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NCAA Wrap-Up Random Thoughts!

J

Just another PSU Fan

Well-Known Member
Jan 25, 2013
270
340
1
positive opinions & negative opinions in this edition

I'm out of adjectives to describe my feelings on having 5 NCAA Champions and another team championship ... a good friend texted "HOLY MOLEY" 5 for 5! I like it ...

The "ankle" hook ride that our beloved wrestlers do so often is driving me insane, I see this being a point of emphasis for NCAA rules in the near future.

Little Caesar's Arena was a spectacular venue! Great food and beverage options throughout the building! I entered through the NW gate, didn't see more than 3 people in the security line!

Apple wallet worked well ...

Road conditions (I75) / around the city - AWFUL! Detroit has more potholes than PA!

this is a wrestling forum, so ... let's talk PSU wrestling!

133 - my top performance! Fix looked more dominant during the weekend, I wasn't sure if RBY could get it done!

141 - Nick Lee - never a doubt

174 & 184 --- 4 elite / world class wrestlers competing! If any of the 4 wrestlers WON, I wouldn't be shocked!

197 - the what if scenario? No Ferrari in 2022, let's hope we get a Max / AJ matchup in Tulsa 2023!

285 - Kerk! Kerk! Kerk!

131.5 team points scored this year: I'll ask, the forum: Over/Under 131.5 in Tulsa?

Have a good off-season, see everyone in November!
 
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I was comatose yesterday afternoon. What a weekend. So much to be grateful for. The weekend flew by. Thanks to the entire team and staff for giving us such a great year of collegiate wrestling.

1. Thanks @WexfordWarrior for putting together the suite. It made the entire weekend so much more comfortable, allowing us to watch all the wrestling in a stress-free environment. (except when Carter was wrestling). It was great hanging out with @7brwnpsu , @SpikingWhamos and his incredible wife (you outkicked your coverage there my friend, and all the others. Thanks for welcoming my newbie PSU fraternity brothers with open arms.


2. Detroit was OK, but the immediate area gave us plenty of good safe areas to celebrate. The food was so good in our suite, that we did not eat a single meal outside that area. I think @smalls103 may have been moonlighting as a chef at the arena because there was definitely bacon in the carbonara! I ate it anyway...well, part of it.


We had a good time with the Hawk fans in the pod next to us. We had some good ribbing going back and forth. When their guys were wrestling Michigan kids, we even joined them in yelling STALLLLLLLLLINNNNNNNGGGGG!. But I guess the weekend was too much, because this was their pod during the finals...oh boy.


3. We got to spend a little time with the future of PSU visiting with recruits and the freshmen. I don't know what their future results will bring, but we don't have to worry about them being anything less than fine ambassadors for PSU. What a great bunch of talented young men.



4. The competition was great across the board. So many outstanding performances. From rock solid Max Dean to the wild world of Bryce Andonian, it was quite a show. And contrary to what Spencer thinks, folkstyle is far from dead.

5. I hope all of the PSU fans are appreciative of what we have. And that means the entire team, whether they step on the mat or not. And when they step on the mat, whether they win or lose. Without the kids that are getting bent in half with a bow and arrow in the room, we don't crown 5 NCAA Champs. That is a fact. So when our kids don't reach their goals, empathize, don't criticize.

6. It was sad seeing the super seniors from Iowa suffer such disappointment. It wasn't just the losing. It was the way they lost with bodies that wouldn't allow them to show their best stuff. I'm sure that bothers them more than anything. I wish them all the best in the future. They deserve it.

7. Wrestling fans in general are the best fans in the world. They are so genuinely excited to see all of the competition, not just their kids. The parents of the kids are great. Met a number of them over the three days.

8. Next year is going to be very interesting. The landscape is going to change so much after having it be static for 2 years. Lots of old faces with be gone. Many new faces will emerge. Some of them will be wearing PSU singlets and I can't wait to watch them pursue their dreams.

9. I can't say enough about the grit Greg Kerkvliet showed in sacrificing to try to secure Penn State the team championship. It was disappointing he couldn't complete the path to 3rd place, but what fortitude it took to take the mat against a competitor like Parris on no sleep and a painful injury. What a tough kid and great teammate!

