Bob Nicolls

Misalorales

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2025
785
2,262
93
It's an old longstanding joke on here. We say moran instead of moron, everyone that doesn't know the quirks of the board responds like you.
Then we pylon. 🤣
You will be lamb basted until you figure it out.
Btw, are you fan of Striebler from Ohio State?
Lots of want of bee posters try and get in the loop. We have to figure out their credentials.
I predict an 83% chance you will eventually get up to speed.
Just picking on you brother. You will figure it out.
Hint, if you see stupid 💩 like what I just wrote, don't try and correct it! 🤣😅🤣
The Simpsons GIF
 

Tyhawk

All-Conference
Apr 12, 2020
1,031
2,349
113
It's an old longstanding joke on here. We say moran instead of moron, everyone that doesn't know the quirks of the board responds like you.
Then we pylon. 🤣
You will be lamb basted until you figure it out.
Btw, are you fan of Striebler from Ohio State?
Lots of want of bee posters try and get in the loop. We have to figure out their credentials.
I predict an 83% chance you will eventually get up to speed.
Just picking on you brother. You will figure it out.
Hint, if you see stupid 💩 like what I just wrote, don't try and correct it! 🤣😅🤣
All good man. Been on the board for a few years & somehow missed the moran moron stuff lol I'll get up to speed
 

Stick Kitty

All-Conference
Jul 7, 2025
423
1,084
93
I’m sure he’s a great technician but the question is can he start grabbing the elite talent as a recruiter. Has he done any of that at Navy or Campbell? Maybe if you had a Rob Koll type as CEO innovating the program and focusing on donations plus RTC. Add Kolat as an associate head coach running the room.
To be fair could Brands bring in elite recruits to Navy or Campbell?
 

FF141

Sophomore
Mar 15, 2017
63
130
33
To be fair could Brands bring in elite recruits to Navy or Campbell?
Idk. That’s where Kolat chose to go. Seems like he doesn’t want the Bigtime.🤷🏻‍♂️

Brands however did go to VTech that was an absolute doormat and did bring in monster recruits. That also followed him and gave up a year of eligibility. And the only reason he ended up back at Iowa was due to the fact tOSU was open and Iowa didn’t want to let him go there.
 

Stick Kitty

All-Conference
Jul 7, 2025
423
1,084
93
Idk. That’s where Kolat chose to go. Seems like he doesn’t want the Bigtime.🤷🏻‍♂️

Brands however did go to VTech that was an absolute doormat and did bring in monster recruits. That also followed him and gave up a year of eligibility. And the only reason he ended up back at Iowa was due to the fact tOSU was open and Iowa didn’t want to let him go there.
Yes the power of an up and coming young head coach with a name in the sport- can open a lot of doors. Those were the times...
 

FF141

Sophomore
Mar 15, 2017
63
130
33
Yes the power of an up and coming young head coach with a name in the sport- can open a lot of doors. Those were the times...
My issue is I think the only prospect that I think would make a serious run at PSU is Taylor. I’m not confident there’s another unicorn out there currently.
 

Cidhawkeye

All-Conference
Jan 1, 2023
1,019
1,502
113
It's an old longstanding joke on here. We say moran instead of moron, everyone that doesn't know the quirks of the board responds like you.
Then we pylon. 🤣
You will be lamb basted until you figure it out.
Btw, are you fan of Striebler from Ohio State?
Lots of want of bee posters try and get in the loop. We have to figure out their credentials.
I predict an 83% chance you will eventually get up to speed.
Just picking on you brother. You will figure it out.
Hint, if you see stupid 💩 like what I just wrote, don't try and correct it! 🤣😅🤣
Mr. Premadonna with all of that knowledge. Slaton probably showing up to kick your a** pretty soon
 
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snotknockerhawk

Redshirt
Sep 22, 2007
10
19
3
So again… where’s all the “insiders” to weigh in on this current mess? Where’s Bob he all of a sudden disappeared after trying to defend the mess the head Moran has created over the last 15 years.
You trolls have run it all over....get a life!
 

snotknockerhawk

Redshirt
Sep 22, 2007
10
19
3
Why would any "insiders" and/or Bob come on here and try and explain anything after the last dual? It's not like anything anyone is going to say is going to change anyone's mind at this point. Seems most fans aren't on a "fence" right now, they either back the Brands or they don't. If they come on and say their peace, all that's going to happen is that they're going to get eaten alive by those that don't agree.
Lets be serious, we got our a$$es beat by a great team, we all saw it coming. I for one thought we wrestled a lot better than I was expecting. Hell, I thought we were going to see more techs and pins. Most of our guys battled pretty good IMO. Sure, that's not what "Iowa" wrestling is about but from where we are at this point...it's what I saw most of the fans asking for with this dual.
You are not a Hawk fan...obviously!
 

