I live in CO and am a fan because BTN provided the opportunity to watch B1G wrestling. Since BTN began PSU has been very exciting to watch with lots of great wrestlers.
Please explain your PSU fandom
- Thread starter mvattivo
- Start date
I was naturally a fan as a Penn State student in the mid-2000s, especially since I wrestled in HS. The team got a whole lot easier to cheer for when they hired Cael, but I did take advantage of the free student admission during the Sunderland years...
I was one of those high schoolers. Sat on the floor 2 rows back from the mat. What an incredible memory. And a few weeks later PSU knocked off Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. Kurt Bernier sat right behind my father and brother in the west stands at the match and had himself quite a game on special teams.
I grew up in Oregon and graduated HS in 1982. I wrestled through my junior year in college, with my junior year being at Southern Oregon University. Other than watching the Finals on TV most years, I didn't follow wrestling much. I had no team I rooted for. I started following college wrestling again around 2010. I had heard about this phenomenal Redshirt freshman named David Taylor and right about the same time I also realized there were a lot of wrestling resources online I could follow. I started following Penn State because of Taylor and became hooked on how most Penn State wrestlers competed. Since the 2010-2011 season I have rooted for Penn State as "my" team. I spend far too much time on here, but enjoy it immensely!
The stands were a tight fit, but you were packed in like a sardine. The floor was like Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras, with fewer drunks and topless women.
The parade in January was great too.
started wrestling in central Pa in 3rd grade.... had success and was one of two to be on the HS team as a Freshman (they didn't do that in the 70s). Regardless, no discipline with weight control and burn out left me without wrestling until I had kids ready to wrestle in the early 2000s. Started coaching 'Pa style' in Va and gravitated to 'back home' wrestling - PSU as DT enrolled. Pataky was from my HS and grabbed my attention when I started looking back into the sport. Neil Turner was my 'progressive' coach in the late 70s... hail to him!
I’m from CO and was a 4X state placer, 2 time runner-up (4, 3, 2, 2). I wrestled Cael at a big holiday tournament (lost 7-3) and wrestled his brother Cole quite a few times in freestyle (went 1-4 against him). Was a D2 AA in college. Everyone in the area knew Cael was going to do big things and I followed his career like most on here. When he came to PSU I felt like it was a match made in heaven. We truly are blessed to get to watch this team every year. The entire Sanderson family are such class acts and wonderful representatives of this sport we love.
I started to become a wrestling fan in the early 70’s when my best friend’s brother became a PA state champion. He then went on to become an AA at Lehigh and wrestled freestyle internationally. By the time I got married, the bug had been planted. In the 80’s and 90’s, we had a pretty good high school wrestling program that I followed closely. In the early 2000’s, my son attended PSU and that is when I started my PSU fandom. When Cael was hired, I had a feeling that great things were about to happen so we got season tickets. Now, when I sit in my seat in Rec Hall and look up, I see 12 national championship banners that I personally witnessed being raised to the rafters. We are truly blessed.
Excellent topic Marc - I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts! If my handle didn't give it away, I'm a lifelong fan. I don't remember my first Rec Hall match, nor my 50th ... my season tickets have been the same seats since 1998 in Rec Hall. I find little things most memorable now - the wrestlers walk out music sticks in my head more than the match, if you all recall - DT came out to Gangham Style as a FR ... Zain with Johnny Cash ...
We have a group text that starts at the end of October and finishes in March - many years not a text was sent in the spring/summer.
I have enough Penn State apparel that would keep the homeless warm in NYC for years!
Hardest thing about wrestling - talking to people about wrestling! If you are like me, if I see a person with a wrestling shirt on - I'll ask them about it!
We have a group text that starts at the end of October and finishes in March - many years not a text was sent in the spring/summer.
I have enough Penn State apparel that would keep the homeless warm in NYC for years!
Hardest thing about wrestling - talking to people about wrestling! If you are like me, if I see a person with a wrestling shirt on - I'll ask them about it!
