I will just say my two cents. BRUTE/ADIDAS Nationals was for the wrestlers only. Spectators got really poorly treated at this event, and obviously from what I saw the tournament directors were more concerned with the wrestlers than their fan bases. For the most part, every kid got a match when he was supposed to and the quality of wrestling was around average to above average in some matches.

The officials and referees did they best they could with all people being rude and not following proper conduct for a wrestling tournament, let alone as a coach. I felt that this tourney needs a newer venue with the wrestler competing on a sunken floor (i.e. Municipal Auditorium or even possibly Kemper Arena or Topeka Bi-Centennial Center). This venue was a barn and there was NO seating for family or friends to watch.

Also, the bathroom was disgusting. Yeah, thats right... the one nasty bathroom shared by all dirty 7 year old boys through even dirtier 18 year old boys. It was foul to say the least.

But the wrestler wrestled. And that is what they came there to do. They stepped on the mat with other good wrestlers and they challenged themselves to get better every time the whistle blew. I like watching wrestling like that, even if I'm 4 deep against the wall and seeing it through necks and shoulders of these pomopous redneck coaches cussing up a storm about whatever I don't care about, while chewing tobacco right in front me and 8 year old boys. To me this was kind of bothersome.

One of the good things about BRUTE/ADIDAS Nationals, if not the best thing, was that a tournament like this is full of distractions. Aside from the tournament being run poorly, all the boys including our boys in Kansas should have learned a valuable lesson this week being: A) how to wrestle in a chaotic environment when things are not typical and B) getting mentally and physically prepared in same said environment. If you have allowed the chaos on the floor to get into your head because of upset friends and family who came to view you being angry around you coupled with not having a proper preparation area/workout area- then as a wrestler you have a long way to go to learn what it takes to become prepared to wrestle. That means AT ANY TIME, IN ANY SITUATION.

Wrestling or not, there are times in your life when things are going to be chaotic, hectic, and poorly run. It is in these times that a true champion of character emerges because for good wrestlers THE MATCH is the only thing that should be on your mind. Learning to be prepared in the worst environments will make competing in the ones that are done right even that much easier... thats my silver lining on all of this gray.