U.S. Olympic Team Trials Session 4 Quotes

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Olympic Trials press staff ()
05/22/2004


MEN'S FREESTYLE  1995 World Cup Champion, Dominic Black announced his retirement after receiving a forfeit to place fifth at 96 kilograms.  Dominic Black - 96 kg - Colorado Springs, Colo. - United States Army  "It's a tough thing to give up. I've been doing this for 20 years. You don't realize the love for the sport until it's over."    On the future of USA Wrestling:  "A lot of guys coming up are really exciting and going to be great for the sport."    On his relationship with Kurt Angle:  "Kurt inspired me to be the wrestler I am today. When he qualified for the Olympics, he pulled me aside and said 'Dom, I hope you feel this.' That was one of the best motivators I've had."     Sammie Henson - 55 kg - Highland Mills, N.Y. - Sunkist Kids  On exciting finish:  "[Teague Moore) was only leading 3-0. I wasn't taking advantage of him but once I was on top I held on to it and knew I had it."    "I'm wrestling now because it's fun and to wrestle my own style. I love wrestling now. I hated it in 2000 because it was too much of a burden. But now I have kids and it's much more fun."    On matches with Abas:   "I'm going to have to wrestle much better tomorrow to beat him."    On Teague Moore:  "I tried to console Teague because I know how it is and I've been there. He's a good competitor."    Teague Moore - 55 kg - Stillwater, Okla. - Gator Wrestling Club  On final 30 seconds of match:  "I don't know what happened. I looked up and there was 30 seconds left and then it was like I was swimming in mud."    "Coming into the tournament I would have said no one could score that much on me in that short of time."    On the future:  "This is it. My family and friends have sacrificed so much and believed in me and I've been blessed to do this."    Mike Zadick - 60 kg - Solon, Iowa - Hawkeye Wrestling Club  On his victory over Danny Felix:  "It was a little too close for comfort for me."  "All the matches are tough.  This was another close one, but I got through it."    On the officials' decision not to award the three-point move:  "It's a judgmental call.  It's three if it's in.  You have to get back out there and score points."  "I try to stay focused in every match.  There are so many things that can go wrong.  You have to stay focused and keep building the score.  I wasn't happy with it, but that's the way they see it.  What they throw at you, you have to deal with it.  Keep thinking win, win, win and that's it.    On how Rulon Gardner helped him improve his clinch:  "He helped with positioning, how to adjust and lock."    On what Tom Brands means to him:  "Everything.  Tom Brands is the real deal."    Jared Lawrence - 66 kg - Minneapolis, Minn. - Minnesota Storm  "At first, I didn't know I could get here because of everyone else has more experience."    "I'm definitely the underdog and I'm going to go out and do my best, and the outcome is the outcome."    On rivalry with Larkin:  "I try to block out the last [losses] and try to keep confident."    Joe Heskett - 74 kg - Grover Beach, Calif. - Gator Wrestling Club  "To get a pin in the finals felt great. [The challenge tournament] was a good prep for the tomorrow."    On match-up with Joe Williams   "This is what I've wanted for two years. I wanted to get through this to see him. I train for Joe Williams. He's a world-class athlete and I want to make a run for it. To be the best you need to beat the best. I think we've had a close match in the past and I made a few mistakes but I've learned from them."    On family support:  So many of my friends and family are here and that's the best part of all of this."    On John Smith:  "Looking over during a match and seeing him in my corner is the ultimate inspiration. He's taught me so much."    Bobby Douglas - Cael Sanderson's coach  "You've got to get through this to get to the top. I wouldn't like to go through the challenge tournament but it made him more strong."    "To win tomorrow, Cael has to score more points. He was scored on too much last time and he's learned from that."    "He's in better shape than at the national tournament. Fullhart's a great competitor and it's going to be a great match."    Cael Sanderson - 84 kg - Ames, Iowa - Sunkist Kids  "I got away from it with a win and I'm excited about tomorrow. Tomorrow is exciting because it's a unique opportunity. Now that I'm here I'm back where I want to be."    On Fullhart:  "He's tough and I will be ready for him tomorrow. The loss was frustrating but if I wrestle well I will be where I need to be."    Tommy Rowlands - 96 kg - Columbus, Ohio - Dave Schultz Wrestling Club  On his loss to Tim Hartung by referee's decision:  "I wrestled well, just not well enough.  He's strong.  I knew he was a strong guy, but that was his biggest advantage, the fact that he's a fighter.  He's not going to give up a match.    Tim Hartung - 96 kg - St. Paul, Minn. - Minnesota Storm  "You don't want to go [nine minutes] but I got the win and I'm excited about tomorrow."    "I was preparing for Dean Morrison but obviously Rowlands was a good wrestler."    "Cormier has always beat me but I'm just going to battle tomorrow."      Tolly Thompson - 120 kg - Cedar Falls, Iowa - Sunkist Kids  "It was better to stumble at U.S. finals then here. I'm most concerned about getting ready for here because I embarrassed myself in Vegas."    On facing McCoy:  "We go way back. I've never beat him but I'd never beat Mocco. I'll just go six minutes or nine if I need them."      MEN'S GRECO ROMAN  Dennis Hall - 55 kg - Plover, Wisc. - Sunkist Kids  On the match:  "It was a good match. Lindsey fought a hard fought match."    On being behind early:  "Keep the pressure on him and I'll find a way to win.  When I won the World title in 1995, I was behind in four matches.  He wasn't able to weather the storm."    On the clinch rule:  "The clinch is the dumbest rule in wrestling.  Now they [the officials] adjust it.  They did a great job with it tonight.  They were patient with us tonight.  They did a great job of getting it right so no one had an advantage."    On preparing for tomorrow's matches:  "I want to go back, get some food in me, recover and I'll work on the game plan in the morning."    On wrestling Brandon Paulson tomorrow:  "It's going to be chests out there tomorrow, some battling."  "Might seem like a boring match to the average fan but we're going to get high paced."    Joe Warren - 60 kg - Colorado Springs, Colo. - New York Athletic Club  On his victory over Glenn Nieradka:  "He's wrestled in this league for 13 years.  We had two refs decisions this year.  It's a big moral victory.  I'm real excited about the win."    On the several veteran wrestlers that retired today:  "You have to give them a lot of credit for doing it for this long.  This isn't easy.  I've got a lot of respect for them."    On getting to the Olympic finals trials:  "It's been a tough road but I'm here and I'm excited.  I'm wrestling my mentor tomorrow.  It's going to be a war tomorrow.  A win against him would be the greatest of my career to this point."    On setting his goal to be an Olympic champion:  "I'd decided I was going to be an Olympic champ in fifth grade.  I didn't know what style but I was excited to be in the room each day working out."    On adjusting from college wrestling to Greco Roman:  "It's a completely different wrestling style.  You have to start over again.  It's frustrating the first couple years."    Kevin Bracken - 66 kg - Colorado Springs, Colo. - New York Athletic Club  "I'm ready for tomorrow. It will be a great match with lots of my family and friends here."    On frame of mind:  "Before U'S. Nationals, my baby was born four days before and I wasn't in the right fame of mind. But once this weekend came I was totally focused on wrestling."      Jacob Clark - 84 kg - Colorado Springs, Colo. - United States Marine Corps  On his victory over Aaron Sieracki:  "It was a good match.  I've got a lot of respect for both Sieracki brothers.  If you're here [at Olympic trials], I think it's a tough match for everyone."    On preparing for tomorrow's matches:  "Don't remind me.  I'll take this win first."    On the lower profile of Greco