Went with the second option as it is the closest option to reality. I wasn’t always a fan of Penn State wrestling, but followed them passively via the newspapers and grew up within spitting distance of Lynch and Martin. Attended my first match in 90-91 when I hit college. Been a fan ever since. It’s been more enjoyable since Sanderson arrived, but tickets are harder to come by. One thing that hasn’t changed is my dislike of riding time.
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The first part was true for me too as a freshman, but much different year/result. 1994 vs. Iowa, we lost every match until Kerry McCoy's pin. The debut of our much ballyhooed freshman class (I still think they accomplished alot in their years, even if not as much as some expected).
This was back when anybody could roam pretty much anywhere they wanted in Rec Hall at any time. I was there early before the dual, turned a corner, and literally bumped into Dan Gable. Pretty great first Penn State wrestling experience despite the result.
Before Cael revolutionized the sport I found college wrestling to be boring where the emphasis was on defense, so I really was a fan of the sport who focused on high school wrestling. Being from South Jersey I would follow the careers of the Jersey kids who were competitive/successful in college particularly those at Penn State, Lehigh, Penn, & Rutgers. The whole world changed for me when Cael arrived at Penn State and brought the focus on scoring. Since that time everything else has given way to an intense interest and dedication to all things PENN STATE!
Not a Clearfielder, but loved Coach Turner. Over the years I became friends with Brad and his parents.
A quick Coach Turner story. I was wrestling in an offseason tournament and despite winning my first two matches I struggled to finish a couple shots. Coach Turner came up to me and demanded I come with him. We found a warmup mat and it took him all of 30 seconds to point out a little thing to help with my head positioning on my finishes.
a good man. thought of him as the new wave of college coaches. Wouldn't let us use plastics except for the night before a match. Went to school and wrestled with his eldest son.
Funny story as he was getting us into a free style. He drove a few of us to a tournament over or near State College. He picked up a young Eric Brugel on the way!
Wrestled my whole life up until college Decided to attend PSU rather than wrestle at Drexel or Bucknell. Always been a fan of PSU football and wrestling prior to attending. Best friend from high school was on the team during the Fritz years. Was a floating varsity fill in guy between 150-167 for a couple years.
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I recall watching PSU wrestling Lehigh with Darryl Burley I believe on PBS, back when I was in HS. My HS had good dual teams in the late 70’s/80’s as well. When I roomed with my HS friend who was a room guy, my fate was sealed. Doing two years of grad school at Iowa didn’t hurt either. But before Internet proliferation of coverage there was a lull in the interest.
So true for me too. Nothing grows the sport faster than excitement. Cael & Company have elevated that to another level & it's really fun to watch!
Add : he had Joe Williams on the ropes in the BJC in 1996 (I think). Was In on 2 deep singles in the 3rd that could have won the match but just couldn’t finish
I have always been a fan. I am a State High grad, went to matches as a PSU student. But when I moved out of state, it was hard to follow them. The advent of BTN+, combined with the increased exposure with Carl’s hiring, made the team more accessible in terms of actually watching them regularly
Growing up in central PA, D4 specifically, I've been a lifelong PSU fan. A couple events drew be to become a wrestling fan. First was meeting Coach Lorenzo at a wrestling camp at Millersville where he was an instructor in the mid 70's. Then as a competitor I had the misfortune of drawing either Scott Lynch or John Manotti when we would wrestle Mifflinburg, so I followed their careers at PSU. (Dr Lynch fractured my scapula with an ILLEAGAL chicken wing, but that's a story for another time.) Lastly, the son of a high school teammate joined the team in 2011 under the new coach. Some guy named Sanderson. He's pretty good. Enjoying the ride ever since.
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Became interested in wrestling in 6th grade in Milesburg, Pa when they would sometimes drag a mat outside during recess. Moved to State College for 7th grade in 1957. the high school was 7-12. Homer Barr, PSU grad and heavyweight champ of the EIWA (???) was a gym teacher who organized wrestling in all the gym classes. I was small for my age so wrestling was perfect for me. I started wrestling and following PSU wrestling then.
Moved to Illinois for 8th grade and high school. Continued wrestling and following PSU wrestling. Won conference championship at 138 my senior year and got some interest from Auburn and other schools who still had wrestling back then.
wrestled D3 in college during the days of 9 minute matches. But even though I couldn’t get to PSU matches I continued to follow them as best I could during the years of job, family and kids.
made the decision to retire to State College because of PSU sports, particularly wrestling. Got season tix before Carl arrived and tix were easy to get!! Went to Philly in 2011 and haven’t missed NCAA’s since.
I live about a ten minute walk from Rec Hall and get to most of the home matches. Love seeing the evolution of wrestling led by PSU that is gradually changing the nature of wrestling.
Moved to Illinois for 8th grade and high school. Continued wrestling and following PSU wrestling. Won conference championship at 138 my senior year and got some interest from Auburn and other schools who still had wrestling back then.
wrestled D3 in college during the days of 9 minute matches. But even though I couldn’t get to PSU matches I continued to follow them as best I could during the years of job, family and kids.
made the decision to retire to State College because of PSU sports, particularly wrestling. Got season tix before Carl arrived and tix were easy to get!! Went to Philly in 2011 and haven’t missed NCAA’s since.
I live about a ten minute walk from Rec Hall and get to most of the home matches. Love seeing the evolution of wrestling led by PSU that is gradually changing the nature of wrestling.
Became a casual fan from afar when a HS wrestler from a neighboring town, Glenn Pritzlaff, began wrestling for PSU. Subsequently, my son wrestled for PSU under Troy and I have been a strong supporter of the team since.
Good friends with wrestlers in high school…..I was a swimmer. Knew guys on the team when I was in school 80-84. Would always find a match to go to with the kids…….. once a year. Had no idea when nationals were. Never understood why we were not better given the proximity to great HS wrestling.
When Cael was hired, I realized that was a massive shift. Called a coworker/ buddy who was a wrestling coach. He said get as many tix as you can and I will buy whatever you don’t use. Would take dad, 2 boys and I. Would take them out of school early…….they were not getting anything out of school anyway. The rest is history
When Cael was hired, I realized that was a massive shift. Called a coworker/ buddy who was a wrestling coach. He said get as many tix as you can and I will buy whatever you don’t use. Would take dad, 2 boys and I. Would take them out of school early…….they were not getting anything out of school anyway. The rest is history
TLDR:
I wrestled briefly in HS and years later became aware of this GOAT wrestler named Cael Sanderson who went undefeated in HS and college and won gold at the ’04 Olympics. I started paying attention to PSU wrestling whenever Cael was hired and have been hooked ever since.
Longer version:
The fun comments above have struck a nostalgic nerve for me and brought back a flood of memories. I remember seeing some ESPN and other media stories on Cael over the years. [There's a fun ESPN video clip of a young Cael and Cody at the following link that I can't get to post but you can cut and paste the link into your search bar after removing the underscore: https:_//youtu.be/uTxC5wA7DAU.] But my connection to PSU goes back much further than my awareness of Cael. I was born in State College. My dad was a grad student and TA in PSU’s engineering program. We moved out west when I was very young, but my family’s affinity for Pennsylvania and Penn State continued.
Coming from a family with 6 boys, there were plenty of rough and rowdy activities to keep our family band-aid budget high and Dr. Mom busy. We were heavy consumers of sports, both as spectators and participants. I played a bit of organized (and homebrew) football as a youngster but wasn’t particularly good.
I discovered wrestling as a HS freshman. I had heard of it before but didn’t know much about it other than that the kids who did it seemed to be tough and in shape. I liked the idea of both those things, so gave it a try.
Somehow, I was immediately pretty good and was beating teammates and opponents who had wrestled for years, even though I didn’t really know what I was doing. I made varsity and the starting lineup by our first dual. To be clear, I was NOT at a powerhouse wrestling school. Wrestling was more of an afterthought and we had the subpar coaching staff to prove it.
One weekend, some of my teammates were going to a regional tournament that was being hosted at a neighboring HS. I tagged along. Miraculously, I took 2nd and beat a 2- or 3-time state champ in the process. I wasn’t aware of his creds beforehand, so I didn’t know I was supposed to be intimidated and lose to a guy of his caliber. The guy I lost to was a mutli-time state champ with a brutal reputation who I was well aware of.
