Dare I call it……PEAKING!!!!!!

[MSU158]

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!!!

 

[Misalorales]

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!!!

Not a Hawkeye fan but you continue to misrepresent the overwhelming majority of Hawkeye fans and their feelings on this. The jist of which is basically: When the Iowa hawkeyes require a "peak" performance to cling to 4th place there is an issue.Hawkeye fans don't want to be battles for 4th, they want to challenge for a title again. Why that's a bad thing or unrealistic to you is beyond me.

Also, when their version of peaking is one finalist with no champs Hawkeye fans have a right to ask for more.

 

[Waukhawk]

Please STOP patting yourself on the back, no one cares. Proud of the fight the guys showed this weekend but Iowa still finished miles behind Penn State and Oklahoma State. When has fighting it out for a fourth place trophy been acceptable in Iowa City?

 

[JaysonTAlexander]

Fighting for 4th. This is our reality now?

FFS

 

[MSU158]

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!!!

 

[STtiger2025]

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!!!

Also you and Corby won’t STFU about how much smarter you are than everyone else on this board! You two have made this tournament more difficult to enjoy because of your constant barrage of I told you so! I’m proud of the fight our guys have displayed in this tournament but I refuse to be excited about “peaking “ into a possible fourth place finish. I will continue to hope for better and I also won’t ever be happy losing so many duals in a season no matter what you two know it alls tell me. Three (maybe two) good days doesn’t wash away a horrible first four months. All that being said I hope all of these young men finish with wins today!! Go Hawks!

 

[Corby2]

Also you and Corby won’t STFU about how much smarter you are than everyone else on this board! You two have made this tournament more difficult to enjoy because of your constant barrage of I told you so! I’m proud of the fight our guys have displayed in this tournament but I refuse to be excited about “peaking “ into a possible fourth place finish. I will continue to hope for better and I also won’t ever be happy losing so many duals in a season no matter what you two know it alls tell me. Three (maybe two) good days doesn’t wash away a horrible first four months. All that being said I hope all of these young men finish with wins today!! Go Hawks!

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

 

[The-Dude-Abides]

I don't get why so many have to be so black and white about this. As with most parts of life, more than one thing can be true at once. TnT absolutely deserve major props for getting nearly everyone to wrestle this well on the big stage. If you had told me a couple months ago we'd be looking at 7 AAs and probably a trophy, without Endene or a qualifier at 57, I would not have believed it. So very well done to get this team to such a strong finish in light of the season leading up to it.

But the standard Gable set at Iowa is what it is, and it's considerably higher than what they've been achieving at the end of the day. PSU is an unreal juggernaut, about to three peat breaking the scoring record in as many years. That has to be factored in, but it doesn't mean it is impossible for any program to compete with or catch them. Somebody will, probably sooner than later. The injury issues, recruiting struggles and snafus, and the overall stylistic approach from a lot of the team are all problems that need to be improved.

So hell of a finish to a rough season, credit where due. But more is necessary at Iowa. I'm about as right down the middle in TnT as you can get. Love them both as competitors, coaches, and people. But I think they're approaching the end of the line as coaches at Iowa. I actually think the timing is pretty good for Iowa. No one is catching PSU imo in the next few years, including OkSt, though they will test them. If that's the case, it might actually be a good time to take some lumps in transition (and there will be lumps). And I believe everyone with decision making authority should be planning for that transition within the timeframe of Tom's remaining contract. Obviously a lot of whos and whats involved, but it doesn't have to be a knee jerk house cleaning. I think TnT may surprise some of you in the near future in terms of what they decide to do. I have zero doubt they value the black and gold more than their own pride.

 

[Jcchawk]

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

You two should have a nice pat yourself on the back session together. Just keep your hands to yourselves.

 

[Bones Malone]

I don't get why so many have to be so black and white about this. As with most parts of life, more than one thing can be true at once. TnT absolutely deserve major props for getting nearly everyone to wrestle this well on the big stage. If you had told me a couple months ago we'd be looking at 7 AAs and probably a trophy, without Endene or a qualifier at 57, I would not have believed it. So very well done to get this team to such a strong finish in light of the season leading up to it.

But the standard Gable set at Iowa is what it is, and it's considerably higher than what they've been achieving at the end of the day. PSU is an unreal juggernaut, about to three peat breaking the scoring record in as many years. That has to be factored in, but it doesn't mean it is impossible for any program to compete with or catch them. Somebody will, probably sooner than later. The injury issues, recruiting struggles and snafus, and the overall stylistic approach from a lot of the team are all problems that need to be improved.

