scourge165

LOL...as enjoyable as I'd find a Cael-Askren feud, I don't see Cael responding. Maybe a Starocci or someone speaking for Cael, but that staff is too "turn the other cheek" for something good like that.

Yes. No, seriously though, he already basically said he was kidding...kinda. In the sense that Cael has some grand scheme. Bernie Truax wanted to go to PSU. He was offered more elsewhere. He WANTED to go to PSU. Messenbrink said he didn't care about the money, he wanted to go to the place that would give him the best chance to reach his goals. He's gonna be working out with Levi Haines, Mark Hall, Vincenzo Joseph(he still there)...Facundo who...remember like 6 months ago was arguably the best of the 3 Freshmen and was in the deepest, toughest weight? The kid could end up the 3rd stringer...and also one of the top 8 in the Country. I don't think we will see multiple juggernauts. Penn State is entering a new level right now. An era where they could look like the '83 Hawkeyes year after year. You just cannot compare the current Wrestling Landscape with Football from any era. Alabama was always being pushed. It's just a totally different sport. Even during 'Bama's run, they've had 2 undefeated seasons and each year they had games they VERY easily could have lost. In fact, I think they had to come from behind to be Auburn in his first NC run in the SEC Championship game and then nearly lost to Florida in their last. Penn State is absolutely LAPPING the competition and the best Wrestlers are picking PSU over other programs, other blue blood programs with more money to offer because they just simply want to train at and wrestle for the best. To compare it to Alabama, they'd have to have ~10 1st team AAs each year and then a couple of 2nd or 3rd teamers and dominate like dominate a whole helluva lot more than they have. Penn State is more akin to where UConn was when they were in one of their 100 game winning streaks or the UCLA Bruins in the 60s and 70s. They might as well get Vito and Nagao to transfer in while they're at it and have Vito go back down to '25. See if they can just sweep the NCAAs(again, I'm being hyperbolic here, but they have 8 legitimate Title Contenders as it stands, several '25 pounders who will come in and compete with Robbie Howard who finally got his shoulder fixed and even if Nagao ends up elsewhere, they're so loaded, it'll be a matter of winning the NCAAs by 70 or 90 points. This is the deepest, most talented team I've seen and they've got so much more talent coming through. Just imagine if Hopke ends up there. Not good for the sport, but it's going to be very interesting to watch and there's not much to do at this point than sit back and appreciate/respect what they've built.

And then the Mirasolas and Ryder...though they have some time. It also may extend down to '25 with Lilledahl, Gibson(likely followed by is brother, the cousins, so 5 total). Penn State is going to lose AAs like Beard because they just can't crack the lineup in the near future.

Not at all. It's just one particular member of that forum who will even take genuinely GOOD recruits and trash them. The ONLY way Bono should keep his job is if he gets Davino, Hopke and Ferrari from that '24 class. He's said other stupid things as well. Someone posted the new facilities at OSU(which are incredible) and he said athletes don't care about that, nobody goes to Iowa to Wrestle at CHA...which is insane to me. That place is incredible and seems like it'd be most kids dreams if they grew up Iowa fans. But no, we're on the same page. BadgerOne used to Wrestle for the Badgers, doesn't now and is less than sincere.

I'm not sure if this is tongue in cheek or not, but...it's not that crazy to think. If...hypothetically, he goes 157 next year, I think he's the favorite. 165 and he's certainly not. What a tough call PSU will have to make...does your True Fresh who took 2nd go 157, does the incoming RS Freshmen who beat said True Freshmen(albeit before College) go 157, does one move up and knock off one of the top recruits in their class who was SUCH a massive bust he "only" won 1 match at the NCAAs?

Sealy should be planning a Grey Shirt and then a RS, but...Jesus...Van Ness BETTER make sure he keeps his weight down! And Kasak for that matter...

He's gotta be Minnesota or PSU. He's the type of guy you go out and try and recruit a guy like Lowney, pay him to work at the RTC(doesn't have to be Lowney, but someone). Right now...if I'm Koy Hopke, even if I grew up a UW fan, I'm not going there. If my Goal above all else is to be a Olympic Champ(and his Goals should be similar to Spencer Lee's IMO, 4X NCAA, WC and OLY Champ as many time as possible...it's clear where his chances are best of making that happen. The NLWC... It's at a point right now where it's just building upon itself. They're adding numerous kids who've won World Titles are various age groups, and they've got a LOT of guys who could work with Hopke. From even Dake/Taylor to Snyder and Cassar still trains there, doesn't he?

