Do you see Spencer Lee leaving Iowa?

[ionel]

The jimmy goat:

[scourge165]

On 9/14/2025 at 10:50 AM, jeffrideal said:

Spencer needs to go to Ohio and train under Logan Stieber.  

 

Or... bring Logan Stieber to Iowa. Everyone's throwing out Dake, Burroughs. Why not a guy like Stieber? I get he's probably in line at OSU, but you can coach at a rival. Metcalf did it, Ryan, Gable, naming more would be pointless as it's not a point of contention. 

 

I don't see Iowa moving away from the Brands though... which would be pretty bold. 

[Winners Circle]

On 9/14/2025 at 10:50 AM, jeffrideal said:

Spencer needs to go to Ohio and train under Logan Stieber.  

 

Yea because Logan Stieber and Ohio RTC are producing so many world and Olympic champs right now...or even world team members for that reason.

Edited yesterday at 02:02 PM by Winners Circle

[Winners Circle]

9 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Or... bring Logan Stieber to Iowa. Everyone's throwing out Dake, Burroughs. Why not a guy like Stieber? I get he's probably in line at OSU, but you can coach at a rival. Metcalf did it, Ryan, Gable, naming more would be pointless as it's not a point of contention. 

 

I don't see Iowa moving away from the Brands though... which would be pretty bold. 

Comparing Stieber to Dake/Burroughs seems...inaccurate to say the least. 

[bnwtwg]

Is everyone forgetting that Lee signed a six year contract with HWC? He is contractually not going anywhere. He is a professional athlete locked into a professional contract and I'm willing to bet that the clawbacks are significant.

So even if he wanted/needed to leave, he likely won't.

Spencer Lee, Hawkeye Wrestling Club, 2026 world champion.

[Dogbone]

What about Cornell GOAT, Dake?  He couldn't make a World Team  for 5 years post college and has still has yet to make an Oly Final like Spencer just did.   No calls for Dake to leave or Koll be fired. 

It took Taylor (some might say the PSU GOAT at the time) 4 years to win Worlds after college and not one person suggested he should leave State College. 

Yet, Spencer (regardless of his GOAT status at Iowa) should definitely leave his current environment, where by all accounts he is happy, to train with guys who also did not win World titles at this point in their careers.  

I am not even an Iowa fan, but some of these takes fall into the Billy Madison meme, "we are all dumber for having listened to that" category. 

 

 

[ionel]

5 hours ago, Dogbone said:

What about Cornell GOAT, Dake?  

Lost too many fantasy matches to DT to be considered a goat.  

[CHROMEBIRD]

1 minute ago, ionel said:

Lost too many fantasy matches to DT to be considered a goat.  

But he's so young now. A kid, if you will

[ionel]

8 minutes ago, CHROMEBIRD said:

But he's so young now. A kid, if you will

Good point!

[bnwtwg]

18 minutes ago, CHROMEBIRD said:

But he's so young now. A kid, if you will

Can't wait to see what he does at Fargo next year

[scourge165]

11 hours ago, Winners Circle said:

Comparing Stieber to Dake/Burroughs seems...inaccurate to say the least. 

Yeah... I didn't "compare" them, but I DID take a guy who was a 4X NCAA Champ and who is actually coaching and suggest him rather than a guy people speculate MIGHT choose to coach in the future. 

[PortaJohn]

19 hours ago, ionel said:

Lost every fantasy match to DT to be considered a goat.  

fify

[ionel]

1 hour ago, PortaJohn said:

fify

Isn't there a song about the Dake v DT fantasy matches?  

[Pinnacle]

When Dake failed a couple times to produce, Yianni was there to pick up the slack  When Yianni failed, Arujau picked up the slack.

Who will assuage the Iowa fanbase? They don't have world level talent like that.

[jchapman]

33 minutes ago, Pinnacle said:

When Dake failed a couple times to produce, Yianni was there to pick up the slack  When Yianni failed, Arujau picked up the slack.

Who will assuage the Iowa fanbase? They don't have world level talent like that.

Does Iowa claim Real Woods?

[Pinnacle]

6 minutes ago, jchapman said:

Does Iowa claim Real Woods?

They do, but up until 2 days ago who thought he would medal at the WC? 

Congrats to him, btw.

[JeanGuy]

On 9/17/2025 at 10:40 AM, Dogbone said:

What about Cornell GOAT, Dake?  He couldn't make a World Team  for 5 years post college and has still has yet to make an Oly Final like Spencer just did.   No calls for Dake to leave or Koll be fired. 

It took Taylor (some might say the PSU GOAT at the time) 4 years to win Worlds after college and not one person suggested he should leave State College. 

Yet, Spencer (regardless of his GOAT status at Iowa) should definitely leave his current environment, where by all accounts he is happy, to train with guys who also did not win World titles at this point in their careers.  

I am not even an Iowa fan, but some of these takes fall into the Billy Madison meme, "we are all dumber for having listened to that" category. 

 

 

I think a lot of people consider Lee's window for success to be much smaller due to his physical issues. The man is not a young 26. He will be just shy of 30 at the next Olympics which is when Taylor won his Gold. Lee seems to really be made for freestyle, and I think has pushed expectation higher.

I don't think he "needs" to leave Iowa but I do think every athlete benefits from a new voice from time to time.

[bnwtwg]

1 hour ago, jchapman said:

Does Iowa claim Real Woods?

Since these are pro athletes on pro athlete contracts it's time to start talking trades like a real league:

Would Hawkeye RTC and CKWC make a deal: Spencer Lee for Real Woods?

Former medalist for a current medalist at the toughest weight. Good trade for both sides...

[ionel]

4 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Since these are pro athletes on pro athlete contracts it's time to start talking trades like a real league:

Would Hawkeye RTC and CKWC make a deal: Spencer Lee for Real Woods?

Former medalist for a current medalist at the toughest weight. Good trade for both sides...

IDK about that but Iowa is willing to trade @Jimmy Cinnabon for @PortaJohn.  

[BIGTENFANBOY]

On 9/15/2025 at 8:01 PM, Mr. PeanutButter said:

I can't remember the last time another wrestler received as much scrutiny and criticism as Lee has since starting college. Every single time he has had a bad match, let alone a loss, the comments would swarm in about how he's cooked, Iowa is cooked, the Brands have failed him/cudgled him/abused him, Dan Dennis should be fired, and all his practice partners over the years - Ayala, DeSanto, Real Woods, Jaydin and others - have been absolute bums.

Perhaps he should seek out some sort of change. Based on certain comments he has made in interviews the last couple years and how ridiculously self critical he can be after close matches or losses I think seeking out a sports psychologist or paying a visit to Carl's secret California witch doctor (the one that magically fixed Gilman's broken foot) is not a crazy thing.

But aside from that, the rhetoric around Lee has always surprised me. I'm an obviously biased Iowa fan but I really don't think other wrestlers get close to the same treatment

It's a response to Iowa fans making Spencer Lee out to be their Messiah.

Look at other programs. None of them put their stars on the pedestal quite like Iowa fans do to Spencer, so when they lose the universe does not crash down. With Spencer since Iowa fans have made him the living embodiment of the program, when he falters ofcourse it's going to be doom and gloom. Bottomline Spencer Lee IS the Iowa program, where as others are PART of their respective programs.