Penn State Wrestling Schedule Released

We've waited - and waited a little more - but yesterday we finally got to open up the presents. Penn State published its 2013/2014 wrestling schedule today, featuring 8 total home dual meets. The full schedule is at bottom.

What's On It

The headliner is a February 16th home date with the Okie State Cowboys. It's awesome to have the Pokes back on the dual meet schedule, even if they generally stall more than most would like to see. They're one of the elite programs of all time, and you always want a chance to test yourself against the best. Penn State and Oklahoma State last met December 12th, 2007, in Stillwater, a 21-18 Penn State victory. Phil Davis pinned Clayton Foster for the decisive points.

Stieber State (that's the new name for Ohio State's wrestling team) will also make the trek to Happy Valley on December 15th. Rec Hall will also welcome Illinois on Friday, January 24th. This dual will feature a rematch of last year's 125lb national championship, Nico vs. Jesse Delgado. That match alone is worth your $8 admission. (Seriously - it's like $8 for an adult. Maybe it's all the way up to $10 now. Whatever.)

What's NOT On It

There are three notable omissions, each of which have been staples of past PSU Wrestling schedules.

>There doesn't appear to be an Intrasquad Dual;

>There won't be a Nittany Lion Open; and,

>For the first time in 31 years, there is no Iowa dual.

Wrestling fans have known most of this for at least 6 weeks or so. But that doesn't make it sting any less. There's no doubting that the Sandersons tried to make some of these things happen - particularly the Iowa dual. It just wasn't in the cards this season.

So why make a big deal about this, then? First, see above: 31 years, dude. Thirty. One. Years. Chad Zaputil vs. Jeff Prescott, by way of example. That was 1991, and Wright freaking Thompson just wrote about it. Dr. Jim Martin vs. Tom Brands. The Brands twins. The Steiner twins. The Hughes twins. The Alton twins. Twins everywhere, wrestling and beating on people. The IOC tried to kill their own best sport - wrestling. Wrestling's in a fight for its Olympic life, being subjugated this very minute by the 2nd most popular sport in America, College Football, which is based almost entirely on tradition. Yet we're voluntarily forfeiting a part of ours. This does not seem wise.

Second, last year's Penn State at Iowa dual was the 2nd, or at worst 3rd, best college wrestling event all year long. It might have been the single best dual meet you see in your life. And it wasn't too shabby in 2012, or 2011, either. Here are a couple of samples of what we'll be missing this year.

Thanks, Delany:

And....really....these videos don't do the showdown justice. Iowa vs. Penn State is a premiere event. But, again, for the first time in 31 years, it won't happen, apparently because the Big Ten is completely and fully moronic. Last year, the dual was originally scheduled for Super Bowl Sunday - but the Big Ten, in its wisdom(?), moved the event, and broadcast it live on BTN. This year? Apparently the answer is...screw it, we're too stupid and/or lazy.

Un-freaking-believable.

Okay - I've written my peace about that. For now. Let's move on.

Fine, You Jerk: What Else Is There

Well - wrestling is headed back to the Bryce Jordan Center! Yea!! The BJC. The Big Room, where 8,000 fans feels like 500. But, it's not quite what we expected or hoped for. Instead of Iowa (whom we hoped for), or Okie State (whom we kinda/sorta anticipated after 4 months of message board rumor mongering...), or Stieber State, whom we'd have settled for....instead of any of those three, we're getting Pitt.

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[*********************************REDACTED*********************************************] on Pitt. So, that's all I have to say about Pitt.

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And, now I'm done. I apologize, but it's Pitt, so...you can't really blame me.

PREACH, BROTHER

This is the section where I proselytize about the nobility of wrestling Rider, Clarion, Lock Haven, and Boston U. And really, I'd be angry if Penn State didn't wrestle the EWL schools. They don't have the resources of PSU - let's get/keep them on the schedule, because they're our wrestling brothers.

Furthermore, Penn State vs. Rider out-drew - by 2.5x - the stupid NWCA National Duals, hosted by Minnesota, with the Gophers in the final. So I'm not asking for National Duals - goodness no, they've been horrendous. And no, I do not think it's a coincidence that Penn State's first ever dual against the Boston U Terriers, at Boston U, just happens to occur immediately after that program was cut by its administration until BU alumni stepped up and saved it**. Great work, Sandersons, in that regard. Truly. Thank you.

[EDIT: **Ooops.  Apparently BU is still getting axed.  2013/2014 will be the last season, as of now.]

////Revert to Anger Over Lack of Iowa

Having said that, though...there's nothing wrong with trying to grow the sport top down, either, Mr. Jim Delany. You bring in Johns Hopkins as "an affiliate member' - whatever the heck that means - in order to have your own personal lacrosse conference. Yet.....what could have been 15,000 rabid, foaming at the mouth fans in the Bryce Jordan Center, eager for revenge over an otherwise meaningless dual meet from last year, will instead be about 10,000, mostly polite fans, cheering for PA wrestling in general, and fondly remembering PIAAs. That's not a bad thing - it's just not what it could have been.

Thanks, Delany.

The Full Schedule!

NOVEMBER

Sun. 10 -- at Binghamton Open, All Day

Sat. 16 -- at Rider, 6 p.m.

Sun. 17 -- at Lehigh, 3 p.m.

Sun. 24 -- LOCK HAVEN, 2 p.m.

DECEMBER

Fri. 6 -- at Boston 7 p.m.

Sun. 8 -- PITTSBURGH (in BJC), 2 p.m.

Sun. 15 -- OHIO STATE*, 2 p.m.

JANUARY

W/Th. 1-2 -- Southern Scuffle, Chattanooga, Tenn., All Day

Sun. 12 -- PURDUE*, 2 p.m.

Fri. 17 -- at Indiana*, 7 p.m.

Sun. 19 -- NORTHWESTERN*, 2 p.m.

Fri. 24 -- ILLINOIS*, 7 p.m.

Fri. 31 -- at Michigan State*, 7 p.m.

FEBRUARY

Sun. 2 -- at Michigan*, 2 p.m.

Sun. 9 -- at Minnesota*, 2 p.m.

Sun. 16 -- OKLAHOMA STATE, 2 p.m.

Sun. 23 -- CLARION, 2 p.m.

MARCH

Sa./Su. 8-9 -- Big Ten Championships, Madison, Wis., Times TBA

Sat. 8 -- Session 1 -- Opening Round

Session 2 -- Semifinals

Sun. 9 -- Session 3 -- Consolation, 7th place bouts

Session 4 -- Championship Finals, 3rd and 5th

Th./Sa. 20-22 2013 NCAA Championships, Oklahoma City, Okla., Times TBA

Thur. 20 -- Session 1 -- 1st Round

Thur. 20 -- Session 2 -- 2nd Round/Consolations

Fri. 21 -- Session 3 -- Quarterfinals/Consolations

Fri. 21 -- Session 4 -- Semifinals/All-America Round

Sat. 22 -- Session 5 -- Medal Rounds

Sat. 22 -- Session 6 -- Championship Finals

* Big Ten Dual (wooooo!)

All dates and times subject to change (MAYBE THERE'S HOPE?) - All times EASTERN

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