Toggle sidebar

POLL: Should this season be Tom Brands last as HC at Iowa?

Should this season be Tom Brands last as HC at Iowa?

  • Total voters
    750
  • Poll closed .
T

Trapper85

Senior
Jun 22, 2020
182
644
93
Random4598375 said:
The style doesn't work anymore. That is the problem. The Gable school of which Tom & Terry are clearly adherents is constant aggression and physicality, but the technical side of the sport has evolved to the point where everything has a counter and everything has an answer. Even if you get in deep, there's a counter to get into a scramble and neutralize it. The Gable/Brands school hasn't adapted to that and are still stuck on "just be more aggressive and physical than the other guy and it'll all work out", but when it doesn't, the natural reaction is to go into a shell. Askren was talking on a podcast recently how he's noticed this year a really subtle new technique that Penn State is using to neutralize the scrambles and finish takedowns right away and that's he's been starting to teach it to his students. So, the Penn State technique clinic is two or more steps ahead already and Tom is still `up there saying "we just have to be more aggressive and not allow ourselves to be stalked", like it's that simple when the competition has a technique to counter anything and everything.
Click to expand...
I can agree the landscape and talent has evolved and TnT have not done well at adapting. But don't agree the 'old style' doesn't work any more. Hell, I'd argue that crazy a$$ Messenbrink is just like TnT on the mat. Guarantee you if we could insert young TnT in this year's tournament, they'd piss pound most or all of the competition. But we seemingly can't even get many 'old style' recruits who can dominate like they did, let alone consistently enough of the high end 'new style' recruits.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Mattski, Nashville_Hawk, FanInBlack and 3 others
cwobrien11

cwobrien11

Heisman
Apr 22, 2009
19,926
34,247
77
Just my take here but something has got to give.

If you want to keep Tom, keep Tom but everyone else needs to move on. Move Terry to the HWC and thank the others for their service and move on. You need guys that have different styles that can bring something new to the room. Guys that are capable of changing things up.

If you don’t want to do that, clean house. Take a shot at Askren, Dake, Burroughs, Nolf, Richard’s,
etc. If any of them are remotely looking to get into collegiate coaching, there aren’t many jobs that are going to offer better pay for the entire staff, better facilities, or better support. If that doesn’t work, go chase someone like Mocco, Ramos, etc. Someone who is familiar with Iowa and the history but is coaching somewhere else and has branched out a bit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nashville_Hawk
K

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
656
2,025
93
Hawkfan1986 said:
The difference is the inability to be anonymous. It’s amazing what people will and won’t do if they are asked to put their name to it. The anonymous poll is chicken ****.
Click to expand...
Anonymous polls give a more accurate accounting of what people actually believe. This is why elections are held in a way that your vote isn't public. Most people are anonymous anyway since the name they are using on here isn't their birth name. If you happen to be an insider who is known and your screen name is known you really would have to vote to keep Tom as the retribution would be swift. I'm guessing your insider access would be eliminated rather quickly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sah4719, js8793, Hawkeye54545 and 3 others
K

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
656
2,025
93
Trapper85 said:
I can agree the landscape and talent has evolved and TnT have not done well at adapting. But don't agree the 'old style' doesn't work any more. Hell, I'd argue that crazy a$$ Messenbrink is just like TnT on the mat. Guarantee you if we could insert young TnT in this year's tournament, they'd piss pound most or all of the competition. But we seemingly can't even get many 'old style' recruits who can dominate like they did, let alone consistently enough of the high end 'new style' recruits.
Click to expand...
They would get destroyed..The scrambling is so much higher level it isn't even the same sport. It is true in pretty much every sport and every athlete. Now you could argue (and so would I) that if they were born 35 years later and raised with the same advantages in training and nutrition that these top kids have today they would have been the same stone cold killers that they were back it the olden days.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Hawkapottomos Rex
L

lisa morales

Junior
Jul 7, 2016
151
275
63
heldyhawk606 said:
^^^ this... thanks to Tom's leadership and the many generous donors we do have the greatest facilities in the world for wrestling, now its (painfully) obvious we need changes to innovate and run them down and become the leaders again. And its not just money, although it never hurts ;)
Click to expand...
No windows in an Amazon warehouse is your idea of great facilities?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Nashville_Hawk and kingstown
G

