Using The Big Lebowski Quotes to Preview the 2024-25 College Wrestling Season

I remember the first time I saw The Big Lebowski. My Dad and I rented it from a Hollywood Video and watched it on our own while my Mom was out of town. I don’t think I got it. I remember it was funny, but I remember being way more confused than I was laughing. I was maybe 13 at the time. Since then my sense of humor has become more developed, and I now regard this as one of my favorites and one of the funniest movies ever made. The timing, layering of the jokes, uniqueness of the characters, and plot. It’s one of one, and it’s funny every time. A couple of years ago I hit some storylines headed into the NCAA season by using Vision Quest quotes. This year I’m doing the same, but with the masterpiece that was at one point the vision of the Coen Brothers. Join me as we roll like tumbling tumbleweeds into some of the exciting things to look for in the NCAA 2024-2025 wrestling season.

“It’s down there somewhere, let me take another look” - The Dude as he gets his head dunked in a toilet by a goon asking for the money.

What a great way to start a movie and introduce us to an icon. With respect to this season though, this was a lot of us waiting for the wrestling schedules before they finally dropped. 

Finally, though, they are out and we can begin planning the excitement we are about to watch. I was picturing myself sitting on a couch with some snacks and a tasty beverage as I watch some of our favorite wrestlers go to work. Whether it’s Michigan and Minnesota, Ohio State against Iowa, or Penn State against Nebraska, we are ready to go! It’s set and we are ready to rock!

“The rug really tied the room together” - The Dude, Walter, and Donnie at various points.

Sadly the rug is gone, and so are some of the greats we had from last season. Vito Arujau, Aaron Brooks, Trent Hidlay, Daton Fix, David Carr, Shane Griffith, they’re gone. They really tied the room together, but now we have other options. It’ll be fine though, we have returning champions in Richie Figueroa, Greg Kerkvliet, Parker Keckeisen, Levi Haines, Caleb Henson, Jesse Mendez, and Carter Starocci going for his fifth NCAA title. Though the rug tied the room together, sometimes an old man tells you to take any room in the house, and you get a new rug.

“Over the line!” - Walter regarding a lane violation in a league bowling game from Smokey.

Sometimes people take things too far, like Walter did in this iconic scene. 

You know what’s over the line? When a program is threatened by the institution that they represent. In this instance, Campbell wrestling has been notified that they will cut their scholarships from 9 to 3 and that their athletes currently on scholarship will be pressured to not compete for the University beginning next season. In all instances of dealing with Campbell coaches and athletes, I’ve never had anything but a great experience. They represent the University and themselves with class, and even better, they win a lot also. It’s the most successful program that Campbell has, and yet it finds itself in trouble. The other reason this is scary is that this is likely just the first of many institutions trying to find ways to save money and cut scholarships and funds from sports like wrestling.

“Smokey, this is not Nam, this is bowling. There are rules” - Walter continuing to explain the rules of bowling and the significance of the lane violation.

The rule changes last season had a lot of people up in arms initially, but I feel that it’s been pretty fun. A nice piece from Richard Mann on InterMat shows that the scoring and attacks (in the small sample size at least) haven’t been all that different. The main thing for me though is that the matches are far from over with a lead of a couple points. The simple fact that scoring in neutral means more emphasizes the gas tank. When wrestlers run out of steam, it changes the complexion of the match. Pair that with the additional nearfall points and no lead is safe. It might not change the approach of the athletes as much from a match-to-match standpoint, but I love the idea that no lead is safe. Sometimes rules are important, and the changes made last season are an improvement.

“Yeah, well you know, that’s just like your opinion man.” - The Dude responding to Jesus Quintana’s assertion that they will beat them in bowling.

We at InterMat have 10 guys currently ranked number 1 in their respective weight classes. Other outlets have their lists as well. For the rest of the field, get pissed off. Rankings are fun and certainly serve a purpose, but they can also be a powerful tool for motivation. I have always been motivated in part by spite, and I would love to see some of the guys coming in doing the same. We have two defending national champions who are coming into the season without number 1 rankings (3 if you include Levi Haines bumping up two weight classes), and I like to think that they are even more motivated to go get to work every day as a result. I often attribute the qualities that I possess to the wrestlers that I watch, and for that reason, I’m excited to see what guys like Jesse Mendez and Parker Keckeisen will do to improve on their already stellar careers despite where they see themselves in the rankings in October.

“You’re not wrong Walter, you’re just an asshole” - The Dude succinctly clarifying Walter's general demeanor to Walter.

