Bo Bachelor round 2

[VakAttack]

Uncle Chael weighs in. 

 

 

[Caveira]

We have all said or heard the quote “parents are the worst”.   As it pertains to kids sports.   Now it’s not historically true that there is $0 money in sports for kids ….. I.e. the statistical probability to make the nba or mlb or nfl or whatever is very small.  That is true.  But the awful parents were a thing trying to get their kids to that level of impossible.   Nil.   Colleges paying $$$ etc is going to make that phrase 10000x worse because the $ available now is statistically much higher than the past.  
 

i am not arguing don’t pay the kids but we don’t even grasp yet how bad this will get 

[Coastal]

4 minutes ago, Le duke said:

I’ll do the unthinkable and defend Tom Brands here. Sounds like he did the right thing.

Now, could he soften the blow and maybe manage the situation better? I’m guessing he could. You can deliver bad news in a way that doesn’t drive someone away.

All of this being said, Bassett’s dad isn’t coming off very well here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Telling off a recruit's mother is never the right thing.   

Iowa fans are spinning the best case scenario but there's a lot going on.   

Bassett and company were part of a large contingent to train at HWC before Vegas.  They were treated like red-headed stepchildren.  You'd think you'd roll out the red carpet when you can legally talk to kids like Mario Hutcherson.   

One doesn't have to corner a wrestler to provide support, encouragement or even cheer from the sidelines and a kind word after a loss goes a long way.

[PortaJohn]

My two cents, if Bo wants to be the best version of himself as a wrestler there are two clear choices.  One at PSU & mat time with Zain and the other is at Iowa State with Metcalf.  I know the cyclones aren't in his final 3 but can't claim you want to be the best when there is a coach out there that compliments your style so well

[BAC]

53 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Sounds like that’s what happening.  But isn’t that quote also Iowa’s defense to Bob calling up guys that aren’t in the portal and paying them to enroll at Iowa?  Why would Iowa’s compliance department be okay with that but not this?

Agreed.  Which is, I suspect, Ma and Pa Bassett's point.  

It's also why it's hard for me to have a whole lot of sympathy for Iowa here, even if they were in the right.

Everyone knows if there's someone Tom wants (or, or that matter, someone Nicolls wants), and money's an object, then Tom/Nicolls will have a little chat, and Nicolls will make it happen.  The Bassetts know that too.  It isn't always something that goes through Iowa's compliance department, because Iowa can't stop Nicolls from doing what Nicolls wants to do.

If Iowa had a squeaky-clean image, then I doubt this would have happened.  But once you're known for your willingness to bend the rules, then you attract recruits who like that you're morally flexible.  And then when you suddenly won't bend the rules for them, it's a slap in the face.

To be clear, I'm not going to defend the Bassetts insisting on getting their kids' flights to Iowa paid for, if that's what happened.  Nor am I going to criticize Brands for holding the line there, if that's what happened.  But I can't help but think this is the kind of blowback that foreseeable when you have a history of suspect recruiting practices and financial shenanigans.

I also wonder if papa Bassett missed the memo on how this works, and the need for the HC to be able to claim ignorance.  Had he waited another couple days for Tom/Nicolls to confer after Tom said "no can do, don't tell me how to run my program," he might've gotten a call from an unknown number on Nicolls' burner phone, saying "Don't tell Tom, but I hear you need some plane fare..."

Edited 19 hours ago by BAC

[ionel]

18 minutes ago, PortaJohn said:

My two cents ...

 

[Caveira]

19 minutes ago, BAC said:

Everyone knows if there's someone Tom wants (or, or that matter, someone Nicolls wants), and money's an object, then Tom/Nicolls will have a little chat, and Nicolls will make it happen.  The Bassetts know that too.  It isn't always something that goes through Iowa's compliance department, because Iowa can't stop Nicolls from doing what Nicolls wants to do.

Soooo.  I’m supposed to understand Iowa will pay millions for athletes via some elaborate poaching scheme but they won’t buy a few plane tickets (for the best recruit ever) or get one of the Iowa wrestlers to house one of them or simply rent an apartment in Iowa city for a few k a month.    
 

got it.  Ok.  

