Disappointing team performance leads Smith to leave early

Buy Now O'Colly File Photo CLEVELAND, Ohio — Wrestlers were still fighting it out on the mat, but John Smith was no longer in the arena.

Smith, the Oklahoma State wrestling team's longtime coach, sat on OSU’s bus in the loading area of Quicken Loans Arena ready to move on from day two of the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships while OSU still had wrestlers competing.

Smith would normally talk to media after a two-session day of the tournament. But following a frustrating outing where his Cowboys greatly underachieved, Smith loaded up as fast as he could and darted out of the arena.

The Cowboys had five wrestlers still undefeated heading into Friday morning’s third session of the…