I think where most people have a "problem" with prayer on the mat (and I don't mean problem as, "they shouldn't do that") falls in the lines of possible legitimacy. It's the perception that eats at those who don't agree.

First off, there's no laws being broken. It's perfectly allowed. There are some technical rules that apply and Nigel can give us the rule number, but wrestlers are to report to the table and directly to the mat. As a technicality, stopping for a moment of silence is technically a violation of wrestling protocol.

With that being said, no official at an rank, be it HS, kids, or Olympic has ever "dinged" a participant for such activity. Wouldn't be too smart, it would end his/her career as an official.

With that being said, each person worships their diety in a different manner. For myself, I chose to keep my personal relationship with God private because it's between God and me. Others are much more vocal and display their relationship with God outwardly.

The problem is that many skeptics don't see this as a true prayer, but a show. According to them, this display does nothing more than belittle the opponent because they didn't squat down and say a prayer or they will claim that the kid shouldn't do it because he's done something wrong (a problem child, been in trouble at school, has drank alcohol, broke the law, etc.)

Quite often I'll quiet them down by telling them, tactfully, that each of us have sinned at some point in our life and we have asked for forgiveness and hopefully God will do just that. If the kid is asking for forgiveness or whatever, so be it. He can and should do it whenever or wherever he wants.

I remember as a kid, my great grandfather never went to church on Sunday and when I would stay at his house over the summer, we would quite often be on the water fishing while church was going on. One day I asked him why he doesn't go to church and he told me, "boy you're in church right now. God made this fishing hole and every time I'm out here, I reflect on all that he has given us. You don't need to go to church for that."

Granted, there are many in the religious community that would adamantly say he's wrong, but in my relationship with God, he's right on various levels.

So who's to say that it's right/wrong. Legally speaking, those who choose to do so are in their legal rights. As for my personal opinion of the matter, God hasn't called upon me to tell them to quit it and I'll be darned if I'll be the one to say stop.