PSU - Iowa '26 Match Thread

District 4

Senior
Feb 16, 2018
287
596
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The Iowa fan next to me explained: when Cassopi was with Iowa the crowd would make the “OOO” sound during the match. Apparently they haven’t let it go to this date.
Sounded like a bunch of hoot owls 🦉. Got annoying after a while. Even the Iowa fan agreed.
According to the folks on hr they are yelling pew pew pew like a shooting noise. Something to do with sam stoll getting shot in the knee
 

Psalm 1 guy

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2019
657
2,332
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There are quite a few posters on HR who think Iowa should go after Spencer for the HC position, but there are also those Iowa fans who think Spencer wouldn't be a good fit. I didn't want to give my opinion over there as I thought it might be in bad taste since I don't think Spencer's personality would be a good fit for a head coach. Spencer has spent his entire college and international career under TnT. His mindset toward wrestling and coaching has been firmly molded by them. If Iowa wants to break free from the TnT coaching philosophy I don't think Spencer is the answer. Also, Spencer's approach to wrestling has been hyper-focused, intense and individualistic. I just don't think Spencer's wrestling approach and personality traits match well with what Iowa needs in a new HC.
 

Anon1683312534

Sophomore
May 5, 2023
97
100
33
You make a great point. No conditioning or offense. Very odd.

Didn‘t he have hip surgery in the off-season? Maybe he doesn’t have confidence in his movement?

A lotta Davis grumbling in this thread. I don‘t get it. He’s one of my favorite competitors on the team. And it’s not like he’s an under achiever. TrFr B1G champ (ask Cenzo if that’s easy), and scored big bonus for us placing 5th last year. Most of us probably thought he wouldn’t crack our postseason lineup once. BD is a proving-wrong machine.

Bailey is fast, has good stuff and got a slick takedown and would have pinned plenty of lesser dudes with that cradle. Braeden rode the tar out of him and if it wasn’t for that one exchange in the first, the match would’ve looked extremely similar to their match last year.

Sure he didn’t win, and sure he has areas to improve. Bet ya a ton of money he knows what those are… The good news is, conditioning being one, it’s pretty attainable soon.
I was surprised Bailey took bottom he has sucked his whole career on bottom.Usually goes neutral.
Yeah, I saw that.

Nick just got a bit too excited. He hasn't yet assimilated to the calm stoicism exhibited on our bench. ;)
Nick tapped Caels leg when he sat down before Cael smiled and tapped Nick
 

AgSurfer

All-Conference
Aug 9, 2013
391
1,125
92
There are quite a few posters on HR who think Iowa should go after Spencer for the HC position, but there are also those Iowa fans who think Spencer wouldn't be a good fit. I didn't want to give my opinion over there as I thought it might be in bad taste since I don't think Spencer's personality would be a good fit for a head coach. Spencer has spent his entire college and international career under TnT. His mindset toward wrestling and coaching has been firmly molded by them. If Iowa wants to break free from the TnT coaching philosophy I don't think Spencer is the answer. Also, Spencer's approach to wrestling has been hyper-focused, intense and individualistic. I just don't think Spencer's wrestling approach and personality traits match well with what Iowa needs in a new HC.
Three other points about Lee
1. He doesn’t have any coaching experience
2. He’s still focused on competing
3. He still owes his mom for a new pair of eyeglasses

Iowa fans who are calling for Lee aren’t really thinking things through very thoroughly.
 

Psalm 1 guy

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2019
657
2,332
93
According to the folks on hr they are yelling pew pew pew like a shooting noise. Something to do with sam stoll getting shot in the knee
 

Dogwelder

All-Conference
Aug 1, 2013
431
1,413
93
Three other points about Lee
1. He doesn’t have any coaching experience
2. He’s still focused on competing
3. He still owes his mom for a new pair of eyeglasses

Iowa fans who are calling for Lee aren’t really thinking things through very thoroughly.
4. He still needs his daddy to speak for him. Especially to make excuses.

Maybe Spencer’s daddy will do interviews after dual meet losses, but Spencer can do interviews after wins.
 
Jun 26, 2025
788
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I really think that Brands thought Arnold would do better than Kennedy against Levi. Based on the scores, he did make the right decision.

He sent Arnold because Kennedy would have "wrestled trying to win" - which likely would have resulted in bonus points for Haines. Arnold "wrestled to lose but keep the score as low as possible" - the match was not as close as score would indicate - Arnold never did anything to even remotely threaten Haines.
 

NittanyChris

Senior
Dec 3, 2001
198
735
93
I've seen it written on here that Brands' decision to send out Arnold vs Levi to wrestle defensively and avoid a bonus at all costs, was a good one because it saved IA a point. Brands said "it was good for Patrick and good for the team".

I would argue that it was a horrible, shortsighted coaching move that did much more harm than good. Given Kennedy's history with Levi it probably did save a point. So in the end, IA lost 32-3 instead of 33-3, but at what cost? You clearly communicated to your starting 174 wrestler that you don't believe in him, that he had no chance to win. I do believe Levi would have majored him, but would that have damaged Kennedy's confidence more than fully realizing he knows his coach clearly believes not only that he can't win, but he can't come close to winning? Would Cael have made the same move? It's yet one more example of poor coaching and why I'd be thrilled if IA signed the Brands Bros to a lifetime contract.
 
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Lyons212

Sophomore
Mar 9, 2017
60
159
33
He sent Arnold because Kennedy would have "wrestled trying to win" - which likely would have resulted in bonus points for Haines. Arnold "wrestled to lose but keep the score as low as possible" - the match was not as close as score would indicate - Arnold never did anything to even remotely threaten Haines.
Arnold was everything that is wrong with Iowa wrestling. Go stall without being hit with too many stall calls to keep the match close and hope that the other wrestler makes a mistake out of frustration or somehow getting a score late to win the match. Your right, Kennedy would have wrestled and got bonused.
 

CTStall

Junior
Oct 24, 2020
137
357
63
There are quite a few posters on HR who think Iowa should go after Spencer for the HC position, but there are also those Iowa fans who think Spencer wouldn't be a good fit. I didn't want to give my opinion over there as I thought it might be in bad taste since I don't think Spencer's personality would be a good fit for a head coach. Spencer has spent his entire college and international career under TnT. His mindset toward wrestling and coaching has been firmly molded by them. If Iowa wants to break free from the TnT coaching philosophy I don't think Spencer is the answer. Also, Spencer's approach to wrestling has been hyper-focused, intense and individualistic. I just don't think Spencer's wrestling approach and personality traits match well with what Iowa needs in a new HC.
I would love to see Spencer get named Head Coach and his mother would get the job that Alex Marinelli wife had. After every losing bout (9 times on Friday)she should trash the pair of glasses she was wearing. Warby Parker could be cooperate sponsor.
It would be must watch TV.
 

Potterlion

Junior
Jan 25, 2011
94
285
53
Arnold was everything that is wrong with Iowa wrestling. Go stall without being hit with too many stall calls to keep the match close and hope that the other wrestler makes a mistake out of frustration or somehow getting a score late to win the match. Your right, Kennedy would have wrestled and got bonused.

It's clear to anyone that was watching and it's been pointed out multiple times that Arnold made ZERO attempt to actually win that match. He also seemed perfectly happy as time expired that he had kept it close and didn't appear to be terribly disappointed with the loss. Look, he very well may be a decent kid, and I don't dislike him because of his style on a wrestling mat, but I agree, this was/is a really bad look for Iowa wrestling. Many folks here have defended Iowa and the Brands brothers for typically putting their best roster on the mat and for not ducking, but they DID duck here and Patrick Kennedy has every right to have a really foul taste in his mouth for what they've done......

To be fair though, I thought that many/most of the Iowa guys made an effort and you can't fault the wrestlers for the most part.
 
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Wrestleknownothing

All-Conference
Oct 30, 2021
900
2,265
93
There are quite a few posters on HR who think Iowa should go after Spencer for the HC position, but there are also those Iowa fans who think Spencer wouldn't be a good fit. I didn't want to give my opinion over there as I thought it might be in bad taste since I don't think Spencer's personality would be a good fit for a head coach. Spencer has spent his entire college and international career under TnT. His mindset toward wrestling and coaching has been firmly molded by them. If Iowa wants to break free from the TnT coaching philosophy I don't think Spencer is the answer. Also, Spencer's approach to wrestling has been hyper-focused, intense and individualistic. I just don't think Spencer's wrestling approach and personality traits match well with what Iowa needs in a new HC.
Careful. The loudest pro Spencer Lee voice is a troll.
 

Hotshoe

All-Conference
Feb 15, 2012
24,553
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I’m sure you know that the real life Eddie Haskell, Ken Osmond, joined the LAPD sometime after his acting career ended. He was actually shot while on duty but lived through the incident. He passed away in 2020.
Yeppers. A motorcycle cop. Got shot 3 times.
 
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Random4598375

Senior
Jan 10, 2020
260
746
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I really think that Brands thought Arnold would do better than Kennedy against Levi. Based on the scores, he did make the right decision.
I get that. PK attacks too much trying to actually win, so he opens himself to getting majored, whereas Gabe does the 7 minute Iowa stall, so he’s going to lose by regular decision no matter what, so you most likely save a team point. If one team point mattered in this match, it might make a difference, but otherwise, I’ve think it’s best to let PK go and see what he can do. If he gets majored, you lose 33-3 instead of 32-3, so what, that’s no more or less embarrassing. If he wrestles the match of his life and pulls off the upset, which (while certainly not likely) he can do but Gabe won’t in a million years, it could be a season changing win for him heading into the heart of the B1G duals and post season. TnT are sending a message of no confidence to PK in the biggest spot in the season, the same way they did to Gabe last year, and look how that ended.
 

Random4598375

Senior
Jan 10, 2020
260
746
93
Yes, a 5 count is too long. If Pyle's stats are correct the average time Angelo spent on he knee was less than 5 seconds. That was without a rule. A 5 count would barely impact the tactic.
Correct, a five count is way too long and basically toothless. It needs to be reaction time. You can’t get a stall every time your knee brushes the mat, so if it taps down and you are right back on your feet and engaging, that’s clearly not stalling, but if you go to a knee and stay there intentionally for any length of time while disengaged, it should be called.
 

mh-larch

Senior
Nov 20, 2019
201
402
63
Regarding Spencer, great wrestler and I'm sure a fine young man. But as my friend is fond of saying "he looks like he was weaned on a pickle". He never looks like he is enjoying life, let alone wrestling. He just seems too self focused to be a great HC. Would be a great asst to have in the room.....but not HC.
 

AgSurfer

All-Conference
Aug 9, 2013
391
1,125
92
Regarding Spencer, great wrestler and I'm sure a fine young man. But as my friend is fond of saying "he looks like he was weaned on a pickle". He never looks like he is enjoying life, let alone wrestling. He just seems too self focused to be a great HC. Would be a great asst to have in the room.....but not HC.
You hit the nail on the head. Being a really good wrestler doesn’t automatically translate into being a good coach. A good coach has a lot of other qualities that go beyond wrestling. Good communication, an understanding of psychology and organizational skills are some of them. Does Spencer have these abilities? I have no idea because we haven’t seen enough of him in the kind of roles that would bring this part of him out.

I’ve heard that Nick Lee is doing a great job in his current supporting position. I can see Spencer doing just as well in a similar role. As a HC, I’m not so sure.
 
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PSU Mike

All-American
Jul 28, 2001
3,702
6,350
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I get that. PK attacks too much trying to actually win, so he opens himself to getting majored, whereas Gabe does the 7 minute Iowa stall, so he’s going to lose by regular decision no matter what, so you most likely save a team point. If one team point mattered in this match, it might make a difference, but otherwise, I’ve think it’s best to let PK go and see what he can do. If he gets majored, you lose 33-3 instead of 32-3, so what, that’s no more or less embarrassing. If he wrestles the match of his life and pulls off the upset, which (while certainly not likely) he can do but Gabe won’t in a million years, it could be a season changing win for him heading into the heart of the B1G duals and post season. TnT are sending a message of no confidence to PK in the biggest spot in the season, the same way they did to Gabe last year, and look how that ended.
Maybe it was as much a test of Gabe’s maturity as it was about wrestling.
 

mcpat

All-Conference
Mar 12, 2021
1,275
4,351
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The thing about Okie St hiring DT is that DT had been coaching a lot and had proven beyond a doubt that high-level wrestlers would improve under him. His M2 club had guys giving up their senior year of high school to train with him and the results were noticeable.

So you had a popular Olympic and World Champ on the cusp of retiring from competition in his early 30s with a proven coaching record.

And he had proven he could run a business, which I’m sure translates in many ways to running a program.

That person doesn’t otherwise exist. Iowa let Okie St take him.
 
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amattaro

All-Conference
Sep 12, 2017
251
1,113
93
This is from a video I took of the last 10 seconds of Rocco’s match. Thought it was really cool to see how much the entire team was into it. There was a lot of ball busting in that match. A couple of times Connor Pierce yelled “watch, he’s going to go to a knee.” I don’t know if that was for Rocco or the ref. I don’t know how to get a video up here. If somebody got the skills, let me know.

KD was in the row in front of me. He was quiet except for during PJs and Rocco’s matches. At one point, PJ got into a scramble and KD yelled “protect yourself”. As if an echo, literally as soon as he said it,
Casey yelled “protect yourself.” Pipeline synergies.
 

Cyclingmike

Sophomore
Oct 31, 2001
147
136
43
I agree with some recent comments from Pyles on this topic before the dual. He said the NCAA doesn't need to make a new rule for this. They just need to call it as generic "no action" stalling. If more officials would consistently treat it as stalling then wrestlers like Angelo would have to adapt. If officials called it as stalling early and consistently in matches then things would change. @El_Jefe has talked about this for years. If officials would simply call stalling properly then there would be no need to enact additional rules. It seems obvious to me that consistently going to one knee when you are not attacking or being attacked with a clear TD attempt surely meets the current stalling rules, which are:

SECTION 7. STALLING Art. 1. Description. One or both wrestlers attempting to avoid wrestling action as an offensive or defensive strategy Art. 2. Initiating Action. Action is to be maintained throughout the match by the wrestlers staying near the center of the mat and wrestling aggressively in all positions (top, bottom or neutral)
From a wrestling novice...... Nico's style was on 1 or 2 knees at times. Thoughts / Difference?
 

mcpat

All-Conference
Mar 12, 2021
1,275
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This is from a video I took of the last 10 seconds of Rocco’s match. Thought it was really cool to see how much the entire team was into it. There was a lot of ball busting in that match. A couple of times Connor Pierce yelled “watch, he’s going to go to a knee.” I don’t know if that was for Rocco or the ref. I don’t know how to get a video up here. If somebody got the skills, let me know.

KD was in the row in front of me. He was quiet except for during PJs and Rocco’s matches. At one point, PJ got into a scramble and KD yelled “protect yourself”. As if an echo, literally as soon as he said it,
Casey yelled “protect yourself.” Pipeline synergies.
It was noticeable how much the bench was into on the broadcast too. Not just the Rocco-Angelo match, but especially it.
 

Rock-man

Redshirt
Nov 27, 2021
29
48
13
Against elites, Angelo’s greatest weapon will be scrambling. Even a bad shot starts the process. Unless Ferrari recognizes that or has a coach strong enough to stress it, Rocco’s methodically patient match will be the template for other elites to beat him. Praying on one knee for 6:30 (risking stalling point penance from the pastor, er, uh, referee) before starting any offense is a recipe to lose. Oh, and someone needs to tell him a stare-down isn’t wrestling technique.
So...I thought that the one-knee stance thing was called out a couple of years ago and that stalling would be called - apparently not. I admired
I think that Cael and Rocco found a strategy to combat a genuflecting wrestler; keep slapping the top of his head until he stands up.

General Patton invented that technique 80 years ago!
Totally agree on the head pat - super disciplined on Rocco's part, and I imagine annoying for the Pinto having to swat flies away....
 

El_Jefe

All-American
Oct 11, 2021
2,278
7,850
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From a wrestling novice...... Nico's style was on 1 or 2 knees at times. Thoughts / Difference?
Nico was fully engaged and brought the action down to knees. He wrestled from there.

Big difference from someone who drops to a knee away from contact, or with one hand barely in contact.

Not pointing the finger at you here: another poster has repeatedly stated "Nico wrestles from knees" in order to exonerate the Ferraris. I'd love for him to show video of Nico deliberately disengaging from knees.

Until then, the guy who lit up national champ Darian Cruz multiple times in the 2-pt takedown era does not resemble the brothers who wrestle like XL Mason Beckman except with less attacking.
 
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ClarkstonMark

All-Conference
May 23, 2002
1,469
2,302
113
This is from a video I took of the last 10 seconds of Rocco’s match. Thought it was really cool to see how much the entire team was into it. There was a lot of ball busting in that match. A couple of times Connor Pierce yelled “watch, he’s going to go to a knee.” I don’t know if that was for Rocco or the ref. I don’t know how to get a video up here. If somebody got the skills, let me know.

KD was in the row in front of me. He was quiet except for during PJs and Rocco’s matches. At one point, PJ got into a scramble and KD yelled “protect yourself”. As if an echo, literally as soon as he said it,
Casey yelled “protect yourself.” Pipeline synergies.
I did see KD (ironically right before after or during PJ's match) on the broadcast, so I probably saw you too.
 
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SleepyLion

All-Conference
Sep 1, 2022
2,394
3,467
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This is from a video I took of the last 10 seconds of Rocco’s match. Thought it was really cool to see how much the entire team was into it. There was a lot of ball busting in that match. A couple of times Connor Pierce yelled “watch, he’s going to go to a knee.” I don’t know if that was for Rocco or the ref. I don’t know how to get a video up here. If somebody got the skills, let me know.

KD was in the row in front of me. He was quiet except for during PJs and Rocco’s matches. At one point, PJ got into a scramble and KD yelled “protect yourself”. As if an echo, literally as soon as he said it,
Casey yelled “protect yourself.” Pipeline synergies.
I thought I saw you during the TV broadcast. That picture confirms it was you.
👀
 
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PSUbluTX

Senior
Feb 7, 2018
162
704
93
Regarding Spencer, great wrestler and I'm sure a fine young man. But as my friend is fond of saying "he looks like he was weaned on a pickle". He never looks like he is enjoying life, let alone wrestling. He just seems too self focused to be a great HC. Would be a great asst to have in the room.....but not HC.

Like most here, I don’t know Spencer Lee personally. From a distance he seems like a great kid. He faced what must’ve been immense pressure to carry a storied wrestling program on his shoulders, with the added pressure of being in the shadow of a dynastic juggernaut in State College that many thought he would/should be part of. He did amazingly well given the coaching resources available to him.

I have no opinion on whether he could be a successful college HC someday. But throwing him into that role without 1st getting lower level coaching experience would set him up for failure.

DT had coaching experience and the huge advantage of being tutored by the coaching GOAT. And even with that head start we don’t yet know if he’ll be a successful college coach.
 

amattaro

All-Conference
Sep 12, 2017
251
1,113
93
I did see KD (ironically right before after or during PJ's match) on the broadcast, so I probably saw you too.

I thought I saw you during the TV broadcast. That picture confirms it was you.
👀
KD had seat 1 in row 1 so he was toward the center of the mat. I was fortunate enough to have 5, 6, 7 row 2, just inside of where the coaches sit. I had 7 in my group (wife, kids, in-laws) with the other 4 up higher in the section, so my wife and I just rotated down with a kid every few matches. They each got to sit down low for their favorites (oldest daughter: Mitch, middle daughter: Duke, youngest son: Luke).
 

amattaro

All-Conference
Sep 12, 2017
251
1,113
93
Regarding Spencer, great wrestler and I'm sure a fine young man. But as my friend is fond of saying "he looks like he was weaned on a pickle". He never looks like he is enjoying life, let alone wrestling. He just seems too self focused to be a great HC. Would be a great asst to have in the room.....but not HC.

You hit the nail on the head. Being a really good wrestler doesn’t automatically translate into being a good coach. A good coach has a lot of other qualities that go beyond wrestling. Good communication, an understanding of psychology and organizational skills are some of them. Does Spencer have these abilities? I have no idea because we haven’t seen enough of him in the kind of roles that would bring this part of him out.

I’ve heard that Nick Lee is doing a great job in his current supporting position. I can see Spencer doing just as well in a similar role. As a HC, I’m not so sure.

Like most here, I don’t know Spencer Lee personally. From a distance he seems like a great kid. He faced what must’ve been immense pressure to carry a storied wrestling program on his shoulders, with the added pressure of being in the shadow of a dynastic juggernaut in State College that many thought he would/should be part of. He did amazingly well given the coaching resources available to him.

I have no opinion on whether he could be a successful college HC someday. But throwing him into that role without 1st getting lower level coaching experience would set him up for failure.

DT had coaching experience and the huge advantage of being tutored by the coaching GOAT. And even with that head start we don’t yet know if he’ll be a successful college coach.
I have had the opportunity to be at the OTC several times when Spencer was there, including last week. He always appears to be enjoying himself. It looks very different than what we see on TV. He is a great young man and seems very intelligent from what I have seen.
 

Snoopy226

Redshirt
Jun 4, 2001
5
20
3
This is from a video I took of the last 10 seconds of Rocco’s match. Thought it was really cool to see how much the entire team was into it. There was a lot of ball busting in that match. A couple of times Connor Pierce yelled “watch, he’s going to go to a knee.” I don’t know if that was for Rocco or the ref. I don’t know how to get a video up here. If somebody got the skills, let me know.

KD was in the row in front of me. He was quiet except for during PJs and Rocco’s matches. At one point, PJ got into a scramble and KD yelled “protect yourself”. As if an echo, literally as soon as he said it,
Casey yelled “protect yourself.” Pipeline synergies.
Must have been intense… Cael was actually standing!
 
Oct 12, 2021
170
310
63
This is from a video I took of the last 10 seconds of Rocco’s match. Thought it was really cool to see how much the entire team was into it. There was a lot of ball busting in that match. A couple of times Connor Pierce yelled “watch, he’s going to go to a knee.” I don’t know if that was for Rocco or the ref. I don’t know how to get a video up here. If somebody got the skills, let me know.

KD was in the row in front of me. He was quiet except for during PJs and Rocco’s matches. At one point, PJ got into a scramble and KD yelled “protect yourself”. As if an echo, literally as soon as he said it,
Casey yelled “protect yourself.” Pipeline synergies.
Scooter boy looks totally uninterested? 😂
 
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