WEBVTT
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From the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. This is Legends
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is Legends. I'm Jason Bryant. Prepare for a journey through
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wrestling's past, present, and future. As we'll hear are the
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great stories of wrestling and success from the true legends
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of the sport here on Hall of Fame Legends.
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One of the most meaningful parts of a tribute like
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this is hearing from the people.
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Who walk closely with our.
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Honorees, the ones who have seen them at their best,
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stood with them through challenges, and shared with them in
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life's quiet, behind the scene moments. These are the voices
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that know the real stories, the ones that don't always
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make it into the headlines onto the resumes.
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They remind us that legacy isn't just about.
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Accomplishments, It's about impact. An impact is always most deeply
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felt in relationships. Life's about relationships. So as we listen
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to these reflections today, let's really lean in because this
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isn't just a program, it's a glimpse into the heart
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of who our honorees truly are. Each of our speakers
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will be allowed to talk for five minutes. Speakers, there's
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a five minute clock up there in green.
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And and then there's the red and I'm just old
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enough that I'm not auditioning for anything, and we're going
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to keep this program rolling.
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There will be no injury timeouts, and we do not
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have over time.
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Our next distinguished member is Matt Linlank About Matt is
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Mark Cody, who was an assistant coach when Matt competed
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at Nebraska and then Matt's personal coach from nineteen ninety
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seven until two thousand and helping prepare Matt for the
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two thousand Sydney Olympics.
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Welcome Mark Cody.
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That's a long walk. There's a lot of pressure.
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Tim Newman was the head coach at Nebraska and called
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me into the office one day and said, it's spring break.
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I'm bringing in a recruit, Matt Linlan and I don't
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have a host for him because everybody's out of town,
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so you have to take him out.
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So we're walking through downtown Link, Nebraska. It's karaoke night.
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Of course it's a Tuesday night. So we walked in.
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There were two tables, probably three people at each. Matt
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and I sat down, got the list of songs. Mess said,
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I love karaoke.
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I said, this is great, So sure enough, he picks
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out a song, walks up on stage, and it was
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on Blame it.
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All on my roots. I shot up in.
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Boots and I'm listening to Alfalfa the rest of the
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So he comes back to the table and he said
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to me, would you think now, Look, as a coach,
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you always have to be honest with your athletes, and
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that also starts with recruits, right when you bring him in.
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So I looked at him and I said, Matt, that
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was awesome, that was great, did a really nice job.
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Let's pick another one.
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Next one comes up, we got Johnny cash boy named Sue.
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I knew that snake was my own sweet dad from
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a warn hole picture that my.
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Other He went on and on the song after song.
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It was one of the greatest nights of my life,
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one of the most entertaining. And you know how when
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you see something that's so funny, you can't you don't
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even laugh, you.
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Just do this.
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Well, that's why I did every song, because I didn't
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want to distract myself from what was going on up there.
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All right.
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So then he comes back and sits at the table
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and we're sitting there chatting away. I'll beat anybody I'll
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beat anybody who put in front of you. Everything that
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he said was right on the money, definitely what I
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wanted to hear. So the next day I come into
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the office and Coach Newman asked me, how did it go? Said,
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if we don't get this guy, I'm resigning just for
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entertainment value alone.
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And sure enough, every day with this guy was a
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different adventure.
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I could go on and on, but I've only got
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five minutes, you know. On the other side of it,
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it was that, you know, we we'd always look for
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these different ways to train and cross train, particularly when
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he was done well, you know, the restling part of it,
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when he said he could beat everybody. Sure enough, his
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senior year, he rolled right through this season, ran up
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the national tournament, beat everybody, beat everybody put in front
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of him. So he definitely back to what he said
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he was going to do. Right, So then, you know,
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moves on to his international career, and we were we
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were just always trying to find different ways to.
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Uh, different ways to train to cross train.
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So we went out and got roller blades and set
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up a rollerblade course, commissiing wrestlers on rollerblades. It wasn't
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very pretty but we would we would race, and then,
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of course our financial situation was never great as a coach,
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particularly at that time. We go to grass sales and
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we bought a couple of bikes and we did bike
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races around these uh, around these courses. Of course, he
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beat me every time, except for the one time that
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he was supposed to hit a corner and he went
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straight into the.
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Woods and I won the race, so that worked out.
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But uh, you know, with Matt, it was always every
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coach wants a guy who who does what most people
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aren't willing to do, and that's Matt.
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You know. For what maybe he lacked in talent, he.
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Was very blessed with a work ethic that still is
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unmatched to me I've never seen before as a coach.
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And his wonderful wife Angie was.
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Right there with him all the way through, all the
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way through, side by side. She was so supportive all
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the way through because they were they were married.
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I think they got married.
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On a Tuesday when he had a day off of
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practice one time, so they go out and tie the knot,
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and again she was with him all the way through. Uh,
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and obviously all the way through his Olympic and world
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wrestling career, and uh, you know, as far as you
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you want to be remembered for a couple of different
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things as a competitor, how hard you worked, and who
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you helped along the way, And that was Matt.
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He was.
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He was a great coach, a great mentor to to
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to many guys on our team. He also you know,
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his goal every time was to walk out and destroy
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whoever he's going to wrestle and then come off the
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mat and be a kind, considerate person.
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And that's Matt in a nutshell.
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And we all know why we're here for all the recipients,
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and we know why we're here for Matt. And you know,
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no different than anybody, just work ethic through the roof.
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And just I'm so proud to be have been a
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part of that journey that he and he let me.
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I'm honored that he let me be a part of
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that journey. And I want to congratulate him and his
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family and thank you for this opportunity to be able
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to say some words.
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Thank you.
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Mark was a little worried about it, and I think
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you nailed it.
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Mark.
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So here to share more about Matt is his best friend, teammate,
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and training partner Chris Saba, we.
