The Road Home
March 24, 2003 11:48 AM | General
March 24, 2003
KANSAS CITY -- It's time to wrap up the wrestlers' trip to Kansas City with Adam Zundell's journal chronicling the last few days at the NCAA tournament.
On Friday morning, we again pile in to the minivan to head to Kemper. The sun is out today, and the day seems fresh. Riding with Greg, Moose and Tom, I get the feeling that they are over yesterday's disappointments.
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| Brandon Lauer (133) was one of WVU's two All-Americans this weekend. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
Brandon loses his momentum from yesterday and loses 7-3. You get the feeling that if he would’ve wrestled last night, he probably would have pinned this guy too.
But Shane continues his magical ride. He gives up an early takedown, but keeps the pressure on. He is absolutely wearing his kid down. His opponent, Dana Holland, fixes his socks, shoes and does his hair almost every time the two go out of bounds in hopes of getting a little more rest. Finally, the kid’s stalling costs him a point and ultimately the match. When Shane scores on a single leg takedown with just seconds remaining in overtime, he raises his hands in the air before they cover his can-you-believe-this face, almost like his name as just been announced for an Academy Award.
When Shane wins, I remember what he told me as we walked into the arena on Tuesday.
“I’m about due, don’t you think?” he asked with a wink and a smile, referring to his 5-6 record at the NCAA championships. Until this week, Shane had never won two matches in a row at this tournament, with All-America honors slipping away each time. Apparently he was due as his win assures his All-American status.
After that, the guys get on a little roll again with wins from Seth, Billy, Greg and Moose. Lebe fights his guy from Iowa hard, but just can’t seem to convert good shots into takedowns. Then, though, the emotional roller coaster continued to twist and contort.
Seth goes down but Billy wins. Tom McMath’s college wrestling career ends by a single point. It’s amazing at how quick it is over. Just Tom and his friends know he’s done, and it seems like there should be more fan fare for a guy who has given himself at every turn to compete in the sport. All the 15,000 people see is the 8-7 score, but those who know him see a guy who has gone through several surgeries, both on his neck and his wrist, and will have to live with the irreparable damage done to his body throughout the rest of his life just to compete.
I think the same thing later when Billy is eliminated. Here he with no good knees left and walking off the mat with bandages draped left. People don’t realize that you can have all the skill, all the fight and still just sometimes not come out on top.
I see that these guys, like many others who are eliminated today, need to be reminded that although they didn’t accomplish what they ultimately wanted to, that the journey will fulfill him as much as any plaque or title. No one can tell them that now, really, they’ll have to figure that out with time.
It’s just amazing that in an instant, it’s over.
And then, after going nearly two complete seasons with just two losses, Greg loses for the second time in 24 hours and is eliminated. Ironic or not, the score is the same as the first. The buzz resonates throughout the arena. (“Jones what? How did that happen?”) He again oozes class, quietly shaking the hand of his opponent and his coaches. Because his losses are so rare, we haven’t been able to determine if he wins the same way that he loses. Well, he does.
Greg didn’t have much of a chance today, much like the Red Sox in game seven after game six when Bill Buckner let the ball go through his legs. Going through the consolation bracket is a tough way to become an All-American. I talked to Greg later that night after all the wrestling was over and he was himself. We didn’t talk wrestling or anything like that, we were just hanging out. You get the feeling he’s already plotting for next year.
Greg will be all right. We’ve bragged about his mental fortitude all year long and just because he’s suffered a setback doesn’t mean he’s not mentally tough. This is just a challenge and a chapter of what still will be a tremendous wrestling career.
In the afternoon session which starts at 5:30, again the range of emotions is all over the place. Brandon triumphs dramatically to cement his name as an All-American. Here is a guy who finished fourth two weeks ago at the EWL tournament--he didn’t even qualify automatically--and will now finish in the top eight in the nation.
Shane’s run ends, though, in a very tough match. His impeccable conditioning has his opponent on his heels, but this referee is not calling stalling like in the other match. His opponent is backing up and is doing nothing offensively, but Shane comes up a point short. He wanted to win a national title. He came agonizingly close to having that opportunity.
Shane is one of the guys that is inconsolable after a loss. Well, most of the guys aren’t open books after losing, but he wrestles with so much emotion that he is definitely one you just want to stay away from. Stick my arm in the lion’s den? No thanks.
I don’t see him the rest of the night.
After the session, we all head back in two minivans. Conversations float from all of the exciting matches in the semifinals. Lebe is agonizing about being called for a “fleeing the mat” penalty that cost him his match. He asks everyone (sometimes twice) if they thought it was a good call. Whitey and Coach Turnbull talk about some of the controversial calls in the semis, including the no-call for stalling in Shane’s match.
It’s still quiet along the hallway tonight. Some guys leave the hotel to have dinner with their parents or visit with family and girlfriends at their hotels. A little after 11, Drew Nicholas hits a three-pointer to give Maryland a first round win in the NCAA basketball championships. I bet Brandon’s happy about his Terps advancing, if he’s even awake.
Saturday didn't go too well for the Mountaineers. Brandon's knee injury finally catches up with him and he hobbles through his match. Shane just can't seem to get anything going and loses twice to take sixth. I know both wanted to finish higher--much higher--but I know that they are happy to be packing a plaque in their suitcase.
Saturday after the finals it was time to relax and unwind. Despite suffering some disappointments at the tournament, the guys are in relatively high spirits. It's been a long, grueling season for them, and the burden of the season is finally off of their shoulders. Some spend time with families and girlfriends, some spend quality time with food (Seth Lisa). They share stories of the tournament and the season, stories that forge the relationships that make up a team, stories that make up the memories of the journey that I referred to earlier.
It was a long trip back home Sunday, with the flight not leaving Kansas City until 5 p.m. We killed time by walking a little through a place called the Plaza going through stores where we couldn't even afford a sandwich. Lebe and I spend some quality time going through the part of town, and I feel a little bad about dogging him continuously through my journals (but only just a little).
At long last, the bus brings us back to the Shell Building, where this trip started almost a week earlier. It's amazing how you can travel all that distance and finish right where you started, but that so much has changed in that time.
It’s been an exhausting few days. Personally, I’ve been all over the place with my emotions. As my job requires, I have to be professional and non-biased throughout the competition (no cheering, no clapping, no yelling). But being outwardly stoic does not mean my stomach isn't in knots each time each one takes the mat. Since traveling with these guys over the past two seasons they have become my friends, and I hurt for them when they lose and am excited for them win they win. Being happy then sad, optimistic then bummed, joyful then disappointed has taken its toll. But of course, going through all of those emotions is why we all love sports.
They have taken me along for a tremendous journey over these past two seasons, and I thank them for letting me invade their lives athletically and personally during my time with them.