[BAC]

1 hour ago, VakAttack said:

Uncle Chael weighs in. 

 

 

OMG This is hilarious.  One of the worst takes of all time.

He must've called Bo a "traitor" telling a "lie" about a dozen times.  Easy there, fella!  Not the first kid to change his mind, and won't be the last.

But his biggest gripe is Bo "took a shot at the Hawks," and "it was nasty.  It was a very nasty thing." Bo "took a shot at men!" he says. 

Bo's actual words?

“This wasn’t easy, but I believe it’s not the right fit for me as a wrestler, a person, or for my faith journey. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’ll never speak a bad word about their program."

Um... saying a program isn't the "right fit" is a nasty shot?  That's about the most common word choice I've seen for when a kid wants to explain why he didn't choose a program.

But Chael saved the best for his closing.  After saying we should give Bo the "grace" to change his mind," he takes it all back:

"But when ya took a shot -- ya fired a shot at the ethics of the most ethical program in wrestling's history, excuse me, you do not stand on the moral high ground.  Not on this one!"  

LOL

[BAC]

42 minutes ago, Caveira said:

Soooo.  I’m supposed to understand Iowa will pay millions for athletes via some elaborate poaching scheme but they won’t buy a few plane tickets (for the best recruit ever) or get one of the Iowa wrestlers to house one of them or simply rent an apartment in Iowa city for a few k a month.    
 

got it.  Ok.  

Wouldn't surprise me if some version of those words came right out of Ma and Pa Bassett's mouth just before/after Brands yelled at them to not tell him how to run his program. 

[pokemonster]

4 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

Willie said all of that in his podcast this morning except for the yelling part

Willie didn't mention the # of days requirement, the 250 miles, the jealousy portion, or give the level of detail this post has. 

Thanks for sharing @Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[VakAttack]

16 minutes ago, BAC said:

OMG This is hilarious.  One of the worst takes of all time.

He must've called Bo a "traitor" telling a "lie" about a dozen times.  Easy there, fella!  Not the first kid to change his mind, and won't be the last.

But his biggest gripe is Bo "took a shot at the Hawks," and "it was nasty.  It was a very nasty thing." Bo "took a shot at men!" he says. 

Bo's actual words?

“This wasn’t easy, but I believe it’s not the right fit for me as a wrestler, a person, or for my faith journey. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’ll never speak a bad word about their program."

Um... saying a program isn't the "right fit" is a nasty shot?  That's about the most common word choice I've seen for when a kid wants to explain why he didn't choose a program.

But Chael saved the best for his closing.  After saying we should give Bo the "grace" to change his mind," he takes it all back:

"But when ya took a shot -- ya fired a shot at the ethics of the most ethical program in wrestling's history, excuse me, you do not stand on the moral high ground.  Not on this one!"  

LOL

Well Chael, as is his wont, went over the top.  But you are really underselling Bo's statement.  He said it's not a good place for him as a wrestler, a PERSON, or a Christian.  I mean, really, you're running the Ricky Bobby "But I said with all due respect"defense.

 

 

[pokemonster]

32 minutes ago, VakAttack said:

Well Chael, as is his wont, went over the top.  But you are really underselling Bo's statement.  He said it's not a good place for him as a wrestler, a PERSON, or a Christian.  I mean, really, you're running the Ricky Bobby "But I said with all due respect"defense.

 

 

Agreed. That's a pretty damning statement by Bo that could dissuade recruits for years. Many probably now believe Iowa isn't a good place for christians, aspiring Olympic champs, good people, etc solely because of his decommitment statement. Uncle Chael did go over the top but that's his shtick. He's not totally wrong imo tho. 

[BAC]

Just now, VakAttack said:

Well Chael, as is his wont, went over the top.  But you are really underselling Bo's statement.  He said it's not a good place for him as a wrestler, a PERSON, or a Christian.  I mean, really, you're running the Ricky Bobby "But I said with all due respect" defense.

Not a good place?  Where did he say Iowa is "not a good place"?