Alas, some chaos in my personal life took me in another direction and I bailed on wrestling (and HS) not long thereafter. Before that, I had a run in with my coach over a weigh-in issue and he threatened to kick me off the team. As a “last chance” he said I could stay only if I wrestled him behind closed doors for 15 minutes, no holds barred, to teach me a lesson. I weighed ~150 and he was close to 285 but I agreed. He threw me down pretty easily and proceeded to pound on me quite a bit (literally). Like Micah Jordan, I don’t think I ever got off bottom.
But at one point I sensed that he was riding me too high and his head was right behind mine. I threw my head back fast and hard (given that it was no holds barred and all). I didn’t realize it until a few minutes later when the beating was over, but I managed to hit him square in the eye and give him a shiner.
It was hard to suppress a smile and look humbled as we walked back into the locker room where the rest of the team was waiting to see how the “lesson” went. The bruises on my arms and legs would not show for a day or 2 but my coach’s glorious black eye already shone brightly for the whole team to see!
Thankfully, I turned my life around a few years later after attending the school of hard knocks. But I have often wondered what might have been had I stuck with wrestling and found some good coaches and mentors.
I wrestled briefly in HS and years later became aware of this GOAT wrestler named Cael Sanderson who went undefeated in HS and college and won gold at the ’04 Olympics. I started paying attention to PSU wrestling whenever Cael was hired and have been hooked ever since.
Longer version:
The fun comments above have struck a nostalgic nerve for me and brought back a flood of memories. I remember seeing some ESPN and other media stories on Cael over the years. [There's a fun ESPN video clip of a young Cael and Cody at the following link that I can't get to post but you can cut and paste the link into your search bar after removing the underscore: https:_//youtu.be/uTxC5wA7DAU.] But my connection to PSU goes back much further than my awareness of Cael. I was born in State College. My dad was a grad student and TA in PSU’s engineering program. We moved out west when I was very young, but my family’s affinity for Pennsylvania and Penn State continued.
Coming from a family with 6 boys, there were plenty of rough and rowdy activities to keep our family band-aid budget high and Dr. Mom busy. We were heavy consumers of sports, both as spectators and participants. I played a bit of organized (and homebrew) football as a youngster but wasn’t particularly good.
I discovered wrestling as a HS freshman. I had heard of it before but didn’t know much about it other than that the kids who did it seemed to be tough and in shape. I liked the idea of both those things, so gave it a try.
Somehow, I was immediately pretty good and was beating teammates and opponents who had wrestled for years, even though I didn’t really know what I was doing. I made varsity and the starting lineup by our first dual. To be clear, I was NOT at a powerhouse wrestling school. Wrestling was more of an afterthought and we had the subpar coaching staff to prove it.
One weekend, some of my teammates were going to a regional tournament that was being hosted at a neighboring HS. I tagged along. Miraculously, I took 2nd and beat a 2- or 3-time state champ in the process. I wasn’t aware of his creds beforehand, so I didn’t know I was supposed to be intimidated and lose to a guy of his caliber. The guy I lost to was a mutli-time state champ with a brutal reputation who I was well aware of.
Alas, some chaos in my personal life took me in another direction and I bailed on wrestling (and HS) not long thereafter. Before that, I had a run in with my coach over a weigh-in issue and he threatened to kick me off the team. As a “last chance” he said I could stay only if I wrestled him behind closed doors for 15 minutes, no holds barred, to teach me a lesson. I weighed ~150 and he was close to 285 but I agreed. He threw me down pretty easily and proceeded to pound on me quite a bit (literally). Like Micah Jordan, I don’t think I ever got off bottom.
But at one point I sensed that he was riding me too high and his head was right behind mine. I threw my head back fast and hard (given that it was no holds barred and all). I didn’t realize it until a few minutes later when the beating was over, but I managed to hit him square in the eye and give him a shiner.
It was hard to suppress a smile and look humbled as we walked back into the locker room where the rest of the team was waiting to see how the “lesson” went. The bruises on my arms and legs would not show for a day or 2 but my coach’s glorious black eye already shone brightly for the whole team to see!
Thankfully, I turned my life around a few years later after attending the school of hard knocks. But I have often wondered what might have been had I stuck with wrestling and found some good coaches and mentors.
Roommate in the mid-60’s was on the team (not a starter). I played other sports in HS and at PSU, but, wrestling captured my passion because of its “Mano a mano” nature. It was more pure than other sports where the refs have so much influence. Over the past 50+ years I’ve been disabused of that notion about wrestling. I’ve been sitting in Rec Hall for just short of 60 years now (might have missed a year or two in the late 70’s). The whole ride’s been great.I'm generally curious.
Be honest.
So, I was born in 1974, graduated high school in 1993 and college in 1997. I was always a PSU fan. I started wrestling when I was 6, and my dad started taking me to Rec Hall about the same time. I have a cool story that I'll save for later about him taking me to Coach Fritz' office when I was like 11 or 12. I was always a PSU wrestling fan, but, I'd be lying if I said it hasn't been more fun and I haven't gotten more "die hard" after the Cael hiring. To be fair, when I went to college to play football, I kind of stepped away from the sport for a brief period of time. I grew up in Mifflin County, so, I followed Troy Sunderland's career closely and always rooted for him. I've met him several times, and you won't find a nicer guy.
Anyway, answer and provide details, or don't.
Penn State grad and I’ve had Penn State wrestling season tickets since 1985… I believe they were exorbitantly priced at 2 or 3 dollars per match at the time. Have rarely ever missed a home match and ‘won the lottery’ when Cael came here since my seats are as good as they get.I'm generally curious.
Be honest.
So, I was born in 1974, graduated high school in 1993 and college in 1997. I was always a PSU fan. I started wrestling when I was 6, and my dad started taking me to Rec Hall about the same time. I have a cool story that I'll save for later about him taking me to Coach Fritz' office when I was like 11 or 12. I was always a PSU wrestling fan, but, I'd be lying if I said it hasn't been more fun and I haven't gotten more "die hard" after the Cael hiring. To be fair, when I went to college to play football, I kind of stepped away from the sport for a brief period of time. I grew up in Mifflin County, so, I followed Troy Sunderland's career closely and always rooted for him. I've met him several times, and you won't find a nicer guy.
Anyway, answer and provide details, or don't.
Didn't submit a poll response because none applied to me.
I wrestled from a young age in elementary school all the way up into college at PSU (club).
I became a fan of the team as soon as I decided to attend PSU (04-08, main campus). I started my fandom while it was the Sunderland years and it hasn't stopped since. I even was able to wrestle/practice in the Wrestling room when I did Club! Was a great experience.
I wrestled from a young age in elementary school all the way up into college at PSU (club).
I became a fan of the team as soon as I decided to attend PSU (04-08, main campus). I started my fandom while it was the Sunderland years and it hasn't stopped since. I even was able to wrestle/practice in the Wrestling room when I did Club! Was a great experience.
Side note; was in the Philippines between 1985-1988 and if you recall, PSU played at least three championship games, ’82 Georgia, ’85 Oklahoma and ’86 Miami. My brother would send me cassette tapes of the football games in-season and I’d get them 10 days later; would listen to them and then send him back personalized 'letters from the field’.
Would follow Top 20 football in Monday edition of the Manila Bulletin, no stories, just results. Tried to tune into the ’85 Orange Bowl with a boom box on my shoulder as I rotated in a field trying to get Armed Forces Radio signal. Moved from the boondocks to a larger city in time for ’86 Fiesta Bowl and had a friend install jerry-rig a ‘radio antennae’ onto our roof. Got ‘most’ of the game, (13 hours ahead) but can still recall announcer saying on the final play, ‘...and John Shaffer goes down on one knee!’
I loved walking over to Rec to watch the Nittany Lion open in the mid/late 2000s. All the bleachers were pushed back but you could stand on the track or even sit amongst the teams in the stands. Fantastic, free wrestling all day.
I was born in a small town
I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
That's probably where they'll bury me
I can breathe in a small town
Gonna die in this small town
That's probably where they'll bury me