Guessing it was "BadgerOne," right? He's a former Badger who pretends he's really inveted in the team and is actually currently at Cal Poly at the moment. He's shit on the Miquel Estrada signing, a 2X State Champ from Cali(not State Title the year before). Won it in a weight with 4 Nationally ranked guys(including both the #1 and #2 ranked Wrestlers at one point until they moved up to 152). Little Parco who was ranked 3rd...Estrada has gone through two seasons in California with one more left, undefeated. He doesn't wrestle a lot of National Tourney's, but he did win Folk Nats. But that wasn't a good signing either. So there are some people on there who are never pleased. Liegel is an AWESOME kid and I'm excited to see how he does fulfilling his dream of Wrestling for the Badgers. Is it as good for a fan as Hopke? Of course not, but it's still cool. Also, these are still kids, so I hate when people go on a forum and shit on a very highly respected family in the State by diminishing his addition. Bono does this for everyone. When you quoted someone I'd not heard of, and said "the best news," I wondered if that was someone in the know that had inside info. But what exactly should Bono say? GREAT day to be a Badger=Top 10-15 recruit(again, not Miguel Estrada) REALLY good day to be a Badger-Someone like Rivera Pretty good day to be a Badger=Julian George 'Well, it's a guy, don't get your hopes up'-day to be a Badger?

Never heard Askren say that, but that'd be shocking if he's actually planning on going 197, but that'd be a strange plan for a guy with his build. And McIntosh was just quite a bit bigger than Sinclair. I guess he could decide to just never cut weight, but he's got the frame of a '74(honestly, at this point, he'd be a pretty normal size '65 pounder). But obviously he'll continue to add weight. We'll see where he is in 2 years(or maybe just one year) but 197? Maybe try that for a RS season and then see how it goes. I'd be willing to bet he won't be able to hold 197 a couple weeks into College practices without trying to cut weight...but we'll see how it goes.

Yeah, that was the first video I'd seen on it since I'd known it was proposed and they were just kinda explaining what the rules WILL be. And they didn't even tough on the pushout. I wonder if they have some idea which way it'll go or if it was just poor reporting or a poor job articulating their point.

Agreed. I just think he's been Wrestling without cutting...really any weight because he just hasn't had to. He's SO slick, but at the next level..just thinking about him Wrestling a guy like Elam or Trumble, that'd be tough. Or more realistically, someone like Sasso. I'd put him at 174 if he was starting at Missouri this year, but given that he's got 2 years(Edit-if he takes a RS), he could easily continue to fill out and hit '84 and have a Max Dean type build. Whichever weight he's at...he's going to be in the mix early on for a title...IMO.

I'd assume Angelo before Hopke at this point. I think Messenbrink or Griffith are LONG shots and not sure Nagao would go from Minnesota to Wisconsin. The best news for Wisconsin WOULD be Hopke though. So if it's really the "best news ever," in terms of recruiting, it'd be Hopke. I'd just be surprised if he made his decision before he took his other visits.

Oh...ok. You couldn't be more wrong. I don't like that you have to kiss Askren's ass or that he's had a feud with UW since his recruitment. That's ABSOLUTELY NOT my issue with Askren. But AGAIN...this is shit I'm not going to hash out or go into personal detail on an internet forum. That apparently isn't good enough for you and you're pushing for some debate over Askren vs Bono...and I'm not going to engage. But you can keep tell me how naïve I am.

Maybe he's an '84, but he's been able to bump up to '95 and 220 because he's just that much better than everyone. He's ~5'8. He's definitely thick...big legs, core, but I don't think '74 would be that big of a cut. He's around ~190 walking around(or was just last summer). He's got a much smaller frame than Keckeisen for example.

By saying I don't want to hash it out here in this thread? Doesn't seem like there's a whole lot I can do about that then. I don't think it does literally ANY good to go back why I think what about who or vice versa.

I never "thought" you were ignorant about the topic, nor did I say you were. I simply said I didn't think it was something we needed to hash out on a public board and that they both have big egos. Now...which part of that is naïve or are you taking exception to?

Well, the Becker's are genuinely great people and I think Nick would get the most out of his Wrestlers(not that Bono does or doesn't). One issue is that Craig might not want to leave his position(I think he's a director of facilities at Parkside...which was a way to keep him engaged in the program). So are you going to have two Beckers on staff? Will Craig take a paycut to be the #3? And who can you get to be your #2? Reader would likely be loyal to Bono(assuming he could snag another job). I'd go after Branvold hard, but what are you offering that UofM isn't? Andrew Howe would be a great guy to have in the room, but you need a big guy. Gross may stick around, but again, he's loyal to Bono, just not sure But just hypothetically, Guys they've lost out on who've yet to Wrestle a College match. Fill in Rivera at '25/'33(I have no clue what he'll do, but he is as talented as any of these Wrestlers...sans Hopke at his best), Estrada or Root at '49. Rowley, Cordon and others would likely be depth. '41 Clark '49 '57 Messenbrink '65 Millard/Scoles '74 Sinclair/Wyatt Duchateau '84 Mirasola/Whiting '97 Mirasola HWT Hopke That's a team that would win a trophy...in a couple years with Nick Becker and then...I'd guess the real question is how big of an aberration is '24? Again, Wollbert was great, but is there enough talent following them? It SEEMS like there is with guys like Wyatt Ingram or whoever it may be, but that should be a consideration as we've made some nice inroads out West and I'm not sure Becker is going to hit the road recruiting at a high level across the Country. The State could REALLY get behind that program as it's just easier with in-state products...look at Penn State fans and Spencer Lee...some give a little shit, but most still take pride in one of PAs have success...even if they want to kick the shit out of Iowa. I WISH we just had two adults who were capable of coming together and working their shit out, but as that doesn't appear as though it's gonna happen... We should also keep in mind, Askren is still a Mizzou alum. He still has a VERY good relationship with Smith(understandably so, he is a helluva coach who believed in him, 5X finalist, 3X Champ between he and his brother(obviously 2 were his own). So you're not just getting every Wisconsin kid. But you'd at least be in consideration(and yes, I know these kids all have their own minds, but we ALL know how you look up to a guy you've been working with for 7-8 years, who coaches you to Fargo NCs or World Titles if you're good enough...and that influence holds a LOT of sway).

