All Matters Take Place On The Mat

This isn’t Russia, which suits Joe Seay just fine, although he might have much more power if it were.

As U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling coach, Seay (pronounced SEE) has no say in determining which 10 athletes will represent his country this summer in Atlanta.

The Olympic Trials, presented by Windermere, will do that for him. Seay likes it that way.

“The Russian system, the coaching staff picks who is going to represent them in the Olympics,” Seay said. “Here, ours is all done by (merit).

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against our system, but there is an advantage to the other. We already know who our wrestlers are going to face at the Olympics, so it would be very simple to pick the people that have been most successful against those people. But it’s not the American way to do things. And I kind of like our way.”

Seay, who coached the United States to its two world freestyle championships, is a spectator this weekend. The action will be on two mats today, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Arena, and one mat Saturday, with gold medalists Bruce Baumgartner, Kenny Monday and Kevin Jackson drawing much of the attention.

Silver medalist Zeke Jones is also among the 98 wrestlers battling for the 10 Olympic berths. Ten alternates will also be determined.

“Always in an Olympic year, people come out of the woodwork to see what they can do,” said Monday, who came out of retirement, if not the woodwork, for one more chance.

Monday is among the 10 reigning national champions seeded directly into Saturday night’s best-of-three finals. Today’s mini-tournament determines whom among the remaining wrestlers makes the finals.

A glance at each of the 10 weight classes, with national champions in parentheses:

105.5 pounds (Rob Eiter): Former two-time Olympian Tim Vanni is giving it one more shot, having taken a one-year leave from his job as teacher and wrestling coach at a high school in Porterville, Calif.

114.5 (Lou Rosselli): Larry Jones, the Barcelona silver medalist better known as Zeke, has placed second to Rosselli at the last two nationals.

125.5 (Kendall Cross): Reigning world champion Terry Brands figures to give Cross all he wants.

136.5 (Tom Brands): John Fisher has had six weeks to dwell on 5-4 loss to Brands at nationals.

149.5 (Townsend Saunders): Saunders broke Matt Demaray’s string of four straight national titles. Pat Santoro and Oregon State assistant coach Terry Steiner are also factors.

163 (Monday): Outstanding division weakened by death of Dave Schultz. Monday should be tested by Rob Koll, Pat Smith or Dan St. John.

180.5 (Les Gutches): While a senior at Oregon State, Gutches upset 1992 gold medalist Kevin Jackson to win nationals in weight class that includes USA Wrestling executive director Jim Scherr.

198 (Melvin Douglas): Douglas and Mike Van Arsdale are by far most experienced in division. Both train with Sunkist Kids in Phoenix.

220 (Kurt Angle): Former national champions Mark Kerr and Dan Chaid are among the challengers, as is 1996 runner-up Kerry McCoy.

286 (Baumgartner): Would be considered an upset if 23-year-old Justin Greenlee, or anyone else, kept Tom Erikson from challenging Baumgartner one more time.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Wrestling trials at a glance Facts about the U.S. Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Trials, presented by Windermere Realty, today and Saturday in the Spokane Arena: Format: Best-of-three finals match between top-seeded wrestler in each weight class and winner of Friday’s minitournament. Goal: Winners of 10 weight classes will comprise Olympic freestyle team in Atlanta. Times: Friday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 2-5 p.m.; Saturday, kids/coaches clinic 8:30-10 a.m.; 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (round one of best-of-three finals), 6-9 p.m. (rounds 2 and 3 of best-of-three finals). Tickets: Arena Ticket Office. Prices: $15 per session Friday; $18 first session Saturday; $25 Saturday night; $15 kids/coaches clinic.