Dare I call it……PEAKING!!!!!!

Hawkfan1986

Senior
Mar 26, 2019
144
657
93
Make no mistake, I get it. I just fully reject the premise. I call it entitled fan syndrome. They just had 9 guys make the R12. I don’t care what the team finishes, that is very rare.

I HATE the if you aren’t 1st you are last mentality and I will rail against it every chance I get. As such, I will be much more happy watching the Hawks than most of you will!
Hahahahahha. Okay.

we just fundamentally disagree. It’s all good. Have a good day man.
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
1,139
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You just don’t get it man. It’s okay. We don’t give a damn about the 90%. At Iowa, in wrestling, we fight for the 1%. Stop comparing us to 90% of college wrestling. We simply are not them. That’s the last you will hear from me on this. I can’t make it more clear.
Again, I completely get your stance. I simply reject it on its face. It IS entitlement at its core. There is a major difference between wanting 1st and ONLY accepting 1st. This is especially true, when 5th is the worst you ever finish.

To be clear, if I wasn’t a true fan like many on here wrongly post, I would be hoping Brands gets fired and Iowa falls on its face. But, that is the LAST thing I want and it would be the most hollow “gotcha” possible.

Instead you guys can be miserable and I will happily enjoy watching them wrestle!
 
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LIV4GOD

All-Conference
Oct 2, 2001
487
1,163
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There is a difference between an entitled fan and a true fan. I wouldn’t expect you to know the difference and you saying I am wrong only further bolsters my belief that I am right.

Hopefully this post annoys you just as much as the others you say didn’t!

Go Hawks and especially the coaching staff!!!
It doesn't annoy me because:

1774105110368.png

It no more annoys me than a dog crapping in a yard.

It's what they do.
 

District 4

All-Conference
Feb 16, 2018
1,065
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Like I said much earlier, even when they accomplish what I said they would, when almost no one on here said it could happen, the Anti-Brands crew won’t change their tune.

Too bad for you that it happened and you will have to deal with me on here, bolstered instead of dejected. Instead of being fans truly enjoying a team that EVERY year does better than well over 90% of all DI teams you can continue to whine and complain.

As a result, I will be much happier than you watching them wrestle!!!
You aren't a real iowa fan if you are okay with 4th lmfao
 

Hawkfan1986

Senior
Mar 26, 2019
144
657
93
Again, I completely get your stance. I simply reject it on its face. It IS entitlement at its core. There is a major difference between wanting 1st and ONLY accepting 1st. This is especially true, when 5th is the worst you ever finish.

To be clear, if I wasn’t a true fan like many on here wrongly post, I would be hoping Brands gets fired and Iowa falls on its face. But, that is the LAST thing I want and it would be the most hollow “gotcha” possible.

Instead you guys can be miserable and I will happily enjoy watching them wrestle!
Happiness in life is reality minus expectations. I think your expectations are too low and you think mine are too high.

You call me entitled, I say you should experience what it’s like to compete for championships and then have that same team fade towards irrelevance. Then be a fan of that team and read a guy that’s admittedly a fan of another team tell me that it’s okay to get forth and praise us for doing it.

A meaner man would say screw you and leave it at that. But you should know that many on here are thinking it.

this is my last reply about this. I have wrestling to “enjoy” as you would see it.
 
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MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
1,139
2,980
113
Happiness in life is reality minus expectations. I think your expectations are too low and you think mine are too high.

You call me entitled, I say you should experience what it’s like to compete for championships and then have that same time fade towards irrelevance. Then be a fan of that team and read a guy that’s admittedly a fan of another team tell me that it’s okay to get forth and praise us for doing it.

A meaner man would say screw you and leave it at that. But you should know that many on here are thinking it.

this is my last reply about this. I have wrestling to “enjoy” as you would see it.
Stop twisting the “fan” thing. I wrestled at a different school 30+ years ago. Why would that stop me from becoming a true fan of another school. Hell, I have explained in great detail on here why I became an Iowa fan and that even goes back nearly 20 years.

I have cheered VERY hard for Iowa over the years and this year was probably the most vested I have EVER been. If you don’t think I want them to win as much as anyone, you are a complete fool.

I just won’t whine like a baby when they “only” take 4th with 9 guys into the R12 and 7 AA’s. To me, that should be celebrated in every way possible.
 

