ADVERTISEMENT

After watching yesterday's action, there's possibility that PSU could have as many as 7 finalists this year.

Why just 7?

Actually meant at least 5 above (fixed it), but saying 7 could happen without crazy outcomes. Haines, Mesenbrink, Starrocci, Brooks and Kerk appear to be high probabilities for finals. Next would be BB and "Baby Face Nelson" (i.e., a cold killer with a Baby-Face). Kasak at 149 is the big mystery right now - clearly appears to have lots of upside relative to his current rank, but how much? Really hard to say until we see his toughest matches. AN and BT just don't look like finalists to me.
 
Last edited:
Actually meant at least 5 above (fixed it), but saying 7 could happen without crazy outcomes. Haines, Mesenbrink, Starrocci, Brooks and Kerk appear to be high probabilities for finals. Next would be BB and "Baby Face Nelson" (i.e., a cold killer with a Baby-Face). Kasak at 149 is the big mystery right now - clearly appears to have lots of upside relative to his current rank, but how much? Really hard to say until we see his toughest matches. AN and BT just don't look like finalists to me.
Don’t sleep on Nagao.
 
Don’t sleep on Nagao.

Just was not impressed with yesterday's match - he had Ragusin right where he wanted him time-after-time (including in SV), but he not only routinely gave up superior position and leverage... - he allowed Ragusin to instantly take superior position and leverage. Anyone who has wrestled knows that you have to "feel" your opponent's reaction to your gaining of superior position and leverage.... and "adjust" to their defensive reaction, maintain leverage and use their adjustment against them. In SV, AN probably gets the winning TD if he adjusted after he got in deep on the shot and began trying to lift Ragusin... - if he would have grabbed a half-nelson as he came up (and Ragusin was laying himself out laterally), he probably takes Ragusin to his back... would have gotten TD and match is over. Point is, he had no "feel" for how Ragusin was reacting or what he was trying to do.... and it wasn't the first time he looked completely lost in not adjusting to how Ragusin was reacting defensively and adjusting his own position and leverage.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bourbon n blues
Likely 9 finalist, 8 champs and a 3rd place from Truax

Weird, radically different than what I said (at least 5, as many as 7), but you're trying to act like my prediction comparable to your inanity.... Care to give us your prediction for squawkeye finalists? LMAO, at how pathetic you iowa turds are.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bourbon n blues
Really believe that Nagao and Bernie are being “re- sculptured” in their wrestling and that’s why they’ve been uninspiring. You come to Penn State and we will strip you down and rebuild you. Trust the coaches and trust the process. We’ll see by tournament time. Nagao also had a tweaked knee which hampered his “process”. It a confidence thing. Nagao is top 5 at 133. Same will Bernie at 184. Plus it’s the first time they’ve gone through the January “crunch” that is PSU conditioning. It’s all about March.
 
Really believe that Nagao and Bernie are being “re- sculptured” in their wrestling and that’s why they’ve been uninspiring. You come to Penn State and we will strip you down and rebuild you. Trust the coaches and trust the process. We’ll see by tournament time. Nagao also had a tweaked knee which hampered his “process”. It a confidence thing. Nagao is top 5 at 133. Same will Bernie at 184. Plus it’s the first time they’ve gone through the January “crunch” that is PSU conditioning. It’s all about March.
so are Davis Kasak and MM.So whats your point?
 