10. It was one for the ages. Here's to more for the ages in the not too distant future! WE ARE!!!

P.S. I even got a 4:30AM wake up call Sunday morning from @Cowbell Man . He wanted to be sure I got my 2 buddies to the airport in time for their flights. You rock! (sorry, I couldn't resist ;))
 
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82bordeaux said:
I was comatose yesterday afternoon. What a weekend. So much to be grateful for. The weekend flew by. Thanks to the entire team and staff for giving us such a great year of collegiate wrestling.

1. Thanks @WexfordWarrior for putting together the suite. It made the entire weekend so much more comfortable, allowing us to watch all the wrestling in a stress-free environment. (except when Carter was wrestling). It was great hanging out with @7brwnpsu , @SpikingWhamos and his incredible wife (you outkicked your coverage there my friend, and all the others. Thanks for welcoming my newbie PSU fraternity brothers with open arms.
View embedded media


2. Detroit was OK, but the immediate area gave us plenty of good safe areas to celebrate. The food was so good in our suite, that we did not eat a single meal outside that area. I think @smalls103 may have been moonlighting as a chef at the arena because there was definitely bacon in the carbonara! I ate it anyway...well, part of it.
View embedded media


We had a good time with the Hawk fans in the pod next to us. We had some good ribbing going back and forth. When their guys were wrestling Michigan kids, we even joined them in yelling STALLLLLLLLLINNNNNNNGGGGG!. But I guess the weekend was too much, because this was their pod during the finals...oh boy.
View embedded media


3. We got to spend a little time with the future of PSU visiting with recruits and the freshmen. I don't know what their future results will bring, but we don't have to worry about them being anything less than fine ambassadors for PSU. What a great bunch of talented young men.
View embedded media

View embedded media


4. The competition was great across the board. So many outstanding performance. From rock solid Max Dean to the wild world of Bryce Andonian, it was quite a show. And contrary to what Spencer thinks, folkstyle is far from dead.

5. I hope all of the PSU fans are appreciative of what we have. And that means the entire team, whether they step on the mat or not. And when they step on the mat, whether they win or lose. Without the kids that are getting bent in half with a bow and arrow in the room, we don't crown 5 NCAA Champs. That is a fact. So when our kids don't reach their goals, empathize, don't criticize.

6. It was sad seeing the super seniors from Iowa suffer such disappointment. It wasn't just the losing. It was the way they lost with bodies that wouldn't allow them to show their best stuff. I'm sure that bothers them more than anything. I wish them all the best in the future. They deserve it.

7. Wrestling fans in general are the best fans in the world. They are so genuinely excited to see all of the competition, not just their kids. The parents of the kids are great. Met a number of them over the three days.

8. Next year is going to be very interesting. The landscape is going to change so much after having it be static for 2 years. Lots of old faces with be gone. Many new faces will emerge. Some of them will be wearing PSU singlets and I can't wait to watch them pursue their dreams.

9. I can't say enough about the grit Greg Kerkvliet showed in sacrificing to try to secure Penn State the team championship. It was disappointing he couldn't complete the path to 3rd place, but fortitude it took to take the mat against a competitor like Parris on no sleep and a painful injury. What a tough kid and great teammate!

10. It was one for the ages. Here's to more for the ages in the not too distant future! WE ARE!!!

P.S. I even got a 4:30AM wake up call Sunday morning from @Cowbell Man . He wanted to be sure I got my 2 buddies to the airport in time for their flights. You rock! (sorry, I couldn't resist ;))
Click to expand...
I concur. We had a fun group. I am surprised a dodge ball game didn't break out. I was totally impressed by the food quality. I think I spotted @82bordeaux sprinkling some Memphis Dust on the brisket. Onward to Tulsa next year. I am on the list for a suite. So mark your calendar. So says Big Ray.
.
 
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WexfordWarrior said:
I concur. We had a fun group. I am surprised a dodge ball game didn't break out. I was totally impressed by the food quality. I think I spotted @82bordeaux sprinkling some Memphis Dust on the brisket. Onward to Tulsa next year. I am on the list for a suite. So mark your calendar. So says Big Ray.
.
View embedded media
Click to expand...

