Emotional news conferences follow U.S. Olympic Trials

IOWA CITY — Tony Ramos said he felt like was stabbed in the back.

Iowa Coach Tom Brands said he was ambushed.

What occurred was a surprising, confusing and emotional war of words that left Ramos contemplating his future with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club and Brands trying to diffuse the tense situation after the USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials on Sunday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Fellow HWC member Daniel Dennis swept a best-of-3 series against Ramos, claiming the 125 1/2-pound spot on the U.S. Olympic men's freestyle team. After Dennis punched his ticket to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Ramos shared his displeasure with how the situation was handled.

'I was lied to a couple times. I feel like I was stabbed in the back. I feel like I was loyal to a fault to coaches and athletes from things that I've seen and right now the first thing I'm thinking is I need to move on (and) get out of this program.'

Ramos was a three-time All-American and four-time national qualifier for the Hawkeyes. He is the program's last NCAA champion, winning the 133-pound championship in 2014. About three months later, Ramos made an instant splash with the HWC earning his spot on the first of two straight U.S. World teams.

Brands questioned how Ramos was lied to and said he didn't see it that way.

'I see two guys after the same thing,' Brands said. 'They're both Hawkeyes. They're both vital to our program. Because of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, they've had opportunities to pursue something that is the pinnacle of the sport and when you're talking about things that unravel a little bit it's easy to go the sour-grape route. Maybe that's easy. When you're accusing someone of lying and things that aren't true. I have a hard time believing that is true because from day one that guy walked on campus he's been my guy. Just like every other guy upstairs in that wrestling room. Eligibility or members of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. We give our soul to those guys, equally.

'There is a lot to be said for you get what you earn,' Brands said. 'You know what? You do get what you earn.

'The bottom line is we had two guys at a weight and I am very happy for Dan Dennis and I'm down about Tony Ramos. I'm as down about Tony Ramos as I am about Brent Metcalf. If Tony Ramos wins that wrestling match, then I am extremely happy for Tony Ramos and I am as down about Dan Dennis as I am about Brent Metcalf. And, it's really that simple.'

Ramos seemed to take exception to a few things, including the corner coaches for the finals, Dennis having to be persuaded to return to the club, while Ramos remained with the program and comments other coaches and teammates made that he said favored Dennis.

'I'm not going to hold anything back,' Ramos said. 'I was told by Tom Brands over two months ago that he would not be in Dan Dennis' corner, and him and Terry would corner me. We had the conversation. Right away, I see that Tom Brands is going to be in Dennis' corner from media, from Twitter. Then, they had Ryan Morningstar in my corner. Well, I go out to eat and Ryan Morningstar is sitting at a dinner table eating dinner with Dan Dennis. It's just things that shouldn't be handled like that in that situation.'

Brands said it was discussed that he would be in Ramos' corner and he was, albeit figuratively Sunday night.

'When you corner a guy, you're not just in his corner for matches,' Brands said. 'You're in his corner for his life. I've been in that guy's corner since the day he walked on campus. Have been and always will be.'

Dennis stepped away from competition for a few years, coaching in California. He returned to wrestling with the HWC, creating almost a Prodigal Son dynamic between the Hawkeye who came back and the one who remained at home.

Brands admitted that Dennis was courted several times, but claimed he regularly returned to Iowa City.

'He has made several trips to Iowa City,' Brands said. 'He is not a stranger here. He's my guy. He's a Hawkeye.

'Whether he went to California or wherever he ends up, he's our guy and he was welcome in our room 100 percent.'

Ramos said the only support he felt he received was from Iowa associate head coach Terry Brands, who he said he felt was the only one that wanted to see him win that match.

'The whole time he was by my side,' Ramos said. 'The whole time he agreed with everything and how I felt.'

Ramos is uncertain of what the future holds, if Ramos walks away from the HWC. He would be interested in coaching.

'I don't know what's next, yet,' Ramos said. 'I don't know if I'm going to keep competing. I don't know what I'm going to do yet.'

The question is whether sharing his grievances in public has damaged the relationship between Ramos, his coaches and teammates beyond repair. Or, whether either side cares to repair it.

'Tony Ramos has an open door and he knows that,' Brands said. 'That's maybe my emotion and appeal, but I'm not going to talk to Tony Ramos through this doggone press conference.'

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