Orange & Blue

Issue date: 11/7/08 Section: Features

Marcus Lopez

Marcus Lopez gazes up at the Alaskan mountains, studying their peaks in hopes of finding his way. The mountains tell him where he is at all times. Treading through the terrain he knows that he is almost at his destination. Only a left turn now lies between him and…the movie theatre.

Marcus is a wrestler here at Carson Newman who happens to be from Alaska. This does not mean he scales mountains in a loin cloth with his moose companion tracking down a polar bear he recently speared. Rather he lives a humble, normal life in his hometown of Anchorage, a beautiful city amidst the mountains that he describes as being "Alaska's Knoxville".

Abolishing all myths, Marcus tells with a chuckle that his city is not inhabited by Eskimos, "If you want to get hurt you can call them Eskimos".

Stereotypes aside, the city of Anchorage is breath-taking. It exhibits a rare combination of nature and man coinciding. "One minute you're in a subarctic city, the next minute you're staring down a polar bear". Accommodating nature is the brilliant aspect that separates his unpretentious lifestyle from the rest.

Marcus Fact 1: Alaskans make for better drivers. They carefully maneuver through the snow every day of their lives. Mother Nature does not let up for them, so they learn to overcome the road conditions. Most car accidents that occur in the city are, believe it or not, moose related.

"Moose are funny creatures", he tells in between laughs. "They will come up during Halloween and eat your jack-o-lanterns. It's crazy how well moose blend in with the city".

Marcus Fact 2: Glacier water is not actually delicious. Images of glacier water are picturesque. The water looks pure, crystal clear, cold, and invitingly tasty. Our Alaskan friend will tell you otherwise. "Glacier water may look good, but I'd rather choose Mossy Creek water for the taste".

Marcus Fact 3: We do not know fresh air. One of his favorite things about Alaska was taking in the untainted, crisp air after a hard wrestling workout. The wave of unrefined air as nature intended was enough to rejuvenate a weary body. After wrestling practice in Jefferson City, a breath of muggy Tennessee air is enough to make him seek shelter.

An Alaskan lifestyle does seem to have its share of perks. However, he does warn of its dangers.

Marcus Fact 4: Animals will become aggressive. Anchorage residents have learned to cope with this though. Do not antagonize the animals and they will leave keep to themselves. Marcus tells of the exception of how an old lady was attacked on a trail by a grizzly bear. She bravely stood up to it and was able to beat it off. Moral of story: Don't mess with Alaskans.

Yes, Marcus is not the typecast, traditional Alaskan, but that does not mean traditions are thrown aside. Honor, bravery, and courage are all laced with his sport of wrestling. His style exemplifies these characteristics, never backing down from any challenge. He not only takes pride in where he is from, but also in each and every thing he does for his sport. Every extra minutes of training, the manner he carries himself, and every time he steps onto the mat...his pride shows.

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