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"Fans since 2011"...

Kirby Wood, maybe? Also, with credit to the PSWC Website, here's the bout scores from that dual;

Weight PSU Wrestler Opponent Result
118 Carl DeStefanis Velimesis WBF 4:29
126 Nick Vodantis Foldesy, Dan LSD 1-24
134 Scott Webster Budnar LMD 4-12
142 Eric Childs Richards L 4-7
150 Chris Bevilacqua Babyak T 3-3
158 Greg Elinsky Cole WSD 17-3
167 Eric Brugel Miller WBF 1:46
177 Bob Harr Dulka W 8-4
190 John Place Render L 2-3
UNL Kirby Wood Ghaffari LMD 1-12

No, he was a 167 I think. Not a heavy. Don't think he ever made the lineup though.
 
I documented my pre 2011 fandum by recording Penn State vs Iowa back in 2007 (Brands first year) and eventually putting it on youtube. Here's a link to the first video for anyone that needs a wrestling fix.



It's hard to follow on line, so here are all of the matches for Penn State vs Iowa (2007)

125 match: Mark McKnight v Charlie Falck

133 match: Jake Strayer v Mario Galanakis

141 match: Bryan Heller v Alex Tsirtsis

149 match: Dan Vallimont v Alex Grunder

157 match: Bubba Jenkins v Ryan Morningstar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO7MrbFegAo

157 cont, 165 match: Dave Rella v Mark Perry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcFZe3iNv2c

165 match continued https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxu-rb33d4k

174 match: James Yonushonis v Eric Luedke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mq9owHj2SI

184 match: Brian Cantalupi v Phil Keddy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lri5dsNMtL4

197 match: Phil Davis v Rick Loera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgT0O_7C96c

285 match: Aaron Anspach v Matt Fields https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07VfjAQA_P8
Dang tiger,
Did you get a written permission slip from flo for all those videos?
:);)
 
It is different when you are rivals forever like Flyers/Rangers
Just can't let it go, right?! ;)
and :(

Team 2011 bandwagon here too. Wrestled in HS, my modest career ended at national preps in Lehigh in 1986. My girlfriend of 10+ years is a Penn State alum and annually lectures the English dep't there. We visit the campus maybe 2x a year since we've been together, often getting to football games. I forget how I figured out that the wrestling team was really good, but it was simultaneous with my discovering how much easier wrestling was to follow online than it had been. (I don't think I even saw video of myself when I wrestled, now everything's taped.) Anyway, Penn State wrestling was easy on the eyes with Taylor and Ruth back then; the bandwagon was as much about aesthetics as it was winning for me. I remember seeing a lot of articles about Anthony Robles back then too, and I followed that story.
 
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I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a new fan of the team and wrestling. I got hooked on wrestling while watching DT, Ruth and company. A friend and coworker got me hooked by taking my son and I to a match at Rec Hall. When DT and Ruth wrestled I remembered thinking the fans were going to blow the roof off the place. I was an instant fan.

If the HR folks want to heckle me for being a Cael band wagon jumper, I'd say I'm guilty as charged. But I'd prefer to look at it as Cael and his team's have increased the popularity of the sport and brought fans like me in. I'd say the glass is half full, not half empty. Now I'm a wrestling fanatic and I love this team and this board. In the past, every March I'd be glued to the tv, watching basketball. Now I watch the hoops highlights, and I'm locked into wrestling in March. Quite honestly, watching DT, Ruth, Zain, Nico, Nolf, Bo, Hall, Cenzo, and others has become must see TV. Call me what you'd like, I'm just grateful Cael has brought this excitement to PA, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I grew up in the Philly burbs, and I used to only get really excited for the really good Sixer team's with Dr J and company and the Phillies team's with Carlton and Schmidt. I live in central PA now and I've discovered I live in ground zero of the wrestling universe. Now I drive my family crazy by screaming my lungs out for matches like Cenzo pinning IMar. I get equally excited cheering for our local high school, Cedar Cliff.
 
Started following the team around same time my son started wrestling. Loved watching Phil Davis. Didn't take long to realize I'd missed out on a hell of a sport. Closest I ever got to wrestling was with the wife in HS.
It was pretty damn cool getting head nods walking around us open with my PSU stuff on. Cody and Caels dad came up and visited me at boys weigh ins just from having a Penn state shirt on.
 
