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Loyalist or Revolutionist?

Should Tom resign/be fired?


  • Total voters
    189
Correct. This Olympic cycle should be DT's last as a competitor. I have no idea how much interest he has in coaching, though. He has a good gig going right now with M2. Spencer should be a competitor at least through the 2028 Olympic cycle, possibly even one more depending on how his health holds up (and whether he makes it to the Olympics and a medal or not). *IF* there is mutual interest between DT and Iowa, they could bring him in and then get Spencer on as an assistant when he is done and then see where it goes from there.

As for the OP, I'm not going to vote in the poll, but TnT are still among the best coaches in the game, but their approach is flawed and suboptimal compared to Cael & PSU, so I wouldn't really strictly fall into either category. If you can find someone better, they're not irreplaceable, but as far as "should they be fired" without a better option already in the pipeline (whether DT or Spencer or anyone else), I don't think that's a great plan.
This is probably the best response to this whole situation. Changes need to be made but a plan needs to be made first. I think adding to the HWC, changing at least one assistant, and adding a recruiting coordinator is all something that needs to happen ASAP though
 
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One of the things JRob credited with the success he had at Minny was giving up the practice room. If TnT bring in a top flight assistant, they need to give up the practice room in order for any real changes to occur. Whether that will happen is beyond the scope of my knowledge.

Personally, to me, coaching is not any fun if I am not contributing in a major way in the practice room. That is where the true love for the sport is expressed. I would bet a hefty sum of money that TnT feel the same way.

Although as I have aged, I have found ways to contribute in the practice room without being in charge of practice.
 
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Anyone else hear That Gable and The Brands Brothers are not close anymore? If they have distanced themselves from the Gable than its a no brainer that it is time for them to move on.
 
Dresser? Lmao. Can't beat iowa and took him 7 yrs to finish inside the top ten. Most of that list wouldn't come to Iowa.
I agree that suggesting Kevin Dresser is ridiculous.

1. He had to hire Daddy Carr to get David on campus.

2 Without Pollard pulling some strings, Encemendia and Bastida wouldn't get thru Admissions at prolly 90% of other D-1 schools.

That's is/was the guts of their roster.
 
I agree that suggesting Kevin Dresser is ridiculous.

1. He had to hire Daddy Carr to get David on campus.

2 Without Pollard pulling some strings, Encemendia and Bastida wouldn't get thru Admissions at prolly 90% of other D-1 schools.

That's is/was the guts of their roster.
I'm not advocating for Dresser at all, but #1 is ridiculous. Adding someone the caliber of Nate Carr is just pure nepotism that doesn't add anything to the program other than bringing in his son? LMAO, ok.
 
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I'm not advocating for Dresser at all, but #1 is ridiculous. Adding someone the caliber of Nate Carr is just pure nepotism that doesn't add anything to the program other than bringing in his son? LMAO, ok.
TBH I remember that being the rub at the time, too.
 
I'm not advocating for Dresser at all, but #1 is ridiculous. Adding someone the caliber of Nate Carr is just pure nepotism that doesn't add anything to the program other than bringing in his son? LMAO, ok.
Everyone expected DC was Ohio State bound.
I'm not debating the resume' of Nate Carr, I'm saying it was used to lure David.
You think Nate Carr comes to Ames if David is in Columbus?

BTW, sorry to derail the thread.
 
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It's been several weeks since the end of the season.
A season well below Iowa standards. No good rumors about any changes to the current staff and a season where the Hawks had zero AAs above 165.

I'm beginning to believe no changes will be coming and Iowa will buy a couple guys from the portal and hope with the additions of Arnold and Keuter that next year will be better.
And no one will be surprised when Hawk wrestlers win or lose matches 4-2 or win or lose 4-1 in OT.
 
As for the OP, I'm not going to vote in the poll
Good, cuz look at the title of the thread. You are neither, so this poll isn’t for you.

Thanks for the suggestion, though, that we should have a plan before changing the staff. That’s effin genius. Us dummies never would have suspected our AD could think of such a strategy on her own. We’ll let her know about it and give you full credit.
 
It's been several weeks since the end of the season.
A season well below Iowa standards. No good rumors about any changes to the current staff and a season where the Hawks had zero AAs above 165.

I'm beginning to believe no changes will be coming and Iowa will buy a couple guys from the portal and hope with the additions of Arnold and Keuter that next year will be better.
And no one will be surprised when Hawk wrestlers win or lose matches 4-2 or win or lose 4-1 in OT.
More of a loyalist by nature but admittedly, I am losing my patience.

