Brooks post finals interview

[Threadkilla]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:24 AM, Pa in Taiwan said:

Another ignorant clown comment!! Unbelievable! You should be ashamed of yourself, troll. The truth is that Iranians will not wrestle Israelis in international competition. Iranians WILL wrestle Jews, just not those from Israel. Other Islamic countries wrestle Israelis and Jews from other countries. You should stop commenting on things that you are ignorant of!

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You know what,   you are right  I can admit that I am wrong for generalizing..    I have applied the cone of shame. 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Threadkilla

[Fletcher]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:24 AM, Pa in Taiwan said:

Another ignorant clown comment!! Unbelievable! You should be ashamed of yourself, troll. The truth is that Iranians will not wrestle Israelis in international competition. Iranians WILL wrestle Jews, just not those from Israel. Other Islamic countries wrestle Israelis and Jews from other countries. You should stop commenting on things that you are ignorant of!

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Interesting - I'm not dialed into this area. Why won't Iranians wrestle Israelis? Because of religion or country? And if the latter, why?

[Pa in Taiwan]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:45 AM, Fletcher said:

Interesting - I'm not dialed into this area. Why won't Iranians wrestle Israelis? Because of religion or country? And if the latter, why?

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Iran supports the establishment of a Palestinian State and views Israel as an illegitimate state. In truth, the Iranians have said that if Israel and Palestine can reach an agreement that satisfies the Palestinian people, Iran too would accept the deal. The issue, often portrayed by western people with an agenda, is often framed as Iran not being willing to wrestle Jews, as Iran seeking the destruction of Israel.  Does that surprise you? If it does, you know little about propaganda, media, government and geo-politics. Perhaps you should also be aware of the fact that outside of Israel, the biggest Jewish population in the region lives in Iran, an ancient people. They repeatedly refuse the money offered by Israel to move to Israel, saying that they are proud Iranian Jews. They have a dedicated representative in the Iranian legislature, and in Iran, where the government pays for students to attend religious instruction, the Jewish students are bussed to receive religious instruction from a Rabbi.  

[Threadkilla]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:45 AM, Fletcher said:

Interesting - I'm not dialed into this area. Why won't Iranians wrestle Israelis? Because of religion or country? And if the latter, why?

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Iran does not recognize the state of Israel and its athletes often forfeit matches or don't participate when they could face an Israeli opponent..  He was right.  I shouldn't have generalized.  

[BAC]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:15 AM, Threadkilla said:

He didn't diss,  he was apeaking his truth.  The majority of Christians view Islam as a false religion due to the fact that its adherents reject the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ.   Kind of like Islamists won't wrestle Jewish in international competition.  The only difference is Christians do it on a more innocuous scale.  

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He called Mohammed a false prophet. That may be his truth but it’s also a diss.

Would you be fine with a Jewish or Muslim wrestler who used his speech to say “don’t worship Jesus, he is no god or savior”? They are just speaking their truth too, so it’s all good?

[billyhoyle]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:52 AM, Pa in Taiwan said:

Iran supports the establishment of a Palestinian State and views Israel as an illegitimate state. In truth, the Iranians have said that if Israel and Palestine can reach an agreement that satisfies the Palestinian people, Iran too would accept the deal. The issue, often portrayed by western people with an agenda, is often framed as Iran not being willing to wrestle Jews, as Iran seeking the destruction of Israel.  Does that surprise you? If it does, you know little about propaganda, media, government and geo-politics. Perhaps you should also be aware of the fact that outside of Israel, the biggest Jewish population in the region lives in Iran, an ancient people. They repeatedly refuse the money offered by Israel to move to Israel, saying that they are proud Iranian Jews. They have a dedicated representative in the Iranian legislature, and in Iran, where the government pays for students to attend religious instruction, the Jewish students are bussed to receive religious instruction from a Rabbi.  

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Wait, but why can't they just let their athletes wrestle the Israelis? I'm pretty sure China doesn't refuse to compete against Taiwan. 

