You seriously don’t think they’ve had enough seasons? When does this insanity stop of keep doing the same thing over and over? It’s not going to get it done, it’s simply not. Iowa doesn’t out-work anyone anymore. The Iowa way is over, finished. New Pennsylvania preps are popping up everywhere and guess where their backyard is? State College!
Fire Brands
- Thread starter vhsalum
- Start date
Holy shit…. Anymore stunning revelations? Should the University of Iowa pack a uhaul for Pennsylvania then?
😂 When Iowa couldn’t compete with ISU in wrestling, what did they do? They stole Iowa States prized possession. I know that’s hard to believe Gobbly but it’s a very true story.
It’s very similar to what Cael did for Pennsylvania wrestling.
Are you starting to understand little bootlicker?
With the new times it would be carrying compression shorts vs a jock I think.
I'll come at this a little different. Iowa seems to have plateau'd in the 2-4 range at natioanals over the last few years. I'm thinking that has more to due with recruiting than coaching. As a long time fan and no time wrestler I'm not qualified to know which it is. I have to make macro observations. I go back to the hiring of M*. He never produced offense at Iowa so is he able to do that now? Maybe.
Tom Brands is a great coach who has earned the right to step down when he chooses. if there comes a time when he feels he’s not getting the job done, I’m sure he’ll make the call. I know expectations are high, but no one expects more from the program than TmB.
Many good points have been made about wrestlers who are plodders vs highly athletic, but I think the biggest issue may be a long season of weight loss. See Okie St.
Many good points have been made about wrestlers who are plodders vs highly athletic, but I think the biggest issue may be a long season of weight loss. See Okie St.
I love it when people bring up overtraining like the Brand's are still making kids chase cars on gravel roads like the Gable days, instantly let's you know they have no idea what they're talking about and aren't worth engaging with.
Firing Brands won't put Iowa on top. I think TnT have some holes in their game but the positives overwhelm the negatives. I truly believe Tom is the best wrestling coach for Iowa right now.
V
I have noticed you seem to have some inside info, over the last year. So you're either close to the program or close to someone else who is. However, you don't have a full deck when evaluating the program.
You must know that 5-6 years ago, Tom re-evaluated everything about it, and addressed all he could. That resulted in the 2020 Best team and 2021 Title. Now Pedders come on here and don't recognize 2020, but in terms of turning a program around, it counts. 2021 validates it. BTW PSU was 4th at Big T that year as they re-loaded. Last year we were injured. This year was really our rebuilding year, but Spencer came back.
Besides what Tom could control, he knew there were other things he needed, like the Facility, a better funded HWC and the like. I was right there the whole of the time fundraising on the facility and I'll tell you that Tom was the focal point. He worked very hard to raise the funds to get the facility. It would never have happened without him. And, now we'll have it in a year or so.
He too has worked hard to increase HWC funding. It is way better, and you should know that too, and what it does to help the program.
He changed his recruiting around to bring in better athletes, and that too has produced the two titles in 2020 and 2021. He's got a great class coming in the fall and I do expect 1 or 2 transfers, "Woods like" to come in too. Why do ADS, Eierman, Woods, and the like come? Because they know they'll get better at Iowa. When that happens, we'll have the muscle to compete with PSU next year and going forward because Tom will also have a great class coming in 2024 and beyond.
How many more years of finishing 2nd before Tom decides to retire? The facility and this incoming class with a couple transfers really completes the level playing field process with PSU. Why think about defeatist things before the process is complete? You must see that
I hate that Spencer is not 100% or close, as anyone can see. However, I love the way the boys won 7 straight matches after that. I think we'll see some high energy wrestling today, and be proud of em.
Well, where recruits are popping up probably has something to do with it. Haines and Starocci are from PA. Two NCAA finalists from your own backyard. Then Van Ness is from 2 hours away Blair. Compared to our starting lineup of just Teske. That's 46.5 point difference. We currently sit 39 behind PSU. Now our top in state incoming recruit is retiring. Long gone are the days of Ironside, Mcginness, Whitmer, Juergans, Schwab, Alger, Mcillravy etc etc etc.
I'd also like to add that other wrestlers raised in their backyard lately include Ruth, Retherford, Nolf, Wright, Megaludis, and Joseph.
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You don't have all the story.
He's done some shit at ISU that isn't too complimentary.
It’s dumb because we all know Brands isn’t going anywhere unless it’s on his terms. Strap down and enjoy all those consolation matches for another year. At least we’re in good company with Oklahoma State fans.
Tom Brands talks about the expectation at Iowa to win it every year all the time, yet when fans try to hold them to that standard, some on this forum can’t handle it. Apathy is setting in with them.
I understand that and I’m torn. But once again, the expectation is to win titles. That’s what the fans want. It’s what makes us the best fan base in the country. The moment everyone is fine with getting punmeled by PSU will be a sad day.
"I don't look at it as enormous expectations. There's a standard and we have to meet that standard," Brands said. "We have to raise the bar."
Tom Brands new Iowa coach, 2006.
