Iowa Wrestler Spencer Lee headed to the Division I Wrestling Championships in Tulsa hoping to win his fourth consecutive national championship. It didn’t happen. But what did happen will not soon be forgotten.
Lee reached the semifinals at 125 pounds. There he squared off against Purdue’s Matt Ramos. After a controversial review, Lee was awarded two points and had a three-point lead late. It seemed like a done deal.
But Ramos fought back. And with time expiring in the third round, the two were tied at seven. Ramos then locked Lee into a hold that he could not get out of. And just before time expired, Ramos got Lee’s shoulders on the mat and scored the pinfall victory for the stunning upset.
The end of the match was incredible. Then, the cameras panned to the crowd where Lee’s mother, Cathy — who was once an alternate for the American judo Olympic team, took the glasses off of her face and tore them apart with seemingly little difficulty.
Amazing scene at the Division I Wrestling Championships. Iowa's Spencer Lee, going for his fourth national championship, loses in the semifinals.
His mother was quite upset with it. pic.twitter.com/uHIXOvMIFx
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 18, 2023
Sports fans had a lot to say about the incredible scene in Tulsa.
Spencer Lee’s mom crushing her own glasses with her bare hands and throwing them to the floor is a top 5 live television moment of all-time.
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) March 18, 2023
Those poor glasses https://t.co/S6D5e3gIci
— Man eat steak. Pork. Chitlin. (@JayUnFazed) March 18, 2023
Poor mom.
She’s gonna be a meme now. https://t.co/1IRvdyb2Sg
— 3Gun Gorilla (@GomesBolt) March 18, 2023
She had seen enough https://t.co/VeOsyzFhdy
— Kyle Dawson (@ItsKyleDawson) March 18, 2023
One thing that we consistently hear in sports is that as tense as it is for the athletes and coaches, it’s worse for their parents. They are watching their children compete and are completely helpless to do anything to help them.
That sentiment was perfectly encapsulated in this amazing scene.
[Photo Credit: ESPN]
