Iowa suspension names released
- Thread starter PSUwrestling
- Start date
Agreed. To repeat almost verbatim what I’ve said in the corn threads: As a PSU fan, I’m an outlier who wants Iowa strong and the Lion-Hawk dual winner to never exceed 5 match wins and 17 points. Get the gamblers back. Lure Gable away from scripted scenes of play-wrestle-tickle-fights. Get every Ferrari ever built (just not AJ the A-hole whose recklessness nearly killed a woman). Give me a contentious, nail-biting dual over a yawner any day. I’ll even take the occasional Hawk win because iron sharpens iron and a hard-fought loss is fierce motivation for March.
And though this is the exact right spot for bold talk, I care little about a ‘points record’ or 10 AAs. I’ll be grateful for another team title, and several more individual ones, especially someone’s first.
i think this latest news is not a good look for ncaa, makes them look less caring about the integrity of college sports and more about their money. But i guess you can see this through out our society now. Rules mean less to those that have money or connections.
I agree a stronger Iowa team provides better optics for NCAA Wrestling this year. However, at the end of the day, Iowa is merely rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
I don't see Kennedy beating Brands.
I'm calling it now, 2-1 Brands in OT.
Is there any talk on GIA about recruiting over current wrestlers?
For some reason @Random4598375 hates Nelson Brands lol. He's been raging against him on HR. PK/Brands/Caliendo is a coin flip. We'll see how it shakes out if Nelson's back.
If I had to pick, I'd go Caliendo/Brands with PK out. I'm on record as low on PK though.
Franek has 4 years of high level production at 157. Unless he regresses, he's a much better option than Siebrecht. Agree with the rest.
One bummer for me. Although it was always a long shot, the prospect of Arnold getting his shot at Carter is even less likely if the suspensions get reversed.
Knowing Carter's propensity for external motivation, I am sure he would look towards giving the young ambitious Padawan a bit of a slap down.
Knowing Carter's propensity for external motivation, I am sure he would look towards giving the young ambitious Padawan a bit of a slap down.
I may be in the majority, but I’d be ok with us curb stomping Iowa each year, sort of like the football game this year 😃
No doubt that Franek has the better resume.
Maybe it's just that I like Siebrecht's style, but I think a healthy Cobe is a sleeper in the sweepstakes.
Last edited:
I'm not raging against anyone. LOL. Someone is going to be squeezed out (the same way one of Haines/Mesenbrink/Facundo will be for PSU). I find it more likely to be Brands.
Siebrecht's style is like an oasis in the desert in the Iowa room, but I don't think that he can beat out Franek.
Iowa returning all those guys would make an interesting race for 2nd place with Cornell and Missouri ... a distant 70 pts behind PSU.
I'm not sure that this really moves the dial all that much in a dual and maybe moves them into a more likely position to achieve a team trophy.
It also likely forces them to burn a year of eligibility for several of their wrestlers at less than optimal weights.
It also likely forces them to burn a year of eligibility for several of their wrestlers at less than optimal weights.
I am going to change the speed limit sign in my neighborhood from 45 to 60mph and ask for a refund on the fine I got over the summer. If that doesn't work I will ask them to change the laws to excuse the first two violations and only fine me if I get a third. It seems only fair now 
Think of how much more satisfying it will be to curb stomp their full lineup instead of half the team missing because the state of Iowa decided to take a hard line with college gambling.
We know nothing for sure, but if this were a Know You Iowa Wrestleoff competition, my pick is Assad.
As long as they're too deflated to throw beer at Carter, I'm good.
Brands is who he is - 2023 NCAA tournament or not. That is an excellent defender with limited offensive skills, making him unlikely to knock off any top contenders, capable of beating but also vulnerable to anyone else in the top 20 or so, and unlikely to lose to anyone who will struggle to qualify for NCAAs. He likely limits his upside a little at 184, so I would hardly consider him an upgrade to Assad.
At 174, I think he will be pretty difficult for Kennedy or Caliendo to unseat just because they will be bumping up 9lbs. As far as Kennedy or Caliendo, flip a coin, both have similar upsides, I actually think Kennedy may have a higher floor, however.
Franek may be more consistent than Seibrecht over his career and will likely score more points at NCAAs, so this is an upgrade. I'm not convinced that his upside is higher than Seibrecht's - his best win in his career is in OT against Robb (which I think Seibrecht did as well) and he got handled pretty easily by Humphries twice at last year's NCAAs. Neither of them has a prayer of beating Levi this year - I think the posturing that Franek is a contender is more a reflection of the weight, and I would bet on a few younger guys to face Levi in the finals much, much quicker than Franek. The 4th place finish will be the high water mark for him IMO.
