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Troubling trend

If it weren't for the injuries, we are neck-and-neck with PSU. Realistically, Lee, Eierman, and Kem's injuries cost us 50 points. Maybe we lost some points with Cass too - hard saying. Just how have our coaches failed? Seems like people just can't handle the disappointment and want to blame someone. Lots of silly, whiny posts the last few days.
There are fluke injuries and there are other injuries. As a coach you have to figure out how to keep your guys healthy and performing to the best of their ability. I was listening to a podcast with Kurt Backes and he talked about how Cael would tell guys to take off and not come back for 2 or 3 days to heal up. Does Brands do that or does he go day after day. I really don't know but would be curious. It does seem Penn state has been a lot healthier than us over the last couple of years.
 
We were talking in the arena today trying to name a wrestler with higher accolades or expectations in a good program with several chances just not pull it off to even make a semifinal at the national tournament.
As others have stated - he did make the semis. How about Jimmy Guillbon (sp)? Smoked Clark in HS. Clarks and NC and Guillbon had a very disappointing career. It happens.
 
I’m not embarrassed by our team in any way shape or form. I am embarrassed by some of our “fans” however. Some absolutely idiotic takes on multiple threads. We were the best team in the country for two straight years. This year we lost SL and had at least 4 MAJOR injuries to our remaining lineup and since we didn’t do it a third year in a row it’s on the coaches. Yep the brands need to go. What Jimmy Z doing these days? Maybe he can resurrect this shameful program.
One fluke season while PSU was reloading, yes fluke season, with a lot of things that still had to go Iowa’s way to win it all last year… for the love of god, take off your TNT glasses. What have they done in the last ten years that tells you they can build and sustain championship level success year after year? Please enlighten me. One recruit, SL, is the only reason TNT/Iowa is still relevant, a scary thought, and I’m willing to bet we finish lower at NCAAs next year. This fan base is equally as incompetent and blind to the modern era of wrestling as our coaches.

Save all the whiny, feelings hurt “this is stupid” replies for someone else, I don’t care how bad I hurt your feelings… only looking for legitimate counter-arguments.
 
I would suspect that T&T do critical evaluation of training on a continuous basis.

To think that the coaches and staff are not aware of issues and taking steps to try and correct things along the way is kind of silly.

But that silliness seems to be coming out in a lot of whiny posts lately. Astrological phenomenon it is. :D
 
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45-5 in the semi’s is the most incredible stat I can possibly imagine. That stat is beyond ridiculous. I don’t care if all 50 matches were by #1 seeds. That is insane. That is coaching. That is peaking your athletes at the right time.
Don’t worry, @Kwoodhawk said TNT are doing a critical evaluation to figure it out… it’s only taken them ten years and counting. 😂😂😂
 
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One fluke season while PSU was reloading, yes fluke season, with a lot of things that still had to go Iowa’s way to win it all last year… for the love of god, take off your TNT glasses. What have they done in the last ten years that tells you they can build and sustain championship level success year after year? Please enlighten me. One recruit, SL, is the only reason TNT/Iowa is still relevant, a scary thought, and I’m willing to bet we finish lower at NCAAs next year. This fan base is equally as incompetent and blind to the modern era of wrestling as our coaches.

Save all the whiny, feelings hurt “this is stupid” replies for someone else, I don’t care how bad I hurt your feelings… only looking for legitimate counter-arguments.
Iowa has outperformed tOSU, Ok St, MI, AZ St, and every other D1 team not named PSU the last 12 years and it’s not even close. Literally no other team has the same quality of output as IA other than the same team everyone else has been behind.

By your standards there is only one program and that’s PSU. Aren’t you in the wrong place? Shouldn’t you be on the Ok St, MN, MI, ISU, or any other board telling them the same thing? Or maybe just head over to PSU board and join your friends.

Hawk + I = Low I Q
 
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Must not be very tough conference if you still can’t place above sixth at National… you’re sounding like a clown, just stop.

