What I learned at NCAAs this weekend

[artradley]

Essentially the same.... except no Spencer Lee in 2022. That's a pretty big piece to be missing Most people are pretty confident that Iowa was rolling in 2020. I even had my first NCAA championship tickets EVER. Then they run it back in 202q, when they really underperformed, but still won the title.

Pretty likely Lee is the champ in 2020 and 2021. Giving his no ACL speech after being a 4 time champ. Freaking COVID.

I'm not sure what different roster moves PSU would have had, if COVID wasn't a thing. That'd be the only way you'd convince me that they WOULDN'T have won in 2021, if 2020 wasn't cut short

But there’s no guarantee he would have been healthy for 2021 had he been wrestling spring and summer of 2020. There’s no guarantee anything played out better than in 2022, let alone 55 points better.

 

[vhsalum]

Given he has been fired by multiple schools there are also other things he’s not good at.

Yeah. you probably shouldn't try to ape-choke your boss.

 

[Libertylover]

Of course there is. The roster that you all project would have won in 2021 was still here in 2022, because of the extra year of eligibility. But that roster did not win in 2022. So how is it a certainty they would have won in 2021?

Injuries

 

[SASHmoney]

Off the top of my head:
Frayer
Backes
Berhow
Rutt

I liked Frayer. His wife worked with mine and he got me some neat signed stuff from the team. Beating Metcalf for the Olympic team I think put him in the “enemy” side of the current staff unfortunately.

 

[Pennstate1985]

Yeah. you probably shouldn't try to ape-choke your boss.

That sounds like a good story over a beer.

I worked for a large engineering company. The building had 700 people, so you can imagine there would be a few characters. Well, we were having a layoff in the 2009/10 recession as we all remember, and as usual, large companies find layoffs a good time to get rid of underperforming hires. We all knew this one engineer was going to be let go. Very odd is the nicest thing I can say about him. A postal worker type. Short temper if his shortcomings were brought up type. I had my own work laying off people that day so didn't know he was on the "list". So it's lunch and I'm looking out my window at the extremely large parking lot (like half mile circle if you walked it), and I notice this engineer walking past the entrance to start his second time around the parking lot. He is pulling a Little Red Wagon with all his personal effects inside. Round and round the parking lot pulling his little red wagon. I call the VP of HR as he passes by again, and told him to look out the window. His office was like 30 feet from this guy. I didn't even say anything else. All I got from HR was, "gotcha". He had gone completely catatonic over being laid off when everyone in the company knew he was substandard. Sometimes we are the last to know that we aren't working out. I think he needed help getting home.

I tell that story because I don't know these coaches personally that are mentioned on the internet, but I'm sure some of them do not play well with others, and it's not always the bosses fault that they aren't good employees.

 

[TarpHawk]

Everyone has different opinions on the issue of replacing the head coach. However, an overwhelming majority on here agree with getting rid of Morningstar and Telford. Why not at least start there. Brands wants yes men. Make that change first, and see if there is any truth to it. I understand that's not as simple as it seems, but that's where I would start.

A name that doesn't get tossed around, is Cenzo. I would place him in a recruiting/portal position. He's been in several programs, and has trained and been connected with so many guys around the country. Has a good presence in wrestling media and a platform already. I would also bring in Hayden Hidlay. He's in the coaching world already, and clearly a very smart individual. Both of those guys have enough respect in the community that could maybe balance out the craziness that the recruits currently see. It's not the crazy shakeup, but it would go a long way to showing where the problem lies. I believe they would be two outsiders that Brands might actually listen to. If not, then you get to clearly see if Brands is that stubborn and the root of most of the problems.

Two excellent suggestions.

The issue is that if Brands felt they should be replaced, he would've replaced them. So he obviously doesn't feel they need to be replaced.

The issue is not the arrangement of the deck chairs, it's the gaping hole in the bow.

A 100-point, 2nd place season in 2025 probably saves him. Another 5th place finish dooms him, if it hasn't already.

 

[Sandor45]

If I’m penn st, im hoping brands and his staff stay for a long time and not changing a thing except for moving into their new facility.

 

[MAGAman]

So let me get this straight, and see if I have it correct.

1 . Beth is telling people she wants David Taylor. She's told so many, its spread it's way around message boards and nationals.

2. Hiring David Taylor will change everything, because he will apply Penn State's approaching to conditioning, practicing, and preparation.

Q). So is David Taylor bringing along the Penn State boosters with him for the HWC? Curious to see how this solves the significant money gap. A). It doesn't.

Please stop the madness. This is all mental masterbation.

We have plenty of money to achieve better. Not psu level but plenty. Not a good excuse

 

[Inthecircle]

The roster we should have had for the 2020 and 2021 championships was essentially the roster we ended up having in 2021 and 2022; because everyone but Lugo got an extra year.

As you even appear to understand, we had the roster in 2022 (thanks to all of our guys having an extra year of eligibility) but didn’t win. That is exactly the same roster we would have had in 2021. So if that roster did not win in 2022, why do we think it’s a given they would have won in 2021? We could have had similar injuries and other misfortunes.

Spencer would not have competed in 2022. We didn’t have any injuries after Big Tens in 2021.

 

[jayridescarbon]

If I’m penn st, im hoping brands and his staff stay for a long time and not changing a thing except for moving into their new facility.

Yes, this is the feeling/hope of many on the PSU message board.

 

[Inthecircle]

But there’s no guarantee he would have been healthy for 2021 had he been wrestling spring and summer of 2020. There’s no guarantee anything played out better than in 2022, let alone 55 points better.

I see. As far as NCAA’s are concerned Spencer gets injured and we wouldn’t have fared any better than we did? Does it matter in 2022 PSU had 4 #1 seeds, a #2 and #4 seed? In 2020 PSU had 7 NCAA qualifiers. It’s hard to deny PSU was much stronger in ‘22 than ‘20.

When you posted how Covid hurt SL he becomes a 2020 gold medalist and probably a 4x NCAA Champion and his reputation is enhanced.

You did preface, any little hiccup could have changed the scenarios. Kudos to you for making a post you can defend from 2 sides.
A healthy Spencer for the Olympics earning a Gold Medal and an injured Spencer for NCAA’s.
I still appreciate your take, however this one is a little rusty.

 

[NutZac]

According to the HWC brass this rumor is all BS and if true they are out.

Which tells me, call DT immediately. I’ll donate to that.

 

[Rotisserie Scrotz]

JFC, enough with the coulda, woulda, shoulda. So many effin excuses and whining around here. I thought this was an Iowa Hawkeye board….can we quit the crybaby if-if-if-but-but-but crap and just own the results and look forward. People thinking one more championship would have changed the tide are just effin delusional. Open your eyes. It ain’t 2010 anymore, and certainly not the 1990s.