I'm tired of it being “painful” to watch the Hawkeyes pushing and hand fighting with no offensive shots, especially for the entire 1st period. Tired of passive wrestling with hopes to score points off counters. I’m tired of watching Iowa not being able to finish shots or not having the heart & conditioning to wrestle through positions for an entire match. We were admittedly, spoiled by Gable but there is no “Iowa Style” anymore. Why have we become so conservative in our manner to win matches?

It’s as if we’re okay simply winning close matches, which is a recipe for disaster. I’m more likely to give a “standing O” for an aggressive effort that results in a loss, than a match where a Hawk settles for a regular decision against an inferior opponent or is clearly just holding on for a close win. Winning close matches, might get you on the podium but it won't win championships.

When the Cowboys were winning championships during the Zelesky era, they were aggressive and exciting to watch. The same could be said for J Robinson's championship teams at Minnesota. You can say the same about PSU now and could say the same about Tom's early championship teams.

It saddens me to see Hawkeye wrestlers fail to reach their goals. Iowa needs to see improvement in many areas, including the talent & athleticism being recruited, not to mention the strength/conditioning program.

If the new AD feels Tom is currently the best option as head coach and possibly he is, we must at least see changes to the assistants on staff. Just gotta happen…
More targeted misinformation from Hawkeye haters?
Undoubtedly
 
More of a loyalist by nature but admittedly, I am losing my patience.

I'm tired of it being “painful” to watch the Hawkeyes pushing and hand fighting with no offensive shots, especially for the entire 1st period. Tired of passive wrestling with hopes to score points off counters. I’m tired of watching Iowa not being able to finish shots or not having the heart & conditioning to wrestle through positions for an entire match. We were admittedly, spoiled by Gable but there is no “Iowa Style” anymore. Why have we become so conservative in our manner to win matches?

It’s as if we’re okay simply winning close matches, which is a recipe for disaster. I’m more likely to give a “standing O” for an aggressive effort that results in a loss, than a match where a Hawk settles for a regular decision against an inferior opponent or is clearly just holding on for a close win. Winning close matches, might get you on the podium but it won't win championships.

When the Cowboys were winning championships during the Zelesky era, they were aggressive and exciting to watch. The same could be said for J Robinson's championship teams at Minnesota. You can say the same about PSU now and could say the same about Tom's early championship teams.

It saddens me to see Hawkeye wrestlers fail to reach their goals. Iowa needs to see improvement in many areas, including the talent & athleticism being recruited, not to mention the strength/conditioning program.

If the new AD feels Tom is currently the best option as head coach and possibly he is, we must at least see changes to the assistants on staff. Just gotta happen…

Undoubtedly
If memory serves Caliendo got a standing O after his loss to Hamiti this year in Carver. Many share your thoughts on that!
 
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I don’t think I’ve seen a tighter poll. 91 to 90 in favor of a regime change.

Even if it’s an even split, just the fact we are there is alarming. I hope the loyalists enjoy these next 5 years. If they do, it won’t be because we are getting any closer to being #1. Hangin’ off Tom’s nuts must have some benefits I’m not aware of.

You guys at least gettin some good merch?
 
I don’t think I’ve seen a tighter poll. 91 to 90 in favor of a regime change.

Even if it’s an even split, just the fact we are there is alarming. I hope the loyalists enjoy these next 5 years. If they do, it won’t be because we are getting any closer to being #1. Hangin’ off Tom’s nuts must have some benefits I’m not aware of.

You guys at least gettin some good merch?
We should be adjusting the numbers to remove the 15+ PSU fans who noted “no” in this poll lol.
 
At this point I feel they have burned too many bridges and are too socially awkward and too set in their ways to be able to make the recruiting and development improvements that would be needed to enable the program to reach its full potential. If they hadn't ham strung themselves by seemingly not getting along with so many people it would be a lot easier sell. Possibly if they swallowed their stubbornness and buried the hatchet with a bunch of people. Terry went to HWC allowing new assistants to come in and open things up to change they could get things going but I am not seeing that happen. On top of everything they are getting pretty old on the wrestling coach age scale. I have no doubts about how much they care about their wrestlers and their dedication to the program but unfortunately those qualities alone do not equate to performing at the needed level.
Nepotism is a hard habit to break! Iowa allows it in several sports …. and it seems to trump being a champ.
 
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