GLC1969

Junior
Jul 3, 2025
110
217
43
AndreTheHawk said:
The Brands Brothers were pretty damn good scramblers too. Ya know why? Cause they didn't concede **** and kept moving. Their teams lack both of those traits, and the ability to finish quickly if they happen to take a shot.
Click to expand...
Tom and Terry were not real high recruits but they had what gable wanted. They didn’t scramble as much as they pounded you into giving up. I wrestled both back in the day took both down and then they got pissed. They had a mean streak a mile wide. The new recruits are wrestling so much they dont hate to lose. The brothers hated losing even a point so bad they would get into fist fights. Open tournament in Grand Forks D2 kid took Terry down,Terry punched him in the face and was DQed. That’s hating to lose. Change happens they are not bad coaches just not willing to adapt
 
  • Like
Reactions: TNTwrestle, Boro40755, Laker3588 and 4 others
H

heldyhawk606

Senior
Oct 10, 2001
168
464
63
kingstown said:
Take a tour. It is an incredible facility. Windows or no windows probably matters at a spa but far less in a wrestling room.
Click to expand...
its truly funny how much facilities matter for athletes as they look at potential colleges - you hear Trev Alberts talk about how Texas AM has levels above facilities than what he had in the pros, you see the new indoor and training facilities for football all over - Nebraska just opened a $165m one, the locker rooms are insane at LSU and Alabama, and that matches what you see in rec centers and dorms across campuses as schools compete for students - and they are competing HARD for students, lots of schools are discounting tuition heavily to fill dorms - and population changes are going to hit smaller school real hard in the next couple years. Miami baseball just opened a multi-million dollar new locker room/clubhouse, D3 Wisconsin-Whitewater has a $5m clubhouse. Just going through the recruiting process for my daughter for soccer, it was important that schools had indoor facilities, and good weight rooms, pools for recovery, and she compared them against each other - when it came to picking that was a big part of which program (juco) she committed to for next year. Our facilities are great, they are, and I'm glad we built them because that's what leaders do, but these kids are wrestling out basements and garages with mats wall to wall. I don't think they care about windows, the facilities aren't yet the draw for them like it is in other sports.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AndreTheHawk
K

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
656
2,025
93
heldyhawk606 said:
its truly funny how much facilities matter for athletes as they look at potential colleges - you hear Trev Alberts talk about how Texas AM has levels above facilities than what he had in the pros, you see the new indoor and training facilities for football all over - Nebraska just opened a $165m one, the locker rooms are insane at LSU and Alabama, and that matches what you see in rec centers and dorms across campuses as schools compete for students - and they are competing HARD for students, lots of schools are discounting tuition heavily to fill dorms - and population changes are going to hit smaller school real hard in the next couple years. Miami baseball just opened a multi-million dollar new locker room/clubhouse, D3 Wisconsin-Whitewater has a $5m clubhouse. Just going through the recruiting process for my daughter for soccer, it was important that schools had indoor facilities, and good weight rooms, pools for recovery, and she compared them against each other - when it came to picking that was a big part of which program (juco) she committed to for next year. Our facilities are great, they are, and I'm glad we built them because that's what leaders do, but these kids are wrestling out basements and garages with mats wall to wall. I don't think they care about windows, the facilities aren't yet the draw for them like it is in other sports.
Click to expand...
You are probably right with wrestlers caring less but it does show them that a university is committed to wrestling. Wrestlers are just kids like any other kid. They care about shoes,cars,music,weather, and all of the other things teens care about.
 
