Missing That Gable Style
- Thread starter GG121AND2
- Start date
The Gable style to me means being in superior shape to be able to punish the opposition, even if the raw talent or ability doesn't match up. Wrestling today is a different sport in that high level wrestling is a national sport starting in high school. Given that, I can't believe that the talent or conditioning is any less than it was. I think it's the opposite, the talent and conditioning are way better than 20 years ago. Hence there is no way to gain an advantage through conditioning. It's now the price of admission to the top tier.
But the point that an attacking style is needed to save the sport is indesputable. Rule changes are needed.
The 5 count for stalling is a good start. Here are some more:
1.Eliminate the riding time point. Even if a guy can dominate they typically don't start attacking until they get the riding time done. That's a waste.
2.A point for the push out. It works in freestyle, and from neutral folks = free. (sort of)
3.Automatic double stalling for no scoring in the first period. Might not always end up being fair to a harder working guy, but it will help him in the end.
This post was edited on 3/22 12:41 PM by FineMaterial
But the point that an attacking style is needed to save the sport is indesputable. Rule changes are needed.
The 5 count for stalling is a good start. Here are some more:
1.Eliminate the riding time point. Even if a guy can dominate they typically don't start attacking until they get the riding time done. That's a waste.
2.A point for the push out. It works in freestyle, and from neutral folks = free. (sort of)
3.Automatic double stalling for no scoring in the first period. Might not always end up being fair to a harder working guy, but it will help him in the end.
This post was edited on 3/22 12:41 PM by FineMaterial
Thanks for posting GG. Love the CR Gazette.
I've stated many, many times, we're spoiled as we can be. Blame Gable! Ha!
"That, in a nutshell, is why Gable ruined wrestling. He spoiled
generations of fans, not only from Iowa, but from Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota and beyond".
"Former Iowa greats like Mark Ironside, Barry Davis, Royce
Alger, Lincoln McIlravy and Tom and Terry Brands didn't dance for six
minutes and decide to turn it on for 30 seconds. They didn't care how
talented their opponent was; they didn't think about what he was going
to do".
"They just wrestled. I miss that".
I do too Mr. Ogden. Good stuff.
The worse thing about it is trying to explain it to MIZ fans, as I now live in MO. They have no idea. They love their Tigers but only as of late, because their team is winning. Just look at their attendance - 2,000 is considered a big draw.
Then I have a 12 year old son who wrestles and we watch Ironside v Kolat and Brands v. Cross, but nothing compares to being there in Carver and watching all 10 of Iowa's wrestlers PUSHING the pace and being relentless.
I too miss those days and wish I could take others back with me for a moment.
Then I have a 12 year old son who wrestles and we watch Ironside v Kolat and Brands v. Cross, but nothing compares to being there in Carver and watching all 10 of Iowa's wrestlers PUSHING the pace and being relentless.
I too miss those days and wish I could take others back with me for a moment.
"Former Iowa greats like Mark Ironside, Barry Davis, Royce
Alger, Lincoln McIlravy and Tom and Terry Brands didn't dance for six
minutes and decide to turn it on for 30 seconds. They didn't care how
talented their opponent was; they didn't think about what he was going
to do".
I saw a LOT of this kind of wrestling this season
Alger, Lincoln McIlravy and Tom and Terry Brands didn't dance for six
minutes and decide to turn it on for 30 seconds. They didn't care how
talented their opponent was; they didn't think about what he was going
to do".
I saw a LOT of this kind of wrestling this season
no doubt the gable style of wrestling is missed, so is the gable style of coaching, and having a room of HWC wrestlers practicing full time with the collegiate team, as well as the year round full practice schedule....all of which are no longer allowed under NCAA rules...Alger has said on more than one occasion that he would rather serve time than go through any more of gable's practices...there is no doubt that Brands and Co. are busting their rear ends with the time they have together, but the rules have changed, the kids have changed and so the coaching must change as well, and as much as it pains those that remember how great those days were, they are no longer with us, nor do I think that they'll be allowed back...
i think iowa is missing gable's ability to teach. gable succeeded by recruiting tough, hungry and driven wrestlers and then teaching them the techniques they needed to win. he also inspired confidence and determination like no other. for all his drive and experience, i don't think brands has near the ability that gable did to teach his wrestlers technique.