Really believe that Nagao and Bernie are being “re- sculptured” in their wrestling and that’s why they’ve been uninspiring. You come to Penn State and we will strip you down and rebuild you. Trust the coaches and trust the process. We’ll see by tournament time. Nagao also had a tweaked knee which hampered his “process”. It a confidence thing. Nagao is top 5 at 133. Same will Bernie at 184. Plus it’s the first time they’ve gone through the January “crunch” that is PSU conditioning. It’s all about March.
I thought the staff is so good at working with what the guys are good at and not forcing them into a style they are not familiar with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ski
Just was not impressed with yesterday's match - he had Ragusin right where he wanted him time-after-time (including in SV), but he not only routinely gave up superior position and leverage... - he allowed Ragusin to instantly take superior position and leverage. Anyone who has wrestled knows that you have to "feel" your opponent's reaction to your gaining of superior position and leverage.... and "adjust" to their defensive reaction, maintain leverage and use their adjustment against them. In SV, AN probably gets the winning TD if he adjusted after he got in deep on the shot and began trying to lift Ragusin... - if he would have grabbed a half-nelson as he came up (and Ragusin was laying himself out laterally), he probably takes Ragusin to his back... would have gotten TD and match is over. Point is, he had no "feel" for how Ragusin was reacting or what he was trying to do.... and it wasn't the first time he looked completely lost in not adjusting to how Ragusin was reacting defensively and adjusting his own position and leverage.

Here is a youtube post-match interview with Ragusin about the pin - Ragusin says the exact same thing I just said, he admits that in SV AN was in so deep on his legs that he couldn't even get his hips back, so instead, he allowed himself to be lifted (even helped) but shifted his center of gravity and body positioning to knock AN off balance... But the other big reason it worked that Ragusin doesn't go into, is that AN did not "feel" what Ragusin was doing and made no adjustments to what Ragusin was doing to maintain control.... Here's the link:

 
Guys I'd be truly surprised if they don't win it: C-Star, AB & Kerk
Guys I'd be shocked if they won it: Kasak (not yet)
Guys who have a realistic chance (in order of what I think their chance is): Haines, Bartlett, Messenbrink, Davis, Nagao, Truax

Gun to my head right now to guess their finish:
125 - Davis (5th)
133 - Nagao (3rd)
141 - Bartlett (2nd)
149 - Kasak (Blood Round)
157 - Haines (1st)
165 - Messenbrink (2nd)
174 - Starrocci (1st)
184 - Truax (5th)
197 - Brooks (1st)
285 - Kerkvliet (1st)

Those probably lean optimistic, but, I'm a PSU fan, and we usually do our best work at Nationals.
 
“It is not good for Penn State to be as dominating as they are. That will not grow the sport”

- Dan Gable
 
I’m guessing that was more of a spoof than a serious prediction, BUT if Penn State (or any other team) were to accomplish such a feat, I suspect it would be a record that would last as long as Cael’s 159-0 mark.
Yea.... especially trying to find another guy named Truax to take 3rd.
 
Guys I'd be truly surprised if they don't win it: C-Star, AB & Kerk
Guys I'd be shocked if they won it: Kasak (not yet)
Guys who have a realistic chance (in order of what I think their chance is): Haines, Bartlett, Messenbrink, Davis, Nagao, Truax

Gun to my head right now to guess their finish:
125 - Davis (5th)
133 - Nagao (3rd)
141 - Bartlett (2nd)
149 - Kasak (Blood Round)
157 - Haines (1st)
165 - Messenbrink (2nd)
174 - Starrocci (1st)
184 - Truax (5th)
197 - Brooks (1st)
285 - Kerkvliet (1st)

Those probably lean optimistic, but, I'm a PSU fan, and we usually do our best work at Nationals.
Take a photo of this. You will be very close. Truax and Davis higher. BB and Nagao maybe lower. MM is a problem
 
Guys I'd be truly surprised if they don't win it: C-Star, AB & Kerk
Guys I'd be shocked if they won it: Kasak (not yet)
Guys who have a realistic chance (in order of what I think their chance is): Haines, Bartlett, Messenbrink, Davis, Nagao, Truax

Gun to my head right now to guess their finish:
125 - Davis (5th)
133 - Nagao (3rd)
141 - Bartlett (2nd)
149 - Kasak (Blood Round)
157 - Haines (1st)
165 - Messenbrink (2nd)
174 - Starrocci (1st)
184 - Truax (5th)
197 - Brooks (1st)
285 - Kerkvliet (1st)

Those probably lean optimistic, but, I'm a PSU fan, and we usually do our best work at Nationals.
FWIW I count 147.5 points there before bonus. Of course, a few of those points depend on the path taken (championship or consolation bracket).
 