Can't wait for Tulsa....assuming I find a way to get there that doesn't have a layover in London or something first. TULSA?! REALLY?!

What a weekend. Y'all were extremely awesome and welcoming, and we had a blast cheering with you all tourney.

My kid immediately asked to wrestle when I got home, and I felt like Kemerer against Hidlay: I have to do this for the team, but I'd really rather be almost anywhere else.
 
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WexfordWarrior said:
I concur. We had a fun group. I am surprised a dodge ball game didn't break out. I was totally impressed by the food quality. I think I spotted @82bordeaux sprinkling some Memphis Dust on the brisket. Onward to Tulsa next year. I am on the list for a suite. So mark your calendar. So says Big Ray.
.
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Click to expand...
Count me in by then, hopefully the last of COVID will allow for it.
 
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WexfordWarrior said:
I concur. We had a fun group. I am surprised a dodge ball game didn't break out. I was totally impressed by the food quality. I think I spotted @82bordeaux sprinkling some Memphis Dust on the brisket. Onward to Tulsa next year. I am on the list for a suite. So mark your calendar. So says Big Ray.
.
View embedded media
Click to expand...
How can you not love Big Ray's voice.
 
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The Japanese Whizzer said:
9 champs in 2 years - fans are spoiled, we'll need a therapist if ever the team goes back to "only" 2 or 3 champs
Click to expand...
giphy.gif
 
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82bordeaux said:
I was comatose yesterday afternoon. What a weekend. So much to be grateful for. The weekend flew by. Thanks to the entire team and staff for giving us such a great year of collegiate wrestling.

1. Thanks @WexfordWarrior for putting together the suite. It made the entire weekend so much more comfortable, allowing us to watch all the wrestling in a stress-free environment. (except when Carter was wrestling). It was great hanging out with @7brwnpsu , @SpikingWhamos and his incredible wife (you outkicked your coverage there my friend, and all the others. Thanks for welcoming my newbie PSU fraternity brothers with open arms.
View embedded media


2. Detroit was OK, but the immediate area gave us plenty of good safe areas to celebrate. The food was so good in our suite, that we did not eat a single meal outside that area. I think @smalls103 may have been moonlighting as a chef at the arena because there was definitely bacon in the carbonara! I ate it anyway...well, part of it.
View embedded media


We had a good time with the Hawk fans in the pod next to us. We had some good ribbing going back and forth. When their guys were wrestling Michigan kids, we even joined them in yelling STALLLLLLLLLINNNNNNNGGGGG!. But I guess the weekend was too much, because this was their pod during the finals...oh boy.
View embedded media


3. We got to spend a little time with the future of PSU visiting with recruits and the freshmen. I don't know what their future results will bring, but we don't have to worry about them being anything less than fine ambassadors for PSU. What a great bunch of talented young men.
View embedded media

View embedded media


4. The competition was great across the board. So many outstanding performance. From rock solid Max Dean to the wild world of Bryce Andonian, it was quite a show. And contrary to what Spencer thinks, folkstyle is far from dead.

5. I hope all of the PSU fans are appreciative of what we have. And that means the entire team, whether they step on the mat or not. And when they step on the mat, whether they win or lose. Without the kids that are getting bent in half with a bow and arrow in the room, we don't crown 5 NCAA Champs. That is a fact. So when our kids don't reach their goals, empathize, don't criticize.

6. It was sad seeing the super seniors from Iowa suffer such disappointment. It wasn't just the losing. It was the way they lost with bodies that wouldn't allow them to show their best stuff. I'm sure that bothers them more than anything. I wish them all the best in the future. They deserve it.

7. Wrestling fans in general are the best fans in the world. They are so genuinely excited to see all of the competition, not just their kids. The parents of the kids are great. Met a number of them over the three days.

8. Next year is going to be very interesting. The landscape is going to change so much after having it be static for 2 years. Lots of old faces with be gone. Many new faces will emerge. Some of them will be wearing PSU singlets and I can't wait to watch them pursue their dreams.

9. I can't say enough about the grit Greg Kerkvliet showed in sacrificing to try to secure Penn State the team championship. It was disappointing he couldn't complete the path to 3rd place, but fortitude it took to take the mat against a competitor like Parris on no sleep and a painful injury. What a tough kid and great teammate!