H

heldyhawk606

Senior
Oct 10, 2001
168
464
63
kingstown said:
You are probably right with wrestlers caring less but it does show them that a university is committed to wrestling. Wrestlers are just kids like any other kid. They care about shoes,cars,music,weather, and all of the other things teens care about.
Click to expand...
yes, and where its located, almost every visitor to Carver has to walk past, and what tens of thousands drive past every day - the university made a statement, now unfortunately there may have to be another statement coming soon about the university's commitment, and where it knows the program needs to be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 86_90, kingstown and AndreTheHawk
T

Trapper85

Senior
Jun 22, 2020
182
644
93
kingstown said:
They would get destroyed..The scrambling is so much higher level it isn't even the same sport. It is true in pretty much every sport and every athlete. Now you could argue (and so would I) that if they were born 35 years later and raised with the same advantages in training and nutrition that these top kids have today they would have been the same stone cold killers that they were back it the olden days.
Click to expand...
To your first sentence, we will just have to agree to strongly disagree. You make it sound like scrambling is mathematically complex rocket science and never existed before. A big component or 'sub-type' of scrambling, then and now, is just fast continuous chain wrestling. TnT were kings of that. Plus 83% of current wrestlers suck at scrambling anyway, 0 chance TnT would have been destroyed by the current field.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: Libertylover, Hawkapottomos Rex, Nashville_Hawk and 3 others
K

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
656
2,025
93
Trapper85 said:
To your first sentence, we will just have to agree to strongly disagree. You make it sound like scrambling is mathematically complex rocket science and never existed before. A big component or 'sub-type' of scrambling, then and now, is just fast continuous chain wrestling. TnT were kings of that. Plus 83% of current wrestlers suck at scrambling anyway, 0 chance TnT would have been destroyed by the current field.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking they believe exactly as you do. We can agree to disagree. I loved watching those guys wrestle too. The high level guys will use your motion and movement against you. Askren was a king at this. Watch the match of him killing Jake Herbert in the NCAA finals. I agree when two guys have equal skill in a scramble the guy with the most motion usually comes out on top. MC closed the gap the most against MM when he slowed down his motion and attack rate. If he goes out there balls to the wall it will get really ugly really quick imo. Neither of our positions are provable so ii is really just an academic debate. Cheers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nashville_Hawk and Trapper85
H

heldyhawk606

Senior
Oct 10, 2001
168
464
63
el dub said:
Anyone think letting Mo go could be to let him spend more quality time with his new family? Then we bring him back into the fold pre-post season? Win-win for everyone? Feal good story of the season? Hawks win?
Click to expand...
there are much better ways of giving an athlete time of to spend with a new child - and get good press doing so - then kicking them off the team.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: Libertylover, TarpHawk1, Nashville_Hawk and 1 other person
E

el dub

All-Conference
Nov 2, 2005
577
1,504
93
heldyhawk606 said:
the beverly hillbillies what GIF
there are much better ways of giving an athlete time of to spend with a new child - and get good press doing so - then kicking them off the team.
Click to expand...
 
D

District 4

All-Conference
Feb 16, 2018
1,083
2,541
113
Hawx224 said:
I think this is accurate. I also think there’s a danger in turning PSU into some kind of supernatural boogeyman. They’re clearly head and shoulders above everyone else right now, but the things they’re doing CAN BE TAUGHT. Instead of sitting around saying “there’s no way to catch them,” Iowa needs to be finding the next innovators who will advance and change the sport the way PSU has done
Click to expand...
Hard to do when half the fans are in denial and the other half just gaslight everyone by telling them what is happening really isnt happening lol
 
