What if... they chose wrestling instead?

[TripNSweep 495]

I have seen this happen multiple times with football players. I won't diminish the work ethic of professional athletes because they all work hard but to compare to a Retherford who doesn't have a lot of athletic ability but will grind you down and beat yourself with your own arms???

 

Big difference.

 

JB is what happens when you combine sheer athletic ability with a hard work ethic in wrestling.

 

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I was honestly shocked he made it that far with football.  Watching him in that practice he was big and strong but was so far behind everybody else when it came to doing basic stuff.  He just seemed kind of mentally weak, like when things got hard he just quit.  You could see he was an athlete, glimpses of it, but he just wasn't that tough physically right there and then.  I think had he wrestled for a few years he would have been even better as a football player, and don't let me fool you he was a very good football player already.  He had the build to be a great heavyweight, 6'6 and 270.  Even if he had stuck around that year I think we could have made something of him.  I was glad to see that he toughened up considerably, the NFL doesn't draft weak offensive linemen, and is a regular starter.  I think because he had transferred high schools and was now at a place where he had to fight every day in practice that began his learning curve.  Still would have liked to see him stick it out for wrestling.  

[TobusRex 1,989]

Seems crazy to say Zain isn't a good athlete. He's a superb athlete: he's super strong for his size, he's agile, and tenacious. Unfortunately for him his skillset doesn't really convert over into other sports because he's a little guy. I think he could do some serious damage in weightlifting if he's as strong as everybody says.

 

I've seen some pretty good wrestlers piss away their potential by abandoning wrestling, and then coming back later. A bunch of our better wrestlers quit after 5th grade. Why? Because bball offered more glory (bball was far more popular at my school) plus more girls liked bball than wrestling. Funny thing is: only one of those guys was bigger than normal size and the rest spent all their time riding the bench because, guess what, the kids who'd been playing bball all along were a lot better than they were. SO those guys rode the bball bench for 3 years, then rejoined the wrestling team. Well they WERE studs...but 3 years of ***** ball had turned them all into mediocre saps on the mat. Didn't bother me too much, I did everything I could on the mat to punish them for the skills they failed to develop over those 3 years :D

 

Jake Herbert told me he played football until 9th (or 10th grade, can't remember exactly). He said he decided to concentrate on wrestling. I bet he was a superb linebacker (although smallish!).

Edited December 26, 2017 by TobusRex

[BigTenFanboy 1,735]

Seems crazy to say Zain isn't a good athlete. He's a superb athlete: he's super strong for his size, he's agile, and tenacious. Unfortunately for him his skillset doesn't really convert over into other sports because he's a little guy. I think he could do some serious damage in weightlifting if he's as strong as everybody says.

 

I've seen some pretty good wrestlers piss away their potential by abandoning wrestling, and then coming back later. A bunch of our better wrestlers quit after 5th grade. Why? Because bball offered more glory (bball was far more popular at my school) plus more girls liked bball than wrestling. Funny thing is: only one of those guys was bigger than normal size and the rest spent all their time riding the bench because, guess what, the kids who'd been playing bball all along were a lot better than they were. SO those guys rode the bball bench for 3 years, then rejoined the wrestling team. Well they WERE studs...but 3 years of ***** ball had turned them all into mediocre saps on the mat. Didn't bother me too much, I did everything I could on the mat to punish them for the skills they failed to develop over those 3 years :D

 

Jake Herbert told me he played football until 9th (or 10th grade, can't remember exactly). He said he decided to concentrate on wrestling. I bet he was a superb linebacker (although smallish!).

I believe Zain is a decent soccer player...

[TobusRex 1,989]

I believe Zain is a decent soccer player...

 

If I got thrown around by a soccer player I'd kill myself.

[ArmDrag14 64]

Palacio played on Cornells soccer team.

[BigTenFanboy 1,735]

If I got thrown around by a soccer player I'd kill myself.

Thomas Haines was a soccer player in high school.