10. It was one for the ages. Here's to more for the ages in the not too distant future! WE ARE!!!

P.S. I even got a 4:30AM wake up call Sunday morning from @Cowbell Man . He wanted to be sure I got my 2 buddies to the airport in time for their flights. You rock! (sorry, I couldn't resist ;))
Click to expand...
Nice write-up of the event; makes me wish I was there. And the photos indicate a bunch of out-of-shape older guys, so I might have fit right in. ;)
 
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82bordeaux said:
P.S. I even got a 4:30AM wake up call Sunday morning from @Cowbell Man . He wanted to be sure I got my 2 buddies to the airport in time for their flights. You rock! (sorry, I couldn't resist ;))
Click to expand...
Hahaha. Well….getting US to the airport. 82 was subjected to not one, but two. Butt Dials.
Then I thought I had dialed the cab.
 
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LONG...

Similar to all others that either attended the championships, watched on television, or listened on the radio, the feelings after another Penn State Championship are not easily described. "Fun" just doesn't seem to do this title justice.

Must admit, I avoided this forum for the majority of the past five days, posting twice to give "magic numbers", but honestly not reading a thing. I know the drill all too well, with the Nancy's and Polly's both out in full force. I'll catch up later. Will I be surprised?

I had the good fortune of attending the tournament again, and plan to do so as long as my health allows. Mrs. Roar attended too, her third after also attending in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. I'm a lucky man, as I do not believe she'll miss another, so Tulsa, Kansas City, Philly and Cleveland here we come. Our experiences this year;

1) We traveled to-and-from by bus, with 85 fellow PSWC members, enjoying every second of travel, mostly talking wrestling.

2) Our posse for the weekend consisted of us, HOCKEYGOD, Mrs. HOCKEYGOD, daughter HOCKEYGOD, NoVaLion2, NoVaLion (in spirit), ItalianLion, tikk, pawrestlersintn, Dad pawrestlersintn and on occasion jto. We also spent time with so many other Penn State fans, many from this forum and too numerous to count. To me, this is what makes attending in person extra special. To those that met up with us, talked on the concourse, at restaurants, or out-and-about (you know who you are -- long-time friend Cowbell Man and others!!), thanks for helping make the long weekend all the more enjoyable.

3) The venue, Little Caesar's Arena is my new all-time favorite. It was amazing. While I am still partial to other cities for past over-all experience (St. Louis and NYC), this arena is second-to-none in my book.

4) Our group has a tradition on Friday nights of staying up into the wee hours talking wrestling. It's the same group listed above, with Mrs. HOCKEYGOD and her husband as the hosts. It's been a fabulous affair over the years, and a bit hard to explain, as there are so many other groups that gather during the hours after wrestling is over. Let's just say ours has a bit of uniqueness. I love it, and look forward to it every year.

5) Detroit was a great host, much different than Auburn Hills, a Detroit suburb, many years ago. Downtown's not the safest, but everyone traveled in gaggles, and I didn't hear of any bad incidents. We ate well!

6) The Penn State Wrestling Club Social after Saturday night's finals was fabulous. The GEM Theater was the perfect venue as we celebrated with the wrestlers and coach Cael, with Byers as emcee.

7) Opposing fans were mostly terrific. With only a few exceptions (some alcohol-related), another great experience with fans from other teams. For anyone that thinks Iowa is represented by HR, for example, attend the B1G's or NCAA's and you'll walk away with a different perspective. Same with all other fans, though I did almost get thumped by a huge Okie State fan simply for asking for a corkscrew...but that's a story for another day.

8) pointingdogsrule ... 2022 was an almost year. Let's try again, maybe for Tulsa.

9) Oh yeah, and we saw some pretty good wrestling. Despite an unusually high number of top-ranked wrestlers winning titles (7 is at the high end, historically), there were tons of surprises as there are every year. A total of 640 bouts are wrestled at NCAA's and I stopped counting the number of upsets according to seed at over 120. Watching Penn State wrestlers (not just the nine that wrestled), their interviews and talking to many in person just makes me so Penn State proud. All represented themselves, their families, and the university with class and character ... AGAIN! The icing on the cake was going five-for-five. I believe Penn State wrestlers are now on an 11-match win streak in the finals. I have no easy way of looking up where that stands in the annuls of college wrestling history, but I can say it's pretty good :) ;).

