Why No International Recruits

**cybsball20** · 10-27-2008, 04:03 PM

I don't pretend to know anything about Wrestling, in fact I really don't even like it even though I gave it a legit shot (went to every meet my junior year). But I noticed in the Olympics that the US got worked. Why don't we recruit some of these international athletes?

I may not like wrestling but I like to see ISU win!

**theshadow** · 10-27-2008, 04:05 PM

Because collegiate wrestling is folkstyle, and the rest of the world wrestles freestyle. Different styles, different rules, different scoring.

**cybsball20** · 10-27-2008, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by theshadow

Because collegiate wrestling is folkstyle, and the rest of the world wrestles freestyle. Different styles, different rules, different scoring.

Should college wrestling change to freestyle to give us a better chance internationally? How hard would it be for Freestyle wrestlers to make that transition?

**RyCy04** · 10-27-2008, 04:08 PM

We tried getting this guy, but he didn't have the grades.

**illinoiscyclone** · 10-27-2008, 04:08 PM

international recruits would all basically be raw talent. there are three types of wrestling- folkstyle (which we do here), free style(which is the olympic type that most think of) and greco-roman( the other olympic type that features all upperbody moves. they all three have different rules, and are almost like 3 seperate sports. the difference from greco-folkstyle is probably comprable to a boxer in an mma match with no ground skills or submissions. long story short, the best folkstyle wrestlers are in the US, because nobody else wrestles folkstyle.

it took so long to write that that there was already 4 responses.

**illinoiscyclone** · 10-27-2008, 04:10 PM

Originally Posted by cybsball20

Should college wrestling change to freestyle to give us a better chance internationally? How hard would it be for Freestyle wrestlers to make that transition?

that is a topic of debate in the wrestling community, but the fact is most elite wrestlers in the "offseason" wrestle freestyle and greco to break the monotony, and mix things up a bit.

**illinoiscyclone** · 10-27-2008, 04:11 PM

Should the NCAA go to a Freestyle and Greco format? - Illinois Matmen Forums

**theshadow** · 10-27-2008, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by cybsball20

Should college wrestling change to freestyle to give us a better chance internationally? How hard would it be for Freestyle wrestlers to make that transition?

Freestyle wrestling would kill the sport in college. The lack of scoring (and knowledge of the rules) would drive casual fans and/or fence-sitters completely away.

**cybsball20** · 10-27-2008, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by theshadow

Freestyle wrestling would kill the sport in college. The lack of scoring (and knowledge of the rules) would drive casual fans and/or fence-sitters completely away.

FYI, outside of Iowa I don't think there are many casual fans. Having a better presence in the Olympics and world competition would get more fans than anything...

and this is coming from someone who tried to be a fan...

**Cy Hard** · 10-27-2008, 04:16 PM

Coupled with no money to go recruit overseas, and little scholly money to spend. And does Joe Six pack go pay to see a kid from here in the midwest, or a kid from the mid-east wrestle.

**Knownothing** · 10-27-2008, 04:39 PM

Because most of the international recruits have wrestled on teams that have had a couple of pro wrestlers. Then they would have to get knee surgery anyway when they became eligilbe after the first year.

**jahfg** · 10-27-2008, 05:37 PM

Originally Posted by cybsball20

FYI, outside of Iowa I don't think there are many casual fans. Having a better presence in the Olympics and world competition would get more fans than anything...

and this is coming from someone who tried to be a fan...

Out of curiosity, what did you not like about wrestling?

**mplscyclone** · 10-28-2008, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by cybsball20

Should college wrestling change to freestyle to give us a better chance internationally? How hard would it be for Freestyle wrestlers to make that transition?

The thing is that Freestyle is ALL about wrestling on your feet. The ref will stand two guys up after only about 10-15 seconds on the mat.

To me, folkstyle is about controlling the opponent; you get bonus points for riding time, you try to keep a guy down if you can get him down.

Freesytle is about scoring points from your feet. It's a much different strategy; it's fast paced action from your feet.

Having wrestled at somewhat of a high level in high school. I did participate in Freestyle and Greco in the offseason along with some Judo. Most serious high school wrestlers and probably all collegiate wrestlers do at least Freestyle in the offseason so it wouldn't be all that difficult for them to make the transition.

A lot of good wrestlers that I know actually prefer freestyle as it's faster paced and based on striking.

I think the reason why it hasn't been implemented in college is because of the fans. Most people that I know who also do not know the sport well, tend to at least follow who's winning in folkstyle easy. When they're on the mat, they understand back points, pins, riding time, reversals, and escapes much more so than they understand what a takedown in.

I am always kinda surprised at how many people who I would think are knowledgable fans start yelling out "2" when it clearly isn't a takedown yet. A lot of people think if you get the guy down, you get 2, but you also have to be in control.

Going back to the naive fan, they can get a sense of who's winning in a folkstyle match even if they don't know all the points. I don't think a casual fan could get a sense of who won the match by watching freestyle.

I know some may say "they can just look at the scoreboard", but fans want to have a sense of what's going on. In other sports, there's a basket, or a goal that you can tell when points are going to happen. With Wrestling, it's not always clear when someone will score.

I think putting in a style that is more about striking and less about control, would confuse some fans.

**cloneu** · 10-28-2008, 04:43 PM

I like folksytle better. But then again I have never wrestled freestyle or really know the rules for it. From an Olympic/world stand point though it would seem beneficial to move to freestyle to be more competitive with everybody else.

**cybsball20** · 10-28-2008, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by jahfg

Out of curiosity, what did you not like about wrestling?

I didn't grow up with it. Our high school team had 5 guys on it, one of them just physically dominated guys with his strength and almost one state even though he didn't know anything about wrestling either. I gave it a try and had friends on the team (spent plenty of time in the training room with those guys) it's just not interesting. Too much stalling, not enough offense, then the random points for riding time and what not. I wasn't alone. When I transfered in alot of us (mostly guys from California) were curious, with the whole Cael thing and the history. It didn't keep any of our interest.