Wrestling Blogs - Noel Thompson

You pull into the guarded gates as they open. The guard at the door says "Salem" We jump out out of our ten seat van like mercenaries dropped into a new world.
We have just arrived at the wrestling facillity called the "The House of Wrestling".
I proceed through the glass doors as I greet all the old Persian warriors with Salem (hello) as we proceed to the corridor of their practice facillty which can hold 1500 people.

There are four full sized mats Fila mats....
The banner on the wall says welcome to the "Islamic Republic of Iran"...

If look to the left at the highest peek you see the pictures of the supreme leaders...
You realize that we are in strong tradition an identity that has stood through time the only Theocracy in the world.

We begin to work out and drill they watch the techniques of the great americans... With pictures in their heads of the legends that they competed against...

Dan Gable,John Smith, Bruce...

The main corridor features pictures of Zeke and Bruce on podiums of the World and Olympic championships showing their pride in beating the USA.

We are welcome adversary here because of our tradition.
There are pictures of the best Iranian wrestlers going back a hundred years world title after world title and olympic champions.

They want us here to compete, learn and build better relations with the USA.
After practice we proceed with our normal wrestling ritual to keep our sweat going the steam room.
In the back corridor there lies a hot tub which is about 125 degreess you could not stay in there more than 30 seconds.

We meet with the wrestling powers of both sides after practice as the rest of the team heads back to the Hotel...

Our team leaders and coaches and their coaches Federation heads and delagtes...
You feel the energy.

This meeting will make or break some of the things we wanted to accomplish as it was a friendly chess match on a global scale when it comes to the discussion...

The head of the federation begins to speek...

In Farsi he says " Americans are tough when you beat us its because we are tired and when we get tired you are stronger"

This form of flattery is common in the Iranian culture...
Its called "taroof". This flatery and false modesty is used to make the other person feel good and to preserve a degree of social harmony...

Clever tactic as Persians have ruled the world for hundreds of years.
They just beat the 1 # team in the world Russia.
Taroof was used against the Russians as there was a false sense of security going into the match against the Russian team filled with hubris being ranked #1...

The meeting goes very well... CNN was at the meeting and filmed our practice and attened our meeting..

The coaches and delagtes were gracious host and that not only was interested in Iran getting better but the USA as well...

Which was a magnanamous gesture. The cross pollination is good for both sides.

We head to the bazar "mall" Its an out door/indoor collection of shops where there are hundreds of thousands of people... Some of us went the day before but to day we are going to the main bazar..

Which is in the heart of Tehran...

I'm given a friendly warning from a wise Persian not to bring my USA Warm-up on this trip...
It only take one person to make this adventure for the sake of sport turn into...

We drive though Tehran as if we are in some kind of movie... Ten million people live in Tehran so you can imagine the traffic and driving ...I live in NYC the taxi drivers do not compare to people who drive in the heart of Persia... There are stop lights.. But they don't mean much...
We drive into on coming traffic run red lights as if trying to evade.

You want a thrill drive or be driven in Tehran. The Most traffic accidents and conjestion in the world. i feel the adrenaline when rush through me as I exit the van.

Thankfully its against the law to drink alcohol.

On our journey to Bazar we see a building called the freedom tower it changes color at night. the Freedom tower was named in honor of the Shaha of iran pre 1979...

When the US landed Appollo 13 on the moon. President Nixon gave the Shah particles from the moon as gift.

To be continued...
Coming soon

Inside the heart of Tehran

I have have uploaded a bunch of videos from my trip on Flo..
Enjoy