Who ya got on your list of Hawk wrestlers with

[93hawkeye]

the most pure talent? I guess I'm thinking of guys who won lots of matches convincingly, and multiple big tournaments, primarily with prolific offense...the points just seemed to flow. Guys like:
1. Spencer Lee
2. Lincoln McIlravy
3. Randy Lewis
4. Ed Banach
5. Joe Williams
just curious who makes the top of your list?

 

[UndercoverHawk]

the most pure talent? I guess I'm thinking of guys who won lots of matches convincingly, and multiple big tournaments, primarily with prolific offense...the points just seemed to flow. Guys like:
1. Spencer Lee
2. Lincoln McIlravy
3. Randy Lewis
4. Ed Banach
5. Joe Williams
just curious who makes the top of your list?

Brent Metcalf I believe would qualify as incredibly talented and won a lot of matches by a big margin

 

[sabula]

Brent Metcalf I believe would qualify as incredibly talented and won a lot of matches by a big margin

Joe W may be the most physically gifted of any IA wrestler. Imagine him with Spencer or Ironside's never-stop style.

 

[DonHawkeye]

Chris Campbell probably needs to be on here. I never really saw him wrestle in college but if you can make the Olympic team at almost 40 you must have some natural talent.

 

[GlenHawk]

Chris Campbell probably needs to be on here. I never really saw him wrestle in college but if you can make the Olympic team at almost 40 you must have some natural talent.

Gable would agree!

 

[IAChief32]

Chris Campbell barely wrestled in high school compared to what most of the guys coming out do. Wasn’t recruited...Gable happened on to him by accident.

 

[24 so far]

Joe W may be the most physically gifted of any IA wrestler. Imagine him with Spencer or Ironside's never-stop style.

Joe Williams would not be anywhere near the top of my list of prolific scorers at Iowa, but he is at the very top of my list of Physical Specimen / Badass.

 

[Gusaford]

Tom and Terry. Tom against Gilbert; Terry against Prescott.

Chris Campbell reminds me of Larry David. Can't put my finger on why.

 

[Gobblin]

Can’t mention Joe without mentioning TJ, IMHO. As gifted as any athlete to ever wear a Hawkeye singlet.

 

[WEH8ST8HAWK]

Joe Williams is obviously one of our all time greats but to say he scored a lot of points wouldn't be accurate. Metcalf fits that mold with Tom and Terry far more than Joe.

 

[AsicsFanatic]

Eric Juergens, dude had so much natural talent. Remember the coaches saying you only had to show him a move once, and he was an expert at it. If he had the work ethic of an Ironside, Metcalf, or Lee, he would have been a four timer. He kept Stephen Abas from being a four timer by beating him not once, but twice in the 1998 NCAA Championships. Made anklepicks a thing of beauty.

 

[Gobblin]

Eric Juergens, dude had so much natural talent. Remember the coaches saying you only had to show him a move once, and he was an expert at it. If he had the work ethic of an Ironside, Metcalf, or Lee, he would have been a four timer. He kept Stephen Abas from being a four timer by beating him not once, but twice in the 1998 NCAA Championships. Made anklepicks a thing of beauty.

I promise you it had absolutely NOTHING to do with his work ethic... That’s preposterous.

 

[dtripp26]

Eric Juergens, dude had so much natural talent. Remember the coaches saying you only had to show him a move once, and he was an expert at it. If he had the work ethic of an Ironside, Metcalf, or Lee, he would have been a four timer. He kept Stephen Abas from being a four timer by beating him not once, but twice in the 1998 NCAA Championships. Made anklepicks a thing of beauty.

For real with that work ethic comment?

After watching many YouTube clips the last 2 months

Lee and Lewis are as talented as we've ever had.

Lincoln right up there as well but. Also have new appreciation for the Banach bros.

And IMO TJ was better than Joe.