Twoooooo

Junior
Mar 2, 2013
118
285
62
These people all took the ball and ran home when they were kids. Never will they admit they were wrong. Yet we are the bad guys for talking s*it back after taking it all year. Welcome to 2026
Problem is you have been talking **** the whole time also. Don’t act like you’re innocent. You’re “too smart” for that
 
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heldyhawk606

Senior
Oct 10, 2001
168
463
63
there is a culture that is pervasive throughout the university - not just athletics - that we should be happy with what we accomplished with what we had. we see all the time in football, how KF's program joined Alabama, Georgia, and tOSU as the only schools with x number wins per season over the last 10 years or something, but difference is they all have conference, and national titles, whereas he has a couple of big ten west titles.. etc. he put x number of players into the NFL, and the pro bowl, but we should be happy because we cannot compete with the resources that those programs have -and all of that is true. The ONLY place where that attitude didn't apply was the men's wrestling program. So it's not black and white as another poster put it - yes we are over the moon for our guys and their performance, and yes we are thrilled that TNT got these guys ready to "peak" at the right time of year, but forgive us when we watch how this program has not evolved over the past decade in terms of technique, training, recruiting, and that is now is being reflected in attendance, fan excitement, and overall performance - celebrating staying in the top 5 isn't what we should be aiming for. The performance this weekend, backing up a solid performance at Big Tens, cannot be used as an excuse to maintain the status quo. There must be changes in the system - that's part of the evolution of the program, which up until now we have consistently failed to do, unlike PSU, OSU with DT, and tOSU with Ryan bringing in different assistants. The good news is that this is recognized and the framework for those has been laid out. There is a way forward, but choices have to be made, some of them not easy.
 

Mattski

All-Conference
Apr 21, 2022
937
2,482
93
You said 6 in the top five or you would agree it is time for the change. You also said a top 3 team finish would do it. Top 3 isn't happening. Are you already celebrating 6 in the top 5?
He got the 7 AAs right so he's cocking off like he's some genius despite being wrong about the rest.
I'm happy we got 7 AAs. I'm not happy we have 1 finalist, very likely no champions AGAIN, and we'll finish 4th/5th light years behind psu and now okst.
MSU is proof in the power of low expectations!
 

LIV4GOD

All-Conference
Oct 2, 2001
487
1,163
93
Your responses and the amount sure seem to make every indication to the contrary. Hell, it isn’t even very god like. But, hey, this board is full of hypocrisy, so you fit right in!!!
Oh come on now. No need to attack my religious walk. You're not qualified. When you act like the arbiter of truth and reality on this board, you should be able to handle someone pointing out obvious behavior quirks.
 

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
628
1,958
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Are you trying to say 7 AA’s with 1 Finalist doesn’t meet my threshold? I would say that already exceeds it. Especially considering 6 of them were guaranteed top 6 and Ferrari mf’d out.

Honestly, this is probably the best coaching performance Brands has had at Iowa, regardless of the team finish. Hell, they may even get close to 100 points total!
I'm saying 4th place isn't great. Iowa had a very good tournament and is still as close to Cal Baptist in the team race as they are to PSU. I was just using the criteria you set. I do agree it was a good performance and Brands had the team peaking great. I just think the overall condition of the program has really slipped the past few years. I don't see next year as likely to be an improvement. It doesn't matter as Brands is going to get another couple of years.
 

HugoHugo

Senior
Jan 25, 2024
284
667
93
Tiltman said:
MSU - Give us your qualifications for a failure in March so you can’t move the goalposts like everyone says you do. How many AA, champs, and team place will it take for you to say “ok this meets expectations for Iowa and for me.”
I don’t move a thing. In fact, I dig my feet in harder than anyone here and THAT is where I draw the ire from. Some posters get mad enough that they deflect with crap like that, but it isn’t true…

As far as Iowa goes, I expect at least 6 AA’s and 2 Finalists. If they fall just short of that, I am not going to blast them for it, but I would say that had a decent March and wouldn’t argue with those that said decent isn’t good enough.

So, 6 AA’s with 2 Finalists or all 6 in the top 5, would be the bottom bar for a good March. If they still had Mo, I would raise that bar a smidge…

—————————

So MSU, did the goalposts move or are you still digging your feet in?
 

MVPFAN

Senior
Mar 10, 2003
3,254
792
113
I'm happy for the guys who managed to get on the stand against odds like Gabe and Block, happy that PK finished strong, very nice tournament for him. Drake got to win his last match. Kueter had a nice finish to a tough season. Caliendo was more than solid as usual. The team did battle hard this weekend and I commend them for that.

