Ferrari & Rodriguez Home/Dave & John Smith on Why the Two are Inseparable
STILLWATER – The best news coming out of the horrible scene of the head-on collision on State Highway 33 near Perkins on Monday evening and the news conference on Tuesday at Oklahoma State University with head wrestling coach John Smith and director of Track and cross country Dave Smith was they their outstanding student-athletes in Big 12 champion and All-American distance runner Isai Rodriguez and defending NCAA wrestling national champion and top ranked A.J. Ferrari only suffered minor injuries and both had been released from their respective hospitals shortly after the end of the news conference.
Today at his regular media availability John Smith said he still had not seen Ferrari. His dad said he got up and was walking for the first time, but he is really sore. I haven’t talked to him, but I want to see him the first time I talk to him.
Smith said he had a text message regarding his comment in the Tuesday press conference about the big man that helped Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn pull the 197-pound plus Ferrari out of the bruning vehicle and then according to Dunn disappeared..
“I got a text and I’m going to check it out,” Smith said. “I’ve got my ways to check it out. I’m going to investigate.”
John Smith had expressed wanting to thank the man and he was thankful that Coach Dunn was there when it happened and took action.
“He did his citizen duty to help someone. Of course, he called me following him and someone else pulling AJ out of the car, helping AJ out, and you could hear it in his voice, as anyone would, there was some fright to it,” Smith said. “He did tell me a big man showed up and helped him figure out how to get (AJ) out and they got him out and then all of a sudden, this guy was gone. I don't know what to think of that, but it's a story we can all be thankful for.”
Today, Smith again emphasized how crazy and chaotic the experience was for all involved.
“Everything happened like it was flying by,” Smith said of when he received the first phone call from Dunn. “You’re on the phone and coach was just talking and I couldn’t hear what he was saying. Then the reception was terrible. We had maybe four or five phone calls in maybe a minute and a half just to know A.J. was in a bad wreck. It was so chaotic just trying to find out what was going on.”
Both coaches were not concerned with how soon they can get their stars back competing. They were concerned with praising those involved with saving them and taking care of them including Oklahoma State football offensive coordinator Kasey Dunn, who helped pull Ferrari out of the burning vehicle.
They were concerned with preaching the virtues of buckling up. The two athletes were wearing seat belts.
“Seat belts save lives,” John Smith said emphatically.
The two coaches were also amused at telling the story or their opinions with why a slender distance runner and a 197-pound extremely physical and strong wrestler hang out together.
"They're around each other all the time. They spend a lot of time together and I think most of it is from a competitive nature,” answered John Smith to the question. “They're training, not hanging out doing the wrong things and being out at the bars, but working out and lifting, running, whatever it is. They have found a connection through both of them wanting to be the best in their sport. I think that's the connection. It's not something that's fake. It is something that is very real and both of them are pretty close to it."
"I'd say they both love OSU and OSU Athletics as a whole,” added Dave Smith, who even got emotional. “You have a national champion wrestler of his stature show up at a cross country meet and be there to the very end jumping up and down going crazy and then hugging his buddy at the end, complimenting the women's team for winning and truly being involved in supporting and caring about OSU Athletics. I love AJ Ferrari. That kid is awesome with his spirit and his drive. His greatest strength might at times be his greatest weakness, but it is still his greatest strength. I think Isai Rodriguez is the same way. That passion and joy for life and everything they are doing and everything OSU, those are the things those guys have in common. Most people don't get it. They look at it and think 'that's weird', but those guys see a kindred spirit."