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Aug 26, 2008
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matburn
Site Admin
Joined: Nov 12, 2004
Posts: 3458
Location: WNY |
Top 10 ways to improve Olympic wrestling
by matburn.com
(1) Increase bout length
Currently, matches are 2-2-2, but, realistically, the third period is essentially an overtime period since it's only wrestled if it's tied after two. This means a lot of matches are just 4-minutes long, the same length used at many pee wee tournaments! If they're gonna stick with this "best 2 out of 3" scoring system, maybe they should make the bouts 3-3-3, so there's at least a 6-minute match.
(2) Add a team competition
Like gymnastics, wrestling should have a team competition. Currently, the wrestlers are there for two weeks yet only wrestle one day each. With all that time available, why not have a dual meet tournament? Unlike gymnastics, it would be best to run the team competition after the individual competition so as not to risk injury prior the individual competition.
(3) Increase the number of weight classes
Seven weight classes is too few. If boxing has 11, then so should wrestling. There is a far greater number of competitive wrestlers in the world than boxers (well, at least there is in the U.S.... it's not even close), so I don't know why they have more than we do. It doesn't seem too fair.
(4) Make freestyle more like folkstyle, less like greco
A lot of people think freestyle is used in International competition because that's the style wrestled in Europe. Maybe so, but according to FILA themselves freestyle was actually invented in the U.S. (SOURCE); greco is the European style. That being the case, let the U.S. decide on the freestyle rules, and let Europe worry about the greco rules. People often describe freestyle as being like folkstyle; actually, in the way they award points, decide takedowns, and handle "referee's" position, it's more like greco. Maybe they should make it more like folkstyle, as originally intended. Ideally, they should use collegiate rules and allow 5-point throws. Since that probably won't happen, maybe make some changes to freestyle. For instance, I don't think you should be able to score backpoints from neutral. It might work for greco, but for freestyle it ruins all the cool takedown scrambles that you see in collegiate wrestling. Plus, half the time it's unclear on who the real point winner should be. I also don't think you should be able to lock hands on top. The 100s (maybe 1000s) of top & bottom position moves are nearly useless in freestyle wrestling because the bottom guy just lays there on his stomach trying to prevent a gut wrench. It's ridiculous.
(5) Allow more uniform colors
I don't know why you have to wear a red or blue singlet. I guess it makes reffing the match slightly easier. Since they review each score on a video monitor anyways, I don't know what the big deal is. Teams should be able to where whatever color they want, this way, you can compete in the colors of your country.
(6) Think of a fair tie-breaker system
The tie breaker currently used where one wrestler gets a leg clearly needs improvement. Instead of the better wrestler typically winning, most of the time the guy with the leg wins. One better solution would be to let each wrestler have a chance to score with a leg. What's fair is fair. Perhaps alternate back and forth until someone wins, with both guys having the leg the same number of times.
(7) Have full wrestle-backs
In Beijing, they only allowed you to wrestle back if the first guy you lost to made the finals. A lot of guys traveled half way around the world to wrestle just one match, lose, and then go home. To make it worse, instead of having a consolation final, they just awarded each of the two consolation finalists a Bronze medal. So, the bronze medalists can share, and nobody's feelings are hurt because everyone's a winner! Awww, how nice! Seriously, though, they need to either have full wrestle-backs (with a single third place winner), like a normal tournament, or switch back to pool play (or whatever you call it), like they used to do.
(8) Eliminate the rest between periods
As if the matches weren't already too short, there's a 30 second break between periods. (During the break, I think they give you ice cream... 1 scoop if you're losing, 2 scoops if you're winning.) Is conditioning even a factor in International wrestling?
(9)(10) I can't think of 10. Help me out...
Last edited by matburn on Aug 26, 2008; edited 8 times in total
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Aug 26, 2008
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VTaylor
Joined: Nov 24, 2007
Posts: 699
Location: Voorheesville |
well your first eight are awsome ideas and would defently improve olympic wrestling
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