AURORA, Ill. – A father bounded into a youth wrestling match, picked up his son’s winning opponent and launched him out of the ring, an episode caught on a home video.
After tossing the 11-year-old boy into the air Sunday, the angry father headed toward the cameraman, the father of the airborne boy.
I think it’s only fair to point out that the boy who’s shoulder is injured is not the one who got thrown off… and that the ref was a bit of a negligent cock.
I know it’s no excuse for the dad’s behaviour, but how would you react if you saw your son’s shoulder being cranked in a wrestling match while the ref was busy studying the strip lighting?
The ref is looking at the match the entire time. I don’t know what you saw Lu. The ref actually touches the opponent before the dad gets there.
I think the dad reacted to his kids pained reaction if, his shoulder is really hurt. If you watch the kids face, it is in the same direction his father comes from.
It is possible the reports conflict, but I’ve read it was the boy who was thrown who received a slight injury to shoulder which was checked out by a hospital emergency room. He probably posted his arm as he tumbled backward. (Why folkstyle wrestlers are taught zero Ukemi is beyond my abilities to fully comprehend.)
And, as far as the dad’s reaction, “chicken wings” used to turn an opponent over are generally legal in folkstyle wrestling (though I don’t know about the specifics of that age bracket and that tournament). It certainly didn’t seem like the father’s kid was screaming out in pain. To me, it seemed like he was dumbly fighting the turn over too hard and risking his own shoulder because he didn’t want to give up back exposure.
Nah, watch again. The ref definitely goes space cadet for a few seconds and then has an “oh shi…” moment. I’m trying to make a gif out of it because I think it’s pretty hilarious, but I’m having trouble ripping the vid to a suitable format.
I might have to use stills instead, give me a sec.
Edit: There. Best I can do at 2 in the morning, after a night spent imbibing barely legal substances in celebration of Ordinary Harrison getting laid out.
OMG! MY KID IS GETTING HIS ASS KICKED IN THE WRESTLING MATCH I SIGNED HIM UP FOR AND MADE HIM TRAIN FOR! TIME TO MAKE UP FOR MY FAILURE TO PARENT BY KICKING HIS OPPONENTS ASS!
That’s a brief turning towards the judging table to clearly signal points scored. I’m not excusing the ref taking his eyes off the action. But, you’ll see this somewhat bad habit over and over again in a lot of matches with many refs.
Now if the father would have stood up and ripped off his shirt, proclaiming he was the best that ever was. I thought pointing at the camera would have made a nice segway into that. Did anyone tell him this is 'rasslin sucks month?
Up 'till the point where he bravely tossed a little kid across the mat, where was the “failure to parent”? You’re not saying that having his son wrestle was a failure to parent, are you?
