Takedown Report

Finn: Wrestling made me the journalist I wanted to be

By Mike Finn

As a journalist for the past 47 years, I have covered many sports, especially wrestling since 1988, including the past 21 years as WIN editor. During that time, I’ve loved digging up information on what mat accomplishments made wrestlers and coaches so memorable.
Yet, at the same time, no one will ever find any glowing wrestling moments in my past with this sport, which included competing for Columbus High School in Waterloo, Iowa, where I never wrestled varsity and usually got my rear kicked.
But I never lost my love for the sport, primarily because of the life skills the sport provided me as a parent and a person. I also like to think those skills of not backing down against the biggest challenges helped me as a Watergate-era journalist, trained to challenge authority.
And this reporting style was perfect for a sport like wrestling where coaches and wrestlers expressed their feelings, whether I liked their answers or not. That is why I loved writing about wrestling because no athlete or coach of any sport is more candid than a wrestler.
That is what I’ll probably miss the most as I say goodbye to the wrestling community. This is the last column for WIN as I officially retire on Feb. 7.
The best part of my job has been interviewing countless people over the years. And to all those I never got to speak to, I apologize because I believe everyone has a story.
Of course, there are too many people for me to thank, but I will start with WIN founder Mike Chapman, whose challenge of making wrestling a mainstream sport has never been appreciated. And, current WIN owner Bryan Van Kley, who made me editor in 2003, at a time when I needed a professional change, and who was kind enough to share his family with me.
I’ve been fortunate to work with other incredible people over the past two decades, including our office managers Diana Strickland, Kim Mapes, Michele Worthington and Gina LeFleur … as well as so many columnists, including Kyle Klingman, Rob Sherrill and Sandy Stevens who have been there since my WIN beginning.
There have been so many other professionals who have helped me over the years like members of USA Wrestling, including executive director Rich Bender and Hall of Fame information specialist Gary Abbott, whose recommendation gave me the chance to work with NBC Sports for every summer Olympics since 2008.

Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe to WIN Magazine.

I could say the same thing about Jason Bryant, the current voice of wrestling, or the National Wrestling Coaches Association, led by Mike Moyer and so many more I’ve pestered over the years. And speaking of being a pest, I’m sure many a coach got tired of me asking so many questions. Yet so many of their answers, whether I liked them or not, still stick to my soul.
And no coach had a greater impact on me than Dan Gable, … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/01/24/finn-wrestling-made-me-the-journalist-i-wanted-to-be/

January 29, 2025 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | sports, wrestling