The Magic man is as at the softball game tonight. He doesn’t look that tough!😁
David “Magic Man” Taylor
- Thread starter AtownPoke
- Start date
Haha, yeah, give it shot…
Have your loved ones report the results here!
Have your loved ones report the results here!
I had my buddy talked into it but he thought he needed a couple of more beers first. The Cowgirls then went crazy and the game was over before my buddy finished his beers. Maybe we can try it another time.
Hope he and his family are falling in love with Stilly. It’s a great sports town and fans bleed orange no matter the season
So, I would be interested to know what your personal report card is on DT at the two month mark? What were your expectations of a famous outsider becoming your head coach and is he meeting them so far? I know it's early, but it's a slow Sunday so thought I would ask the questions.
His selection of assistants?
His communications with the team?
His recruiting?
How his culture is being received?
I'm biased toward DT, so my opinion doesn't count. I remember when PSU hired Cael and my thoughts a couple months in. I was still nervous because a LOT more guys left the PSU program under Cael, but you are starting from a better position than we were in 2009. It took me 18 months to see the corner being turned but you could see glimpses of it early on. Will be interested to see where you guys are at.
His selection of assistants?
His communications with the team?
His recruiting?
How his culture is being received?
I'm biased toward DT, so my opinion doesn't count. I remember when PSU hired Cael and my thoughts a couple months in. I was still nervous because a LOT more guys left the PSU program under Cael, but you are starting from a better position than we were in 2009. It took me 18 months to see the corner being turned but you could see glimpses of it early on. Will be interested to see where you guys are at.
I consider myself a pretty intense fan as I watch just about everything folk to freestyle.
I have no overt opinion as of yet and I’m ok with not having one for another 6-9 months.
I’m 110% happy from what I know. I love the culture change. I love the recruiting. I had been pretty upset that we weren’t going for Kody. Landon came out of nowhere but it’s a fantastic add and really shows what DT looks for imo. I like how hard he’s trying to build serious competition in the room. Hes trying to get multiple hammers at each weight. That’s tough to pull off but he’s got the name to draw on. I really like the staff and I’m excited to see what happens with the RTC. From what I’ve heard in the room, the staff is whipping the hell out of them daily and the guys are really coming along. We can’t get to matches soon enough. I’m excited to see how we finish ‘25. Until he commits there is always a chance at Blaze. ‘26 is a massive year and Jax is a must get considering his initial interest and skill level. Im over the moon pleased at the moment
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My thoughts:
1. Solid A. Upgrade on assistants for me. If Dake shows up in a month or two, A+!
2. I'm not around the team so it is hard to grade.
3. Solid B+ right now. If he can bring 1or 2 of the hammers, the grade jumps.
4. Much like 2. I will say that several of the old-timers like me are just as ready to see a change in culture as we were in change of wrestling style.
I think it’ll be a fun ride.
I will not grade but the thread with this one is attendance. Last year I thought how horrible it was to have such great attendance at the Iowa dual and we got a few takedowns in 10 matches. We wrestled like we wanted to destroy wrestling dual attendance. A more aggressive wrestling style will be a good change.
Some random thoughts.
Dake would be huge. Stage two of the DT hire is the building of the RTC with Dake. Only with this piece of the puzzle in place will recruiting the upper echelon of elite recruits be successful. I really believe that. These elite kids are so laser focused on int'l competition that if you don't have that as an outlet, forget about consistently recruiting these kids. That's why I started the Pan Am thread. Those guys are who we all want.
The best hire to me is Gilman, so I agree. Gilman has grown in manhood and is a leader worthy of his own program some day. Who knew that brash kid would grow up!!! I see him with his own team in 5 years, but that doesn't mean "his guys" leave to follow him. DT is still king, and the RTC will anchor decisions like that. Still concerned that an upper weight coach hasn't been hired yet, but maybe DT already plans for he and Dake to coach those kids. Otherwise, I would have expected a hire by now at upper weights. Maybe a "tell" about Dake landing in OK.
With regard to recruiting, I think the best is yet to come from DT, and if he can get Dake to sign on, he will have a fresh counterpoint to PSU. Notice how the RTC is in every conversation. It is a key ingredient to every solution.
Dake would be huge. Stage two of the DT hire is the building of the RTC with Dake. Only with this piece of the puzzle in place will recruiting the upper echelon of elite recruits be successful. I really believe that. These elite kids are so laser focused on int'l competition that if you don't have that as an outlet, forget about consistently recruiting these kids. That's why I started the Pan Am thread. Those guys are who we all want.
The best hire to me is Gilman, so I agree. Gilman has grown in manhood and is a leader worthy of his own program some day. Who knew that brash kid would grow up!!! I see him with his own team in 5 years, but that doesn't mean "his guys" leave to follow him. DT is still king, and the RTC will anchor decisions like that. Still concerned that an upper weight coach hasn't been hired yet, but maybe DT already plans for he and Dake to coach those kids. Otherwise, I would have expected a hire by now at upper weights. Maybe a "tell" about Dake landing in OK.
With regard to recruiting, I think the best is yet to come from DT, and if he can get Dake to sign on, he will have a fresh counterpoint to PSU. Notice how the RTC is in every conversation. It is a key ingredient to every solution.
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I’d rather DT and (if) Dake roll with the bigger weights.
That’s another seemingly simple situation where PSU dominates by having bigger guys that Wrestle like they belong at 25 or 33. The margins for stud athletes at those bigger weights are significantly better.
It’s so dang simple! I’ve always thought we should target middle weight HS kids with supreme skill for 84 and up. Of course the frame has to be right, but it’s an easy way to get a skilled bigger guy. The skills and even speed/quickness (with proper training) doesn’t lessen.
If you are saying that there is more flexibility in grabbing an athletic, high end middleweight and letting them float to their best weight, I agree.
Same (though less on the watching everything). Time will tell and it’s been a fun ride. It’s really just too early to know anything outside of forums and various bits of promo. I don’t have any insider info. I hope the momentum carries through to results, attendance, recruits, all of it. Love the idea of re-making Stillwater into an epicenter of American wrestling but you know it’s just an idea until it happens… folks have to stay on board and all. I’m excited for every season to start - even the weird ones - and this one will be fun for sure.
Flexibility yes, but overall ability/skill set.
Bo Nickal is a good example. Pretty sure he Wrestled at 52 in HS. Then again, that may be a bad example as it’s tough to duplicate.
No you’re right. Cael lets the “stars” move weights as needed and the rest of the guys fill out the team. Within reason. If Bo for example wanted to go 184 but “could” go 174 so that another stud could go 184, then I’m sure Bo would go 174. It’s a trust and communication issue.
A Plus so far but it is still 3-4 months until the season. The main issue I feel this year is not necessarily the coaching but a change in attitude (which could be coaching). The other issue is attendance. I have said this in the recent past that we need to appeal to a younger fan base e.g., the students. Old farts like me will not be around forever. We need to find more ways to appeal to the students of this generation. Back in 1960 when I was a 2nd year freshman (flunked out of Central
State basically) you had to bargain your student activity tickets to attend the matches but the old Galagher held I believe 6,900. I like the recruiting this year from both the old staff and the new and I do expect it to get even better when David Taylor has a full year to spend on it.
Nolf told me he would have been a 174 after his freshman year, if not for the talent on the team. Just didn't lift weights. LOL
I believe it. He was one of those guys that was asked to remain where he was and it worked out for everyone. I do remember him not being particularly muscle bound.
Maybe that’s part of why some of those guys end up so slick with technique. They can’t outmuscle so they have to use technique and stamina differently. Probably a different type of training too when you aren’t as focusing on bulking/cutting. Just spitballing I have no idea.
Carl takes the 1% better everyday literally. He's not in a race. Most wrestling coaches run their practices like they have to be better NOW. The intensity/anxiety is always dialed up like NCAAs is in 2 weeks.
Not to say that it's not intense in a Carl/PSU practice, because it is - but that's based on your own personal pride and ego. It's not a coach screaming at you "HARD!" "NOW!" - there's a real patience in every practice that's more centered around just getting a LITTLE better every day.
PSU also might have the most consistent practice schedule in D1. Most teams take big breaks where everyone is off. PSU doesn't really do that. Practice is 4-5 times a week year round. You're expected to be there year round and if you want to take time off? Do it. There's a lot of trust there. So those guys stay pretty lean because there's not much time to get fat. lol
“Carl”🤦🏼♂️. You’re letting your hawk influence seep over.
To be fair… auto correct tries to change it to Carl everytime I type it. I have to manually fix it. Might not be worth the effort to fix it for an old Hawk like VHS lol
I'm a Hawk fan. I respect him. But yeah. He's Carl. Although I don't call him Carl on their board. Same way i don't use "okiest" on yours! LOL
I know it well. My phone likes to autocorrect Cael every chance it gets.
I like everything I see from DT as a coach. Year-round practice. Live wrestling diminished in comparison to situational wrestling. Having fun. Winning is not the goal, getting better is. Living a clean life and listening to the dietician and trainer at all times. Cael treats this as a science, and there is little left to chance. Apparently so does David.
This is EXACTLY what I expected to see and David is not disappointing. I also see great signs on the recruiting front. A couple guys didn't want to be part of this culture and left, but more are asking to join this culture. I think you'll see more transfers and decommits to OSU.
Soon enough, DT will be building the RTC and outreach program to reach the full potential of the program. That will take a solid 10 years to fully bloom, but I don't see anything standing in the way. I really don't. What I mean by fully bloom is the creation of a feeder system like M2 and kids coming to stillwater for their senior year of HS to train at the RTC, which by that point is producing int'l medalists and creating a magnet for freestylers to join. It's an intricate dance, almost like which comes first, the RTC or the increased recruiting. Recruiting in the early days and the championships helped get the funding for the NLWC, and in turn, the NLWC success has now started increasing the quality of the recruiting. An interesting business study. I graduated with a BS in Economics so I enjoy a good case study. I expect the same here just not overnight.
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Where are you seeing these things re: OSU? I don't get any of that from the few social media posts they've put out. Have there been some media days or other interviews where these items are talked about post-hiring press conference?
Snapshots in the wrestling room showing positional wrestling.
Beach volleyball pics.
The team has been practicing all summer in Stillwater according to reports.
Some of what I said is conjecture, but if they are doing those things a la Cael, you guys are probably doing the rest. Why change a winning formula?
DT has stated in the past his appreciation for the 1% process vhsalum stated, and DT is a huge believer in living the life of a wrestler, which includes diet and strength conditioning.
DT is doing a great job so far. Lost two wrestlers to transfer. Kept everyone else, including the transfers that came in before he got to OK State. Then got Amine to transfer in and flipped two solid recruits. It looks like he has the team working hard and it looks like they are having fun also. Looking forward to see how he does with his own recruiting classes and how much improvement the team makes come season time.
I'm going to be slightly harsh here but you guys haven't lost anyone who will be a national champion, nor will you in the future.
Honestly, I would give him a solid ‘A’ thus far. If he gets Bo or Jax or any other top-tier recruit, I would be adding “+’s” to that “A”.
Iowa thinks DT will jump ship as soon as the PSU job opens (in quite a few years). I don’t think so. In ten years, this train will be rollin. They are just jealous because they have out dated coaches, an UGLY wrestling facility, hideous donors, with the most Rabid fans. Go Pokes.
Iowa thinks DT will jump ship as soon as the PSU job opens (in quite a few years). I don’t think so. In ten years, this train will be rollin. They are just jealous because they have out dated coaches, an UGLY wrestling facility, hideous donors, with the most Rabid fans. Go Pokes.
DT isn't going anywhere. DT wants to put his stamp on collegiate folkstyle wrestling, and this is where he intends on doing it. Everything else is fantasy or delusion. The best Iowa can hope for is Spencer, Gilman, or Dake. It will likely be Lee.
I somewhat agree with you. Christian Carroll absolutely has the potential to be a National Champ. I feel that DT was someone that would have helped him the most to get there though. We shall see how it works out. Either way, the wrestlers that are at OK State and that DT will bring in, he is going to have one hell of a roster.
I think his point was that CC deciding to leave and the info going around about him not wanting to roll with DT has led 85 to thinking that CC won’t ever live up to his potential due to issues between the ears
Carroll did not like or want the coaching change that happened. He clearly voiced his opinion in a Instagram post alluding to Coleman being his guy. He obviously had a one track mind with whom he wanted as his coaches and the hiring of DT and Perry losing his job left a bad taste in his mouth. Instead of being open to the change he seemed to completely shift gears. Did Perry have some influence in his decision by being a little voice in his ear? That's something none of us really know. But I can assume he played some role certainly by leaving the program at the least.
As bystanders and fans we can see the bigger picture and know that DT would of been a massive help for Carroll, but unfortunately his tunnel vision lead him in a different direction. He has a ton of talent and motivation. I'm sure he will have a lot of success at ISU. We will never know if he could of reached his goals at OSU with the new staff, but what's discouraging and could be his weakness is his lack of openness for positive change and being easily influenced by another individual who is imo not exactly looking out for his best interest. In the end it was ultimately his decision and luckily we have another high caliber guy coming in at his weight.
As bystanders and fans we can see the bigger picture and know that DT would of been a massive help for Carroll, but unfortunately his tunnel vision lead him in a different direction. He has a ton of talent and motivation. I'm sure he will have a lot of success at ISU. We will never know if he could of reached his goals at OSU with the new staff, but what's discouraging and could be his weakness is his lack of openness for positive change and being easily influenced by another individual who is imo not exactly looking out for his best interest. In the end it was ultimately his decision and luckily we have another high caliber guy coming in at his weight.
You said it much better than I did regarding CC. Everything has to click to be a national champion. For the record, I am a fan of CC.
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