Anthony "The Champ is Here" Cassar

[Katie 807]

Late to wrestling, Cassar didn't reach the NJ state tournament until his senior year. But when he got there, he won it all.

For college, instead of going to a D2 program or a less competitive D1 program, he walks into the PSU room. He must have known full well that making the starting lineup would be tough.

After a redshirt season, he showed tremendous signs of improvement. He made the junior world team! But then he hurt his shoulder at junior worlds. The injury would take him out for two years.

In 2018 he came back and shared the 197 spot with Rasheed. After beating #1 Kollin Moore in a dual, Rasheed got the nod for the postseason. Cassar was out of luck again.

Finally, in 2019, Cassar moves up to heavyweight even though it is occupied by a 2x All American. Not only does he get the spot, he proceeds to beat everyone in the country.

Great work, Anthony. The champ is here.

Edited March 24, 2019 by Katie

[spladle 179]

I bet Steveson hopes he gets that 6th year. He wants a shot at revenge, and Cassar is up for the challenge!

[TBar1977 3,953]

1 minute ago, spladle said:

I bet Steveson hopes he gets that 6th year. He wants a shot at revenge, and Cassar is up for the challenge!

Someone predicted Cassar might come back looking like Brock Lesnar. If he could build up that much strength and keep his quickness, not fair. 

[Katie 807]

22 minutes ago, TBar1977 said:

Someone predicted Cassar might come back looking like Brock Lesnar. If he could build up that much strength and keep his quickness, not fair. 

Cassar is very technically sound, and now he has plenty of quality weight to boot. If he comes back next year, he'll be tough to beat.

[GockeS 412]

awesome story

did they pitch all this on espn? i didn't see his post match stuff...

this is the type of stuff they need to tell people about, to attract fans... 

Edited March 24, 2019 by GockeS

[Katie 807]

6 minutes ago, GockeS said:

awesome story

did they pitch all this on espn? i didn't see his post match stuff...

this is the type of stuff they need to tell people about, to attract fans... 

I don't recall ESPN mentioning Cassar's story at all. Telling it would have added to the viewers' experience, for sure.

[GockeS 412]

when we watch the olympics we find out about the competitors history... the cousins sisters brother in law...

but here... not so much

[pamela 1,334]

ESPN mentioned bits and pieces of Cassar's story and discussed it a little bit in the pre-show/post-show stuff but it was never a stand alone piece. If anything, I bet they had something ready to go for Gable but ended up not using it because of the way things shook out. But TBH ESPN didn't really go into tremendous depth with any of the wrestlers aside from those interview snippets and little kid wrestling photos. 

The NCAA did a very nice piece on Willie Miklus and I was disappointed that ESPN didn't share it.

[GockeS 412]

i say get rid of the interviews.

build the pieces of 5 or 6 wrestlers... use those that make the finals. and put together some highlights of the others... maybe the pre match interviews that they did have... 

put that time there, not the interviews... they ask such stupid questions most of the time..

[GockeS 412]

yes, even tho miklus didn't make the finals..that would have been cool. exactly what we need imho

[Bigboi Trained 20]

That’s the diffence between Flo and espn. Flo will give us the background of the wrestlers. The story that is needed for people to want to follow certain wrestlers. ESPN has no interest in doing that. But other then that I have no complaints with espn and their broadcast of the tournament 

[RJChicago 14]

39 minutes ago, Katie said:

Cassar is very technically sound, and now he has plenty of quality weight to boot. If he comes back next year, he'll be tough to beat.

I'm thrilled Cassar won - well earned, but I would favor Steveson if they wrestle next year. l re-watched their semi this morning - and Steveson seems like a significantly better feet wrestler - Cassar's takedown came from a very bad shot. Cassar is extremely technically sound - and very disciplined - does not make mistakes - but Steveson seems to be better - Steveson created many more good opportunities for takedowns in their two matches, though he did not convert on many of them. Caesar is new to the weight class and may keep growing, but Steveson is like 18 right? He has the potential to improve significantly; also to add a lot of muscle. 

I kind of hope I'm wrong. I appreciate Gable's talent and skill but he has that "bored to be here" look - which may not be how he feels - that drives me crazy. But I think he showed he was superior to Cassar on their feet, just less disciplined and less well conditioned and probably less technically sound and less polished. Cassar had just had five years with PSU/Cael/David Taylor/Bo/Jake/Casey and others. Given all of that and his age it seems possible that Gable gets significantly better.