Edited March 19, 2023 by billyhoyle

[Threadkilla]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:56 AM, BAC said:

He called Mohammed a false prophet. That may be his truth but it’s also a diss.

Would you be fine with a Jewish or Muslim wrestler who used his speech to say “don’t worship Jesus, he is no god or savior”? They are just speaking their truth too, so it’s all good?

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Ask Aaron. 

[Pa in Taiwan]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:57 AM, billyhoyle said:

Wait, but why can't they just let their athletes wrestle the Israelis? I'm pretty sure China doesn't refuse to compete against Taiwan. 

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Here we go again. China will NEVER compete against any athlete representing "Taiwan". Taiwanese athletes compete internationally under the name "Chinese Taipei". Perhaps if Israeli athletes competed under the name "Palestine", Iran would be willing to compete with them!

[Jamie_Taco]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:56 AM, BAC said:

He called Mohammed a false prophet. That may be his truth but it’s also a diss.

Would you be fine with a Jewish or Muslim wrestler who used his speech to say “don’t worship Jesus, he is no god or savior”? They are just speaking their truth too, so it’s all good?

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I wouldn't care just like I don't care about what Brooks said. 

[Fletcher]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:52 AM, Pa in Taiwan said:

Iran supports the establishment of a Palestinian State and views Israel as an illegitimate state. In truth, the Iranians have said that if Israel and Palestine can reach an agreement that satisfies the Palestinian people, Iran too would accept the deal. The issue, often portrayed by western people with an agenda, is often framed as Iran not being willing to wrestle Jews, as Iran seeking the destruction of Israel.  Does that surprise you? If it does, you know little about propaganda, media, government and geo-politics. Perhaps you should also be aware of the fact that outside of Israel, the biggest Jewish population in the region lives in Iran, an ancient people. They repeatedly refuse the money offered by Israel to move to Israel, saying that they are proud Iranian Jews. They have a dedicated representative in the Iranian legislature, and in Iran, where the government pays for students to attend religious instruction, the Jewish students are bussed to receive religious instruction from a Rabbi.  

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Yo - don't need the lecture or the politics. In summary, Iran will wrestle Jews but not Israelis. Do I have it right?

[Pa in Taiwan]

  On 3/19/2023 at 5:08 AM, Fletcher said:

Yo - don't need the lecture or the politics. In summary, Iran will wrestle Jews but not Israelis. Do I have it right?

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Yo, Fletch! Do your own research. 

[ugarles]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:57 AM, billyhoyle said:

Wait, but why can't they just let their athletes wrestle the Israelis? I'm pretty sure China doesn't refuse to compete against Taiwan. 

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why does any country draw particular lines? international relations prioritizing symbolism is nothing new. 

[Threadkilla]

  On 3/19/2023 at 5:08 AM, Fletcher said:

Yo - don't need the lecture or the politics. In summary, Iran will wrestle Jews but not Israelis. Do I have it right?

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The truncated version is Iran does not recognize the state of Israel and its athletes often forfeit matches or don't participate when they could face an Israeli opponent. He covers the rest.  

[buckshot]

The last thing Aaron Brooks needs is for a fatwa to be issued against him.

 

[Fletcher]

  On 3/19/2023 at 5:10 AM, Pa in Taiwan said:

Yo, Fletch! Do your own research. 

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Pass - too many NCAA matches to catch up on.

[dragit]

Brooks is an absolute gem on the mat.  He wrestles hard the whole match, terrific traditional technique, great sportsmanship. He is probably the guy who you would use to teach textbook wrestling. If anything he's underrated if that's possible for an already 3x champ.  His winning the rivalry in the previous with an Olympic bronze medalist 4 years older than him never got enough celebration in my book.

