I thought this was interesting.
Below is from here: http://www.intermatwrestle.com/articles/13758
RANT OF THE WEEK
By Patrick S.
In response to your assessment of the Iowa wrestlers looking upset with themselves even after victories, I just wanted to make an observation. Of the guys that are currently in the Iowa lineup, I don't get the true "goer" vibe of a guy who is going to go out and wear you down with his gas tank and impose his physical and offensive will from anyone. I'm not saying that some of them aren't quality wrestlers (Clark, Evans, Gilman, etc.), but I just think that this "Iowa style" mentality was only truly in existence and followed to the fullest extent during Gable's tenure.
In the time after Gable, I think that what they are doing is going through the motions and following what the people who wore the black and gold before them used to truly believe. They aren't actually that upset with themselves when they win 14-2 instead of getting the tech against a D3 opponent in a 41-0 dual. I just think that they feel obligated to act upset when they don't live up to that precedent of intensity. I see it as a sort of hollow charade for the fan base and even for their coaching staff. They need everyone to see just how much they care about winning. Tom Brands has a certain expectation of intensity and he obviously is far from OK with accepting anything less than perfection. Because of this, the wrestlers are just going to become Iowa drones who go out and pretend to be ****** when they win a close match just so the coaches don't yell at them and the fan base goes, "Look at him! He won and he's still mad! He must really care! What a guy! He's the kind of kid we like to have here at Iowa!"
It's so transparent when a guy like Nick Moore, who has never been an offensive juggernaut in college, wins a close decision against a quality opponent and runs off the mat with his head down like he just got majored. Why does he do this? Because his coaches have planted this false image in his mind that he's a Lincoln McIlravy or a Mark Ironside. At some point you have to be realistic and understand that you're not going to go out there and tech everyone you wrestle, especially when the offensive Iowa style has essentially become extinct in Iowa City. Basically, it's annoying to watch a guy wrestle for seven minutes, not be Gable/old school Iowa level offensive, and then then run off the mat with all of this false disappointment and self-hatred because he didn't pin his opponent. Stop acting like you are wrestling with the same intensity as the 1980s Hawkeyes. You only get the act upset when you match the success and excellence set by the people you're trying to imitate.
You want people to like you more? Wrestle harder. Show some offense. Cut the fake perfectionist act when your level of effort is mediocre compared to some of the historical teams that have rolled around in your practice room.
Sincerely,
Not an Iowa hater, but good luck trying to convince anyone of that
Below is from here: http://www.intermatwrestle.com/articles/13758
RANT OF THE WEEK
By Patrick S.
In response to your assessment of the Iowa wrestlers looking upset with themselves even after victories, I just wanted to make an observation. Of the guys that are currently in the Iowa lineup, I don't get the true "goer" vibe of a guy who is going to go out and wear you down with his gas tank and impose his physical and offensive will from anyone. I'm not saying that some of them aren't quality wrestlers (Clark, Evans, Gilman, etc.), but I just think that this "Iowa style" mentality was only truly in existence and followed to the fullest extent during Gable's tenure.
In the time after Gable, I think that what they are doing is going through the motions and following what the people who wore the black and gold before them used to truly believe. They aren't actually that upset with themselves when they win 14-2 instead of getting the tech against a D3 opponent in a 41-0 dual. I just think that they feel obligated to act upset when they don't live up to that precedent of intensity. I see it as a sort of hollow charade for the fan base and even for their coaching staff. They need everyone to see just how much they care about winning. Tom Brands has a certain expectation of intensity and he obviously is far from OK with accepting anything less than perfection. Because of this, the wrestlers are just going to become Iowa drones who go out and pretend to be ****** when they win a close match just so the coaches don't yell at them and the fan base goes, "Look at him! He won and he's still mad! He must really care! What a guy! He's the kind of kid we like to have here at Iowa!"
It's so transparent when a guy like Nick Moore, who has never been an offensive juggernaut in college, wins a close decision against a quality opponent and runs off the mat with his head down like he just got majored. Why does he do this? Because his coaches have planted this false image in his mind that he's a Lincoln McIlravy or a Mark Ironside. At some point you have to be realistic and understand that you're not going to go out there and tech everyone you wrestle, especially when the offensive Iowa style has essentially become extinct in Iowa City. Basically, it's annoying to watch a guy wrestle for seven minutes, not be Gable/old school Iowa level offensive, and then then run off the mat with all of this false disappointment and self-hatred because he didn't pin his opponent. Stop acting like you are wrestling with the same intensity as the 1980s Hawkeyes. You only get the act upset when you match the success and excellence set by the people you're trying to imitate.
You want people to like you more? Wrestle harder. Show some offense. Cut the fake perfectionist act when your level of effort is mediocre compared to some of the historical teams that have rolled around in your practice room.
Sincerely,
Not an Iowa hater, but good luck trying to convince anyone of that