However this performance changes nothing. The idea of peaking as a strong finish to a tough season doesn't cut it. The standard shouldn't be wrestling above the low seeds earned during a tough year. It shouldn't be cheering for Jax Forrest tonight to help keep a 4th place trophy. It shouldn't be hoping to get a guy to the finals to keep a streak going. Not being in the discussion for the top team is not acceptable. The men that competed should feel good about how they competed this weekend, they exceeded expectations, they left it on the mat. The problem lies with the expectations being so bad to begin with. I want a team that exceeds expectations by making PSU break a sweat not by getting 4th instead of 7th.
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
1,139
2,980
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I don’t move a thing. In fact, I dig my feet in harder than anyone here and THAT is where I draw the ire from. Some posters get mad enough that they deflect with crap like that, but it isn’t true…

As far as Iowa goes, I expect at least 6 AA’s and 2 Finalists. If they fall just short of that, I am not going to blast them for it, but I would say that had a decent March and wouldn’t argue with those that said decent isn’t good enough.

So, 6 AA’s with 2 Finalists or all 6 in the top 5, would be the bottom bar for a good March. If they still had Mo, I would raise that bar a smidge…

—————————

So MSU, did the goalposts move or are you still digging your feet in?
So 7 AA’s isn’t better than 6? I know you guys want me to be wrong so badly but come the f*ck on.

5th, 6th, top2, 3rd, medical to 6th, ,7th and 5th is inarguably better than 6 top 5’s…
 

HugoHugo

Senior
Jan 25, 2024
284
667
93
So 7 AA’s isn’t better than 6th? I know you guys want me to be wrong so badly but come the f*ck on.

5th, 6th, top2, 3rd, medical to 6th, ,7th and 5th is inarguably better than 6 top 5’s…


You are the one that set the "bottom" bar, not us.

Goalposts Moving GIF
 

WEH8ST8HAWK

Senior
Jan 31, 2004
4,548
594
113
7 AA’s and 2 more in the R12? Other than Corby, it has been a VERY lonely couple of months on this board. So happy I stuck with Brands and Co. His guys, ACROSS THE BOARD, wrestled their asses off.

You may not like 4th place, but this was an INCREDIBLE coaching job at the absolute most important time of the season. 18 top 5 seasons in a row is so much damn harder than many of you will ever begin to understand. It is nowhere near as easy to replace that as many here seem to think.

Hopefully they can find ways to match the funding, resources and ways PSU and OkState are now using to get the super elite recruits along with creating an elite RTC. I would hope this performance can be used as a great selling point. If you can believe in “us” when nearly no one else did, “we”will come together when it matters most and perform at our absolute best.

Honestly, the Brands and staff are BETTER than many fans on here deserve!!!
MSU, I respect you and what you accomplished on the mat. 4th at Big Tens and Nationals isn't what Iowa wrestling is about, now or ever. I don't care about this excuse or that excuse, what happened this year and for several years prior isn't the standard Iowa has set for itself. WE EXPECT MORE THAN WE ARE GETTING!!!!! If Tom doesn't replace everybody below him, he needs to go also. If he does replace ALL of his assistants he probably buys himself until the end of his contract to start fighting for a title.
 

WEH8ST8HAWK

Senior
Jan 31, 2004
4,548
594
113
Yep just like you guys would've done to us if they did bad like you thought. March matters in wrestling tried telling everyone to chill and wait for March and was constantly bashed over and over. Most here are clueless casual fans. Enjoy the last day before everyone starts in again with the BS. Maybe you guys will.listen when people talk who know a thing or 6 🤷
Hahahahahaha, if they did bad? We got 4th twice at the 2 biggest tournaments of the year. WE DID DO BAD, just because you have lowered the bar doesn't mean the rest of us have......
 

_Mjolnir_

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2025
85
177
33
7 AA’s and 2 more in the R12? Other than Corby, it has been a VERY lonely couple of months on this board. So happy I stuck with Brands and Co. His guys, ACROSS THE BOARD, wrestled their asses off.

You may not like 4th place, but this was an INCREDIBLE coaching job at the absolute most important time of the season. 18 top 5 seasons in a row is so much damn harder than many of you will ever begin to understand. It is nowhere near as easy to replace that as many here seem to think.

