Why is wrestling the best sport

[gg121and2]

Wrestling is the most "democratic" of sports. It matters not what size you are, of what ethnicity or race from which you come nor your gender. The athlete that works the hardest and learns the most almost always triumphs.

[sgallan]

It led to coaching wrestling. Coaching wrestling means I get to kick the crap out of kids and especially teenagers - without going to jail for it - while everybody thinks I am a good guy. (evil grin)

PS - Otherwise, Spider pretty much covered it.

[ban basketball]

For me, it's the excitement and intensity level of the sport. If I have a "vested interest" in who wins a match or a dual, I can get so riled up that it's the ultimate adreneline rush.

[Kelvyncoach]

It led to coaching wrestling. Coaching wrestling means I get to kick the crap out of kids and especially teenagers - without going to jail for it - while everybody thinks I am a good guy. (evil grin)

PS - Otherwise, Spider pretty much covered it.

Yup thats why i coach LOL , Wrestling is life basically,

[M Richardson]

You got me, Scott! I started coaching while I was teaching Middle School - it was great being able to pound the kids and get thanked for it!
Seriously, I think what I like best about wrestling is that while you are part of a team, your personal success is strictly yours. No one blocks for you, no one throws/catches/kicks for you. You don't have to worry about anyone elses skill-level, preparation, or dedication. You go out on the mat and learn what you have. Success and failure belong to the athlete, not the team.

[Spider]

Why is wrestling the best sport?

Because it's the only one I'm good at.

[Big]

For me its 4 things:

1) Every muscle of your body gets a workout
2) The variety of moves is immense like in no other sport
3) Any body type can be used to achieve greatness
4) The anticipation of a tough practice or a match in competition can be agonizingly painful. I actually crave that

[zhawk]

It seems that most of you guys are approaching this from the standpoint of a wrestler/former wrestler. And those viewpoints are perfectly valid, and I don't doubt that wrestlers get those kinds of life skills benefits that you all have mentioned. It is part of the reason that wrestling is the best sport.

But if you don't mind if I interject a "view from the seats," so to speak, I think fans would agree with all of you that wrestling is the best sport but differ on why. For me, someone who has never wrestled, I love the purity of the competition in each and every match. It's two guys, evenly matched in size (at least weight), alone on a mat to battle each other. There are no teammates to pick up or compensate for less skilled athletes. There can be no equipment advantage for either of them, the way there can be in other individual sports such as tennis or golf. Singlets and shoes are pretty much created equal.

I guess to sum up, there is nothing to hide behind for wrestlers who step onto the mat, and as a fan I really admire not only the physical toughness that wrestlers display but the mental and emotional toughness that the best of them utilize to be the very best. Wrestlers leave it all out there every match. How can you not love that?

[Spider]

It seems that most of you guys are approaching this from the standpoint of a wrestler/former wrestler. And those viewpoints are perfectly valid, and I don't doubt that wrestlers get those kinds of life skills benefits that you all have mentioned. It is part of the reason that wrestling is the best sport.

But if you don't mind if I interject a "view from the seats," so to speak, I think fans would agree with all of you that wrestling is the best sport but differ on why. For me, someone who has never wrestled, I love the purity of the competition in each and every match. It's two guys, evenly matched in size (at least weight), alone on a mat to battle each other. There are no teammates to pick up or compensate for less skilled athletes. There can be no equipment advantage for either of them, the way there can be in other individual sports such as tennis or golf. Singlets and shoes are pretty much created equal.

I guess to sum up, there is nothing to hide behind for wrestlers who step onto the mat, and as a fan I really admire not only the physical toughness that wrestlers display but the mental and emotional toughness that the best of them utilize to be the very best. Wrestlers leave it all out there every match. How can you not love that?

Oh how I wish there were so many more of you.