Code,500032
Subject,Matt Ghaffari
Date,8/28/14
Interviewer,Joseph Wickens
Abstract," Matt Ghaffari was a Greco-Roman wrestler for the United States national team. He was an alternate on for the Los Angeles and Seoul Games and competed for the US at the Barcelona and Atlanta games, winning the silver medal at the 1996 games in Atlanta. Born in Tehran, Iran, Ghaffari immigrated to the US with his family in 1976. Ghaffari earned an Associates degree from Fairleigh-Dickinson College before transferring to Cleveland State on scholarship to fill the wrestling teamÕs void at the heavyweight class. Ghaffari enjoyed a stellar career at Cleveland State, though injuries and unlucky turns of events plagued much of his time as a Viking. Of particular interest in this interview is his discussion of being part of two Olympic teams, his experiences regarding the bombing of Cenntenial Park in Atlanta, and the whirlwind that followed his silver medal showing. Also, GhaffariÕs description of Fenn Tower and his recap of his collegiate career provides insight into the life of a division one athlete competing at the highest level."
Special Notes,"Phone rings in the 59th minute, recording stops momentarily. "
Minutes,
0,"Introduction. Was born in Tehran, Iran and moved before the revolution in 1976 to New Jersey. Graduated from Paramus HS in NJ. Wrestled in HS."
1,Was interested in wrestling in college and went on to do so for Farleigh-Dickinson. Got his associates from Farleigh-Dickinson. This was around 1980. Mentions boycotts at the Olympics that year. CSU wrestled division one. Was undeafeated at Farleigh-Dickinson but didnt wrestle big schools like Iowa. Noticed CSU didnt have a heavy weight.
2,"Called the coach and told him that they needed him to wrestle for them. Came to Cleveland and showed him his credentials. Coach gave him a full scholarship. Had no sisters and three younger brothers. ""You may call it brawling but we broke a lot of furniture in the name of who got the remote and who did the dishes."" Was the oldest and biggest. Family was into sports."
3,Tells own children about a net that you couldnêt play on hard because you would break stuff. Credits father. First thing when they moved in was setting up sports equipment. 
4,"Farleigh-Dickinson became an option because of location in NJ. Wanted to study engineering like his mother but english was his second language. Advisors thought a liberal arts education would be better for developing english skills. ""I still tell people Im working on my english. I could speak fluent wrestling but broken english."" Commuted to Farleigh-Dickinson. "
5,First lived in Little Italy when he moved to Cleveland. Reminded him of NY. Talks about friend from Farleigh-Dickinson who was attending medical school in University Circle that he roomed with. Bob Knox. 
6,"Only lived there for first semester. Moved onto campus in December because of the commute by bus was not possible. Coaches were worried about people being robbed. ""I told them I would be okay."" "
7,"Was focused totally on sports. In Iran he played volleyball because of size and won two gold medals. Played table tennis, did olympis weight lifting, and wrestled on the side as hobbies. The Soviet regime looked at body type and determined what you would do later on. "
8,"""One of the greatest things about America is the choices we have."" Relates condition of other people around the world in regards to their choices. Grandfather told them about the Statue of Liberty when they were young."
9,Mentions some of the things he got to do because of his athletic exploits. Wanted to study engineering when he first got to CSU. 
10,"Would compete in open tournements because he didnêt get to wrestle big time programs at Farleigh-Dickinson. Spoke with dean of business college at CSU. Dean Knot. Switched over to business. Credits him to this day. Semesters are easier than quarters. ""The switch to business worked out well for me."""
11,"Lived in Fenn Tower. ""Woodling Gym was my home."" Matches were at Woodling Gym. Wrestling was in the basement there. Work study was managing lockerroom of Fenn Tower pool. "
12,"When he wrestled school and wrestling were only priorities. Parents demanded good grades. Describes campus while he was there. ""The farthest I had to walk was to Rascal House."" "
13,"Had friends who lived close to the freeway. Mostly athletes lived in Fenn Tower. Stayed on campus during the summer to take classes and train full-time. ""It was a mini-olympic village."" Lived on 12th floor. Descibes layout of Fenn Tower. ""Swimmers were crazy."" "
14,Relates routine of winter athletes. Helped one another out with classes and schedules. Worked out on snow days. Talks about Fenn Tower. 
15,"Continues description of Fenn Tower. Used to play wiffle ball all the time. Had ""athletic parties"" in the ballroom. Had energy but wanted to maintain bodies so they would have pushup contests and the like in the ballroom. Pool on the 6th floor. President Waetjen's office was on the 9th floor."
16,"""He was a nice man."" He would come to matches. 8th floor down was fancy, unused rooms that they trained in. ""We had fun, that building meant a lot to me."" ""That was my home."" "
17,"Relates story of someone who pulled the fire alarm, tracked them down and told them not to do that. Describes atmosphere of Fenn Tower. Describes room."
