Memories of Patriotic Moments in Wrestling    TheMatside View  by Gary Abbott    God Bless America.    Those of us who work in a business that includes international sport have a pretty good understanding of pride in America. We are surrounded by it, as we work daily with talented athletes who represent the United States in competition.    The tragedy of September 11 made all Americans re-examine their relationship with their nation. A renewed sense of patriotism has flourished. Now, every American has an understanding of just how lucky we are to live in this country, the most free and fair nation of them all.    I see sporting events on television, where fans chant "USA, USA," not in support of the teams on the field, but in support of their fellow citizens, especially our true national heroes: the police, firefighters and rescue workers at Ground Zero. Somehow, winning and losing does not seem quite as important as it used to.    For me, working at a national governing body seems even more special now. All Americans are now expressing the kind of national pride that we encounter daily working with America's top athletes.    How many people go to work each day with two Olympic Champions? Each morning, I greet Steve Fraser and Kevin Jackson, people who are my colleagues and friends, but also who honored our nation by winning Olympic golds. How many people get to know dozens of Olympic Champions, many who call up just to say hello?    Exactly one year ago today, I experienced one of those moments that filled my heart with national pride. It is easy to remember, as it also happened on my 40th birthday. It was that magical day when Rulon Gardner shocked the world and beat the unbeatable superstar Alexander Kareline of Russia. I was so filled with joy, excitement and emotion that I was trembling, almost too much to keep my hands on the keyboard as I typed up the story for posting on TheMat.com.    I am blessed to have dozens of these memories in my heart from the last 13 years. I was trained as a journalist, who is not supposed to cheer or show favoritism. However, I work as a public relations person, who is allowed to root for the home team, and believe me, we do. Perhaps we root for America in silence, but we are there, supporting the cause in spirit, 100%.    Looking back, many of these times rush into my mind. I share them with pride and respect, grateful that I was a witness and participant in these moments. A list of them, in no particular order, includes:    * Sitting in Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., watching Bruce Baumgartner lead the U.S. delegation into the stadium during Opening Ceremonies, holding the American flag with one hand.    * Seeing Kevin Jackson on the Olympic podium, receiving the gold medal, and singing the national anthem in spite of the loud boos from the fans in the arena in Barcelona, Spain. Initially, most of us, including Kevin, could not hear our anthem well, but by the end, our song could not be silenced.    * My first national anthem ceremonies at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, as young stars John Smith and Kenny Monday claimed Olympic gold. The matches were memorable, with Smith's wild celebration run and Monday's overtime takedown. But the feeling of pride in my chest, watching the flag go up and hearing the national anthem, was a new and special experience. When Dave Schultz put his U.S. archrival Kenny Monday up on his shoulders and paraded him before the crowd, I instantly understood what patriotism and sportsmanship meant.    * Standing above the entryway near press row at Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia, looking down at Rulon Gardner holding the American flag for Closing Ceremonies. I called down to Rulon as he entered the stadium, although I don't know if he saw or heard me. I furiously tried to take digital pictures of Rulon with the U.S. flag, and actually got one good enough to use on TheMat.com.    * Watching Matt Ghaffari run into the wrestling venue at the Georgia World Congress Center for his historic gold-medal match with Alexander Kareline of Russia, waving an American flag bandana to a loud and patriotic American song.    * Witnessing the 1997 U.S. Freestyle World Cup team in Stillwater, Okla., as they beat Russia by winning every single match. It was surreal, win after win, climaxed by Mike Van Arsdale's pin at 97 kg and Bruce Baumgartner's victory over David Moussulbes in the final bout at 130 kg. (It ended up being Baumgartner's final match, and Moussulbes continued on, ultimately winning the 2000 Olympic gold medal).    * Two special victories by the Scherr twins. Jim took down the World's best wrestler, Makharbek Khadartsev of the Soviet Union, to win the match and clinch the team victory for the USA in Toledo, Ohio. Bill, who was quite injured and needed every bit of his skill and heart he had, scoring late in the match to beat Andrei Golovko of the Soviet Union and clinch the team title for the USA at the soldout Goodwill Games in Seattle, Wash.    * The first U.S. victory over the Soviet Union in an exhibition dual meet, which happened at the Fiesta Bowl Takedown I at Arizona State Univ. in December 1988. The crowd was large and the U.S. team looked very sharp. It struck me just how dominant the Soviet Union had been, since it took almost three decades before the USA had beaten the Soviets in one of these annual dual contests.    * Watching John Smith carry the torch and light the cauldron in the dark of the Opening Ceremonies at the 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival in Oklahoma City. I had to go down onto the field of the football stadium at the Univ. of Oklahoma, filled with a record sellout crowd, to find John and bring him up to the pressbox for interviews with the nation's press.    * Being down on the floor of a hockey rink in Toronto, Canada, as the 1993 U.S. Freestyle World Team (including athletes, coaches, staff and supporters) lined up for a team picture after winning the first World Team Title in American wrestling history.    There are many more, I am sure, but this list is more than enough to fill me with pride and put a smile on my face. Proud to be an American.    However, I am also reminded of some special moments of international goodwill between athletes of many nations. It was me who typed up all of the letters this month from the international wrestling federations offering condolence after the terror attack on September 11. Some of the letters were so moving to me that they almost choked me up. The one that got me the most came from Georgia, and said simply: "We, Georgian wrestlers with Georgian people, stand hard by you."    It would be wrong not to note a couple of moments that are clear in my mind today:    * Witnessing the Iranian fans at the 1995 World Championships in Atlanta, cheering Dave Schultz after he defeated the opponent from Iran. Dave, in his unique way, gave a soft two-handed wave back to the crowd, a scene of such class and goodwill that it still moves me. It would prove to be Dave's last tournament.    * Seeing Asgari Mohammadian of Iran, after losing in the gold-medal match at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, lift up his opponent, the superstar Sergei Beloglazov of the Soviet Union, and carry him around the mat for a victory lap in front of the entire crowd.    * Observing the moment of silence and whistle ceremony before the championship match of the 1998 Goodwill Games in the Theater in Madison Square Garden in New York City, as the U.S. wrestling community honored Shamil Umachanov of Russia and the other victims killed during a stadium collapse at the Russian National Wrestling Championships earlier in the year.    * Driving across the East Coast with Soviet superstar Sergei Beloglazov on a media promotional tour prior to the 1990 Grand Masters of Wrestling in Pittsburgh. Although Sergei had not yet mastered English, he was able to give a tremendous free clinic to young U.S. wrestlers at St. Edward High School in Cleveland, Ohio, using mostly gestures and the inflection of his voice. Sergei later presented me with a small gift from his homeland, something that I still cherish a decade later.    At this time in hist