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Zain-Mark-DT history

I'm going to miss his work ethic, his calm, cool and collectiveness as a person off the mat & ferocity on the mat. Zain may not see or say that, but ask his opponents who were bent until they submitted. It was ferocity that belied his cool demeanor. I'll miss that. I'll miss him blowing the roof off Rec Hall when he beat Logan Steiber.

His humility as a Champion is second to none. I'll miss that. I'll miss his intelligent interviews. I'll miss Zain leading his team to multiple National Championships while being counted on in duals and in the National Championships for big bonus pts or pins and then Zain Train... delivering. I'll miss Zain bending Brandon Sorensen in half and putting his back to the mat in the semi-finals last year & then going on to win another National title. I'll miss the exhilaration in knowing that when Zain stepped on the mat... a demolition was about to occur. I'll miss the process from beginning to end. He is a constant Champion off and on the mat who never gave less than 100% in every match he wrestled and I'll miss that. He is an all-time GREAT as a human being and as a wrestler.

But I won't miss his 3rd National Title. I'll be there watching and rooting on one of Penn State's favorite sons.
 
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Seems like an outstanding young man!!
Last year in St Louis, after the NCAA's, we were riding on the metro to the airport and there were some Iowa fans seated next to us. The wife said that if there were one Penn Stater that she really wished were a Hawkeye, it was Zain. She just liked everything about him--he's a fine young man!!
 
I'm going to miss his work ethic, his calm, cool and collectiveness as a person off the mat & ferocity on the mat. Zain may not see or say that, but ask his opponents who were bent until they submitted. It was ferocity that belied his cool demeanor. I'll miss that. I'll miss him blowing the roof off Rec Hall when he beat Logan Steiber.

His humility as a Champion is second to none. I'll miss that. I'll miss his intelligent interviews. I'll miss Zain leading his team to multiple National Championships while being counted on in duals and in the National Championships for big bonus pts or pins and then Zain Train... delivering. I'll miss Zain bending Brandon Sorensen in half and putting his back to the mat in the semi-finals last year & then going on to win another National title. I'll miss the exhilaration in knowing that when Zain stepped on the mat... a demolition was about to occur. I'll miss the process from beginning to end. He is a constant Champion off and on the mat who never gave less than 100% in every match he wrestled and I'll miss that. He is an all-time GREAT as a human being and as a wrestler.

But I won't miss his 3rd National Title. I'll be there watching and rooting on one of Penn State's favorite sons.
Great post, I always miss these guys as well. Q, Tank, Ruth, Taylor, Brown, Nico and now Zain, but when the first three went, I was always comforted by the thought of the next group I knew would be coming in, because of Cael and staff. A new group would be coming in to replace them and back then who would have thought we would be marveling at Zain, Nolf, Cenzo, Hall and Bo. We are so blessed, as we prepare to marvel at the next and the next an the next and the next group to come in. Remember HR told us after Taylor and Ruth went, we would definitely be coming back to the pack. Here’s to us, every 4 years, coming back to the pack, like we have been through the last several cycles.
 
We may have a year or two where we don’t win it, but fully confident with Cael and staff we’ll always be in the hunt, most years the favorite and I’m okay with that.
A year or two. A year was the initial campaign and two was the year 6 reload. So we should now be good for a fairly long ride.

Cool beans.
 
Not win it.... with the level of talent due to arrive in State College in the coming years that would be very surprising. The recruiting classes just seem to be getting better.

Fun seeing DT and Hall rolling around with Cael circling in the background. Also a couple of big bearded guys in workout attire. Anyone notice who they were?

And finally.. Thank you Zain, Cutch, Keener, Kuhn and all the seniors for keeping it going. You leave knowing you have made us proud to be fans and I wish you all much success in the next phase of your lives....
 
I'm going to miss his work ethic, his calm, cool and collectiveness as a person off the mat & ferocity on the mat. Zain may not see or say that, but ask his opponents who were bent until they submitted. It was ferocity that belied his cool demeanor. I'll miss that. I'll miss him blowing the roof off Rec Hall when he beat Logan Steiber.

His humility as a Champion is second to none. I'll miss that. I'll miss his intelligent interviews. I'll miss Zain leading his team to multiple National Championships while being counted on in duals and in the National Championships for big bonus pts or pins and then Zain Train... delivering. I'll miss Zain bending Brandon Sorensen in half and putting his back to the mat in the semi-finals last year & then going on to win another National title. I'll miss the exhilaration in knowing that when Zain stepped on the mat... a demolition was about to occur. I'll miss the process from beginning to end. He is a constant Champion off and on the mat who never gave less than 100% in every match he wrestled and I'll miss that. He is an all-time GREAT as a human being and as a wrestler.

But I won't miss his 3rd National Title. I'll be there watching and rooting on one of Penn State's favorite sons.
This is awesome, brought back some really great memories. Very well said, heck of a post. Much thanks.
 
This is awesome, brought back some really great memories. Very well said, heck of a post. Much thanks.
Thanks for the compliment Dwayne_Johnson33. The feelings are one of extreme pride that we got to know & witness Zain's many accomplishments... along with the absolute humility he did it with. Many times I looked at Zain with a father's sense of pride. He's that kind of young man.
 
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Zain wants to be remembered as a guy who gave his all and had fun with it...he will be remembered this way and so much more.

Zain will be remembered by countless opponents as a nightmare come true. He will be remembered as relentless in all three positions and an incredible diplomat for PSU wrestling and team USA. He will be remembered as an embodiment of wrestling intensity on the mat with an equally calm personality off. He will be remembered! I hope he ends up coaching at some point in his future.
 
I remember that Cael said when Zain was, I believe, a RS So--that he was the best leader he had ever had. What a statement about an underclassman. I don't doubt it a bit!
 
I know this is derailing the Zain thread, but I wanted to say it seems like a great idea for Hall to roll with DT here at the end of the season. What's the best way to prepare for someone like Zahid who has rapid, high powered offense? Roll with DT
 
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Zain wants to be remembered as a guy who gave his all and had fun with it...he will be remembered this way and so much more.

Zain will be remembered by countless opponents as a nightmare come true. He will be remembered as relentless in all three positions and an incredible diplomat for PSU wrestling and team USA. He will be remembered as an embodiment of wrestling intensity on the mat with an equally calm personality off. He will be remembered! I hope he ends up coaching at some point in his future.

And hopefully as World and Olympic champ!
 
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Zain will always been one of my all-time favorite wrestlers. Today will be his last dual and I will be here watching him do something to somebody that I couldn't fathom having to go through myself.
 
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