Folk vs free

[flyingcement 908]

I actually enjoy having the variety of styles to enjoy all for different reasons.  Folk is closest to my heart because it's what I was brought up on.

[spladle08 1,170]

On 5/9/2022 at 11:12 AM, flyingcement said:

I actually enjoy having the variety of styles to enjoy all for different reasons.  Folk is closest to my heart because it's what I was brought up on.

We are all brought up on it.
(again haven't read the thread at all)
But that's the answer to the whole debate

.
1. Essentially every US wrestler has done FOLK for the majority of their lives. So you have a majority that can draw emotion, familiarity, whatever from the sport.
2. Not every wrestler does freestyle at some point in their lives (even less Greco). Maybe a summer here and there. So not even close to as many US wrestlers/fans develop the same attachment.
THAT'S IT... nothing more to be argued.

Yes if we never bothered with Folk and we started doing Freestyle 5+ months a year from Youth (Divison -1 or 6u or whatever)  we would increase our depth and overall skill on the world stage. There's literally no debate.

Yes its easy to find a majority of wrestling fans who will say "I'm more familiar with Folk, I don't like that stuff I'm unfamiliar with". There's no debating that either.

But the debate
"Folkstyle for the first 18yrs of our lives doesn't hinder freestyle results because we've had some all time greats be able to make the adjustment"
Is so ridiculous it makes me more disappointed than usual in our community of mouth breathers.

[Swayz 163]

On 4/30/2022 at 4:32 PM, ChicagoHawk said:

Lots of off season chatter basically about everything in folk stinks (stalling, the edge of the mat, pushout etc) and free is amazing etc.  

there seems to be no buzz and very little chatter in the international forum about the us open.  The national championship across multiple age divisions and styles. The pinnacle of the sport domestically outside the wtt…. And yet  barely seems like an event is even going on.   
 

compare that to the drama and excitement of conference + ncaa tournament.   Crazy.  
 

I’ll take folk all day…. Superior product from the fans perspective imo.  

For me,  folkstyle grows faster because fanbase of folk is willing to sit and explain and have great patience.   FS/Greco to me has been pretty snobby from folks;  "You don't F'in understand FS?"   is how I've seen people greeted to that side of things.   

[spladle08 1,170]

14 minutes ago, Swayz said:

For me,  folkstyle grows faster because

It grows faster because:
It's offered from the youngest age
And is the only thing offered at the school level (as a part of the institution)

Plain and Simple, if the roles were reversed, FS/GR would be the more popular sport.
There's no opinion on this, it's just how it is.
Not sure who you asked about the rules, but many people are willing to explain them.
Hop on the International boards, we argue over controversial situations from time to time and actually know what we are discussing (instead of random FB posts)

Edited May 24 by spladle08

[jp157 548]

On 5/24/2022 at 1:22 PM, Swayz said:

For me,  folkstyle grows faster because fanbase of folk is willing to sit and explain and have great patience.   FS/Greco to me has been pretty snobby from folks;  "You don't F'in understand FS?"   is how I've seen people greeted to that side of things.   

It doesn’t help there’s a distinct subgroup of people that use being the local/regional “expert” on freestyle/Greco to try to claim the respect they “feel they deserve”. And since they don’t have any real accomplishments as an athlete or coach to stand on. They use being the “enlightened intellectual” about international to act superior