Just a couple days before the elections, there were fireworks of a different sort in our nation's capital. American University in Washington, D.C. hosted the 2012 NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturday, Nov. 3.

So, what does it take to host the All-Star Classic?

It's a bit more complicated than putting on a typical college dual meet. Just ask Teague Moore. The former NCAA mat champ for Oklahoma State -- now in his second season as head coach at American -- played host to the 2012 edition of the All-Stars, an annual event that has traditionally featured two of the top college wrestlers in each weight class since 1967.

By just about any measure, the 2012 NWCA All-Star Classic was a winner. It was the first All-Star event to sell out in advance in more than a decade. It featured one of the most anticipated college matches in recent memory, bringing together 2012 NCAA 157-pound champ Kyle Dake of Cornell, and Penn State's David Taylor, defending champ at 165. What's more, all 20 of the wrestlers originally announced as competitors actually stepped out onto the mat at American's Bender Arena on Saturday night, Nov. 3.

Even more impressive, it all came together in less than two months.

How did Moore and American University do it?

"Originally, Mike Moyer, head of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, was talking to George Mason University about hosting the event," according to Moore. "When it became apparent that George Mason wouldn't be able to host it, we stepped forward."

"We had only seven weeks to prepare for the event," the American Eagles head coach disclosed. "It was full speed ahead. So many things to get done in not much time. We even had a countdown clock so we wouldn't lose sight of the deadline."

"We had to work around a number of other events already on the school's athletic calendar. There was a swimming event, a women's basketball game, and men's soccer all set for the weekend that the NWCA wanted to have the All-Stars. We had to make sure we could flip the gym for the event to take place."

Saturday night's all right for wrestling ...

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Palmer: Anatomy of the All-Star Classic