A

Anon1750896976

Senior
Jun 25, 2025
232
434
63
kingstown said:
They would get destroyed..The scrambling is so much higher level it isn't even the same sport. It is true in pretty much every sport and every athlete. Now you could argue (and so would I) that if they were born 35 years later and raised with the same advantages in training and nutrition that these top kids have today they would have been the same stone cold killers that they were back it the olden days.
Click to expand...
TT would be just as successful now. Ive said in past they are part of a very few that would. Their finishes were so fast clean and powerful to stop funk from starting. Plus ive watch some of their matches they new how to leg pass before many were doing it. Plus the IT factor of their mentality not many possess . We all know their unwillness to allow a point even up by 12.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mattski, el dub, Trapper85 and 1 other person
_Mjolnir_

_Mjolnir_

Sophomore
Aug 23, 2025
85
177
33
MSU158 said:
Take a closer look now, there are QUITE A FEW PSU and non-Iowa fans that voted yes as well. I don't think this site has near as many TRUE Iowa fans as you guys would like to believe...
Click to expand...
I would think PSU fans would vote no. PSU owns the Brands. They don't want us getting better. Iowa path is nose diving under Tom. And yes nose dive for this program is becoming the 3rd - 5th best team in the country.
 
  • Like
Reactions: el dub and Nashville_Hawk
M

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
1,178
3,116
113
_Mjolnir_ said:
I would think PSU fans would vote no. PSU owns the Brands. They don't want us getting better. Iowa path is nose diving under Tom. And yes nose dive for this program is becoming the 3rd - 5th best team in the country.
Click to expand...
It is very easy to look for yourself. It’s not like there are 50,000 votes. There aren’t even 500…as far as the rest goes, they may not be finishing 1st or 2nd every year but EVERY other program but PSU has multiple finishes OUTSIDE the top 10. Iowa’s average finish destroys everyone else.

Yes, OkState is poised to make that much harder. Yes, Brands should have a bunch of pressure on him this season. I have faith his team will show up in March.

After that, the argument has gone back and forth so much, I will simply say it comes down to who really is there to replace him with. I just do NOT see one and those against Brands want him gone so badly they simply believe one will magically appear because the Iowa job guarantees it.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: WexfordWarrior and grasshawk40
K

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
656
2,025
93
MSU158 said:
It is very easy to look for yourself. It’s not like there are 50,000 votes. There aren’t even 500…as far as the rest goes, they may not be finishing 1st or 2nd every year but EVERY other program but PSU has multiple finishes OUTSIDE the top 10. Iowa’s average finish destroys everyone else.

Yes, OkState is poised to make that much harder. Yes, Brands should have a bunch of pressure on him this season. I have faith his team will show up in March.

After that, the argument has gone back and forth so much, I will simply say it comes down to who really is there to replace him with. I just do NOT see one and those against Brands want him gone so badly they simply believe one will magically appear because the Iowa job guarantees it.
Click to expand...
I thought Nolf was your guy if push comes to shove? You have a very valid argument proving that the Brands have kept Iowa as the 2nd best overall program. I think the disagreement comes in whether or not to recognize that the Pokes are going to zoom past Iowa. Luckily the powers that be won't make rash decisions based on any of our opinions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nashville_Hawk
M

MSU158

All-Conference
Nov 20, 2014
1,178
3,116
113
kingstown said:
I thought Nolf was your guy if push comes to shove? You have a very valid argument proving that the Brands have kept Iowa as the 2nd best overall program. I think the disagreement comes in whether or not to recognize that the Pokes are going to zoom past Iowa. Luckily the powers that be won't make rash decisions based on any of our opinions.
Click to expand...
If you go back and read, I clearly said Nolf is intriguing, but that doesn’t mean I would replace Brands with him. I said I would approach him similar to the OkState plan with Coleman Scott

I am NOT confident he is DI ready, let alone Iowa ready. Now, if there was a Richison level billionaire stepping up to foot whatever bills are necessary, maybe you can get around that part, but Bob made it clear he leaves when Tom does.

