Gable only wants to coach if it's good for others
Q When I spoke to you earlier, you weren’t too sure about becoming Tom Brands’ assistant. Did Tom have to call you at the last moment to convince you?
A We just ended up talking on a daily basis, which now is going to be more than a daily basis. Tom is the head coach and I just want to go in there and make his job a little easier. If I can do that, then I’ve done my job. How long is it going to take? As quick as I get in there, make a major effect to help him and as quick as I can get back out, that would be good. I’m not saying I’m going to be there for a month, six months, a year. It will depend on how
things go and when things are smooth sailing. The sport of wrestling needs me too. Q Some people within the state of Iowa thought March 29, when all the first coaching changes were announced, was one of the biggest in history regarding its impact on the sport of wrestling. What to you think?
A Each program had two big-name coaches, but the fact was that neither program was living up to the standards of the past. It’s a pretty big thing when you say they are doing a pretty good job but a good job isn’t good enough. It kind of renewed what wrestling really does mean in this state.
Some of the best lines I heard came when I stopped and got gas. A guy there, who I didn’t know, looked at me and said, ‘Can you believe it? Brands and Sanderson going at it...are they going to be butting heads. I can’t wait.’ They are not going at it; their teams will be going at it, but that’s the way people think about personalities and two Olympic gold medalists. The guy was excited.
Q What kind of impact will these changes have on a national basis?
A All that happened in the state of Iowa just ignited John Smith (head coach at Oklahoma State), J Robinson (Minnesota), Mark Johnson (Illinois), Mark Manning (Nebraska); all the surrounding programs that have tried to be in there for a national title. This news traveled coast to coast and more than that. It also traveled to Europe, Asia. When you have Cael Sanderson and Tom Brands, there are 143 countries in the world that wrestle and they stay in tune with Olympic champs. There are people in all four corners of the world that know about these two.
Q There have been a lot of comparisons made between yourself and Cael Sanderson, including the fact that you were both the same age when you became head coaches with little coaching experience. What advice would you give Cael?
A I don’t know what I can say to him. Besides, do you think Tom Brands is going to want me to. (laughing) I think I gave him some decent advice when he was competing so I don’t have a problem helping him. I’m just not going to give him all the pieces of information about the Iowa program.
Q Bobby Douglas is leaving the sport as a coach at the same time you are returning to the sideline. What advice would you have for Bobby?
A If he wants to say goodbye to the sport, he can. But I wouldn’t advise it because he has a big name and the sport needs him. With a name like Bobby Douglas, it doesn’t take too long to get those opportunities, but he has to make sure people know that he’s out there available. I never fit into another real good job within the athletic department. I still was doing some work here but most of my work was looking out for the sport. I don’t see anyway Bobby can get away from the sport.
He is still going to make an impact on this sport and he should be. This has been his whole life and he’s had many people go through his system; whether at Arizona State or Iowa State. His connections are all over the world.
Q Why is it so hard for wrestling coaches to leave this sport?
A When you are in high school wrestling and go into another business, it is probably fairly easy to leave it, yet you recall some of the values that wrestling gave you. If you’ve been through some tough practices, it will carry you through. But once you go through college and that’s a select number that do and even go beyond that, it’s in you and you can’t get it out of you. We also take away some habits just for training in life.
All of a sudden you are going to get into a meeting with someone and you realize this isn’t so hard. I may get nervous about the moment, but realize that I’ve been here before … in a wrestling match that prepared me for this.
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