I have respect and admiration for his faith, and don't feel it's my place to object to him answering every question with an answer about that, but can't see why he had to throw in a harsh criticism of another religion.  Regardless of whether his position is consistent with the tenets of his faith or not, that part of the answer was way more than was necessary to respond to a bland question about his and Carr's shared faith, and whether meant to be harsh or not can be taken as a gratuitous slap at millions who practice a different faith. It just wasn't appropriate from what is essentially the NCAA's podium. 

[flyingcement]

  On 3/19/2023 at 5:14 AM, buckshot said:

The last thing Aaron Brooks needs is for a fatwa to be issued against him.

 

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Oh yeah, why is that? 

[SocraTease]

My own view is that billions  and billions of people seem to need the comfort or security of some imagined Being (force, entity, spirit, energy, etc.) that they variously call God, Allah, Brahman, Yahweh, and so on, but that less than zero evidence exists for this claim, idea, belief, or phenomenon.

At the same time, the last place to get pushy, obsessed, assertive, or dogmatic about one's beliefs is on a national televised stage where sound bytes and memes travel quickly and promiscuously about the country and world. 

In terms of Penn State finalists:

Starocci mostly  seems to only believe in himself (and his balls).

Brooks believes in something much larger  (Jesus and  God). (I'm curious what would transpire if he had said something critical of Joseph Smith and the Mormon tradition).

Kerk prefers to chill out about such stuff, though he still strutted out tonight in a "Jesus" shirt

RBY appears pretty indifferent to it all and realizes it's mostly absurd, fleeting, or silly (I appreciate this view;  let's call it "apatheism")

Levi Haines thankfully doesn't talk (thus far) about any of this stuff.  (Again, props to him, though I wonder how much proselytizing goes on in the PSU room and community.)

 

 

[skandar]

  On 3/19/2023 at 2:13 AM, MNRodent said:

Why would a person of faith disrespect others faith, even if it isn't exactly the same as your own?

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Is this a joke? You know what’s led to more wars than anything else in the history of humanity…?

[skandar]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:56 AM, BAC said:

He called Mohammed a false prophet. That may be his truth but it’s also a diss.

Would you be fine with a Jewish or Muslim wrestler who used his speech to say “don’t worship Jesus, he is no god or savior”? They are just speaking their truth too, so it’s all good?

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people would flip out

[Threadkilla]

  On 3/19/2023 at 6:41 AM, SocraTease said:

My own view is that billions  and billions of people seem to need the comfort or security of some imagined Being (force, entity, spirit, energy, etc.) that they variously call God, Allah, Brahman, Yahweh, and so on, but that less than zero evidence exists for this claim, idea, belief, or phenomenon.

At the same time, the last place to get pushy, obsessed, assertive, or dogmatic about one's beliefs is on a national televised stage where sound bytes and memes travel quickly and promiscuously about the country and world. 

In terms of Penn State finalists:

Starocci mostly  seems to only believe in himself (and his balls).

Brooks believes in something much larger  (Jesus and  God). (I'm curious what would transpire if he had said something critical of Joseph Smith and the Mormon tradition).

Kerk prefers to chill out about such stuff, though he still strutted out tonight in a "Jesus" shirt

RBY appears pretty indifferent to it all and realizes it's mostly absurd, fleeting, or silly (I appreciate this view;  let's call it "apatheism")

Levi Haines thankfully doesn't talk (thus far) about any of this stuff.  (Again, props to him, though I wonder how much proselytizing goes on in the PSU room and community.)

 

 

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Meh

[dragit]

  On 3/19/2023 at 6:41 AM, SocraTease said:

My own view is that billions  and billions of people seem to need the comfort or security of some imagined Being (force, entity, spirit, energy, etc.) that they variously call God, Allah, Brahman, Yahweh, and so on, but that less than zero evidence exists for this claim, idea, belief, or phenomenon.

At the same time, the last place to get pushy, obsessed, assertive, or dogmatic about one's beliefs is on a national televised stage where sound bytes and memes travel quickly and promiscuously about the country and world. 

In terms of Penn State finalists:

Starocci mostly  seems to only believe in himself (and his balls).

Brooks believes in something much larger  (Jesus and  God). (I'm curious what would transpire if he had said something critical of Joseph Smith and the Mormon tradition).

Kerk prefers to chill out about such stuff, though he still strutted out tonight in a "Jesus" shirt

RBY appears pretty indifferent to it all and realizes it's mostly absurd, fleeting, or silly (I appreciate this view;  let's call it "apatheism")

Levi Haines thankfully doesn't talk (thus far) about any of this stuff.  (Again, props to him, though I wonder how much proselytizing goes on in the PSU room and community.)

 

 

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Brooks's approach doesn't necessarily seem to be a primarily PSU thing.  The guy he's publicly most linked to on this issue, who he hugged right off the mat before his family, who speaks the most like him in interviews, is the guy who was wearing the 100% Jesus bandana with Mr. Brooks's hand on his shoulder during Aaron's match and who half an hour before was wearing a red and gold, not a blue, singlet.  

[BigRedFan]

  On 3/19/2023 at 6:09 AM, dragit said:

but can't see why he had to throw in a harsh criticism of another religion.  Regardless of whether his position is consistent with the tenets of his faith or not, that part of the answer was way more than was necessary to respond to a bland question about his and Carr's shared faith, and whether meant to be harsh or not can be taken as a gratuitous slap at millions who practice a different faith. It just wasn't appropriate from what is essentially the NCAA's podium. 

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This is Penn State!  It's what they do!

[jackwebster]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:24 AM, dragit said:

I must be getting soft but I liked the interviews this year.  Vito was delightful.  Glory was pure joyousness.  Starocci was his candid self.  KOT was pure grace.  Nino couldn't be more unpretentious. 

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Bet, 'cept for the aforemention derangement.

Edited March 19, 2023 by jackwebster

[BuckyBadger]

  On 3/19/2023 at 4:52 AM, Pa in Taiwan said:

Iran supports the establishment of a Palestinian State and views Israel as an illegitimate state. In truth, the Iranians have said that if Israel and Palestine can reach an agreement that satisfies the Palestinian people, Iran too would accept the deal. The issue, often portrayed by western people with an agenda, is often framed as Iran not being willing to wrestle Jews, as Iran seeking the destruction of Israel.  Does that surprise you? If it does, you know little about propaganda, media, government and geo-politics. Perhaps you should also be aware of the fact that outside of Israel, the biggest Jewish population in the region lives in Iran, an ancient people. They repeatedly refuse the money offered by Israel to move to Israel, saying that they are proud Iranian Jews. They have a dedicated representative in the Iranian legislature, and in Iran, where the government pays for students to attend religious instruction, the Jewish students are bussed to receive religious instruction from a Rabbi.  

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While Iran may wrestle Jews from other countries their refusal to wrestle Israelis is rooted in their belief that there is no place for a Jewish controlled country on what they see as Muslim land. So what you say about Western media is not really accurate.

The idea that their refusal to compete against Israel is purely political is nonesense. To them Jews are dhimmis, and must be second class citizens on Muslim land. They don’t care one bit about the Palestinians. And I can point to a number of other examples in other parts of the world where Iran doesn’t follow the same policy as they do with Israel (Uighur Muslims in China, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar). The only difference is that Israel is Jewish.

You are also very misinformed about Jews in Iran. Outside of Israel, Iran may have one of the largest Jewish populations in the Middle East but that is only because there a basically no Jews left in other Muslim/Arab countries! All the Jews fled every other Middle Eastern country (including Iran). Probably more than 90% fled Iran since the Islamic revolution in 1979. The 10,000 or so that remain know exactly what to say to the press to keep from being harassed by those in power. I know many Iranian Jews who still have family there and it is widely known that the Iranian representative from the Jewish community has to make statements against Israel from time to time. The community there says and does what they have to to be left alone, but they are not living the good life you allude to. 

Edited March 19, 2023 by BuckyBadger