What Happened At Nationals 

Honestly it’s really weird how much hate Cayden gets. At the end of a day he’s just a dude documenting his wrestling journey, no hate, no drama, no ego.

The amount of self control to sign autographs after losing that is something I wish I had

“If a wrestling match is the worst thing to happen to me then im blessed.” -David Carr

the awkwardness of this podcast really shows the pain and the realness of losing. always keeping it real

"I needed those experiences for what's to come"- yeah, I f with that too.

I was an all American, 6th in 1996 from YCP. Even my D3 accomplishment changed me. After years of such hard work and under achieving over and over again. I finally was able to say I did it. Gave me a confidence I don’t think I could have received any other way. Propelled my medical career. It’s all about your expectations. So for me, it was huge. And when I was on the podium with my broken nose, I still had a smirk of a smile on my face.

Wrestlings a brutal sport, I can somewhat relate where I was ranked relatively high but went 1-2 in sectionals in HS and it took me awhile to accept that my season was over. W podcast, God will turn bad things into greater plans Cayden.

You made it to nationals which is more than most people will ever accomplish. Most people don’t even make it to states and you made it to nationals, you are a very good wrestler, and you will come back even better.

I applaud your goals and I know you are putting in a truckload of effort to pursue them. I'm not sure how many people have said this, but I'm a solid 10-15 years older than you guys, and I have to say the contribution you are making to the sport of wrestling is something that already echoes far and wide. You are approachable, informed, hardworking, and down to earth, and you do a great job. I hate to say this, but one thing few people ever talk about in wrestling, because it can hurt so much sometimes, is that the real gift that wrestling gives to those who compete is, unless you are an undefeated national and olympic champion beyond karelin's level, at some point the sport makes you work very hard for something you care deeply about, and it doesn't give it to you. That is the value, because it seasons you for life, and it means that, in the future, whenever something happens, you aren't completely blindsided by the discomfort, which is incredibly, incredibly valuable. I know it makes no sense, it never did to me for a long time. But the way you are handling yourself in these moments is the real gift. The sport of wrestling is full of intense d-bags who will behave like children for years when things don't go their way. It's practically the required culture of the sport. You are setting the example for the youngsters getting into the sport now, and sitting there, being composed, even though we all know it hurts terribly, is as positive a legacy as anybody can leave for the sport. Not all competitors are role models. You are being a real role model. I know hundreds if not thousands of guys who have wrestled, and I know far more All-Americans and national champions than i do role models from that group. Way to go.

Didn’t place at the biggest tournament and still takes pictures and gives autographs. Cayden is actually built different and is how we should aspire to be like.

I have something to share with the podcast, and anyone reading this. I am a father of a wrestler. And not just any wrestler, literally the hardest working wrestler in his school and his club. His diet is perfect, he gets the perfect amount of sleep, he trains with the best coaches available. He wakes up early to lift, and his evening is dedicated to practice. He has given up all sports to focus on wrestling year round the last 2 years. This coming up summer there will be no vacation for him, he has a month long Purler Camp, ISI, and the Jordan Champ Camp he's doing twice. And with all the dedication the last few years he has become one of the state hammers and places in national tournaments often. He goes into every tournament knowing that he can win. He has the skills, drive, and strength to win every tournament. But heres my point: so do other guys. Hes not the only one who has dedicated everything to the sport. There is a short list of kids who work as hard as he does, and a short list of kids who have beat him in the last few years, but he has lost. Let your loses fuel your work ethic and give it everything you got every time, and strive for perfection, but as long as you did all that you can, be ok with the outcome. Great show today, and God Bless.

Wrestling is the toughest sport - when you step on the line you are alone out there and shoulder all responsibility for the win or loss. Post-season wrestling at all levels, especially at the high level you are wrestling at, requires a mental and strategic stamina that is indescribable. Everyone in the bracket wants the wins so bad, and all have put the time in to be at their peak physical shape. The micro decisions made in a fraction of a second are what separate wins and losses at this level, and the losses hurt worse than the joy of the win. The vast majority of wrestlers end their seasons with losses, its a constant of the sport. I give you so much respect for putting yourself out there and then documenting all of this for us to watch. Watching in real time what its like to be a college wrestler now, you have given a unique and valuable perspective on how hard this sport is. Good luck to you on the rest of your wrestling journey.

huge Cayden fan, you are a great influence on my 1st year wrestling 6 year old. skill, hardworking, attitude, and good human everything I could ever hope my boy grows up with. Thank you for taking us along with you!