I must have missed that.  Can you quote that for me?  All I saw was him saying it wasn't a good fit, which of course is entirely different since it isn't a qualitative judgment as "not a good place" is.  If he said Iowa isn't a good place, then I'll agree he badmouthed them.

I also missed where he said it wasn't a good place for him "as . . . a Christian".   I'd agree it was harsh if he said Iowa isn't a good place for Christians.  But all I saw is him saying it wasn't a good fit for his own faith journey, which is of course personal to Bo.

The fact that Bo doesn't think Iowa is a good fit in more ways than one doesn't mean he's taking shots at Iowa.  It just means there's a lack of fit on multiple levels.  None of it judges Iowa in any way.  No more than he previously found (implicitly) that every other program besides Iowa wasn't the right fit, since Iowa was.

Come on Vak.  If you find it necessary to twist the words of an 18 year old kid to make the case that he's badmouthing Iowa, then that should tell you his actual words don't get you there.  Maybe that should be the point where you pause to say, hmmm, maybe this is just grapes at the kid's expense.

You want to complain about his pop, I'll give you some sympathy, but you can't possibly think that Bo himself is out there taking shots at Iowa.  

[BAC]

6 minutes ago, pokemonster said:

Agreed. That's a pretty damning statement by Bo that could dissuade recruits for years. Many probably now believe Iowa isn't a good place for christians, aspiring Olympic champs, good people, etc solely because of his decommitment statement. Uncle Chael did go over the top but that's his shtick. He's not totally wrong imo tho. 

Why stop there?  Since Iowa fans ALREADY think Bo's "not the right fit" explanation was "nasty," a "shot" against the Hawks, and "an unethical attack" against the most ethical program since the beginning of time, let's hope Bo now feels liberated to say EXACTLY why, in detail, Iowa not the right fit for what he wants in wrestling, what he wants as a person, and how they are not compatible with his faith journey. 

Details, Bo, details!  They already think you're a liar and a traitor, so no reason to hold back now, right?  Your 200K followers want to know!  Explain in detail to all the up-and-coming recruits who idolize you, and don't leave out a single description of how Iowa fell short of your expectations. 

They burned the bridge, so what do you have to lose?

[flyingcement]

1 hour ago, Caveira said:

Soooo.  I’m supposed to understand Iowa will pay millions for athletes via some elaborate poaching scheme but they won’t buy a few plane tickets (for the best recruit ever) or get one of the Iowa wrestlers to house one of them or simply rent an apartment in Iowa city for a few k a month.    
 

got it.  Ok.  

I don't know the realities of the situation but surely it is not hard to understand that someone could be generous with their money while simultaneously being legally cautious 

[Husker_Du]

On 6/22/2025 at 10:47 PM, bnwtwg said:

Sokobuw

Kozak

Reattack

Vecchiomania

Salty Walk-On

Swayz

WBP

Pelikanhead

Tsabolov Brands

Rhino because his facts run counter to xitter philosophy 

 

this explains so much about you

[jackwebster]

11 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

I think Cardinale's knee was injured the next year.

Pretty sure he was injured both years. He just didn't make a public statement that "I'm injured, but excuses are for wusses." Instead, he kept quiet and wrestled on one leg . . . twice.

Edited 13 hours ago by jackwebster

[scourge165]

7 hours ago, VakAttack said:

Uncle Chael weighs in. 

 

 

He really sounds like a clown. 

Look, every program has black eyes. 
 

I think Minnesota is an exceptionally well run program and clean. They had their legendary, Championship Coach run out for covering up drug dealing.

So calling Iowa(he says us) the most ethical program all-time...it's silly.

He also acts like Bassett said Iowa is a 2nd tier program and they don't know how to win given how he claimed Bo attacked them on the way out...

[1032004]

6 hours ago, Caveira said:

Soooo.  I’m supposed to understand Iowa will pay millions for athletes via some elaborate poaching scheme but they won’t buy a few plane tickets (for the best recruit ever) or get one of the Iowa wrestlers to house one of them or simply rent an apartment in Iowa city for a few k a month.    
 

got it.  Ok.  

