Wrestleknownothing

I played around with a few ideas yesterday while trying to avoid watching my Chicago Bears. My definition of toughest tournament probably does not match what @Fadzaev2 is looking for, but that is because my data also doesn't match his definition. Instead I decided to go with what I can say given the data I have. To that end, I dug up some of the things I had done a while back and gave them a light refresh. When I was working on my definition of the eras in collegiate wrestling (some of you will recognize this from the old board) I settled on the idea of splitting the years into eras based on a combination of: 1.) how much of the team race emphasis was placed on individual first place points, 2.) the number of All-American places, and 3.) the number of weight classes. With that criteria I came up with this: The other idea I had a while back was that the many changes in scoring over the years/eras makes if very difficult to compare first place scores, or the level of dominance of the first place team, from one era to another without making some sort of adjustment. For example, probably the most dominant team of the first era, E.C. Gallagher's 1935 Oklahoma State squad, scored a modest 36 points on their way to the title, though that was double what the runner-up scored. Meanwhile, Dan Gable's 1997 Iowa squad lapped the field with 170 points (only" 49.8% more than the runner-up). Comparing those two scores straight up is meaningless given the scoring rule changes. In an attempt account for the scoring rule changes (i.e. normalize the data) I came up with the idea of converting the total team score by dividing it by the maximum total points a team could have scored using the scoring rules at that time. If all 10 (or 7, or 8, or 11) wrestlers won all of their matches by pinfall, that would lead to a maximum team score. (I also attempted to account for the variable bracket sizes in this metric, here things may get slippery, but it also typically contributes the least to the total). Dividing the actual team score by the maximum possible team score gives us the percentage of the maximum a team scored. Using that metric 1997 Iowa, at 56.7% of max total points, still outpaces 1935 Oklahoma State, at 47.4% of max total points. With this new metric one way to look at how "difficult" a bracket is would be to sort by the champs who won with the lowest % of max points. The result is not very satisfactory. The top 10 "toughest" years by this measure are mostly in the 1930's and 1950's, with none more recent than 1974. And while that may be accurate and true, it just does not pass the sniff test. As wrestling grew it had to have gotten "tougher" to win, whatever that means. So next I looked at all of the podium positions, rather than just the top of the heap. The idea here would be the opposite of above. High % of max points for second, third and fourth place teams would be an indication of toughness. But where do you draw the line and which place do you look at? There are no strictly correct choices, but perhaps some are better than others. I finally landed on the idea of looking at the spread across the podium. At first I just looked at the difference between the % of max points for fourth place versus first place (Top 4 Spread below). Fine, but still not really scratching my itch. I finally, settled on the standard deviation of these four measures (I know, I know, just four, but whadda ya gonna do?) Of course, this measure satisfies me the most because it has years years from each of the four eras I identified above. I mean, who doesn't love a little self-congratulatory, self-referential, ego-boosting confirmation of prior ideas? NOTE ON SCORING RECORD While Iowa's 1997 total of 170 points is recognized as the scoring record, I have my doubts. Based on % of max points it is only the sixth best total. I am not sure if it matters given that the five above it are also Dan Gable coached Iowa teams. The reason 1997 does not rank at the top of the % of max points is because in 1995 bonus points for a pinfall were increased from 1 to 2 points. This significantly impacts my max points estimate. The other bonus point categories also saw major overhauls. I have not rescored any of the top 5 years using 1997 bonus point rules. Perhaps someone would be interested in doing that. Hint. Hint.

My dad, my daughter, and my money all went to Villanova. I made Jay Wright laugh with that one. I can die a happy man.

He has a "do not contact" designation in the portal, so seems like he has already made up his mind where he is going. Iowa does seem logical. And an 80% transfer starting lineup would be wild. Even more wild is it still may not be enough to crack the podium. This post is brought to you by DraftKings.

It drives me crazy that it always seems to be for mediocre or worse basketball. The games on the B1G Network and the like are never marquee match ups. Those go to the bigger outlets. That said, I love basketball. V for Villanova, V for Victory.

Yes, the same advantage, but three times as much of it.

Ice cream does. I don't.

Frozen yogurt is a weak substitute for what they serve at the PSU Creamery. I went back three days in a row, and finished my wife's all three days, as well.

Any year they wrestled in the D1 tourney is included in the 130, even the years they also wrestled D2. The bar graph, too.

This is what I have. Across 10 tournaments, 14 total. Across 9 of the last 10 calendar years (i.e. excluding 2020), 12 total. I did it both ways because it was not clear what you mean by years. And for the trivia buffs in the crowd I have UNI with 130 total AA's (includes 1 in 2020).

Have I got a deal for you. I will enslave you, beat you, whip you until your back is in shreds, lynch you if you look at or talk to my woman or any woman I deem you should not look at or talk to, sell you to someone else who will do more of the same or maybe worse, house you in a hovel, feed you poorly, and take your woman for my pleasure. But you will learn skills that will aide in your ability to obtain a livelihood. Deal?

I just don't want to make the same mistake as Brother Hezekiah

Better yet, a game-worn dodgeball. Maybe with Bo Nickal's or Cael's face smudge on it.

It is about time PSU caught a break on the recruiting trail. Over on the International board there is a discussion of training partners for the upcoming World Championships. It struck me how many PSU wrestlers are making the trip as training partners. Beau Bartlett, Shane Van Ness, and Alex Facundo each get an all-expenses paid vacation to Serbia while still undergrads due to their affiliation with PSU/NLWC. That has to be a huge recruiting advantage on top of their already significant advantages. The other undergrads I see on the list are Cael Valencia and Lucas Davison. High schooler Luke Lilledahl is also on the plane, but I do not see that as having anything to do with PSU in spite of his announced commitment.

Question for @Husker_Du, @GreatWhiteNorth and any others with dairy farm backgrounds. I buy half gallons of milk from a local dairy, Oberweis, in old school glass bottles. It is very expensive, but it is by far the best tasting milk. I can not go back to that crap in the plastic jugs that takes on the taste of the plastic. My problem is that it goes bad very fast. It sometimes only lasts 5-7 days before it starts getting chunky. My daughter gets Fair Life and claims it tastes good and lasts longer. Is there something that Fair Life does different than a local dairy?

Cooling heels in an airport waiting out the inevitable Friday evening delays. A welcome distraction.

You're welcome?

Sorry, gentlemen, but I am travelling unexpectedly without my laptop this week. If I can get something done Mon or Tues I will, but after that I will be gone for a week learning all there is to know about Nikola Tesla's resting place.

Do you have a link to that?

Is there a definitive list of practice partners? I have looked, but have been unable to find it.

It is pronounced wrestle known o'thing. I am half Irish on my father in law's side.

I can't (not cannot) decide which I enjoyed more. That if you remove the paranthetical "correction" that was un-needed (because as I will explain in this un-needed paranthetical, my original post said it is, not it's) you say it is pinfelled, or that you googled pinfelled. Thank you for brightening what had been a bad few days.

If you are going to be the grammar police, then allow me to correct you. It is pinfelled.

There is a chink in the armor. Progress.

Oh, believe me, my pinfall radar detected that one.

I think we all lost tonight