I am going to say it: Regime change is needed at Iowa wrestling

[Onceafish]

You know better LL and you know what I think about Cael. But most people have never heard of Jason Peters. He graduated from East Stroudsberg. Cael is a big name...Olympic champ and 4 timer. Big names are going to get big recruits no matter where they are at. Being close to western PA, NJ etc...hell, Suriano's house is closer to State College than Gilman's was to IC...and Gilman is an Iowa boy, is a sizable advantage. Why can't you just admit that being close to western PA is a great location? You guys are always bragging about PA high school wrestling except when it comes to Cael having a recruiting advantage. Then no, Cael all of a sudden farts lucky charms and casts magical spells on mediocre wrestlers to be great...nothing to see here.

Nothing changed about the location and logistics of Western PA. What changed is Cael Sanderson and his staff arrived in State College.

Great in-state wrestling tradition + iconic head coach with the ability to draw in studs from around the country = 15 team titles in 21 years.

That was in the 80s and 90s.

Looks like the formula works in the 21st century too.

 

[sweatybetty]

Nothing changed about the location and logistics of Western PA. What changed is Cael Sanderson and his staff arrived in State College.

Great in-state wrestling tradition + iconic head coach with the ability to draw in studs from around the country = 15 team titles in 21 years.

That was in the 80s and 90s.

Looks like the formula works in the 21st century too.

Whomever your coach/coaches is-are....your wrestlers have to want to run through a brick wall for them. Seems PSU and tOSU got there recently. Brands brothers are doing great- they might just punch through again at Big Tens/NCAAs.

 

[Ihawkd9times]

Whomever your coach/coaches is-are....your wrestlers have to want to run through a brick wall for them. Seems PSU and tOSU got there recently. Brands brothers are doing great- they might just punch through again at Big Tens/NCAAs.

I sure hope so but its been quite awhile since Iowa wrestling has out punted it's coverage.

Queue up: Poison- Gimme something to believe in

 

[Azchief32]

Nothing changed about the location and logistics of Western PA. What changed is Cael Sanderson and his staff arrived in State College.

Great in-state wrestling tradition + iconic head coach with the ability to draw in studs from around the country = 15 team titles in 21 years.

That was in the 80s and 90s.

Looks like the formula works in the 21st century too.

Thought I said that.

 

[Actiondouble]

Love the Brands. Think that they are the best Iowa could ever do. Staying with TNT through thick and thin boys. Go Hawks.

 

[Wpial Bigot]

First time poster over here. Thought I finally had to post. Several years ago rumor had it Terry Brands was coming to PSU. Word was, he may rather be a Head Coach than an Assistant. Believe me...fans at PSU were buzzing about the news. When we found out it was Sanderson, we were just as happy. Can tell you from a PA perspective, the Brands are elite. There's not a person who understands wrestling that wouldn't want either Brands as a coach. They remind you of coaches that would run through a wall for you. Have been to clinics they're at and the kids love em. Guess I'm posting this since I read yearly about how there may need to be a change at Iowa. Trust me, the rest of the country would love to have them. Take a step back and realize what you have. Gable made the standards so high at Iowa, it's tough for anyone else to match. Do not forget, Iowa has beaten PSU a couple times the last several years in duals. How bad can they be? Besides, you get the best quotes and antics from the corner than any other team in the country! Enjoy it! I'd take the Brands any day.

 

[artradley]

First time poster over here. Thought I finally had to post. Several years ago rumor had it Terry Brands was coming to PSU. Word was, he may rather be a Head Coach than an Assistant. Believe me...fans at PSU were buzzing about the news. When we found out it was Sanderson, we were just as happy. Can tell you from a PA perspective, the Brands are elite. There's not a person who understands wrestling that wouldn't want either Brands as a coach. They remind you of coaches that would run through a wall for you. Have been to clinics they're at and the kids love em. Guess I'm posting this since I read yearly about how there may need to be a change at Iowa. Trust me, the rest of the country would love to have them. Take a step back and realize what you have. Gable made the standards so high at Iowa, it's tough for anyone else to match. Do not forget, Iowa has beaten PSU a couple times the last several years in duals. How bad can they be? Besides, you get the best quotes and antics from the corner than any other team in the country! Enjoy it! I'd take the Brands any day.

I'm not really concerned about what other fans would want. I'm sure fans at Rutgers would be thrilled to have TnT. But I'm an Iowa fan, and I want the coaches that can recruit kids who will win national championships. And I want to see wrestlers develop to their potential. Right now I see neither. IMO wrestling has changed significantly in the last ten years. The top wrestlers aren't brutes who are going to bully their opponents around, and who are looking for a brute of a coach who will be in their face and bring out their inner beast. Today's wrestlers are slick and athletic. They win by being more skilled than their opponents. They're looking for a completely different personality in their coach than TnT bring to the table.

From my viewpoint Iowa is on a downward slide, and while others view it as a hiccup I see it as a trend. I believe TnT are yesterday. And I'm afraid that by time the fan base realizes it, Iowa's reputation will be gone, and we'll be like UCLA basketball -- remembering the golden era while relegated to being just another team.

 

[artradley]

Manville also went to Wyoming Seminary which is in Pa. Blair is in Phillipsburg which is about 100yds from Easton Pa. I 80 runs from Central Pa(PSU) right through Easton and across the bridge to Phillipsburg. Is a two hour drive, national recruiting?


I read that Suriano practices somewhere in the Lehigh Valley. That is right over the same bridge.

If Suriano practices in Lehigh Valley that's news to me. That's a pretty big hall from Paramus to do on a regular basis. For years his coach has been Damian Logan at Apex wrestling in Northern New Jersey.

