Nak21

You’re welcome! Take the learnings to heart, they’ll help you! And yes I only do teachings from 2010 on, After Cael (AC) - BCE (Before Cael) 19dickety-two era discussions take place on other boards…

Well this is big news in Columbus! TanTom has already had the “December 2025 Flo Rankings National Champs” banner made…print shop guys are working overtime after that “National Dual Meet Champions” one he had made a few wks ago. Shame they don’t have any home football games left…this feels like a mid 2nd quarter TV time out AND half time team applause moment… In all seriousness…it’s Dec, this is meaningless, as @Pinnacle said, Blaze and Duke aren’t where they’re gonna be and Barr will be back. And they don’t include bonus which historically for PSU is like adding an 11th guy who comes in 3rd. But have your fun, shocked this wasn’t a Jimmy post. Should we do a welfare check?? I’m concerned…

Solid reasons for why NJ St (Rutgers) isn’t better BUT… I still think they should be better (football too). Just too much talent in NJ. And Ohio State. Too much talent in Ohio. And PSU. It shouldn’t have taken 50+ yrs and Cael to win some titles. Too much talent in PA. Sports are fun! And weird sometimes…

Great post! Truckload of talent will be battling for podium spots next season. All that said, PSU brings back everyone except Levi and likely slots in Ono. The weight class battles for AA should be great but I still think it’s PSU hands down for 1 more year before it starts to get competitive again.

Not surprised to see 133 and 184 lead the way. 133 is a meat grinder, ~12 guys battling for 8 podium spots and 1 title. 184 solid 4-6 who could win it come March. I don’t see 157 being as deep as others, I see PJ as a clear favorite at this point. Okie St’s frosh is in the mix but I believe PJ has handled him fairly easy several time. Shapiro comes back in Jan, but again, it was freestyle but PJs won there too. Not sure who else that isn’t sitting in RS in PSUs room that I think could win it. I thought for #3 285 looked like another situation like 184 where you’ve got a handle of guys at the top and who knows who will take in March. Most other weights seem to have clear cut favorites.

I thought Cassar was in the 240 range too, so another 10-15lbs more than Mirasola. I think Ant the Champ was a little longer, maybe slightly bigger frame and more athletic too. Small heavies have and can win, but when they match up against bigger AND good, there needs to be a game plan to avoid straight on shots and getting crushed.

We shall see. Not a sexy hire, but hopefully a solid one. Regardless of who the coach was gonna be, hope they’re opening up the check books…with transfers and a lost recruiting class, they’re gonna need maybe upwards of 60 guys out of the portal. And high end ones if they plan to compete and not be in a 2-3 yr rebuild. Time to make it rain bags of cash!!

That’s a thing of beauty! Amazing photo, amazing move. That was in a match!! Not practice, hey let’s pull out the big throwing mat and all hold still while we toss each other! Just amazing!

Roster management and maximizing eligibility is apparently difficult to understand on Twitter and for the OP… Kasak has a RS available. Duke is not long for 157. Duke this year, Kasak RS. Next year Kasak 157, Duke RS. Year 3, MM graduates, Kasak 157, Duke 165. Smh… Davis has a RS, also may be getting some tough love after losing a 100yd dash to State College’s finest. Barr has been injured, Mirasola wrestling great in his spot, when healthy they’ll have a go and best man gets the spot. That’s wrestling for as long as I’ve known it. Cassar way way back, your guess is as good as mine. The company line was Shakur gave better chance for bonus at NCAAs. Nagao is the starter. He’s hurt. The time he missed prior he was hurt and had surgery. He may be back soon, and he’ll likely end up in the spot, unless Nasdeo beats him in a wrestle off. It’s wrestling, most coaches at any level don’t anoint guys, you have to earn it. Ono is making a big transition. Culture, language, wrestling style. And there’s still an eligibility debate with the NCAA ongoing as to whether he gets 1yr or 2. He’ll be in the lineup soon enough. Nevills. What can I say, that whole family gave PSU everything they had, but it’s sports. Athletes jobs are to earn their way onto the field, coaches jobs are to recruit the guys who can beat them out. It happens. Semi rarely at PSU, but it happens. Any other things you don’t understand and I can help you with? Any other topics you’d like to blow out of proportion??

I like it! Good plan!

I’m thinking around 6’ give or take. Taller would sure help provide a frame to add a little more beef. Don’t think he has another growth spurt in him. He’s gotta use his quickness and get angles, and finish his attacks. I don’t think he likely has anymore BIG heavyweights left on the schedule, but what happened with Taylor was a concern of mine given his size. I remember watching Kerry McCoy lose at NCAAs going straight at a bigger guy and getting smushed, couldn’t finish. Sure wish we could stretch Mirasola 2 more inches and throw 20lbs more on him. Maybe Cael can strap weights to his feet and hang him from a closet rod???