To be crystal clear, I DO NOT see a true coaching candidate I would remotely consider replacing Tom with now. Nolf is simply the only one I think MAY be able to do it eventually…
 
  • Like
Reactions: TNTwrestle, Libertylover and kingstown
Hawkfan1986

Hawkfan1986

Senior
Mar 26, 2019
150
693
93
MSU158 said:
If you go back and read, I clearly said Nolf is intriguing, but that doesn’t mean I would replace Brands with him. I said I would approach him similar to the OkState plan with Coleman Scott

I am NOT confident he is DI ready, let alone Iowa ready. Now, if there was a Richison level billionaire stepping up to foot whatever bills are necessary, maybe you can get around that part, but Bob made it clear he leaves when Tom does.

To be crystal clear, I DO NOT see a true coaching candidate I would remotely consider replacing Tom with now. Nolf is simply the only one I think MAY be able to do it eventually…
Click to expand...
If Bob leaves when Tom does then he’s not an Iowa fan he’s a Tom Brands fan. That’s perfectly okay, but the program should not be held hostage by one donor. If Bob leaves I’ll say thank you for all of your help and support but don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

I say that while acknowledging that I’m not sure Iowa can do better than Tom right now. There are question marks with all the acknowledged replacements. But if the slide continues, the drama remains, and we lose more recruits….at some point a change needs to be made. A brief backslide is “okay” but complacency and being okay settling for 2-5 isn’t okay, and should never be okay for Iowa wrestling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ILHawksFan1, el dub, Nashville_Hawk and 3 others
F

FF141

Junior
Mar 15, 2017
101
222
43
Hawkfan1986 said:
If Bob leaves when Tom does then he’s not an Iowa fan he’s a Tom Brands fan. That’s perfectly okay, but the program should not be held hostage by one donor. If Bob leaves I’ll say thank you for all of your help and support but don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.

I say that while acknowledging that I’m not sure Iowa can do better than Tom right now. There are question marks with all the acknowledged replacements. But if the slide continues, the drama remains, and we lose more recruits….at some point a change needs to be made. A brief backslide is “okay” but complacency and being okay settling for 2-5 isn’t okay, and should never be okay for Iowa wrestling.
Click to expand...
I never took this as he’s Tom’s ride or die and some not really an Iowa guy. He was basically saying at the end of Tom’s tenure he was moving on. I would just say thank you and not the don’t let the door hit ya. Did not appear to b a spiteful type withdrawal from the posts from him I’ve recalled
 
  • Like
Reactions: el dub and kingstown
Hawkfan1986

Hawkfan1986

Senior
Mar 26, 2019
150
693
93
FF141 said:
I never took this as he’s Tom’s ride or die and some not really an Iowa guy. He was basically saying at the end of Tom’s tenure he was moving on. I would just say thank you and not the don’t let the door hit ya. Did not appear to b a spiteful type withdrawal from the posts from him I’ve recalled
Click to expand...
I didn’t mean my post as spiteful or not grateful for what he’s done for Iowa wrestling, but if he is leaving when Tom does then we do need to move on. The comment about the door and the splitting was my way of saying our decision making for the program can not be tied to one guys cash inflow.
I think he would call that fair.

No one is more appreciative of what he’s done to help keep Iowa competitive. Without him I think would have already been released.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: el dub, AndreTheHawk and Hawkapottomos Rex
F

FF141

Junior
Mar 15, 2017
101
222
43
Hawkfan1986 said:
I didn’t mean my post as spiteful or not grateful for what he’s done for Iowa wrestling, but if he is leaving when Tom does then we do need to move on. The comment about the door and the splitting was my way of saying our decision making for the program can not be tied to one guys cash inflow.
I think he would call that fair.

