Magazine names Brands coach of year

Wiltz · 04-18-2008, 11:23 AM

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Magazine names Brands coach of year

By the Press-Citizen

From W.I.N. Magazine:

University of Iowa coach Tom Brands said he’s “fanatical” about a standard and has brought that standard back to his alma mater. Just finished with his second season in Iowa City, Brands’ Hawkeyes have climbed back to the top of the college wrestling world for the first time since 2000.

Check out our special 2008 NCAA championship Web site...

For this year’s NCAA title and their 21-1 record, Brands has been named W.I.N.’s Dan Gable Coach of the Year.

All-American Phil Keddy said he and his teammates feed off Brands’ attitude.

http://www.hawkcentral.com/apps/pbcs...009/1053/HAWKS

goferphan · 04-18-2008, 11:30 AM

Kind of disagree with this one, but not totally. Still think Ohio State came further than Iowa but Iowa's Coaching job was certainly in the Top Three.

t112905 · 04-18-2008, 11:42 AM

I think Manning did a pretty good job at Nebraska.

mdnees · 04-18-2008, 05:59 PM

"The enemy is socialism."?????? What the hell is Brands talking about? Socialism and apathy. Apathy I understand. It's a quality that no one can have if he (or she) is to be successful at anything. But what does socialism have to do with the drive for excellence? Brands may be w monster on the mat, but he probably couldn't define socialism if a gold medal was at stake.

JPOConnorFan · 04-18-2008, 09:54 PM

I think this is well deserved. He took a team to the National championship with his passion.

grapplefan · 04-18-2008, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by mdnees

"The enemy is socialism."?????? What the hell is Brands talking about? Socialism and apathy. Apathy I understand. It's a quality that no one can have if he (or she) is to be successful at anything. But what does socialism have to do with the drive for excellence? Brands may be w monster on the mat, but he probably couldn't define socialism if a gold medal was at stake.

It has nothing to do with it. Perhaps he was just misquoted, or perhaps he's just picked up a word that has a negative connotation for him. I'm just guessing, but I think what he means is not setting personal goals that are beyond goals set by a collective group or the lowest common denominator, the kind of thinking that says "That's good enough." (Socialism is an economic system that believes in collective ownership of much or all property.) My guess is also that Brands won't be teaching philosophy or economics at Iowa any time soon.

I wonder how this would account for those Russian wrestlers who were so good in Soviet Union in the 1960's? Like it or not, sometimes tough hombres from evil regimes win some big titles repeatedly. And the good guys don't always wear white hats, share the same faith, or speak the same language as he does either.
I liked it better when he was ranting about wrestling against another galaxy or universe. Champ probably knows some Plutonians that can kick yer butt any day of the week. He'll probably pick some of them for his next years fantasy wrestling team.

mdnees · 04-19-2008, 12:10 AM

Socialism is hardly an economic system set by "the lowest common denominator." But you're correct in that it has very negative connotations in this country. Most people equate it with Communism, when it is nothing of the sort. Anyway, this is a wrestling forum. I'm a fan of Brands and spent six of the best years of my life as an Iowa student, another three years working in UI Hospitals. As long as his wrestlers listen to him, and he doesn't run for political office, I really don't care what he says. I had season tickets through the glory years, starting in 1977 and I ecstatic he has brought them back.

LkwdSteve · 04-19-2008, 12:31 AM

Is Title 9 socialistic at it's core?

Also, some on the (far) "left" appear to not believe in competition at all. No winners because that would mean there would be losers. No scorecards, no champions, no heroes. No achievers allowed!

Maybe that's what Brands had in mind.

Zapp Brannigan · 04-19-2008, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by goferphan

Kind of disagree with this one, but not totally. Still think Ohio State came further than Iowa but Iowa's Coaching job was certainly in the Top Three.

Don't buy it. The farthest step is the one to the top of the mountain. It's much harder in my experience to go from 2nd to 1st when you don't have that mindset then anything else. The job that Brands has done is evident in the improvement of guys like Falck, Keddy, Fields, and even Slaton. Hell, Chad Beatty got wins at 197 against some decent guys, and he's a natural 174. Brands gets a lot of credit.

Let me put it this way, it took me a lot longer as a wrestler to go from placing to winning then it did for me to go from dead last to placing.

grapplefan · 04-19-2008, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by mdnees

Socialism is hardly an economic system set by "the lowest common denominator." But you're correct in that it has very negative connotations in this country. Most people equate it with Communism, when it is nothing of the sort. Anyway, this is a wrestling forum. I'm a fan of Brands and spent six of the best years of my life as an Iowa student, another three years working in UI Hospitals. As long as his wrestlers listen to him, and he doesn't run for political office, I really don't care what he says. I had season tickets through the glory years, starting in 1977 and I ecstatic he has brought them back.

I never said that it was, which is why I phrased it the way I did. I was just trying to guess what he meant by the quote in the article. I'm a fan of his coaching as well, and an Iowa fan since childhood in CR.

Magazine names Brands coach of year

College Wrestling