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Signing off

Ben Askren | Profile
August 27, 2008

Well I figured I would wrap up the whole experience, even though I havent wanted to think about it much lately. Then tell you where the future is going to take me. So I lost, I didnt live up to the guarentees I put forth. I have to keep being reminded that making the Olympics in the first place is a great accomplishment. It isn't the first time I haven't lived up to a guarantee I put out and it probably wont be the last. When asked a question I will tell you exactly what I think without pulling any punches and I hope you can appreciate that. I always saw the pressure Cael was under and imagined what it would be like, I have no idea of knowing what 159-0 pressure is, but I have gotten to the point in the sport where I have to win everything all the time. This pressure is inflicted by myself, but it can really wear me out, I can understand why Cael wanted to be done.

As far as my future goes I am not sure about it yet, I know two things for sure. I will be going on two vacations in September, they are well needed and deserved. Secondly I will be at the University of Missouri until Max graduates. It is a promise I made him when he came to Mizzou is that I would be there as long as he would. I knew I needed him to reach my pinnacle and I want to do the same for him. He has been a big part of any title run I have made in my life. A lot of people insist I should go elsewhere to train, but I gave him my word and keeping my word is more important than anything tangible could be.

I might fight, I might wrestle, I am not really sure right now. Lets get one thing straight though, MY decision isn't based on monetary gain, I am doing pretty well for myself wrestling. Sure I am not getting rich, but who does wrestling to get rich? Would my life be easier if I got more than a measley $7,500 stipend from USA wrestling for the whole year for being the #1 guy? Of course it would, but I really dont know if that would translate into me being a better wrestler. I have wanted to fight for a long time and it isn't because of the money, it is because I think it would be fun and it would be a great challenge. Am I upset because there is a chance I will have a large monetary gain from it? You must be crazy.

So I will drive home to Columbia today, I am so excited to be back, China just wasn't for me. I hope you appreciate that fact that I share my innermost thoughts with you and you can refrain yourself from childishly deriding what I think. Have a great day, I will.

Ben



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Anonymous Coward October 2 at 10:08am.
Askren will not enter mma he is just trying to get attention like he has always done. I'd put the house on it! But it would be funny to see him get smacked around
 
Andy October 2 at 9:00am.
EVERYONE... keep in mind all of the accomplishments B.A. has achieved. He is a GREAT wrestler who fell short of a goal he had set for himself. So he talked about it a little...WHO CARES! The most important thing to accomplishing a goal is believing its going to happen. Doesn't always mean it will. If he would have won GOLD all you people would be kissing his butt. Seeing that he didn't, your going to bash him??? Keep in mind he has done a lot more in wrestling than any of you idiots have or will, and he would probably enjoy getting some of you bashers out on the mat as much as i would. So SHUT UP and be thankful he is not only a great wrestler but a kind enough to open up and speak to us about stuff a lot of wrestlers wouldn't. B.A. has been nothing but a great promoter of the sport we all love.
 
Mature One September 25 at 6:35pm.
Have not been on in a while, mostly because this site sucks now, but more so it is the off season for me. It is refreshing to see people giving it to the loud mouth, classless bum Ass-kren. We could only be so lucky to have him join the MMA and watch 1 of 12 different fighters beat the bejesus out of him. Can't wait.
 
Noto September 13 at 2:44am.
your a joke
 
Jonny Magicpants September 11 at 12:19pm.
I heard a lot about Ben Askren, didn't really see a lot from him though.

The empty vessel makes the most noise.
 
Question. September 9 at 10:55pm.
“When men are most sure and arrogant they are commonly most mistaken, giving views to passion without that proper deliberation which alone can secure them from the grossest absurdities”...Some smart guy
 
Jack Williamson September 6 at 2:08pm.
Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sometimes sail with the wind and sometimes against it. But sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor... Oliver Wendell Holmes

Yours has been an incredible journey my friend and I'm sure, after some rest, it will continue. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us along the way.
You have my respect.
 
Eric Bendler September 6 at 1:12pm.
Sanderson was one of a kind. Let these incredible wrestlers be there own person.

I appreciate hearing the thoughts of someone going through things that I will never have the chance to participate in.
Until negative sentiment from our more animal instincts makes these champions close us off.
 
Question. September 5 at 10:53pm.
Childishly deriding what you think? Come on Askren, it is your choice to share you're "innermost thoughts" with us. Don't be so sensitive if what we think is y, stupid, B.S, etc. There have been plenty of athletes in all sports who have talked a big game but then back it up. If you would have backed it up my post now would be congratulating you. However, now you will be remembered as a great wrestler with a big mouth. Sanderson felt the pressure, but he handled it with humility and class. Thank you for telling us exactly what you think when asked a question, but maybe you should practice being like Cael in front of the microphone...or on a blog.
 
TK September 4 at 12:13pm.
What's the latest on Cormier? Any news?
 