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Got to partably bring that down. Short guy coming. Thanks
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for having me here.
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I'm so thankful and honored to be able to speak,
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especially in front of this crowd of.
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A lot of people I admired over the years.
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Me and MAT's relationship goes back thirty years, training partners, teammates,
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a lot of blood, sweat and tears, resident athletes at
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the Olympic Training Center, and we know each other pretty
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well countance hours on mats together. If I describe Matt
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as a wrestler.
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And I didn't want to do it with too many words,
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but I want to come.
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Up with a few, but I would say he's tough, determined,
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and most importantly, Matt is extremely composed in pressure situations.
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As a friend, he's humble, entertaining, and he's extremely kind.
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What I'd like to do is kind of recap a
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few memories and time of situations that I was involved
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in him that really exemplify these characteristics of Att.
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I'd like to start. I'd like to start Pan American Games.
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And I don't know how long it's been where you've
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had to actually qualify every weight class.
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It was kind of almost my entire rest.
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Unless you were the home country like Atlanta had the Olympics,
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you had a person in every weight class. But now
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as you go on with the Olympics, and I've even
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reduced the amount of weight classes, you have to qualify it.
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So it's not like the World Championships where every country
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can send a full team. So I think you only
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get sixteen or eighteen. So we're at the PanAm Games
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and Matt's weight class is not qualified and this is
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he's about to wrestle the Cuban and it's a do
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or die situation. If wins this match, we haven't qualified.
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If not, we do not. It doesn't matter if you
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win the Olympic tricks or not, you don't go. So
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I talked a little bit.
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About Matt being composed and you know, under pressure situation.
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So he's warm it up for this match.
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There's a few people around.
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And the coach, and I'll spare the coach's name so
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he doesn't he doesn't have to hear about this.
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But the coach, you know, it's next to Matt and
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a couple of us.
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Here.
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He goes, man, I'm so nervous for this match, and.
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Matt Linlan with out of hesitation, looks at him, goes, well,
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it's a damn good thing you're not going out there
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to wrestle. And so that was just, uh, it was
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just really funny, you know, and how.
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How he was.
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It's composure on stuff like that. So fast forward to
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the Olympic Games. We know Matt won a silver medal,
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had an amazing tournament there. He's wrestling the life tournament
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of his lifetime. And I'm fortunate enough to be his
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training partner and warmed up with him, and you know,
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we trained together forever, so we're out there.
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And for me, it was amazing.
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You know, I didn't I didn't make an Olympic team
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two time alternate, but he always brought me along as this,
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you know, as his training partner.
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But just the gravity of the situation.
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You know, and some we have Olympic champions here and
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I seen it, but Matt side and warming up with him,
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and I'm I'm definitely a little bit nervous, and Matt's
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just ready the straps go up and I swear to
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you' the last thing he said to me before he
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walked out of there. He looks and Matt looks at me,
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he goes, man, I'm so excited for this match.
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I was like, how could you be like that?
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It was just absolutely amazing, And I to this day
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know that his excellence from hard work and training all that,
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but was his ability to be composed and controls emotions.
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And it was really something to see. And there's countless
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examples of it.
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You know.
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My third little quick story about a different part of
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his humanity is just how kind he is and humble
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and just altruistic and willing to do things without being
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asked and for the greater good of friends and whatnot.
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So I have a seventeen year old son, junior in
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high school. Loves wrestling pretty cool, took six in the
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state last year, and he's in a tough weight class
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this year, and he's having a great tournament.
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He's rank like sixth again or seventh.
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In my mind and my wife's minds, they were like, man,
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he just gets too nervous before Matt just.
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I'd love Matt to talk to him. I would love
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Matt to be able to talk to him. So in
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me and matter good buddies. So I pick up the
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phone call.
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Matt, Hey, could you could you reach out to Michael
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and I leave it at that and he he uh,
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you know he does. And I hear it from Michael
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later on, did you have Matt Linlan call me? I'm
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like no, we were just talking and you know, I
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wanted to have him, you know whatever, so.
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I just I left it.
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And you know, these kids today, they all day text
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and they snapchat.
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They're not used to like interaction.
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They need more of that. Fast forward to the tournament.
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My son has the tournament of a lifetime, beats the
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returning state champ. He's a kid that he doesn't that
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had beaten him before.
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It was just amazing. And they finished to turn him tournament.
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After he gets the rewards and stuff, and I swear
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to you, my son just out of nowhere, he's like, man,
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thanks for having Matt talk to me.
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That really helped me out. I was like, because I
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never said anything about it.
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I didn't want to, you know, violate his space. But
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somehow or another, Matt found a way to get through
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the text and get an actual phone call with my son,
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and it helps.
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I mean, thank you. That was so amazing.
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So in conclusion, before I get the hook, you know
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one thing about Matt and I just wanted one sentence
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to say it is that he puts family first, and
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you treat your friends like family.
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And whether that means driving a zamboni at night to
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make a few extra books, or give your buddy's kid
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a call and help him out, you know, that's the
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type of person he is.
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And we're all proud of you.
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Matt.
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I love you.
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Thank you for bringing me along your journey. You're amazing
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and you deserve this, so thank you, Matt Limerick.
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Congratulations another example of how life's about relationships, ladies and gentlemen.
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Our next honoree is Distinguished Member Matt Lindlan. He's always
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been a cowboy, that's for sure.
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I'm very much a city girl. So when I met him,
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just to me, it was wild, very loving, very caring,
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but very wild. He's just grown up with nothing but love,
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so that's really all he knows.
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He definitely cowboys from the wild less. I mean, when
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he wants something, he worked hard at it every single day. Harry,
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I mean, no matter what it is.
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I lived currently now.
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My cabin's in the first zip C west of.
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The Rockets, the first zip C west of the Rocky,
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So I mean that's pretty cool.
