Just when it seems like everybody is getting too serious about wrestling and themselves, when it seems like there was no more fun in the sport, along comes Melvin Douglas.    In one weekend, wrestling on his hometown mats at the ASU/Sunkist Kids International, "old man" Melvin brought a smile to everybody's face and reminded us why we enjoy being involved in sports.     If you know Melvin, you have to like Melvin. He has had a great wrestling career, winning a World gold medal and making the U.S. Olympic team twice. This man can wrestle, and has more experience than any current U.S. freestyle wrestler by almost a decade.     Earlier in his career, Melvin Douglas was cut, a chiseled specimen. He won his first World medal, a silver, in 1989, competing at 180.5 pounds. He was in a loaded weight class, with stars like Kevin Jackson, Royce Alger, Rico Chiapparelli and Dave Schultz often in his division.     Melvin had tremendous speed, and perhaps the strongest legs and hips of any wrestler of his generation. When you tried to shoot a leg attack on Melvin, it was like hitting a brick wall. Needless to say, he had world-class defense, and (when he decided to) he had an explosive offense using his god-given quickness.    However, in order to make that division, Melvin had to "cut." He decided after the 1992 Olympic cycle that he no longer wanted to lose the weight. Melvin moved up to 198 pounds and made the 1996 Olympic team. When the weight classes changed, Melvin kept moving up, making the 2000 Olympic team at 213.75 pounds. And this weekend, after over three years out of competition, Melvin moved up even higher, going up to the highest division in wrestling at 264.5 pounds.    Get used to comparisons of Melvin Douglas with boxing legend George Foreman. Like Foreman, he has extended his career past the age of 40. And like Foreman, he has a reputation as a man who enjoys to eat and has gained weight over the years. And also like Foreman, he has shown that a motivated and talented athlete can use experience and whatever skills remain to beat younger men.    The fact that Douglas is older and still competing is only part of the story. Melvin Douglas has always been a funny, pleasant fellow, a person who stayed in wrestling so long because he enjoys the sport and the people involved. Perhaps, he has not always been in love with the hard training required of world-class champions, but whenever the lights came on, he was prepared to win and put on a great show.    Don't think Melvin is a jester or not to be taken seriously. He is a family man, who has always been dedicated to his children. He raised a large family piecing together a living as a wrestler, not an easy task. Just like Melvin, his kids are no longer young - in fact, his daughter plays Div. I softball for Ohio State.     For a few years there have been rumors that Douglas was coming out of retirement. He was not pleased with the way he went out. At the 2000 Olympics, he lost a close match to the Russian World Champion in his pool and did not place. That Russian went on to win the Olympic gold medal. In Sydney, Melvin was the oldest man on the team, competing at a high level at the age of 37. For most people, that would have been it. But if there is something that defines Melvin, it is his competitiveness.     Prior to the ASU/Sunkist Kids International, Douglas was interviewed in the Arizona Republic about his comeback attempt. When asked about Steve Mocco, the reigning NCAA champion who was also going to compete at Sunkist, Douglas was in his element during the interview, having fun. He answered "so what?" to the question about Mocco, calling NCAA champions "a dime a dozen." Douglas, always self-confident, was not being mean. He was being honest. Very few wrestlers have achieved what Douglas has done, and if anybody has earned the right to say "so what?" it is Melvin. His theory is the same as it always has been: Action speaks louder than words. The fact that Douglas is almost twice as old as Mocco gives him the authority to make such statements about younger people.    Obviously, this got the wrestling community all abuzz, especially since there seems to be a Mocco-mania among the sport's fans. So people across the nation now wanted to see a Mocco-Douglas showdown.    Looking at Melvin, who has certainly packed on a few pounds since Sydney, you had to be a little concerned for him against all those big boys. However, Melvin would not have entered if he was not ready, and he moved through the field, earning win after win.    Perhaps he was not very aggressive, and he may have used that experience to steal a few extra rest breaks, but he still had that Douglas quickness and Douglas leg strength. He dominated big Kellen Fluckiger in the semifinals to make the championship round against Mocco.    Going into the finals, Mocco did not disappoint, either. He was putting away all of his rivals, using his power and intensity to score often and work for falls. If anybody questioned if this kid can do freestyle, they should let that idea go. Mocco is a talented freestyle wrestler, and has that "killer mentality" that all great pinners have.    It was apparent that Mocco was bigger and stronger and in greater shape than Melvin right from the start of the match. But it was also apparent that Melvin remains mentally tough and has tremendous mat savvy. The smart old man got turned early, giving Mocco a 2-0 lead. Rather than fold, Douglas hung in there, handling the barrage like a champion.    When Mocco came charging into Douglas, Melvin held his position. The brick wall was still strong. When Mocco pressed the action, Melvin went right back at him. The action resembled a pair of mountain sheep ramming their horns full speed.     Somehow, someway, Douglas tied up the match. One point came on a penalty. Another two came when he countered a gutwrench attempt and got two points on the mistake. Suddenly, Mocco and Douglas were tied at 3-3 late in the match. The crowd got into the match, clearly rooting for Melvin.    With the match on the line, it was old tired Melvin Douglas that got behind Mocco and tried to take him to the mat for the win. The crowd went wild as Melvin nearly got that magic point. However, in what may be considered a controversial call, the referee called the move out of bounds. Melvin's last best attempt fell short.    In overtime, Melvin was spent, and Mocco remained fresh. A quick and powerful leg attack by Mocco finished off Douglas, and a new young champion had been crowned.    Afterwards, it was Melvin who conducted the interviews and it was Melvin who was being congratulated by the other athletes and coaches and fans. Melvin's long-shot comeback can no longer be considered a joke or a dream. If Douglas is serious about another run to the Olympics, his performance in Tempe gives him confidence to move forward.    Before anybody gets too excited, remember that Douglas still needs to shed the weight to get down to his real weight class, which is 211.5 pounds. He also needs to get those lungs into world-class condition. There will be a ton of hard work ahead. The jury is still out as to whether his performance at Sunkist was the last hurrah of a great champion, or the beginning of an amazing comeback.    Either way, it will be a fun Olympic year with Melvin back on the mat. There should be a lot more reasons for people to relax, smile and enjoy wrestling.