Buffalo Bulls Olympic sports weekend roundup

For the time being, our weekly video roundups are off. With luck we may be able to bring them back sometime in the spring season, but are still committed to wrapping up This Weekend in Bull every Sunday night or Monday morning. For the time being, John and I are fulfilling this commitment by keeping a running log of the weekend and bringing our banter to you after it's all said and done for some perspective on the past few days in UB sports.

It was, all in all, a good weekend for UB. A fair share of losses, but plenty of good to talk about. Before we get into the banter, here's the rundown of the results:

Softball: 1-1 on Friday, losing 8-0 to WKU and topping Alabama State 11-8, 0-2 on Saturday with losses to North Florida and Troy, and 1-0 on Sunday, topping Florida A&M.

Women's Tennis: Lost 5-2 to West Virginia on Friday. Points came at #1 and #2 singles from Kotok and Stojanovska.

Men's Tennis: Won 4-3 at Cleveland State on Saturday. Points came from doubles, Ionescu, Hannestad, and Arevalillo.

Wrestling: Lost 43-6* versus #2 Missouri Friday. Points came from Peacock (forfeit) and *Cotten (referee bullshit)

Track and Field: Each team finished 5th at Sykes & Sabock Challenge Cup Friday and Saturday. Notable performance came from Mike Morgan, who broke the UB indoor pole vault record by 6 cm.

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Onto the banter.

Matt Gritzmacher: We've hit the massive part of the schedule. Sports in action during the month of February: M/W Swimdive, M/W Indoor Track, M/W Tennis, Softball, Baseball, Wrestling. And I'll only briefly mention M and W basketball because they're my domain, too. It is the busiest time of the year.

On to this weekend

Wrestling is primed for the biggest upset in sports history so I'm pretty psyched about that

John McWhinnie: I appreciate the enthusiasm on wrestling upsetting Mizzou, but my expectations are a bit tempered. What I'll be looking for is high energy and high effort from everyone. Mizzou has a ranked guy at each weight so any victory is an upset for us. If a few of our freshman (Sean Peacock and Colt Cotten wink wink) get upsets it'll be a huge confidence boost. Especially because Missouri could make a run at a team national championship this year, they're that good.

As far as the diamond sports go, I'll give softball some time to get the batting order straightened out so the offense can be more productive. I know a run at a MAC final might be a bit of a stretch but I feel like softball will still be very competitive this year.

I'm really excited about track and field as well. The more I read about Mike Morgan and Devon Patterson the happier I get.

MG: We'll see how today goes. Basically two rough patches from Bobbi Langlois doomed UB in the first game, along with so many strikeouts. I'll at least give time to see several games. Trena Peel in a recent interview talked about bringing in freshmen who could play right away and the true goal of the team was the NCAA tournament.

Best part about Devon Patterson is right now he's our #2. Jon Jones hasn't competed yet but he will, and he will win.

JM: After tonight's match there's only 3 left and then that's it :(

MG: The worst. Screw you Beichner.

JM: It's frustrating. Especially because some postseason experience would be beneficial and Max Soria deserves another trip to nationals.

On an unrelated note, I think for the podcast would could make small variations to the name because UB doesn't have a consistent name in their articles it's either

-University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

-State University of New York at Buffalo

-Or in the NSD coverage it was just State University of New York Bulls.

It seems like in trying to solve an identity crisis they've just created another one because they use different nomenclature to address the university and for me it's very annoying and it would be fun to make light of that fact.

MG: I have a suspicion that it will quickly become the State University of New York Bulls. That's what it's been in the most recent promotional material and I think they could get away with it in the promotion stuff. It's what should have been done from the beginning.

JM: If there's one complaint I have about the NYBI it's the bungling of the name. And the all text logo is a bit much for my taste but oh well.

MG: Worst of all, it's totally overshadowing the championship mindset of the athletics department. Peel, Jack, Stutzman, even oldies like Bashor. They all talk about goal above and beyond the MAC level. That **never** happened before and hasn't really happened with any of the Big4 in WNY. It's always the conference championship and then there's no understanding of the nuance of how much farther there is to go once you make the NCAA tournament.

JM: Now that you mention coaches I know people complained about Danny White's firings and hiring but I really like all of the coaches he hired.

Coach Stutzman and Coach Jack are probably my favorites because of how animated they get

MG: Buffalo respects people who care and who care outwardly. For all the bluster, Quinn was more arrogant and dismissive than caring. Witherspoon and Gill cared. Within the community that actually pays attention to him, Stu Riddle really cares.

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MG: Softball having a better go of it in the second game here. 3 runs in the third to pull back even. WNY native and freshman Charlotte Miller in the circle.