No one is more appreciative of what he’s done to help keep Iowa competitive. Without him I think would have already been released.
Click to expand...
I’ll take you at your word as that’s not your intention. However it’s an odd phrasing for someone who says no one is more appreciative.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hawkapottomos Rex
L

Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
887
1,545
93
kingstown said:
They would get destroyed..The scrambling is so much higher level it isn't even the same sport. It is true in pretty much every sport and every athlete. Now you could argue (and so would I) that if they were born 35 years later and raised with the same advantages in training and nutrition that these top kids have today they would have been the same stone cold killers that they were back it the olden days.
Click to expand...
They would be a little crazier version of Bo Bassett
 
  • Like
Reactions: Nashville_Hawk
L

Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
887
1,545
93
_Mjolnir_ said:
I would think PSU fans would vote no. PSU owns the Brands. They don't want us getting better. Iowa path is nose diving under Tom. And yes nose dive for this program is becoming the 3rd - 5th best team in the country.
Click to expand...
Do you think they voted yes because they know it could get much worse for us, with no guarantee of even getting back to the Brands level. Ask the basketball fan about how things have skyrocketed to the top after firing Tom Davis.
 
L

Libertylover

All-Conference
Dec 17, 2020
887
1,545
93
TarpHawk1 said:
I'm officially a Nolf guy at this point.

But no one has mentioned Yianni. What's he doing now, and what's the range of opinions on him?
Click to expand...
Since Nolf being an assistant to TnT until they retire isn’t going to be realistic, him coaching at a smaller D1 program first with success first would be ideal. The reason I said smaller program is so we could steal him away. Nobody other than PSU is taking Taylor away from OSU. They have too much status and MONEY.
 
R

Random4598375

All-Conference
Jan 10, 2020
605
1,750
93
MSU158 said:
It is very easy to look for yourself. It’s not like there are 50,000 votes. There aren’t even 500…as far as the rest goes, they may not be finishing 1st or 2nd every year but EVERY other program but PSU has multiple finishes OUTSIDE the top 10. Iowa’s average finish destroys everyone else.

Yes, OkState is poised to make that much harder. Yes, Brands should have a bunch of pressure on him this season. I have faith his team will show up in March.

After that, the argument has gone back and forth so much, I will simply say it comes down to who really is there to replace him with. I just do NOT see one and those against Brands want him gone so badly they simply believe one will magically appear because the Iowa job guarantees it.
Click to expand...
Now, it’s “Penn State is doing things no one else ever has, but Brands keeps us second, we didn’t need David Taylor”. Once Taylor and Penn State have separated themselves from everyone else by next year, it’ll be “Penn State and Ok St have an advantage no knee else has, but Brands keeps us third, we don’t need Nolf”. Once Manning retires and Nebraska hires Nolf and he separates Nebraska up to the PSU/OSU level, it’ll be “those programs have advantages no need else has, but Brands keeps us 4th”.

At what point do you admit you’re wrong? Never is my guess. “We may be 10th in the Big 10, but the Brands still keep us above Rutgers”. LMAO.
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 86_90, Ptwest, el dub and 5 others
A

AndreTheHawk

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
963
1,963
93
Libertylover said:
Do you think they voted yes because they know it could get much worse for us, with no guarantee of even getting back to the Brands level. Ask the basketball fan about how things have skyrocketed to the top after firing Tom Davis.
Click to expand...
FFS. Do you think those PSU Idiot's liked the "guarantee" they got from James Franklin? 😂 They just paid that loser $50 million to walk away. Not too bright I would say. But sure, the more you spend the better the "guarantee" right? Clearly not how it works.

Indiana just went 16-0 in College Football. One of the worst College Football teams in the history of the sport. Their Coach came from F'ing James Madison. Yes, THAT James Madison, that put fear into their opponents since James Madison died in 1836. Let that sink in for just a second.

You do realize Coaches retire, get old, get fired or die right? They HAVE to be replaced, and there are no guarantees. You roll the dice and see what happens, but you don't assume the fetal position and cry about "what if's".
 
  • Like
Reactions: el dub, kingstown, LIV4GOD and 1 other person
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom