Wrestling Blogs - Mike Tamillow

I met up with Larry the night after I got in. I took a bus to a train to another bus, the whole process was incredibly confusing, just to get to the olympic village. I realized that even though it only costs about 80 cents to do it that way, the 8 dollar cab ride is much nicer. I carry around several maps with me any time I go out. I point at the map where I want to go. If it's a cabbie he starts driving, If it's a person he will point - most of the time, sometimes it's a mess of pointing and playing charades. I had to wait outside olympic village for Larry since security was so tight but it was ok since the italian girls vollyball team was outside. Gorgeous girls but they smelled so strong of perfume and cologne even when I was no where near them. Not to stereotype but the olympics will do that to you because so many people actually are the stereotypes you'd expected. Larry and I then took a cab down to Beijing Normal University. We hadn't figured out a situation for working out yet. I was hoping to get credentials, which might not have been that hard, had I been declared Larry's coach months ago. But it would be nearly impossible within the time frame we had. I didn't even know I was going to Beijing for sure until Aug. 1st. Before that there was no ticket and no reservation. Larry tried calling Mitch Haul a long time ago to see if we could use their facilities while we were here, that way I wouldn't need credentials. Then I tried calling Mitch Haul as soon as I found out I was going. I know Mitch has got to be a busy man, especially at this time, so I figured that it could all get strightened out when we got down here. I think the best way to deal with people is always face to face.

That's why we came to Beijing Normal to see if we could get in and talk to him. It turns out the US had rented out the whole facility. I tell Larry to try to get in as an Olympian and they tell him there was a list he has to be on. The girl says it takes 24 hours but all you have to do is get someone to put your name on it. So we head over to the drugstore across the street and look around a little bit. The store has nearly only drugs, which was crazy considering how big it was (there were also some breast milking devices). Then the luchador has to go to the bathroom and I say 'just show them, they'll understand' We are trying to explain it to them and they pull out a medical translation dictionary. That's about when we left, actually after I couldn't find the word Penis or any synanyms for it. We go to the McDonalds where we see some US wrestlers and grab a bite to eat. Larry has some pins that Mexico gave him to trade with the other athletes. All the citizens want them, so he trades one to a worker for a McDonalds pin. Give one person something and you'll have 20 more asking. He tells the others he can't since he won't have any left to trade. We take a cab home, which is a great story in itself because I had no idea what the scenery looked like on the ride back to the hotel. We go through a part of town where everything is run down and there are no lights. It's ten thirty at night so It's dark. The road the cabbie takes has a curve in it that makes it look like a dead end in the dark. Since he had to slow down on the turn, we honestly were panicking intensly. But he could tell and pointed to a large hotel a ways away. Then we go down another shady street where the trees hang over the road like in a scary movie. Finally we get back to the hotel and have a laugh about it all.

At the hotel I gave Mitch a call. It was eleven but I didn't think he'd be asleep. I get through and ask him about the whole situation. First he says that since we are a rival country we can't get in. I would beg to differ that Mexico is producing our cars and all our other stuff for dirt cheep, that doesn't sound like a rival country, except to the citizens of Flint, Michigan. But I just said we were both US citizens. He told me we would still need background checks and that would take at least a week and we couldn't get them here. Then he told me about a female wrestler for Guam who got in. I didn't really care, he probably shouldn't have told me but it just surprised me. Larry wanted me to ask him about getting some tickets for seats but while I was waiting for Larry... Click. I couldn't expect anything else though to tell you the truth, I know how people work. Even when you speak the same language, so much remains unspoken. I looked around the next day and found a room we could work out in. If there is one language everyone understands that's money. It's a good thing wrestling doesn't require a lot of equipment. Hard work (more appropriately diligent work), smarts, and a little support can make anyone into a great wrestler. The last thing we need is a rented out university, a nice draw wouldn't be so bad though.