Tom Brands Childish Behavior Warrants a "Time-Out" at the Big Tens

[theunionchair]

I personally like what Tom Brands to brings to the sport of wrestling. Fire, passion, the will-to-win, and a enough color and intrigue for the the Big Ten Network cameras to keep an eye on him the entire tournament. That is good for the sport.

But Brands crossed the line on what was a great day of wrestling on Saturday in Madison.

To set the stage, the Big Ten atmosphere was incredibly amicable, filled with fans steaming with pride, not only about their teams and a tremedous venue at the host University of Wisconsin, but more over, for simply belonging to a conference that will boast 65 automatic qualifiers and produce at least 7 national champions. 

Between sessions, wrestling fans visited Mad-Town's many restaurants and historic water holes. They mixed friendly banter with harmless barbs and sincere compliments of each other's programs, coaches, and wrestlers. They traded stories of wrestling warriors of days long ago, predictions of today tournament, and optimism for this great sport in the future. I personally witnessed this when a group of Minnesota fans I ran into at the Kollege Klub, humbly and correctly predicted "Wisconsin is on the rise big-time. We will be lucky if we (Minnesota) gets one wrestler to the finals." Talk about friendly and accurate comments. They were exactly right!

Even the normally proud Iowa fans were appreciative of being in Madison and being a part of the great tradition of the 100-year aniversary Big Ten wrestling championships. Overall, their demeanor and conduct was a credit to the Big Ten; their love and knowledge of the sport is unprecedented.

That leaves us with the head coach of the Hawkeye Nation. We know what we get with Tom Brands: a man filled with enough energy and will to power the impressive, high voltage lighting system and powerful scoreboard at the Kohl Center on Saturday. A man whose accomplishments in the sport both as a coach and wrestler need no explanation. A man who continues to add to the rich tradition that is Iowa wrestling, so much so that two-thirds of the crowd roars when Iowa is scored on or loses a match. This is not so much as to dislike their program and wrestlers, but out of respect to Iowa's historic program as to say, "Hey, can you please give the other Big Ten wrestlers a chance to compete against you guys?"

During the tightly contested match between Isaac Jordan and Derek St. John, with the Iowa wrestler continuously being returned violently to the mat after a Jordan takedown, St. John appeared to escape late in the first period. This questionable call was wisely challenged by coach Barry Davis. The call was reversed and Brands was as hot as the chicken wing deep fryer at State Street Brats.

After St. John's overtime, last second victory, Brands came on to the mat, not to congratulate his wrestler, but to chastise the officials for a bad call. He picked up a well-deserved unsportsmanlike conduct. He didn't stop there. He sprinted off the mat toward the scorer's table and delivered a Nikita Khrushchev-like table pounding and shouted at replay officals for reversing the escape call.

He could have ended it there but instead decided to skipp toward the Wisconsin fans in the Kohl Center's middle lower seats and with index fingers pointed at them, taunted them for as many as ten seconds before running with child-like glee into hidden tunnel in the bowels of the arena.

Why, with all these accomplishments, must a man lose control of himself and his actions as to not only make a complete fool of himself, but to bring shame on the sport and his prestigious University of Iowa? Why can't a wrestling leader like Brands set the example of good sportsmanship and honor in victory (or defeat) and simply walk off the mat with the incredibly humbling experience of valor.

Maybe Brands was just trying to give St. John, his defending NCAA champion, a kick in the pants to start wrestling more aggressively, especially due to the fact that St. John's offensive output has been non-existent and his recent senior slide has dropped him in the rankings. We will never know. But I guarantee the crowd will be even more apt to cheer for St. John's opponent, Nebraska's James Green, because of Brand's kindergarten-laced trantrums.

Whatever the case, his actions warrant a harsh response by the Big Ten Conference and rebuke from his own athletic director. While the Iowa fans were rolling their eyes and saying to themselves, well, that's just 'Ol Tom", I can't help believe they were actually asking "What am I going to say to defend his actions when we meet our Big Ten brethren in University Avenue taverns after session two?"

