Iowa vs Wisconsin

[ao_coachphil]

So it was a duck. Thanks for confirming.

And don't take it personally. I don't like most people, it's not you.

I'm rather confused. Are you using "duck" as an verb or a noun here? Honestly I don't think you're using the word correctly. As mentioned in another thread you were trolling, I thought the premise was centered around my son coming out on the mat in a duck costume, hence my retort about his head being horribly placed on the body of a cute little duckling in a piss-poor photoshop job. I would think it better suited to refer to him being unable to compete at the PSU dual as a "missed opportunity", especially knowing what you now know.

Now, if you are using the word duck as a verb in the context of him lowering his head or body to avoid a blow or not to be seen, this also wouldn't fit your narrative as he was at the PSU dual with his team and I don't recall anyone taking a swing at him or him not being in plain sight.

Look, I get it, you've narrative fits your mindset, but I would have thought you would have the intelligence, or common sense for that matter, to weigh out the information you have been provided with and come up with realization that the kid wasn't able to wrestle based on the following facts:
- The docs hadn't cleared him
- The coaches said he wasn't wrestling
- His mom was in the ICU

So, if that's the narrative you're going to stick with, that's fine, but I would think if you truly were a wrestling fan, you would also call it what it was; a missed opportunity. We as fans missed the opportunity to watch two fine young men put it on the line. Both Carter and Gabe missed the opportunity to go to battle, and finally everyone on this forum missed an opportunity to have another match to bash and critique.

Look, I wanted to see the match just as bad, if not more than anyone else. Heck, you ain't the parent who was taunted online with the idea if his kid getting a "whipping" in front of mommy and daddy. (I thought that one was cute actually). Maybe we get to see the match eventually, maybe we don't. Sadly whether you acknowledge the facts or not, reality remains the same: It will forever be a missed opportunity.

And don't worry, I'll never take this stuff personally. You obviously don't know too much about me or my family. Our mantra is a simple one: It's Just Wrestling. In fact, I encourage you to take a read and learn a little about who we are in the article below. Maybe it's helps get you through your hang-up with ducks!

The "It's Just Wrestling" Mentality

2021 16U freestyle National Champion Gabe Arnold (Photo courtesy of Josh Conklin; JoshConklinphotos.com) "It's just wrestling, it's just a game," I remember hearing J'den Cox utter these words in his 2017 post World Team Trials victory interview, after defeating the favored David Taylor, and bein...

intermatwrestle.com

 

[west2east]

So it was a duck. Thanks for confirming.

And don't take it personally. I don't like most people, it's not you.

Edit: Also, I hope Gabe's mom is OK.

So why did Nagao duck Van Dee? Works both ways. Many Penn st guys have sat this year

 

[sdvike]

Shayne Van Ness ducking Ratchee?

 

[SPOONER]

So it was a duck. Thanks for confirming.

And don't take it personally. I don't like most people, it's not you.

Edit: Also, I hope Gabe's mom is OK.

You have zero idea what ducking is. Not surprised.

 

[12tdsaw]

ving rhames

 

[ao_coachphil]

So it was a duck. Thanks for confirming.

And don't take it personally. I don't like most people, it's not you.

Edit: Also, I hope Gabe's mom is OK.

She is! Thanks for asking. It was a rough couple weeks. Got her home Thursday and she almost back to normal. Keep your loved ones close! You never know what tomorrow brings.

 

[LIV4GOD]

So it was a duck. Thanks for confirming.

Purely moronic.

 

[HawkFan1986]

She is! Thanks for asking. It was a rough couple weeks. Got her home Thursday and she almost back to normal. Keep your loved ones close! You never know what tomorrow brings.

Happy to hear your wife is doing well. About a month ago my mom had a stroke. A stroke is bad enough but to say I was ill prepared for this would be an understatement, but I suppose life doesn’t care if you’re prepared or not. Given my mom’s age and overall health I assumed I had another 15 yrs before I’d have to stare this pale horse in the eye.

At the snap of a finger things change, and the stuff you used to care about all of a sudden seems trivial. A month ago I was wondering whether your son was going to redshirt, now I’m just wondering when moms next speech therapy appointment is and how the hell I make sure she’s financially secure in her early forced retirement.

I guess that’s my long winded way of saying if your son misses a dual or two along the way the next 4 years, you won’t have to wonder whether Hawkfan1986 is questioning his reasons. Stuff happens and the best thing we can do is push forward.

Thank you for your involvement on this board, and thank you to your family for showing people the correct path forward on this road we call life. Hopefully this thread will serve as a reminder that things happen behind closed doors that aren’t always shared with the public. And maybe, just maybe, people should stop and consider that possibility before rushing to judgement over the actions and behaviors of 18-23 yr olds.

 

[Saysomethingstupid]

We found out. Pick one team and only one team! Lol

I can't. I try to stay neutral, pick the under dog or pick the wrestler I prefer in the individual match. Life is difficult during the season.

 

[ao_coachphil]

Happy to hear your wife is doing well. About a month ago my mom had a stroke. A stroke is bad enough but to say I was ill prepared for this would be an understatement, but I suppose life doesn’t care if you’re prepared or not. Given my mom’s age and overall health I assumed I had another 15 yrs before I’d have to stare this pale horse in the eye.

At the snap of a finger things change, and the stuff you used to care about all of a sudden seems trivial. A month ago I was wondering whether your son was going to redshirt, now I’m just wondering when moms next speech therapy appointment is and how the hell I make sure she’s financially secure in her early forced retirement.

I guess that’s my long winded way of saying if your son misses a dual or two along the way the next 4 years, you won’t have to wonder whether Hawkfan1986 is questioning his reasons. Stuff happens and the best thing we can do is push forward.

Thank you for your involvement on this board, and thank you to your family for showing people the correct path forward on this road we call life. Hopefully this thread will serve as a reminder that things happen behind closed doors that aren’t always shared with the public. And maybe, just maybe, people should stop and consider that possibility before rushing to judgement over the actions and behaviors of 18-23 yr olds.

Amen, and thank you for the encouraging words! There is SO much that goes on behind closed doors with these kids, that people on the outside have no clue about. I've toyed with the idea of starting a blog to share some of those experiences to give people a glimpse in, but more so to help those parents coming up behind us to give an idea of what to expect, and how we've handled it. Trust me, we ain't perfect, and don't know all the answers.

Personally I was MORTIFIED last year when I stood there listening to Gabe's interview where all the stuff with Carter began. I knew it was going to create a firestorm, and honestly got onto Gabe about it. I'll never forget his response. He reminded me that I always told him and all our our wrestlers to make their dreams known. Write a vision, make it plain, and that's exactly what he did. The reality is that one interview stirred and simmered for an entire year, then when it came time to put up, or shut up, the realization set in that there were so many factors that were out of his control. Heck, a year ago, he had NO idea that he would even step foot on the mat this year for Iowa. Yes, it was his goal, and he made it known, however, in the bigger picture, the ONLY thing he controlled was his ability to set the goal, and make it known. Nothing else, did he control. Lesson learned, but make no mistake about it, He still has those goals. It's just sometimes, our goals take a little longer to materialize than originally planned. That's called life, and I'm just another dad along for the ride.

 

[Saysomethingstupid]

18-16 Wisconsin going into last match. Iowa won 19-18. That's pretty close, one point from going to criteria.

Iowa was awarded one point on criteria. That was a really fun dual. Hard work by both teams.