Montell Marion

[MR TWISTER]

Originally Posted by Tofurky

That wasn't the case until mid-January last season. Had Joe Slaton not had his academic issues that kept him from being a part of the team in 2009-10 and Dan LeClere not been injured (I believe), most people would be scratching their heads at the mention of Montell Marion's name.

But we are talking January 2011 and he is the best at that weight in their room. And it looks like Iowa is giving him first dibs to mantain that dominance. The key is to make the most of opportunity when it presents itself and he did. Daniel Dennis did. For that matter young Ballweg has shown or earned an opportunity in the future.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by Tofurky

You're saying that Marion doesn't make both Ramos and Chiri better? I don't buy it. I think that, in spite of Chiri, Iowa now becomes a legit contender for a top four finish come Philadelphia.

ps - I received your message the other night and will call you back soon.

As I joked early in the thread- if Brands knew he would have Marion (another AA) in the lineup then he would be at the duals and not making any goofy excuses of why hes not there.

But there will always be apologists for Brands and Iowa because in some peoples eyes we should never second guess their motives because these are the Gods of Wrestling. OK Whatever. Even our greats mess up and the great Gable called BS when he saw it. I just wish some of our locals would wake up and call BS when they see it.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by MR TWISTER

He can't make them better if he is not practicing with the team. Now once he is back yes he will make them bette, that is a given. I never said he didn't I just feel what I posted is the immediate impact.

I agree adding Marion makes them a top 4 team now with an outside chance to get higher. 141 was going to be a real problem if Ballweg did not get deep into the tournament. Marion has proven he can get to the mountain top and once you have been there you know how to get back.

Twist,I question you sometimes but right here you truly get whats going on in this situation.

I don't have any problem with Marion and I do hope he gets all the help he needs to be successful well past his wrestling career. I really mean that. I just go crazy with some of the young posters that want to make Brands a God and don't understand the big picture.

For Brands its about winning,winning ,winning. A coach at a local hs here in Illinois can't comprehend what its like to make 500K per year and have expenses to equal that because of his coaching and winning reputation. They want to look up to idols because they dont understand the money or the big picture or the legacy issue that exists from the get go. Maybe the guy taught them a single at a camp 10years ago and bacause of that they think the guy is perfect.But believe me Brands is dealing with stuff that is all about wins right now and he is keenly aware. One almost guaranteed extra AA means alot to him and Iowa.

[sweetsweep22]

Originally Posted by tilt

For Brands its about winning,winning ,winning.

So many of you guys act like this is a bad thing. Maybe you need to wake up and realize that this is what sports is all about. If not winning, then what is a coach's job? Helping these kids grow and become responsible adults with good direction for their lives? I'm sorry, but that is NOT a college coach's job. That is a PARENT'S job. You guys need to learn to recognize the difference...

[tilt]

Originally Posted by sweetsweep22

So many of you guys act like this is a bad thing. Maybe you need to wake up and realize that this is what sports is all about. If not winning, then what is a coach's job? Helping these kids grow and become responsible adults with good direction for their lives? I'm sorry, but that is NOT a college coach's job. That is a PARENT'S job. You guys need to learn to recognize the difference...

I don't apologize for what Brands does at all. I recognize and call attention to what seems to be obvious. I couldnt carry Brands jock in wrestling or coaching or earnings but I'm not an idiot and I recognize when he puts winning above the truth or individuals.

When some of these posters were in junior high and living at their dads homes I was buying Brands Single Legs series video tapes to show to my kids. He and his brother used to do great videos to make a buck.

A business partner of mine was a teammate of Brands and they used to armwrestle for who would buy Mcdonalds because neither of them had a buck in their pocket.

Brands has paid his dues and now is at the pinnacle of all wrestling, head coach at the best college program in the world. He is a millionare from our sport of wrestling. His combined annual salary and promotional events and products and clinics and videos and speaking engagements earns him more than what some of the coaches that are Brands supporters on this website will make in ten years. But he has paid for every dollar he has earned with blood ,sweat and countless hours of obscure toil.

BUT, hes now at the pinnacle of wrestling and there comes a cost. To stay at this pinnacle he has sacrificed some principles. This past year he has put winning above everything else and YES winning is a big part of his job,but we are also entitled to call attention if he wins in a way that we think is less than honorable. I don't apololigize or condemn his actions but I merely point them out. I understand why he does it. None of us can fathom the pressure cooker hes in. And with the living legend of Gable nearby the comparisons never end. And its a battle he probably can't win. But he will never keep his job and position or win the legagcy issue if he doesn't winand win alot.

But we all need to grow up on this subject. Hes a man and makes mistakes.

To quote the Notorious BIG , "Mo money, mo problems".Brands has got big shoulders and he can handle and probably wants the feedback.

[wrestler79]

Originally Posted by sweetsweep22

So many of you guys act like this is a bad thing. Maybe you need to wake up and realize that this is what sports is all about. If not winning, then what is a coach's job? Helping these kids grow and become responsible adults with good direction for their lives? I'm sorry, but that is NOT a college coach's job. That is a PARENT'S job. You guys need to learn to recognize the difference...

Of course winning is and should be the priority of coaches who are at Brands' level but you're naive if you don't feel the coach plays an active role in the development of the kids in their program. I'm not saying the coach becomes the sole mentor in the kids life but he defenitely has a huge influence and most coaches use that influence to effect the kid for the better. And if you've ever sat in on a recruiting session the first question most parents will ask is something along the lines of "what are you going to do for my child outside the sport?"

