Non-PSU Recruiting

[Junglekat]

Just saw this commitment from about 3 weeks ago. Interesting for a few reasons. Pitt already has a better HWT prospect in the same HS class (AAA champ Elijah Brown). This reeks of picking up a McCort guy for a leg up on Bassett and Miller -- which isn't the worst strategy.

I'm just guessing here, but I think Brown wrestles 197. I think he was fairly light for 215 last year.

 

[LB99]

Eric Knopsnyder is also one heckuva wrestling reporter in the Johnstown area. One of many great regional reporters we're so fortunate to have in PA.

He's the guy who broke the story of Erik Gibson getting slurred by a teammate at King of the Mountain, and how that led to the entire Gibson-Bassett-Miller clan departing Forest Hills for Bishop McCort.

I think he was the first ever district champ from his HS.

 

[Fatwoodchuck]

Eric Knopsnyder is also one heckuva wrestling reporter in the Johnstown area. One of many great regional reporters we're so fortunate to have in PA.

He's the guy who broke the story of Erik Gibson getting slurred by a teammate at King of the Mountain, and how that led to the entire Gibson-Bassett-Miller clan departing Forest Hills for Bishop McCort.

Is that what you remember about that whole debacle?

Honest question, what does the outside think of that situation? Being from FH i know what went on and completely forgot about that.

 

[El_Jefe]

Is that what you remember about that whole debacle?

Honest question, what does the outside think of that situation? Being from FH i know what went on and completely forgot about that.

One of many things I remember about it. Sorry that mentioning the reporter was triggering.

 

[Fatwoodchuck]

One of many things I remember about it. Sorry that mentioning the reporter was triggering.

Not at all, I really dont know what most of the wrestling community thought of the situation, my son is the same age and wrestled with them so I dont hear many other opinions about it or how much anybody really knows is all. It effects me 0%.

 

[An Old Pair of Asics]

Not at all, I really dont know what most of the wrestling community thought of the situation, my son is the same age and wrestled with them so I dont hear many other opinions about it or how much anybody really knows is all. It affects me 0%.

The slur was the straw that broke the camels back but in a different way than most think. Bassett had been waging war with the school board and his Ranger Pride club years before, threatening to move to BMc if they didn’t give him what he wanted. Strayer was the varsity coach and had the school board’s full support. Papa Bassett was the JH coach but wanted to run the show at varsity with ‘his’ club kids. Wasn’t going to happen and time was running out before the first wave of kids entered HS. The slur incident gave them the reason they needed to switch schools (along with in-class learning during Covid, spiritual circulum, blah blah blah) even though the incident was investigated by the NWACP and no wrong doing was found. BMc, with decades of shrinking enrollment and financial strain, was open to any and all ideas that would promote their school brand. The flip was made, immediate recruiting violations, followed by wrestling success. FH was better off without them so a win-win. Later Iowa would get a taste of Poppa’s desire to move up as a coach.

 

[Fatwoodchuck]

The slur was the straw that broke the camels back but in a different way than most think. Bassett had been waging war with the school board and his Ranger Pride club years before, threatening to move to BMc if they didn’t give him what he wanted. Strayer was the varsity coach and had the school board’s full support. Papa Bassett was the JH coach but wanted to run the show at varsity with ‘his’ club kids. Wasn’t going to happen and time was running out before the first wave of kids entered HS. The slur incident gave them the reason they needed to switch schools (along with in-class learning during Covid, spiritual circulum, blah blah blah) even though the incident was investigated by the NWACP and no wrong doing was found. BMc, with decades of shrinking enrollment and financial strain, was open to any and all ideas that would promote their school brand. The flip was made, immediate recruiting violations, followed by wrestling success. FH was better off without them so a win-win. Later Iowa would get a taste of Poppa’s desire to move up as a coach.

Ill pull a bo nickel on this one. Pretty fair assement from an outside source, but alot more went on, the racial slur was a joke of a complaint.

The whole thing did start with the boosters vs Bassett when he was JH coach though, my wife was one of the boosters.

 

[johnstownsteel]

I think he was the first ever district champ from his HS.

Berlin if not mistaken. They built a pretty good little program there for a while.

 

[LB99]

Berlin if not mistaken. They built a pretty good little program there for a while.

Yes. Berlin.