Takedown Report

Looking back at 20 years in Fargo

TDR Editor’s Notes; A most interesting read from a unique source. Not many can share about so many years attending the largest wrestling tournament in the world. Have only been able to attend once in Fargo in 2001 and once in Iowa in 1989 so I am due to go back soon. A most impressive event in size, energy and intensity. If at all possible all wrestling fans should attend at least one of these annual events.
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The Years
1999 – First Year
Was working at a KFC in the Grafton section of Yorktown, Va. Got a call from Mike Newbern. “Twink, Gary Alcon (ref) can’t make it, do you want to go to Fargo?”
That right there changed it all. Everything.
Stayed in Reed Johnson Hall.
Virginian Christian Smith made the Cadet Freestyle finals at 83.5 pounds. He ended up being a 3x state champion and NCAA qualifier for Duke and Liberty (He took down Nickerson in 2007 to open up the tournament).
There was no Buffalo Wild Wings. There was a Bison Turf, there was a mug and I may or may not have been from Alabama. Or named Kevin.
Shared a dial-up line with Sara Koenig from NCMat.com (you know her now as one of the tournament directors for the Super 32. Rob Sherrill vouched for me for a media credential. Thankfully, I’d met him in Virginia at the Virginia Duals when I was in high school.
Don’t remember much about the competition since I was still pretty new to the national scene. We had the Dream Team Classic in VA that year, so I paid attention to guys like Foley Dowd, Jason Powell,
Clark Forward — and two of those Team USA guys met in the finals, Damion Hahn beat Jason Potter.
2000 – Year 2
Buffalo Wild Wings Opened. Taco Bell re-opened, it was closed the year before for renovations.
Harry Lester vs. Mark Jayne, Junior Greco. Jayne was returning JR. Champ, Lester won cadets the year before. 3-5-3 (BOOM). 132 pounds.
Virginia had two cadet champs – Christian Staylor and Albert Childress (almost bookends)
Kid named Tyler Safratowich of Minnesota won at 83.5 pounds, did a backflip, then he started eating.
Mary Kelly going 2-2 in Cadet Freestyle and Micah Amrozowicz, now the head coach at the Newport News Apprentice School, having to come from behind to beat her 8-7
2001 – Year 3
Started doing freelance work for TheMat.com and wrote features on the Dibbern triplets, Mary Kelly wrestling against the boys in the Juniors. Cerebral Palsy kid J.C. McMaster – his e-mail address was pimp_limpin@ something another dot com. Jeff Courtney, a deaf All-American from West Virginia ? and TRAVIS EFFING LEE.
Lee “leis’ greco gold. Beat Nick Simmons. Stopping Simmons from becoming just the second guy to win 4 JR FS titles. As of right now, it’s only Alan Fried. Rest of the story and podcasts at http://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/looking-back-at-20-years-in-fargo/?mc_cid=76f1f6bf24&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 10, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized