Podcast w/ Ben Askren

[hammer]

Thank you for the update on the interview. Not all have certain social media. Trying to get more in tune.

[hammer]

And too, when asked why he drives kids away from the UW his response was basically "If a kid wants to go to the UW it is fine with me - but it is the kid's choice." I think that's a fine position, but it really doesn't address the accusation that he has been recommending that these kids go elsewhere (assuming they are undecided) - he really kind of danced-around that answer.

All that said, I think it is great of Ben to pony-up for an interview like this, even if some answers aren't really answers. He has no real responsibility to be transparent on his opinions/experiences with the UW wrestling scene.

It IS great that Ben put himself out there. He certainly doesn't have to.

He and Max are smart guys. They know full well that if they guide a kid towards college X, that 9 times out of 10 the kid is going there. Those kids have put their wrestling lives in the Askrens' hands. Why would they go against the thoughts of the people who got them there (and have helped others succeed as well)? If the talk in the room is anti-Wisconsin, the kids aren't deaf. They all talk to each other.

The other side to this coin that doesn't get talked about is that the grind it out style that Coach Bono seems to be paired with doesn't jive with what AWA kids do directly. It's not an "out" for why AWA kids don't go there, but Reader and Bono are sorta the same style. Gross is the outlier in the coaching group. While we would love for say, O'Toole to go to Wisconsin, it never would have fit his wrestling style. Others, like Parker, might have fit that style a bit better.

I have wondered that before if the Badger room isn't a fit for some wrestlers and their style. It seems to be that less is more in this day and age to some and a growing amount of kids getting into sports.

[MRL_84]

And too, when asked why he drives kids away from the UW his response was basically "If a kid wants to go to the UW it is fine with me - but it is the kid's choice." I think that's a fine position, but it really doesn't address the accusation that he has been recommending that these kids go elsewhere (assuming they are undecided) - he really kind of danced-around that answer.

All that said, I think it is great of Ben to pony-up for an interview like this, even if some answers aren't really answers. He has no real responsibility to be transparent on his opinions/experiences with the UW wrestling scene.

It IS great that Ben put himself out there. He certainly doesn't have to.

He and Max are smart guys. They know full well that if they guide a kid towards college X, that 9 times out of 10 the kid is going there. Those kids have put their wrestling lives in the Askrens' hands. Why would they go against the thoughts of the people who got them there (and have helped others succeed as well)? If the talk in the room is anti-Wisconsin, the kids aren't deaf. They all talk to each other.

The other side to this coin that doesn't get talked about is that the grind it out style that Coach Bono seems to be paired with doesn't jive with what AWA kids do directly. It's not an "out" for why AWA kids don't go there, but Reader and Bono are sorta the same style. Gross is the outlier in the coaching group. While we would love for say, O'Toole to go to Wisconsin, it never would have fit his wrestling style. Others, like Parker, might have fit that style a bit better.

100%

[Numbers]

I believe Bono teams have historically held an advantage with wrestlers having great gas tanks.  The NCAA trend of wrestling less matches a season is a change.  There are not many D1 college starters that wrestle three matches in a day anymore.  Four to five matches a day in a tournament used to be common.

[hornbuckleb]

Only so many miles you can put on that ole pontiac...

Mitchell's gas tank seems to be overfull....  Interesting take by Mitchell on Clash of Combat about a grind it out room.