I’m pretty sure this board didn’t exist during some of those coaches tenures, or the internet for that matter. PSU has always had a strong following. All of PA wrestling has, HS on up thru all the PSAC schools (Lockhaven, Bloomsburg, etc). We’ve just never had a team like this to support, it was always mostly individuals. I remember Rec Hall being packed 40 yrs ago, just differing results due to a vastly different product on the mat. A question? During the Gable years would the Iowa fans have been on the boards complaining that Iowa was ruining the sport winning so much?? When did the Iowa bandwagon start? I’m sure you hayseeds were packing the place before you started “winning” titles…

PSU looked good. Another opponent with guys out. All you can do is wrestle the guy in front of you. 125 and 133 looked good. Backups, but again, not their fault. Seymour was “super sick”. Rumors floating around Crookham is out for the year again (torn labrum) and there’s drama between the staff and his dad, and he may not wrestle for Lehigh again. Seems tailor made for Iowa, they’ll need a 133 next year and he’s already hurt before even getting into the room!! 141 Nasdeo is scrappy, another backup? isn’t that where Stanich would be? 149 a little sloppy, left a team point on the table. 157. Just brutal. 0-0 early but once PJ started scoring that was it. Hope the kids ok, PJ so far seems able to play take ‘em down and let em up AND rip your arm off and club you with it. 165. Little sloppy as well. But just a pace and volume of attacks that just overwhelms guys. 174. Levi and his bow and arrow. Yikes. I feel bad for his opponents. 184 got to his attacks a few times, couldn’t finish. That’ll need to get figured out to get thru the gauntlet that’s the top of 184. 197 amazing depth. Still no Barr, didn’t matter, Mirasola the Lighter, started slow but ended with the W. 285 Mirasola the Heavier is just not heavy enough. He weighed in at 227 (226 was mentioned too), Taylor at 274. It’s hard to give up 50lbs to a guy who’s good and expect to win. He got to the legs several times but just couldn’t finish. Taylor is a big man. And he got trapped underneath said big man and gave up a TD or 2. The streak continues. On to Wyoming!

So what is/was it? Revenue, gender equity participation numbers or Iowa was winning too much that killed wrestling??

I disagree entirely. I recall way way back Iowa got all the good kids, won 9 titles in a row, 15 in 21 yrs, sport continued unabated, got more TV coverage, more money, bigger crowds. Football, basketball, Major League Baseball, the Olympics, lather rinse repeat. It’s bad for the sport because it’s not your team. Fans gonna fan.

Yep! Love it! That makes 4 Top 10 2027 recruits so far.

Will Shapiro have to play Ivy League eligibility games again next season and sit out the fall semester? Will Ruiz have to start that dance?

What is “Iowa Style”? Would it be more appropriate to refer to it as “Gable Style”?? Because lately Iowa Style is 9 guys combining for 3 TDs and 7 stall calls (against). Gable Style hasn’t existed for 30 years… When wrestling was invented in 2010, attacking, aggressive, scoring wrestling has been known as Penn State Style. Iowa Style is pushing, shoving, hanging out on the edge, not scoring, while 2 midgets jump around and lead a few thousand fans in cheers of “he’s stalling!”…have we ever established which wrestler they were referring too? Could this be a moment of self reflection and a critique of their wrestler out there…kudos for calling it how they see it. Ancient arguments from the pre-Cael era (commonly referred to as BCE - Before Cael Era) are best left for history and archeology message boards… I kid…kinda…

How about Waynesburg, PA. Bunch of wrestling Dads are looking to relocate now. Good odds Jr ends up on a roster.

I think that’s just what most people do, associate the small place they’re from with the nearest big city, thinking that will help the person they’re talking to know where it is. I remember a new girl at work saying she was from Philly, I inquired where, she said the town, small, hadn’t heard of it, looked it up, it’s by Allentown. Allentown to Philly is 60+ miles and an easy 1-1.5hrs car ride depending on traffic and where exactly you’re trying to get too.

Sports today… I can’t tell what’s what anymore. Football? What’s a catch? Seems to be what used to be, isn’t and what wasn’t, is. Bizarro world. Wrestling is no different. What I think is a TD or a Rev never seems to be, or at least not yet. i think once he locks his hands on top, he’s sitting out to the side, weight on him, bottom guy can’t move (much) there’s no longer control, award the reversal and start swipes for back. BUT I’m probably wrong and the rule book says not until the grip on the cradle breaks. Glad I’m not a ref.

I like where your head is at. Probably would sell more tickets. Don’t think you’d get ESPN or Flo to stream it, but maybe Cinemax could work it into their Friday night lineup, after 11p…

The Brands aren’t going anywhere anytime soon unless it’s of their own volition. They have a contract extension until 2028-29…and it’s wrestling…we love it, for the AD it’s not on the radar unless there’s a problem that lands it on the radar. And they’ve been successful. They won a title, one of only 2 titles not won by Cael. And they’re in the mix yearly…top 2-5 team. Who would replace them? If you’ve got someone waiting in the wings who would excite HS kids to think about Iowa and wrestling there again, and would bring energy and a new style…hell, get slumlord millionaire on the phone and make it happen, buy the Brands out and throw a bunch of money at the program and a new coach. Those single moms don’t need those security deposits back. In the meantime get used to what you saw Sunday. Cuz it’ll probably happen a few times yearly against the better teams. A style that just doesn’t really work anymore or atleast with any regularity. 9 guys…combined for 3 take downs for and 7 stall calls against…yikes.

He’s been injured/recovering from surgery, so I’m not grading him at this point in the season yet. BUT overall, career to date, it does feel like he needs to make a decision and pick a lane. Trying to do both D1, in the Big Ten, doesn’t seem to be working out. I don’t claim to follow Iowa’s 2-deep but I don’t recall him getting much PT from Ferentz. Kid loved both in HS and he excelled at both…in HS. This is college. It might be time to make a grown up decision and focus efforts on one sport…

Does Cornell get their 1st semester hold out kids back? Thought I read they could be back later in the month for something. Is CKLV too soon? And they’re not back yet…if they were they’d likely make some noise as a team.