18,Farleigh-Dickinson was upset that he transferred. Coach told CSU coach not to give him a scholarship.
19,Hurt his knee and parents were upset during redshirt freshman year. Went to a lot of open tournements. 
20,Had to sit out first year because of transfer but worked out a lot and it was a good bonding time. Didnêt miss a match or practice. First six weeks were hard. Talks about coaching staff.
21,"Coaching staff description continued. ""They beat the heck out of me during the first six weeks."" Was frustrated because he was a captain and MVP at Farleigh-Dickinson. "
22,Had to sit out but still wrestled in open tournements and competed the summer after. Worked out full-time with Coaches Varga and Payne. 
23,"Relates working out at Fairview HS. Quotes Vince Lombardi. ""I grew as a person that year, I matured."" "
24,"Wanted to wrestle. Hero was Dan Gable. His HS had a big gym and was a wrestling powerhouse. The gym was always sold out, Farleigh-Dickinson wasnêt like that. "
25,"When Iowa came Woodling Gym sold out and it was like his HS days again. Ghaffari beat their heavyweight. Coach told him to bring the people back to watch them. He wrestled last as a heavyweight. It pumped him up. Describes his pre-match routine. ""Its amazing what pain does to you."" "
26,Won the match and afterward watched the Iowa coach berate the guy he beat. Ghaffari told his coaches thatês how they should act when he loses.
27,Later found out the Iowa coach was upset because the kid wasnêt upset at the defeat. Ghaffari didnêt wrestle Iowa's heavyweight national champion that night and was disapointed about it.
28,"Ghaffari liked wrestling last. ""We had very good wrestlers."" Relates the order of CSU's wrestling order. "
29,"Discusses tournement in Chicago called Midland. ""Midland was bigger than the NCAAs."" Was the only CSU wrestler to place but dislocated his elbow. Weight classes were unlimited and beat a 350 lb wrestler. Didnêt wrestle after the injury and forfeited to 6th place."
30,Things werent the same after the injury. Would tape his arm and put a hockey pad on it to protect the other wrestler.
31,"""I hated the hockey pad."" Learned a lot that year because injury forced him to focus on the things that he could do. "
32,Elbow healed quickly after the season ended. He continued to compete and it didnêt heal during the season. During the summer he won the AAU national championship.
33,1983 was the year he transformed from a college wrestler to an Olympic hopeful. Describes the sports festival in Colorado.
34,Got to wrestle with high caliber international winners and finished 3rd. Describes how the Pan-American Games works. 
35,"Trained at Iowa in 1983. Had 30 wins his first year but wanted to be an All-American and national champion. ""It made me hungry."""
36,He started out unranked but that was to be expected. Relates how the rankings work. Iowa wrestled CSU in Cleveland because they could than go to St. Edward's and recruit the good wrestlers. Ghaffari wanted to put up a good showing in Iowa.
37,"Iowa's gym was old his first year. CSU was the first school to compete in Iowa's new facility his senior year. ""It was a big deal."" "
38,"Describes the fanfare involved in that first match at Iowa's gym. Everybody lost. Coach Bonacci was down and told Ghaffari he had never been shutout, Ghaffari won his match to end the meet."
39,"That second year was injury free, he had over 30 wins and went to nationals. He was not ready for the unexpected. At nationals he won his first match but was called back out to afterward because the kid he beat protested the match. Ghaffari ended up losing in overtime. ""It was heartbreaking."""
40,"The nationals were in NJ, which made it worse. Not sure why he had to re-wrestle. That was the 1984 nationals. Tried out for the 1984 Olympics and was a 3rd alternate. "
41,Had moved back to NJ after graduating from CSU at that time. Was flown out to be a #1 alternate after the #1 and #2 dropped off. 
42,"Sat and watched that year in Los Angeles. Knew he could medal if he made the team, it was just really hard to make the team. There was pressure to wrestle for Iran, never wanted to though."
43,Wrestled freestyle in 1983 and 1984. Went to Arizona State after the 1984 Olympics as an assistant coach with the Sunkist Kids. 
44,Upper body was always a strength for Ghaffari. Was a freestyle wrestler for two Olympics and switched over the Greco-Roman in 1989. Describes how competition in freestyle prompted him to switch to Greco-Roman.
45,"Switched because he wanted to be an Olympian. No learning curve. ""Wrestling is wrestling."" If Bruce Baumgardner had gotten hurt during 1984 Olympics Ghaffari wouldve gotten to wrestle. Seoul Olympics was different because he didnÍt travel with the team."
46,Won many tournements in 1989-90. Decided to focus on Greco after Pan American Games. Stood next to Dream Team in Barcelona.
47,"""Barcelona was very unique."" Was part of a scouting tour in Barcelona in March before the Olympics. DidnÍt expect the heat and humidity. Had to change sheets in his bed because of the sweat. People kind of take air conditioning for granted in the US. "
48,"Had to bring in air conditioning by the time the Greco events were held. Ghaffari hurt his knee just prior to Barcelona and couldnÍt march in the opening ceremony. DidnÍt have a good showing, had a double disqualification under the old Greco rules. Also had a tough draw and psyched himself out. "
49,Rule change was made to make Greco TV friendly. Rule changes hurt Ghaffari's because of his style. Compares Barcelona to first year at CSU. 
50,"Soviet Union still competed as a team. ""The Russians were still Russians."" "
51,"Credentials only give him access to Greco events, have to pay for other events. Enjoys going to Olympic weightlifting. Does a lot of that on his own. Also enjoys volleyball and goes to gymnastics with his family. "
52,"You buy a book of tickets and the book has a variety of events you can attend. After the Olympics Ghaffari had three knee operations. ""I basically limped to the hospital in Colorado Springs."" Feels he may have overtrained a bit."
53,Wanted to come back to Cleveland after Atlanta Games. Daughter was born in 1994. Put his life on hold for three olympics. Coached for two years at ASU. 
54,Started residency program at Colorado Springs to prepare for Atlanta. Told Bonacci that he wanted to continue his legacy at CSU. Always came back as an alumni.
55,"Younger brother came to CSU to wrestle. That was part of the motivation to return to CSU. He was a better HS wrestler, he was a lighter wrestler. ""He was a hard working guy."" Discussion transitions to 1996 Atlanta Games. Got to walk in the opening ceremony this time around. Remembers seeing Mohammad Ali."
56,"Was going in as a favorite in his home country. Lots of the people who had supported him were able to attend. ""I remember almost half of the Red Roof Inn hotel were people who came to watch me."" Told family that he didnÍt want to interact with them until after he finished competing."
57,"""Atlanta was the highlight of my career."" Discussion of atmosphere at the games. ""Everybody spoke english, that was the best part."" Language barrier was an issue in Barcelona. Had one nemesis, a guy from Russia. Relates the track record the two had. "
58,"Describes the relationship the two of them had. ""You could say respect, that is it. We didnÍt have a friendship."" Talks about the bomb that exploded in Cenntenial Park. Bomb exploded after Ghaffari had finished competing. "
59,"Was actually going to leave because he was done but decided to stay. Media made a big issue of it. ""Called me the peoples' hero because I said if I had left like I had intended the terrorists would have won."" Came back and reopened the park. ""The whole idea was to not let them stop the olympics."" Ghaffari visited people in the hospital and took part in other events he hadnt intended to. *Phone Rings*-Recorder is stopped momentarily. "
60,"Wife was pregnant with twins during Atlanta Games. Was the only olympics that he won a medal at. ""It was a successful olmpics."" Post-Olympics whirlwind. ""You have your 15 minutes of fame."" Relates some of the appearances that he made. Jay Leno, The Today Show, radio shows."
61,"Actually have to say no to some because they want you at the same time. Relates visiting the White House. Had actually gone and met George H. W. Bush after previous olympics. ""It was different with a medal around your neck."" "
62,"""There were so many things happening, there was no one thing that stood out."" Already had plans to return to Cleveland. Relates the process of moving from Arizona to Cleveland. Mentions some of the other highlights that he got to do during that time- closing Wall Street, throwing out the first pitch at a Yankee game, spending time with George Steinbrenner."
63,"Attended Republican Convention and spoke for Bob Dole. ""It was many red eyes and tiresome times."" Describes reception he received in Cleveland after Atlanta. Wore his CSU warmup in the stands even though it wasnÍt allowed. "
64,"Parents noted, ""Who is strong enough and big enough to tell him to take it off?"" It was important for him to represent CSU. Chose to run the Olympic torch in Cleveland rather than Colorado Springs. Took the torch from E. 9th St. to the pier. ""Its my home."" "
65,"WasnÍt really thinking about Sydney Games after Atlanta. ""I was semi-retired."" Description of fellow teamate Alan Freed."
66,"Freed worked hard but was never able to be an olympian. Retired in 2001 and started the MBA progam at CWRU. ""Wanted to reinvent myself."""
67,The program was Executive MBA was weekend courses. Was recruited to work in business development at Cleveland Clinic. Relates some of the work he has done since 2001.
68,Work description continued. Has his own consulting business now. 
69,"Begins discussion of some of the accolades that Ghaffari has received. ""All my goals are accomplished."" CSU was part of his personal development."
70,"Took kids on a visit to CSU and loved the changes that have taken place. Mentions the influences of Bonnacci, Payne, and Varga."
71,"""Things get fast paced after CSU."" Was sad to leave CSU after graduation. ""Lots of good friends. My roomate was a 90 pounder and I shaved his head. I had a shaved head and he was going to do it too but he thought he girlfriend wouldnÍt like it so I shaved it while he was asleep."" Reminiscences of some friends, stays in touch."
72,"Wants to have a reunion. ""I think the 50th Anniversary is good for the college.""  *END OF INTERVIEW*"