GLC1969

Junior
Jul 3, 2025
102
200
43
No...we will go backwards with a new hire....wake up! Who you wanna hire with no coaching experience? Just dumb!
OK great logic hire a retread with no new ideas keep the program where it’s at. That seems to make everyone happy. Instead of being the Steelers you can be the Raiders. If the powers that be don’t want to take a leap You will be Nebraska football.
 

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
526
1,751
93
No...we will go backwards with a new hire....wake up! Who you wanna hire with no coaching experience? Just dumb!
Just look how far Oklahoma State is sinking after that foolish hire. They are getting no recruits and the few freshmen they have suck. Vega,Jax,Dee Locket,Rob. We don't want crap like that here. You heard Tom- Iowa has the right guys.
 
Jan 21, 2012
1,112
791
113
Ii do not see a legitimate replacement for the TnT. That is another way of saying they are the best option out there right now. That does not mean someone won't show up, but it is necessary to look at reality.

To me, the easy fix is to get a couple new assistants coaches in there and allow them to infuse the team with their philosophy. It does not good to have great assistants (like they do now) but only the same philosophy. Right now the Hawks are so one dimensional, that they cannot complete at the highest level, which is what the fans are demanding.

Everything just seems like work for the Hawks. 30-50 years ago, work was considered a good thing. Having a job meant you are important and valuable. Nowadays, to the younger generation, work is something you do from home or you don't take the job. Work is something that is supposed to make your life better and you are supposed to enjoy. Work is something that you do only if you have to.

TnT were psycos when they wrestled. They were intense and scary. I would not want to be in the same room as them, because I would have been afraid they would go berserk and hurt me. The kids these days do not have that same intensity. They need to be coached in a way that they can relate to.

couple of young assistants with a different way of relating could help. Look at the things Tervel has done. He was at tOSU when they were fighting for team championships and now he is at Nebby and look where they are. The right assistants can make a HUGE difference.

You can say what you want, but the PSU guys wrestle like they enjoy it and they wrestle with confidence. The Hawks do not seem to have the same attitude and they are limited in what they do.

Jus the opinion of another MORAN in the cesspool.
 

98lberEating2Lunches

All-Conference
Feb 11, 2018
765
1,334
93
Ii do not see a legitimate replacement for the TnT. That is another way of saying they are the best option out there right now. That does not mean someone won't show up, but it is necessary to look at reality.

To me, the easy fix is to get a couple new assistants coaches in there and allow them to infuse the team with their philosophy. It does not good to have great assistants (like they do now) but only the same philosophy. Right now the Hawks are so one dimensional, that they cannot complete at the highest level, which is what the fans are demanding.

Everything just seems like work for the Hawks. 30-50 years ago, work was considered a good thing. Having a job meant you are important and valuable. Nowadays, to the younger generation, work is something you do from home or you don't take the job. Work is something that is supposed to make your life better and you are supposed to enjoy. Work is something that you do only if you have to.

TnT were psycos when they wrestled. They were intense and scary. I would not want to be in the same room as them, because I would have been afraid they would go berserk and hurt me. The kids these days do not have that same intensity. They need to be coached in a way that they can relate to.

couple of young assistants with a different way of relating could help. Look at the things Tervel has done. He was at tOSU when they were fighting for team championships and now he is at Nebby and look where they are. The right assistants can make a HUGE difference.

You can say what you want, but the PSU guys wrestle like they enjoy it and they wrestle with confidence. The Hawks do not seem to have the same attitude and they are limited in what they do.

Just the opinion of another MORAN in the cesspool.
In no small part, Cassius convinced Brutus to conspire against Julius Caesar based on fear. The fear that the egg that Caesar represented might be a venomous serpent... easier to kill before hatched.

Some attitudes here strike me as an opposite form of risk aversion. As they sometines say "Go BIG or go home." Some here seem comfortable with a status quo that appears inevitable.

Change will only be more disruptive the longer it's delayed. Delaying it won't make it easier. Of course there's always hope that is free to discount consensus observations.
 
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Stick Kitty

All-Conference
Jul 7, 2025
423
1,084
93
My issue is I think the only prospect that I think would make a serious run at PSU is Taylor. I’m not confident there’s another unicorn out there currently.
That's fair and where I think a lot of folks are at. I'd argue more damage is being presently done to the Iowa name and the program to continue to wait for the unicorn to come along to feel perfect about it. The program reputation is being demolished by national perception in its current state.

