100% right. Everything is exactly as it should be in Iowa City. No notes. Don’t change a thing!
Iowa State vs Iowa
- Thread starter jack66
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I have fond memories of MSU calling me an idiot a few years ago suggesting Iowafire Brands and break the bank and hire away DT. His reasoning for that was that DT didn't have experience. Lol. He also called me crazy when I suggested they do what they can to get Ben Askren there. Ya know....now that I think about it he was right! Iowa should never ever get rid of the Brands brothers unless they die...
Watching Tom’s press conferences, it seems like all the “journalists” are always walking on eggshells. Like they are afraid of him. I feel like Brands also has a look in his eye like he’ll come over the table and physically take out anyone who asks a question he might not like.I like how he said that "He'll defer that question." The question being "What makes the Iowa State team so tough today?" If I were that reporter, I would keep asking that question at every presser until he answers it.
I think Tom is actively trying not to have his guys peak in-season, hence his confidence. Whether he manages to get them to peak mid-March is something else …
I hear you, and that’s the consensus of the optimistic ones on HR.
it sounds like an excuse to me. Tom didn’t care bout having a team ready to beat ISU? Plus, they never peak in March, either. When they fail in March the excuse is, “it’s a long season, injuries suck.”
Or ask who are you deferring to?I like how he said that "He'll defer that question." The question being "What makes the Iowa State team so tough today?" If I were that reporter, I would keep asking that question at every presser until he answers it.
I think Iowa has a fundamental problem that is made pretty clear by the continued use of the term "Iowa style." If there ever was anything that can be definitively described as the "Iowa style," it worked years ago but it won't work against the best teams today. The new style that wins matches is the Penn State style. If Brands wants to keep doing things that worked 20 - 30 years ago, he's going to be finding himself described as the dinosaur of college wrestling.
I remember that! He’s the #1 tool over there. I used to go at it with him back in the old Mat forums. Dummy thought he knew everything. I finally was able to get him to bet me a couple things that he couldn’t wiggle out of and oh it was so sweet to make him look like the *** he his.
His most famous prediction was Marinelli going to have better career than Cenzo.
I read his dopey takes over on HR. I do everything in my power to steer clear though. He will go on and on and on and never admit he wrong
Well, I believe most periodization programs for a sport’s season generally plan for multiple peaks over a season.
"Considerably" better for 2 years?
You mean the "asterisk" year when they won a Naty when none of the Ivy League schools competed, where arguably that fact alone would have knocked Iowa's points down more than PSU? The same year when PSU had 4 National champs to Iowa's 1? Or the second year when PSU had 2 National champs denied the chance of another in their senior year?
No friggin idea is staring someone in the face that is for sure!
The best thing about him is any time he steps anywhere remotely near the line, and all of HR simultaneously swoops in to remind him he's not one of them.
Which makes him try even harder the next time.
Stockholm Syndrome is real.
His reasoning might not have been right but he sort of was spot on huh??
MSU is not as quick as he thinks. It took him months to realize I was trolling him with my screen name.
Unless they die? Come on. Stuff them, prop them on a chair holding a yellow shoe and have an audio device endlessly playing, "heeeessss staaaalllllinnnnn", "you don't like tough wrestling" and an additional loop that just says "yep, Cael is the man, I wish I could do that!"
Look, who can blame them. Tom has been know to call them out for asking the wrong guy the wrong questions. He has already chastised them to do their job.
I like how he said that "He'll defer that question." The question being "What makes the Iowa State team so tough today?" If I were that reporter, I would keep asking that question at every presser until he answers it.
The inability to acknowledge an opponent's strengths usually belies a simmering insecurity.
But no worries, Iowa loves their guys and everything is awesome. In fact, MSU158 is reportedly raising money right now for TnT's twin power statue to be placed prominently outside Carver.
I just wrote a post over there asking a guy why the focus on stall calls and aggression. Instead of, you know, takedowns, match points, bonus points.
Then, I pointed them to the Marcus Blaze vs Bo Bassett match from Senior WTTs. Marcus being a smaller, highly technical wrestler and Bassett just trying to kill him the entire match. Aggression works on lesser opponents; it opens doors for people like Marcus Blaze.
I've been itching to get back into the game over there but I believe if you catch a ban you'd also be banned here as well.
What’s especially weird to me is that they didn’t even bring their own logo wallpaper for him to stand in front of for his presser
I believe he maybe thought something along the lines of:
Hey, dumb***, I am not sharing crib notes with Dresser about how to motivate his team. THEY... ARE... THE ENEMY. What don't you get?! This was a war! Don't answer!!! Ask that question to the right guy! Sheez, it's really not that hard to do your simple job, right? You think I asked him that in the handshake line or something?
Oh, wait a second. You were trying to set me off to create content!? Are you one of those paid haters I've been hearing about? Did ISU pay you to ask that? Did Beth?
Just in case, let me appear to remain calm, give me a moment, Om, and answer like I imagine a high falutin' lawyer would advise me, 'I think I will be deferring that question' sounds about right. Or is it demur? I'll go with my first instinct, defer.
From my visits there, MSU craves being seen as one of Plato’s philosopher-kings, and shame on all who don’t buy it. His defense of the Brands seems downright incestuous, and his child-like method of argument is to play “I’m not, but you are” until the street lights come on and mom calls him home.
Good example. Your post reminds me of the same issues that were being discussed over 50 years ago with regards to international competition. The US was relying more on aggression similar to the so called "Iowa style," but the Russians always seemed to be better. We analyzed their approach to the sport and also got some honest suggestions from guys like Ivan Yarygin. The Russians were far more focused on improving their technique than on the ability to win a match by brute force. We began to modify our approach to training with improved results eventually coming.
The difference today between Penn State and most Iowa wrestlers is pretty obvious. What is really puzzling is why Brands is so resistant to change. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that he hates losing. Is he so fixated on his own approach to wrestling that he thinks the Iowa team just has to apply his methods with more intensity in order to start winning the big matches? I saw Askren's post on X. If he was being serious, I think he would be really disenchanted if he were to be hired as an assistant coach under Brands. I'd bet that his suggestions would be rejected and he would end up leaving out of frustration.
The lack of reflection is what makes me scratch my head. The inability to recognize a flaw in an approach as a team, or for a specific wrestler, really stands out. To me, it looks like Iowa wrestlers focus on developing one or two go-to takedowns and without that (ADS, Drake) they are completely lost. And their coaches are also unable to help them expand beyond that. Brawlers like Marinelli and Kennedy do well-ish under them, but that style only takes you so far.
For those interested in watching the match I'm referring to, here it is on YouTube. The contrast is stark. Bassett throws the kitchen sink at Marcus the entire match, and he just lets Bassett get frustrated to the point that he opens himself up just a little bit too much and...2 + 2.
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I believe you are correct. Corby2 might be able to answer this…..
FYI, I’m pretty certain Ben wasn’t lobbying for an assistant job.
Yep, that's what the TnT faithful don't seem to understand. Many of them are calling for new blood on the coaching staff, but want to keep the Brands.
It won't make the slightest difference.
I think OSU wins 4 or 5: Davino, Cannon, hwt (Feldman) Mendez, maybe bouzakis
Cannon just lost to Melvin Miller. You think he's beating Duke?
To be fair Sanderson is one of the greatest coaches ever, imo not just wrestling but any sport.
The trouble is Iowa realistically wants to entitles who's gonna beat Sanderson in Penn State right now question no one will. In my opinion it's like Gable when he had his historic run.
It probably isn't much that anyone could do now the challenge Penn State so firing a coach who has won? Four NCA titles? Might not be the best idea.
Which makes it even more hilarious for me.