The haters are clowns. What you’ve done for the sport of wrestling is unparalleled. Qualifying for NCAAs is no small feat either. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished and onto the next one 💪🏼

Came up short at D2s the last two years bro, respect tf out of you to continue to post and talk about it right after the tournament.Your going to get it don’t bro

Keep doing you win or lose, your doing amazing for our sport.

Love you my guy sometimes we lose and win you gonna get it next year my boy 🦾 Don’t let anything stop you Ive watch you since your senior year in high school Love from okc

Crazy that this same shit happened to me this year. Lost in bloodround and didn’t make it to state. Shit hurt real bad because I genuinely had full confidence of making it and winning it. Cayden explaining what happened was almost identical to me. We both got 1 last chance Cayden let’s get it. And this had to have been a hard one for Crosby to film because I know he was thinking about all the other teammates losses but he didn’t wanna really say anything bad abt them lol

A great representation of our sport, a Loved child of God, and an awesome entertainer. I won a couple state titles in high school and have gone on to coach a few years of high school seasons. I couldn't make the next step to pursue my own competitive career because I couldn't stand losing. I admire your grace with the disappointment. You've earned a new fan from this guy for sure! Congratulations Cayden

Through the ups and downs we will always love you and what you do for the sport of wrestling. ❤

Great podcast!! you go cayden!!!!

Thanks for letting us watch your journey. You're a warrior and a great promoter of your college and for wrestling. Please come do a clinic at my school if you have the time.

Cayden, As an old, former wrestling coach, I want to congratulate you on all of your hard work this year, both on the mat and off it! You have achieved something really unique in that you were able to qualify for D2 Nationals while growing your Social Media Footprint! I'm pretty sure you and Olivia Dunne are the only two to do both. Which brings me to my point... 1.) You can't have both! Not enough time in the day to grow your social media presence and become a national champ. Something has to give 2.) As hard as you have trained, and I'm guessing you trained harder than 90% of other wrestlers, you weren't able to commit 100% to this sport because of your social media endeavors. It's that simple 3.) I don't judge you at all for your performance. I am amazed you actually qualified, won a match, and was winning in both your losses with only 40 seconds or so to go! That is a testament to your positive attitude, hard work, and natural wrestling ability. Be proud of that and cherish it 4.) I haven't had the opportunity to watch your match, but I am assuming based on what you said, that you gave up position late in the match after shooting. I normally agree with being offensive late in the match when you are up but at the national tournament, no matter what division, you need to be smart, and sometimes aggressive stalling is the answer. 5.) Now my final point and I sure hope you read this comment. Those All-Americans and that National Champion on the podium definitely enjoyed the moment and will continue to enjoy their success! Don't pretend they didn't. I want you to feel really 'salty' about losing. You should and you have that right considering all of the hard work you put in. Obviously, the big man upstairs had other plans for you. You are meant to explode your social media presence and that is exactly what you are doing. Keep doing it and be relentless. Achieve in this arena what you didn't in the wrestling arena. It is right in front of you. Take it! 6.) Growth only happens when we experience Failure. More specifically, Growth only happens when we Learn from our Failures! I am confident you have and will continue to learn from it. 7.) Can't wait to see where your channel and product line goes from here!

Cayden's comeback gonna be legendary

It’s a competition, not a guarantee. We’ve all been there before. Keep grinding man

Those haters are just jealous Cayden. Keep doing what you're doing. You're awesome for the sport!

Cayden just keep doing you and come back stronger and better than ever next year

Wrestlings so brutal man. Losing at Nationals is hard. After the hardest season ever for me, I went 0-2 and it really, really sucks. For me, listening to all the reasons why I shouldn't be upset only makes it worse. It's okay to not be okay.

It happens Cayden, I watched a lot of crazy upsets and results this year. Just keep going. My 9 year old watches your content, he's a good wrestler, a great one actually....doesn't get first at the big tournaments but always battles through and makes me proud. One day you will be a coach for these young kids. These results don't define you as a wrestler, your reaction to it will. Any given day you could have shown up and took home gold. It just wasn't your day.

Great perspective and humility. Positivity is so powerful✊🏻

Keep your head up Cayden. You have way more support than you realize. Hard work will pay off in the end.