Hopefully they can find ways to match the funding, resources and ways PSU and OkState are now using to get the super elite recruits along with creating an elite RTC. I would hope this performance can be used as a great selling point. If you can believe in “us” when nearly no one else did, “we”will come together when it matters most and perform at our absolute best.

Honestly, the Brands and staff are BETTER than many fans on here deserve!!!
You'll be right there talking about Iowa wrestling peaking in 6th place next year. This program needs the a**holes to grab the reigns back if we are ever going to recover. When things get ugly you call in the a**holes not the unicorns.
 

Tiltman

Senior
Sep 14, 2012
169
875
93
So 7 AA’s isn’t better than 6? I know you guys want me to be wrong so badly but come the f*ck on.

5th, 6th, top2, 3rd, medical to 6th, ,7th and 5th is inarguably better than 6 top 5’s…
For someone that tells everyone to read your posts better you might want to reread it. You said 6 AA AND 2 finalists. We have 1 finalist; you’re moving the post like we all expected. So yes, YOU ARE WRONG.
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
1,139
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For someone that tells everyone to read your posts better you might want to reread it. You said 6 AA AND 2 finalists. We have 1 finalist; you’re moving the post like we all expected. So yes, YOU ARE WRONG.
Unbelievable. What is the bigger number? 6 or 7? Not to be confused with the current teenage fad!

if you can’t do basic math, this argument is lost on you…
 

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
1,139
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You literally said 6 all Americans and 2 finalists. You hit on your all American number but failed on finalists.
First off 6 was the MINIMUM, Moran. 7 is more than 6. Also, I said that or 6 with all top 5’s. If you can’t see that 1 Finalist with 6 more AA’s at least meets that threshold, let alone exceeds it, then feel free to dig all you want. I will happily say 5th, 6th, top 2, 3rd, med forfeit to 6th, 7th and 5th, along with 2 R12’s EASILY exceeds that minimum.
 

Tiltman

Senior
Sep 14, 2012
169
875
93
First off 6 was the MINIMUM, Moran. 7 is more than 6. Also, I said that or 6 with all top 5’s. If you can’t see that 1 Finalist with 6 more AA’s at least meets that threshold, let alone exceeds it, then feel free to dig all you want. I will happily say 5th, 6th, top 2, 3rd, med forfeit to 6th, 7th and 5th, along with 2 R12’s EASILY exceeds that minimum.
Did we have 2 finalists like you mentioned was the minimum for you?
 

Tiltman

Senior
Sep 14, 2012
169
875
93
Take what you said word for word; put it in ChatGPT and ask it if they met your standards. The answer is no. Words have meanings and you’re either not smart enough to say what you mean or are wrong.
 
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MSU158

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Nov 20, 2014
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Did we have 2 finalists like you mentioned was the minimum for you?
Please just tell me you can’t read. It was also that OR 6 top 5’s. Once they get to 7, which is MORE than 6, that goes BEYOND that minimum, clearly and inarguably. 7 AA’s with 1 Finalist is absolutely comparable to 6 with 2 and CLEARLY surpasses 6 with all top 5’s once you look at the makeup of the 7.

But, hey, feel free to think it is some kind of gotcha, and I will happily rely on the fact that 7 is more than 6!
 

Upstream123

All-Conference
Oct 10, 2023
952
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Please just tell me you can’t read. It was also that OR 6 top 5’s. Once they get to 7, which is MORE than 6, that goes BEYOND that minimum, clearly and inarguably. 7 AA’s with 1 Finalist is absolutely comparable to 6 with 2 and CLEARLY surpasses 6 with all top 5’s once you look at the makeup of the 7.

But, hey, feel free to think it is some kind of gotcha, and I will happily rely on the fact that 7 is more than 6!
It's almost like you are a troll. Go Spartan wrestling.
 

BringBackBradBanks

All-Conference
Jul 19, 2022
739
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The best we can hope for in the next couple years is third place behind Penn State and Oklahoma State. But with our roster I feel like we might be more like 7 to 10th. Our recruiting was not good in 2020 to 2022 and we are paying for that with the current roster.
 
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PUR158

All-Conference
Feb 11, 2025
377
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This has been an entertaining year, thank you for not kicking me off the forum. Iowa wrestled well this weekend, as strong as I have seen them all year. I understand the angst in not wanting to celebrate 4th, but the reality is, that was your team this year and they out performed B10 coach of the year Tom Ryan when it mattered the most.