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My great grandfather who I grew up next door to.
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Parents like left the Midwest and like ventured over the
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over the rockings, over the Cascades. They got out to
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the Oregon coast and they're like, Okay, we're going to
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homestead here.
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So it's like this this pioneer spirit of exploring adventures,
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and I still have that in my soul.
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Yeah.
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I owned the Organ Athletic Club for about forty seven
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years and he started there, I think when he's about
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eighth greater freshman. I know that when he first started
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wrestling in our program, and it was a brief challenge
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for him, and I think one of the reasons he
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chose our program was because he knew it was going
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to be a challenge. You know. He wanted to get
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with the best kids, and we had some of the
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best kids. You know, you've got to be willing.
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To fail and fail and failed failed to you figured
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it out. So yeah, Matt was willing him to do that.
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When he wrestled in high school, he was just getting
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started and.
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He didn't do all that well.
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And then he after got out of high school, they
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went to Clacivius Community College and didn't do real well.
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His first year.
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Second year, he became a national champion, and.
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I got recruited to a lot of Midwest colleges, a
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lot of East Coast colleges, and the wrestling on the
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West Coast just wasn't at the same level. And I
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knew to be successful, I had to surround myself with
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like minded.
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People, high level athletes, good coaching.
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I had to put myself in a competitive environment, and
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if I was wrestling on the West Coast, I just
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probably wasn't going to get those same opportunities. So I
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invited my girlfriend to move to Nebraska with me, and
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when we got out there, we realized that she shouldn't
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be my girlfriend, she shed be my wife.
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And so we got married when we were twenty.
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So we dated wrestling season the wrestling season, and we
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got married when he had a little break at Nebraska,
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and then nine months later we had our son, James,
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and it wasn't like, oh, maybe we should wait.
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He was like, I want my family and didn't do.
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All that great the first year.
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The next year he was the number one one hundred
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and fifty eight one hundred and fifty eight pound seed
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and NC two a tournament, and you got to be
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pretty dar good to get that number one seed, the
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number one.
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Ranked one hundred and fifty eight pounder in the country.
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He's Matt Lindland of Nebraska, twenty three and zip look
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at that record.
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I ended up getting picked up by Sunkaston.
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What you really need when when you're trying to pursue
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really difficult things like winning Olympic Games and world championships,
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is you need to build a good support team around you.
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And some of that support is.
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Funding to get you overseas and get you to the
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right competitions, get you to the right tournaments. So it's coaching.
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Training partners could at the top when they start to
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be the best in their weight class, it's hard to
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00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:56.720
find workout partners. Matt just couldn't get workout partners. He
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00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:59.440
just couldn't get it good enough ones. So that's where
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he's us. He won to go to the Lympic trains today.
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He just felt like that was his next jump. He
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had to do it.
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He worked and work.
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There was some hard he went through some hard times
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when he got out of college wrestling.
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00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:16.119
I mean that weight class in Greco it was his stack.
355
00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:19.079
Well, I think what drew me more to Greco Roman
356
00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:21.480
was it's a little more punk rock. I mean, it's
357
00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:26.839
a nonconformist that's uh, it's not what the Americans do
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and what the Americans are passionate about.
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00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:32.319
I mean he worked hard, and he might have gone around.
360
00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:34.799
To three different places in here to a little wrestling
361
00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:39.160
practice that he all also as went back home to
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00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:44.880
Redman where his parents loved, ainted whatever work needs to
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00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:50.720
be done on their property. But I just think the
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00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:55.960
way he eat lost and had learned from that, went
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00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:59.920
on and won the next levels almost one in their
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00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:07.279
travel loss per uh and uh and.
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00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.960
What he what he did for by winning the silver
368
00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:15.839
medal and uh coaching and hopefully coached some of that
369
00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:20.319
stuff in there were the people represent the USA.
370
00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:24.480
All than that, A lot of what I did, you know,
371
00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:28.599
as a national coach was fighting for more opportunities, finding money,
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00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:33.880
finding finding tournaments, finding training camps, you know, and ozerbra
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Jehan and I was Pakistan in Kazakhstan, and you know,
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00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:41.400
these these places where frankly they didn't necessarily want to
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00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:44.400
go to, but I knew this is where they needed
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00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:47.400
to be to get the training, get the get the
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00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:51.920
leveling up that they needed to have to accomplish the
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00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:55.400
their next level, that next challenge. And so for me,
379
00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:58.279
it was always trying to provide more opportunities for the athletes.
380
00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:01.960
And uh, it wasn't about me, it was about them.
381
00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:04.400
It was about seeing them how success.
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00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:11.039
If he hadn't succeeded, it was really entering prayer and for.
383
00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:14.039
His life, you know, it's what he wanted to do.
384
00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:16.759
That was funny. That was one of the things.
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00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:18.839
That we talked a lot about in our program was
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00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:21.440
every year I'd take kids done the Olympic trains there,
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00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:24.759
younger kids too, so they could see and plant the
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00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:29.200
scene or greatness in them. And Matt was he ney
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00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:32.119
to coach because he wanted to learn. He wanted to learn.
390
00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:34.960
I'll tell you when he came into our program, I
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00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:37.640
had a whole bunch of beasts in there and he
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00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:40.160
was just really learning and he just got whiled on it.
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00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:43.440
He picked up the nickname of the bender because they
394
00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:45.759
would just bend him up in every direction, you know,
395
00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:49.240
but he always got up and always smiling, always happy,
396
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:53.440
first guy in the room. Matt was great and you
397
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:56.680
know that's why he's done so well career, you know,
398
00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.680
and to make the Olympic team the way he did.
399
00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:02.240
You know, he goes you all that legal, legal battles
400
00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:04.640
and everything to get a chance to make the team.
