 He also made the U.S. Olympic wrestling team in 1980, however he was unable to compete as the United States boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics.In 1983, he published "Takedown for heavyweights" as part of the Wrestling Coaching Series and was later an alternate on the 1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympic wrestling teams.During the U.S. Olympic boycott, he began training with Dick the Bruiser and soon started wrestling for the World Wrestling Association promotion.