I think it's important to note that Franek's win vs Robb was the one after which Robb realized HE WAS BATTLING FLESH EATING BACTERIA (I may be exaggerating a bit here). I realize everyone is battling ailments in March, but this one should probably get a special mention.
Based on his results, seems like he's similar to your description of Brands. Solid guy who doesn't lose to guys he shouldn't lose to, but doesn't have much for the top guys at the weight (unless they are dealing with aforementioned flesh eating bacteria).
I hear ya. I’m sure yours IS the majority view here, and I understand its appeal. I just prefer to beat the best version of a top rival, not a handicapped one. There’s more pride and worth to it. And if the Dakota boys and Cass pull unlikely upsets at this season’s dual to make it competitive, I like the redemption odds of any chip-on-my-shoulder, something-to-prove Lion when it matters in March.
I'll be shocked if the reduce the penalties on those who bet on their own university's games. That leaves a huge issue with insider knowledge. Just because it's a different sport doesn't mean that you won't have access to inside information. Kids know who is in the medical rooms for treatment. They'll know who is in concussion protocol. Wrestlers may be friends with basketball players. May see them in class, study hall, cafeteria or live in the same housing facilities. That's a huge red flag to sports books and ultimately the FBI.
Robb beat Siebrecht handily.
I get why (mostly Iowa fans) like Siebrecht. His style is refreshing. He's an unheralded Iowa kid who made huge strides in his 4 seasons at Iowa (important to note this is his 5th year. A lot of people think he's young because he never saw the lineup early in his career).
However, he had losses to Model, Chumbley x2, Robb, Saldate, Gfeller, and Mike Carr last year. Several of those weren't close. Artalona was destroying him and got rolled through trying to pin him and got pinned himself.
Franek has been a consistent AA-quality guy for years. His losses at NCAA's the last 3 years:
2023 (4th) - Humphreys (8-0, 5-2)
2022 (r12) - Teemer (5-3) and Carr (4-3 - Carr scores a takedown with 20 seconds left to beat him)
2021 (r12) - Teemer (3-2) and Deakin (5-4 - scores with 5 seconds left to beat him)
All 6 losses to High AA's. Two last second losses to National Champs. Siebrecht has never approached that level. His losses last year:
Model 10-5 (finished 1-2)
Chumbley FALL (finished 2-2)
The one wildcard is that we've seen 6th year guys struggle, especially transfers. Outside of that, this is not an open competition.
Sorry, got Seibrecht-Robb mixed up with Kennedy-Amine, I think, in my old man's brain.
Yes, I think we agree - although we may disagree on the upside. I stated that i think Franek is going to score more points than Seibrecht at NCAAs and is an upgrade. I don't think there is any doubt about that. The most probable outcome is that Seibrecht goes 2-2 maybe, while Franek is an AA.
We may disagree on the upside. Close losses do not translate to upside in my experience. I don't think Franek has any more upside, while I do think that wild Cobe could get on a run and upset a guy or two at NCAAs. He could also go 2 and out. Much higher variability of outcomes with him.
Last edited:
You could do a lot worse than a healthy Siebrecht at NCAAs. He's shown abilities to pin people (which is invaluable if you don't expect your guy to place, two pins and they're scoring AA points) but he also has beaten Will Lewan so he can win a grind it out match against AA level guys.
As @js8793 said, there is a sentimental attachment to an Iowa kid who has progressed like he did but Siebrecht has two options now that Franek is there, make 149 and beat Voinovich (and Rathjen) or sit.
As @js8793 said, there is a sentimental attachment to an Iowa kid who has progressed like he did but Siebrecht has two options now that Franek is there, make 149 and beat Voinovich (and Rathjen) or sit.
Anyone who thinks the NCAA made any kind of gambling reductions to help Iowa wrestling need a reality check, wrestling barely registers a blip on their radar lol. To the US, Noah Shannon is a way bigger name suspended than Nelson Brands/Tony Cassioppi combined just for the fact he is a starter on a P5 team.
The NCAA is probably well aware this is extremely prevalent and they are realizing they are setting a precedent here and if a case like this is ever opened on one of their big cash cows, they can't change penalties then.
The NCAA is probably well aware this is extremely prevalent and they are realizing they are setting a precedent here and if a case like this is ever opened on one of their big cash cows, they can't change penalties then.
This is the whole ballgame. This isn't about the Iowan athletes. It's about them protecting themselves from State Prosecutors who they can't control publicizing even more consequential violations later.
Plus, the punishments were stupid in the first place. This is a move back to common sense.
Most of us lose brain cells watching Lewan.
Similar threads
