Is he wrong or right?

[smalls103]

Nobody shoots “growing the sport” in the foot better than the people always harping on growing the sport.
I had this out on Twitter with him and the Flo guys a few years ago. You can’t attract new people then whine about how the IQ of fans is low. The act of growing it in general means the median IQ goes down, since the most educated on the x and o parts have always watched it.

He, and I think most rabid wrestling fans, would rather the sport be its own enclave, with gatekeepers to keep the idiots out. They just don’t say it.

Lol. you're trying too hard. wtf are you talking about?

 

[El-Jefe]

Lol. you're trying too hard. wtf are you talking about?

So Willie -- when do we get Special Guest Referee Willie Saylor at nationals? Somebody's gotta force the action.

 

[Phantom of the Palestra]

I have been resisting the urge to tell them, but Baal (proper spelling of the word they are trying to reference) is the ancient semitic word for "Lord" or "owner". I suspect the people that call him that don't read too many books other than the bible, and even there just the parts that reinforce what they already think.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Personally I think it all depends on the Age of the FAN. I think its ridiculous to have joy in a championship you were not old enough to remember. However, If you are old enough to have enjoyed Gables run then I understand that feeling will always be with you.

Personally PSU wrestling began for me with the Hughes twins and Kolat of the 1990's. I watched all 3 in High school numerous times and was very excited at the prospect of them putting PSU wrestling on the MAP to compete against Iowa. It never came to fruition, some exciting times but nothing larger.

I have been keeping up with PSU wrestling ever since HOWEVER- it was not until Cael that I put major effort into keeping up. I think my Effort of Watching is pretty close to the Effort of the Administration Trying, Call it Symbiosis. There is only so much time in a Day, Year, Life. I hope you all have more interests than Just Wrestling..Family/Books/Movies/Other Sports ETC. To focus more on something when it brings you joy is Smart and Healthy. To not invest as much time when it brings heartache and pain is not betrayal. Changing your Favorite Team due to another teams success...That is Betrayal

Edit- i do not have to win the National championship to feel Joy in PSU wrestling, so don't misunderstand. But say tomorrow they fire Cael without a plan in place and the entire team leaves. i would still be a PSU Fan, but I doubt I would invest as much emotional Capital if the Administration went back to not taking wrestling as seriously

Your 3rd paragraph nails it for me re: sports fandom. I’m from the Philadelphia area. If one of my teams shows it doesn’t give a damn and is just in it to free ride off league revenues - Braman era Eagles, Phillies most of their history, etc, I’m not investing my time. Plenty of other things to do with my time.

I distinctly remember being in DC picking up a newspaper and reading that Minnesota - MINNESOTA!! - won a wrestling NC. I followed the sport only sporadically then because Penn State was content to generally bumble along right in the heart of the greatest wrestling hotspot in the country. Then we hired Cael and that was it. It showed someone actually gave a damn and wanted excellence.

 

[Phantom of the Palestra]

Also inappropriate and out of bounds....did @smalls103 just low key confirm that he is a PSU fan?

 

[raslen007]

Yeah, there was generally low scoring, but "crap show of a finals"?? That's way too rough IMO:

• Look at the upsets with dramatic endings
• Strong personalities at 197, 285, 125
• The story of these dedicated competitors coming back after the cancellation of the 2020 tournament, and the interruptions in this season
• The "thrill of victory, the agony of defeat" seen up close is compelling

Yeah, maybe because I'm a hard-core fan, but I thought the finals telecast was good entertainment.

Need a few more AJ Ferrari's.

 

[Brian LB-U]

“Inappropriate and out of bounds”? What does that even mean?

 

[Phantom of the Palestra]

“Inappropriate and out of bounds”? What does that even mean?

Probably referring to some of the wilder posts that appear here from time to time, even though they generally get pooped on by the regular posters. I really wouldn't take anything he said in that tweet too seriously. He isn't trying to hide the fact that he is just stirring the pot a little.

 

[nitlion6]

Need a few more AJ Ferrari's.

More than one, then he losses his uniqueness.

 

[jschrantz]

Saylor trying too hard, weak effort there

 

[Dogwelder]

I have this wild theory that jammen is Willie, but we're not ready for that yet.

In keeping with this thread’s title, let’s say Willie is sumtinwong.

 

[MikeDerukey]

Nobody shoots “growing the sport” in the foot better than the people always harping on growing the sport.
I had this out on Twitter with him and the Flo guys a few years ago. You can’t attract new people then whine about how the IQ of fans is low. The act of growing it in general means the median IQ goes down, since the most educated on the x and o parts have always watched it.