[pamela 1,334]

New tournament strategy for Gable Steveson: drink some Redbulls and a triple shot espresso after weigh-ins.

[Regulator 20]

I think Cassar should transition to WWE. He seems perfect for it. Good on the mic. Super athletic. Could see him jumping off the top rope in no time!

[Regulator 20]

17 minutes ago, RJChicago said:

I'm thrilled Cassar won - well earned, but I would favor Steveson if they wrestle next year. l re-watched their semi this morning - and Steveson seems like a significantly better feet wrestler - Cassar's takedown came from a very bad shot. Cassar is extremely technically sound - and very disciplined - does not make mistakes - but Steveson seems to be better - Steveson created many more good opportunities for takedowns in their two matches, though he did not convert on many of them. Caesar is new to the weight class and may keep growing, but Steveson is like 18 right? He has the potential to improve significantly; also to add a lot of muscle. 

I kind of hope I'm wrong. I appreciate Gable's talent and skill but he has that "bored to be here" look - which may not be how he feels - that drives me crazy. But I think he showed he was superior to Cassar on their feet, just less disciplined and less well conditioned and probably less technically sound and less polished. Cassar had just had five years with PSU/Cael/David Taylor/Bo/Jake/Casey and others. Given all of that and his age it seems possible that Gable gets significantly better.

How is Gable better on his feet if he is less disciplined, less conditioned, less technically sound, and less polished? Those are the things I would use to describe someone that is better on their feet. I would say Cassar is also more athletic. 

[D3UC157 105]

1 hour ago, RJChicago said:

I'm thrilled Cassar won - well earned, but I would favor Steveson if they wrestle next year. l re-watched their semi this morning - and Steveson seems like a significantly better feet wrestler - Cassar's takedown came from a very bad shot. Cassar is extremely technically sound - and very disciplined - does not make mistakes - but Steveson seems to be better - Steveson created many more good opportunities for takedowns in their two matches, though he did not convert on many of them. Caesar is new to the weight class and may keep growing, but Steveson is like 18 right? He has the potential to improve significantly; also to add a lot of muscle. 

I kind of hope I'm wrong. I appreciate Gable's talent and skill but he has that "bored to be here" look - which may not be how he feels - that drives me crazy. But I think he showed he was superior to Cassar on their feet, just less disciplined and less well conditioned and probably less technically sound and less polished. Cassar had just had five years with PSU/Cael/David Taylor/Bo/Jake/Casey and others. Given all of that and his age it seems possible that Gable gets significantly better.

 Feel like you go with results until they turn the other way. See: Dake v Taylor

[WillieBoy 713]

4 hours ago, spladle said:

I bet Steveson hopes he gets that 6th year. He wants a shot at revenge, and Cassar is up for the challenge!

Steveson will spend the offseason working out and listening to his favorite music to get inspired.

Uptown's got its hustlers
the bowry's got its bums
forty-second street's got big jim walker
he's a pool-shootin' son of a gun
well he's big and dumb as a man can come
but he's stronger than a country hoss
and when the bad folks all get together at night
you know they all call big jim "boss"
(just because ...)
(they say ...)
chorus:
you don't tug on superman's cape
you don't spit into the wind
you don't pull the mask of the old lone ranger
and you don't mess around with jim
(ba-doo-da-doo-doo doo-doo-doo-doo doot)
well out of south alabama come a country boy
he said i'm lookin' for a man named jim
i am a pool-shootin' boy, my name is willie mccoy
but back home they call me slim
he said i'm lookin' for the king of forty-second street
he's drivin' a drop-top cadillac
and last week he took all my money, and it may sound funny
but i come to get my money back
(and everybody say, jack -- don't you know that...)
(chorus)
well a hush fell over the pool room
when jimmy come boppin' in off the street
and when the cuttin' was done, the only part that wasn't bloody
was the soles of the big man's feet
he was cut in 'bout a hundred places
and he was shot in a couple more
and you better believe they sung a different kind of story
when big jim hit the floor
(and now they say)
you don't tug on superman's cape
you don't spit into the wind
you don't pull the mask of the old lone ranger
and you don't mess around with slim