Growing up in Iowa, I always knew wrestling was big and from my memories starting in the mid-80s Iowa had plenty of Olympians, including gold medalists. But I just saw a stat that blew my mind. Someone either from Iowa or who wrestled in the state in college has been at every Olympic Games since at least 1920. For over 100 years…. Someone like a Gilman counts. Iowa State has carried their water over this streak, it’s not just Iowa. If you go back far enough, it was a Cornell guy or people born in Iowa that represented. That’s bonkers.
The state has 3 million people. Roughly 1% of the USA population. The consistency and the tradition…. It’s not just about Gable, though he and his connections have been a big factor since 1972.
Someone else on that list is Carl. Yes he left, and we joke about how he could only win big with PSU’s money and access to recruits. But to me it’s really just another extension of Iowa’s influence on the sport. We made Carl. He was destined to be a great coach. He just chose a different state and school to build his tree.
PSU isn’t much to speak of without what Carl has done. The state of Iowa already had at least 40-50 years of Olympic success before anyone even heard of Gable.
The best tradition and job in wrestling is coaching at the University of Iowa. And I don’t really know much about the history there, but Oklahoma State has to be second. And third? Iowa State? Not sure who else makes the list for third. I would take Iowa State over PSU.
The state has 3 million people. Roughly 1% of the USA population. The consistency and the tradition…. It’s not just about Gable, though he and his connections have been a big factor since 1972.
Someone else on that list is Carl. Yes he left, and we joke about how he could only win big with PSU’s money and access to recruits. But to me it’s really just another extension of Iowa’s influence on the sport. We made Carl. He was destined to be a great coach. He just chose a different state and school to build his tree.
PSU isn’t much to speak of without what Carl has done. The state of Iowa already had at least 40-50 years of Olympic success before anyone even heard of Gable.
The best tradition and job in wrestling is coaching at the University of Iowa. And I don’t really know much about the history there, but Oklahoma State has to be second. And third? Iowa State? Not sure who else makes the list for third. I would take Iowa State over PSU.