So hell of a finish to a rough season, credit where due. But more is necessary at Iowa. I'm about as right down the middle in TnT as you can get. Love them both as competitors, coaches, and people. But I think they're approaching the end of the line as coaches at Iowa. I actually think the timing is pretty good for Iowa. No one is catching PSU imo in the next few years, including OkSt, though they will test them. If that's the case, it might actually be a good time to take some lumps in transition (and there will be lumps). And I believe everyone with decision making authority should be planning for that transition within the timeframe of Tom's remaining contract. Obviously a lot of whos and whats involved, but it doesn't have to be a knee jerk house cleaning. I think TnT may surprise some of you in the near future in terms of what they decide to do. I have zero doubt they value the black and gold more than their own pride.

Well said

 

[whejoe]

The past few days would’ve been even more enjoyable if MSU and Corby had just disappeared for about 72 hours.
MSU fatigue is real…..
Corby fatigue is real….

 

[Lil Nicky Scarfo]

This thread in meme form:

 

[Hawx224]

I think there’s a fair amount of fans who thought the Brands would have the team ready to go in March but also realize the teams we’ve been fielding lately aren’t in the same universe as PSU. As I’ve said before, no easy solution to that problem. This is a great year for this team, the question is how to build better teams for the future

 

[kingstown]

It is the same debate. Nothing changes. You either think 4th place is the program standard or you don't. Is being a good program acceptable? I love the fight and multiple guys wrestled with heart and really proved some toughness when they needed to. MSU I believe said either top 3 or 6 guys finish top five for him to think Brands should remain in charge. Top 3 isn't happening but 6 in the top five could still happen. None of this matters as Brands is staying for at least a couple more years. Some people want a great team and some are fine with a good team. There are always going to be those who think good is great so they can have it both ways. Fourth is the new first.

 

[STtiger2025]

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

I can’t say I’ve ever known someone like you who is SOOO sure that you’re smarter than everyone else in any room you’re in!! What’s worse is you and MSU are admittedly not even Hawk fans. That makes it even more special to be told we are all clueless, casual fans!!I hope that second emoji makes me look as smart as you.

 

[Evashevsky58]

Not a Hawkeye fan but you continue to misrepresent the overwhelming majority of Hawkeye fans and their feelings on this. The jist of which is basically: When the Iowa hawkeyes require a "peak" performance to cling to 4th place there is an issue.Hawkeye fans don't want to be battles for 4th, they want to challenge for a title again. Why that's a bad thing or unrealistic to you is beyond me.

Also, when their version of peaking is one finalist with no champs Hawkeye fans have a right to ask for more.

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!!!

I agree with both of these statements (as a Hawkeye fan). Today i am focusing on the positives, a great tourney from our guys and edging out tOSU for a trophy. However, going forward, we need a MAJOR overhaul.

 

[Tiltman]

The past few days would’ve been even more enjoyable if MSU and Corby had just disappeared for about 72 hours.
MSU fatigue is real…..
Corby fatigue is real….

Only 72 hours?????

 

[Tiltman]

I can’t say I’ve ever known someone like you who is SOOO sure that you’re smarter than everyone else in any room you’re in!! What’s worse is you and MSU are admittedly not even Hawk fans. That makes it even more special to be told we are all clueless, casual fans!!I hope that second emoji makes me look as smart as you.

Top coaches in the country don’t call Corby for info just cause he likes to talk. Of course he’s the smartest man in the room

 

[whejoe]

Only 72 hours?????

lol….I actually don’t mind Corby and MSU but they just don’t know when to stop.

 

[Twoooooo]

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

Wow, look at the BIG BRAIN on corby… your schtick is getting tiresome. I think the majority on here just want you to shut up

 

[LIV4GOD]

The past few days would’ve been even more enjoyable if MSU and Corby had just disappeared for about 72 hours.
MSU fatigue is real…..
Corby fatigue is real….

Does it matter what two blowhards have to say who aren't real Hawk fans?

No.

 

[MSU158]

So ALLLLL the nonstop complaining, whining and downright denigrating of the coaching staff is perfectly acceptable , but someone not willing to let that go is the bad guy. Can you not see nearly all my stuff was reactionary? I didn’t just make stuff up and start issues. I was responding to ridiculously negative stances across the board.

But, hey, in this I am 100% fine being considered the bad guy.

 

[whejoe]

Does it matter what two blowhards have to say who aren't real Hawk fans?

No.

It would be nice if we could treat them like starting pitchers, putting them on a pitch(post) count and having them post only once every five days. 100 posts once every five days would probably be an improvement…..

 

[MSU158]

Does it matter what two blowhards have to say who aren't real Hawk fans?

No.

I am 100% positive I am more of a true Iowa fan than you are!

