Writer witnesses wonders of wrestling in Cleveland

I am talking about wrestling. I had the fortunate opportunity to see the best wrestlers in the nation go head to head at the NCAA Championships in Cleveland.

And I was a little tentative going into the championships because I never really followed the sport. After five minutes at the Cleveland State Convocation Center, however, my whole perspective changed.

It started with the fans at the event. I didn't expect anything like being in Beaver Stadium during a football game or watching a pro team play in the playoffs.

But immediately following the singing of the national anthem, I saw a fan stand up in the far corner of the stadium and start to wave a black and yellow scarf. I figured he was an Iowa fan. He wasn't just an Iowa wrestling fan, he was their head cheerleader. He stood up and started waving his scarf and all of the sudden, the entire contingent of Iowa fans was standing, hooting and hollering. Then they chanted, "I-O-W-A, IOWA, IOWA, IOWA."

It was the loudest chant I ever heard.

Later that day, I walked around the Iowa section and ran into the guy who led the cheer. He said he does that cheer before every Iowa wrestling match to get the fans rowdy. I looked around him and saw many people who seemed to be longtime fans.

After the Iowa faithful (which seemed to fill half the stadium) were done cheering, the stadium announcer announced the beginning of the tournament. And all of the sudden, there were 16 wrestlers competing on the floor at the same time. There were coaches jumping around shouting instructions, and of course the fans were putting in their two cents. There was so much going on, I really didn't know where to focus.

One of the matches that got my attention was between a wrestler from Iowa and a wrestler from Oklahoma State, the two teams that would battle for the national title. With every point awarded to each wrestler during the match, there was a loud reaction of cheers and boos emanating from the stands. Throughout the entire tournament, you would always hear shouting matches between fans, mainly the Iowa fans versus the rest.

When everybody entered the stadium to watch the national championship matches, they saw the mat raised off the floor like a professional wrestling ring. The championships was a good show. First they started with a parade of past national champions and the 1998 All-American wrestlers. The majority of the fans gave a warm reception to each person presented. But the one person who received an overwhelming response was the widow of the great wrestler David Schultz, who was murdered a few years ago. Everybody in the stadium was on their feet, some with tears in their eyes, to show respect to a great fallen hero.

After the parade of champions, it was on to the matches. After each match, each wrestler went crazy knowing he had just been crowned the best in his weight class. Some of the champions ran into the stands, right to their parents to receive huge hugs.

After spending these past few days at the wrestling championships, I learned about the sport and was sad to see it end. I wondered how anyone could say wrestling was dying after the show I saw. Next year's championships will be held at The Bryce Jordan Center. Hotels are already booked for that weekend.

I would encourage everybody to go to the championships, it's definitely a sight to see.

I know I will be there.