Man how good is Brian Smith?

[tigerfan 221]

Eblen was devastated and ashamed of his actions after that incident. He was so frustrated that he was losing and would fail to achieve AA, he lost his head. Man, he was so broken up about embarrassing himself and the team, yet alone possibly costing them a trophy, when I saw him at the team social it nearly broke my heart. I tried to reassure him that the team wouldn’t have been where they were without his contributions over his career, and we were still proud of him. It brought tears to his eyes. And he had the biggest golf ball I’ve ever seen over one eye. Johny is a good dude, as is his parents. 

[smsu150 24]

Another fun fact about Mizzou.  National Champ - Mark Ellis was a walk-on as was current UFC fighter and AA Michael Chandler.  Coach Smith actually recruited Ellis off the football team.  Mizzou has a had a good deal of success with guys not nationally recruited out of high school. 

This year's team has a ton of depth.  They should be good for the next several years to come.  

 

[Perry 1,423]

33 minutes ago, tigerfan said:

Eblen was devastated and ashamed of his actions after that incident. He was so frustrated that he was losing and would fail to achieve AA, he lost his head. Man, he was so broken up about embarrassing himself and the team, yet alone possibly costing them a trophy, when I saw him at the team social it nearly broke my heart. I tried to reassure him that the team wouldn’t have been where they were without his contributions over his career, and we were still proud of him. It brought tears to his eyes. And he had the biggest golf ball I’ve ever seen over one eye. Johny is a good dude, as is his parents. 

Important to remember that these guys, while men, are still young and growing/maturing. It was a good learning experience I'm sure though I know mizzou and its fans would have preferred a third place trophy over fourth. It is easy to forget this sometimes as fans and I know I have done it myself on these forums. Glad to hear he took the moment to heart and regretted it. Shows solid signs of character growth on his part.

[drag it 465]

2 hours ago, Perry said:

Important to remember that these guys, while men, are still young and growing/maturing. It was a good learning experience I'm sure though I know mizzou and its fans would have preferred a third place trophy over fourth. It is easy to forget this sometimes as fans and I know I have done it myself on these forums. Glad to hear he took the moment to heart and regretted it. Shows solid signs of character growth on his part.

Which doesn't surprise me, is consistent with the gist of what I posted which led to the sidebar on that incident, and which proves that the exception proves the rule, including with respect to that wrestler. I've really enjoyed watching Missouri kids for their wrestling, their styles, and the way they conduct themselves after matches at NCAAs.  Thanks everyone for (a) the details on the incident, and (b) the important backstory on the young man.  

[mlbruem 141]

On 1/25/2021 at 7:48 AM, Idaho said:

If Hart beats Eierman.....

OH that would be SWEET!

[BadgerMon 226]

He's obviously an excellent coach/recruiter and shaper of  young men.

That being said, he has the added bonus of having Ben/Max Askren selling some of the best Wisconsin high school wrestlers on his program.  

[Sparky 48]

On 1/24/2021 at 7:16 PM, MSU158 said:

Missouri isn’t exactly a long time top wrestling destination and yet Smith has them up near the top every season. Even with top coaches like Henson and Eierman leaving.

Man, I really wanted him back at MSU once Minkel finally left. Not that he would have came back after a 5 minute conversation with anyone representing the dumpster fire that MSU’s Athletic Department currently is. 
 

Still, back on topic. They lose both Eiermans and haven’t missed a beat. Many thought the way the left showed some internal problems that could cause a serious drop off. Instead,  Hart takes over 141 and is ranked 4th.  On top of that, they should rather easily have all 10 qualify for NCAA’s. 
 

I just can’t imagine any coach doing more with what Missouri has to offer. I am truly very impressed!

How about coaches?  Alex Clemsen went from Mizzou asst to a head coaching gig. 

[MizzouGrad 137]

40 minutes ago, Sparky said:

How about coaches?  Alex Clemsen went from Mizzou asst to a head coaching gig. 

His coaching tree is bigger than that: 

Jeremy Spates - Head Coach at SIUE

Lee Pritts - Assistant Coach at ASU (Likely to get a top gig in next few years) 

Alex Clemsem - Head Coach at Maryland

Joe Johnston - Associate Head Coach Air Force

Sammie Henson - Former Head Coach at West Virginia 

Current coaches Kendric Maple and Tyrel Todd look like near locks to get at least a shot at Head Coaching jobs. 

