TJ X: The reason scrambling is becoming more and more prevalent is because there are more counters to attacks than there used to be. More and more, being able to perform at the highest levels (college and international) is about learning POSITIONS not MOVES. To beat top notch guys you have to be able to dominate in every position you find yourself in, not just hit moves and expect to score because, once again at the highest level, guys are going to know how to counter and chain wrestle, hence a scramble is bound to ensue. All scrambling is is a fight to gain the best position possible. It's not just a bunch of flopping around. Believe it or not, there is a technique to "scrambling".
Dude, it sounds like you have either been away from the sport for a while or you haven't wrestled in a long ass time. Catch up with the times.
I love how this referee let the wrestler scramble instead of giving back points in that first big scramble.. Way too many high school referees (at least where im from) give back points when kids are chasing ankles and scrambling thru positions.. Good job by the ref as for on the scramble situations..
Always entertaining to watch Leen wrestle. He's a great scrambler, but he's also good on his feet. As for international wrestling, they need to allow for more mat wrestling, in my opinion. The most exciting international match of the year was Satiev making the Russian Olympic team (as seen here on Flo), and in that match, the ref allowed a long scramble to play out. Go back and watch some tape of John Smith. Almost every shot he took turned into a scramble, but like Leen, Smith almost always finished on top.
Leen was A) overextended and B) if you watch closely, he grabbed at the ankle and not at the heel, both of which allowed chandler to get out to the side and force a scramble.
Obviously leen is a good wrestler BUT in my opinion he gets y and flashy.
TJ X: I agree with you but I think scrambling is a useful skill to have because the principals of scrambling--hips down, head up--are essential in every part of a wrestling match.
I do not agree with the takedown in those circumstances, IMHO a bad call by the referee. Non the less an amazing scramble. Brian Smith had every right to be livid with that referee.
To Scuba Steve: Go watch Nate Carr, Kenny Monday, Dave Schultz, Barry Davis, Joe Williams, Cael Sanderson, Brandon Slay and any others when they were in college and then come and let me know about finishing takedowns properly and in a clean manner without all this nonsense scrambling which simply teaches wrestles TERRIBLE habits. The FACT of the manner is that when Leen hit that BEAUTIFUL UNDERHOOK ANKLE PICK, he made ONE critical mistake, can anybody tell me what it was?
to be honest, the scramble was the most exciting part of the dual. i wish leen and caldwell would wrestle. would be fun to see who the real funkmaster is
TJ X, you are ridicules. How often does anyone hit a textbook shot and finish it like it was a drill. not very often do you see high crotch, switched to a double and run through for an easy takedown. Especially when you have two outstanding wrestlers, one that is a national champ and another that can outwork anybody and has a heart the size of an elephants. And even more, low single and ankle picks are almost always finished with some type of scramble. I would love to see you show me how to finish a text book shot on either one of these guys. One more thing, this is not the international level. This is collegiate wrestling which in my mind is more exciting because it allows amazing scramble like this to take place. You Are Crazy!
Until NCAA wrestling changes to freestyle, which in my opinion will never happen, athletes will continue to do what works in scholastic wrestling and continue to train using techniques that work on this level. While many athletes have their eyes on the international level, right now they are at the stage where they need to win NCAA titles, which is why you don't see these flawless textbook takedown's where an athlete never exposes his back. The sport, at the NCAA level, will continue to evolve and you will begin to see more and more scrambles like this all the time. It will eventually be, who can out-scramble who, and not who can perform flawless shots and finishes.
I don't see athletes taking the view of, I could roll around a little and get a takedown, but, I wanna excel on the international level a few years from now, so I'm just gonna give up this takedown and not expose my back...
I think all this scrambling from a standpoint of sound wrestling is not good, period. I am not saying that it does not work or is not fun to watch because obviously it does work and it is entertaining to watch but this type of wrestling exposes positioning flaws that are often exploited at higher levels. At 1:30, Leen hits that BEAUTIFUL underhook ankle pick but because he made a critcial error in his finish, he got into one of the most ridiculous energy wasting scrambles I have ever seen, flip flopping over his back time and time again when wrestlers should be taught to NEVER roll over your own back and to finish their offensive attacks error free. Scrambling like that also runs the risk of serious knee injuries. All this scrambling may work but give me a textbook leg attack to a clean mistake free finish any day of the week over this type of "new age" wrestling which has proven to be useless at the international level.
Scramble of the year, thus far! I thought(my opinion and a couple of bucks will buy you a cup of coffee) Leen got the takedown at the end, Chandler was busted down and Leen was controlling the ankle and hips.
157lbs Jordan Leen Cornell- vs. Michael Chandler Missouri-
Dude, it sounds like you have either been away from the sport for a while or you haven't wrestled in a long ass time. Catch up with the times.
Obviously leen is a good wrestler BUT in my opinion he gets y and flashy.
TJ X: I agree with you but I think scrambling is a useful skill to have because the principals of scrambling--hips down, head up--are essential in every part of a wrestling match.
Until NCAA wrestling changes to freestyle, which in my opinion will never happen, athletes will continue to do what works in scholastic wrestling and continue to train using techniques that work on this level. While many athletes have their eyes on the international level, right now they are at the stage where they need to win NCAA titles, which is why you don't see these flawless textbook takedown's where an athlete never exposes his back. The sport, at the NCAA level, will continue to evolve and you will begin to see more and more scrambles like this all the time. It will eventually be, who can out-scramble who, and not who can perform flawless shots and finishes.
I don't see athletes taking the view of, I could roll around a little and get a takedown, but, I wanna excel on the international level a few years from now, so I'm just gonna give up this takedown and not expose my back...
AMAZING scramble though