One fluke season while PSU was reloading, yes fluke season, with a lot of things that still had to go Iowa’s way to win it all last year… for the love of god, take off your TNT glasses. What have they done in the last ten years that tells you they can build and sustain championship level success year after year? Please enlighten me. One recruit, SL, is the only reason TNT/Iowa is still relevant, a scary thought, and I’m willing to bet we finish lower at NCAAs next year. This fan base is equally as incompetent and blind to the modern era of wrestling as our coaches.

Save all the whiny, feelings hurt “this is stupid” replies for someone else, I don’t care how bad I hurt your feelings… only looking for legitimate counter-arguments.

You aren’t looking for counter arguments. You are looking for a way to argue with people until you feel like they are as miserable as you. It bothers you that people look at Alex and celebrate a three time AA and four time Big Ten Champion rather than feeling so emotionally distraught that you can’t do anything but try to bring others down. Everyone on this board is disappointed in how the season went. But it is nothing compared to the disappointment from the kids in that room that have bled for this program and who brought a National title back to IC. It would have been 2 with out a global pandemic.

I say this in all seriousness. Get a hold of yourself. Your lack of emotional control and desire to validate your immaturity by bringing others down is not a good look. We all get anxious and emotional when things we care about don’t go our way. How you react to that feeling is what separates adults from children. I will let you decide which one you look like and am done engaging you.
 
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Iowa has outperformed tOSU, Ok St, MI, AZ St, and every other D1 team not named PSU the last 12 years and it’s not even close. Literally no other team has the same quality of output as IA other than the same team everyone else has been behind.

By your standards there is only one program and that’s PSU. Aren’t you in the wrong place? Shouldn’t you be on the Ok St, MN, MI, ISU, or any other board telling them the same thing? Or maybe just head over to PSU board and join your friends.
None of this matters when you’re still in second place… ask TNT if the goal is second place every year (which by the way, we did not finish in second place this year). I’m an Iowa fan which is why second place should upset you, not excite you. Do you understand competitive sports, because I’ll at least give our coaches the credit that they understand this as well. But I guess we can keep patting ourselves on the back that we beat some other irrelevant programs.
 
One fluke season while PSU was reloading, yes fluke season, with a lot of things that still had to go Iowa’s way to win it all last year… for the love of god, take off your TNT glasses. What have they done in the last ten years that tells you they can build and sustain championship level success year after year? Please enlighten me. One recruit, SL, is the only reason TNT/Iowa is still relevant, a scary thought, and I’m willing to bet we finish lower at NCAAs next year. This fan base is equally as incompetent and blind to the modern era of wrestling as our coaches.


You aren’t looking for counter arguments. You are looking for a way to argue with people until you feel like they are as miserable as you. It bothers you that people look at Alex and celebrate a three time AA and four time Big Ten Champion rather than feeling so emotionally distraught that you can’t do anything but try to bring others down. Everyone on this board is disappointed in how the season went. But is is nothing compared to the disappoint from the kids in that room that have bled for this program and who brought a National title back to IC. It would have been 2 with out a global pandemic.

I say this in all seriousness. Get a hold of yourself. Your lack of emotional control and desire to validate your immaturity by bringing others down is not a good look. We all get anxious and emotional when things we care about don’t go our way. How you react to that feeling is what separates adults from children. I will let you decide which one you look like and am done engaging you.
How courageous of you… do you feel proud? You want to talk about “trying” to degrade someone’s opinion, you take the cake… great job keeping it about the argument of sports, which is all I asked for. Scary to think you are that egotistical and have the nerve to tell me about my feelings (you are a rare sociopath indeed). But at least I recognize these individual-based comments are pointless, so just keep it about the team and athletes.
 
I would suspect that T&T do critical evaluation of training on a continuous basis.

To think that the coaches and staff are not aware of issues and taking steps to try and correct things along the way is kind of silly.

But that silliness seems to be coming out in a lot of whiny posts lately. Astrological phenomenon it is. :D

They won't. And that's the issue. Iowa has had the same issues since metcalf and co left...

Inability to generate offense
inability to finish on the mat
inability to scramble

They have absolutely done a much better job on the mat. Guys can ride and get out. But the training? It has to change. 2 hours of live all the time is insane and unproductive. What does that lead to? You're not going to shoot that much. You're going to turn into an amazing handfighter who conserves their energy.