In my son's preschool class, when a child cannot control himself in the classroom due to hyperactivity which causes disruption, he is asked to sit in a turtle-shaped chair for a "time out." Brands is not that big. We may be able to find one for him.

[CLC FAN]

I am not often on your side unionchair,  but that was a fine post!

[Brett Favre - R.I.P.]

I agree with the whole story except for the "Wisconsin is on the rise big time".  First of all I am and always will be a huge Wisconsin fan but I am getting tired of the yearly rants and raves about UW wrestling. The program is mediocre at best in the big ten and isn't headed for glory anytime soon. Yes, we will always have a couple studs on the team but overall we are not in the same league with Iowa, Penn State and Minnesota, not even close. Look at the team scores so far at the big 10's.  Where are we 7th or so. Every year we hear that we are getting better but its just not happening. Whats the reason for the consistent mediocre performances ?  
It all started when Donny Pritzlaff was fired by Barry Davis. You can say what you want but Donny Pritzlaff was the reason UW finished 4th in the NCAA's about 5 yerars back. DP is the reason all the big time studs came to UW. Nothing against Trevor or Kyle but they couldn't hold Donny's jockstrap. They don't have the credentials nor the personality to recruit the best in the country. I cant help but wonder where we would be if Donny Pritzlaff was the head coach at UW.
Well its time to get back and watch the rest of the big 10's. Good Luck today badgers.

[theunionchair]

I agree with the whole story except for the "Wisconsin is on the rise big time".  First of all I am and always will be a huge Wisconsin fan but I am getting tired of the yearly rants and raves about UW wrestling. The program is mediocre at best in the big ten and isn't headed for glory anytime soon. Yes, we will always have a couple studs on the team but overall we are not in the same league with Iowa, Penn State and Minnesota, not even close. Look at the team scores so far at the big 10's.  Where are we 7th or so. Every year we hear that we are getting better but its just not happening. Whats the reason for the consistent mediocre performances ?  
It all started when Donny Pritzlaff was fired by Barry Davis. You can say what you want but Donny Pritzlaff was the reason UW finished 4th in the NCAA's about 5 yerars back. DP is the reason all the big time studs came to UW. Nothing against Trevor or Kyle but they couldn't hold Donny's jockstrap. They don't have the credentials nor the personality to recruit the best in the country. I cant help but wonder where we would be if Donny Pritzlaff was the head coach at UW.
Well its time to get back and watch the rest of the big 10's. Good Luck today badgers.

First, my article was about Tom Brands, not Wisconsin wrestling.

Second, I didn't say, "Wisconsin wrestling is on the rise big-time." A Minnesota fan said that to me when my son and I were having lunch at the Kollege Klub yesterday.

Third, The Minnesota fan was absolutely correct: Wisconsin wrestling is on the rise-BIG TIME!

Fourth, keep this thread about Tom Brands and stay on topic.

[harley]

Minnesotta had a awful session last night, Don't see Iowa stoping Penn State today,
I am not sure about BIG TIME, but headed in the right direction, maybe

[hammen]

The Union Chair has spoken!

[Harris]

I agree with the whole story except for the "Wisconsin is on the rise big time".  First of all I am and always will be a huge Wisconsin fan but I am getting tired of the yearly rants and raves about UW wrestling. The program is mediocre at best in the big ten and isn't headed for glory anytime soon. Yes, we will always have a couple studs on the team but overall we are not in the same league with Iowa, Penn State and Minnesota, not even close. Look at the team scores so far at the big 10's.  Where are we 7th or so. Every year we hear that we are getting better but its just not happening. Whats the reason for the consistent mediocre performances ?  
It all started when Donny Pritzlaff was fired by Barry Davis. You can say what you want but Donny Pritzlaff was the reason UW finished 4th in the NCAA's about 5 yerars back. DP is the reason all the big time studs came to UW. Nothing against Trevor or Kyle but they couldn't hold Donny's jockstrap. They don't have the credentials nor the personality to recruit the best in the country. I cant help but wonder where we would be if Donny Pritzlaff was the head coach at UW.
Well its time to get back and watch the rest of the big 10's. Good Luck today badgers.

