This week's Center Circle could be just about any subject in the sport of wrestling right now.    Coming up this weekend are the two most storied rivalries in our sport: Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State and Iowa vs. Iowa State. On Wednesday, the Secretary's Commission on Athletic Opportunity made some promising recommendations to the Secretary of Education concerning Title IX.    Also this week, 46 wrestlers won a total of $506 million in a lawsuit after they were taped without their knowledge and exposed on the internet. With that kind of settlement, I tried to convince my girlfriend to rent a video camera. But she wouldn't have anything to do with it.    But this week I have decided to write about a friend of mine, Jack Spates.    I usually don't get out of the realm of calling a coach by his title, but Jack is different. He is one of those guys who doesn't like the word coach. He feels it confines him to a necessary relationship with other people.    Now, some will make jokes about Jack. I have heard the name Trader Jack used because of his car salesman-like selling ability, or they talk about how someday he will be kissing babies in a political race. They would be right. There is also nothing wrong with that. He does this because he genuinely cares about people.    Ask any of Spates' former wrestlers or even the ones he has in the wrestling room right now. Not a single one of them will say a bad word about the man. None of them HAVE a bad word to say about him.    That is because Jack has opened his doors and his home to all of them, just as he has to me. I have been to his home and I have broken bread with him. If you ever need a good story teller, you need not look past Jack Spates. I would venture to say that his kids never had trouble going to sleep when they were young.    While I have never asked Jack to put me to bed and tuck me in, and I don't think that moment will ever come, I have been around him, his program and his athletes enough to know the impact he has in their lives.    Look at Byron Tucker, the Virginia high school stud who had never realized his potential and struggled at points with his grades in college. Spates took him under his wing, bringing Tucker to his home to ensure he had a solid studying environment. Tucker also began to excel on the mat, and as a senior in 2000, he captured the 174-pound NCAA title.    Coming to the present times, Josh Lambrecht has also excelled. I have grown to know Josh well over the past few years, and let me assure you, when he was at Tennessee-Chattanooga as a freshman, he was the most overrated wrestler in the nation. Lambrecht transferred to Oklahoma in the fall of 2000. He struggled at first, but at the same time, he bought into Spates' system. After a horrible regular season, Lambrecht became an All-American in 2001, and was an NCAA finalist last year.    Simply put, Spates can bring out the best in anyone at any time in any area. Isn't that the strongest mark of a head coach?    On Monday evening, Jack suffered a mild heart attack. Other coaches and wrestlers on the team were frightened, but all said they had no doubt he would be fine. He was aware of his surroundings throughout the entire episode.    On Wednesday, he underwent an angioplasty in a local hospital. If you want me to explain one to you, better find a dictionary. I could barely spell the word.    Amazingly enough, Jack still plans to coach this season. Even as his own health was taking a hit, he was concerned about his wrestlers and his program. He will have by-pass surgery at the end of the year. However, he will not be on the side of the mat in this weekend's 145th Bedlam dual at home against Oklahoma State.    I first met Jack a few years ago when I was in Pennsylvania visiting some other friends of mine, the Waller family. The father, Rob Waller, had wrestled with Jack in college at Slippery Rock. At the time, the squad was a Division II powerhouse. His son Robbie currently wrestles under Jack at Oklahoma.    Looking at pictures of Jack with the Wallers and then meeting him in the person, I realized that he had the most awkward looking-legs I had ever seen. He still does. Jack welcomed me that first meeting, and I have been invited to his home ever since. "My door is always open" he liked to say.    I know, Jack. And now, it is our turn to take care of you. God bless.    Note: The Center Circle will appear on TheMat.com on Thursdays.