Win our lose you still have our respect for putting your all out there on the mat, forget the haters you have so many fans and wrestlers rooting for you and your journey. Wrestling is a damn hard sport no matter how good you get, we love you and the sport cayden. Keep it up🔥🔥🔥

i like the show but gained alot of respect for you as a man coming in holding your emotions in check my son came short his senior year of making the state tournament by 1 point in the final min i'm gonna show him this clip much respect

It is what it is and then we just move on to the next dance. Great job, keep the hard work up.

Thanks for putting your-self out there. Being willing to let all know where you are. Disappointed for you ( not in you) keep your head up high. You don't have to defend yourself to any online hate. Your passion for the sport is great. You are a great representative of our sport.

Heartbroken for you not achieving your outcome goals. Mad respect for your dedication and sacrifices. Appreciate your thoughts in this podcast. Still rooting for you in whatever you do

Been watching you since the beginning buddy

Love you always Cayden

Hell of a nationals. Keep your head up high Cayden! Parkside forever

Ready for the Free style season! Will always be a fan!

I was just at 16U nationals won my first 4 than lost in the semis and lost my last 2, life goes on.

countdown to crosby's ncaa championship starts now

These guys are feeling the feels!

This sport is physically and mentally breaking, I’m a ref coach and a college wrestler myself. Let me tell you it’s been a brutal year. I feel Cayden’s pain and I also respect him for being so stand up about it and facing it head on. Wish the best for my guy, still has another year to win a title

Take the pain and use it to work harder. So hard that you cannot lose. So hard that you feel like you are sweating blood. Until the pain of your training makes the pain of losing dull in comparison to the work you do every day until this time next year.

No matter what I'll look at cayden as the person who made me fall in love with wrestling

i've lost too many matches to keep track. ofcourse we all want to win. but what i learned is that wrestling isn't about winning. wrestling is about wrestling. enjoying it and having fun. that's all that matters honestly.

Losing sucks...but we always learn from the experience.

Shitty that you had to end your season like that, Cayden. Sometimes, you can put everything you got into something and it still does not work out. I understand you feel shitty right now, but the amount of helping content you put out for the sport of wrestling is incredible! The fact that you know in your heart you could have easily won those matches you lost, shows that your improving. Fight on!!

There alway haters of successful people. Keep your head up Cayden and keep working hard.

Dude in the quarters. You took a bad shot at the end literally.

Keep grinding Cayden, don't let any of the negativity do anything but charge your battery to continue forward!

You'll be back and better than every brother.. keep your head up.. your still one of the best wrestlers in your weight class like you said it was your time yet..but your time is coming

"In the battle of life, it's not the critic that counts". These people not competing or training and wanna try and comment on your journey. Screw those folks (but hit the like button). I would read The Battle of Life poem and get back to it. Great season and enjoy your senior year.

I always chose bottom if I was up because if I was to lose they had to earn it. Depending on the coin flip of course

National Qualifier! Let that sink in. None of your detractors can say that about themselves.

The journey is the reward. Losing sucks, but makes winning so sweet. Do your best at whatever you choose in life. 🙏

Let's put this into perspective. You won a Wisconsin State Title, you've done well a lot of events and beaten a lot of good guys. You have one year left too. Just do everything you can to finish as high as possible next year and leave you're career with no regrets.

A little advice: If you lose the same way a few times, it likely is a mindset, strategy, or technique error. While it can be helpful to say it was not your time, adjustments can be made.

Love you Bud

As a wrestler and current coach, remember that success is not measured by wins and loses. Let that sink in .

I thought you wrestled pretty tough. Seemed like the guys you wrestled had great performances to get the Ws tbh. That happens sometimes. You’re doing great things for wrestling. I enjoy following your process.

Don’t dwell on it, just get back on your horse and grind. You’ll win it all next year

Maybe this was the hurdle you needed to finally propel you to getting the natty. Keep going 💪

Cayden angel flores is a good wrestler and you and him were a good match I know him it was so cool watching one of my idols wrestle some one I know

Brutal sport.

LEGIT AF🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Respect 😢

W PODCAST❤

You guys should get the Mirasola twins on

Stay hard and keep hammering man! don't over think it and use it for fuel for next year. Never dwell on the past and look in the rearview mirror, focus on the road ahead. Don't worry about the haters, generally they are the ones who never accomplished anything or have ever done anything in their lives.

