Don't miss the documentary 'PINNED'
It will be available for viewing in a few weeks, but I don't want to put it on the back burner of my mind. I might get distracted and neglect to tell you about it later. If you're a fan of high school sports -- especially wrestling -- you'll want to see the 90-minute documentary "Pinned."
It chronicles the St. Edward wrestling team of 2005-06 with an interwoven parallel story about Lakewood High wrestler Matt Curley. It follows the St. Ed wrestlers on each step of the season which culminated in the state championship and a fourth straight state title for St. Ed werstler Lance Palmer.
There are fascinating interviews, including provocative remarks from Palmer's father who says St. Ed's wrestling would be even better if he were the head coach.
Palmer's younger brother Collin, who became a multi-state champion himself, will get your attention when he says he doesn't want his own kids to wrestle because he doesn't want that kind of stress a second time.
As many as five cameras were used to shoot tournaments and take you behind the scenes.
Then there's the parallel story of Matt Curley, the only Lakewood wrestler to qualify for the state tournament that year. There's a poignant scene in the kitchen of the Madison Ave. apartment Matt shares with his mother. He carefully measures eight ounces of water, all that he's allowed during his continual struggle to make his 130-pound weight limit.
"Always hungry and thirsty" is Matt's assessment of the wrestling season. Matt is now wrestling at Heidelberg College.
"Pinned" is the project of the Norman family of Cleveland's West Side -- Pat Norman, 25, his brother Mike Norman, 41, and their supportive father, Dennis, a lawyer.
"It was Mike's idea," said Pat. "He pitched it to me five years ago. We talked about it for a year before we got started."
Mike Norman is a Cleveland fireman who wrestled at Lakewood High School and junior college and later coached wrestling at a Lakewood middle school. In fact, he coached Matt Curley when Matt was in the eighth grade.
Mike also has a media background, graduating from Ohio University in journalism.
His younger brother Pat graduated from St. Edward High School in 2004 and from Ohio University in 2008 with a major in video and film.
Their mother, Linda, by the way, runs a studio camera at Fox 8.
"So it was like growing up in a TV station around here," said Pat.
They began shooting the story during Pat's junior year at Ohio U. He drove home on weekends to shoot matches and tournaments while also completing his school video projects.
They spent the next year transcribing 1,000 pages of interviews and a third year writing and editing the story.
"A lot of guys go to New York or Hollywood to try to get in the business," said Pat. "This film could be my calling card."
"Pinned" has been entered in several international film festivals, including Cleveland's. It has been accepted by HBO's Big Sky Documenary Film Festival in Missoula, Mont. Two-thousand were entered, only 100 accepted.
At Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival, there are 100 spots for 10,000 entries.
"Yeah, we'll probably enter," said Mike. "You can't win if you don't play."
Stay in touch with Mike Norman for information on theater and TV showings and DVD sales. Here's his e-mail address:
pat@lakewoodfilms.com
There are executive producer credits available for investors. If you ever wanted to get in the movie business, contact Pat at the same address.
I'm speaking today, Monday, Jan. 18, at noon at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club in Canton. Come on down.
If you have suggestions for my blog, here's my e-mail: dcoughlin65@ameritech.net
That's all for today.
This article reprinted from CoughlinUnplugged.com, through a partnership between Dan Coughlin and The Cleveland Leader. To read more of his writing, visit his website.