EDIT: Almost forgot! Spent time before the first session with Jake Herbert and his young son. We had great discussions about wrestling in general, his career, and Penn State wrestling. He was soooo complimentary of our program. And yes, I have a photo :).
 
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HAMMER167 said:
Spectacular & Amazing! Filled with gratitude to be part of the Penn State family.
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Hey John, Who is the guy that has that single shelved on you? I was chatting with him at Detroit Brewing Company Saturday. I know that he wrestled while I was there in the early 80s. Forgot his name because...it was loud there. At least that's my story.
 
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[/QUOTE]
RoarLions1 said:
LONG...

Similar to all others that either attended the championships, watched on television, or listened on the radio, the feelings after another Penn State Championship are not easily described. "Fun" just doesn't seem to do this title justice.

Must admit, I avoided this forum for the majority of the past five days, posting twice to give "magic numbers", but honestly not reading a thing. I know the drill all too well, with the Nancy's and Polly's both out in full force. I'll catch up later. Will I be surprised?

I had the good fortune of attending the tournament again, and plan to do so as long as my health allows. Mrs. Roar attended too, her third after also attending in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. I'm a lucky man, as I do not believe she'll miss another, so Tulsa, Kansas City, Philly and Cleveland here we come. Our experiences this year;

1) We traveled to-and-from by bus, with 85 fellow PSWC members, enjoying every second of travel, mostly talking wrestling.

2) Our posse for the weekend consisted of us, HOCKEYGOD, Mrs. HOCKEYGOD, daughter HOCKEYGOD, NoVaLion2, NoVaLion (in spirit), ItalianLion, tikk, pawrestlersintn, Dad pawrestlersintn and on occasion jto. We also spent time with so many other Penn State fans, many from this forum and too numerous to count. To me, this is what makes attending in person extra special. To those that met up with us, talked on the concourse, at restaurants, or out-and-about (you know who you are -- cowbellman and others!!), thanks for helping make the long weekend all the more enjoyable.

3) The venue, Little Caesar's Arena is my new all-time favorite. It was amazing. While I am still partial to other cities for past over-all experience (St. Louis and NYC), this arena is second-to-none in my book.

4) Our group has a tradition on Friday nights of staying up into the wee hours talking wrestling. It's the same group listed above, with Mrs. HOCKEYGOD and her husband as the hosts. It's been a fabulous affair over the years, and a bit hard to explain, as there are so many other groups that gather during the hours after wrestling is over. Let's just say ours has a bit of uniqueness. I love it, and look forward to it every year.

5) Detroit was a great host, much different than Auburn Hills, a Detroit suburb, many years ago. Downtown's not the safest, but everyone traveled in gaggles, and I didn't hear of any bad incidents. We ate well!

6) The Penn State Wrestling Club Social after Saturday night's finals was fabulous. The GEM Theater was the perfect venue as we celebrated with the wrestlers and coach Cael, with Byers as emcee.

7) Opposing fans were mostly terrific. With only a few exceptions (some alcohol-related), another great experience with fans from other teams. For anyone that thinks Iowa is represented by HR, for example, attend the B1G's or NCAA's and you'll walk away with a different perspective. Same with all other fans, though I did almost get thumped by a huge Okie State fan simply for asking for a corkscrew...but that's a story for another day.

8) pointingdogsrule ... 2022 was an almost year. Let's try again, maybe for Tulsa.

9) Oh yeah, and we saw some pretty good wrestling. Despite an unusually high number of top-ranked wrestlers winning titles (7 is at the high end, historically), there were tons of surprises as there are every year. A total of 640 bouts are wrestled at NCAA's and I stopped counting the number of upsets according to seed at over 120. Watching Penn State wrestlers (not just the nine that wrestled), their interviews and talking to many in person just makes me so Penn State proud. All represented themselves, their families, and the university with class and character ... AGAIN! The icing on the cake was going five-for-five. I believe Penn State wrestlers are now on an 11-match win streak in the finals. I have no easy way of looking up where that stands in the annuls of college wrestling history, but I can say it's pretty good :) ;).
Click to expand...
It was a tough decision. I was jealous, however it was the correct decision. Tulsa is definitely a YES!!!!