 

[Azchief32]

From my viewpoint Iowa is on a downward slide, and while others view it as a hiccup I see it as a trend. I believe TnT are yesterday. And I'm afraid that by time the fan base realizes it, Iowa's reputation will be gone, and we'll be like UCLA basketball -- remembering the golden era while relegated to being just another team.

A bit dramatic, considering we have a chance to finish top 5 again and will be one of the favorites next year with Macintosh and Nico gone. I say only a top 5 because it looks like Stoll is injured. With him, we would have a shot at the title.

So, if TnT are "yesterday", who is today? Better choose wisely because replacing TnT (perennial contenders) with an unknown entity could cause that 10 year slide you are talking about ala ISU.

 

[pablow]

I'm not really concerned about what other fans would want. I'm sure fans at Rutgers would be thrilled to have TnT. But I'm an Iowa fan, and I want the coaches that can recruit kids who will win national championships. And I want to see wrestlers develop to their potential. Right now I see neither. IMO wrestling has changed significantly in the last ten years. The top wrestlers aren't brutes who are going to bully their opponents around, and who are looking for a brute of a coach who will be in their face and bring out their inner beast. Today's wrestlers are slick and athletic. They win by being more skilled than their opponents. They're looking for a completely different personality in their coach than TnT bring to the table.

From my viewpoint Iowa is on a downward slide, and while others view it as a hiccup I see it as a trend. I believe TnT are yesterday. And I'm afraid that by time the fan base realizes it, Iowa's reputation will be gone, and we'll be like UCLA basketball -- remembering the golden era while relegated to being just another team.

Worst post of the year. Congratulations, you've managed to work in every worn out stereo-type, cliche and myth concerning Iowa wrestling.

1. In the 70s, 80s, and 90s D1 wrestling was more wide open and offensive than now. In fact, back then the USA won more world freestlyle medals. Cael didn't reinvent wrestling. You obviously haven't been following wrestling that long if you think todays wrestlers are uniquely slick and athletic.
2. Iowa wrestling isn't built on brute strength. Most fans complain that our wrestlers don't know where the weight room is. McD cut too much, Ramos was too small, Clark gets pushed around, the Steiners and DSJ were skinny, Borschel was the least physical NCAA champ I've ever seen.
3. If you thing the Brands are all about brute strength and bullying, so be it. IMO you have no idea what your talking about.

 

[Ihawkd9times]

Iowa isn't that far away from a title but for 5 years now we have been at least one elite guy away. And for some reason that hole has always been a middle weight 149-165. Now its 157, 165. It use to be 149 for a long time after Metcalf.

Imagine what the outlooks would be if Brands had just landed one more deep horse. Sad thing is some of these kids have been sitting right there in a boarder state to us. Imagine Dieringer from Illinois being our 165 right now. Or heck even Daniel Lewis. Or we would have landed Imart.

IMO and its a broken record, but TnT have to want more in recruiting. Its getting better but I'm afraid we are still cycling through the reality that TnT thought they could do more with less and it shows now.

Look I like the Brands and want to see this through but the next 3 years should tell us a lot. I still feel like the difference between Cael and Tom in recruiting is when Cael really wants a kid he is all over him selling him like if he doesn't close this deal then he loses his house and is out on the street at the end of the month.

I still question if Tom understands that desire to land a really elite kid or if pride, ego of we are iowa, you should beg us or stubbornness of thinking he can turn everything into gold in the practice room isn't holding him back. I guess we will see. I do know IMO Brands has a lot riding on how good KemDawg and the Bull, then Mejia turn out to be. Fair or unfair, Iowa is due for another Metcalf type hodge winner. Maybe 2. Iowa cant get back on top with guys we hope could win a semi and be in the finals. We need guys who can major a guy in the semis.

I think the Hall vs Marinelli match is bigger than we know. While it isn't the end all, a Bull win would provide a shift in momentum for recruits and it would knock Hall off this unreachable pedestal everyone has put him on like he is the LeBron James of the wrestling world.

 

[wasdt21]

same people were calling for ferentz's head a year ago

 

[Ihawkd9times]

same people were calling for ferentz's head a year ago

Yeah and Ferentz even admitted he had let things slide and needed to spend more time at the complex. And Ferentz completely changed his image, how smug he treated the fans and the press, changed how aggressive he was on play calls, etc. Ferentz was so stubborn it about cost him. Thankfully he looked in the mirror because he was losing or about lost our fanbase.

I don't want Brands replaced. I just want an awakening out of him that maybe things need tweaked. Brands isn't dumb and he certainly isn't lazy and I think we have seen some change. I hope pride or stubbornness isn't standing in the way still.

I get your example and it has its merits but I don't want to have to walk Brands up to the edge of buying his contract out to induce change like Ferentz either. I also don't want season wrestling tickets to go down to force that hand like football had.

If Kirk can change then Tom can change but many of us are tired of the nothing is wrong, nothing to see here approach to Brands that many of you cant quite grasp yet.

 

[Wpial Bigot]

artradley...Fair enough. Guess it comes down to who Iowa would rather have? My point is there's not much better out there than the Brands. Pennsylvania and Ohio have always had great hs wrestling. They now have coaches who can keep the talent in the state (and yes Cael is getting kids from all over). It's going to be tough for the Midwest to dominate like they did in the past no matter who's coaching. But I still think Iowa is top three and really is the favorite to win it next season.

 

[artradley]

artradley...Fair enough. Guess it comes down to who Iowa would rather have? My point is there's not much better out there than the Brands. Pennsylvania and Ohio have always had great hs wrestling. They now have coaches who can keep the talent in the state (and yes Cael is getting kids from all over). It's going to be tough for the Midwest to dominate like they did in the past no matter who's coaching. But I still think Iowa is top three and really is the favorite to win it next season.

Well, I do agree with this. I think the current situation regarding talent distribution is not favorable to Iowa.