COB BASRA, Iraq – Who is Coach J Robinson?

Robinson has had an illustrious career as an Army Ranger during the Vietnam War, an Olympic wrestler and one of the greatest coaches in University of Minnesota history.

Robinson demonstrated his bravery by telling a roomful of military policemen how he listens to Britney Spears and Lady Gaga to get motivated.

Robinson is also caring. He flew to Iraq recently to motivate the troops and when he learned the government wasn’t going to pay his way, he was perfectly willing to fly halfway around world on his own dime.

All to offer a simple “Thank you.”

“When the chaplain called and asked if I could come, I thought it was the least I could do,” said Robinson, who was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005. “I was sitting at home, and you know what that’s like. It’s pretty good. Sometimes you don’t realize that until you leave.”

Robinson visited troops all over Contingency Operating Base Basra, at each stop encouraging Soldiers and telling them to embrace their deployment as a learning experience.

The following 10 coaches were asked the exact same question: If you could change one thing about college wrestling what would it be?

Tom Brands, University of Iowa Head Wrestling Coach
It would be the weigh-in procedures and basically how they have done a disservice to nutrition in this sport.

Barry Davis, University of Wisconsin Head Coach
Stalling calls. Make the guys wrestle more. That’s all. It’s the best sport going right now. A lot of action. It’s such a good thing now. You don’t need to change much of it, just make guys wrestle.

If you watch international wrestling it’s boring to watch because you can stall and get away with it. There’s not enough points scored.

Todd Hibbs, Olivet College Head Wrestling Coach
I’m one of those folks who is in favor of the one semester sport. I love this sport. I love all the competitions. I love all the time we get to put into it, but I really think one semester is the way to go.

I just think that academically it makes a lot of sense. In a sport where you have weight management issues it makes a lot of sense. I’m pretty strongly in favor of that move.