NCAA Brackets Selection Show - 8 p.m.

[Oracle]

The article is a little over the top. His disability doesn't pass the 'eye' test (pun intended) when you observe him on the mat and walking thru the arena. Start-off touching if you're PC/Woke - but up to 6 feet he sees just fine. IMO.

[The Kid]

I'm opposed to all things woke, but I'm a little torn here. That is really restricting the opponent, and sure missing vision may be worse. I guess in fairness, the opponent can try to take advantage of that with fakes, since he has to react to what he can't see.

[Spladle1989]

Carter Bailey wrestled Leete last year and majored him 12-1 at EIWA's.........were they wrestling under these rules then? I don't remember the match......

Sorry to bump this, but does anyone recall?

[mookie]

https://www.flowrestling.org/events/820 ... 7&limit=60

Touch starts, and 100% contact. Yes.

[Frenchie]

I understand the situation, and yes it is a little unfair to others having to wrestle slightly different rules. That said, the kid is fun to watch, he goes for it, looks to throw. I wish him all the best in his other matches at the big dance.

[lu_alum]

Carter Bailey wrestled Leete last year and majored him 12-1 at EIWA's.........were they wrestling under these rules then? I don't remember the match......

"these rules" existed as long as I can remember - that dates back to elementary wrestling in the mid-1970s.

I've always been aware of the continuous contact accommodation for blind wrestlers, with upward/downward facing hand positioning when starting from neutral.

[Spladle1989]

Interesting, in all my years involved in wrestling i’ve never seen it nor heard about it…..and while i am not nearly as old as many on here I’m not exactly a spring chicken either…..

[mookie]

https://baytobaynews.com/stories/from-t ... -life,9153

A remarkable man.

[LU61]

How nice. This accomodation makes so much sense that I can see it spreading to football, basketball, and hockey as well.

[HFO]

Tom Sullivan who wrestle at AAU Nationals and US Olympic Trials in 1968 is most accomplished blind wrestler I can remember. He wrestled at Providence College. He later also rowed crew for Harvard.
Tom for sure was an accomplished high school wrestler.

Excerpts from an article.

“I lost the first 16 matches in 2 minutes and 43 seconds all together. It was an ugly thing. The referee would blow the whistle, and it would be ‘now let’s beat up the blind person.’

“Before my 17th match the coach, a sarcastic guy, said ‘Do the best job you can, and try not to be dead.’ I lost, but I learned that all I have to do is the best job possible, and if you do that, wonderful things start to happen.

“I won my next 187 matches in a row, went to the AAU Nationals, US Olympic Trials and the Blind World Championships.”