maligned Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 We've all seen them happen. The 10-loss 4th placer from a semi-state beats the undefeated semi-state champ from another semi-state. The kid who got majored at the dual turns the tables and knocks out his prior conqueror at semi-state when it matters most. The #10-in-the-state beast loses by 5 in the first round of regional. But why? Why do these events occur? Why do results with no logical explanation happen? Is it nerves on the part of the favored kid? Is it extra adrenaline for the underdog? Is it conflicting styles that happen to work just right? Is it our fixation on rankings that causes the illusion of an upset that shouldn't have really been that big of a surprise? Why do upsets happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattM Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 1. Looking past your opponent in expectation of tougher competition later. 2. Your opponent studied the match and had a better game plan the next time around while you just assumed it was automatic the same stuff would work again. 3. The first match score got out of hand while trying to do something to comeback so the final looked worse than it was. 4. You got to cocky or relaxed against an opponent and ended up getting caught by his one signature 5pt/pin move. 5. The mentality of preparing or entering the match changed from earlier in the year. 6. The first match was early so the wrestler was just getting the rust out and weight under control compared to the second time. 7. A nagging illness/injury of the better wrestler that is limiting him. 8. Not losing weight properly, not getting enough sleep, not eating right, having multiple other things going on and/or thing weight on your mind aside from the match. 9. The wrestlers is much better than he appear, but some of the reason above have caused him to be the one under preform for most of the year. 10. The stars fell into place and everything aligned perfectly for the opponent, but everything seemed to go wrong for you. 11. Abnormal or strange style and/or body type match-ups. 12. The kids is just really good at the few moves he does know but you have no real prior knowledge about them. 13. You were over hyped and had a lighter schedule than your opponent who flew under the radar and lost some close matches to legit wrestlers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgamehoss Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 I had posted 3 factors but removed it immediately because of embarrassment, caused by MattM's much more thorough and well-thought-out list Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtv2112 Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 1. Weight cut gone wrong 2. Injury 3. Overrated I left mine to make him look good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearless fly Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 1. Looking past your opponent in expectation of tougher competition later. 5. The mentality of preparing or entering the match changed from earlier in the year. I like those two....Ive seen many times, wrestler A gets beat by wrestler P...only to come back later...lets say with a different atitude and beat wrestler P. Becomes more interesting when they meet a 3rd time. ff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maligned Posted February 9, 2011 Author Share Posted February 9, 2011 I like those two....Ive seen many times, wrestler A gets beat by wrestler P...only to come back later...lets say with a different atitude and beat wrestler P. Becomes more interesting when they meet a 3rd time. ff Sometimes this is true. For example, I remember beating a particular kid once and then him coming out much more aggressive and killing me the second time we wrestled. But sometimes I don't know if there is an explanation. I got thumped twice by a kid in the season and wasn't able to do anything against him. Then in the post-season I took him down. I reversed him. I scrambled with him. It was completely different from the season. He gets a last-minute reversal to win, but it was a match. Still, I couldn't tell you what I did differently or what game plan I had. I really think, as others have said, sometimes it's just not explained with a simple reason. Things just go right (or totally wrong). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearless fly Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 good point it could be he took you too lightly(point no.1). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsk10135 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Heard a quote when I was wrestling... "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard" At this level, never underestimate anyone, everyone's gotta be 100% ready both mentally and physically Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boot Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Heard a quote when I was wrestling... "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard" At this level, never underestimate anyone, everyone's gotta be 100% ready both mentally and physically That's interesting, my dad is always saying that, he always told his wrestlers that. I think it's all about who comes out with less fear of losing. If they've wrestled before it comes down to who learns from the mistakes of the first match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 That's why we wrestle the matches. I also believe that a huge part of high school wrestling is the mental part. Many kids have already lost prior to the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Brown Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I can sum it for you. It comes down to who ever wants it more. Case and point Pendelton Regional a wrestler was ranked 9th in the state and loses to a kid with a 16-19 record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrick Snyder Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I