See you next year at BIGS then nationals. So glad you had a wonderful time in Detroit.
 
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RoarLions1 said:
LONG...

Similar to all others that either attended the championships, watched on television, or listened on the radio, the feelings after another Penn State Championship are not easily described. "Fun" just doesn't seem to do this title justice.

Must admit, I avoided this forum for the majority of the past five days, posting twice to give "magic numbers", but honestly not reading a thing. I know the drill all too well, with the Nancy's and Polly's both out in full force. I'll catch up later. Will I be surprised?

I had the good fortune of attending the tournament again, and plan to do so as long as my health allows. Mrs. Roar attended too, her third after also attending in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. I'm a lucky man, as I do not believe she'll miss another, so Tulsa, Kansas City, Philly and Cleveland here we come. Our experiences this year;

1) We traveled to-and-from by bus, with 85 fellow PSWC members, enjoying every second of travel, mostly talking wrestling.

2) Our posse for the weekend consisted of us, HOCKEYGOD, Mrs. HOCKEYGOD, daughter HOCKEYGOD, NoVaLion2, NoVaLion (in spirit), ItalianLion, tikk, pawrestlersintn, Dad pawrestlersintn and on occasion jto. We also spent time with so many other Penn State fans, many from this forum and too numerous to count. To me, this is what makes attending in person extra special. To those that met up with us, talked on the concourse, at restaurants, or out-and-about (you know who you are -- cowbellman and others!!), thanks for helping make the long weekend all the more enjoyable.

3) The venue, Little Caesar's Arena is my new all-time favorite. It was amazing. While I am still partial to other cities for past over-all experience (St. Louis and NYC), this arena is second-to-none in my book.

4) Our group has a tradition on Friday nights of staying up into the wee hours talking wrestling. It's the same group listed above, with Mrs. HOCKEYGOD and her husband as the hosts. It's been a fabulous affair over the years, and a bit hard to explain, as there are so many other groups that gather during the hours after wrestling is over. Let's just say ours has a bit of uniqueness. I love it, and look forward to it every year.

5) Detroit was a great host, much different than Auburn Hills, a Detroit suburb, many years ago. Downtown's not the safest, but everyone traveled in gaggles, and I didn't hear of any bad incidents. We ate well!

6) The Penn State Wrestling Club Social after Saturday night's finals was fabulous. The GEM Theater was the perfect venue as we celebrated with the wrestlers and coach Cael, with Byers as emcee.

7) Opposing fans were mostly terrific. With only a few exceptions (some alcohol-related), another great experience with fans from other teams. For anyone that thinks Iowa is represented by HR, for example, attend the B1G's or NCAA's and you'll walk away with a different perspective. Same with all other fans, though I did almost get thumped by a huge Okie State fan simply for asking for a corkscrew...but that's a story for another day.

8) pointingdogsrule ... 2022 was an almost year. Let's try again, maybe for Tulsa.

9) Oh yeah, and we saw some pretty good wrestling. Despite an unusually high number of top-ranked wrestlers winning titles (7 is at the high end, historically), there were tons of surprises as there are every year. A total of 640 bouts are wrestled at NCAA's and I stopped counting the number of upsets according to seed at over 120. Watching Penn State wrestlers (not just the nine that wrestled), their interviews and talking to many in person just makes me so Penn State proud. All represented themselves, their families, and the university with class and character ... AGAIN! The icing on the cake was going five-for-five. I believe Penn State wrestlers are now on an 11-match win streak in the finals. I have no easy way of looking up where that stands in the annuls of college wrestling history, but I can say it's pretty good :) ;).

EDIT: Almost forgot! Spent time before the first session with Jake Herbert and his young son. We had great discussions about wrestling in general, his career, and Penn State wrestling. He was soooo complimentary of our program.
Click to expand...
What Roar said...LOL.. another great weekend of wrestling.... our Friday tradition continues .. although next year in Tulsa may be a bit difficult.. Great people, great wrestling.. great team.. couldn't ask for more..
 