JM: Oh, I know about Quinn. I had the displeasure of being behind him in the line to get into C3 dining center when all the football players were there and to put it bluntly, he was a dick.

I spoke to Coach Jack one when she was going around the Student Union and she just seemed very genuine and enthusiastic about her team and the university and I really respect that.

I also read up on softball assistant Lee Dobbins and he's definitely a steal for the program. He has a lot of experience building a winning program as a head coach and that'll be helpful for Coach Peel

MG: I almost made an article out of Peel hiring Dobbins back when it was announced. We had somebody come on the site and say there was something fishy with how the last hitting coach left but his only other comment has been to likewise praise baseball's pitching coach and denigrate their head man, so I don't know.

I think there are a lot of coaches out there who are attracted to the energy in the program. Certainly Peel, Hurley, Burke were kind of on the way up/early in their careers, but Jack, Sunahara, Stutzman already have proven success. There were some reasons for all three that maybe they couldn't get a bigger job, but you find past successes for all when you research them and know White is hitting above his weight given UB's history.

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MG: Can we just delight in the fact that Tommy Forte's* Mishikawa High School mascot is the Cavemen??

JM: Lol it's a great mascot. I've seen my fair share of interesting mascots.

*incoming wrestling recruit

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MG: Anyway, softball is in good shape to clean up their first win of the year, just an out or two to go. I'm going to try to find track stats in between cover letters and grocery shopping here.

JM: I'm excited to head out to Alumni. It's been 2 months to the day since I've seen a match live in Alumni.

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JM: I was really frustrated with the Colt Cotten match, the ref really screwed the pooch on that one.

MG: Sylvester and Oldguy were pretty complimentary of the ref throughout. It was strange. I'll plead ignorance for now.

J'den Cox is a [[redacted]] man. James Benjamin isn't amazing but Cox was just like yea I'm gonna do this cradle now and roll you into a tilt like you're a puppy and it was incredible.

Very glad Joey Lavallee wrestled while a bunch of other second stringers went. I loved watching his style vs Iowa

JM: Cox is really really good and he likes doing cradles and you wouldn't believe how much energy those take out of you.

I'll re watch the match but they're smoking crack if they complemented that ref. Defensive pin my ass. Cotten had the guy pinned and he [[redacted]] the call.

Oh and the hicks from Missouri making fun of Buffalo really made my blood boil.

MG: Speaking of which I'm going to rewatch it and get a pic of Stutzman after that call. It's hilarious and terrifying and awesome all at once.

JM: Oh please do and throw it up as the pic on the recap. In person it was a sight to see.

I seriously thought he was going to lose his mind.

MG: On replay he didn't say a word as he walked over. He is terrifying. I also think Oldguy knew the ref on the rewatch

JM: He didn't say a word it was just the way he walked toward the ref. Stutz is not a guy that I would want to piss off.

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JM: Got the recap done, I tried to not be too whiny about the ref [[redacted]] over Colt Cotten, and I made a semi rant at the end to the Mizzou fans who were making comments that were completely uncalled for. Like, it's okay if you don't like the city, or whatever, just don't be an ass, and once you start insulting the guys on the mat then I have a real problem.

MG: I think I'm going to do a short piece on the concept of the defensive fall as a newbie to the sport. Like a 'I don't understand and you don't either but here's as far as we can get on this confusing thing'

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MG: You know what, gonna go back to Espn3 and get 2 more screen grabs. Of the ref reaching for Baumgartner as he walks away and Baumgartner's face

JM: I didn't look at Baumgartner's face, as soon as I saw he raised his hand my eyes went right to Stutzman lol

MG: lmao

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JM: 11 errors for SB in their first 3 games yeesh. It's still early so hopefully that won't be indicative of the rest of the season. Hopefully they can top Troy and Florida A&M. And I don't know how I just realized this but playing 5 games in the span of 3 days has to be excruciating.

MG: My only consolation is that they probably haven't been able to practice outside much. Weather sucks even if seasons are awesome.

JM: A fieldhouse would be a big help...lol

JM: And if you watch the replay, yes, Cotten's shoulder blades were on the mat, but Baumgartner's were down for the two seconds long before Cotten's were and the ref wasn't even looking at Missouri's shoulders, he was looking straight at Cotten's. It shouldn't have been a pin for Missouri, Cotten should have had the pin.

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JM: Mike Morgan just set a new school record in Pole Vault, hot damn. What can't this guy do?

MG: He will win a national title in one of the multi events before he leaves. He is a junior

JM: That'll be UB's first D1 National Title in anything, right?

