Wrestling

Looking out of our hotel room to ExCel

Wrestling competition was held at the ExCel Center adjacent to our hotel.  Under the guidance of Doug Brooker, who won the bid to cover the wrestling for the Olympic Broadcast Services, the crew of 60 had fun and produced a great package for OSB and fans around the world.  Russ was fortunate to work with a terrific group of professionals and the ties/connections went all the way back to the first Olympic work Russ did in 1984.  Doug Brooker came to Russ in 1984 asking him to put in a word for him with the ABC hiring crew.  That was the beginning of a partnership that has lasted through Olympics Games and the Goodwill Games for 28 years.  Thank you Doug, we indeed have come full circle.  Being able to partner with our friend Bob Lanning, a former wrestling producer for NBC and TBS, was a bonus too. Big Ten colleagues Joe McFarland (Michigan) and Jim Humphrey (Indiana, OSU) made for lots of laughter. Evidently Russ was in charge of the "Joke of the Day" at the 9am production meetings.

Thanks to Mitch Hull for getting me a ticket for the morning session of the final day of competition. It was fun to see the arena and where Russ had spent his 12 hour days.  I found it hard to just sit in the stands and watch after being in the center of the action/research/competition for six Olympics. I did enjoy sitting with Jim and Mary Keen and John Graham during the session.  Dear friends and lots and lots of great memories shared with them.

 US wrestlers Jordan Burroughs and Jake Varner won gold medals in freestyle.  They will each receive a $250,000 bonus from USA Wrestling for their gold medals!!! The US also added bronze medals from Clarissa Chun and Coleman Scott. In the team medals, Russia had a total of 11, followed by Azerbaijan with 7, Japan, Iran and Georgia with 6, and USA 4. 

Russ, Tom Smith (handheld camerman, hardest working man in the venue), Joe McFarland, Jim Humphrey, and Tim Johnson

Olympic Broadcast Services Staff - Wrestling