the only ones who think we are the kings of wrestling are those stuck in the past, most of us on here know exactly where we are,in a fight with a worthy opponent and i want tom brands out front leading this fight. the gable days are over, accept it and move forward.
Your Thoughts on Former Hawk Wrestler's Take On Iowa
- Thread starter frydaze
- Start date
I just wanted you to describe how their wrestling made you agree with all 3 opinions in the OP. You were unable to do that and I came to a conclusion why. Time to agree to disagree.
I will only comment on the Nebraska football comment. It is not even close. Nebraska on a good year is top 20 and all I hear about is 1995. Iowa at least is a top 5 program every year and on rankings enter the tourney with a chance to win. Huge difference. I know more football teams than wrestling but Nebraska football fans insult the word delusional.
The landscape could get even tougher for Iowa in the future. Some of the superstar wrestlers over the last 5-8 years (Metcalf, Steiber, Taylor, Snyder, Dake) are eventually going to get assistant jobs and then their own programs. Their careers were on Flo and BTN, and today's kids grew up idolizing them. They are going to be blue chip magnets. In fact, I have heard the next recruiting war will be for these guys as assistant coaches. This will bring even more parity to the sport.
As for assistant coaches, the rich got richer when Sanderson brought Jake Varner in as an assistant coach.
The reality is Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New Jersey have the best High School wrestling and as a result produce the most blue chips recruits.
Iowa dominated when Penn State and Ohio State were 2nd rate programs who were not invested in creating dominate wrestling programs. Look at how many wrestlers from Ohio and PA won National Championships and AA'd at Oklahoma State and Iowa.
When Cael and Tom Ryan took over those respective programs the first thing they did was lock up blue chip recruits in State. Followed by filling up the roster with local wresters for depth, that don't cost much $$. Remember, Logan Steiber grew up a Iowa wrestling fan. How much would have Ohio State's recent past been different had Logan and then Hunter not gone to Ohio State?
Now both Cael and Tom Ryan, cherry pick 1 or 2 out of State stud recruits a year and fill up the rest of their rosters with in State talent that only has to pay a less expensive in state tuition and grew up wanting to be Buckeyes and Lions, so they are willing to accept very little Scholarship $$ to wrestle for their "home" school. Look at Ohio State with Rodriguez, Burcher, Ryan, Tomasello, Bo Jordan, Micah Jordan, and Kolin Moore all being local kids. Ryan then pulled Synder, Martin, and Hayes from out of State who were all top recruits.
Penn State's breakdown is currently a little more diverse for State origins, but Zain, Nolf, Guilibon, Joesph, McCutcheon, and Morelli are all from PA. Then Suriano (NJ), Cortez (IL), Hall (Mn), Nevills (CA), and Nickal (Tx) were all top rated kids from out of State.
This formula just does not exist for Iowa.
Iowa dominated when Penn State and Ohio State were 2nd rate programs who were not invested in creating dominate wrestling programs. Look at how many wrestlers from Ohio and PA won National Championships and AA'd at Oklahoma State and Iowa.
When Cael and Tom Ryan took over those respective programs the first thing they did was lock up blue chip recruits in State. Followed by filling up the roster with local wresters for depth, that don't cost much $$. Remember, Logan Steiber grew up a Iowa wrestling fan. How much would have Ohio State's recent past been different had Logan and then Hunter not gone to Ohio State?
Now both Cael and Tom Ryan, cherry pick 1 or 2 out of State stud recruits a year and fill up the rest of their rosters with in State talent that only has to pay a less expensive in state tuition and grew up wanting to be Buckeyes and Lions, so they are willing to accept very little Scholarship $$ to wrestle for their "home" school. Look at Ohio State with Rodriguez, Burcher, Ryan, Tomasello, Bo Jordan, Micah Jordan, and Kolin Moore all being local kids. Ryan then pulled Synder, Martin, and Hayes from out of State who were all top recruits.
Penn State's breakdown is currently a little more diverse for State origins, but Zain, Nolf, Guilibon, Joesph, McCutcheon, and Morelli are all from PA. Then Suriano (NJ), Cortez (IL), Hall (Mn), Nevills (CA), and Nickal (Tx) were all top rated kids from out of State.
This formula just does not exist for Iowa.
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I think it's unfortunate that PSU's 3 best guys are at the same weights as some of our best. How would last nights meet look if Brandon was a 141, Kemdawg was at 165, and Brooks was at 197? Would it look so bad to the former Hawk? Would PSU look so invincible? Would it look like our recruiting was so far off?
No offense, but whether it's the guy I spoke to last night or myself or many others, my reply to you on your reply would be if my aunt had nuts she'd be my uncle.
Seriously, your counterpoint to him is "what if our three best wrestlers were at another weight instead of the same weights their three best are at" is supposed to be a legitimate comeback?Let's deal in reality instead of fiction.
You might as well have also added in "what if Chris Campbell, Mike DeAnna, Lincoln McIlravy, and Joe Williams still had eligibility for Iowa".
While at it, maybe also add "What if PSU's top 3 wrestlers had all missed the bus and couldn't have made the trip".
Your response is lame (our 3 best are where PSU has their 3 best too). What about the other 7 weight classes?
There have been some really good insightful replies here--those make much more sense than yours.
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I agree. The next sleeping giant is Fresno State. Tons of talent in Cali, especially in Clovis.
Nebraska was not ranked at the end of the last 3 years of football if I remember right. We are ranked 3rd right.Not a very good comparison on that point.
Regarding point number 1. Couldn't agree more. I don't recall everyone saying how aggressive Cael's wrestlers were in his three years at ISU, but then again, half of them weren't top five pfp recruits. Now some people would say that they weren't "his kids" and that were Bobbys, but wouldn't he have been able to get them going in three years?
Now with that said, this doesn't take away from the fact that we( Iowa) aren't getting after it the way we used to
Couldn't agree more. That guy epitomizes what I think of when picturing the prototypical Iowa wrestler. Hopefully the next batch of incoming kids can close the gap and hopefully there are a few future stars in the bunch.
The Nolf match really stood out as the example of what iowa style used to be. Problem is, a Hawkeye was on the receiving end of it.
Nolf is super talented. He was super talented with an attacking style before he got to psu. Your guy needs to understand that.
Recruiting is 70-80% of the battle in todays college wrestling, especially when it comes to the best of the best elite guys who have been wrestling in clubs since they were kids.
Carl is a great recruiter first and a developer of talent a distant second.
Brands is a winner. He'll find a way to even the playing field. He's already started on that front.
We are still in the shadows of the final hours of Brands past recruiting system.
We're gonna come out of it better than before.
Nolf is super talented. He was super talented with an attacking style before he got to psu. Your guy needs to understand that.
Recruiting is 70-80% of the battle in todays college wrestling, especially when it comes to the best of the best elite guys who have been wrestling in clubs since they were kids.
Carl is a great recruiter first and a developer of talent a distant second.
Brands is a winner. He'll find a way to even the playing field. He's already started on that front.
We are still in the shadows of the final hours of Brands past recruiting system.
We're gonna come out of it better than before.
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