Could go on and on but just one example. Brands #1 P4P recruit goes to a knee 32 times in a match and the #3 P4P HWT all of a sudden isn't world class. The perception is doing more damage than good and the P4P kids think twice about coming here when it shouldn't be that way. Can you blame them? What has Brands taught Angelo or Ben- our 2 prized recruits-they didn't already have coming in? Is Angelo any different than last year at this time? 32 times to a knee folks. Call me a hater or whatever but its a loud and fair question.
 
Mar 9, 2013
166
266
63
Ii do not see a legitimate replacement for the TnT. That is another way of saying they are the best option out there right now. That does not mean someone won't show up, but it is necessary to look at reality.

To me, the easy fix is to get a couple new assistants coaches in there and allow them to infuse the team with their philosophy. It does not good to have great assistants (like they do now) but only the same philosophy. Right now the Hawks are so one dimensional, that they cannot complete at the highest level, which is what the fans are demanding.

Everything just seems like work for the Hawks. 30-50 years ago, work was considered a good thing. Having a job meant you are important and valuable. Nowadays, to the younger generation, work is something you do from home or you don't take the job. Work is something that is supposed to make your life better and you are supposed to enjoy. Work is something that you do only if you have to.

TnT were psycos when they wrestled. They were intense and scary. I would not want to be in the same room as them, because I would have been afraid they would go berserk and hurt me. The kids these days do not have that same intensity. They need to be coached in a way that they can relate to.

couple of young assistants with a different way of relating could help. Look at the things Tervel has done. He was at tOSU when they were fighting for team championships and now he is at Nebby and look where they are. The right assistants can make a HUGE difference.

You can say what you want, but the PSU guys wrestle like they enjoy it and they wrestle with confidence. The Hawks do not seem to have the same attitude and they are limited in what they do.

Jus the opinion of another MORAN in the cesspool.
Penn State is rarely sloppy in any position. Their foot spacing spacing is almost always perfect especially in the third period and in overtime. We have guys that cross their feet constantly when they’re in neutral. We have guys that do not get any hand control on bottom and suffer getting out. Building a base should not be something anybody on the Hawkeye team should struggle with. When they get on top, overall we do not contain the hips to make it tough for the opponents to get out. In short, we get beat with well coachec basics over and over. Hopefully this team can start thinking about positional wrestling and what they should be doing and quit freezing mentally when they struggle. Hopefully this team can decide to eat instead of being eaten the rest of the year.
 

80grad

Redshirt
Feb 7, 2003
1
1
3
Dont know the guy to like or dislike. His financial contributions are unprecedented for iowa wrestling and the sport. However looking in from the outside it seems there is donor influence that crosses lines. Simply donate money and watch the results from the guys paid to make decisions. Donors be donors period! Dont cross that ver to inject status,, opinions and direction/decisions of the program. This is the line that tremendous support crosses into interference on personal opinion. Jmo
Not wanting to pick but the "unprecedented" comment motivates me to remind on the Carver contributions to Iowa wrestling. The Carver contributions, for many years, were focused entirely upon Gable andthe HWC---and not facilities. Thinking about Carver's early contributions---and not in any way questioning the Nicolls contributions---makes me think about where the program would be if the $30 million had been raised for the NIL/HWC and not facilities. I've not been in PSU's facilities but pictures/video suggest they are not much, if any, more elaborate than the "old" room in Carver Hawkeye. It's water over the bridge but I wonder if Brands really thought that facilities were what he needed to compete with PSU.
 
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Mattski

All-Conference
Apr 21, 2022
874
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One reply from me. Pile on thereafter. I don't have the time to respond or defend so check below for a further option to vent.

But first, imagine my shock to see my name as a thread. Well, not so much my name but that it was spelled correctly. Usually; Nichols, Nicholls, Nickels etc. I was invited to the PA Senators win party at Nats because they thought I was Bo N........ So it goes.

Yes, kingstown, let's make a change, any change because we just have to. Let's too panic, as that always ends well. Sound reasoning.

This coaching staff are the last ones to; beat PSU in a dual, Big Tens and Nats.

We performed poorly in the dual. Yes, we have to do better. I believe we will.

If you'd like to discuss further, come to Franktown or Salida.....not to my house but the Stagecoach or Vic. Good places to discuss wrestling.