Anyways I'm glad to hear Marion will be back on team. Everyone deserves a second chance.

[MR TWISTER]

The more studs the better the chances of winning. Winning brings more kids like Tony Ramos. The bottomline is winning is the job that Brands has. I imagine just being ranked 7 or 9th or whatever they were in the preseason has to be drivings Brands crazy. See he is not your ordinary coach. He is almost like Jordan the player was. He is consumed by it and he knows Marion gives him a better chance than Ballweg does. I know that there will be no wrestle off. That is counter productive to Brands master plan. He wants Marion in the line up. Do we not remember just last year how the winner of the 133 wrestle off never wrestled a dual.

What was the great Lombardi line, "Winning is not everything, it's the only thing!" Brands probably has this posted in his office, bathroom, screensaver...hell he probably has a tatoo with this on it. It is an obsession with him.

You only have to talk to him once to really know he is extremly serious about winning. Those eyes are Mike Singletary like. I know why Marion choose not to transfer. He looked Brands in the eye and knew he just had to let some time pass and he would be back as the starter for Iowa.

Originally Posted by tilt

I don't apologize for what Brands does at all. I recognize and call attention to what seems to be obvious. I couldnt carry Brands jock in wrestling or coaching or earnings but I'm not an idiot and I recognize when he puts winning above the truth or individuals.

When some of these posters were in junior high and living at their dads homes I was buying Brands Single Legs series video tapes to show to my kids. He and his brother used to do great videos to make a buck.

A business partner of mine was a teammate of Brands and they used to armwrestle for who would buy Mcdonalds because neither of them had a buck in their pocket.

Brands has paid his dues and now is at the pinnacle of all wrestling, head coach at the best college program in the world. He is a millionare from our sport of wrestling. His combined annual salary and promotional events and products and clinics and videos and speaking engagements earns him more than what some of the coaches that are Brands supporters on this website will make in ten years. But he has paid for every dollar he has earned with blood ,sweat and countless hours of obscure toil.

BUT, hes now at the pinnacle of wrestling and there comes a cost. To stay at this pinnacle he has sacrificed some principles. This past year he has put winning above everything else and YES winning is a big part of his job,but we are also entitled to call attention if he wins in a way that we think is less than honorable. I don't apololigize or condemn his actions but I merely point them out. I understand why he does it. None of us can fathom the pressure cooker hes in. And with the living legend of Gable nearby the comparisons never end. And its a battle he probably can't win. But he will never keep his job and position or win the legagcy issue if he doesn't winand win alot.

But we all need to grow up on this subject. Hes a man and makes mistakes.

To quote the Notorious BIG , "Mo money, mo problems".Brands has got big shoulders and he can handle and probably wants the feedback.

[Hawki]

New poster here. Someone linked your Marion thread to a National Board and I followed it here several days ago. It has since been deleted from that thread. I most likely will not be a frequent visitor as you will see why. I have had to refrain from posting for several days as I needed time to calm down enough to TRY and post some rational responses to some of the garbage you seem to think passes for intelligent and cute posts. Some of you really need to have an operation to create a new orifice on your rear ends for all of the crap you put out. You really must have some large sewer bills.

In one thread, tilt asks for people to call BS when they see it. I'm calling it on tilt, wrestlingnut, usAndThem12 and even MR. TWISTER. I'll try and address some of my concerns to each of you individually about your posts.

[Hawki]

Originally Posted by wrestlingnut

Send your sons to Iowa if wrestling is the most imoportant thing in their lives. If character and integrity are important, think twice.

Most people don't realize that their posts reveal more about themselves than what they are trying to say in their post. The post above reveals more about who really lacks character and integrity than I think was intended. The above post insinuates that there is something wrong with people who go to the University of Iowa. It attacks the character and integrity of the Administration, Professors, employees, students, athletes, Coaches and parents who send their children to that particular Big Ten institution. It really is one of the most subtle, derogatory posts I have ever encountered on the internet. Especially, when you consider it is also attacking Coach Brands personally, as it references "sending your sons to Iowa for wrestling" It simply is amazing that this kind of broad brush character assasination on Coach Brands and the rest of the University is allowed and tolerated.

[Hawki]

Originally Posted by UsAndThem12

He paid his dues, let the kids wrestle!
That's a good point about a permanent suspension being an oxymoron, but an even better point about losing your soul. Be warned: Tom Brands will try to eat your soul. Buy Mr. Twisters guide to recruiting for only $29.99 to find out how to avoid this.

"Tom Brands will try to eat your soul"? Really, now! And you would know this how? Are you in the same Coven? Same Satanic Worship group? I assume you were making a joke. At least I really hope you were, because if you weren't, it is probably the most tasteless, low class, disturbing, disgusting comment I have ever read on an internet board. And then again, even if you were joking, it still is everything I said before.

You do realize this is an Olympic Medal winner who represented our country. He is the Head Wrestling Coach of a Big Ten University, who is a former multiple time NCAA Champion who just coached his team to 3 straight NCAA Championships. And you are accusing him of some Satanic Soul buying and stealing activities. Yes, you, Mr. Anonymous Internet Poster, hiding behind a fictitous screen name. And you have all the facts and info necessary to prove your accusations? Go ahead and go to the authorities.

Your comment was not only inane and spurious, it was slanderous!

Go to www.dictionary.com for help with those words, OK?