For nearly a month now, the Penn State wrestling community has been gawking at one of the most improbable hirings in recent sports history.  Penn State was able to lure the Michael Jordan (yes, he even has his own shoe line) of college wrestling from his alma mater to a program that has not won a team wrestling title since 1953.
Hmm…how did such a miracle happen?  Was it the Peachy Paterno ice cream?  Was it the allure of the mists of Mount Nittany that caught the eye of the former Iowa State Cyclone?  We may never know the exact reason why Cael was drawn to the Valley; nevertheless, as we all know from a great AC/DC song, money does indeed talk.

It is believed that Penn State alumnus Ira Lubert, a former PSU wrestler himself, played a major financial role in the hiring.  PSU is said to be shelling out nearly $500K/year to Mr. Sanderson over the next three years, along with a $1 million in signing bonuses.   That’s a pretty penny for one man, but Sanderson is worth it.  This hiring could be the fulcrum of success for a Penn State program with a bevy of talent in its backyard.

It goes without saying that next winter could be extremely exciting.

Let’s Go State!