David Thomas: “I want to suggest something that is very exciting for those of us in Wyoming and, I think, all over the country. I will…”

“I want to suggest something that is very exciting for those of us in Wyoming and, I think, all over the country. I will start with a headline off of the Internet: ``American Stops Russian's 13-year Streak.'' It says: ``I cannot believe I actually won,'' said the 286-pound Rulon Gardner, and he was not alone. He wasn't expected to win. He is a wrestler from Star Valley, WY, weighing 286 pounds. This was really an incredible thing. Listen to this: Just how invincible was the Russian Icon he beat? Alexander Karelin had not lost a match in international competition in 14 years. Only one point had been scored against him by an opponent in 10 years. He'd won gold in the past three Olympics. The American who wrestled him in Atlanta in 1996, respected silver medalist Matt Ghaffari, faced him 22 times over his career and lost every time. He is a huge guy and has done this great, great job of wrestling throughout the years. In fact, it seemed so certain he would win again that the Olympic Committee president was there to present him with the medal. Sure enough, that did not happen. The unthinkable happened, in fact, and our man scored a point. Gardner scored a point early on and maintained that point, and now he is the gold medal winner in heavyweight wrestling at the world Olympics. He grew up the youngest of nine in Afton, WY, population 1,400. He went to college and wrestled there. Before wrestling, he also played a little football.…”