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Harleycowboy

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2006
3,537
4,030
0
Or does he complete the circuit and go to tOSU
It is almost official now that the 2023 Number 1 recruiting class has been a real disappointment. It appears the only chance to get an All American out of that group is Hughes. Thompson must realize he doesn't match up with Ryder anymore. Real bad luck with this class with maybe number 1,4 and 9 recruits that year.
 

Mr.OSU

Heisman
Jun 18, 2003
14,333
21,236
63
It is almost official now that the 2023 Number 1 recruiting class has been a real disappointment. It appears the only chance to get an All American out of that group is Hughes. Thompson must realize he doesn't match up with Ryder anymore. Real bad luck with this class with maybe number 1,4 and 9 recruits that year.
I look at it the same as the Ryder move. If you have someone who is supposed to be tier 1 move in from another school why take the risk? If you think you can AA and your a rs-sophomore why waste the year. If you have a senior that is going to leave in one year maybe, but otherwise move on.
 

SlickWillie18

All-Conference
Jul 16, 2024
573
1,891
68
It is almost official now that the 2023 Number 1 recruiting class has been a real disappointment. It appears the only chance to get an All American out of that group is Hughes. Thompson must realize he doesn't match up with Ryder anymore. Real bad luck with this class with maybe number 1,4 and 9 recruits that year.
Hard to believe just how hard of a miss that whole class has been up to this point. Hughes being the lone holdover and not having a clear and secure starting spot is pretty wild. Also maybe indicative of how I feel recruiting went for OSU the last 5 or so years of the John Smith era. Some high level guys not quite meeting expectations that I think a lot of us had.
 

mcpat

Senior
Mar 12, 2021
175
479
63
DT is building a similar environment to Cael. Competition at every weight class. Best wrestling room in the world. Pushed by your competition in the room to be the best in the country and world. We’ve seen wrestler after wrestler embrace that, even as some lost their starting position. The few guys that transferred (Beard, Barraclough, Facundo, etc.) did so only after staying, competing for a spot, trying different weight classes, and not becoming a starter. Beard and Barraclough have been wildly cheered by Penn State fans since. Facundo will be too. Articles were written about the support Barraclough received from the PSU fans at NCAAs this past year. Ryder was the first to transfer out like he did. He had every right to do so. But he was the first and the fans reacted differently because of that.
 

JAY45

Heisman
Jul 19, 2002
16,779
11,631
112
DT is building a similar environment to Cael. Competition at every weight class. Best wrestling room in the world. Pushed by your competition in the room to be the best in the country and world. We’ve seen wrestler after wrestler embrace that, even as some lost their starting position. The few guys that transferred (Beard, Barraclough, Facundo, etc.) did so only after staying, competing for a spot, trying different weight classes, and not becoming a starter. Beard and Barraclough have been wildly cheered by Penn State fans since. Facundo will be too. Articles were written about the support Barraclough received from the PSU fans at NCAAs this past year. Ryder was the first to transfer out like he did. He had every right to do so. But he was the first and the fans reacted differently because of that.
It’s going to be a fun battle, hopefully for years to come. One major power to the East, and one to the West, both offering the same opportunities & possibilities, and clashing in epic competition.
 

Mr.OSU

Heisman
Jun 18, 2003
14,333
21,236
63
It’s going to be a fun battle, hopefully for years to come. One major power to the East, and one to the West, both offering the same opportunities & possibilities, and clashing in epic competition.
The great thing is wrestlers want to be the best they can be. We don’t appear to have any issues winning the mid west battles to bring in the tier 1 talent. In football for example we couldn’t pull a Midwest top tier talent if that’s all we tried to do that year. Wrestling is just a different animal.
 
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chasepollard

Heisman
Nov 25, 2005
91,858
11,879
48
Ryder is a great example of what is evolving. If you are an elite wrestler with big aspirations, you now have two options to obtain the same experience.
It won’t be the same experience, a focus is on a better experience and the aspirations are explicit. Two options to obtain a stellar experience is how I would put it.

I don’t know that Cael really cares that his performance as a coach leads to world championships for his Wrestlers.

But to your point, there are now more options to excel and honestly, there need to be a few more!
 

JAY45

Heisman
Jul 19, 2002
16,779
11,631
112
It won’t be the same experience, a focus is on a better experience and the aspirations are explicit. Two options to obtain a stellar experience is how I would put it.

I don’t know that Cael really cares that his performance as a coach leads to world championships for his Wrestlers.

But to your point, there are now more options to excel and honestly, there need to be a few more!
Feels like a distinction without a difference.

Two options to obtain a (the same) stellar experience.

The stellar PSU experice being replicated in Stillwater to create the same stellar experience.
 
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chasepollard

Heisman
Nov 25, 2005
91,858
11,879
48
Feels like a distinction without a difference.

Two options to obtain a (the same) stellar experience.

The stellar PSU experice being replicated in Stillwater to create the same stellar experience.
No, the current staff will have some of the same tendencies and ideas, but it stops there.

It is a different experience all together in its entirety and we hopefully get to enjoy similar results.

The staff gets to utilize their own creative abilities to mold the Program. Are there similarities? Sure. But it's not the same.
 
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cowboyfan05

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2024
389
1,086
0
Feels like a distinction without a difference.

Two options to obtain a (the same) stellar experience.

The stellar PSU experice being replicated in Stillwater to create the same stellar experience.
Disagree. I've seen nothing to suggest that our program is cult-like.
 
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JAY45

Heisman
Jul 19, 2002
16,779
11,631
112
No, the current staff will have some of the same tendencies and ideas, but it stops there.

It is a different experience all together in its entirety and we hopefully get to enjoy similar results.

The staff gets to utilize their own creative abilities to mold the Program. Are there similarities? Sure. But it's not the same.
What is not the same?

DT was hired to replicate what has been happening at Penn State and bringing that process and level of success to Stillwater.

I suppose we could nitpick little nuances and distinctions; the bottom line is, OSU went to the current most successful program on the planet and plucked its top product to come and do the same thing in Stillwater. It’s as simple as that.

One elite program in the east and one in the west that has the roots from the east program combined with the foundation already in place at the west program.

Which brings me back to my original point: elite wrestlers now have 2 options that are highly similar to get the same thing. Training, techniques, resources, and competition at the highest level.

Zach Ryder just proved the point.
 
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chasepollard

Heisman
Nov 25, 2005
91,858
11,879
48
What is not the same?

DT was hired to replicate what has been happening at Penn State and bringing that process and level of success to Stillwater.

I suppose we could nitpick little nuances and distinctions; the bottom line is, OSU went to the current most successful program on the planet and plucked its top product to come and do the same thing in Stillwater. It’s as simple as that.

One elite program in the east and one in the west that has the roots from the east program combined with the foundation already in place at the west program.

Which brings me back to my original point: elite wrestlers now have 2 options that are highly similar to get the same thing. Training, techniques, resources, and competition at the highest level.

Zach Ryder just proved the point.
The main thing, we aren't Penn State 2.0 and the staff is doing many things different than are done at PSU. But yes, the footprint is still there and will most likely always be referred to. It is okay to see it differently, I just feel that David is making his own magic here, not performing the Cael show.

To your point, exactly how I see it and I wish we had a few more options for studs with aspirations.
 

JAY45

Heisman
Jul 19, 2002
16,779
11,631
112
The main thing, we aren't Penn State 2.0 and the staff is doing many things different than are done at PSU. But yes, the footprint is still there and will most likely always be referred to. It is okay to see it differently, I just feel that David is making his own magic here, not performing the Cael show.

To your point, exactly how I see it and I wish we had a few more options for studs with aspirations.
It sounds like you are talking more nuance and details which is fine, I’m talking more high level about 2 programs that going to be elite and eventually on equal footing.

I’m not saying OSU is PSU 2.0 but there is no denying there is at least a minimum level of crossover and similarity.
 
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chasepollard

Heisman
Nov 25, 2005
91,858
11,879
48
It sounds like you are talking more nuance and details which is fine, I’m talking more high level about 2 programs that going to be elite and eventually on equal footing.

I’m not saying OSU is PSU 2.0 but there is no denying there is at least a minimum level of crossover and similarity.
I agree!
 
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PennState1985

All-Conference
Mar 14, 2016
2,041
4,722
113
Disagree. I've seen nothing to suggest that our program is cult-like.