82bordeaux said:
A minor accomplishment! I'll have to look him up sometime when the weather is nicer. He has a place in Chautauqua which is only about 30 minutes from our cottage. He is a super nice guy to hang out with.
Click to expand...
I've been at their place on Chautauqua
pretty sure they are selling.
and also guessing he'll eventually be moving to Florida.
but you never know
 
My only Nancy was….the engineers for the seating in the upper bowl: they either also designed Michigan Stadium or regional airlines. Wow. Narrow.


Moving on:
I liked the bars, I liked the Nachos at Detroit Beer Co. I liked that Founders poured pitchers of 9% beers (whoa). I liked the owner of the Cadillac diner who was the only waitress, cashier, hostess for three chaotic days and what an amazing breakfast. I dig scooters because they saved my feet. My raincoat was a huge success. The sound system at Little Caesars was second to none and pure thunder. The food and bev at the arena was an excellent selection and less costly at other places I’ve been. I like old friends. I like new friends. I laugh that it was the first NCAA that someone didn’t ask /challenge/dare me to do 1-armed push-ups. I thought the Tigers outside Comerica Park were wicked cool. I liked Gable’s farewell…..unusual for this event but fun. And….height? Wow.
 
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Cowbell Man said:
My only Nancy was….the engineers for the seating in the upper bowl: they either also designed Michigan Stadium or regional airlines. Wow. Narrow.


Moving on:
I liked the bars, I liked the Nachos at Detroit Beer Co. I liked that Founders poured pitchers of 9% beers (whoa). I liked the owner of the Cadillac diner who was the only waitress, cashier, hostess for three chaotic days and what an amazing breakfast. I dig scooters because they saved my feet. My raincoat was a huge success. The sound system at Little Caesars was second to none and pure thunder. The food and bev at the arena was an excellent selection and less costly at other places I’ve been. I like old friends. I like new friends. I laugh that it was the first NCAA that someone didn’t ask /challenge/dare me to do 1-armed push-ups. I thought the Tigers outside Comerica Park were wicked cool. I liked Gable’s farewell…..unusual for this event but fun. And….height? Wow.
Click to expand...
Ditto on the Comerica Park tiger sculptures!
 
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Great write ups...
The melt downs weren't as bad as some years, but maybe a little irritating.
 
Beyond the great wrestling, what struck me was how close the PSU team was/is. The use of the term "Brothers" came up in several interviews. PSU seems to have an amazing balance between Team/Individual and the social/spiritual growth of their wrestlers.

I am 70 and I look up to many on this team. How they put everything into their Life and Sport. How they support one another. Love it!
 
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HAMMER167 said:
That’s Greg Elinsky PSU’s first 4x All American
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ClarkstonMark said:
I've been at their place on Chautauqua
pretty sure they are selling.
and also guessing he'll eventually be moving to Florida.
but you never know
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Greg Elinsky and Jimmy Martin are 2 of my favorites all time. I've talked with Jimmy a bunch at PSU. Never got the pleasure to meet Greg. I was in junior high/High Scholl when they wrestled. I'm in Florida maybe Greg moves close to me. lol
 
Yeah, what @RoarLions1 said. Lots of fun with the group, met a number of great people, including baccafarmer, and great memories with my Dad, who is awaiting a new knee from a former Lion. Dad was in significant pain, and it kept him from some of the fun and festivities, so hopefully next year, he'll have the new knee, and will be able to enjoy more. This was Dad's kind of weekend, though, one where Penn State wins it going away. He even gets nervous when we don't have shutout duals.

My only negative was on the ride home. After 890 miles of driving out and almost back, within 10 miles of home, 98.88% of the drive complete, a deer ran out in front of me. I didn't even have time to slow down. The car got me home, but it won't get me anywhere else for a while.
 
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82bordeaux said:
I was comatose yesterday afternoon. What a weekend. So much to be grateful for. The weekend flew by. Thanks to the entire team and staff for giving us such a great year of collegiate wrestling.