He, and I think most rabid wrestling fans, would rather the sport be its own enclave, with gatekeepers to keep the idiots out. They just don’t say it.

When have any of these guys ever been about growing the sport? It's always been about them, especially those who use Twitter. Twitter is almost an exclusively "pay attention to me" platform.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Saylor trying too hard, weak effort there

Thought some of it was to disabuse people of the notion that he’s Penn State Willie. But he’s from Easton - we know where his heart lies. It’s with people who don’t think gas station pizza is acceptable - that’s for damn sure

 

[NoVaLion2]

I think too many went full-sensitive here. Willie was just saying I know what to say to PO the portion of two fan bases that it’s easy to get a read on - Iowa’s and PSU’s online groups.

Yeah, it was like he had a bet that he could start a dumpster fire on both boards with one tweet.

 

[District four]

Ve

Carl is fine, it's a good, sturdy name. i'd take it if I did not already have it. To be mocked by jealousy is a supreme compliment. Cael is solidly inside their skulls, bouncing around since Saturday night at a record pace.

All that aside and speaking to bringing in new fans. I'm not a wrestling expert, I never wrestled beyond gym class. I enjoy watching the Lion wrestlers go at it and seemingly perform at top level when the lights come on at the nationals. If our team was weak, had poor showings at the NCAA's i'm sure I'd have less interest yet from my days at dear old state till now I've followed, at varied levels, the wrestling program and caught some matches while on campus as an undergrad.

Wrestling seems to be a sport that favors purists and the educated fan, former participants. Unless your team or individual team member is doing big things it's easy to lose interest. Not unlike golf, my livelihood, which is where grown men chase a tiny white ball around a big lawn according to many unlearned in the game. To a purist, it's the greatest game. To casual players, it's fun or very frustrating but you can play it your entire life and one good shot or hole brings your back again.

Wrestling doesn't have the same opportunity. Most sports don't have that livetime ability to compete through the handicap system. Can anyone imagine wrestling with a handicap system? It wouldn't work. Wrestling is man to man, an entirely focused sport, a sport handed down from the ages that requires no equipment, only a desire to beat the opponent and the ability to pull it off. It's beauty is in its simplicity. The effort expended to perform at any level is astounding, eliminating most potential participants. It's a very specialized sport at the level we witnessed last weekend, full of drama, twists and turns on and off the mat.

I conclude that you either are compelled by it or indifferent to it. There is very little middle ground.

WE ARE

Very well said I couldn't agree more.

 

[Raw Daddy]

I figured since there was a half dozen threads about iowa at the top of the page.....why not add .5 to it.

Also I was listening to the stalemates podcast last week. It was the one with brands and the chatter mat side about hating wrestling and loving politicians.

The stalemates dude is an ISU guy, so he has no dog in the fight between good (us) and evil (iowa). But in that he said psu were elitist.

Well .... now this from willie, has me thinking?

View embedded media

I’d like to point out that we all believe it started 11 years ago now.

 

[smalls103]

Yeah, it was like he had a bet that he could start a dumpster fire on both boards with one tweet.

Nova gets it, haha.

Every year about a day or two after NCAA's the boards light up with 'penn state sucks' to which psu fans say 'yeah, but, blah, blah'. i was just stoking the fire.

that being said, there is some truth in there (isn't there always).

every fan base has some of 'those people' but i've heard some seriously outlandish stuff in rec hall. like stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable. if you're sitting next to one of 'those people' tell them to chill out.

 

[Cali_Nittany]

Nova gets it, haha.

Every year about a day or two after NCAA's the boards light up with 'penn state sucks' to which psu fans say 'yeah, but, blah, blah'. i was just stoking the fire.

that being said, there is some truth in there (isn't there always).

every fan base has some of 'those people' but i've heard some seriously outlandish stuff in rec hall. like stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable. if you're sitting next to one of 'those people' tell them to chill out.

 

[El-Jefe]

every fan base has some of 'those people' but i've heard some seriously outlandish stuff in rec hall. like stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable. if you're sitting next to one of 'those people' tell them to chill out.

 

[PSU Mike]

Nova gets it, haha.

Every year about a day or two after NCAA's the boards light up with 'penn state sucks' to which psu fans say 'yeah, but, blah, blah'. i was just stoking the fire.

that being said, there is some truth in there (isn't there always).

every fan base has some of 'those people' but i've heard some seriously outlandish stuff in rec hall. like stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable. if you're sitting next to one of 'those people' tell them to chill out.

