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Gold Should Not Be the Only
Goal
Some Ugly Behavior Tarnished
Olympic Effort Gene
Dermody coaches a local freestyle club, and reported live from Sydney for an
amateur
wrestling Internet site. Gene is also the Vice President of the Federation of Gay Games, and the
Federation Wrestling Sports coordinator for wrestling in Gay Games VI
Sydney 2002. He wrote this commentary on his Sydney experiences for
Outsports By Gene
Dermody
Special to Outsports.com
Check out Gene's Outsports
Clubhouse Profile I thought I understood the purpose of sport. I believed wrestling was the perfect example of the egalitarian nature of that pure sport. I believed in the principles of the
``Olympic Movement,'' and all the mumbo-jumbo that got attached to those principles by politicians, media, and sponsors. I have always been a patriotic American, and a
``competitive'' person, not partial to a lot of the PC ``anti-competition'' rubbish that had become fashionable.
I went to Sydney with optimism, and the dream of seeing my heroes at the Olympics, after having devoted some 35 years of my life to the sport I love. After watching
all the Greco and Freestyle matches over eight days, I am not so sure anymore what I believe.
I was particularly distressed with the behavior of the American
127-pounder Terry Brands during the medal ceremonies. Yes, this was just one incident, time will heal this very emotional set back, and I should overlook it. But this was televised, this was the Olympics, he was representing America, he had a responsibility to the integrity of the sport, and he had a responsibility to be a role model. Taking off the
bronze medal, and putting it into his pocket was just unacceptable behavior from someone of Terry’s stature.
You may say that this is the Olympics, that this is not the New Jersey High School State Finals or the NCAA Division I Finals, that the stakes are higher, that the emotional and physical investment is much greater, and that he is
``entitled'' to accept only the gold as payment for his sacrifice.
I just don’t buy it. We have failed as family, coaches, fans, and a society when we permit this kind of behavior to go unaddressed. As Americans, it is incumbent upon us to set the moral tone and show more class. Otherwise, the sport of wrestling is doomed.
I seem to remember a time when wrestling was much more fun. When the tough competition forged strong lifelong friendships, and inspired more participation. When did it become so elitist, that an Olympic
bronze medal is rejected with such contempt?
There were many American wrestling fans in Sydney wearing T-shirts quoting Roman Emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius (via this year’s hit film, the ‘Gladiator’): ``What we do in life echoes through time.'' It is an incredibly appropriate quote. It is a shame too many of these
fans misinterpret it.
To illustrate my point, just compare the ceremonies display of two bronze
medallists: Brands and 118-pounder Amiran Karntonov of Greece. Both had a
very tough tournament, with questionable officiating, unlucky pools, and very close matches. Terry was an angry man. Amiran was bursting with pride, for himself, his team, and his country. He was grateful for having had the Olympic opportunity, and he wanted to personally hug everyone, as he ran around
crying, draped in the blue and white of Hellas.
Amiran will go back to Greece a hero, to inspire many young wrestlers to train for the next Olympics, Athens 2004. This is the meaning of Marcus Aurelius’s quote: It is NOT the incident that has merit, it is the effect the incident has on history. It will not matter what Olympic
medal Amiran won, very few will remember that within even a few weeks. But what will be said is that young Amiran fought with dignity for Hellas at the Olympics in Sydney. It will read like an epic passage
from Homer.
Overall, the American team was great. It may have lacked gold (save
for Rulon Gardner and Slay), but it had the depth, especially in Greco, something the team has needed for a long time. They deserve our praise, especially the less
touted ones: Jim Gruenwald, Charles Burton, Heath Sims, and Kerry McCoy,
who made me proud by achieving beyond expectations. Why this ugly obsession with the medal count? It is poisoning our culture.
A body count does not a hero make, nor a piece of metal hung round the neck. A
hero is the embodiment of the true human spirit, an inspiration to us all. When did we stop making them?
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