Yeah, Michigan and Donny are just blowing away the competition in the three years since he left UW    Look at what Sanderson did at Penn State in 3 years.  If Donny is so good we should see a national championship this year at Michigan.

Your comment, "Nothing against Trevor or Kyle" followed by your backhanded obtuse reference, "Couldn't hold Donny's jockstrap"  is impudent at best.  Why throw out a comment insinuating that you have nothing against someone and then attack their ability in the same sentence.  I can understand your frustration.  Any Wisconsin wrestling fan feels it, but how about some more constructive comments regarding the assistant coaching staff who are doing a great job.

[Brett Favre - R.I.P.]

Union chair, I hope you enjoy the finals today. I'll say hi if I see you wandering around with your red and white cane

[schneider]

I agree with the whole story except for the "Wisconsin is on the rise big time".  First of all I am and always will be a huge Wisconsin fan but I am getting tired of the yearly rants and raves about UW wrestling. The program is mediocre at best in the big ten and isn't headed for glory anytime soon. Yes, we will always have a couple studs on the team but overall we are not in the same league with Iowa, Penn State and Minnesota, not even close. Look at the team scores so far at the big 10's.  Where are we 7th or so. Every year we hear that we are getting better but its just not happening. Whats the reason for the consistent mediocre performances ?  
It all started when Donny Pritzlaff was fired by Barry Davis. You can say what you want but Donny Pritzlaff was the reason UW finished 4th in the NCAA's about 5 yerars back. DP is the reason all the big time studs came to UW. Nothing against Trevor or Kyle but they couldn't hold Donny's jockstrap. They don't have the credentials nor the personality to recruit the best in the country. I cant help but wonder where we would be if Donny Pritzlaff was the head coach at UW.
Well its time to get back and watch the rest of the big 10's. Good Luck today badgers.

Wisconsin has commitments from two of the nation's top 100 seniors, and they've also locked down IMO the two best seniors in WI. Not only is your statement pretty inaccurate, but you're also being unfair considering Kyle and Trevor are both young and early in their careers compared to Donny.

[TLV]

My good buddy, Favre is reminding me of that guy from Manitowoc who used to inappropriate term1 about Barry years ago. Bret, you've lived in DaNord for years haven't you?
Sconny is improving. Schools like Indiana, Purdue and MSU are not. And MU is getting worse...othere than their somehow beating UM this year.

[MNbadger]

The monkies from Iowa shame and embarrass our beloved sport with ther poor behavior.  I would never want to introduce a new fan to our sport with these idiots in the arena. 

[woody53]

I am stepping out of my position here, but the sad thing is, there are many of our top high school coaches and team fans that see this, and feel this this the way to success and recognition. Sorry, I saw a  lot of bad sportsmanship this last weekend at team state. From the fans. From the Coaches, but the good part, was very little from the competitors. There is a Sportsmanship Award that is provided by Rural Insurance. Think about what an Honor it would be for your school to recieve that, before you shout that comment for all to hear.

[Lumpy]

I personally enjoy some unsportsmen like conduct. Doesn't that make you want to beat them even more?People are getting soft

[Wisconsinpitbull]

I was sitting over in the Penn State section, and although their overall crowd was very polite and friendly, I did hear some boorish comments out of a small segment of that section. Sitting in the same row as us were a group of six Iowa Hawkeye fans, and they were the most polite, wonderful people. You can generalize if you want, but remember that the fans are individuals, and I think most just want to have fun and cheer their team on.

As for the Badgers, I like the direction we are heading and I liked how the guys wrestled out there this weekend and am looking forward to the NCAAs.

[neutral]

Kinda hate to go here - but in all seriousness ... I think the guy needs meds.

Energy is one thing ... anxiety & lack of control are others - and the "IA vs. the World" atmosphere he helps create & maintain only magnifies the problem.  I don't imagine the crowd reaction to the Ramos victory over Graff did much for him either - but in the 25?-30? minutes between events ... you'd think a little deep breathing might help put things back in perspective.

I hate the overmedication of America - but some people need them ... and IMO Brands is one of them.