Dan Chandler  USA Greco-Roman Wrestling Head Coach    Q: Are you concerned about how inexperienced your team is in the Pan American Games?   A: They may not have competed in the Pan American Games before but this team is very experienced. I think they're up to the task. I'm looking forward to a great competition.    Q: Have you talked about what to expect in this event as compared to what they've experienced at the World Championships?   A: Some athletes are only thinking about Cuba. But at this tournament some of the nations get emotionally high so some wrestlers who aren't traditionally strong are strong in this event. We try to get them not to underestimate anybody.    Rulon Gardner  USA Greco-Roman Wrestler, 120 kg/264.5 lbs.     Q: Rulon, You've made a long come back. Do you feel you are prepared for this event? On a percentage scale, where do you think you are so far?   A: On a scale with 100 being perfect, I'd say about 98, 99 percent.     Q: Did you think your career was over?   A: At this level, yes. But I was alive, and that's all that counted.     Q: You've already faced Lopez twice and lost.   A: I hope it goes very well. I've been training to figure out how to beat (Mijian) Lopez. I've been training with Dremiel Byers (2002 Greco-Roman World Champion). He's come down here to train with me so we could figure out just how to beat Lopez. He's a young wrestler but very technical, very strong. A very good wrestler and very dangerous.    Q: How do you think being an athlete has helped you survive your accident and also to be able to return to competition?   A: I think without wrestling, there's no way I would have survived. There are so many skills I learned in my life, just the mental training that wrestling has given me. With the basis of focus and strength I have been able to return to this level.     Brandon Paulson  USA Greco-Roman Wrestler, 55 kg/121 lbs.    Q: What has your experience been like so far?   A: It's been fun. The people are treating us very nice and I'm excited to come and wrestle at the Pan Am Games. I've never competed in this before and it is something I've always wanted to do. First off I did want to mention that today (Aug. 1) is my fifth wedding anniversary so if you put anything in the paper you have to mention that because obviously I'm not home for it. I have to get that in.    Q: Who is your biggest competition at 55 kilos?   A: Lazaro Rivas from Cuba. He is a world champion and Olympic silver medalist. We've wrestled four times and he's beaten me all four times so I'm looking for revenge. He seems 10 feet tall and stronger than me. From an up/down position he has good lift. He's hard to stop because he's so tall.     Q: How important is this tournament?   A: I take every tournament one at a time. The next tournament is always the most important. Right now I'm focused on the Pan American Games. When this is over I'll be getting ready for the Worlds. The Olympics are a ways down the road so I'll take a little time off then start getting ready for that.    Q: Do other wrestlers take inspiration from Rulon Gardner's story?  A: Wrestlers understand each other. What happened to Rulon, it doesn't surprise me he made it through. He's a tough SOB. Wrestling has taught me a work ethic.