Iowa Wrestling

For those of you who don't know (see: everyone reading this), the NCAA Wrestling Championships are this weekend in St. Louis. And, again for those of you who don't know (again, see: everyone reading this), my Iowa Hawkeyes are the odds-on favorite to win this year. This is significant for two reasons:

One, the Hawkeyes are back to their dominating ways, returning to the form they held when Dan Gable was the coach from 1976 to 1997. Coach Tom Brands returned to Iowa last year, and in just two years returned Iowa to the Championship form they had slipped from under former coach Jim Zalesky.

Two, because of this story, about 5 kids who have followed Coach Brands from Va. Tech to Iowa just to wrestle with him. It's a great story and incredibly shady what Va. Tech did.

Most of you will never understand how big wrestling is in the state of Iowa. Former coach Dan Gable is a legend in Iowa, having led the Hawkeyes to 15 National Titles and 21 Big Ten Championships in 21 years, a run unparalleled in any other sport. The Iowa dominance was a thing of state pride; as a result the sport of wrestling became huge in high schools and below in the state. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts; the dominance of the U. of Iowa led to all the best wrestlers wanting to wrestle here, many staying in Iowa after their collegiate career and coaching at high schools around the state, forming the next generation of great wrestlers.

When Gable left the program, it slipped just a tad, ultimately resulting in the best wrestler in collegiate history, Cael Sanderson, going to Iowa State and helping their already strong program, where he is currently the head coach. When Brands, who along with his brother Terry were great wrestlers at Iowa, returned to coach the Hawkeyes he brought Gable back as an assistant. Together the two have quickly returned Iowa to national prominence, culminating in a 21-1 dual record this year and Championships in both the Midlands Championships and the Big Ten Tournament.

This weekend they will attempt to score the trifecta, and claim their first National Championship since 2000.