Iowa sets wrestling standard
DES MOINES, Iowa - In nine years as coach of one of the nation's most famous wrestling programs, Jim Zalesky won three national championships, produced 45 All-Americans, earned two coach of the year …
www.ocala.com
No man, it sucks. I'm with you, but we are going to finish 2nd. PSU is powerful, but to want to fire our coach for finishing 2nd is beyond silly. We could hire all of the best coaches in the country to come here, and they still wouldn't be able to recruit with what Cael is doing.
There is a difference between being disappointed and wanting everyone fired. Every person on this board is upset and disappointed. You seem rationale enough to understand the difference.
Probably. He is head and shoulders above them on every level except the one where Iowa people like M* and think he is such a great guy and great recruiter blah blah blah.
It tells me that Jay knows things about the program and coaches that you and I never will. I've been saying for years that we need a youth movement on our staff. We also need different sizes of coaches. With a head coach, 3 assistants and a strength coach there is ample room for some young studs. Add the HWC job to that and we should have 6 absolute hammers to train and roll with our college and HWC guys. Look at how the money is distributed, that will tell you why we are where we are. Tom will make $375,000 next year and $400,000 the 2 years after. Add in another $100,000 in tv and radio contracts. He also is paid by endorsements. Terry makes $200,000 and gets endorsement money. M* gets $127,000 per the state website and gets endorsement money. If anybody doesn't think we can get 3 absolute hammers for $827,000 dollars plus endorsement money to replace 2 mid 50's coaches and a guy that didn't wrestle Iowa style at any time in his career you are sadly mistaken.
M* making the same amount as Tervel at Nebby is comical. Tervel is a 3 time world and Olympic medalist. M* is a nice guy.
Good post BN.
Take away all the name calling in this thread, and everyone has a valid point.
We're great at being #2 -4.
Penn State is great at being #1. We're down by 40 points right now before the finals have started.
It's not an embarrassment if your goal is to be #2.
It's an embarrassment if your goal is to be #1 and you've only achieved it once in the past decade.
What is Brands gonna do about it?
I like your answer. It's the best answer I've heard for staying the course with Brands.
("Who are you going to replace him with?" is a valid answer too, but it's essentially a defeatist shrug.)
Can Brands bring the program back to where it needs to be? I don't know. I'm somewhat optimistic based on the factors you mention. But Tom also owns where we are at right now--he got us here.
Anyway, not here to pick fights, gonna go back to Grace & Ironside and enjoy the rest of the day.
Great post B. In my opinion it is a many pronged problem that we have.
We need to recruit absolute hammers. That takes money. We need to keep our best graduating guys around on the HWC to keep rolling with our young guys. That also takes money. We are doing a little better recruiting but we will have several holes again next year unless we get a couple stud transfers.
The part that we are lacking is coaches that can roll with our college guys and tweak any weaknesses they have. Guys like McDonough, Metcalf, Borschel, Ramos, Spencer Lee, Desanto, Marinelli, Kemerer. I know Desanto and Marinelli are still here but the first 4 names I mentioned should have been on our staff some way some how.
The lady in the IDOT ad on KXIC needs a therapist, too.
Poor Jay. He can be part of the solution or part of the problem. Posts like this are disloyal at best.
Where is Borschel coaching now?
A perfect example of the “grass is always greener on the other side” mentality. I absolutely get wanting to see more to truly compete with PSU. But wanting to fire the BY FAR 2nd most accomplished coach over the past 15 years when they just took 2nd is ridiculous.
It is even more ridiculous when you want to replace them with guys that haven’t proven they could even come close to what Brands has done, let alone match want Cael has. Just out of spite, I almost want to see Brands leave and see how much you are whining 5 years from now when you get what you asked for…
It is even more ridiculous when you want to replace them with guys that haven’t proven they could even come close to what Brands has done, let alone match want Cael has. Just out of spite, I almost want to see Brands leave and see how much you are whining 5 years from now when you get what you asked for…
A big function of being a good scrambler is being a great athlete. The key is finding a way to get high level athletes into the program. If we change assistants, they better be great salesmen also. We also will have to take a few changes on guys like the Ferrari’s and hope for the best. Once you win several championships again, then our reputation will bring in top 10 recruits each year and we can be more picky again. Of course NIL money will be big factor. It wasn’t a coincidence Ohio State landed an incredible recruiting class shortly after NIL started.
With every post, you continue to show how little you know.
For people who think we are behind psu because of coaching more than talent, switch coaching staffs for two years without changing our line ups. Think TNT won’t be able to coach their talent to National championships?? Same results will happen as now. In basketball, Steve Fisher looked like a great coach the two years he had the fab 5, but after they left, he crashed back to earth. PSU used Carls popularity at the time, and a boat load of money from their big donor to get enough money into the pockets of top in state guys, legal or illegally, to get the championships rolling, then used the money and new winning fun reputation to be able to cherry pick the best from all over the country. The rest is history. Money played a huge roll in their transformation. they were doing something like NIL long before it was legal 😤
I’m shaking in anticipation of creaming in my pants. Haven’t had a good cream in my pants in ages. Please make it happen
