How can anybody put down the Sandersons after what they did for ISU wrestling? Thanks to Cael we can brag about having the best collegiate wrestler of all time, and likely always will since it's hard to beat perfection. What led to Cael even considering leaving ISU still baffles me, but I'll always be grateful to Cael and his brothers for what they did for ISU wrestling. The Gibbons may be close but I can't think of a greater ISU wrestling family than the Sandersons.
Jeepers, Wally! :wink: I think we are all well aware of the Sanderson legacy at ISU. Taking a few jesting pot-shots at the enemy is not indefensible!
Cael Sanderson went to Penn State to take a national title from us, the Hawkeyes and anyone else who might contend. He's fair game. Cyler left his team in the lurch - of course, at the time I don't think that he realized he had a team: the Coach Sanderson approach is very much an individual thing (the fact is that Cael was so good that I don't think he can ever grasp the team approach the way that Coach Jackson inherently understands it. Cael was chasing perfection as an athlete, Jackson was chasing a team title, even though he didn't win an individual one for himself.)
Furthermore, a lot of this is simply a lament that we didn't score any points at 157 and a wondering out loud what Cyler might have done for us. I also think there's a chance that Coach Jackson would have coached Cyler better than Cael can.
In all honesty, I believe we have a better team under Jackson, and am glad that Cael is gone, not for anything personal: I just prefer Coach Jackson's approach, fire, expectation and clarity. I happen to think we'll have more success under Jackson than we did under Cael.
Don't get me wrong: I appreciate the changes Cael was able to bring, as well as the renewed heights - but I'm also glad he didn't stick around long enough to reach his limit as a coach, which I truly believe he was approaching.