 

[Corby2]

I can’t say I’ve ever known someone like you who is SOOO sure that you’re smarter than everyone else in any room you’re in!! What’s worse is you and MSU are admittedly not even Hawk fans. That makes it even more special to be told we are all clueless, casual fans!!I hope that second emoji makes me look as smart as you.

I'm a wrestling fan. And when Iowa is good thats good for wrestling. People come at me constantly so obviously when I'm right (which is most of the time ) obviously I'm gonna fire back. So just sit back and take it not how I was raised sorry.

 

[Corby2]

lol….I actually don’t mind Corby and MSU but they just don’t know when to stop.

O you mean like the people who talk s*it so say nothing and take it . It's called giving it back man society has become so soft. It's ok to be wrong guys

 

[Corby2]

Wow, look at the BIG BRAIN on corby… your schtick is getting tiresome. I think the majority on here just want you to shut up

And that's exactly why I'm not gonna some here is against the staff

 

[Corby2]

So ALLLLL the nonstop complaining, whining and downright denigrating of the coaching staff is perfectly acceptable , but someone not willing to let that go is the bad guy. Can you not see nearly all my stuff was reactionary? I didn’t just make stuff up and start issues. I was responding to ridiculously negative stances across the board.

But, hey, in this I am 100% fine being considered the bad guy.

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

 

[LIV4GOD]

I am 100% positive I am more of a true Iowa fan than you are!

That's your main problem. Just because you're 100% positive doesn't mean you're not100% wrong.

It's just another item in a long list of things you've been wrong about.

And I feel zero need to defend my fifty years of being a Hawk fan to you.

We know what you are. You're an attention *****.

 

[Misalorales]

So ALLLLL the nonstop complaining, whining and downright denigrating of the coaching staff is perfectly acceptable , but someone not willing to let that go is the bad guy. Can you not see nearly all my stuff was reactionary? I didn’t just make stuff up and start issues. I was responding to ridiculously negative stances across the board.

But, hey, in this I am 100% fine being considered the bad guy.

The most true thing you've said. You've got a Catraboner for being the bad guy on here

 

[redghost1974]

Sorry but without appealing to these super recruits, 3-4 is peaking for a long time. Love the Brands, but unless they have a staff shake up nothing is going to change. Biggest flaws is their inability to keep guys healthy to March and the lack of progress adding to arsenals by Jr Sr years. Our competition definitely figures us out after 2nd meeting.

Yes the staff did a great job considering what we looked like in January. But you are giving them credit for digging out of a hole they helped dig.

 

[whejoe]

O you mean like the people who talk s*it so say nothing and take it . It's called giving it back man society has become so soft. It's ok to be wrong guys

You and MSU have no self control. That is the complete opposite of being a man. You’re the who is actually soft. You just don’t realize it.

 

[MSU158]

That's your main problem. Just because you're 100% positive doesn't mean you're not100% wrong.

It's just another item in a long list of things you've been wrong about.

And I feel zero need to defend my fifty years of being a Hawk fan to you.

We know what you are. You're an attention *****.

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!!!

 

[Hawkfan1986]

Not a Hawkeye fan but you continue to misrepresent the overwhelming majority of Hawkeye fans and their feelings on this. The jist of which is basically: When the Iowa hawkeyes require a "peak" performance to cling to 4th place there is an issue.Hawkeye fans don't want to be battles for 4th, they want to challenge for a title again. Why that's a bad thing or unrealistic to you is beyond me.

Also, when their version of peaking is one finalist with no champs Hawkeye fans have a right to ask for more.

Exactly!!! I don’t think @MSU158 gets it. I tried explaining it yesterday to no avail.

I will say relative to how they performed during the season, which was the worst season I can remember in 40 yrs outside of Jim Z, they wrestled better.

 

[Hawkfan1986]

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 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.

 

[kingstown]

So ALLLLL the nonstop complaining, whining and downright denigrating of the coaching staff is perfectly acceptable , but someone not willing to let that go is the bad guy. Can you not see nearly all my stuff was reactionary? I didn’t just make stuff up and start issues. I was responding to ridiculously negative stances across the board.

But, hey, in this I am 100% fine being considered the bad guy.

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?

 

[AriesRam]

Tom and Terry did a great job of getting their wrestlers to peak at the right time. I hope they each get well deserved 10 year guaranteed contract extensions! As long as they keep their recruiting guru Bobby Telford of course.

 

[MSU158]

Exactly!!! I don’t think @MSU158 gets it. I tried explaining it yesterday to no avail.

I will say relative to how they performed during the season, which was the worst season I can remember in 40 yrs outside of Jim Z, they wrestled better.

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!

 

[MSU158]

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?

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!

 

[Corby2]

Iowa wrestled well best seed to placement