RIP Jeff Blatnick

[holy bull]

Jeff Blatnick, 1984 Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling, died today of cardiopulmonary arrest. He was 55.

He lived in Ballston Lake NY with his wife and two kids. All-around great guy much beloved in the community. A legendary figure who wasn't treated like one, because he didn't act like one.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

His gold medal victory in 1984 was my favorite moment of those games.

He was also one of the people who helped develop MMA rules.

 

[holy bull]

Apologies for not supplying a link.

I was under the mistaken belief that it was behind our pay wall.

http://bit.ly/Tgufjm

 

[holy bull]

Here's a photo gallery:

http://bit.ly/UDKitw

 

[Mark2010]

I don't follow wrestling and I even recognized that name.

 

[HanSenSE]

RIP.

New and improved link: http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2012/oct/25/olympic-wrestling-champion-jeff-blatnick-dies/

 

[Azrael]

Rest.

www.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/sports/jeff-blatnick-gold-medal-winner-in-wrestling-dies-at-55.html?hpw

 

[YankeeFan]

I can't find a picture, but Blatnick carried our flag in the closing ceremonies.

While most flag bearers wear a harness to help hold the flag, Blatnick held it aloft with one arm like it was a twig.

It was such a great scene, and great story. RIP.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I interviewed him in 1999 for a series we were doing on the best Olympic champions of the century. Just a great, great guy, and an amazing, inspiring story.

Earlier this year, my company brought him in as a inspirational speaker. I talked to him afterwards and he remembered the article, which stunned the hell out of me. I saw him again at another conference less than a month ago. He seemed fine.

Big guy, but seemed healthy as can be.

Very sad... RIP...

 

[Football_Bat]

Whew. For a minute I thought that said Jamie Blatnick.

 

[cjericho]

RIP. One of the best Olympic stories, also a very good commentator.

 

[Drip]

RIP to an outstanding wrestling talent and a true Olympian.

 

[cjericho]

I interviewed him in 1999 for a series we were doing on the best Olympic champions of the century. Just a great, great guy, and an amazing, inspiring story.

Earlier this year, my company brought him in as a inspirational speaker. I talked to him afterwards and he remembered the article, which stunned the hell out of me. I saw him again at another conference less than a month ago. He seemed fine.

Big guy, but seemed healthy as can be.

Very sad... RIP...

Did he talk about Karelin and Gardner? Would've liked to hear his thoughts. Looking back, maybe because of how out of shape Gardner got just a few years after the win, it seems more amazing than it did at the time.

 

[WriteThinking]

55? God, life is so short and fleeting, and so precious.

RIP.

 

[Mr7134]

Blatnick is actually the guy who is credited with popularizing the use of the term Mixed Martial Arts. Dave Meltzer, who was a good friend of Jeff's, wrote a nice piece about him.

http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/10/24/3550680/whenever-you-hear-the-term-mixed-martial-arts-you-jeff-blatnick

 

[JosephC.Myers]

RIP to a great Olympian, commentator and one of the men who helped make the sport of mixed martial arts what it is today.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I interviewed him in 1999 for a series we were doing on the best Olympic champions of the century. Just a great, great guy, and an amazing, inspiring story.

Earlier this year, my company brought him in as a inspirational speaker. I talked to him afterwards and he remembered the article, which stunned the hell out of me. I saw him again at another conference less than a month ago. He seemed fine.

Big guy, but seemed healthy as can be.

Very sad... RIP...

Did he talk about Karelin and Gardner? Would've liked to hear his thoughts. Looking back, maybe because of how out of shape Gardner got just a few years after the win, it seems more amazing than it did at the time.

It was more about him, his struggle with cancer and the gold. I remember being stunned that they only gave me 22 inches to write the story. It was one of the cooler assignments I had early in my career, because we targeted a ****load of Olympic heroes and then cast a wide net to see who we could get and then another writer and I were sent out on a few trips. I was the No. 2 writer on the series and I had Blatnick, Eruzione, the Mahre Brothers, Mia Hamm, Teresa Edwards and a few others. The lead writer got Carl Lewis and Mark Spitz and a few others. I remember we got most of the big names we targeted, but we could not get Bruce Jenner.

Of the profiles I did, Blatnick was my favorite, in part because I knew nothing about him going in and he just came across as so genuine.

 

[WriteThinking]

I was the No. 2 writer on the series and I had Blatnick, Eruzione, the Mahre Brothers, Mia Hamm, Teresa Edwards and a few others. The lead writer got Carl Lewis and Mark Spitz and a few others. I remember we got most of the big names we targeted, but we could not get Bruce Jenner.

You got the better end of that deal, in my opinion...

 

[Drip]

I interviewed him in 1999 for a series we were doing on the best Olympic champions of the century. Just a great, great guy, and an amazing, inspiring story.

Earlier this year, my company brought him in as a inspirational speaker. I talked to him afterwards and he remembered the article, which stunned the hell out of me. I saw him again at another conference less than a month ago. He seemed fine.

Big guy, but seemed healthy as can be.

Very sad... RIP...

Did he talk about Karelin and Gardner? Would've liked to hear his thoughts. Looking back, maybe because of how out of shape Gardner got just a few years after the win, it seems more amazing than it did at the time.

It was more about him, his struggle with cancer and the gold. I remember being stunned that they only gave me 22 inches to write the story. It was one of the cooler assignments I had early in my career, because we targeted a ****load of Olympic heroes and then cast a wide net to see who we could get and then another writer and I were sent out on a few trips. I was the No. 2 writer on the series and I had Blatnick, Eruzione, the Mahre Brothers, Mia Hamm, Teresa Edwards and a few others. The lead writer got Carl Lewis and Mark Spitz and a few others. I remember we got most of the big names we targeted, but we could not get Bruce Jenner.

Of the profiles I did, Blatnick was my favorite, in part because I knew nothing about him going in and he just came across as so genuine.

I was the No. 2 writer on the series and I had Blatnick, Eruzione, the Mahre Brothers, Mia Hamm, Teresa Edwards and a few others. The lead writer got Carl Lewis and Mark Spitz and a few others. I remember we got most of the big names we targeted, but we could not get Bruce Jenner.

You got the better end of that deal, in my opinion...

Interviewed Jenner once. He was pleasant but reminded me of being like Rick Barry.