As a fan of college wrestling and specifically as an Oklahoma State fan, I welcome Penn State back as a power. Prior to the last two years, it had been since 1953 for a championship and 1993 as a runner-up for Penn State. It looks like the national championships will be tough for all with just a few matches making the difference in points as they advance or go to the consolations.
I grew up in Stillwater, and my dad taught at OSU. Back then, you had four choices: football, baseball, basketball or wrestling. That was it. Wrestling was huge, and there was nothing like going to an OSU match, especially if OU or ISU were in town. It was crazy, and I remember as a young boy absolutely loving the sport and the rabid crowds.
Our youth wrestling program was sponsored by OSU, and many members of the team earned extra money coaching us. We moved to NJ some time later, another great wrestling state, and I was far ahead of the competition in skills thanks to the coaching by those OSU NCAA champions and All Americans.
I grew up in Stillwater, and my dad taught at OSU. Back then, you had four choices: football, baseball, basketball or wrestling. That was it. Wrestling was huge, and there was nothing like going to an OSU match, especially if OU or ISU were in town. It was crazy, and I remember as a young boy absolutely loving the sport and the rabid crowds.
Our youth wrestling program was sponsored by OSU, and many members of the team earned extra money coaching us. We moved to NJ some time later, another great wrestling state, and I was far ahead of the competition in skills thanks to the coaching by those OSU NCAA champions and All Americans.