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Jeff “Ironhead” Byers on Cael Sanderson’s Latest Championship Masterpiece
Incredibly, Penn State’s wrestling team has just completed its seventh national title run in the last eight years, crowning four individual champions and besting a stacked Ohio State squad in dramatic fashion before a raucous home crowd. Brandon, Chris, and long-time wrestling superfan Mike the Mailman sat down with Jeff “Ironhead” Byers, who has been the unmistakable voice of Nittany Lions wrestling for the last three decades, to break down another championship season and talk about the team’s remarkable dominance under Cael Sanderson. Jeff has had a front-row seat for the rise of an all-time NCAA powerhouse in Happy Valley, and he shares his insights into what is making this program so unbelievably special.
CHRIS: “How are these kids even real? I hear some of these stories about guys Cael Sanderson’s brought through the program, and it’s like, ‘C’mon.’ But it’s legit.”
4:09 – Ironhead’s background broadcasting for Penn State’s most intense fans
8:20 – Current state of college wrestling & ways to grow the sport
11:47 – Appreciating the greatness of Penn State right now
18:00 – Win or lose (but usually win), the kids are genuinely having fun
22:40 – On Zain Retherford’s remarkable Penn State career
26:54 – Cael Sanderson is recruiting great wrestlers and better people
28:40 – Recounting the thrilling comeback title win over Ohio State
32:26 – Bo Nickal’s win-or-go-home win by pin & his WWE-worthy mic skills after
43:46 – Where 2017-18 ranks among the Sanderson championships
46:55 – Ohio State set to chase Penn State for the long haul
51:00 – Why Title IX didn’t “kill” college wrestling & why Penn State was ahead of its time
54:16 – Many Penn State fans love wrestling & many more love Penn State winning in general
56:00 – The impact of MMA’s popularity on college wrestling & a random Phil Taylor reference
1:01:01 – Where will Saquon get drafted?
1:08:18 – Tommy Stevens announces he’s staying with help from some “grown-up words”
1:09:05 – Prospects for the 2018 football season
HOSTED BY: Brandon Noble, Mike Herr, Chris Buchignani
GUEST: Jeff Byers
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