Is being underrated good?

[grapplefann]

I've been reading predictions from the guys on Flo and on Intermat. I've seen everything from 2nd to about 6th or 7th. Although our chances of beating PSU seem very slim, it seems to me that we have an excellent chance of beating the pundits if our guys wrestle well. Maybe Hawkeye fans expect a lot from our guys, but it seems like no one else does. Don't low expectations work to our advantage?

 

[Azchief32]

I've been reading predictions from the guys on Flo and on Intermat. I've seen everything from 2nd to about 6th or 7th. Although our chances of beating PSU seem very slim, it seems to me that we have an excellent chance of beating the pundits if our guys wrestle well. Maybe Hawkeye fans expect a lot from our guys, but it seems like no one else does. Don't low expectations work to our advantage?

We still have Iowa on the singlet so I don't think any of the wrestlers are looking past our guys. Somehow, we always get their best effort.

 

[LaxHawk174]

We still have Iowa on the singlet so I don't think any of the wrestlers are looking past our guys. Somehow, we always get their best effort.

There is a conspiracy in college wrestling. Everyone is in on it except Iowa. When facing Iowa, wrestlers must give their 110% best effort, when facing Penn State they do their best fish impression and give up bonus points.

 

[Nashville_Hawkeye]

I've been reading predictions from the guys on Flo and on Intermat. I've seen everything from 2nd to about 6th or 7th. Although our chances of beating PSU seem very slim, it seems to me that we have an excellent chance of beating the pundits if our guys wrestle well. Maybe Hawkeye fans expect a lot from our guys, but it seems like no one else does. Don't low expectations work to our advantage?

If we perform decent, I can't see us dropping lower than 4th...and anyone who is predicting us to finish 7th or lower clearly doesn't like the program...and might be a few cards short of a deck. That said, PSU and Okie will be tough to stay with unless our boys perform really really well, get some PSU-type bonus points, and then still get a few breaks. Those two programs are pretty stacked, whereas I don't think anyone would be all that surprised if four of our boys lost in session 1. Our boys really need to stay focused, give it their best, and not look ahead, and we'll be fine. With the year we've had (Stoll injury and the debacle at 141), and the improvements with several other power programs, I think a 2nd or 3rd would be very respectable. Go Hawks!!

 

[255]

In the end, does not matter. 330 guys are going to try and win a title.
The Hawks are working to win. None of the ranking or projections matter.

 

[Stanley75]

Predicting anything lower than 4th is hog wash.

 

[broth87]

We better be showing up to win the whole thing. And wrestlers like Gilman, Clark, Sorenson, Brooks, and Burak better showing up to be national champions. Guys we have 5 guys that are capable. Yes it won't be easy and yes the odds of all 5 winning is very slim, but damn it you don't cone to wrestle at Iowa to be a runner up or just All American. And I would give this same message to Cooper, Rhoads, meier and Stoll too. But you come to Iowa to be a damn champion and anything less than is not acceptable! We are Iowa wrestling. Period. We're not owed anything by anyone. We do it the right way, by outworking and being better. This 3 days coming is the reward for that outworking and being better. Go claim yourself as a damn champion. Dominate the man across from you for 7 minutes, break his will to compete, and break his damn heart and leave him crying on his mama's shoulder. That's what we do. First match/every match until as a team, we're hoisting that damn team trophy and bringing it back where it belongs in Iowa City!