Flintstone: Never-Say-Quit, Stone-Age Wrestler

The U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling trials are all about winning.

The winners go to the Olympics; everyone else goes on with their lives.

It’s the definition of winner that was up in the air as the first day of the trials ended at the Arena on Friday.

Fred McGaver went two-and-out but is going home to Waukesha, Wis., a winner.

Mark Coleman decided it was Atlanta-orbust, calling it a day after his first loss and heading home to Columbus, Ohio, without trying for third.

“I came here to win it,” the 220-pound Coleman said. He dropped out with an injury default after being pinned by Dan Chaid in the mini-tournament semifinals.

McGaver, a heavyweight who lost 6-2 in the first round and 4-0 in the consolation bracket, said, “In our world, we have a belief that winning is everything. My saying is ‘Winning isn’t everything: not quitting is.’ If you work hard, although you don’t accomplish your goal, if you don’t quit and do your best, you’re still a winner.”

McGaver is a dreamer, self-employed and 40. Coleman is a wrestler, a former Olympian and, at 31, still hoping for the big prize.

The dream thing

McGaver looks like someone you would expect to be chasing a dream, 5-foot-10, almost 280 pounds, balding and paunchy.

“I wanted to see how well I’d do if I made a commitment for a long period,” said McGaver, called “Flintstone” by his wrestling friends. “It was something I never did when I was young. I didn’t have the freedom.”

That was before he took over an embroidery business that is now worth more than $2 million. He was also a successful insurance salesman before quitting two years ago to train.

“I have no regrets. I worked as hard as I could. I never quit, ” said McGaver, who wrestled two years in high school and four at Marquette, never winning a championship. “I’ve grown from the experience. This is important but not my identity. My identity is bigger than athletic success.”

The gold ring

Unlike McGaver, the sculpted Coleman looks like he belongs, with a biography that lists two high school championships in Ohio, an NCAA championship at Ohio State, and numerous national and international placings, including seventh in the 1992 Olympics.

He has just one thing on his mind.

“I love to wrestle. I still think I have a championship in me. Hopefully I can come back next year,” he said. “Things didn’t go my way today. Physically, I wasn’t up to par. If I can stay injury free, on any given day I’m capable of beating anyone in the world. I did the best I could today.”

Coleman opened with a 7-0 win then upset second-seeded Mark Kerr 1-0 in overtime. Then he was pinned by eventual champion Chaid in 71 seconds.

“I just got caught. I guess it happens,” Coleman said. “I was in a position I shouldn’t have been. There ain’t nothing else to say.”

He said the two had probably wrestled 10 times and probably split them, although he won the last time, 4-0 last year.

Coleman wasn’t sure he would be in the position to lose in the semifinals.

First he missed nationals because of a knee injury and had to petition into the tournament, then he vomited all morning.

“I’ve been sick all day,” he said, and he looked it after his two wins. “Excuses don’t mean nothing right now. I just have to go out and do my best. The past really doesn’t mean anything. Today is the only day that matters.”

It just wasn’t enough.

They said it

“This is great. The greatest wrestlers in my country in my town.”

- Cash Stone, legendary Mead wrestling coach and trials volunteer.

“What a way to go out.” - Ken Pelo, recently retired legendary Rogers wrestling coach and trials volunteer.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo