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He is the definition of a legend. As the former head wrestling coach of West Waterloo High School in Waterloo, Iowa, Bob Siddens made his mark on the sport: 11 state team titles, 327-26 dual meet record, a streak of 88 straight dual meet wins, and he was the coach of Dan Gable. He was also a long-time official, officiating 26 NCAA tournaments.

Bob Siddens gave Wrestling 411 one of its most candid and in depth interviews to date. Siddens discussed coaching philosophy, Darrion Caldwell, Brent Metcalf, Dan Gable, racial tension in Waterloo, the match between Dale Anderson and Dan Gable — two of his athletes who became two-time NCAA champions, and getting hit with a steel chair during a dual meet.

Where was Dan Gable on July 10, 2009? At the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum golf outing of course. Gable doesn’t golf, but he was on hand for the weekend festivities in his hometown of Waterloo, Iowa.

Wrestling 411 sat down with Gable to discuss the two most important things in his life: family and wrestling. The former Hawkeye coach talked about ways to promote wrestling, the New England Patriots near-perfect season, competing in the Superstars challenge, and Mountain Dew.

Click below to listen in.

 

 Dan Gable: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

He did it six times. Carlton Haselrig won three NCAA Division II titles and three NCAA Division I titles from 1987 through 1989 during his career at Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Haselrig also posted a 122 match unbeaten streak, placing him among the greatest college heavyweights ever.

Haselrig was at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum for the its annual golf outing as a celebrity guest. In addition to an outstanding wrestling career, Haselrig was an all-pro football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers and has recently fought in mixed martial arts competitions.

Wrestling 411 talked wrestling, football, and MMA with a college wrestling great.

 

 Carlton Haselrig: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Okay, so there were a few interruptions during the Wayne Baughman interview (aka the the phone ringing). But that didn’t stop Baughman — 16-time national champion, three-time Olympian, 1976 Olympic freestyle coach, and former Air Force Academy head coach — from giving Wrestling 411 one of its most honest and open interviews.

Baughman discussed everything: retiring from the Air Force, his love/hate relationship with wrestling, the mythical match between Dan Gable and his former Oklahoma coach Tommy Evans, getting destroyed by Dan Hodge with a three-quarter nelson in practice, fighting for John and Ben Peterson to be on the 1972 Olympic team, the people that didn’t want him to coach the 1976 freestyle Olympic team, what it means to be tough, and the potential threat against the lives of Tom Brands and Cael Sanderson had the United States participated in the 2002 World Championships in Iran.

One of the top minds in wrestling coverage, insight and writing is the Iowa Press-Citizen’s Andy Hamilton. The beat writer for the one of the nation’s elite college wrestling programs, Hamilton has insight on Iowa wrestling and the national scene. But what does Hamilton think about the whole Cael Sanderson situation and the current coaching openings? We ask him.

Dan Gable was a two-time NCAA Champion at Iowa State before moving to rival Iowa City to take the reigns as the coach at the University of Iowa. Gable’s name has been discussed as a potential replacement for Cael Sanderson at Iowa State as have many others.

Dan Gable was at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum for the Glen Brand Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. Gable, a former two-time NCAA champion for Iowa State, coached the University of Iowa to 15 NCAA team titles from 1977 through 1997.

Wrestling 411 had a chance to talk to Gable about the head coaching vacancy at Iowa State University. Gable discussed his thoughts on Cael Sanderson leaving, where this leaves Cyclone wrestling, and his thoughts on going after the job himself.

 

 Dan Gable: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

How quickly can a wrestler improve? By the minute if you ask 1972 Olympic freestyle coach Bill Farrell. That’s how fast he said John Peterson was improving during the Olympic training camp in 1972.

Following a college wrestling career that saw him place fifth at the NAIA championships in 1971, John Peterson found his greatest wrestling success at the international level. Competing at two Olympic Games and four World Championships, Peterson reached the apex of his career in 1976 when he won a gold medal at the Olympics in Montreal.

Wrestling 411 sat down with Peterson and talked about his historic wrestling career.

Kyle Klingman spent five years as the Associate Director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum, so he’s had a chance to talk with Mike Chapman on literally hundreds of occasions. Well, to start Day 1 of Wrestling 411’s Championship Crusade, Wrestling411’s Klingman and Jason Bryant go two-on-one against one of the deans of wrestling history.

Topics range from those who transcend the sport of wrestling, the movers and shakers in wrestling, some great wrestling stories and discussion of all things wrestling. If you’ve never heard Mike tell a story, you just sit back and soak it in.

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Kyle Klingman and Jason Bryant were in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area on Thursday and Friday before the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals and one of the big events was the re-opening of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum.

We were on hand to celebrate the re-opening and got a score of great interviews for you, the wrestling fan, to enjoy.

Part one of our seven-interview series is below with UNI AD Troy Dannen, Dan Gable, 1950 Olympic Champion Bill Smith, and Wabash College coach Brian Anderson.

 

 Northern Iowa AD Troy Dannen: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Dan Gable: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 1950 Olympic Champion Bill Smith: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Wabash College head coach Brian Anderson: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download