Yes, it was the best job. Strong financial support had been pledged to the program - a full year ahead of Cael coming - with top facilities, in the middle of the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country. It was the best job in the country, as was subsequently proven.
I don't understand why you feel financial support is a bad thing. Do you mean to tell me that if Doug Goethke pledged $7 million to benefit Iowa wrestling and Bob Nichols matched it, that Brands would refuse them for the "good of wrestling?" Oh, wait....
again NO, and I might still argue NO even now as IOWA has a tremendous advantage in fan base.
The assertion: Fewer schools have a chance at a team trophy with what Cael has done at Penn St.
The Study: I counted top four team finishes at the NCAA tournament in the 13 championships since Cael took over at Penn St. I counted the same for the 13 championships prior to Cael joining Penn St.
Results: 13 schools have at least one top 4 finish in the 13 championships since Cael joined PennSt.
13 schools have at least one top 4 finish in the 13 championships prior to Cael joining Penn St.
Conclusion: Try again, but harder this time.
Listen, lets be REAL OK!?!?!? You are seeing what is happening and yes not many schools were at the top, but many MANY schools had good squads and truthfully there was way more competition!
You had written: “Cael took out HIS head coach and was at HIS school! Not saying you can not look for better opportunities etc.... but it has been reported that there was a little EXTRA in the deal!”
You put the phrase in italics, and you wrote “EXTRA” in all caps.
Instead of saying what it “could” have meant, why don’t you tell us what it did mean? I’ve asked you now three times to do so.
Guy, your fans have said it. I am not adding anything new. Was post even in this thread I believe by you? This is a college coaching job we are talking about. It is a NON-money making sport! He was flown in on a private jet, there was promised money into the club, there was outrageous "camp" expenses, there was several times more top recruits coming in even early on. So the, 'champs wanna train here" can not be used to address why?
He even took TOP FS wrestlers from 3 of the best teams. Gilman, Snyder, Dake. Please tell me why they would leave their "home teams" where they all already had success, and it remains to be seen if any elevate to another level at PSU?
Imagine being so upset about a potential hire being flown in on a private jet. Especially when it’s a high-profile candidate and you’re trying to keep the press from finding out.
YES, just image that, TY for proving my point!
Brands took the top job. Cael made the top job, which made the old top job the second to the top job.
YES and NO, I will still say IOWA is the top job!
If this is the standard, then the Gable Era (1976-1997) was catastrophic for the sport.
Below is a partial list of D1 wrestling programs cut during that time. "Partial" because there are also a number of programs whose cut year is not available -- very likely some of them were also dropped during the Gable Era. (And those include some big names like Texas, Texas A&M, Florida State, etc.)
Source: Jason Bryant
almanac.mattalkonline.com
| School | Drop Year |
| Akron | 1981 |
| Alabama | 1979 |
| Arizona | 1981 |
| Auburn | 1981 |
| Ball State | 1982 |
| Bowling Green | 1982 |
| Brigham Young | 1989 |
| Butler | 1977 |
| Central CT State | 1996 |
| Central Florida | 1986 |
| Cincinnati | 1982 |
| Clemson | 1995 |
| Colgate | 1982 |
| Colorado | 1980 |
| Colorado State | 1985 |
| Connecticut | 1981 |
| Dartmouth | 1976 |
| Dayton | 1995 |
| Delaware | 1991 |
| Drake | 1993 |
| East Carolina | 1981 |
| East Tennessee State | 1982 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 1976 |
| Eastern Washington | 1990 |
| Elon | 1986 |
