flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

First, a little history to help you understand and appreciate the story a little better. Ghaynes, was at one time, a sports writer for a large newspaper in the Fox Valley in WI. I was a pretty decent wrestler in HS and College and after graduation from college, I started coaching Wrestling for The Caledonia Warriors. This newspaper's sports reporter for the Winona Daily News, let's call him Greg, followed me during my HS and College career and being that I stayed in the area coaching, he did a wonderful job of covering the Warrior Wrestling Program. We had a good program, State Champions, Region Champions, we had a State record of 83 consecutive dual meet victories at one time, and at that time, we were going for our 15th consecutive District title. Now Greg liked to call me up on a Sunday afternoon and we would talk Wrestling. I learned a long time ago in coaching, that you always want to be good buddies to the reporters and the officials because they can really make your life miserable if they don't like you, and Greg and I were the best of buddies and he treated me very well. Anyway, it was the Sunday before the District Tournament, and Greg and I were talking over the phone, kind of nonchalantly and he asked me, " Is there any way in which you will not win this District Title?" I told him, nonchalantly, "I suppose if we would have a bus accident on the way down Badger Hill we would have trouble." "Now Greg, don't put that in the paper, that's just between you and me." Greg didn't answer me, and we went on talking. Well, Greg put that quote in the paper and that really fired the other teams and the coaches in the District up. It came down to the heavyweight match and my wrestler who was a good wrestler, 5th in the State the year before, gets taken down and put on his back by this 300-pound dude, no weight restriction for Hwts back then, and he has to bridge for almost the full period. Down 5 - 0 and exhausted from bridging 300 pounds, my wrestler can't get away the second period. Still down 5 - 0 going into the third and last period, my wrestler lets the 300-pounder up, takes him down and pinned the puppy. The Warriors win their 15th consecutive District. Greg and I had a couple of barley pops after that one. Hope you enjoyed the story, I relived it all over again.
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ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

Interesting story. You certainly had an accomplished career as a wrestler and a coach. The sportswriter, "Greg," made 2 mistakes with you. First, he became too much like a friend which isn't the worse thing but probably not wise. Second, and most important, he took a "off the record" comment by you and used it. You had every right after that not to talk with him again. You never break a confidence with a source. The fact that he didn't say ok, I won't quote you, doesn' t get him off the hook. A reporter's trick that can bite him in the a.. some day.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Had we gotten beat, it may have been a different story, probably one that I would have never told.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Flyguy: You are in the same boat as CC, and what I just wrote to him, I am repeating for you.

You have a lot of stories and should get them recorded. When you die, so do they. Write them down, record them with a hand held devise, or on your PC. (Amazon has tiny recorders for less than $20.)

About publishing, Lulu Publishing will print even one copy, and at a reasonable price. I've published one and have another being edited for publishing, you can do it! Just Sayin...RJS

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Glad you posted this story. I really enjoyed reading it.

key1016 Loc: Green Bay, Wi

Bob: I am looking forward to reading your book but I don't want you to put yourself in harms way just to mail your book to me.

ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

Key - Used to live in De Pere. Wrote sports. Covered everything GB. Welcome to FS.