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Coaching changes 2024

Excellent move by UPenn. Matt Valenti is a class act. He is also an outstanding technician and one of the best match tactitions in the sport. His approach and execution against his two outstanding opponants, Chris Fleger and Coleman Scott, in his NCAA finals matches, was impressive.
 
Interesting development. When Reina came back, it seemed to be a transitional move. Wonder what the implications are for Pearsall, Hall and Burroughs.
 
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I remember Jake Strayer beating Valenti at the Palestra back in 2005. Strayer's career never really developed the way I thought it would and Valenti wound up winning the title that season and the next.
 
Congratulations to Valenti! Excellent (and overdue) decision, and I look for to Penn step-up their recruiting prowess and re-establish the program as a legitimate challenger to Cornell for Ivy supremacy going forward. Making smart decisions with his staff will be crucial to getting wrestlers back on the podium. Far too few AAs in recent years.
 
Congratulations to Valenti! Excellent (and overdue) decision, and I look for to Penn step-up their recruiting prowess and re-establish the program as a legitimate challenger to Cornell for Ivy supremacy going forward. Making smart decisions with his staff will be crucial to getting wrestlers back on the podium. Far too few AAs in recent years.
I have a friend who is a doctor in Philly and a former Penn wrestler. He's still pretty involved with the program. I'll see what he has to say about it tonight after work.
 
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I believe Ben has pretty consistent over the last few years saying he is not at all interested in being a college coach (head coach, at least). Which made all the speculation that he was leaving FRL to take a job at Wisconsin that much more bizarre.

This would make more sense.
 
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I believe Ben has pretty consistent over the last few years saying he is not at all interested in being a college coach (head coach, at least). Which made all the speculation that he was leaving FRL to take a job at Wisconsin that much more bizarre.

This would make more sense.
Creating this sort of pipeline between AWA and Wisco would send shockwaves through everyone in the B1G *












* Except Penn State
 
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If true, I can't imagine Wisky hiring any guy to be coach who sends his brother to speak for him. Reminds me of Larry speaking for Spencer. At least Spencer was 22-ish. Max is like 35.
 
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"Max sent Ben" is quite presumptive.
You may be correct, and likely are, but it looks bad either way. Either Max sent Ben, or Ben stepped ahead of his brother and did it on his own. What does that say about Ben? What does that say about Ben's opinion of his brother to do such a thing. It makes Max look weak in either case.

Even if Ben's intent was to talk about Bono only, it still taints Max overall unless Ben was the one going for the job. Which he said he doesn't want.
 
You may be correct, and likely are, but it looks bad either way. Either Max sent Ben, or Ben stepped ahead of his brother and did it on his own. What does that say about Ben? What does that say about Ben's opinion of his brother to do such a thing. It makes Max look weak in either case.

Even if Ben's intent was to talk about Bono only, it still taints Max overall unless Ben was the one going for the job. Which he said he doesn't want.
I consulted my Conspiracy Theory Handbook and it is pretty obvious this is another Hawkeye play. Telford slipped Ben some money under the table to talk to Wisconsin in a manner that would insure that neither of them would be considered for the position. Hence, one less program for Iowa to worry about in their struggles to regain dominance in college wrestling.
 
You may be correct, and likely are, but it looks bad either way. Either Max sent Ben, or Ben stepped ahead of his brother and did it on his own. What does that say about Ben? What does that say about Ben's opinion of his brother to do such a thing. It makes Max look weak in either case.

Even if Ben's intent was to talk about Bono only, it still taints Max overall unless Ben was the one going for the job. Which he said he doesn't want.
I'd imagine that Wisconsin Athletics consults Ben periodically anyway, and it's the right time of year for that. IIRC Alvarez did.
 
I’ve seen allusions to Bono being in hot water for over a year. Mama Wick doesn’t seem to be a fan. Nothing concrete to add, but this wouldn’t surprise me. AWA did quite well at NCAAs, better than M2, even. John Mesenbrink might also be in contention. I guess someone has to run the #pipeline. Would be interesting—As a fan, I’d much rather have Ben Askren as nemesis than the Gable accolytes we have now. Ben doesn't strike me as a "CEO" type, so I could see Max in that seat, and Ben on the mat and recruiting trail.
 
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