Try parts of Beaver Stadium with Ahia State or Michigan in town.

 

[82bordeaux]

Try parts of Beaver Stadium with Ahia State or Michigan in town.

@smalls103 response: Who wrestles at Beaver Stadium?

 

[El-Jefe]

@smalls103 response: Who wrestles at Beaver Stadium?

Us, someday.

 

[82bordeaux]

Us, someday.

 

[donboy6499]

Lol. you're trying too hard. wtf are you talking about?

Nova gets it, haha.

Every year about a day or two after NCAA's the boards light up with 'penn state sucks' to which psu fans say 'yeah, but, blah, blah'. i was just stoking the fire.

that being said, there is some truth in there (isn't there always).

every fan base has some of 'those people' but i've heard some seriously outlandish stuff in rec hall. like stuff that makes you feel uncomfortable. if you're sitting next to one of 'those people' tell them to chill out.

You never hear outlandish stuff at a Clemson or Alabama football game.

I know Dakich and the goofy Don Cherry stir the pot a lot in their sports, but they're also kind of on the fringe these days. Really, it matters how you want to be seen, which if your schtick is to be the pot stirrer, that's fine. But then let's cool it on the "appeal to mainstream", because now we're left with that one yahoo who complained about the Iowa OSU match in 2019 being behind a Flo paywall to be the normal voice of reason. Or Pyles and that crew (Please God no).

 

[7brwnpsu]

Us, someday.

El, do you think Cael would ever do that? I was hoping he would have done it when Bo was a senior but now I thing it is gone for good.

It would be a nightmare if it rained or snowed the day of the match. Also football would need a good opponent to increase the gate.

Could you imagine the tail gate parties for a Wrestling/Football doubleheader!

 

[GOLDBANGER]

El, do you think Cael would ever do that? I was hoping he would have done it when Bo was a senior but now I thing it is gone for good.

It would be a nightmare if it rained or snowed the day of the match. Also football would need a good opponent to increase the gate.

Could you imagine the tail gate parties for a Wrestling/Football doubleheader!

Yes...yes I can!!

 

[Chickenman Testa]

The uncomfortable look Jay Baruchel makes in this moment always cracks me up.

 

[smalls103]

You never hear outlandish stuff at a Clemson or Alabama football game.

I know Dakich and the goofy Don Cherry stir the pot a lot in their sports, but they're also kind of on the fringe these days. Really, it matters how you want to be seen, which if your schtick is to be the pot stirrer, that's fine. But then let's cool it on the "appeal to mainstream", because now we're left with that one yahoo who complained about the Iowa OSU match in 2019 being behind a Flo paywall to be the normal voice of reason. Or Pyles and that crew (Please God no).

again idk what you're talking about. i don't try to 'appeal' to anyone. i do whatever i want and you can think whatever you want.

i don't go to Clemson or Bama games and if there were people there that said crazy (imo out of bounds) stuff i would critique that, too.

my point is simply this - every fan base has people that go over the line and there are certain people in rec hall that are about as bad as i ever heard. i wish they'd cut it out. that's all.

 

[El-Jefe]

El, do you think Cael would ever do that? I was hoping he would have done it when Bo was a senior but now I thing it is gone for good.

It would be a nightmare if it rained or snowed the day of the match. Also football would need a good opponent to increase the gate.

Could you imagine the tail gate parties for a Wrestling/Football doubleheader!

Beaver Stadium is used for football only. (At least the field. The suites are occasionally used for fundraisers.)

Until that changes, it's not a Cael issue.

And IMO he would at least explore the possibility. Doesn't mean he'll do it -- ultimately he'll do what he deems best for the guys. But he won't dismiss it out of hand.

 

[PSU Mike]

Eddie Murphy. Racist?

 

[RoarLions1]

El, do you think Cael would ever do that? I was hoping he would have done it when Bo was a senior but now I thing it is gone for good.

It would be a nightmare if it rained or snowed the day of the match. Also football would need a good opponent to increase the gate.

Could you imagine the tail gate parties for a Wrestling/Football doubleheader!

Not E-J, but I'll respond. It's something he (Cael) has mentioned before, but it's been years now. My memory is that it came up after the Iowa/Okie St outside dual, and the Rutgers/Princeton outside dual, and has fallen off the radar from what I know. It's a logistical nightmare, and weather risks starting November 1 are very real in central PA. My sense is that the Athletic Department would be behind it, but only if the situation was perfectly planned. Tbh, I doubt we'll ever see it.