My last comment on this issue: I just received notification from another individual, a moderator, of an email they received making comment about me and my activity on these forums, even calling me an “attention whore,” and talking about things that I have “pimped on the board.” The email even stated that “You know if there is anyone I wouldn’t trust with my kid it would be him.” There was much more but truth be told that I believe that it is appropriate to have fun, am not afraid to speak up and when it comes to standing up for the kids or supporting this great sport of wrestling. I have coached for over 30 years now on some level, and have participated in sport for a longer period than that.

I find it sad that much has been said to me on and off board about some of the issues surrounding the issue of trading singlets at USA events. There is the impression that because one has a negative opinion of a current event that they all of a sudden don’t have a valid opinion. Yet when I looked at this poll this morning, there was not a single voice of opposition to the kids trading singlets at Fargo or other national tournaments. The overwhelming majority of posts and opinions by others on the national forums also support this position.

To the individual who will send someone else an email but don’t have the courage to contact me personally. Rest assured, I have no desire to be everyone’s friend, frankly there are some people that I don’t like, and people who go behind another’s back to spread discord is someone I could really care less for. Regarding “the pimping” of items, as a point of clarification, I checked my records this morning and I lost $558 on the t-shirts that I had made up last year for the Kansas All-American’s. Many people can verify that I gave away most of those t-shirts. Individuals at the state tournament were just given shirts last year without even asking for them. The wrestlers on the tag-teams gave them out, and I personally gave them out, even had some offer me money and I wouldn’t take it. I don’t know who they are but they do.

I must also say this in closing, and this is no joke. I have issue with they way some of the things on this board has been going. For a moderator to call someone out and essentially call another moderator a liar is something I have issue with. I have issue with it because many individuals on this forum know that when they have spoken bad to me about certain persons I have stood up for them, and taken up for them, even discouraging the comments that are made, I won’t reveal who those people are but they will read this and know. The concept of an “attention whore” frankly bothers me. I would be lying if I said otherwise. I would have hoped that my contributions to Kansas wrestling would have been positive, unfortunately for some they have not been and their perceptions of my involvement with wrestling has been taken the wrong way. As a result I am removing myself from these boards for a lengthy period of time. I have already spoken this morning to my wife and son about making sure to hold me accountable to not be on here again, at least until the start up of the kids wrestling season.

For those that I have sent private messages to, encouraging peace, encouraging the support of wrestling, you know where I am coming from. To those who make assumptions without ever making the effort to get to know the person, hopefully this will be evidence of the fact that the last thing I wanted to be was a voice of dissention and disruption. For those others that know me, you will know that I try to keep my word so any correspondence after the posting of this post will need to be made via email as I won’t be back on the boards for a while, at least until the start of the kids wrestling season. Until then, keep posting, keep it clean, and support the kids.