am a firm believer that a big reason why upsets often happen is because the favored wrestler panics. Something bad happens during the match....gives up an early takedown, goes to his back or can't score...as the match goes on and the favored guy is behind or it is tied, he starts to panic and stops wrestling the way he has all year. I know that it was happened to me unfortunately... I tell my guys they have to consistently push themselves at practice and break themselves in the practice room so that when unexpected things happen on the mat they are mentally and physcially prepared for them...in my opinion, if you break yourself in practice, this makes it much more likely that you will not panic in a match. Snyder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Sobchak Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Lets not split hairs on this topic, it happens cause one guy scores more points than the other!!! Everyone of these responses is right. Each case is different. Nerves, weight, overrated, frustration. Lets also not forget COACHING... coaching does matter. Am I Wrong!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2compete Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I am glad I read all this. My son wrestles a #1 seed Saturday, and I hope he is the one to upset this kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STARSMAN Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 HEART!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infowrestling Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 HEART!!! Agreed! I think at times, it's easy to make excuses, like "I was sick" or "I was hurt" , but I've seen a lot of kids who are sick or hurt, want it enough and have enough guts to overcome those obstacles. We saw a ton of it last night at Adams Central. If anyone noticed the 135 lb match, you know what I'm talking about. Wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maligned Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 I am a firm believer that a big reason why upsets often happen is because the favored wrestler panics. Something bad happens during the match....gives up an early takedown, goes to his back or can't score...as the match goes on and the favored guy is behind or it is tied, he starts to panic and stops wrestling the way he has all year. I know that it was happened to me unfortunately... I tell my guys they have to consistently push themselves at practice and break themselves in the practice room so that when unexpected things happen on the mat they are mentally and physcially prepared for them...in my opinion, if you break yourself in practice, this makes it much more likely that you will not panic in a match. Snyder I graduated in your class and lived 30 minutes from Mishawaka and 15 minutes from Middlebury. Yours was one that I remember quite clearly. Some humble insight. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Hawaiian Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 As Coach Strader said on several ocassions, he's wrestling as if his dog just got ran over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheeSnoopy Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 The underdog senior just wasn't ready to hang up the old asics yet. Yes love this haha or Nikes ;D, but to me its all about the other guy wanted it more that day and had more heart and desire, of course every wrestler that makes it to Conseco has skill on the mat, but its also about believing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallegos-215 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Wrestlers of greater skill believe they already have the upper hand and goof off during practice.... while the other guy is busting his butt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOTALFOCUS Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 I told my sons there are 3 ways to lose. 1. Your opponent was better. ( today) 2. You made a mistake. (forced or unforced) 3. Official ( very rare but sometimes can influence a close match) I never would criticise my sons for losing, only for their effort. Losing and making mistakes are part of lifes lessons. Its the ones you do not survive from that are not learned. Jeff Sheets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OVGrad07 Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 HEART!!! Agreed, and the fact that on any given day a wrestler might wrestle above his potential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walter Sobchak Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 3. Official ( very rare but sometimes can influence a close match) Just ask Sam Horrocks about his regional semi-final match... that ref was somewhere else for that one!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1oldwrestler Posted February 10, 2011 Share Posted February 10, 2011 Agreed! I think at times, it's easy to make excuses, like "I was sick" or "I was hurt" , but I've seen a lot of kids who are sick or hurt, want it enough and have enough guts to overcome those obstacles. We saw a ton of it last night at Adams Central. If anyone noticed the 135 lb match, you know what I'm talking about. Wow So stalling your a** off and managing to only get majored instead of pinned is heart? I'd say 145 was the weight where you saw heart. Senior whose individual season is over goes out and takes it to two state-ranked kids, almost managing to win both matches. To have heart, I feel like you have to go out and wrestle to win, rather than not lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBolt Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 "Upsets" happen because Wrestling is Life, and Life is Wrestling. You will see the same type of "upsets" everyday in your personal and professional lives. The real question is "Is there ever an actual upset in Wrestling?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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