Tom Ryan Interview

[steamboat_charlie]

I read the comments in this thread, and thought, "Wow, those are some callous comments from Tom.  I need to check this out."

Then I watched the interview, and can't for the life of me see why someone would react so negatively--that is, unless they had a presupposed agenda they wanted to reinforce.  

The comments about self-discipline were fairly benign.  If anything, it's a light challenge to Bouzakis--you want to achieve your goals, get serious about it, because you're not making the lineup at 133 and you're not going to be a serious factor at 141.  

The comment about asking more of his athletes than his own kids was from a completely different section of the interview, and was said half in jest.  

[flyingcement]

6 hours ago, Hammerlock3 said:

"I will stick up for Ryan in the sense that the people saying he doesn't know cutting weight is hard is ridiculous. Ryan has been around d1 wrestling for 40 years, and despite me doubting he's a good in the room coach, there is no way he didn't have a vague idea of how tuned in bouzakis was........"

Above is what I had written in defence of Ryan before I remembered something. I was gonna say that if he is saying "discipline" i'm sure he has a reason and isn't doing it out of bitterness, but then I remember in Stieber's Flo film he literally says that when he was a RS freshmen he would just skip practice cause he liked to float off the last few pounds but was too sucked out to work out. So at least at that point the whole coaching staff was flagrantly incompetent by high school standards. Seems like it must have gotten better but I don't know how it could have been that bad in the first place.   

Not sure how much guidance you got in high school but ours was just "do whatever you have to do to make the weight"

[Simpleman424]

7 hours ago, BruceyB said:

Fishback is a 3x R12er or something close to that. I think he would be a pick to AA this year. Neither is a lock, but I think whoever goes at 184 will be expected to be a strong AA threat.

If he didn’t break his ribs at B1G’s last year he would have AA’d again…he’s a real good shot to AA this year 

[Simpleman424]

5 hours ago, MoveCountermove said:

How do OSU fans truly feel about the 165 spot, both/either Stiles or Birden? Not my squad so I'm not as clued in, but personally very underwhelmed by both and would not wager a bet they AA at the weight. Not suggesting that you were saying that, just using it as a chance to pose the question. 

A none dieting healthy Stiles is a going to be TOUGH…borderline AA type. Birden is the one to watch here though. So many people overlook him but during his wrestle offs with Paddy he took a match and the other two were literally down to the wire. He’s long and kind of awkward and he’s been getting at it this offseason. I would not be surprised if he takes the spot and/or AAs this season…

[Hammerlock3]

1 hour ago, flyingcement said:

Not sure how much guidance you got in high school but ours was just "do whatever you have to do to make the weight"

Yeah you're correct. You'll have to believe me when I say I do a better job than that at least.

[Simpleman424]

1 hour ago, flyingcement said:

Not sure how much guidance you got in high school but ours was just "do whatever you have to do to make the weight"

“Use a heavier duty trash bag, you’ll sweat more. And don’t forget the duct tape!”

[ionel]

16 minutes ago, Simpleman424 said:

“Use a heavier duty trash bag, you’ll sweat more. And don’t forget the duct tape!”

... while jogging in place in a steaming hot shower.  

[Simpleman424]

27 minutes ago, ionel said:

... while jogging in place in a steaming hot shower.  

The rich town next door had a nice racquetball/pool/sports complex with all the amenities next door you could sneak in to…so I heard 

[flyingcement]

15 hours ago, Simpleman424 said:

The rich town next door had a nice racquetball/pool/sports complex with all the amenities next door you could sneak in to…so I heard 

I wasn't even all that great.  But even I stooped to the level of taped up snowsuit in the YMCA sauna doing push-ups until I could sweat out five pounds. I ended passed out inside the sauna and another guest physically dragged me out (possibly saved my life I guess).  

 

And maybe worse was that for multi-day weighin tournaments like states? I would eat well after weigh in and throughout the day, drinking water.  And then at before end of day weighins finding a teammate in the same spot and we would go somewhere discrete to make ourselves sick by shoving our own fingers down our throat

Edited August 6 by flyingcement

[TNwrestling]

15 hours ago, ionel said:

... while jogging in place in a steaming hot shower.  

and after you pass out lay under the mats for a few minutes

[Simpleman424]

27 minutes ago, flyingcement said:

I wasn't even all that great.  But even I stooped to the level of taped up snowsuit in the YMCA sauna doing push-ups until I could sweat out five pounds. I ended passed out inside the sauna and another guest physically dragged me out (possibly saved my life I guess).  

 

And maybe worse was that for multi-day weighin tournaments like states? I would eat well after weigh in and throughout the day, drinking water.  And then at before end of day weighins finding a teammate in the same spot and we would go somewhere discrete to make ourselves sick by shoving our own fingers down our throat

Yea the older I get the more I wish I should have just enjoyed the actual amenities there more…my mom use to HATE wrestling season. Well she liked it because I was…better than a lot I guess…but you can see in the pictures how bad it was. Looked like a hospital patient the entire time.

[MPhillips]

On 8/5/2026 at 11:41 AM, BruceyB said:

Certainly not fun.

Fun

 

[Simpleman424]

47 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

Fun

 

[Fred]

On 8/5/2026 at 9:26 AM, Le duke said:

If Fred and Co. want to pretend like the entire tanOSU team has magically jumped levels every fall, they are more than welcome to do it. 

 

I was probably mocking your silly suggestion that peaking for national duals in November precluded them from peaking again in March. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes wrestled the most grueling schedule, and Ryan was unwilling to lay off and possibly take some losses along the way. The team was spent by March. They and other top teams need to wrestle light schedules like Penn state’s.