We're going to find out a lot about the Brands and their ability to adapt. Because the crew coming in - is Iowa kids with the deficiencies stated above.

Look no further than our performance at Southern Scuffle. Ayala and Kennedy struggle when they can't just overwhelm their opponents with hand fight and pace. Warner REFUSES to shoot, because he's so scared of scrambles and getting run behind.

We absolutely get hurt more than other teams. And I'll never forget hearing the reason we didn't get Suriano. Just observing a beat up McDonough, his club coach (who has sent multiple guys to Iowa, and loves the brands) told him - wrestling in the Iowa room is like dog years. It's 4 years of wear and tear every season.

I honestly hope the Brands get it together. I just don't see it happening. They're stubbornness is what made them elite athletes. But they don't realize they are literal super heroes. I can name 4 guys in the history of wrestling who could train at the pace they did for the amount of years they did.

I'm on record as saying fire brands 3 years ago. And we should have. We could have had Casey Cunningham. And look. There's PSU with 5 in the finals AGAIN. It's infuriating anyone can defend Tom as this point.
 
I was just thinking about the Bull. He came into college a finished product. People complain that he didn’t improve much at Iowa. I propose there wasn’t really any room for improvement. He was already very near the top of his potential. Many wrestlers seem to “peak” at nationals. I feel the Bull gave his best every time out on the mat. It really isn’t him regressing at NCAA’s as much as it is about others finding another level while AM was wrestling at his maximum potential all year. Not sure if it’s true but it kind of feels like it to me.
I really think this is a thing...some wrestlers arrive at the D1 level already much closer to their peak potential than do others. I am a huge fan of Alex Marinelli, but I think it is fair to say that he is not an offensive juggernaut in comparison to the top level opponents at his weight.

Because his offense relies so much on close quarters action and pressure back from the opposing grappler AND that tendency is well known by others, he can be neutralized by other high level guys.

Even though he will leave Iowa without a NC, I am glad he was a hawk and will miss him in the lineup. I also don't think that there is as much separation between the best, say, top 5 or 6 wrestlers these days. There are several darn good wrestlers in most every bracket nowadays.
 
Bull has done a lot for the program but he is not comparable to a 3x finalist. Warner will likely end with more NCAA team points scored for career if not done already. He was money in duals and at conference which are important too but we didn't get the NCAA scoring from him you expect from that high of recruit.
Agreed MVP, just comparing that both were 4x conf. Champs but failed to win a ncaa title. Just feel that too many unjustly criticize the Bull for his pitfalls at NCAAs. Still a great Hawkeye.
 
Mike Deanna was a 4x Big10 champ and 4xAA who Gable considers one of best in Hawkeye history. He was a three time finalist but never a champion. Marinelli's accomplishments are pretty comparable.

Well, it’s hard for me to consider a guy whose best finish is fifth place “comparable” to a 3x finalist. Bull was a very good wrestler who caught tough breaks at nationals and never rose to the occasion enough to be considered one of our best.
 
Its because we have coaches that come from the mentality that getting kicked out of the bumper cars at Adventureland is a badge of honor. They are shallow dolts and their 1000 mile stare proves it.
 
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If it was just iowa vs Penn state it would be one thing. But out of the last 10 times Iowa hasn’t won (‘11-‘19, and ‘22) Iowa has only finished 2nd once. That was in 2016 when Penn state punted the year and Ohio state won the title. Iowa has been consistently in the top 4 since 2010. But they have way more 3rd and 4ths than 1st and 2nd’s.
 
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45-5 in the semi’s is the most incredible stat I can possibly imagine. That stat is beyond ridiculous. I don’t care if all 50 matches were by #1 seeds. That is insane. That is coaching. That is peaking your athletes at the right time.
PSU is 30-2 in the last 32. 94%. Won their last 11 finals matches. Stalling, PED, slush fund blah blah blah. It’s a different level no one is near.
 
One fluke season while PSU was reloading, yes fluke season, with a lot of things that still had to go Iowa’s way to win it all last year… for the love of god, take off your TNT glasses. What have they done in the last ten years that tells you they can build and sustain championship level success year after year? Please enlighten me. One recruit, SL, is the only reason TNT/Iowa is still relevant, a scary thought, and I’m willing to bet we finish lower at NCAAs next year. This fan base is equally as incompetent and blind to the modern era of wrestling as our coaches.

Save all the whiny, feelings hurt “this is stupid” replies for someone else, I don’t care how bad I hurt your feelings… only looking for legitimate counter-arguments.
Was 2020 a fluke too? We were way ahead of the field that year.
 
Iowa has outperformed tOSU, Ok St, MI, AZ St, and every other D1 team not named PSU the last 12 years and it’s not even close. Literally no other team has the same quality of output as IA other than the same team everyone else has been behind.

By your standards there is only one program and that’s PSU. Aren’t you in the wrong place? Shouldn’t you be on the Ok St, MN, MI, ISU, or any other board telling them the same thing? Or maybe just head over to PSU board and join your friends.

Hawk + I = Low I Q
Ohio State may beg to differ
 
Ohio State may beg to differ

I see your point and tOSU probably has the third best body of work the last 10-12 years but I stand by my statement, in the last 10-12 years Iowa has produced the next best body of work after you know who....

Going back to 2007 and using 10pts-1st, 9pts-2nd, etc...
Iowa Total 118 (4 Championships)
tOSU Total 84 (1 Championship)

Going back 10 years to 2011....
Iowa Total 77 (1 Championship)
tOSU Total 62 (1 Championship)

Going back 10 years and looking at top 3 finishes...
Iowa Total 5 (1 Championship)
tOSU Total 5 (1 Championship)
In those 10 years when tOSU didn't finish top 3 they finished 9th, 6th, 6th, 5th, and outside of the top 10.
In those 10 years when IOWA didn't finish top 3 they were 4th, 4th, 5th, 4th, and 4th.
 
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not going to find a better coach than brands. with that being said, i think there need to be some adjustments. some fresh perspectives on training and competition philosophy. bring in a young rising assistant who wasn’t a hawkeye. there are a few areas that the hawks have consistently struggled with for years with little progress. time to try something new.
We need a better 157-184 coach - hawks should have a world level guy here. Period.
 
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Don’t worry, @Kwoodhawk said TNT are doing a critical evaluation to figure it out… it’s only taken them ten years and counting. 😂😂😂
Are you saying you don't think the Coaches, assistants, trainers, Team Physician or even the wrestlers themselves and their parents are not evaluating things on a continuing basis?
 
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Are you saying you don't think the Coaches, assistants, trainers, Team Physician or even the wrestlers themselves and their parents are not evaluating things on a continuing basis?
Evaluating? Yes… significant changes? TBD.
 
You're acting like a petty little bitch.
Get a hold of yourself, pop some Xanax, and shut off your computer for a few days.
You need to heavily medicate, immediately. If this is how you act with a program you have zero influence over, I don't want to imagine how you conduct yourself on issues that really matter.

Let. It. Go.

Shut. The. ****. Up.
If your feelings are this hurt, don't read it, pretty simple. I know it's hard to face reality some times, but act like an adult. Talk about getting worked up over something you read online, hahaha, who needs medication?
 
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Are you saying you don't think the Coaches, assistants, trainers, Team Physician or even the wrestlers themselves and their parents are not evaluating things on a continuing basis?
No my point was whatever "evaluations" they are doing clearly isn't working.

Fun fact: PSU had more individual champions this year alone than Iowa has had in the last seven years... not sure how you still defend this coaching. We are losing the arms race by not even showing up to the race.

I think the NC last year really save some jobs more than it has turned any momentum around. But time will tell, let's see what happens over the next few years to see who is actually right.
 
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If your feelings are this hurt, don't read it, pretty simple. I know it's hard to face reality some times, but act like an adult. Talk about getting worked up over something you read online, hahaha, who needs medication?
That's interesting considering you're the one blowing up the forum, complaining and droning on and on. You're telling everyone to grown up, when in fact, you're acting like a petulant child.
I am not worked up. This weekends results didn't impact my life whatsoever.
However, that won't stop me from spending 30 seconds of my precious time to call a bitch out.
 
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