This group
- Thread starter gary2
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Mickey and Nino can come back. Nino has made the damn NCAA finals. Not sure he lacks what it takes. If the next batch doesn’t make the finals like Wentzel, did they fail? It’s the NCAA tournament, shit happens.
Talking careers not snapshots
Talking the group not individuals
The group over the last 4 years was disappointing.
Both holes in the lineup and under performing.
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I lean toward the coaches to be honest. I've questioned S&C a few times. Nino looks like he could get stronger. I wonder what his actual weight is because he was shirter and looked less muscular than his final opponent. It seems like it took the team a month into the season to be in wrestling shape. I've also wondered if a team psychologist (like PSU uses)would be helpful to get them to the next level. All 4 wrestlers tonight looked tight. Phillipi has been the same for the past 2 to 3 years-no marked improvement. I
I have no idea of the inner workings of the program-I'm just writing thoughts. If anyone knows, please share. H2P
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A Snapshot is part of the career and like I said, their careers aren’t over.
the recruiting class coming in is really good
This year was disappointing, last year on this day we had two guys heading to the finals.
the recruiting has picked up and hopefully those holes will be filled. Like someone already said, only Nino has underperformed in this tourney based off seeds.
Feel free to come around and complain when things aren’t great. I’m sure you won’t when things are good
I just think they need aggression. Matthews and Nino are both best when the are loose and aggressive. Matthews wrestled conservative all tournament. The match against Clarke was the exact same as the one against Kazimir, except it didn't work out this time. But it's living just too close to the edge. Go win the match dammit.
Nino just wasn't setting up his shots well at all this tourney even when he did shoot. Saw far too many of those soph year Nino shots where he just telegraphed and dove from distance. Barely saw any of those sneaky reshots he is so good at.
Maybe we are being too critical. But, maybe we are justified too. I just didn't expect to be so disappointed tonight.
Nino just wasn't setting up his shots well at all this tourney even when he did shoot. Saw far too many of those soph year Nino shots where he just telegraphed and dove from distance. Barely saw any of those sneaky reshots he is so good at.
Maybe we are being too critical. But, maybe we are justified too. I just didn't expect to be so disappointed tonight.
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This is just not a Pitt issue, most teams and wrestlers tighten up in this tournament, just look at Iowa under Brands.
I am not sure what the causes and it is probably different for each team and wrestler but what I can tell you is Cael and company go into this tournament with extreme levels of confidence. Penn State has a plan and they follow it to be peaking at this tournament, they do not care about duals and they don't really care about the Big Ten Championship.
It also helps that they 5 or 6 elite wrestlers each year.
I am not sure what the causes and it is probably different for each team and wrestler but what I can tell you is Cael and company go into this tournament with extreme levels of confidence. Penn State has a plan and they follow it to be peaking at this tournament, they do not care about duals and they don't really care about the Big Ten Championship.
It also helps that they 5 or 6 elite wrestlers each year.
I don’t understand how anyone can say person has made the finals doesn’t have what it takes.
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It’s a ridiculous comment, we all want better but wrestling is the hardest sport in the world. One small mistake costs you drastically. They wrestled their hearts out, and are getting better, just support them as much as you can and it will happen!!!
https://share.icloud.com/photos/02beyRJctgo7ZKSn-zbzFbmeA
Me and the pitt boys
Me and the pitt boys
Nice! Wentzel and Phillipi signed autographs and took pics with my son. They were super nice!
“This group” had the best team finish in over 50 years last season by finishing 11th and our coach was named ACC coach of the year. This season finished top 25 and it was disappointing because the expectations were high. A couple years ago this program did not have high expectations.
Cole Mathews made a huge jump. He went from being a top 25 guy to ACC champ, All American and 5th in the country. We had 3 ACC champs and Wentzel became our first EVER 3x ACC champ. Nino fell just short this year of all American but he was in the finals last season and he made a world team. To say this group doesn’t have what it takes is just silly.
Cole Mathews made a huge jump. He went from being a top 25 guy to ACC champ, All American and 5th in the country. We had 3 ACC champs and Wentzel became our first EVER 3x ACC champ. Nino fell just short this year of all American but he was in the finals last season and he made a world team. To say this group doesn’t have what it takes is just silly.
Wrestling is so emotional, we all have our thoughts about what will happen during a match and sometimes we are proven wrong very suddenly...when that happens we don't get as much time to process that new info, as we do in a lot of other sports. I still remember a one-sentence post that I made after Phillippi's blood round loss last year that I regret.
Just some thoughts I've tossed around recently on why wrestling produces so many more strong emotional reactions than other sports I've followed.
I get it, at this level it is 90% mental in the match, and the preparation a wrestler has done since the end of last season. If the wrestlers do not take personal responsibility for all year training, the coaches cannot be held responsible. I am still learning as my one son is a RS Freshman. There are a lot of distractions and one can fall into a situation where they are comfortable being part of the crowd, that is where coaches need to intervene. He opened up to me at NCAA's, he wants to be there next year, he told me how many of the college wrestlers dont live the lifestyle year round, but that is what it takes. I believe in the Pitt Coaches, they are recruiting those types of kids and the culture will follow.
Here is something I saw, and it is what champions do.
A few mind-blowing routines from our '22 NCAA champs...
-Yianni did 2-a-days, every day from Dec-Feb -Max Dean ate the same meal for dinner for 6 months straight (Kale salad with protein) -Keegan only took off 2 weeks from last year's NCAA championships to this year
Here is something I saw, and it is what champions do.
A few mind-blowing routines from our '22 NCAA champs...
-Yianni did 2-a-days, every day from Dec-Feb -Max Dean ate the same meal for dinner for 6 months straight (Kale salad with protein) -Keegan only took off 2 weeks from last year's NCAA championships to this year
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