Tourney Weekend

[Fryowa]

Take a deep breath, everybody. Yes, Nebraska had a nice tourney and overperformed their seeds. Will they do that again in 2 weeks? No one knows -- they're the same guys that got thumped by UNI earlier this season in Cedar Falls.
This was a disappointing tourney for the Hawks, but it doesn't mean much or change a lot in my opinion. Ayala goes to the NCAAs as the #2 seed instead of #1. Big deal. Buchanan drops to a #2 seed instead of #1. Big deal. Caliendo goes in as #2, same as before. Kennedy entered the BTen tourney as a #4, finished 5th. Arnold, the same. The only concerning thing to me is Teemer -- I don't know what he did after losing in the quarters...did he medical forfeit out the rest of the tourney?
Everybody has known all season that the Nits will win the NCAAs, and everybody else is fighting for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Nebraska has a good tourney team and will be in that hunt. And Okie State. And Iowa, UNI, Ohio St & Minny (simply because they have a guaranteed national champ).
Game on, man!

Lolz.

Big deal? The B1G tourney is nationals lite. It’s going to be the same result only with other better teams in there. Sorry, but Iowa’s current guys have proven over and over they can’t win big matches when they need to plain and simple. Losing to PSU is one thing, but getting blown out by Nebraska, not having a single conference champ…that’s not Iowa’s wrestling. It’s a big deal.

 

[Grady]

Lolz.

Big deal? The B1G tourney is nationals lite. It’s going to be the same result only with other better teams in there. Sorry, but Iowa’s current guys have proven over and over they can’t win big matches when they need to plain and simple. Losing to PSU is one thing, but getting blown out by Nebraska, not having a single conference champ…that’s not Iowa’s wrestling. It’s a big deal.

I'm just saying the sky isn't falling. Iowa actually scored more points at this year's BTen tourney and finished one spot higher this year than an last year's tourney. Iowa's best guys got beat by guys they've beaten before. Are they capable of turning the tables and beating them again? Yep. Will they? Nobody knows. If the Hawks collapse at the NCAAs, that's one thing, but I didn't see anything at the BTens that indicated they will. Like I said: prior to last weekend, the Hawks were expected to finish 2nd-5th at the NCAAs. I saw nothing this past weekend to alter that prediction.

 

[Fryowa]

I'm just saying the sky isn't falling. Iowa actually scored more points at this year's BTen tourney and finished one spot higher this year than an last year's tourney. Iowa's best guys got beat by guys they've beaten before. Are they capable of turning the tables and beating them again? Yep. Will they? Nobody knows. If the Hawks collapse at the NCAAs, that's one thing, but I didn't see anything at the BTens that indicated they will. Like I said: prior to last weekend, the Hawks were expected to finish 2nd-5th at the NCAAs. I saw nothing this past weekend to alter that prediction.

It's just the downwards trend happening. Iowa should not be behind any school not named PSU. With the resources Iowa has, there shouldn't be anyone near Iowa for 2nd place. The problem is winning big matches when it counts and Iowa has not done that all year. Teemer, Ayala, Buchanan, Arnold, the list goes on.

The highlight of Iowa's 24/25 season was Angelo Ferrari almost beating Starocci, and that's a big, big problem for a program like Iowa's. Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota...and others all had wrestlers who nutted up when it was go-time. Spencer Lee's interview after natty #3 contained a quote he said got drilled into him from Terry everyday since he got recruited..."big-time wrestlers win big-time matches." When a place like Iowa gets to the end of a conference tourney with no individual champs, it's a big problem on a national stage, so in a sense, yes...the sky is falling. All we can hope for now is that the Bassetts, Ferarri, and Miller all stay with the program, and that TnT can find someone else in the portal to take Arnold and Kueter's spots soon.

I mean if anyone is happy with 3rd-5th it's fine, but if you want to be where Iowa should (somewhat competitive with PSU and a clear #2), the sky has already started to fall.

 

[Grady]

It's just the downwards trend happening. Iowa should not be behind any school not named PSU. With the resources Iowa has, there shouldn't be anyone near Iowa for 2nd place. The problem is winning big matches when it counts and Iowa has not done that all year. Teemer, Ayala, Buchanan, Arnold, the list goes on.

The highlight of Iowa's 24/25 season was Angelo Ferrari almost beating Starocci, and that's a big, big problem for a program like Iowa's. Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota...and others all had wrestlers who nutted up when it was go-time. Spencer Lee's interview after natty #3 contained a quote he said got drilled into him from Terry everyday since he got recruited..."big-time wrestlers win big-time matches." When a place like Iowa gets to the end of a conference tourney with no individual champs, it's a big problem on a national stage, so in a sense, yes...the sky is falling. All we can hope for now is that the Bassetts, Ferarri, and Miller all stay with the program, and that TnT can find someone else in the portal to take Arnold and Kueter's spots soon.

I mean if anyone is happy with 3rd-5th it's fine, but if you want to be where Iowa should (somewhat competitive with PSU and a clear #2), the sky has already started to fall.

The suggestion that Iowa "should be a clear #2" now and into the future, considering the resources that Okie St. has along with new coach David Taylor, is not realistic, IMO.