I've hated Iowa a lot longer than I've been a fanatic of PSU, but I'm from Minnesota, and that's to be expected.

You need villains to have heroes. Iowa was the villain for a very long time. PSU is winning. Now, they're the villain. There's no Batman without Joker. One or the other isn't inherently bad. As forum posters, we try to pit one as "right", "correct", and "the proper way", but you just can't do that. There's too many factors that work into it. It's only right or wrong to you based on fandom. PSU guys think Iowa's pushing and handfighting is wrong. Iowa guys think PSU's recruiting is wrong. EVERYBODY thinks Okie State's right jab, circle to the edge, drop to a low single is wrong (besides Okie State fans, I guess). The world ain't black and white, but the world needs both black and white.

But that ain't gonna stop us from pissing and moaning on wrestling forums because we're passionate about a niche sport. That's just fine, though. Wouldn't want it any other way.
 
I was a PE major as well...What class did you have Coach Koll for? I had him for squash... I still laugh about his ladders with "weasels" and "wolves" No one wanted to be on the Weasel side!


Had him for wrestling class of all things!! Watched him put his "Saturday night ride" on a guy. Simply broke him down from referee's position, bending his legs against the guy's back and pulling his jock strap from under his gym shorts and around his legs.:eek: Never a dull moment in his classes.

As to teaching with Rich, I assisted him in teaching a mandatory gym class for non-PE students. Still run into Rich from time to time and he's as down to earth as they get. Sure kicked the program up a notch when he took over.
 
I documented my pre 2011 fandum by recording Penn State vs Iowa back in 2007 (Brands first year) and eventually putting it on youtube. Here's a link to the first video for anyone that needs a wrestling fix.



It's hard to follow on line, so here are all of the matches for Penn State vs Iowa (2007)

125 match: Mark McKnight v Charlie Falck

133 match: Jake Strayer v Mario Galanakis

141 match: Bryan Heller v Alex Tsirtsis

149 match: Dan Vallimont v Alex Grunder

157 match: Bubba Jenkins v Ryan Morningstar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TO7MrbFegAo

157 cont, 165 match: Dave Rella v Mark Perry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcFZe3iNv2c

165 match continued https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hxu-rb33d4k

174 match: James Yonushonis v Eric Luedke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mq9owHj2SI

184 match: Brian Cantalupi v Phil Keddy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lri5dsNMtL4

197 match: Phil Davis v Rick Loera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgT0O_7C96c

285 match: Aaron Anspach v Matt Fields https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07VfjAQA_P8
Wow thanks
 
if you are a wrestling fan you'd have to be a dead one not to be completely blown away by what Cael has done. My fandom dates back to the Randy Lewis-Jim Gibbons days and has been mostly about the athletes not the teams. I am just plain grateful for all them: lee Kemp-Wade Schalles- Nate Carr-Kenny Monday- the Banachs-the Schultz's- the smiths- the brands-the Hawkeyes teams of the 90s- Cael in his hay day- no list can capture All
The great athletes that have inspired me over the years-oh wait one of my favorites was that nuckle head Brad Penrith coming off the bench half way through the season getting ow at the Big Ten then winning an NCAA title having only wrestled a handful of D one matches because his grades were so bad. This is the best sport and PSU is the best team. I make no apologies or excuses for thinking PSU is awesome!
 
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I love hearing all of the stories on this board!

I know that I've said this on the board before, but it's relevant here. I don't have an interesting tie to PSU...just Cael.

I'm a wrestling nut that's been involved with the sport for almost my whole life. I still coach almost year round and when I'm not at a dual or a tournament as a coach, I'm happy to watch one by whatever means instead.

Watching Cael in college made me an Iowa State fan and then I continued to root for them when he was at the helm. When Cael went to PSU, so did my allegiance. I don't consider it bandwagoning because if they finished 7th every year I'd still be on board for every match! Cael lured me into rooting for PSU, but this team is full of so many amazing student-athletes that they'll all have me rooting for them wherever they go (future WC or coaching jobs) or in whatever they do!

I had a blast at the 2 duals in CA they scheduled the season before this last one and I can't wait for my first Rec Hall experience one day!

Just a note on my background - I went to Cal Poly (not as a wrestler, I topped out at JC) and I certainly root for them too. I was disappointed when they didn't find a way to keep Henson or Perry around - they added a lot of excitement and made things seem more promising for the team. I have no idea about any of the details surrounding their departures, but I met and worked with both of those guys while they were around and I was a fan!
 
Im assuming you think most negative thoughts about Penn State originate on HR. No way any other fanbase could feel that way!

No one is saying that except you. Maybe you should stop assuming things and stop with the straw man arguments already. It just makes you look bad.
 
I probably attended every home meet while at PSU ... my roommate actually wrestled for Charley Speidel.

After graduation I continued to follow the team the best I could, but from out of state Hulk Hogan, Rowdy Rodney and friends were the only wrestlers in the local news.

I'm sure our success has brought in some new fans, but there were a lot of fans like myself, just waiting for better access to college wrestling in general ... the internet, BTN and now ESPN have given us that.
 
No one is saying that except you. Maybe you should stop assuming things and stop with the straw man arguments already. It just makes you look bad.
Ok Then. Lets just agree to disagree. Time to move along now
 
I've been a casual observer since the 90s when I was at PSU. I've become a more serious fan in the last 2 years. My little guy is on a rec team and being fans has helped generate a lot of enthusiasm for the sport.
 
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I have an anecdotal response to people who say PSU has a bunch of bandwagon fans. I have had season tickets since the Sunderland years and I have never been able to improve my seat position in that time - even during the (relatively) dark years. So I'd have to say there has always been a solid and sizeable core of dedicated fans at PSU, even before the championships started rolling in.
 
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Guess you can include me in the bandwagon. I watched a good bit of high school wrestling since a bunch of my friends were on the team (Chestnut Ridge '94). Went to UPJ and went to every match i could. I kind of fell away from it after that until I took my current job in 2010 and a co-worker got me back into it. Been following the team ever since.

CR has been really good as long as I can remember. From the 80's I remember Paul Davis (great wrestler), the Holderbaums, Corles. My older brother always seemed to be wrestling those guys. I ran into a few along the way. They were probably good before that as well, but that's as far back as i go.
 
This is nothing more than something posters on HR like to say so they can feel better about being thrown off the top of the mountain.

It stems from jealousy, which is rampant on the HR board. Well, that an delusion.
 
I have an anecdotal response to people who say PSU has a bunch of bandwagon fans. I have had season tickets since the Sunderland years and I have never been able to improve my seat position in that time - even during the (relatively) dark years. So I'd have to say there has always been a solid and sizeable core of dedicated fans at PSU, even before the championships started rolling in.

Oh, and btw, my seats are about three rows from the top of the upper bowl, so it's not like I have nowhere to go to improve my seats.
 
My opinion is that this 2011 thing is more about message boards than actual wrestling. Yeah we are packing our own house and others but this talk is more on the internet and has more to do with our fans going full FANatic on these boards.
While the community is large, those who have jumped the FANatic probably number in the dozen range and a few handles may be the same guy. But because of their persistence on the Mat and HR we (PSU fans in general but the internet community primarily) get this bad rap.

this site (BWI) has come a LONG way considering it wasnt even a site until Cael was hired and it took a while to get it noticed at large. Winning helped no doubt, but making this a good site for PSU and general wrestling info took some work. Tom does a great job with the articles and managing the site and now we have other mods joining in which adds too.

So be it, sometimes its ok to be hated because it generally means your doing something right and grand!
 
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... There's no Batman without Joker. One or the other isn't inherently bad ...
Wouldn't the one that kills innocent people for laughs be inherently bad? ;)

Edit: Put another way, weren't the Germans bad when they bombed Pearl Harbor? ;)
 
CR has been really good as long as I can remember. From the 80's I remember Paul Davis (great wrestler), the Holderbaums, Corles. My older brother always seemed to be wrestling those guys. I ran into a few along the way. They were probably good before that as well, but that's as far back as i go.
We did seem to always have a very solid team. Only 2 state champs though. I think we may have had a few more finalists.
 
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