1. Thanks @WexfordWarrior for putting together the suite. It made the entire weekend so much more comfortable, allowing us to watch all the wrestling in a stress-free environment. (except when Carter was wrestling). It was great hanging out with @7brwnpsu , @SpikingWhamos and his incredible wife (you outkicked your coverage there my friend, and all the others. Thanks for welcoming my newbie PSU fraternity brothers with open arms.
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2. Detroit was OK, but the immediate area gave us plenty of good safe areas to celebrate. The food was so good in our suite, that we did not eat a single meal outside that area. I think @smalls103 may have been moonlighting as a chef at the arena because there was definitely bacon in the carbonara! I ate it anyway...well, part of it.
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We had a good time with the Hawk fans in the pod next to us. We had some good ribbing going back and forth. When their guys were wrestling Michigan kids, we even joined them in yelling STALLLLLLLLLINNNNNNNGGGGG!. But I guess the weekend was too much, because this was their pod during the finals...oh boy.
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3. We got to spend a little time with the future of PSU visiting with recruits and the freshmen. I don't know what their future results will bring, but we don't have to worry about them being anything less than fine ambassadors for PSU. What a great bunch of talented young men.
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4. The competition was great across the board. So many outstanding performance. From rock solid Max Dean to the wild world of Bryce Andonian, it was quite a show. And contrary to what Spencer thinks, folkstyle is far from dead.

5. I hope all of the PSU fans are appreciative of what we have. And that means the entire team, whether they step on the mat or not. And when they step on the mat, whether they win or lose. Without the kids that are getting bent in half with a bow and arrow in the room, we don't crown 5 NCAA Champs. That is a fact. So when our kids don't reach their goals, empathize, don't criticize.

6. It was sad seeing the super seniors from Iowa suffer such disappointment. It wasn't just the losing. It was the way they lost with bodies that wouldn't allow them to show their best stuff. I'm sure that bothers them more than anything. I wish them all the best in the future. They deserve it.

7. Wrestling fans in general are the best fans in the world. They are so genuinely excited to see all of the competition, not just their kids. The parents of the kids are great. Met a number of them over the three days.

8. Next year is going to be very interesting. The landscape is going to change so much after having it be static for 2 years. Lots of old faces with be gone. Many new faces will emerge. Some of them will be wearing PSU singlets and I can't wait to watch them pursue their dreams.

9. I can't say enough about the grit Greg Kerkvliet showed in sacrificing to try to secure Penn State the team championship. It was disappointing he couldn't complete the path to 3rd place, but fortitude it took to take the mat against a competitor like Parris on no sleep and a painful injury. What a tough kid and great teammate!

10. It was one for the ages. Here's to more for the ages in the not too distant future! WE ARE!!!

P.S. I even got a 4:30AM wake up call Sunday morning from @Cowbell Man . He wanted to be sure I got my 2 buddies to the airport in time for their flights. You rock! (sorry, I couldn't resist ;))
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pawrestlersintn said:
Yeah, what @RoarLions1 said. Lots of fun with the group, met a number of great people, including baccafarmer, and great memories with my Dad, who is awaiting a new knee from a former Lion. Dad was in significant pain, and it kept him from some of the fun and festivities, so hopefully next year, he'll have the new knee, and will be able to enjoy more. This was Dad's kind of weekend, though, one where Penn State wins it going away. He even gets nervous when we don't have shutout duals.

My only negative was on the ride home. After 890 miles of driving out and almost back, within 10 miles of home, 98.88% of the drive complete, a deer ran out in front of me. I didn't even have time to slow down. The car got me home, but it won't get me anywhere else for a while.
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They have good memories...
 
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pawrestlersintn said:
Yeah, what @RoarLions1 said. Lots of fun with the group, met a number of great people, including baccafarmer, and great memories with my Dad, who is awaiting a new knee from a former Lion. Dad was in significant pain, and it kept him from some of the fun and festivities, so hopefully next year, he'll have the new knee, and will be able to enjoy more. This was Dad's kind of weekend, though, one where Penn State wins it going away. He even gets nervous when we don't have shutout duals.

My only negative was on the ride home. After 890 miles of driving out and almost back, within 10 miles of home, 98.88% of the drive complete, a deer ran out in front of me. I didn't even have time to slow down. The car got me home, but it won't get me anywhere else for a while.
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Fyi, didn't "Like" because you hit a deer. Liked because you got home safely AND we had a great time together (Dad too, on occasion) in Detroit. Same drill next year, healthier pops!
 
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