A view from the cheap seats in St. Louis

ST. LOUIS - Good things sometimes come in strange packages.

Take this year's NCAA wrestling championships at the Scottrade Center, my second national tournament since trading my seat in press row three years ago for a ticket in upper decks.

That, in itself, is a good thing. After covering wrestling for more than 25 years, I became a fan - of the characters who competed, the coaches who taught and the sport that combines toughness, finesse and dedication.

Now I can see all of the above without the pressure of deadlines and I don't have to spend three full days inside an arena.

Now I can leave between sessions and walk out when the event ends - or when the mood strikes.

This year's tournament started out a little strange, a little stressful with travel plans up in the air, unsure of how we'd get from here to there, an old and worn hotel and a thunderstorm complete with hail.

But, hey, it's wrestling. it's time with my son, Ben, new and old friends and possibly even an in-law or two.

The action on the mat is the main event, of course, but our reporter and photographer, K.J. Pilcher and Brian Ray, have documented that very well in these pages.

What never fails to amaze me is what goes on off the mat. So here are a few observations from three days - and nights - in the St. Louis area:

- The NCAA wrestling tournament is an annual reunion for old wrestlers, coaches and officials. Everywhere you turn there are old teammates greeting each other, generally with a single-leg instead of a handshake. On our first day here, between sessions, we ran into former University of Iowa greats Jeff McGinness and Randy Lewis and ex-ISU national champ Chris Bono, who was attending his first NCAA as a specator.

- Wrestling fans are among the most knowledgeable in any sport and can watch and cheer for multiple matches without missing a thing. They also have no issue cheering against a wrestler in one match and backing him in the next round. They know a good match, a great move or a gutsy performance, and respect it no matter the color of the singlet.

- Iowa fans are everywhere at this event. Whether you are on a bus, a train, visiting the Arch or eating lunch and dinner, there is a sea of black-and-gold. Penn State has a large following here, as does Minnesota and even Cornell. But the Hawkeye faithful have their usual corner in the arena, then are spread throughout the stadium.

- Penn State's Cael Sanderson can coach. The Nittany Lions looked fantastic here this weekend, hitting their stride and just the right time.