I'm sure I'm missing some, but that's pretty solid list. Granted, it's not the Gable or John Smith coaching tree, but it's bigger than say Cael's coaching tree or the Brands Brothers.

 

 

[Show_Me 336]

2 hours ago, Sparky said:

How about coaches?  Alex Clemsen went from Mizzou asst to a head coaching gig. 

Jon Sioredas (sp) - Cal Poly

[Gantry 1,872]

Was Mizzou Henson's first coaching gig? 

[moveurfeet32 99]

I was always surprised about the lack of Missouri fans that would show up in state at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis...They had some great teams and a couple of Stars...And they were the Host...But their fan base was very weak...Obviously Smith is a Great coach

[RED 102]

Funny to hear him described - pretty much another Rob Koll, which makes sense given he is part of Koll's coaching tree.  Both administrators with great assistants, both teams play a great role in developing their talent.

 

[gimpeltf 2,045]

33 minutes ago, moveurfeet32 said:

I was always surprised about the lack of Missouri fans that would show up in state at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis...They had some great teams and a couple of Stars...And they were the Host...But their fan base was very weak...Obviously Smith is a Great coach

We (Lehigh) sat next to them a couple years ago. Not a huge base but not a small one either. And at least two fans really stood out. One seemed to be the team cheerleader. I forget who it was but one of their kids had transferred to Iowa State the year before to be with his father. They cheered him on as if he never left. The other was Mauller's older and much bigger brother. He could really get fired up. He was cool about it though. He'd realize how he was and when we smiled at him, he'd get a kick out of it.

[Gantry 1,872]

Yeah the way the Mizzou fans cheered on Miklus at that tourney was some really touching stuff.  All class there...

[KCMO2 673]

4 hours ago, Gantry said:

Was Mizzou Henson's first coaching gig? 

Haha!  Before Mizzou he had coached at Oklahoma, Cal-Poly, Penn St., Nebraska, and West Point.  I'd hardly call him part of Smith's coaching tree.

[red blades 364]

On 1/29/2021 at 5:21 PM, MizzouGrad said:

His coaching tree is bigger than that: 

Jeremy Spates - Head Coach at SIUE

Wait, I thought Smith was a branch on Spates's coaching tree... ;-)

[Crotalus 592]

On 1/24/2021 at 7:16 PM, MSU158 said:

Still, back on topic. They lose both Eiermans and haven’t missed a beat. Many thought the way the left showed some internal problems that could cause a serious drop off. Instead,  Hart takes over 141 and is ranked 4th.  On top of that, they should rather easily have all 10 qualify for NCAA’s. 

 

I just can’t imagine any coach doing more with what Missouri has to offer. I am truly very impressed!

I don't think it showed any internal problems. He basically blamed Mizzou for not developing him into a national champ and top freestyle guy. He is definitely going to have a better environment for continuing his freestyle career up at Iowa, but I would have like to hear him say some of the blame falls on him and he just wanted a change of environment. It's not like Smith hasn't had any National Champs. I'll still be rooting for him to win a title this year (if he loses, I hope it's to Hart).

On 1/24/2021 at 8:36 PM, MizzouGrad said:

Cox left because he was a local celebrity and felt like he needed to get out of his hometown so he could focus. Coach Smith said he was getting dozens of speaking requests a month. 

He also left to go to Colorado before the part-time at Ohio St. came into play. As great as Brian Smith has been at developing college wrestlers, the freestyle program doesn't have much going for it.

On 1/25/2021 at 3:09 PM, SetonHallPirate said:

At first (it happened right in front of me, but I had a side view of Eblen's actions) I thought it was a bad call, but it was pretty darned clear that it was a headbutt on video review. (it was also only called unsportsmanlike initially, was called as flagrant misconduct upon review...believe it was that summer that it was decided that all flagrant misconduct calls MUST be reviewed if the review is available)

It was definitely a deserved call, but it wasn't a Desanto flying kimura. It was a frustrated young kid seeing his AA dreams disappear before his eyes. Almost understandable, though not condonable. Cost Mizzou a team trophy, but you can't blame Smith for it. Not like Eblen had a history of unsportsmanlike behavior.

 

Smith has done about as good a job at a school like Mizzou as anybody could. If you are a kid not being recruited by Iowa or PSU, then Mizzou is definitely worth a look.

Edited January 31, 2021 by Crotalus