Challenger to Cael/PSU/NLWC

[rjchev141]

I'm curious what others think, does a hypothetical challenger exist to Cael at PSU? 

I'm assuming a current challenger doesn't exist in the foreseeable future, for example Brands at Iowa, Ryan at Ohio State, etc.  The gap is only growing and my opinion is that PSU's only competition is past and future PSU teams. 

So what about a hypothetical?  Is there a coach/college combination that could fund raise, recruit, and develop enough to catch PSU.  Coaches could include Steiber, Taylor, Dake, Burroughs, Metcalf, Askren, Cox, Cormier, Snyder, etc.  Colleges could include Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, Wisconsin, etc.

I'll throw out a couple:
1. Ben Askren at Wisconsin
2. David Taylor to Iowa
3. Kyle Dake to Michigan
4. Kyle Snyder to Ohio State

[OneEyedFatMan]

Ben is obviously a great coach, but does he have the juice to re-start a moribound program with the worst practice facility known to man?

[BadgerOne]

If Bono only lived up to his promises when he took the job, UW would be that challenger.  Bono said he'd close the borders if he got the job.  Now if UW had KOT, Keckeisen, Mesenbrink, Sinclair, Buchanan, Hopke, Mirasola, Mirasola etc., we'd be as good as any team not named Penn State.  C'mon Bono live up to your word and no more excuses.

[npope]

If Bono only lived up to his promises when he took the job, UW would be that challenger.  Bono said he'd close the borders if he got the job.  Now if UW had KOT, Keckeisen, Mesenbrink, Sinclair, Buchanan, Hopke, Mirasola, Mirasola etc., we'd be as good as any team not named Penn State.  C'mon Bono live up to your word and no more excuses.

If it were only that simple...

[BadgerOne]

All you need is a rich backer, convince them to support college wrestling if they aren't fans already and let them pick the coach:

Elon Musk and other wealthy Stanford alums, Stanford
Phil Knight, Oregon State
Warren Buffet, Nebraska
Walton family, Little Rock

Of course Wisconsin has its share of wealthy people who Bono should be wining and dining: John Menard, Diane Hendricks, Judy Faulkner, James Cargill, Helen Johnson-Leipold, Curtis Johnson, Fisk Johnson, Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein, Herb Kohl

Jump Around!

[Ghetto]

Herb Kohl might be a tough sell, as he's dead and all, but you never know.

[npope]

All you need is a rich backer, convince them to support college wrestling if they aren't fans already and let them pick the coach:

Elon Musk and other wealthy Stanford alums, Stanford
Phil Knight, Oregon State
Warren Buffet, Nebraska
Walton family, Little Rock

Of course Wisconsin has its share of wealthy people who Bono should be wining and dining: John Menard, Diane Hendricks, Judy Faulkner, James Cargill, Helen Johnson-Leipold, Curtis Johnson, Fisk Johnson, Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein, Herb Kohl

Jump Around!

Sure - simple.

Let me ask, assume that you were a very rich UW alum and the crew coach (or pick any sport that has not seen the light of day for a number of years and one that you have never seen nor paid attention to) showed up on your door step and asks you for $5M to support the program. That $5M could buy a great crew coach and possibly push UW crew into the top five programs in the nation. They would even name the crew boat house after you! I know, hard to say no, isn't it?    Do you really think that there is anything they could say to get $5M from you?  That's how the typical person looks at wrestling.

I am absolutely sure that at least one person (probably more) in the UW athletic department's sole job is to locate rich potential benefactors for the athletic program. Locating such messiah is no easy task and then getting them on board is even harder. I suspect the pecking order is that the AD department identifies a prospect and gets close and then brings in the coach to sell the program. I think it is very unlikely that the coach is the one tapping such donors on the shoulder - coaches haven't been trained in those skills.

[BadgerOne]

Herb Kohl might be a tough sell, as he's dead and all, but you never know.

I guess I forget that, but might make Bono's sell job easier

[rjchev141]

I don't think money alone can get you to the top (yet).  It can get you in the conversation for 2nd, but it is still just a tool to recruit people, which is the key.  Facilities, academic notoriety, etc., they are all just tools to recruit people.  However to contend with PSU/NLWC, you need leadership that can convince people they can achieve the highest of goals under their guidance.  I still think that is the #1 tool to recruit the very best and PSU/NLWC is the proof.  It starts with the one right person in the right place.

[WhoKnows]

What rjchev141 said is on the nuts dead on.  Couldn't agree more.

[Numbers]

I don't think money alone can get you to the top (yet).  It can get you in the conversation for 2nd, but it is still just a tool to recruit people, which is the key.  Facilities, academic notoriety, etc., they are all just tools to recruit people.  However to contend with PSU/NLWC, you need leadership that can convince people they can achieve the highest of goals under their guidance.  I still think that is the #1 tool to recruit the very best and PSU/NLWC is the proof.  It starts with the one right person in the right place.

Penn State boosters would agree!

[harley25]

Has anyone contacted John Menard or Diane Hendricks?

[Ledger]

All you need is a rich backer, convince them to support college wrestling if they aren't fans already and let them pick the coach:

Elon Musk and other wealthy Stanford alums, Stanford
Phil Knight, Oregon State
Warren Buffet, Nebraska
Walton family, Little Rock

Of course Wisconsin has its share of wealthy people who Bono should be wining and dining: John Menard, Diane Hendricks, Judy Faulkner, James Cargill, Helen Johnson-Leipold, Curtis Johnson, Fisk Johnson, Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein, Herb Kohl

Jump Around!

Elon didn't go to Stanford (he applied, but never entered) and Phil Night went to Oregon.  Also, Herb Kohl would be a long shot LOL.

[BadgerOne]

All you need is a rich backer, convince them to support college wrestling if they aren't fans already and let them pick the coach:

Elon Musk and other wealthy Stanford alums, Stanford
Phil Knight, Oregon State
Warren Buffet, Nebraska
Walton family, Little Rock

Of course Wisconsin has its share of wealthy people who Bono should be wining and dining: John Menard, Diane Hendricks, Judy Faulkner, James Cargill, Helen Johnson-Leipold, Curtis Johnson, Fisk Johnson, Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein, Herb Kohl

Jump Around!

Elon didn't go to Stanford (he applied, but never entered) and Phil Night went to Oregon.  Also, Herb Kohl would be a long shot LOL.

Elon did attend Stanford but dropped out after two days.     The only D1 wrestling program in Oregon is Oregon State.  Herb died without any spouse or children, and not too long ago.  Bono should have schmoozed Herb and become besties with him instead of going on 100 mile jog/walkathon and UW could have a nice spanking new Herb Kohl wrestling center in the works.

[crossface21]

I would venture a guess that a lot of the shmoozing the athletic department is doing right now is specifically for money for football and basketball money to keep UW in the black in the new age of college athletics. If those programs aren't healthy, the whole athletic department suffers.