401
00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:08.079
And I tell that story at the camp, you know,
402
00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:10.640
I said, it's a far as like you got. You
403
00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.839
gotta be willing to put everything on the line. So
404
00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:17.759
he was willing to do that. So we're very, very,
405
00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.880
very very proud of Matt.
406
00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:20.119
You know, it's humbling.
407
00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:25.400
It's humbling for sure, but it's it's not about me.
408
00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:28.839
It's about all the people that helped me get here.
409
00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:31.799
Oh yeah, I'm super proud of him. I've always been
410
00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:32.759
super proud of Matt.
411
00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:36.359
I mean, besides his accomplishments, he's a he's a great friend,
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00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:38.920
he's a great husband, he's a good father, he's a
413
00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:39.480
good coach.
414
00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:45.200
But yeah, I think this is a great ben served it,
415
00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:50.400
he deserves it.
416
00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:57.000
Very grateful that the bottom line is just gratitude and thankful.
417
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:11.200
H Let's bring Matt forward now with his presenters, his children,
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00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:13.759
James Lindland and Robin Schaeffer.
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00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:36.880
Oh oh, we're great videos, Hooter.
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00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.960
Thank you and thank you guys for the honor of
421
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:42.839
just being a part of this great group of men
422
00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:45.920
that have done this. I mean her Coleman story. I mean,
423
00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:47.480
that's a guy I looked up to when I was
424
00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:51.759
starting to do this. I just think the theme of
425
00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:54.920
rustling for me is just kind of like gratitude and love.
426
00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:59.839
Like I grew up really loved. I was just super blessed.
427
00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:01.319
I had a.
428
00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:05.440
Really great family. My parents were very loving. I lived
429
00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:08.839
next door to my great grandparents, my grandparents. I had
430
00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:12.519
great role models throughout my life. And then I was
431
00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:14.720
I was an athlete. I was I was an equestrian,
432
00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:17.960
and then one day my parents told me we're poor people,
433
00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:21.799
and you can't ride horses because you can't go any
434
00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:24.880
farther on the sport, and maybe you should find something new.
435
00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:29.400
So I'd done wrestling in seventh and eighth grade. It
436
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:31.200
was like six weeks. It was like something you show
437
00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:33.839
it up to and you did and then it was over.
438
00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:37.200
And then I went back to my ponies. And when
439
00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:39.680
you're a small man and you ride ponies, you get
440
00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:43.400
picked on a lot. So in freshman year, when they
441
00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:45.680
asked me to do wrestling, and they lied to me
442
00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:46.960
and told me I was really good at it. You
443
00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:49.279
should come out with a team. I was like, well,
444
00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:51.680
maybe I can learn how to beat other people up
445
00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:55.720
that are picking on me and protect others, and you
446
00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:58.759
know that that's kind of the emphasis is really is
447
00:23:58.759 --> 00:24:01.039
a martial art and I see myself more as a
448
00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:03.559
martial artist than than just a rustler.
449
00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:04.240
Uh.
450
00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:06.759
But also see myself more than a martial artists. I
451
00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:10.920
see myself as a husband and father, a son, you know.
452
00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:16.880
And but I mean, it's really just grateful for everybody
453
00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.759
that's been a part of this. I've had so many
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00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:22.640
transformational coaches. I've had some transactional coaches as well, but
455
00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:25.200
the guys that have been in my life. I mean,
456
00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:27.400
you saw a couple of the coaches here, and then
457
00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:30.759
you heard Mark and my training partners and Racking and
458
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:33.119
Norman Burney's here, the only guy that ever recruited me
459
00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:36.039
out of high school. I went there Blackham's Community College.
460
00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:38.440
You called me up, said come here, and I you know,
461
00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:40.480
and didn't have any money, but I told him if
462
00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:42.000
I could. I asked them if I could beat some
463
00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:44.079
of the guys that were hitting scholarships, could I have
464
00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:46.799
some money? And we we ended up I ended up
465
00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:49.480
staying there and won a national title and moved on
466
00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:53.319
to Nebraska, and the uh just blessed to have my
467
00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:57.160
wife alongside me this whole ride, and and my kids
468
00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:01.160
and and uh, just love and graditude and so thankful
469
00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:04.440
for this honor. I want to thank everyone. I appreciate you, guys.
470
00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:07.319
And if you've been a part of this journey at all,
471
00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:10.440
as a coach, as a training partner, as one of
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00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:13.720
the leaders, very thankful. If you were one of those
473
00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.720
athletes out there, like.
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00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:17.559
Mark Colin or any of these guys. I mean, even
475
00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:18.200
these young guys.
476
00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:21.400
I'm watching kids like Marcus and Dayton Fix that are
477
00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:24.799
just these guys are animals now. It's so fun to
478
00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:27.200
watch these guys. So I'm inspired by the young guys
479
00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:30.480
coming up. I was inspired by the legends of this sport.
480
00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:31.640
Dave Schultz.
481
00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:34.440
I mean, one of my highlights was wrestling on the
482
00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:36.359
same mat as him in the national finals.
483
00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:38.119
He was in the freestyle category. I was in the
484
00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:39.200
greco category.
485
00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:43.960
It was my first national championship, and so just I'm
486
00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:46.160
honored to be here. Thank you so much, guys, I
487
00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:46.839
appreciate it.
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Legends is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of
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00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:58.079
Fame and produced by the Man Talk podcast Network. If
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00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:00.960
you want to hear more from wrestling's legend. Contribute to
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00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:05.680
the project today by going to matttalkonline dot com slash contribute.
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00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:09.200
We hope you've enjoyed this look in the wrestling history.
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This has been legends. I'm Jason Bryant.
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From the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. This is Legends
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is Legends. I'm Jason Bryant. Prepare for a journey through
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wrestling's past, present, and future. As we'll hear are the
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great stories of wrestling and success from the true legends
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of the sport here on Hall of Fame Legends.
