I’ve never been so relieved to be in New Jersey in my life. This isn’t a shot at the state or the people in it, but after leaving New York City last night after the Beat the Streets Celebration, I was so happy to just sit in my Blazer and let someone else pump my gas.
I never quite understood that law in the Garden State, but I can see the benefit to motorists, considering if the weather is unfavorable, it’s the guy outside who has to deal with it, not you.
Gas prices are also cheaper on the New Jersey Turnpike than the Pennsylvania one … by about 15-20 cents for regular. I guess the Jerz has more to offer than the Shore, A.C. and good wrestling (I know it has more, I kid).
I also noticed at one of the Service Center’s on the New Jersey Turnpike, it’s now illegal to talk or text on your mobile phone while driving. I got a few people close to me I should send that note too.
In a previous entry, I’d stated it had been five years since I last spent any nominal time in New York City. Upon reflection, that is an incorrect statement. Me and my buddy Kurt from back home went to a Yankees-A’s game back in 2005 before I moved to Pennsylvania.
I finally returned to Lancaster at approximately 2 a.m. and started writing, transcribing and checking facebook. My night ended at 4:45 a.m.
What was good about yesterday? I could have done without the three hour drive in the pouring rain and the actually painless navigation of Manhattan in my truck, but I’m more pleased about doing a solid job on tying my own tie (PROOF!, as this picture of Edinboro coach Tim Flynn and I clearly demonstrates).
Gas: $3.79 at the Sheetz in Mt. Joy (which remains the control in the experiment)
Weather: Windy, but 64 and sunny.
Speaking Points
There’s one thing about being a journalist or a writer that remains tough. It’s what to put into a story and what to keep out. For the emphasis of the celebration last night at the chic Bowery Hotel, I decided to focus the attention on the actual group itself rather than focusing on the awards or the special messages those like John Smith and Dan Gable discussed.
One good thing about the internet is we don’t necessarily have restrictions on “writing to length,” like those in the print media do. Too often, we have to go back and re-read things to realize, “Hrm, I should have moved this graph here and added this quote.”
Some of the greatest speaking points I’ve ever heard in my life were voiced by wrestling’s greats … and they didn’t have a place in the story.
Yesterday’s story on the event.
Danielle Hobeika, who continues to do great things for the sport, was also there taking pictures. Give them a look here.
Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on preserving wrestling
“Our mission is to preserve our history and inspire future generations. Without mentors and participants, we don’t have much to support. We’re grateful for Michael and his cohorts of the Beat the Streets program and especially all the coaches.”
Lee Kemp on the importance of coaches as mentors and difference-makers
“All the wrestlers in here have had a coach who’s made a difference in their lives. My coach made a huge difference in my life. The coaches that make a difference in this program will have a huge impact on the lives of these young men in this program. Wrestling changed the course of my life and set the foundation for everything in my life since then. I’m an example of what wrestling has done.”
Dan Gable on the Beat the Streets Program
“We’re all here for a reason, an interest and that’s the sport of amateur wrestling. For me, it’s almost an education to be here. When I look around and I see a lot of people. I know a lot of people, and there’s a lot of people I don’t know, but they know me. That means they’ve wrestled. With that in mind, it’s amazing to me to see what the possibilities can be. You look for a catalyst, something you can grow on.”
Dan Gable: America Needs Wrestling
“I was looking at poster the other day, and there’s a lot of us on that poster. It said ‘America Needs Wrestling’. I saw that and thought why are we having that poster out there? It took me five seconds and I slapped myself. Why do I even question something like that? You can’t question something that is so important in representing excellence, representing leaders and a lot of education. Of course America needs wrestling.”
Dan Gable on growing the sport of wrestling
“You look for a catalyst, you look for something you can grow on. I tell you, Mike Moyer and the NWCA are doing a great job. We’re having trouble with D1, our highest level. But the bottom line is we have to make wrestling more important because that name has to come up. Wrestling has to be the next sport in. It’s really important that we have this here tonight and that we have a catalyst that’s actually building something in our sport that can get a lot of recognition nationwide.”
Dan Gable on Title IX
“I have four daughters and I love it that they get that chance, but I don’t want to do it at the expense of our sport and eliminating men and women that are now going to go off and do something that is going to be less attractive to them.”
Al Bevilacqua on the potential for NYC wrestling.
“Do you see the magnitude of what we’re doing here? There isn’t any reason we couldn’t have 100,000 wrestlers in New York City. That’s 10 percent of the student body in the city alone.
Real American Idols
I have two wrestling “idols,” so to speak. Two men I call my personal heroes in this sport. Bruce Baumgartner and Gray Simons - each for their own specific reasons.
When Beat the Streets Chairman Mike Novogratz talked about one of his greatest Olympic memories … Baumgartner “one-arming” the Stars & Stripes during the 1996 Games sprang to mind. Shortly, Novogratz explained the same memory I had run through my head just nanoseconds before.
Bruce is the man.
Corey Luce, the BTS Middle School Coach of the Year, said “I can’t believe I’m standing up here getting presented an award by John Smith, a wrestler I’ve idolized during my career.”
College Coach of the Year Bruce Haberli of New York University was presented an award by Gable, and had to follow speeches by both Al Bevliacqua and Gable.
“How do you follow that?” asked Haberli. “Just try not to screw it up too much.”
With each award, the New York folks were greeted by wrestling legends and those who make such an impact within our sport. I don’t get star-struck anymore. It hasn’t happened in a long time, but there’s still an intimidation factor when introducing yourself to someone you’ve never met, but know all about.
Guys like Gable and John Smith are hard to approach in wrestling crowds, the same was said for Tuesday night. They’re not unapproachable because of the demeanor or intensity, it’s just tough to get through the see of people in our sport who feel all they need to shake their hand.
The first time I met Baumgartner, he was still the head wrestling coach at Edinboro. It was the 1996 Virginia Duals, it was my first year of wrestling and already he was my favorite. Still is, I have a Baumgartner bobble-head on my desk.
I remember this clearly. I was about 5-foot-8 at the time.
Me: “Mr. Baumgartner, my name’s Jason Bryant and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Bruce: “You’re not a Cornell man, are you?”
Me: “No sir, I go to Poquoson High School right down the road.”
Bruce: “Good program”
I still remind him about that story and it took me three more years to get my picture with him.
The truth shall set you free!
One of the more laughable moments came during Gable’s speech when he discussed a poster, which in wrestling folklore, is attributed to something he said years ago.
Gable revealed Tuesday night he wasn’t the one who came up with it. But proudly admits he stole it. Everyone attributes it to Gable, though.
“The quote, I believe, is ‘Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy’,” said Gable. “Bill Farrell, that’s a quote from me on a big poster. He (Bill) says I stole that quote from him.”
“You know what, I probably did, but you know what, nobody knows Bill Farrell,” joked Gable. “They know Dan Gable. If people look at that quote … and see Bill Farrell, they’re going to go ‘what’s this?’”
“So really, I’m doing you a favor!” said Gable.
Quotable Quotables
Mike Novogratz on the wrestlers in the Beat the Streets Program
“Wrestling’s a sport for tough kids and New York City’s got a lot of tough kids.”
Dan Gable on Wrestling
It’s not for everybody, but it should be.
Dan Gable on Al Bevilacqua
“Man, he’s a funny guy. I tell you what, I’ve heard stories about him. He’s still quick, except he never had to train that hard because all he did was talk. What’s funny is he coached at Hofstra and coached there quite a while and he had to beat the Hawkeyes, but he never did because all he did was talk. I shouldn’t say that, because Nick Gallo, who was the OW, beat a Hawkeye. And I’ll hold it against you until the day … whenever!”
Canarsie High School head coach Keith Conrade on the event
“Some of you might not recognize me, you’re used to seeing me in shorts and hats and the whole tattoo thing … but I clean up pretty nice.”
Conrade on dreams
“A very wise man once said, I believe the proverb went, ‘if you wish upon a star, the dream comes true’. I believe it was Jiminy Cricket. But dreams are expensive, and Mr. Novogratz, we thank you and all the corporate sponsors for believing in us and our kids.
Conrade on his high school coach George Dlugolonski
“I’d like to thank Coach Dlugo, who 16 years ago, picked up a fat, awkward kid and made him into … a robust awkward guy.”
Michael Blyth on being named High School Coach of the Year
“I’m only coach of the year because I’m one third of the Petrides wrestling family.”
Mike Novogratz on quieting the crowd.
“Hey, you in the back! … We got Lee Kemp.”
Quotes from Al Bevilacqua would be entirely too long for the remainder of today’s Four Points. Those of you that know Al, know we kid because we care. Al, you do great things and have done great things for 35 years. I think if anyone wants to know how you feel, they need the privilege of hearing it directly from you. Quoting you doesn’t do you justice.
To everyone involved with Beat the Streets, thank you for a wonderful night. I love what you’re doing and everyone who comes across your program should love it too.
1 Comment
May 21, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Jason - fabulous blog!
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