Go Hawks

and, start typing, it'll make you feel better
Iowa fans loved what we saw from the team and staff in 2020/2021. And we all GREATLY appreciate your impact on the program.
The frustration now and push for change is based on the fact that was 5 years ago, and teams like that have been more the exception than the norm over the past decade plus.
That and the fact since then the programs appear to be moving in opposite directions.
 
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Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
770
1,280
93
Not wanting to pick but the "unprecedented" comment motivates me to remind on the Carver contributions to Iowa wrestling. The Carver contributions, for many years, were focused entirely upon Gable andthe HWC---and not facilities. Thinking about Carver's early contributions---and not in any way questioning the Nicolls contributions---makes me think about where the program would be if the $30 million had been raised for the NIL/HWC and not facilities. I've not been in PSU's facilities but pictures/video suggest they are not much, if any, more elaborate than the "old" room in Carver Hawkeye. It's water over the bridge but I wonder if Brands really thought that facilities were what he needed to compete with PSU.
I saw an interview with Carl not to long ago where he was talking about how he likes their facilities, but it sounds like they are planning new ones soon. You can bet the OSU billionaire will be delivering new facilities there real soon also.
 

TarpHawk1

Senior
Jul 6, 2025
80
895
83
Ii do not see a legitimate replacement for the TnT. That is another way of saying they are the best option out there right now. That does not mean someone won't show up, but it is necessary to look at reality.

To me, the easy fix is to get a couple new assistants coaches in there and allow them to infuse the team with their philosophy. It does not good to have great assistants (like they do now) but only the same philosophy. Right now the Hawks are so one dimensional, that they cannot complete at the highest level, which is what the fans are demanding.

Everything just seems like work for the Hawks. 30-50 years ago, work was considered a good thing. Having a job meant you are important and valuable. Nowadays, to the younger generation, work is something you do from home or you don't take the job. Work is something that is supposed to make your life better and you are supposed to enjoy. Work is something that you do only if you have to.

TnT were psycos when they wrestled. They were intense and scary. I would not want to be in the same room as them, because I would have been afraid they would go berserk and hurt me. The kids these days do not have that same intensity. They need to be coached in a way that they can relate to.

couple of young assistants with a different way of relating could help. Look at the things Tervel has done. He was at tOSU when they were fighting for team championships and now he is at Nebby and look where they are. The right assistants can make a HUGE difference.

You can say what you want, but the PSU guys wrestle like they enjoy it and they wrestle with confidence. The Hawks do not seem to have the same attitude and they are limited in what they do.

Jus the opinion of another MORAN in the cesspool.
Fair enough. A big issue, though, is that Brands, as head coach, has had the opportunity to do exactly this for years, and for whatever reason he has not. That's no longer an indictment of the assistant coaches, it's an indictment of the head coach. If he can't make changes that are necessary to improve the program, he's failing at the job he was hired for.

And let's be perfectly honest here. The job he was hired to do was to return Iowa to the top. He did that--for three years. Just like Zalesky. Then he slid below 100 points every year. Like Zalesky. Good enough to hang around the top 5, but hardly ever a real challenger (even for second).

The blip that saved his job 10 years later was Spencer Lee, but even that "reinvigoration of the program" didn't last past Spencer Lee.

Let's pretend we flew in a time machine back to 2006 and asked Tom, "What would you say if Iowa's next head coach delivered almost exactly the same stats and trajectory as Zalesky, but over 20 years instead of 9?"

He'd say, "That coach should've been fired 10 years ago, and the AD who kept him should be fired too."

I can pretty much guarantee he WOULDN'T say, "Well, it depends on who else would be available to replace him. Top 5 is pretty good and we wouldn't want to risk losing that consistency."
 

UNIHawk

Senior
May 2, 2025
248
673
93
Willie talks about this thread at the 50:25 mark of their Monday show (I tried to post it here but it won't allow me to). I have to say, I 100% agree with him. When I was a lurker on the Rivals site I thought it was crazy that a contingent of Iowa fans would go after our biggest donor. Waiting for PSU fans to go after Ira; waiting for Oklahoma State fans to say Richison is harming their program. It's baffling to me.
 

js8793

All-Conference
Dec 4, 2018
204
1,003
93
Willie talks about this thread at the 50:25 mark of their Monday show (I tried to post it here but it won't allow me to). I have to say, I 100% agree with him. When I was a lurker on the Rivals site I thought it was crazy that a contingent of Iowa fans would go after our biggest donor. Waiting for PSU fans to go after Ira; waiting for Oklahoma State fans to say Richison is harming their program. It's baffling to me.
Don't know what @WillieTheBrain said on his show, but I think the reasons people go after Bob are pretty simple.

