... on Making Excuses, Part I
Life is not fair; I freely admit it. But that still doesn't give us just cause to make excuses, especially in athletics. And let's be honest, excuses and good sportsmanship don't mix. So, as wrestlers, we need to take a look at excuse-making as it pertains to the mat sport.
If there is one sport that comes relatively close to this universal, but elusive, concept known as fairness, it's got to be wrestling. To begin with, wrestling is one of the few sports that offers athletes of practically all shapes and sizes the chance to compete on the varsity level--and if good enough, the opportunity to gain state and national recognition.
Secondly, most wrestlers earn their varsity positions through practice eliminations or wrestle-offs. They are not hand picked by the coach. (In other words, it's rarely a personality contest.) Likewise, no sportswriters' or coaches' polls are taken to determine all-state or all-american wrestlers. They must win those honors on their own, on the mats...not on paper.
And finally, during the rigors of competition, the official-to-wrestler ratio is much better than most sports. For example, in football, you normally have four officials watching 22 players, and in basketball we find 2 or 3 referees overseeing 10 contestants. Now in wrestling, there is usually 1 official for 2 wrestlers and during tournaments you'll often find 2 referees working a match. What could be fairer!
Yet, even with all these elements of fairness found in the sport of wrestling, many participants still attempt to make excuses for losing. Over the years, I have compiled a list of the "20 MOST OFTEN USED EXCUSES FOR LOSING." Listen carefully; a few of them may hit home.
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1. I ATE TOO MUCH 2. I DIDN'T EAT ENOUGH 3. I WASN'T "PSYCHED." 4. I DIDN'T WARM UP ENOUGH. 5. I COULDN'T BREATHE. 6. I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A HEART ATTACK. SO I WANNA QUIT. 7. HE WAS CHOKING ME. 8. I COULDN'T SLEEP LAST NIGHT. 9. MY HEADGEAR DIDN'T FIT. 10. I WAS TOO COLD. |
11. I WAS HAVING "HOT" FLASHES. 12. BUT, COACH, I WASN'T PINNED. 13. THE REFEREE CHEATED ME. 14. MY GIRLFRIEND JUST CHEATED ON ME. 15. I HAVE AN EMOTIONAL PROBLEM. 16. DAD, I DIDN'T MAKE THE TEAM. 17. MY SHOES WERE TOO TIGHT. 18. THE COACH DOESN'T LIKE ME. 19. MY PARENTS DON'T LIKE ME. 20. NOBODY LIKES ME. |
Updated November 6, 1998