y(ianni) and Z(ain) decision?

It's not exactly at the level of a complex Supreme Court case. Yes, there are some procedural issues and the semblance of a legal case, but it doesn't take King Solomon or Socrates to make a reasonable ruling.

 

[Dogwelder]

Anyone know if there is a timeline for the "XYZ" decision: Final X Y(ianni) and Z(ain) decision?

It's not exactly at the level of a complex Supreme Court case. Yes, there are some procedural issues and the semblance of a legal case, but it doesn't take King Solomon or Socrates to make a reasonable ruling.

I hope they don’t cut Yianni in two! #withbowandarrow

 

[RoarLions1]

Anyone know if there is a timeline for the "XYZ" decision: Final X Y(ianni) and Z(ain) decision?

Unsure, though I suspect soon. Yianni, as do three others (Fix, Deakin, Steveson), has the option of asking for a special wrestle-off for U23. Have no idea if the young man is leaning that way, only saying it's there as a choice. Can't wrestle-off for a U23 spot till the Final X appeal is complete.

 

[STAND with PRIDE]

Unsure, though I suspect soon. Yianni, as do three others (Fix, Deakin, Steveson), has the option of asking for a special wrestle-off for U23. Have no idea if the young man is leaning that way, only saying it's there as a choice. Can't wrestle-off for a U23 spot till the Final X appeal is complete.

I read on the Bo U23 thread that the deadline for claiming your opportunity to wrestle off against the U23 WTT champ was June 22. Possibly this was extended for Yianni, but why would it be extended for any others?

 

[RD41]

The date is correct according to the article. Possible Yanni could have made the request already? Info from the article posted below.

If a U23 age eligible athlete qualifies for Final X at the senior level, they do not have to participate in the U23 World Team Trials and can request a wrestle-off against the U23 World Team Trials champion at a date after Final X.

• The request for a wrestle-off must be made by end of day June 22, 2019 to Joe Russell.

 

[86PSUPaul]

And Final X winner, assuming he is age qualified, gets first chance to request the wrestle off, if he passes then runner-up can request. So he could have requested it no matter what the outcome of the appeal is/was.