Cokeley Blair was a great match--saw it on youtube. The sportsmanship aspect is for the referees who are on site to decide--whether they think it is appropriate or not, misconduct, whatever--and it looked like that there was a lot of emotion in that match.
Aside from that, it is a constant battle to keep teenagers emotions under control. In matches of this caliber the fans usually pick a side too and they cheer and boo however appropriately or inappropriately. I have seen fans boo wrestlers who are upset and emotional after matches(if it is the guy they were rooting against who lost) and lots of adults not controlling their emotions as well.
I guess the point is that it is easy to judge someone's fit on video, but the environment, the fans, the intensity of the match, the pressure to win, the expectation of success and hormones have a great deal to do with a wrestler's reactions.
There are no excuses to be made for emotional outbursts, but fathers and coaches across the state have usually spoken with how we want our wrestlers to conduct themselves on and off the mat. All of this doesn't mean that in the heat of the moment our wrestlers who may be upstanding individuals, leaders, captains of their team and good people won't have a lapse.
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Well said. He had 'a lapse'. If any one else hasn't, then let them throw the first stone.
I spoke with his father ten minutes after the match. He was calm. He wasn't a raving maniac. I saw from the stands, him talking to and calming his son down immediately after the match. It is obvious that Will does not approve of his son's 'fit' - again, he already said that on this thread. So, why don't we all just drop it?
No one is trying to excuse it. Just trying to explain why it might have happened. Explanation, not an excuse. And, again - if you have never made any mistakes or had a lapse - please write and tell us how and where you got this incredible gift of ALL OF THE TIME self-control. I'd like to buy some of that!