Good points by all. However, I think the Brands brother are every bit as good as Gable teaching the technique. The one and IMO most important factor that Gable has that made Gable one of the best overall coaches of all time is the psychological coaching. I cannot think of a wrestling coach out there who compares to Gable in this area. IMO, if Jesse Whitmer is coached by anyone else in the country he does not win a NCAA title. There have been many stories of how Gable dealt with his wrestlers psychologically. Gable was second to none in this area.
+1
Wrestling is 90% mental and 10% physical
No one, and I mean No One was as good at the mental side of coaching than Gable.
Wrestling is 90% mental and 10% physical
No one, and I mean No One was as good at the mental side of coaching than Gable.
No offense meant, but if that were the case why is everyone so insistent on getting rid of Lofthaus? The money we spend on a strength coach would be way better spent on a psychiatrist.
The ability of a coach to find what motivates each individual athlete is an art. There are a lot of great coaches out there but not many excel at psychology of coaching. Dan Gable and Hayden Fry were great ones as was Bobby Bowden, Mike K at Duke, Dean Smith, Skip Bertman, John Wooden, Myron Roderick and many others. What made Logan Steiber, Brett Metcalf, David Taylor and other wrestlers like them the best was their mental approach, because at the top levels of wrestling there is not a large difference in technical ability.
I never came close to being a college wrestler, but my thought is the meat-grinder room Gable ran isn't the best thing for today's college wrestler because: Kids wrestle, train and make weight way more often than they used to. Lots of High School kids wrestle 170-200 team matches, get dozens extra during summer tournaments, and train and travel to be at those tourneys. Then put them through the Iowa style room for 4 years and you get injuries like Moore, McDonough, and then the guys that just look a little tired and lose explosiveness the last 2 months of the season like St John last year, Telford and Evans this year, etc. The physical toll adds up even when you're 22 years old.
Great article, thank you for sharing.
It was sad to se this new trend of wrestling on a full display in St. Louis. Even several final matches were stall fests. I know we are not immune of the same issue but it was frustrating to listen to everybody talking how our style is just hand fighting, pushing and stalling. I saw plenty of that style in every other team and high ranked wrestlers such as Delgado, Brown, Waters, Di Jullius, Houdashelt, Dean, not to mention many heavyweights who also fit into this category. This is a bad trend and it will unfortunately only continue in years to come.
It was sad to se this new trend of wrestling on a full display in St. Louis. Even several final matches were stall fests. I know we are not immune of the same issue but it was frustrating to listen to everybody talking how our style is just hand fighting, pushing and stalling. I saw plenty of that style in every other team and high ranked wrestlers such as Delgado, Brown, Waters, Di Jullius, Houdashelt, Dean, not to mention many heavyweights who also fit into this category. This is a bad trend and it will unfortunately only continue in years to come.
Everyone moans at the lack of offensive and point to risk adverse styles and improved defense as the culprits. But Iowa wrestling under Gable was never about risky/overly aggressive wrestling. Iowa style wrestling IMO is all about pace and tempo. Ironside wrestled a conservative style but at a warp-speed pace. It looked like a devil-may-care mindset - but it wasn't.
IMO Gilman and Sorensen are wrestling great. They just need to up the pace significantly so that they double or triple offensive opportunities. The people who claim the Iowa's conditioning advantage under Gable is gone are ignoring the fact that nobody I saw last weekend, with the exception of Matt Brown, could keep up with the Iowa pace of Alger, Ironside, McD, Metcalf, et al.
IMO, like many others have pointed out, there is no Iowa style, there is just a hellish pace and tempo that some of our guys need to be constantly reminded of. Conditioning is required but it's mostly mental.
Not every wrestler can or should wrestle like Ironside, but at Iowa it should be our default setting.
Times have not changed. Wrestling uptempo for seven minutes still works. Ask Matt Brown.
IMO Gilman and Sorensen are wrestling great. They just need to up the pace significantly so that they double or triple offensive opportunities. The people who claim the Iowa's conditioning advantage under Gable is gone are ignoring the fact that nobody I saw last weekend, with the exception of Matt Brown, could keep up with the Iowa pace of Alger, Ironside, McD, Metcalf, et al.
IMO, like many others have pointed out, there is no Iowa style, there is just a hellish pace and tempo that some of our guys need to be constantly reminded of. Conditioning is required but it's mostly mental.
Not every wrestler can or should wrestle like Ironside, but at Iowa it should be our default setting.
Times have not changed. Wrestling uptempo for seven minutes still works. Ask Matt Brown.