I don’t think it’s an elaborate scheme.

Bob calls them up and pays them a lot of money.  The end.

Not sure if true but I read that “just getting an apartment” doesn’t fulfill the RTC 250 mile requirement.

But to that point, my guess is the bigger issue was more about Brands apparently saying he can’t practice with the RTC whenever he wants, not the cost of travel to get there.

[scourge165]

20 hours ago, NotThatDave said:

The spit-sucking and mouth-breathing makes it unlistenable.

Yeah...that's why watching it at 1.55X is better... but it also sounds like a fat guy eating ribs...

It's a tradeoff. 

Also, do they start talking Wrestling less than 13 minutes into this one? Baasch seems to try and steer it on track but...it somehow veers back off-track.

[1032004]

4 hours ago, BAC said:

Why stop there?  Since Iowa fans ALREADY think Bo's "not the right fit" explanation was "nasty," a "shot" against the Hawks, and "an unethical attack" against the most ethical program since the beginning of time, let's hope Bo now feels liberated to say EXACTLY why, in detail, Iowa not the right fit for what he wants in wrestling, what he wants as a person, and how they are not compatible with his faith journey. 

Details, Bo, details!  They already think you're a liar and a traitor, so no reason to hold back now, right?  Your 200K followers want to know!  Explain in detail to all the up-and-coming recruits who idolize you, and don't leave out a single description of how Iowa fell short of your expectations. 

They burned the bridge, so what do you have to lose?

To be fair, many PSU fans were bashing him after he signed with Iowa.

I hope Jagger is working on some good Kyle Snyder jokes if God tells Bo that Penn State is the right fit for his faith journey.

[scourge165]

16 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

Two points

1) Scrambling - If you want to argue that Spencer wasn't innovative or didn't funk in this department then maybe you can make an argument. But, he was a fantastic scrambler.  Great hip awareness and was phenomenal at keeping his head up.

2) Takedowns - Spencer, when not gassed, is a phenomenal takedown artist.  He didn't need a go to takedown.  He had an array of attacks to take his opponent down.  He was also phenomenal at re-attacks.

Spencer was as complete as a wrestler as one can think of

I kinda agree. I didn't think he was a great scrambler. 

Even the first Ramos match that year, he was taken down, put on his back...then either put on his back again or taken down again, but I thought it was 8-0 or 8-1.

I didn't think he was great on his feet. He was more than good enough, but if you're saying "as complete as a wrestler as one can think of," then...I don't see it. 

He gave up TDs a few times that year on early scrambles. For a guy who was SO dominant... that seemed like a weakness. 

At LEAST relative to the rest of his Wrestling. 

[GimJustafan]

12 hours ago, BAC said:

Agree with all of this.  To your last point, I'm always skeptical when I hear about NIL dollars, but bear in mind that they're over a year away from seeing any of that income.  All those flights/hotels could quickly add up, and that's all on a high school teacher's salary.  I can see how it's a really big deal.  

dads a teacher 

moms a nurse

they are doing just fine 

and if money is tight well you make concessions / tired of people expecting others pick up the tab 

Edited 11 hours ago by GimJustafan

[HokieDave87]

1 hour ago, 1032004 said:

I don’t think it’s an elaborate scheme.

Bob calls them up and pays them a lot of money.  The end.

Not sure if true but I read that “just getting an apartment” doesn’t fulfill the RTC 250 mile requirement.

But to that point, my guess is the bigger issue was more about Brands apparently saying he can’t practice with the RTC whenever he wants, not the cost of travel to get there.

I've never seen any kid/program get penalized for the 250 mile rule and I've seen kids train across the country while still in HS. I'm assuming the last point is what happened.

[1032004]

6 minutes ago, HokieDave87 said:

I've never seen any kid/program get penalized for the 250 mile rule and I've seen kids train across the country while still in HS. I'm assuming the last point is what happened.

Who even would be responsible for enforcing the 250 mile thing?  USA Wrestling, not the NCAA, right?

Edited 11 hours ago by 1032004