  • Like
Reactions: bourbon n blues
Guys I'd be truly surprised if they don't win it: C-Star, AB & Kerk
Guys I'd be shocked if they won it: Kasak (not yet)
Guys who have a realistic chance (in order of what I think their chance is): Haines, Bartlett, Messenbrink, Davis, Nagao, Truax

Gun to my head right now to guess their finish:
125 - Davis (5th)
133 - Nagao (3rd)
141 - Bartlett (2nd)
149 - Kasak (Blood Round)
157 - Haines (1st)
165 - Messenbrink (2nd)
174 - Starrocci (1st)
184 - Truax (5th)
197 - Brooks (1st)
285 - Kerkvliet (1st)

Those probably lean optimistic, but, I'm a PSU fan, and we usually do our best work at Nationals.

Pretty much what I said - at least 5 finalists, with as many as 7. Personally, I just don't see AN or BT making the finals. Agree with you that Kasak is a wildcard - he may still have significant upside, maybe not, it's hard to say after so few matches. Given that Cael has yet to burn his redshirt, he may not even our 149 at Nationals this year.
 
Last edited:
Pretty much what I said - at least 5 finalists, with as many as 7. Personally, I just don't see AN or BT making the finals. Agree with you that Kasak is a wildcard - he may still have significant upside, maybe not, it's hard to say after so few matches. Given that Cael has yet to burn his redshirt, he may not even our 157 at Nationals this year.
I think you are 100% correct considering Kasak wrestles at 149
 
I'm thinking 4 champs. 5 in the finals. 8 All Americans. Team title. SVN going down really hurt imo as it would have added another champion. This is one of the best teams ever, and only an injury to an absolute beast is going to keep it from being THE best team ever. Carter could come back next year and make the team next year even better than this year's team.
 
WE NEED EIGHT SCORING WRESTLERS TO WIN!!!! FULL COURT PRESS - BURN KASAK'S SHIRT!!!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ski
Guys I'd be truly surprised if they don't win it: C-Star, AB & Kerk
Guys I'd be shocked if they won it: Kasak (not yet)
Guys who have a realistic chance (in order of what I think their chance is): Haines, Bartlett, Messenbrink, Davis, Nagao, Truax

Gun to my head right now to guess their finish:
125 - Davis (5th)
133 - Nagao (3rd)
141 - Bartlett (2nd)
149 - Kasak (Blood Round)
157 - Haines (1st)
165 - Messenbrink (2nd)
174 - Starrocci (1st)
184 - Truax (5th)
197 - Brooks (1st)
285 - Kerkvliet (1st)

Those probably lean optimistic, but, I'm a PSU fan, and we usually do our best work at Nationals.
10 AA is a real possibility.. haven’t seen that since that Minnesota team.
 
Guys I'd be truly surprised if they don't win it: C-Star, AB & Kerk
Guys I'd be shocked if they won it: Kasak (not yet)
Guys who have a realistic chance (in order of what I think their chance is): Haines, Bartlett, Messenbrink, Davis, Nagao, Truax

Gun to my head right now to guess their finish:
125 - Davis (5th)
133 - Nagao (3rd)
141 - Bartlett (2nd)
149 - Kasak (Blood Round)
157 - Haines (1st)
165 - Messenbrink (2nd)
174 - Starrocci (1st)
184 - Truax (5th)
197 - Brooks (1st)
285 - Kerkvliet (1st)

Those probably lean optimistic, but, I'm a PSU fan, and we usually do our best work at Nationals.
Not optimistic. It’s realistic as I don’t see too many stretches there. You’ve got six finalists and all are legit. Enjoy the ride.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Callthestall
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT