Where do we go from here?

[vsmf2010]

As many of us on this forum I consider myself a die hard Badger wrestling and college wrestling fan. I watch every match of every Badger that has been filmed regardless of what I have to subscribe to, watch all the Big Ten duals on BTN network for all teams and watch or skim through many of the other duals on BTN+. I watch many of the other college duals on Flo and anything else I can get to. I also watch mostly all the international wrestling that involves the USA men and women and former college wrestlers wrestling for other countries and I watch a lot of the high level HS stuff like Ironman, Powerade etc...

As I reflect on the current state of college wrestling I am giving serious consideration to backing off. I am thinking of not renewing my Flo, BTN+ and other various subscriptions I have to watch. Not sure yet what I am going to do about season tickets. I may buy because they are so cheap but I may not even go. I feel like the sport of college wrestling is broken or on its way to be broken and I am not sure how much fun it is going to be for me to watch anymore. Wrestling may turn into track and Field, swimming or downhill skiing where I watch it every 4 years when the Olympics roll around.

Anyone else feeling that way?

[WhoKnows]

NO.  I got only Big10+.  Try to watch every dual.  Had to get ESPN+ to watch the national tourney.  Will watch international or high school level if I happen to catch it.  Are you burnt out?  After college wrestling season I am ready to turn my brain off to it.  But I like it, though I can think of things I don't like.  Wisconsin competing with PSU is just not going to happen.  They have it figured out big time.  It would take millions to catch up to that machine.

[vsmf2010]

Not sure if burnt out but definitely disenchanted. PSU is going to get everyone they want, way more than they need and win every year until further notice. That train has left the station. What bothers be even more probably is that Iowa and Michigan are just going to reload every year with a new crop of free agents in the battle to finish second!

On a related note it is not inconceivable that the NLWC could this year or at some point in the future have all 6 Olympic athletes and/or all 10 world team athletes. At 74kg there are currently 11 wrestlers qualified for the challenge tournament and Dake is waiting to face the winner. Dake is NLWC and of the other 11 4 are NLWC or PSU. Another 1 of the 11 is David Carr who is very close with the PSU crew and it is my understanding that he trains there in the offseason. Would not be surprising to see him join NLWC and Starrocci says he is going to 74kg for the trials so it could be possible 6 of the 12 will be PSU/NLWC plus Dake waiting at FinalX. Truly an embarrassment of riches.

[WhoKnows]

There wrestling club is exactly why they are who they are.  If I'm a top notch recruit (see Mirasola brothers) with bigger aspirations than college I am going to PSU no matter who the coach is, how many promises or money the Badgers throw at me.  Its about Olympics and world team.  It will take millions for the Badgers to build and maintain that. PSU did it 15 some odd years ago.  Another team could too.  Its shocking that Iowa can't compete with them.  They were grasping at straws trying to get the Ferrari clown show.  They didn't even get a team trophy.  They have a viable RTC and are getting a brand spanking new facility.  What gives, Coaches?

[No One Cares]

Is it possible that when a new staff is named (at whatever point that is), Ben/Max hit it off with them and then pump a bunch of money towards the program from an NIL sense?  Or ring the bell to the UW rich folks to help raise a crap ton of money?  Seems to make too much sense, so probably won't happen. lol. 

[vsmf2010]

Is it possible that when a new staff is named (at whatever point that is), Ben/Max hit it off with them and then pump a bunch of money towards the program from an NIL sense?  Or ring the bell to the UW rich folks to help raise a crap ton of money?  Seems to make too much sense, so probably won't happen. lol. 

I do not get a sense that there are people with the kind of money that can make a difference that care about Badger wrestling. Certainly football, basketball and hockey have that but if they exist for Badger wrestling I do not know who they are and I think we would have had a new room a long time ago. There are a lot of us on the forum who care but I do not think even if we all band together we have what it takes to make a dent. Wrestling is everything in Iowa and Michigan has Cliff Keen. Don't see Badger wrestling getting there. I do not ever play the lottery but I saw that the MM and PB jackpots will be over 2 Billion. "So you are saying there is a chance".

[wrestlemania]

At best, you lower your expectations and go from there.

And to that point, in this new world of college wrestling, UW actually had a good season. Winning record overall, almost won the Midlands, finished in Top 25 of national meet again, ahead of rival Minnesota.

It ain't much but until the money is spent for new facilities and be able to have competitive scholarship packages for UW, it's all you're going to get.

[SP]

What is a competitive scholarship package? I believe Wisconsin is at the 9.9 limit on scholarships. Do you mean scholarships plus NIL?

[DocWrestling]

The team aspect of wrestling is ruined.  Badgers will never compete no matter the coach.  So then it becomes an individual sport.  Need a couple individuals to cheer for great success.  I will admit that is even tough because I figure Hamiti was going to transfer so he was even tough to go all in on.

Problem with wrestling is that you cannot really build top individuals without great practice partners in the room.  If you want to be great it is not necessarily money that is going to make you great.  First you need great practice partners.  Then you need a great facility to work out in.  Then you need a coach that teach and motivate

[VQOriginal]

It's a wild ride. We're in it for the long haul. Especially with Liam only a few years from college.

[wrestler_73]

The Badgers can compete (top half of Big Ten and top ten in nations consistently) with leadership that is able to bring in the top Wisconsin talent.  Wisconsin youth and High School Wrestling has become one of the best in the nation.  This is due to several factors.  Most important we now have incredible club programs like AWA that are partnering with High School programs to raise the overall level of the sport. 

The fracture between Bono and Askren will never be fixed and it seems like Bono does not have great relationships with other clubs and high school coaches.

I don't believe the Askren's are interested, but they should be a part of the hiring committee for the next coach.  A healthy partnership between the Badgers, clubs and high schools at this time will make a huge difference at a time that Wisconsin wrestling is getting better each year. 

NIL changes the landscape for all sports and programs.  The Badgers can compete with NIL and improve facilities with the leadership that inspires, invests, and builds.

[wrestlemania]

"I don't believe the Askren's are interested, but they should be a part of the hiring committee for the next coach.  A healthy partnership between the Badgers, clubs and high schools at this time will make a huge difference at a time that Wisconsin wrestling is getting better each year."

You can conceivably find a coach the Askrens approve of...for a while. Then what happens when some dispute arises between that UW coach and the Askrens that can't be resolved? Hmmm? Does the UWAD have to fire that guy too? And what about the other clubs across the state like Ringers and Crass Training? What if they don't like the new guy hmm? I can't imagine these club owners are all that happy to see the Askrens and the AWA soak up all the attention and all the top wrestlers (and all the money) in the state. Remember, these guys are businessmen, not fans. It would be nice if they were UW boosters but many, particularly the Askrens, are not UW alumns! Why would the Askrens want to see Missouri's position in college wrestling threatened by Wisconsin?

You see how messed up this is? What other D-I program in another state has these problems? Ben got his chance to be on the inside and he gave it up. Everyone was all buddy/buddy to start with six years ago and now look at it. You don't think it could happen again? Even with someone they approve of? It very well could and for the most petty reasons, and that's no way to run an athletic program.

[Barou]

"I don't believe the Askren's are interested, but they should be a part of the hiring committee for the next coach.  A healthy partnership between the Badgers, clubs and high schools at this time will make a huge difference at a time that Wisconsin wrestling is getting better each year."

You can conceivably find a coach the Askrens approve of...for a while. Then what happens when some dispute arises between that UW coach and the Askrens that can't be resolved? Hmmm? Does the UWAD have to fire that guy too? And what about the other clubs across the state like Ringers and Crass Training? What if they don't like the new guy hmm? I can't imagine these club owners are all that happy to see the Askrens and the AWA soak up all the attention and all the top wrestlers (and all the money) in the state. Remember, these guys are businessmen, not fans. It would be nice if they were UW boosters but many, particularly the Askrens, are not UW alumns! Why would the Askrens want to see Missouri's position in college wrestling threatened by Wisconsin?

You see how messed up this is? What other D-I program in another state has these problems? Ben got his chance to be on the inside and he gave it up. Everyone was all buddy/buddy to start with six years ago and now look at it. You don't think it could happen again? Even with someone they approve of? It very well could and for the most petty reasons, and that's no way to run an athletic program.

I'm sure the Askrens don't need me to speak for them but don't you think they would recommend UW to their athletes if the next guy was one of high integrity.  I look at where a lot of those AWA guys go more than where they don't go and it seems most of those guys go to schools with head coaches of high integrity....Brian Smith, Schwab, Sanderson, Eggum... Maybe UW needs to get the right guy and then we don't have to worry about the Askren "approval".

[VQOriginal]

Why are we still on this "Askren's aren't interested" ride? They're savvy business guys by now. And the field of Askren alum, or others that would jump in to coach and are qualified  is growing. Plus, they know the rules enough to make it happen without breaking any NCAA rules. Man, I hope one of them takes the job, because it's what this state needs right now.

I'm really hoping for an "I told you so" moment. Thinking they wouldn't is absurd.

[WrestlerSB80]

First coaches that come to mind.

Head Coach Doug Schwab, Cary Kolat, Cody Sanderson,

Assistant Coaches Jake Sueflohn, Nick Becker, Trevor Brandvold, Alex Dieringer