What's Bugging Andy

[ISUCubswin]

I don't give a **** about Iowa State wrestling.

That being said, I also don't care if Pollard doesn't give a **** about wrestling - it is a much loved sport here and you need to give the fans what they want.

Makes no sense to me the money that has been thrown into our track and field and cross country programs. No one cares about the success of those programs except for the occasional "congrats on winning the Big XII."

And I get it. His son is a hell of a runner, and he has a passion for running. But the wrestling program means so much more here.

 

[theshadow]

Makes no sense to me the money that has been thrown into our track and field and cross country programs.

ISU went almost 20 years without an outdoor track. The old one at SWAC still had a scoreboard with Big Eight identifiers on it when it finally got torn down.

Since UNL and aTm left, ISU has the only competition indoor track facility in the Big 12. That automatically means hosting the league championship every year, so upgrades (resurfacing, score/video boards, etc.) are necessary to meet certain standards. There are also other collegiate meets hosted at Lied.

The cross country course got new irrigation and a new finish line area, neither of which it had before. Again, ISU hosts high school, Big 12, and occasionally NCAA regional events there, so there is an expected facility standard to meet.

 

[NetflixAndClone]

I like college hockey and I watch the Gophers all the time. I would LOVE for ISU to go D1 in hockey but my sense is that it would be a GIGANTIC $$$ investement and one that we could give a fraction of to the wrestling team to make it a top 1-5 team again.

I heard that UI is going D1 in hockey in the next couple years, anyone else hear that?

I've actually heard the opposite. No sources or anything it's just from Iowa fans they act like they never want to pick up the sport. I know Rutgers said they will though.

 

[Gunnerclone]

I like college hockey and I watch the Gophers all the time. I would LOVE for ISU to go D1 in hockey but my sense is that it would be a GIGANTIC $$$ investement and one that we could give a fraction of to the wrestling team to make it a top 1-5 team again.

I heard that UI is going D1 in hockey in the next couple years, anyone else hear that?

I hear that hok fan thinks they're getting everything all of the time.

 

[jkclone]

I find it interesting that media people who set foot in Hilton for wrestling maybe once every two years (when the Hawks come to town, naturally) all of a sudden have these hot takes on what Iowa State/Pollard should do when it comes to the wrestling coaching search and the program in general.

I think some of this has to do with how we have performed. Coverage of sports has really increased when we have been down.

 

[Frak]

This is a costly option, but what I would do is start looking at a BB practice facility connected to Hilton. Practice courts, locker rooms, a new, bigger Johnny's on the top floor. Then move Wrestling and Volleyball out to the current BB facility. You upgrade facilities for four sports with one building.

As far as Wrestling HC pay, our FB coordinators make $400k. There's no way you pay a Wrestling coach that much since their sport brings in almost no money. $200k gets you top 5 in the sport pay I'm guessing.

 

[ISU22CY]

Minnesota (Sports Pavilion) and Nebraska (Coliseum) were able to repurpose existing buildings into comfortable-sized venues for those Olympic sports. The Armory would have been similar to those, in many ways. But that ship has long since sailed. To build something new like that would be crazy expensive -- and where do you put it?

Yes I am aware those two were repurposed which was great for those universities and something we do not have. Keep in mind we also just built a brand new practice tennis complex. It would be off campus similar to how the basketball practice facility is. This was wishful thinking.

 

[HGoat]

As far as Wrestling HC pay, our FB coordinators make $400k. There's no way you pay a Wrestling coach that much since their sport brings in almost no money. $200k gets you top 5 in the sport pay I'm guessing.

That is correct.