Strittmatter?
- Thread starter HerkHawl
- Start date
Well no, that's not all you said. Nor was it what I was replying to.
Doesn’t his actual gig consist of providing commentary of watching iowa wrestling’s performances? I don’t listen so is it the way he talks, the things he says, etc? is it stuff he is saying outside of that?
It’s hard to keep up with who is on this program’s good side or bad side when it comes to actual former Iowa wrestlers because of the Cold War inner circle secrecy so it’s always a surprise to me when you hear about former wrestlers that contributed greatly to the program catching strays.
Ironside tells it like it is, always has. That's damn refreshing in this day and age especially.
He used to be that way. Over time, he's become too petulant.
To be fair, I also might be letting his horrific efforts commentating at the state high school tournament have too much effect on my opinion.
Or maybe he's tired of watching crappy wrestling when he knows that they should do much better.
I grant that he may not speak like Shakespeare (a wizard?), but he's one of our Hodge winners and certainly worthy of a little respect from faceless grumblers on am internet forum. Spooner, you ARE a grumbler, even if we Hawkeye wrestling fans have lots to grumble about these days.
I’m not sure what your point is.
Gable hand picked Zalesky over Brands. He then went behind Z and got him fired in favor of Brands when Z wasn’t cutting the mustard. Gable also has no influence on the program any longer.
Huge recruiting failures, lack of individual and team titles, fan apathy, multiple dual losses, lessening attendance - these are all what contributed to Z being dismissed. Do these issues sound familiar?
The fact is we won’t know what Beth thinks until after the season is over nor should we know until then. She may not know the X’s an O’s of football but she certainly paid attention to the criticisms of the incredibly successful football program’s offensive coordinator problem and made a necessary change.
All of the above. I’m sitting behind an anonymous screen name here so I’m not going to go into detail and completely lambast him. He was certainly a great wrestler and he’s probably not a terrible person. I’ll just say that most of you know I’m for a change in head coach, but I would 1000% keep Brands bros over ever putting Ironside on staff in any capacity. Also, I don’t think he’s necessarily on “the program’s” bad side.
I think we are probably of the same mindset regarding a coaching change.
I vehemently believe it needs to be an outsider with a different and fresh perspective on recruiting, training, and securing funding from wealthy donors among other things.
I especially get a kick out of suggestions for replacing Brands with essentially lesser (although younger) versions of him like Schwab and Metcalf and I don’t mean that as a diss to those guys, they are just fine where they are.
I also give a lot of grace for old hawk wrestlers and everything they gave to the program while being hyper critical to Brands as the leader of the program. Other than Cael, Brands was the right guy at the time…until he wasn’t. Refusing to adapt and change is why he is at where he’s at.
I would agree that he is better at Hawkeye Wrestling on the radio. But that said, if he messes up on TV at the State Tournament, I typically know what he meant to say so no big deal.
I agree.
As a general rule, when the majority of the wrestlers on a team are struggling with the same types of performance issues (such as not shooting enough or fading as the match goes on, or seeming incompetent in scramble situations or high injury/illness rate or fading at the end of their career, etc.), then it seems wild to start blaming the athletes. Especially when it’s the same issues year after year. Obviously, that indicates a coaching/program/culture wide issue.
This is one of the most civil threads ever on this board. Great points made. Thanks for the read.
Typically they wouldn't extend the assistants to match. Not doing allows Tom to make changes without breaching or paying out on contract. And if contract says can be fired at will then it's a 5 year contract doesnt do much. Just my opinion.
If Nolf comes in, Tom wouldn't put clamps. Impossible to prevent him from not showing what he knows, he only knows what he knows and then would never be allowed to wrestle with or talk to the roster. If Nolf came in, he would be heir apparent, with perhaps Lee deciding he'd want to assist/coach. If Tom didn't listen to him, his exit would come quicker
Oh and you listed as your example the one situation that would justify the AD making the decision about terminating someone without coaches input. She makes the call there because you can't expect a dad to be objective
This IMO is the only scenario where Tom staying on could work. Tom decides to play nice and bring in a lot of new blood and that he allows to give serious influence with the understanding there will be a scheduled transition. The status quo is no longer capable of making the kind of improvements needed to turn things around.
Um, sometimes names are mentioned knowing its unrealistic, but intriguing as a suggestion not because of its likelihood. Kinda like Askrew, And people have varying degrees of info. But Strittmatter is a better suggestion because ex hawk, great at deveopment, has great relationnships with up and comers and currently relevant college athletes, runs a business, etc. Worse is throwing out Lee, or go get Cael. Cunningham is where he needs to be but Ive read 5 pages about him
If you wanted immediate impact and a title contender right out the gate Tony Robie would be the guy. He's a "Players Coach" seems to run a tight ship. He's done more with less than just about anyone in the country. Has produced multiple national champs, he can recruit, he donated a kidney to one of his wrestlers father, and it would be Va Tech 2.0 full circle. If he could retain everyone at Iowa and bring in Va Tech hammers we'd be title contender next year!
125 DeLuca or Ventresca has a year left
133 Seidel
141 Basset
149 Henson/Block
157 Block/Henson/Gaj
165 Miller/Gaj
174 Gabe
184 Angelo
197 Luddington/Sasso
285 BK
I know, It's not going to happen but damn that would be a tough line up and a bright future.
125 DeLuca or Ventresca has a year left
133 Seidel
141 Basset
149 Henson/Block
157 Block/Henson/Gaj
165 Miller/Gaj
174 Gabe
184 Angelo
197 Luddington/Sasso
285 BK
I know, It's not going to happen but damn that would be a tough line up and a bright future.
Ken Chertow. Rename Carver, Advocare Arena. Obvious game changer. It would be headlock time, and I'm here for it!!
I was being sarcastic. I’m not good at it. This is the perfect place to throw out unrealistic names.
Oh I'm 100% sure he's tired of it, and has been for some time. The issue is how he handles this with his commentary. And please don't compare a guy in his role with anonymous morons (like you and me) on an internet forum.
I would agree that he is better at Hawkeye Wrestling on the radio. But that said, if he messes up on TV at the State Tournament, I typically know what he meant to say so no big deal.
It isn't that he messes up. It's that he clearly does not follow HS wrestling very closely and seemingly does not attempt to study up beforehand.
He doesnt follow college wrestling that closely either. Sometimes i wonder if he follows iowa wrestling.
Maybe I was seeing things, but I swear he was coaching in Buchanan’s corner with Sorensen?
Can’t compare Brands to Brian Ferentz. Ferentz consistently produced one of the worst offenses in the country for a decade. If Brands was doing this with the wrestling team, he never would not have lasted as long as Brian did as OC.
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I think others have said he was there, as Welker's main guy maybe? So it was likely him.
Don’t forget Burton at 65 and Mocco starts as a true freshman.
Let’s not give Robie too much credit — great guy but Bassett and Miller are there because PSU and Okie State didn’t want them.
Are you suggesting Brands is above reproach for finishing 2nd-5th place in 15 of the last 16 years? You think because Beth fired an under performing employee in the most important program at the university that somehow means she wouldn’t do the same for the program that has historically had more success?
You may want to go listen to her thoughts on the wrestling program over the last month or two. She says quite a lot without having to say much.
I also don’t believe the football program has had dwindling attendance, fan apathy AND subpar results. I believe the basketball program had that. How did that turn out?
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Kilty, not Welker. But he was definitely there with Sorensen for at least one match, can't remember if it was Spencer or Austin. Whether or not he was helping coach or just with them in the entourage before the match though I couldn't tell.
To be more clear, PSU and OSU didn't want to deal with the father for 5-6 years.