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One of the most meaningful parts of a tribute like
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this is hearing from the people.
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Who walk closely with our.
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Honorees, the ones who have seen them at their best,
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stood with them through challenges, and shared with them in
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life's quiet, behind the scene moments. These are the voices
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that know the real stories, the ones that don't always
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make it into the headlines onto the resumes.
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They remind us that legacy isn't just about.
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Accomplishments, It's about impact. An impact is always most deeply
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felt in relationships. Life's about relationships. So as we listen
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to these reflections today, let's really lean in because this
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isn't just a program, it's a glimpse into the heart
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of who our honorees truly are. Each of our speakers
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will be allowed to talk for five minutes. Speakers, there's
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a five minute clock up there in green.
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And and then there's the red and I'm just old
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enough that I'm not auditioning for anything, and we're going
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to keep this program rolling.
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There will be no injury timeouts, and we do not
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have over time.
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Our next distinguished member is Matt Linlank About Matt is
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Mark Cody, who was an assistant coach when Matt competed
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at Nebraska and then Matt's personal coach from nineteen ninety
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seven until two thousand and helping prepare Matt for the
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two thousand Sydney Olympics.
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Welcome Mark Cody.
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That's a long walk. There's a lot of pressure.
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Tim Newman was the head coach at Nebraska and called
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me into the office one day and said, it's spring break.
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I'm bringing in a recruit, Matt Linlan and I don't
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have a host for him because everybody's out of town,
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so you have to take him out.
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So we're walking through downtown Link, Nebraska. It's karaoke night.
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Of course it's a Tuesday night. So we walked in.
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There were two tables, probably three people at each. Matt
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and I sat down, got the list of songs. Mess said,
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I love karaoke.
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I said, this is great, So sure enough, he picks
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out a song, walks up on stage, and it was
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on Blame it.
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All on my roots. I shot up in.
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Boots and I'm listening to Alfalfa the rest of the
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So he comes back to the table and he said
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to me, would you think now, Look, as a coach,
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you always have to be honest with your athletes, and
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that also starts with recruits, right when you bring him in.
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So I looked at him and I said, Matt, that
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was awesome, that was great, did a really nice job.
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Let's pick another one.
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Next one comes up, we got Johnny cash boy named Sue.
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I knew that snake was my own sweet dad from
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a warn hole picture that my.
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Other He went on and on the song after song.
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It was one of the greatest nights of my life,
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one of the most entertaining. And you know how when
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you see something that's so funny, you can't you don't
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even laugh, you.
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Just do this.
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Well, that's why I did every song, because I didn't
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want to distract myself from what was going on up there.
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All right.
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So then he comes back and sits at the table
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and we're sitting there chatting away. I'll beat anybody I'll
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beat anybody who put in front of you. Everything that
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he said was right on the money, definitely what I
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wanted to hear. So the next day I come into
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the office and Coach Newman asked me, how did it go? Said,
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if we don't get this guy, I'm resigning just for
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entertainment value alone.
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And sure enough, every day with this guy was a
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different adventure.
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I could go on and on, but I've only got
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five minutes, you know. On the other side of it,
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it was that, you know, we we'd always look for
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these different ways to train and cross train, particularly when
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he was done well, you know, the restling part of it,
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when he said he could beat everybody. Sure enough, his
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senior year, he rolled right through this season, ran up
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the national tournament, beat everybody, beat everybody put in front
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of him. So he definitely back to what he said
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he was going to do. Right, So then, you know,
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moves on to his international career, and we were we
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were just always trying to find different ways to.
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Uh, different ways to train to cross train.
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So we went out and got roller blades and set
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up a rollerblade course, commissiing wrestlers on rollerblades. It wasn't
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very pretty but we would we would race, and then,
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of course our financial situation was never great as a coach,
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particularly at that time. We go to grass sales and
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we bought a couple of bikes and we did bike
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races around these uh, around these courses. Of course, he
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beat me every time, except for the one time that
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he was supposed to hit a corner and he went
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straight into the.
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Woods and I won the race, so that worked out.
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But uh, you know, with Matt, it was always every
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coach wants a guy who who does what most people
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aren't willing to do, and that's Matt.
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You know. For what maybe he lacked in talent, he.
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Was very blessed with a work ethic that still is
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unmatched to me I've never seen before as a coach.
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And his wonderful wife Angie was.
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Right there with him all the way through, all the
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way through, side by side. She was so supportive all
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the way through because they were they were married.
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I think they got married.
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On a Tuesday when he had a day off of
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practice one time, so they go out and tie the knot,
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and again she was with him all the way through. Uh,
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and obviously all the way through his Olympic and world
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wrestling career, and uh, you know, as far as you
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you want to be remembered for a couple of different
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things as a competitor, how hard you worked, and who
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you helped along the way, And that was Matt.
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He was.
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He was a great coach, a great mentor to to
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to many guys on our team. He also you know,
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his goal every time was to walk out and destroy
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whoever he's going to wrestle and then come off the
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mat and be a kind, considerate person.
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And that's Matt in a nutshell.
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And we all know why we're here for all the recipients,
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and we know why we're here for Matt. And you know,
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no different than anybody, just work ethic through the roof.
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And just I'm so proud to be have been a
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part of that journey that he and he let me.
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I'm honored that he let me be a part of
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that journey. And I want to congratulate him and his
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family and thank you for this opportunity to be able
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to say some words.
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Thank you.
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Mark was a little worried about it, and I think
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you nailed it.
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Mark.
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So here to share more about Matt is his best friend, teammate,
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and training partner Chris Saba, we.
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Got to partably bring that down. Short guy coming. Thanks
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for having me here.
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I'm so thankful and honored to be able to speak,
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especially in front of this crowd of.
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A lot of people I admired over the years.
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Me and MAT's relationship goes back thirty years, training partners, teammates,
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a lot of blood, sweat and tears, resident athletes at
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the Olympic Training Center, and we know each other pretty
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well countance hours on mats together. If I describe Matt
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as a wrestler.
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And I didn't want to do it with too many words,
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but I want to come.
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Up with a few, but I would say he's tough, determined,
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and most importantly, Matt is extremely composed in pressure situations.
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As a friend, he's humble, entertaining, and he's extremely kind.
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What I'd like to do is kind of recap a
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few memories and time of situations that I was involved
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in him that really exemplify these characteristics of Att.
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I'd like to start. I'd like to start Pan American Games.
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And I don't know how long it's been where you've
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had to actually qualify every weight class.
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It was kind of almost my entire rest.
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Unless you were the home country like Atlanta had the Olympics,
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you had a person in every weight class. But now
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as you go on with the Olympics, and I've even
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reduced the amount of weight classes, you have to qualify it.
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So it's not like the World Championships where every country
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can send a full team. So I think you only
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get sixteen or eighteen. So we're at the PanAm Games
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and Matt's weight class is not qualified and this is
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he's about to wrestle the Cuban and it's a do
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or die situation. If wins this match, we haven't qualified.
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If not, we do not. It doesn't matter if you
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win the Olympic tricks or not, you don't go. So
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I talked a little bit.
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About Matt being composed and you know, under pressure situation.
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So he's warm it up for this match.
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There's a few people around.
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And the coach, and I'll spare the coach's name so
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he doesn't he doesn't have to hear about this.
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But the coach, you know, it's next to Matt and
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a couple of us.
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Here.
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He goes, man, I'm so nervous for this match, and.
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Matt Linlan with out of hesitation, looks at him, goes, well,
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it's a damn good thing you're not going out there
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to wrestle. And so that was just, uh, it was
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just really funny, you know, and how.
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How he was.
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It's composure on stuff like that. So fast forward to
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the Olympic Games. We know Matt won a silver medal,
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had an amazing tournament there. He's wrestling the life tournament
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of his lifetime. And I'm fortunate enough to be his
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training partner and warmed up with him, and you know,
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we trained together forever, so we're out there.
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And for me, it was amazing.
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You know, I didn't I didn't make an Olympic team
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two time alternate, but he always brought me along as this,
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you know, as his training partner.
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But just the gravity of the situation.
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You know, and some we have Olympic champions here and
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I seen it, but Matt side and warming up with him,
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and I'm I'm definitely a little bit nervous, and Matt's
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just ready the straps go up and I swear to
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you' the last thing he said to me before he
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walked out of there. He looks and Matt looks at me,
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he goes, man, I'm so excited for this match.
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I was like, how could you be like that?
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It was just absolutely amazing, And I to this day
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know that his excellence from hard work and training all that,
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but was his ability to be composed and controls emotions.
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And it was really something to see. And there's countless
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examples of it.
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You know.
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My third little quick story about a different part of
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his humanity is just how kind he is and humble
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and just altruistic and willing to do things without being
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asked and for the greater good of friends and whatnot.
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So I have a seventeen year old son, junior in
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high school. Loves wrestling pretty cool, took six in the
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state last year, and he's in a tough weight class
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this year, and he's having a great tournament.
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He's rank like sixth again or seventh.
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In my mind and my wife's minds, they were like, man,
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he just gets too nervous before Matt just.
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I'd love Matt to talk to him. I would love
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Matt to be able to talk to him. So in
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me and matter good buddies. So I pick up the
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phone call.
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Matt, Hey, could you could you reach out to Michael
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and I leave it at that and he he uh,
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you know he does. And I hear it from Michael
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later on, did you have Matt Linlan call me? I'm
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like no, we were just talking and you know, I
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wanted to have him, you know whatever, so.
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I just I left it.
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And you know, these kids today, they all day text
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and they snapchat.
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They're not used to like interaction.
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They need more of that. Fast forward to the tournament.
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My son has the tournament of a lifetime, beats the
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returning state champ. He's a kid that he doesn't that
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had beaten him before.
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It was just amazing. And they finished to turn him tournament.
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After he gets the rewards and stuff, and I swear
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to you, my son just out of nowhere, he's like, man,
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thanks for having Matt talk to me.
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That really helped me out. I was like, because I
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never said anything about it.
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I didn't want to, you know, violate his space. But
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somehow or another, Matt found a way to get through
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the text and get an actual phone call with my son,
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and it helps.
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I mean, thank you. That was so amazing.
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So in conclusion, before I get the hook, you know
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one thing about Matt and I just wanted one sentence
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to say it is that he puts family first, and
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you treat your friends like family.
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And whether that means driving a zamboni at night to
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make a few extra books, or give your buddy's kid
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a call and help him out, you know, that's the
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type of person he is.
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And we're all proud of you.
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Matt.
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I love you.
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Thank you for bringing me along your journey. You're amazing
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and you deserve this, so thank you, Matt Limerick.
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Congratulations another example of how life's about relationships, ladies and gentlemen.
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Our next honoree is Distinguished Member Matt Lindlan. He's always
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been a cowboy, that's for sure.
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I'm very much a city girl. So when I met him,
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just to me, it was wild, very loving, very caring,
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but very wild. He's just grown up with nothing but love,
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so that's really all he knows.
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He definitely cowboys from the wild less. I mean, when
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he wants something, he worked hard at it every single day. Harry,
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I mean, no matter what it is.
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I lived currently now.
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My cabin's in the first zip C west of.
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The Rockets, the first zip C west of the Rocky,
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So I mean that's pretty cool.
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My great grandfather who I grew up next door to.
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Parents like left the Midwest and like ventured over the
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over the rockings, over the Cascades. They got out to
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the Oregon coast and they're like, Okay, we're going to
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homestead here.
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So it's like this this pioneer spirit of exploring adventures,
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and I still have that in my soul.
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Yeah.
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I owned the Organ Athletic Club for about forty seven
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years and he started there, I think when he's about
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eighth greater freshman. I know that when he first started
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wrestling in our program, and it was a brief challenge
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for him, and I think one of the reasons he
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chose our program was because he knew it was going
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to be a challenge. You know. He wanted to get
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with the best kids, and we had some of the
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best kids. You know, you've got to be willing.
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To fail and fail and failed failed to you figured
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it out. So yeah, Matt was willing him to do that.
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When he wrestled in high school, he was just getting
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started and.
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He didn't do all that well.
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And then he after got out of high school, they
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went to Clacivius Community College and didn't do real well.
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His first year.
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Second year, he became a national champion, and.
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I got recruited to a lot of Midwest colleges, a
311
00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:14.720
lot of East Coast colleges, and the wrestling on the
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West Coast just wasn't at the same level. And I
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knew to be successful, I had to surround myself with
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like minded.
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People, high level athletes, good coaching.
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I had to put myself in a competitive environment, and
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if I was wrestling on the West Coast, I just
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probably wasn't going to get those same opportunities. So I
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invited my girlfriend to move to Nebraska with me, and
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when we got out there, we realized that she shouldn't
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be my girlfriend, she shed be my wife.
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And so we got married when we were twenty.
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So we dated wrestling season the wrestling season, and we
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got married when he had a little break at Nebraska,
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and then nine months later we had our son, James,
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and it wasn't like, oh, maybe we should wait.
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He was like, I want my family and didn't do.
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All that great the first year.
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The next year he was the number one one hundred
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and fifty eight one hundred and fifty eight pound seed
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and NC two a tournament, and you got to be
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pretty dar good to get that number one seed, the
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number one.
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Ranked one hundred and fifty eight pounder in the country.
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He's Matt Lindland of Nebraska, twenty three and zip look
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at that record.
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I ended up getting picked up by Sunkaston.
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What you really need when when you're trying to pursue
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really difficult things like winning Olympic Games and world championships,
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is you need to build a good support team around you.
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And some of that support is.
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00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:43.200
Funding to get you overseas and get you to the
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right competitions, get you to the right tournaments. So it's coaching.
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Training partners could at the top when they start to
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be the best in their weight class, it's hard to
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00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:56.720
find workout partners. Matt just couldn't get workout partners. He
347
00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:59.440
just couldn't get it good enough ones. So that's where
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00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.240
he's us. He won to go to the Lympic trains today.
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00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:03.839
He just felt like that was his next jump. He
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had to do it.
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He worked and work.
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There was some hard he went through some hard times
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00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:11.839
when he got out of college wrestling.
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I mean that weight class in Greco it was his stack.
355
00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:19.079
Well, I think what drew me more to Greco Roman
356
00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:21.480
was it's a little more punk rock. I mean, it's
357
00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:26.839
a nonconformist that's uh, it's not what the Americans do
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00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:29.119
and what the Americans are passionate about.
359
00:18:29.319 --> 00:18:32.319
I mean he worked hard, and he might have gone around.
360
00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:34.799
To three different places in here to a little wrestling
361
00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:39.160
practice that he all also as went back home to
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00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:44.880
Redman where his parents loved, ainted whatever work needs to
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00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:50.720
be done on their property. But I just think the
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00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:55.960
way he eat lost and had learned from that, went
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00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:59.920
on and won the next levels almost one in their
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00:19:00.119 --> 00:19:07.279
travel loss per uh and uh and.
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00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:10.960
What he what he did for by winning the silver
368
00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:15.839
medal and uh coaching and hopefully coached some of that
369
00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:20.319
stuff in there were the people represent the USA.
370
00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:24.480
All than that, A lot of what I did, you know,
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00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:28.599
as a national coach was fighting for more opportunities, finding money,
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00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:33.880
finding finding tournaments, finding training camps, you know, and ozerbra
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00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:37.680
Jehan and I was Pakistan in Kazakhstan, and you know,
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00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:41.400
these these places where frankly they didn't necessarily want to
375
00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:44.400
go to, but I knew this is where they needed
376
00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:47.400
to be to get the training, get the get the
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00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:51.920
leveling up that they needed to have to accomplish the
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00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:55.400
their next level, that next challenge. And so for me,
379
00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:58.279
it was always trying to provide more opportunities for the athletes.
380
00:19:58.960 --> 00:20:01.960
And uh, it wasn't about me, it was about them.
381
00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:04.400
It was about seeing them how success.
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00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:11.039
If he hadn't succeeded, it was really entering prayer and for.
383
00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:14.039
His life, you know, it's what he wanted to do.
384
00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:16.759
That was funny. That was one of the things.
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00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:18.839
That we talked a lot about in our program was
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00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:21.440
every year I'd take kids done the Olympic trains there,
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00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:24.759
younger kids too, so they could see and plant the
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00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:29.200
scene or greatness in them. And Matt was he ney
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00:20:29.240 --> 00:20:32.119
to coach because he wanted to learn. He wanted to learn.
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00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:34.960
I'll tell you when he came into our program, I
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00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:37.640
had a whole bunch of beasts in there and he
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00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:40.160
was just really learning and he just got whiled on it.
393
00:20:40.680 --> 00:20:43.440
He picked up the nickname of the bender because they
394
00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:45.759
would just bend him up in every direction, you know,
395
00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:49.240
but he always got up and always smiling, always happy,
396
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:53.440
first guy in the room. Matt was great and you
397
00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:56.680
know that's why he's done so well career, you know,
398
00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:58.680
and to make the Olympic team the way he did.
399
00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:02.240
You know, he goes you all that legal, legal battles
400
00:21:02.279 --> 00:21:04.640
and everything to get a chance to make the team.
401
00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:08.079
And I tell that story at the camp, you know,
402
00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:10.640
I said, it's a far as like you got. You
403
00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.839
gotta be willing to put everything on the line. So
404
00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:17.759
he was willing to do that. So we're very, very,
405
00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.880
very very proud of Matt.
406
00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:20.119
You know, it's humbling.
407
00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:25.400
It's humbling for sure, but it's it's not about me.
408
00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:28.839
It's about all the people that helped me get here.
409
00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:31.799
Oh yeah, I'm super proud of him. I've always been
410
00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:32.759
super proud of Matt.
411
00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:36.359
I mean, besides his accomplishments, he's a he's a great friend,
412
00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:38.920
he's a great husband, he's a good father, he's a
413
00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:39.480
good coach.
414
00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:45.200
But yeah, I think this is a great ben served it,
415
00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:50.400
he deserves it.
416
00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:57.000
Very grateful that the bottom line is just gratitude and thankful.
417
00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:11.200
H Let's bring Matt forward now with his presenters, his children,
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00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:13.759
James Lindland and Robin Schaeffer.
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00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:36.880
Oh oh, we're great videos, Hooter.
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00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.960
Thank you and thank you guys for the honor of
421
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:42.839
just being a part of this great group of men
422
00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:45.920
that have done this. I mean her Coleman story. I mean,
423
00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:47.480
that's a guy I looked up to when I was
424
00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:51.759
starting to do this. I just think the theme of
425
00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:54.920
rustling for me is just kind of like gratitude and love.
426
00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:59.839
Like I grew up really loved. I was just super blessed.
427
00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:01.319
I had a.
428
00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:05.440
Really great family. My parents were very loving. I lived
429
00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:08.839
next door to my great grandparents, my grandparents. I had
430
00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:12.519
great role models throughout my life. And then I was
431
00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:14.720
I was an athlete. I was I was an equestrian,
432
00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:17.960
and then one day my parents told me we're poor people,
433
00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:21.799
and you can't ride horses because you can't go any
434
00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:24.880
farther on the sport, and maybe you should find something new.
435
00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:29.400
So I'd done wrestling in seventh and eighth grade. It
436
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:31.200
was like six weeks. It was like something you show
437
00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:33.839
it up to and you did and then it was over.
438
00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:37.200
And then I went back to my ponies. And when
439
00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:39.680
you're a small man and you ride ponies, you get
440
00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:43.400
picked on a lot. So in freshman year, when they
441
00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:45.680
asked me to do wrestling, and they lied to me
442
00:23:45.720 --> 00:23:46.960
and told me I was really good at it. You
443
00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:49.279
should come out with a team. I was like, well,
444
00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:51.680
maybe I can learn how to beat other people up
445
00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:55.720
that are picking on me and protect others, and you
446
00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:58.759
know that that's kind of the emphasis is really is
447
00:23:58.759 --> 00:24:01.039
a martial art and I see myself more as a
448
00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:03.559
martial artist than than just a rustler.
449
00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:04.240
Uh.
450
00:24:04.599 --> 00:24:06.759
But also see myself more than a martial artists. I
451
00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:10.920
see myself as a husband and father, a son, you know.
452
00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:16.880
And but I mean, it's really just grateful for everybody
453
00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.759
that's been a part of this. I've had so many
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00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:22.640
transformational coaches. I've had some transactional coaches as well, but
455
00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:25.200
the guys that have been in my life. I mean,
456
00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:27.400
you saw a couple of the coaches here, and then
457
00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:30.759
you heard Mark and my training partners and Racking and
458
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:33.119
Norman Burney's here, the only guy that ever recruited me
459
00:24:33.160 --> 00:24:36.039
out of high school. I went there Blackham's Community College.
460
00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:38.440
You called me up, said come here, and I you know,
461
00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:40.480
and didn't have any money, but I told him if
462
00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:42.000
I could. I asked them if I could beat some
463
00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:44.079
of the guys that were hitting scholarships, could I have
464
00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:46.799
some money? And we we ended up I ended up
465
00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:49.480
staying there and won a national title and moved on
466
00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:53.319
to Nebraska, and the uh just blessed to have my
467
00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:57.160
wife alongside me this whole ride, and and my kids
468
00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:01.160
and and uh, just love and graditude and so thankful
469
00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:04.440
for this honor. I want to thank everyone. I appreciate you, guys.
470
00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:07.319
And if you've been a part of this journey at all,
471
00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:10.440
as a coach, as a training partner, as one of
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00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:13.720
the leaders, very thankful. If you were one of those
473
00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.720
athletes out there, like.
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00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:17.559
Mark Colin or any of these guys. I mean, even
475
00:25:17.599 --> 00:25:18.200
these young guys.
476
00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:21.400
I'm watching kids like Marcus and Dayton Fix that are
477
00:25:21.480 --> 00:25:24.799
just these guys are animals now. It's so fun to
478
00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:27.200
watch these guys. So I'm inspired by the young guys
479
00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:30.480
coming up. I was inspired by the legends of this sport.
480
00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:31.640
Dave Schultz.
481
00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:34.440
I mean, one of my highlights was wrestling on the
482
00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:36.359
same mat as him in the national finals.
483
00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:38.119
He was in the freestyle category. I was in the
484
00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:39.200
greco category.
485
00:25:39.599 --> 00:25:43.960
It was my first national championship, and so just I'm
486
00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:46.160
honored to be here. Thank you so much, guys, I
487
00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:46.839
appreciate it.
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Legends is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of
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00:25:54.839 --> 00:25:58.079
Fame and produced by the Man Talk podcast Network. If
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00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:00.960
you want to hear more from wrestling's legend. Contribute to
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00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:05.680
the project today by going to matttalkonline dot com slash contribute.
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00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:09.200
We hope you've enjoyed this look in the wrestling history.
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00:26:09.799 --> 00:26:13.000
This has been legends. I'm Jason Bryant.