 

[Monzon]

Eric Juergens, dude had so much natural talent. Remember the coaches saying you only had to show him a move once, and he was an expert at it. If he had the work ethic of an Ironside, Metcalf, or Lee, he would have been a four timer. He kept Stephen Abas from being a four timer by beating him not once, but twice in the 1998 NCAA Championships. Made anklepicks a thing of beauty.

Yeah, you're going to catch a lot of flak for that "work ethic" comment. Juergens not being a 4-timer in college has to do with who else was at 118 at that time and the brutal weight cut.

Williams brothers, Lewis & Campbell came to mind immediately for me. Brinzer as well.

 

[usarmyret2011]

Yeah, you're going to catch a lot of flak for that "work ethic" comment. Juergens not being a 4-timer in college has to do with who else was at 118 at that time and the brutal weight cut.

Williams brothers, Lewis & Campbell came to mind immediately for me. Brinzer as well.

Agree with all except Brinzer, Ray was fun to watch and had no conscience when it came risk taking but not a generational talent like most on this list!

 

[so cal hawkfan]

Tom and Terry. Tom against Gilbert; Terry against Prescott.

Chris Campbell reminds me of Larry David. Can't put my finger on why.

Perhaps cause he was pretty, pretty good.

 

[GG121AND2]

Huh, no mention of Davis or Jim Zalesky?

 

[HoundedHawk]

Eric Juergens, dude had so much natural talent. Remember the coaches saying you only had to show him a move once, and he was an expert at it. If he had the work ethic of an Ironside, Metcalf, or Lee, he would have been a four timer. He kept Stephen Abas from being a four timer by beating him not once, but twice in the 1998 NCAA Championships. Made anklepicks a thing of beauty.

He made one of those instant adjustments his senior year in the finals. The Okie State guy let him do an ankle pic, but did like a switch mid TD and got Juergens. The very next time Eric adjusted, went lower on the legs while doing the ankle pick, and voila, he got it.

 

[IAChief32]

Agree with all except Brinzer, Ray was fun to watch and had no conscience when it came risk taking but not a generational talent like most on this list!

I think the OP was talking about pure talent which doesn't necessarily translate into generational talent. Creatively, dude was up there.

 

[Hkfan23]

Great question. Athletic talent or wrestling talent? Athlete wise: Lee, both Willams, Campbell, Randy. Wrestling: Lee, Ironside, both Brands, Lincoln, Metcalf, etc.

 

[IAChief32]

Great question. Athletic talent or wrestling talent? Athlete wise: Lee, both Willams, Campbell, Randy. Wrestling: Lee, Ironside, both Brands, Lincoln, Metcalf, etc.

I think some folks might not put Lee on here because of recency bias but the dude is great in any position (freestyle/folk) and is strong as hell. Hell, even when Foley tried to go upper body, SL instinctively wrapped his leg up and threw Foley on his back going out of bounds. Nobody has really tried it since.

 

[Hkfan23]

Chief - I agree. But man he wrestles as “athletically” as well as anyone I have seen. He does everything so fluid in every position and does it to score. I have said before and not a knock per se, but if Joe W had the same scoring mentality as say Lee and Brands (either) that would have been a machine. I don’t think either Brands or Metcalf were great “athletes” but were great wrestlers.

 

[CurtisLoew40]

Athleticism wise Lee wouldn't even be on the list. Wrestling talent then he's a no doubter

 

[Vanillamostly]

Athleticism wise Lee wouldn't even be on the list. Wrestling talent then he's a no doubter

Oh, come on. Because Lee doesn't look chiseled out of stone, he's not athletic? The young man is a freak.

 

[IAChief32]

Athleticism wise Lee wouldn't even be on the list. Wrestling talent then he's a no doubter

How would you measure athleticism? Speed, balance, gas tank, strength, flexibility etc? I would add in innate funk for wrestling. Really, about the only thing you can ding him on is gas tank. He has been the strongest guy at his weight class for awhile now.

 

[moug]

Chief - I agree. But man he wrestles as “athletically” as well as anyone I have seen. He does everything so fluid in every position and does it to score. I have said before and not a knock per se, but if Joe W had the same scoring mentality as say Lee and Brands (either) that would have been a machine. I don’t think either Brands or Metcalf were great “athletes” but were great wrestlers.

Metcalf’s athleticism has always been underrated. I don’t know where the interview is but he ran a 5:00 mile in 7th grade or similar. I realize we don’t typically equate a mile with athleticism but he had some gifts that were overlooked. There were other examples I just don’t recall what they were:/

 

[2000hawk]

Montell Marion always struck me as a guy that had amazing raw ability. Should have been a champ.

 

[sdvike]

For me, none more dominant and score first and often than THE Bull.

 

[iowa_native]

Jeff McGinness had some raw talent in my view. I can't speak to point margins, but he's a multiple time champ (soph and senior, I believe) and had a range of offense that he could hit on high level guys.

 

[McCulloughd]

Athleticism wise Lee wouldn't even be on the list. Wrestling talent then he's a no doubter

Give me a fricking break.

 

[MitchLL]

JoeW always struck me as a guy that wrestled just "good enough" to win. Could have been as dominant as anyone with a higher motor.

 

[fufighters]

Barry Davis believe most wins
Randy Lewis
Jim Zalesky
Ed Banach
Duane Goldman
Royce Alger
Tj William's
Mark Ironside
Joe William's
TNT
Anyone who sacrificed as a Hawkeye that nobody remembers/ who made Iowa wrestling the mecca of college wrestling the last 45 years. Well done gentlemen and ladies no matter how you contributed ..thanks!!!

 

[Rooster51]

Jeff McGinness had some raw talent in my view. I can't speak to point margins, but he's a multiple time champ (soph and senior, I believe) and had a range of offense that he could hit on high level guys.

McGinness was a freak of a wrestler! He has to be listed near the top, IMHO.
- 4x HS Champ (172-0 career record)
- Cadet & Junior Freestyle Champ
- wrestled as a true freshmen (placed 5th at NCAAs)

 

[Hawky42]

Rico Chiapprelli was talented especially with his technique. His scramble in Nat. Finals vs Pope was very epic.
Marty Kistler didn't have the speed of some guys but he was a total beast.
Not on the short list but Kemerer and Cass are talented.

 

[ChiPackHawk]

I think some folks might not put Lee on here because of recency bias but the dude is great in any position (freestyle/folk) and is strong as hell. Hell, even when Foley tried to go upper body, SL instinctively wrapped his leg up and threw Foley on his back going out of bounds. Nobody has really tried it since.

While this comment is just a shot in the dark, I'm guessing a little bit of judo knowledge may help that upper body work?

 

[Inthecircle]

Chad Zaputil belongs on these types of lists. 3x Big Ten Champ 3x NCAA finalist. 109-8-1 record.

 

[bman546]

The thread should have been two posts. The OP, then one response of, Chris Campbell... Thank you, good night, drive home safely.

 

[flaiawis]

The thread should have been two posts. The OP, then one response of, Chris Campbell... Thank you, good night, drive home safely.

Not even a discussion, for me at least. Saw him in the Letterman's Lounge as a kid and it made a lasting impression on me. He was a physical specimen and an athletic freak. Loved watching him scrap.

 

[so cal hawkfan]

What’s crazy about Campbell is that he won a World Championship in 1981 then won a bronze at the 1992 Olympics. Amazing he remained elite for that long. Btw where was he in 84 and 88? Seemed to be in his prime then

 

[IAChief32]

What’s crazy about Campbell is that he won a World Championship in 1981 then won a bronze at the 1992 Olympics. Amazing he remained elite for that long. Btw where was he in 84 and 88? Seemed to be in his prime then

He went through law school, was in the middle of a career and decided to come back in his early 30s I believe.