Undefeated high school wrestler helps special needs opponent win match

I have a suspicion that throwing the match wasn't that much of a stretch for the undefeated kid.

I dated a girl who's uncle, who had down's syndrome, lived with her. He loved wrestling- 'pro' wrestling - and would always want to wrestle. I've never met a stronger person in my life. That guy was scary strong and I would always have to tap out to get away.

 

What a jobber.

 

It's kind of weird because with stories like this, it's usually about giving a victory to someone who's never experienced it, like when they give kids the opportunity to score a TD when they never really get to play. But Howland is 21, has been wrestling for 6 years, and has won matches before. I guess it's special that he took down the top guy, but I think people get the impression that this was his first ever win (because that's how these stories usually go) when that's not the case.

 

"r****d strength"

 

You think he threw the match... but in reality, it could have been this situation all over again.

Spoiler

 

Badass match! Good win, Andy!!!!

 

If he did let the other guy win, that is very admirable. But isn't this equivalent to point shaving?

 

Yeah I don't get it, the best way to make people with special needs feel equal is to treat them equally right? I don't think throwing a competitive match would make the guy feel good... I'd think he wanted to win the match fairly.

Its one of those things that are good intentioned, but at the same time can be viewed as a jerk move for treating the man specially on something he might have not wanted special treatment with.

 

The link has the video to the match if you guys don't think he threw the match on purpose.

 

I'm not a wrestler so I can't say definitively he threw the match but I agree it looks like he didn't give it all. From what I can tell it looks like Devon put himself in a position that allowed Andy to easily exploit it. Andy still had to be able to recognize opportunity and be able to execute it.

As a coach and a competitor I have kind of mixed feelings about stuff like this. I agree it shows a lot of class on the part of the superior player but at the same time I worry about unintended consequences. With sports like Judo and wrestling one of the biggest concerns is injury. You can't just clear the way to the basket and allow your opponent to drive with no risk to yourself but as in the video shows you are giving up your body to be slammed and pinned. In Judo, and I suspect in wrestling, there is always the risk of a bad throw and fall resulting in injury. Especially with a less skilled player where there technique might not be that good.

The other part if mental. As a coach one of the biggest things I preach is consistency of technique to the point where they can execute almost automatically. Things happen so fast that I don't want them to be thinking about the specifics of the technique but instead to recognize the situation and react. When a player is doing something deliberately to allow the opponent to win that works against that training and to me that could become counterproductive for future contests.

I admit that players I've coached have done things like this and I've even done things like this. Now though my advice is while it's good to want to help out someone who is overcoming all sorts of disadvantages and I want my players to not just be good competitors but good people it's better and safer to show respect by treating them as you would other competitors. In Judo you can win instantaneously so it wouldn't a long drawn out affair of continuing to humiliate an inferior opponent but instead make it quick and then congratulate your opponent for their courage and dedication for coming out to fight.

 

Dan Gable nods disapprovingly.