This requires a disclaimer. Walter is a beloved and important character. Also, I’m not directly or indirectly calling anyone names. It’s simply a reference to a great movie line about a great movie character. What makes Walter great? He watches his ex-wife’s dog while she and her new husband go on vacation. Also, John Goodman’s portrayal of him is hilarious and legendary. Do you know what else is hilarious? Some of the trash talk we’ve seen between wrestlers this season.

For the most part, some of the posts we’ve seen have been in good taste. I also believe that they’re done with a sense of flair and panache. This is an important distinction, because social media trash talk can get out of hand. In the cases we’ve seen thus far, it appears to be in favor of promoting the sport and upcoming matches rather than much else. I like that. Keep it up!

“You’re lucky they left the tape deck though, and the Creedence” - Cop as he gets the Dude back his car from the impound after they recover it from the car thieves.

We, as wrestling fans, are very lucky. Perspective is key as well. I found myself just the other day reminiscing about what Midlands used to be. I was quickly reminded that more tournaments are not always a bad thing. Do we always get to see the same big matches that we were used to, actually yes we do. It’s not always in the same place, but most great teams seek out great competition, and it’s just in another location. Also, we can watch just about any dual that’s taking place from the comfort of our homes. I can’t always make it to Mount Pleasant to watch my beloved Chippewas, but I can go on ESPN+ and watch most of their duals. Sometimes your car gets stolen while you’re bowling, but sometimes they don’t take the Creedence.

“Is this your homework Larry?” - Walter confronts the suspected car thief with his homework to prove that he stole the Dude’s car.

Rhetorical questions are defined as questions asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer. As we got closer to the season, I found a lot of the questions around Penn State have been around who will be starting, redshirting, etc… Now that we are on the verge of the season starting, I’m realizing that it’s exactly what we thought it was going to look like. What will always happen with this program is that they will start their top guys, and very infrequently do we see some of their top recruits transfer out, even if they are on the bench. They do such a crazy good job of getting long-term buy-in from their guys, that we routinely see guys stick it out in the hopes of getting their shot back in the lineup. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last time. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t listening” - The Dude replies to the chief of police of Malibu after being berated for being a ‘jerk off’.

Haters are going to hate. Especially on wrestling forums. Whether it’s towards coaching staffs, specific wrestlers, officiating, or schedules, people love to hate on things. But it’s hard to take offense if you aren’t listening. I’m not advocating for people being completely unaware of themselves or the situations that they’ve put themselves in, and fans of programs are going to be justifiably upset when someone transfers away for whatever reasoning that they had. All that being said, not reading the forums and focusing on what’s in front of you is generally the best way to move past this. The landscape of college sports is different now than it’s ever been, and we have to get used to it to a certain degree. For the athletes, it’s important for them to remember why they made the decisions they make, and to remain focused on their goals. Achieving them is going to be more important than a forum post blasting their motivations.

“Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes the bar eats you” - The Stranger (Sam Elliot) to The Dude.

Pressure is a privilege. This is a phrase that we hear all the time in wrestling. I tend to agree, and it’s clear that theoretically having that approach and mindset is more optimal than shying away from the big moments. The reality though, is that sometimes pressure is a lot to deal with and can get the best of even the most prepared wrestlers and athletes. Being excited to wrestle for the first time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is one thing, but then experiencing it can be a completely different thing. It’ll be interesting this season to see how some of the true freshman competitors will rise to the occasion. Teams with young lineups, especially in the B1G, could look great or they could be eaten alive. This is the time of year when everyone is optimistic about what could be, but sometimes the bar eats you. Alive.

“The Dude abides” - The Dude replying to Sam Elliot’s character, The Stranger, as he walks back to bowling.

A fantastic way for a journey like The Dude’s to end was his parting words. We’ve been through so much with him to this point and watched him rise to the occasion repeatedly, in the face of tremendous adversity. We’ll see at the end of this season which of our favorite wrestlers “abide” in that sense. In the meantime, we just need to enjoy the ride. 

Like the Big Lebowski, there will be turmoil and a series of ups and downs to enjoy throughout this season. Our job as fans will be to appreciate the journey and embrace the chaos. One week your favorite team could look like world beaters, and the next week be completely embarrassed. Your favorite wrestler could be dealing with injuries throughout the season, only to show up in March and surprise and impress everyone in his path. The season, and the sport, abides. They always have. Be patient, be present, and enjoy the ride. Hope to see you all in March. The Dude abides.