MG: We might have one from before athletics were shut down but NCAA was much less organized and stratified then. Let me think

*ed note: nope, not at the D1 level

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MG: WOMEN'S TENNIS

Should have had this yesterday, because it happened yesterday. Lost 5-2. Were a tiebreaker away from the doubles point. The two points came from the #1 and #2 spots, which is encouraging. I also notice that the Lauras flipped at #4 and 5. Interesting.

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MG: Only two outs before the first error in the second softball game. [[redacted]] me.

JM: I don't think we hit the panic button just yet. But this is ugly...

MG: I'm not hitting panic until I know they've actually been able to practice outside for a bit. But my goodness. Just tweeted that at weekend's end we'll count up the two-out runs surrendered. Has been off the rails

MG: This is a real thing on my softball gametracker right now

JM: Oh good lord.

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MG: It didn't get better. Grand slam, all unearned.

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MG: Final score 11-0. All 11 runs on two outs. Only 2 hits for UB anyway. One more tomorrow to come out 2-3

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MG: MENS TENNIS WINS THE DOUBLES POINT MENS TENNIS WINS THE DOUBLES POINT

JM: 

MG: I don't have much more from Track and Field... each team finished 5th after 2nd and third last year. no one won their event. Kelly Truppo and Chris Reape both had strong days in the jumps, but otherwise not a lot of spectacular

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MG: Men's tennis won. Got surprisingly tight after a 2-0 lead but Sergio Arevalillo came through in the last match at #5. Bottom three matches all went three sets and UB won two of them hooray depth.

Pretty sure softball is the only thing tomorrow

JM: Hopefully they can go out and get a W

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MG: 

Watch more videos on Flowrestling

This is the most any of us will ever learn about the Fall of the House of Beichner

Also softball had a pinch hit grand slam in the third and is up 4-1

JM: I found the results from the tournament:

We didn't have a place finisher but I'm excited about Jake Gunning and Brandon Lapi.

And we were called the best Academic School in the MAC so I'll take that

MG: Miami is the only one with a claim, and then you're getting into the Binghamton//Geneseo vs UB debate.

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JM: Softball still up 4-1, this is good.

MG: This is good. Though it's that seventh inning that's been killing them. This team did score 6 on Troy who walloped us last night

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MG: I go to church and they close out a 6-1 win. Daily Mass it is during softball season.

Pretty strong weekend for UB. Love that Cotten is the same wrestler against all comers. I feel like a teacher who can't have favorites as I cover all the teams, but Colt's already proven himself to be a special guy.

Your recap is doing the best of non-Notre Dame-linked traffic. Wonder if Mizzou people picked it up

JM: Colt was a top 100 recruit in the nation for a reason. He and Sean Peacock are going to be a dangerous combination, and Jason Estevez too. Those guys are going to go to nationals next year, they're that good.

MG: SPEAKING OF JOHN MCWHINNIE ASSERTIONS

A sport that's not even in season:

Women's soccer's recruiting pipeline is loaded. Transfers Carissima Cutrona and Moira Petrie are going to step right in. Tough to predict because the departees were right down the middle, but Cutrona is taking Katie Roberts' #8 and her position, and Petrie will step into the holding/attacking mid positions of either Megan Giesen or Courtney Mann.

Which means Kidd/Benati/Niper can all stay wide in the midfield and the back can fill in from the wings - this past year he played five central defenders across the back. So maybe one of them (Hart?) steps into Mann's slot and another (Markiewicz?) also swings inside next to Hall.

TL;DR LIFE IS GOOD IN WOMEN'S SOCCER LAND

JM: Yeah didn't I make some sort of assertion that Women's Soccer could make a run in the MAC? As I sit and smile smugly to myself. And I know wrestling far better than I know soccer.

Also, after re-reading the Akron blogger complaining about Hurley and saying he gave him a "death glare" I laughed because Hurley isn't very physically imposing, like his bark is worse than his bite. But if it was John Stutzman staring him down Akron dude would shat his pants. Stutzman looks like he can open up a can of whoop ass at any time lol

MG: My mom thought she was sitting near Stutz at the Santora's game watch last night and all the descriptors I could come up with revolved around him being loomingly imposing and looking like Mark Strong the actor.

Or Eric Bana

A new idea: I just tweeted out my favorite moments of the UB weekend and think it would be cool if we ended the banter piece with each of us doing that. I think three or four from each of us would be good. MBB and WBB are on the table AFAIC

1 - Colt Cotten

2 - True Blue in Akron

3 - Continued dominance from Kristen Sharkey

4 - Nicolette Jacobs grand slam today

JM:

1 - John Stutzman's death glare.

2 - #RightShark dominating

3 - True Blue embarrassing Akron's student section (even if MBB lost TB evened out the hostile environment)

4 - Mike Morgan breaking the pole vault record.

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With that, Happy Monday, Bulls fans. Catch you Friday with This Weekend in Bull