I'm not getting into that. I'll just say they're both Men with VERY large ego's and...leave it there. It's not something that needs to be hashed out MORE on a public board.

No...I actually meant to say, "it's been established why they're not going to Wisconsin," but... Absolutely not. You could hire Nick Becker. He's a exceptional coach and he's already got the Askren stamp of approval, but...how much do you go out of your way to placate ONE person? I don't know the answer to that.

Brandvold should have been, but still...his return on Prep Wrestlers from Wisconsin was awful. There are numerous more examples. A few guys he should or could have gone after like Yan White or Ryan Allen who would have likely have a lot of success, but were late bloomers. NOW...well, Wisconsin has the talent, but....well, that's already been established.

I think Ramos had a good game plan and was able to keep it close and took his shot. But I think more than structural damage to his knees, the rehab limited his ability to actually Wrestle and get his gas tank back to where it needed to be. He's had a tank like a Ford Super Duty(love seeing 48 gallons just...slowly draining my bank account and will to live)...and instead it was like a Vespa(I assume they don't take much gas). I think once he gets the later fixed, we'll see him at his best. IF that's good enough or not...I don't know. Doubt he'll be there given the limited mat time since the NCAAs. Or, maybe he needs another cleanup. Lots of scar tissue accumulates after 3 tears, so...I'm just guessing. And I'm hoping I'm right as it'd mean he's at least healthy, even if not at 100%.

I think it was because he got burned so many times. Wisconsin wrestlers did NOT do well at Wisconsin for a very long time. The guys that were ranked highly Nationally...struggled. I just don't think he thought there was a whole lot of in-state talent...and there wasn't. There's more now, but I'm trying to think, who other than Henning since Jetton has been in the finals? When was the last Wisconsin NC? Guys like Swick, Lewis, the Crass brothers...Beau Breske(who came after going to Neb). Lowney and Konrad were always going to Minnesota(Konrad especially after Lowney did). Tim Hartung was a guy who had to beg Minnesota just to walk on. He sent them letters and clippings all year and they were recruiting a kid from Iowa...until they saw him go out to Sr Nats and Hartung put one on the other kid they were recruiting. Barry gave a lot of those guys full scholarships. Others he offered, but there were academic issues...not dumb kids or terrible grades, but guys they just couldn't get in through admissions. Sucks, but what it is.

I don't know that he's rebuild the muscle that comes with the atrophy of TWO ACL surgeries, so in that sense, maybe they're not. But they should be structurally sound by now if he had two reconstructive surgeries. But, maybe not.

Nope. I do remember how I thought he should have won a 3rd title, but...he didn't. How about Dustin Schlatter? He seemed like an offensive juggernaut...majoring Espo, attacking. And then he seemed to shut it down the next 3 years.

Yup...it's funny, but the best teams I was on were the teams when we all actually got along. I played two sports that are effectively individual sports. Wrestling and Baseball(also FB, but that's obviously a team sport). Baseball is a series of individual matchups...and that's really it. Wrestling is literally just you vs another guy. You CAN have success without liking each other, but it's so much easier when you feel relaxed, like your team has your back, like you're...well, part of a team. Nebraska and Manning has that going for them now and I think they'll contend for a team trophy again. Just to play Devils advocate, I know people who have that really dry sense of humor. I have one and it's gotten me in trouble over stupid shit. My sister asking how her kid was doing and me saying, "I don't know, she was out by the pool last I checked." She couldn't walk. That didn't go over well. HER Mistake was not realizing that I wasn't a total moron and WAS a total asshole and of course I wouldn't do that. Mine was...trying to make some silly, harmless little joke(another example). I know a Wrestling Coach who's said he wanted one of his guys to say something similar. BUT, this did seem like a very genuine, sincere interaction.