| Evansville | 1981 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson | 1990 |
| Florida | 1979 |
| Furman | 1991 |
| George Washington | 1989 |
| Georgia | 1980 |
| Georgia State | 1998 |
| Georgia Tech | 1989 |
| Gonzaga | 1979 |
| Hampton | 1984 |
| Hartford | 1985 |
| Hawaii | 1977 |
| Idaho State | 1986 |
| Illinois State | 1995 |
| Indiana State | 1986 |
| Jacksonville State | 1981 |
| Kentucky | 1982 |
| Lafayette | 1988 |
| LaSalle | 1993 |
| Long Beach State | 1985 |
| Louisiana-Lafayette | 1978 |
| Loyola (MD) | 1987 |
| LSU | 1985 |
| Maine | 1988 |
| Manhattan | 1995 |
| Marshall | 1982 |
| Maryland-Eastern Shore | 1989 |
| Massachusetts | 1985 |
| (deleted -- outside Gable date range) | |
| Middle Tennessee State | 1980 |
| Montana | 1987 |
| Montana State | 1987 |
| New Hampshire | 1991 |
| Norfolk State | 1996 |
| North Carolina A&T | 1977 |
| Northern Arizona | 1987 |
| Notre Dame | 1992 |
| Oakland (MI) | 1986 |
| Rhode Island | 1981 |
| Richmond | 1981 |
| Sacramento State | 1984 |
| San Diego State | 1994 |
| San Jose State | 1988 |
| SE Missouri State | 1981 |
| South Carolina State | 1988 |
| Southern Illinois-Carbondale | 1982 |
| Stetson | 1986 |
| SUNY-Albany | 1994 |
| SW Missouri State | 1994 |
| Temple | 1986 |
| Tennessee | 1986 |
| Tennessee Tech | 1981 |
| Tennessee-Martin | 1976 |
| Toledo | 1994 |
| Towson State | 1985 |
| UC Berkeley | 1979 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 1977 |
| UCLA | 1980 |
| UNLV | 1984 |
| Utah | 1980 |
| Utah State | 1989 |
| Valparaiso | 1995 |
| Villanova | 1988 |
| Virginia Commonwealth | 1982 |
| Washington | 1980 |
| Washington State | 1986 |
| Weber State | 1988 |
| Western Carolina | 1978 |
| Western Illinois | 1985 |
| Western Michigan | 1982 |
| William & Mary | 1995 |
| Wright State | 1993 |
| Xavier | 1978 |
| Yale | 1991 |
| Youngstown State | 1985 |
We are(no NOT saying Penn st!!!!) learning things here and that is the ONLY reason I have come.
I don't think it's even close to the real ironturd. The ironturd I read on gia has the IQ of a pissant. This guy who says he is ironturd is not the same guy and is way to congenial for an Iowa fan just saying. Maybe his wife took over his account
Hey now, lets keep it nice so you will not get thrown off here! This IRONBIRD handle was "given to me somehow???" I certainly did not pick it! That being said, it is BY FAR the most famous name on the boards. If you want to address me, I like SIR IRON!!!
I know Cael improved Penn State wrestling and thus improved the NLWC and our National Free Style wrestling team. Which has led to world dominance for team USA. I’Il take it all.
So I’d rather you just say thank you Cael and be on your way!😁
World dominance???
When exactly do you think PA became dominant? In the eighties PA crowned 6 Champs one year. Clarion took an unofficial 4th as a D2 school in the Seventies. That is as far back my memory goes. Started wrestling in 1970.
I am not 100% sure when? When I think about it, one of the first things is the amount of college teams in PA. That to me is a huge advantage as it has to have a big impact trickling down.
BTW Ironbird, can you ask HRs Moderator to reinstate me? I was banned years ago during the great purge. I’ll behave.
It is my understanding from what I have heard that the IOWA moderator is way more lenient and TROLLs from other boards get away with way TWOOOO much. Also I have heard that some quality posters came on here and got thrown off for basically nothing?
IF you got removed from our board? You must have really deserved it!
Very impressive! I must admit my knowledge of college wrestling history isn't nearly at the level of so many of you here. 1987 was the year I joined the San Diego Police Department at the age of 23, and one of the last years I would be remotely near my college wrestling weight!
Yea if we can get thru the pissing matches, we may all gin some good info.