Robert Gendler September 4 at 11:59am.
There's a simple answer to Ben's dilemma. I would ask Ben if he truly loves wrestling.....I mean really love it. The real american legends in our sport loved the sport and devoted themselves completely.......Gable, Peterson brothers, Shultz brothers, Smith, Baumgartner, Kemp, Lewis, Monday, Sanders, just to name a very few. These guys stayed on in wrestling not just to chase a gold medal but because they'd rather wrestle than do anything else. Winning and gold medals follow if you have the kind of love that these guys had. Wrestling is a tough sport and I don't think anyone can devote themselves 100% if they don't truly love it. Ben, if after a few months you come to the conclusion that you love MMA or coaching or something else more than you love wrestling than follow what you love. If its wrestling that you truly love to do, than commit yourself to it. Don't let one set back drive you to give up something you love. There's no better way to spend the days of your life than doing something you love....even if it doesn't turn into a gold medal. I believe that in part this is what accounts for the success of the Russians. They love the sport. How else can a guy like Satiev stay with it for 4 olympics and 6 world championships. It surely is not to accumulate one more medal. I would say the same for John Smith. From watching and listening to him its obvious that during his time he wanted to do nothing else but compete in wrestling. With that devotion I would consider him a success even without his medals.
 
Deral Brown September 4 at 8:28am.
Ben,

Regardless of what everyone says, positive or negative, I appriciate you and what you've brought to the sport of wrestling. Most of you're critics will never be on your level anyway, so they don't understand the pressure of always having to win and be the best.
Now, would I like to see you stick around and win a gold medal in the future? Uh, yeah! But, with that said I'd be just as supportive if you went into MMA. You're the man, stay positive.
Later
 
What A Joke.. September 1 at 11:56pm.
I've always preferred the windpipe choke as opposed to the classical Brazilian artery choke. Doesn't everyone?
 
Sharkbait September 1 at 11:24am.
ben,
you are one of the best wrestlers known whatever you do, people will be behind you. you don't have anything to prove to wrestlers across America, you represented America and your sport to the best of your ability and no one can knock you for that. Best of luck
 
U Guys Suck August 31 at 12:32pm.
ben,
these people are haters. you are a character and awesome wrestler. i have followed your journey to the olympics and you have inspired me. i hope the best for you in whatever you chose to do in the future.
 
TMac-NOT August 30 at 11:59am.
TMac-NOT wrote: Anyone looking to a diety for happiness or self-peace is never going to find it. // Ben, think long and hard before weighing the value of the above statement. This appears to be based on one person's limited experience. To make a statement like TMac wrote, the author needs to ignore the testimony of millions and millions and millions of people. How smart is it to make a blanket statement and universal statement that those looking to God for inner peace are never going to find it when millions and millions of people will give testimony to the exact opposite? Millions and millions of people will say that God is the author of inner peace. That is an objective fact, objective reality, objective truth and not TMac's inner feeling of what other people will give testimony to or not give testimony to.
 
Ben August 30 at 11:55am.
Listen to TMac, Ben. He is a Reformed Catholic. He has seen the error of his ways. Beethoven, Augustine, Galileo, Thomas Aquinas, Michaelangelo, Mother Theresa and all of the other fools who's works of art, architecture, philosophy, charity and science resonate throughout the ages..these idiot Catholics did not have the wisdom of TMac..Please Ben, as you continue your journey in life (which we're all apparently obsessed with) always recall the timeless words of Tmac.
 
TMac August 30 at 12:44am.
ben, after reading everyone else's comments, i just want you to know that you need to do whatever makes you happy. You have no obligation to your fans to win a gold medal. You've given us plenty. You have no obligation to your fans to fight mma, you're collegiate and freestyle career was plenty. I personally would love to see you go after either one, especially mma because it is a completely new challenge for you, and I think you have what it takes to bring new things to that sport along with some of the legitamacy it really needs. But bottom line is you have to do what will make you happy. One other commentor said that you would never live down not winning the gold, and that when you look back on your death bed, would you give up every day between now and then to have one more shot at gold. well, if that ends up being the case, then your life will have been shallow and empty, and it would make you a sad, sad case. You went up against the best in the world, and you gave your all as you always do. At that level anything can happen, especially with the master of funk on the mat. Personally I hope you fight mma because you bring so much to the table, including the one thing most wrestlers dont in that sport, which is excitement. If you choose to continue freestyle wrestling, switch to greco, just coach from here on it, fight, pursue further education, go into charity work, whatever, I'll still be grateful for the great moments you've given us already, and I wish you luck. Someone else did mention something about belief in Jesus, and personally I am a reformed Catholic, and have seen the error of my ways. Religion is not for me, and I believe it only hinders others. But I'll leave you with this. Anyone looking to a diety for happiness or self-peace is never going to find it. Regardless of your belief in whatever diety you choose, true happiness has to come from inside yourself, from you doin what you feel you are meant to do in this life. Not because someone else pressured you into it, or because you imagined that God laid a path for you, but because you choose to make it so.
 
Realist August 29 at 10:00pm.
Cael: humble, quiet, appreciative, decisive. A man of few words who allows his actions to speak for him.

Askren: the complete opposite.
 
Critical Thinking Skills August 29 at 8:55pm.
Ben, you wrote: I have gotten to the point where i have to win everything all the time. // Consider this...a person strives to wrestle with more speed than they have ever wrestled before...a person strives to wrestle with more strength than they have ever wrestled before...a person strives to wrestle with more skill than they have ever wrestled before...a person strives to perform better than they have ever performed before...a person strives to be in the best physical condition of one's adult life... //

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