1) First and foremost, he posts on here. He makes himself visible AND he's combative. Neither of those other guys ever show their faces to the fans.

2) People don't like the transfer portal strategy and he funds that. There's a natural aversion to it based on principle (I think most of us recognize you have to play the game, but it still feels gross to poach other teams' wrestlers) and there's also the fact that it's frequently not worked, especially this year.

3) He's seen as the Tom Brands safety net. A lot of fans want Tom gone. Bob has said explicitly he'll stop donating if Tom is gone. That pisses fans off.

None of those others guys have anywhere near the same relationship to the fans. They are helping Cael and DT accomplish everything fans want them to do. In many ways, Bob looks like an impediment to Iowa Wrestling doing what fans want it to do (mainly move on from Brands).
 
Mar 9, 2013
166
266
63
I love that Bob is part of our board. Most don't even know who he is and are piling on. I hope if their is a regime change he sticks but if not its his $$$. I would bet the PSU and OSU donors are not with the slush on their boards. This is why Iowan's are better as we dont care about status. They wish they had our following and why they come here daily to be part of us. Go Hawks!
 

Random4598375

All-Conference
Jan 10, 2020
514
1,540
93
Don't know what @WillieTheBrain said on his show, but I think the reasons people go after Bob are pretty simple.

1) First and foremost, he posts on here. He makes himself visible AND he's combative. Neither of those other guys ever show their faces to the fans.

2) People don't like the transfer portal strategy and he funds that. There's a natural aversion to it based on principle (I think most of us recognize you have to play the game, but it still feels gross to poach other teams' wrestlers) and there's also the fact that it's frequently not worked, especially this year.

3) He's seen as the Tom Brands safety net. A lot of fans want Tom gone. Bob has said explicitly he'll stop donating if Tom is gone. That pisses fans off.

None of those others guys have anywhere near the same relationship to the fans. They are helping Cael and DT accomplish everything fans want them to do. In many ways, Bob looks like an impediment to Iowa Wrestling doing what fans want it to do (mainly move on from Brands).
The portal strategy is like trying to heal a gunshot wound with gauze. There are really two types of portal transfers, long term transfers that are more like re-recruits that will be fully integrated into the program over a number of years like a recruit would be and short term mercenaries who plug a hole for a year. Across all teams, long-term transfers are generally beneficially and develop and provide high return on the investment. Mercenaries are a crap shoot that flame out 5x for every Buchanan or Suriano. Penn State, for all of the success they've had at every other facet of the sport, has also sucked at portal mercenaries. These are guys like Truax and Conel and Hildebrandt. Their portal successes have been long term transfers like Kerk and Mesenbrink who have developed in the program. Iowa got a NC from Buchanan, but the mercenaries have been more like Teemer, Parco, and Franek, whereas your long term portals like Caliendo and Eierman worked out great. The more you end up weighting your fortunes on mercenaries, the more you're going to slip into mediocrity, and it's a danger that's there with someone like Nicolls looking to grab all the big name grad transfers every year instead of investing where it should be. It doesn't work like that. Penn State covers up the shoddy mercenary results by out-recruiting everyone and not really needing them.

DT got NCs from 2 mercenaries last year, but that was a lightning in a bottle situation in his first year. He's clearly building the program there long term through recruiting, not buying mercenaries.
 
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Mattski

All-Conference
Apr 21, 2022
874
2,164
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Willie talks about this thread at the 50:25 mark of their Monday show (I tried to post it here but it won't allow me to). I have to say, I 100% agree with him. When I was a lurker on the Rivals site I thought it was crazy that a contingent of Iowa fans would go after our biggest donor. Waiting for PSU fans to go after Ira; waiting for Oklahoma State fans to say Richison is harming their program. It's baffling to me.
Where are IOWA fans "going after" Bob? He got some push back after saying when TnT were done that might be it for him too... but most everything else directed towards him has been appreciative and normal discussion on the state of the program.
The over the top negative garbage has largely been from psu trolls and known Iowa haters (Askren and Co.).
 

sdvike

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2016
791
1,692
93
Where are IOWA fans "going after" Bob? He got some push back after saying when TnT were done that might be it for him too... but most everything else directed towards him has been appreciative and normal discussion on the state of the program.
The over the top negative garbage has largely been from psu trolls and known Iowa haters (Askren and Co.).
He never said might be it for him. His post was when Brands is done, Im done. One can hope that if/when Brands is done, he changes his mind but he didn't leave the door open in his post.
 
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