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Posted (edited)

Thinking back, I find it kind of crazy that Desanto never won a NCAA title or even made a NCAA finals.  He made huge strides after transferring from Drexel to Iowa.  I have to think if he was an Iowa recruit from the beginning (why didn't the Brands offer him after he beat Lee???) he would win at least 1 or 2 NCAA titles.  He had an unstoppable motor, unlimited gas tank, strength, power and aggression.  His one weakness was controlling his emotions, which to the Brands' credit, they got him to do while at Iowa.  What do you think?

Edited by Jimmy Cinnabon
Posted

Yes, he turned it around at Iowa, but it was not all roses.   There was one incident where they had to pull him off the mat.  I think there was a serious discussion after that about how much he wanted to wrestle at Iowa or anywhere.   Since then most of his aberrant behavior calmed down.   Hopefully he is now in full control of himself.   He's been to two international competitions and seemed to handle himself well. 

I don't think he had the self control to be champ.   But if he started there earlier, maybe his adjustment would have happened earlier.   Another interesting question is how did Lee handle him in practice?  You know they had to spar each other from time to time.   Who got the better?

mspart

Posted
14 minutes ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Thinking back, I find it kind of crazy that Desanto never won a NCAA title or even made a NCAA finals.  He made huge strides after transferring from Drexel to Iowa.  I have to think if he was an Iowa recruit from the beginning (why didn't the Brands offer him after he beat Lee???) he would win at least 1 or 2 NCAA titles.  He had an unstoppable motor, unlimited gas tank, strength, power and aggression.  His one weakness was controlling his emotions, which to the Brands' credit, they got him to do while at Iowa.  What do you think?

Because he only beat Lee because Lee was wrestling on crutches in the state final.

Posted
11 minutes ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Thinking back, I find it kind of crazy that Desanto never won a NCAA title or even made a NCAA finals.  He made huge strides after transferring from Drexel to Iowa.  I have to think if he was an Iowa recruit from the beginning (why didn't the Brands offer him after he beat Lee???) he would win at least 1 or 2 NCAA titles.  He had an unstoppable motor, unlimited gas tank, strength, power and aggression.  His one weakness was controlling his emotions, which to the Brands' credit, they got him to do while at Iowa.  What do you think?

To be fair, Desanto never really did control his emotions - he was a still a lunatic at Iowa, just maybe not as much of one.  But it's hard to attribute that to Tom/Terry since he may have just grown up a little.  I don't think he would have had much more success had he started at Iowa as opposed to Drexel though.  Guys like Desanto will always have a hard time getting out their own way.

Posted

Jimmy troll thread…

He wasn’t beating RBY in 2021 or 2022.

He probably never beats Fix either, and never beat Micic after beating him the first time while at Drexel.

He wasn’t going to win as a true freshman.

His best shot would’ve been this year at 141 if he had redshirted, but then Iowa probably doesn’t have Woods.

  • Fire 2
Posted
9 minutes ago, 1032004 said:

Jimmy troll thread…

He wasn’t beating RBY in 2021 or 2022.

He probably never beats Fix either, and never beat Micic after beating him the first time while at Drexel.

He wasn’t going to win as a true freshman.

His best shot would’ve been this year at 141 if he had redshirted, but then Iowa probably doesn’t have Woods.

Yeah...this threads are kinda silly. 

Posted
33 minutes ago, SocraTease said:

I don't know the answer to this counterfactual.

But I do know I very much dislike the awful word, "Natty", for National Titles.

It makes me think of gnats 

Natty Light? (An even worse thought than gnats.)

  • Fire 1
Posted

No shame in being 3-time legit All American. Surviving the injury bug in Iowa's wrestling room might have been harder. It seems RBY/Fix are Fixtures atop the 133 throne

Posted
3 hours ago, jmoney said:

No shame in being 3-time legit All American. Surviving the injury bug in Iowa's wrestling room might have been harder. It seems RBY/Fix are Fixtures atop the 133 throne

And it would’ve been 4x if he didn’t absolutely implode against Delvecchio

Posted

He doesn't.

 

Iowa had the top recruiting class that year with; Lee, Warner, Murin and Costello all rated in the top 75. With the guys already in the room there was likely little to no scholarship money available. 

Lee was the prize recruit at 120. Desanto would have been parody at that weight. Cory Clark was graduating and Seth Gross had been kicked off the team so 133 might have been an option. I don't know if ADS projected as a college 133.

It was Lee that recruited Desanto to Iowa, not the Brands brothers. Both wrestlers have said so in interviews. In fact that started right after their match at the state tournament.

ADS probably benefited from the lower profile Drexel program. I think he matured a little under Matt Azevedo's staff. He was part of a top 25 recruiting class and a national qualifier. I don't think he qualifies in the loaded Big 10 133 lbs field as a freshman, but an at large bid would be pretty likely

He was my favorite Hawkeye to watch while he was there. I just think his ceiling was the semi finals. 

 

 

 

 

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