Good for Cayden not looking at those negative ass comments. Don't let these comments stop you from doing what you love man, These incels have no life. Luv ya Cayden

Hate to say it but it is all about the Journey!! The hard work and journey that you have with your teammates, coaches etc.! The further away you get the more the journey will be appreciated!! Still talk with teammates 30 years later!! Work hard enjoy the ride, win or lose, if it is only about winning there are only 40 guys happy at end of year, D!, D2, D3, NAIA.

You’ll win next year brother

Well Cayden, you are a champion regardless of your wrestling accomplishments. Just the way that you hold yourself, and the positive words... Forget what the haters have to say, you're still the goat. Keep working, you should've been on the podium this year, but for sure next year, you'll more then likely be at the top of that podium. God bless you young brother. Stay humble, hungry and hard working (HHH)! ✊🙏🙏

no matter what cayden is an inspiration and always will be to real wrestlers.

This was a hilariously awkward episode 😂😂

Cayden/Crosby I'm still rooting with yall NCAA champ is the goal but Olympic champ is the journey you got this, life is 70 years and you spend 12-30 of them wrestling, it's bigger than wrestling and your accomplishments besides your faith, family really don't mean anything in the end so hold your head high you got this shit

Cayden, you don’t wrestle for anyone but yourself. Screw the haters. If you know in your heart you put 100% into your training and performance on the mat, you won no matter the outcome. You can get it next year.

Cayden wrestled great those guys literally only beat you 30 sec of the whole match so good job.

Wrestlings a damn tough sport man. Only thing you can do is take the good with the bad and continue to grow. Senior year redemption is coming! Crosby 197 ncaa champ confirmed too haha

Cayden proves it doesn't take a medal to be the best wrestler. He must've been so frustrated as he walked off the mat, yet he took the time to put his fans first, signing autographs, taking pictures and talking with them. That is what makes Cayden the #1 wrestler.

honestly dont understand the hate for him, hes never negatively and hes helping to grow the sport.

*watches podcast* Bro thinks he's Christian Pyles Hey man, congrats on the great season, sorry you didn't get the result you wanted. Better luck next year, you have a lot of people rooting for ya

In a big tournament especially when everyone is good your up late stall your ass off at the end of the match change your mindset you don't always need to attack. I think last year was worse than this year for you guys as a team. Adams state took 3 all 3 placed. School of mines 1 kid 1 second. Colorado mesa took 6 kids scored 6 points. Your off season needs to improve because you are right there not just placing but winning it all.

Wrestling is one of the toughest sports there is. If you apply the grit that you learned there to your career, you will be successful beyond your dreams.

Im so proud to know you. You always fight and wrestle hard. In the off season you need to learn a breakdown that works for you. You never break people down. Keep up the amazing work. Season was still progress. You won a match a nationals. Next year you will place.

This is the realest. Most honest. True. Reaction video on the internet. I love this dude. I don’t care if you win another match ever. Thank you for being a true example of how to own and accept the results, regardless of the outcome. Sincerely, a 3x D2 heart break round loser. ❤

Cayden I doubt you read this and I’m certain you’ve heard this, but I’m going to say it anyway: The Brands’ talk about how had Spencer Lee not lost to Desanto his senior year he never would’ve been able to become the wrestler he is now. You lose and it sucks but you come back harder Cayden and remember that feeling!

It’s all in how we bounce back. Be an example for the younger generations. Heck of a season. Nobody can doubt your work ethic between school, wrestling, the pod, the channel.

Your influence on the sport is no longer dependent on how you perform in your own wrestling career.

love you crosby

Imagine being a high seed both years at nattys and choking out 0-2 both times. I know it hurts man and I can’t wait to see you storm the gates next year and take it all. I’m here for it man never give up never surrender 😤

It’s jealousy, I’m 45 but I know if I was his age I would’ve “hated” out of jealousy

Hey Cayden I hope u get a chance to respond to this. The way u lost is very similar to how one of my high school coaches lost. My coach was a d2 super regional champ and ranked #1 his senior year of college. He fell in the blood round both years. If u would like to talk to him let me know. He knows how u feel better then anyone else I believe

When you were talking about the AA not meaning a lot in the grand scheme of things, I think you are somewhat seeing the vanity in it all. Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 WEB Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. [10] Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

Cayden can come back.

To even do this pod shows you have character.

I'm loving the positivity on Cayden side. Even in difficult and frustrating moments, he always sees the positivity in everything. Much love. You inspire me day by day. Keep it up Brother. 🙏🏿 “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” ✝️

Anyone who wanted to see this incredibly good dude fail was showing their own hand: jealous coward