Hannah endorses wrestling for linemen

[Box_O_Rocks]

http://www.sandmountainreporter.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5b2c2b160bf325d0

John Hannah is known for his success on the football field, but he was a pretty successful wrestler in high school.

And he suggests other linemen take up wrestling as a means to improve their football skills.

“If I were an offensive line coach, I would demand that my high school have wrestling,” Hannah told members of the Albertville Rotary Club in a speech Tuesday.

“People think (wrestling is) strength, but it’s leverage and it’s quickness,” he said.

 

[Boston Boxer]

i cant really picture a 300 pound lineman jumping off the top rope, but whatever works.

 

[zippo59]

i cant really picture a 300 pound lineman jumping off the top rope, but whatever works.

I don't think think he means that kind of wrestling.

 

[BHSL2]

i cant really picture a 300 pound lineman jumping off the top rope, but whatever works.

He's talking about high-school grapple wrestling, or real wrestling if you will. But yes, it really does work.

 

[patchick]

Stephen Neal says hi.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Freddie Smerlas All-Pro NT was a champion wrestler. I can see the skill set.

 

[Siddiqi]

I used to wrestle in high school, I wasn't very good but you would be surprised by the number of football players who would come in and give wrestlin a try and had no idea about leverage or even trying to learn how to wrestle. I weighed 140 and would beat football guys who were 189 and 215 because I understood leverage and they refused to try to use anything but brute strength.

 

[DarrylS]

I used to wrestle in high school, I wasn't very good but you would be surprised by the number of football players who would come in and give wrestlin a try and had no idea about leverage or even trying to learn how to wrestle. I weighed 140 and would beat football guys who were 189 and 215 because I understood leverage and they refused to try to use anything but brute strength.

Not only that but need to have quite a bit of discipline to maintain your weight and class..

 

[Patjew]

Stephen Neal says hi.

That's a great pic.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I used to wrestle in high school, I wasn't very good but you would be surprised by the number of football players who would come in and give wrestlin a try and had no idea about leverage or even trying to learn how to wrestle. I weighed 140 and would beat football guys who were 189 and 215 because I understood leverage and they refused to try to use anything but brute strength.

Exactly! I come from a family of wrestling/football players. There is no other sport that is as beneficial to football players than wrestling. Other than leverage, it teaches self discipline, endurance and sacrifice.

Anyone that thinks high school/college wrestling resembles the WWF type wrestling in any way has never seen high school/college wrestling.

 

[Major **********]

i cant really picture a 300 pound lineman jumping off the top rope, but whatever works.

Logan Mankins must have done some wrestling in his days. That nut punch on the Donkey lineman was very WWE like.

 

[Phokus]

It's all a bunch of sweaty guys in tights groping each other, if you ask me

j/k ;P

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

It's all a bunch of sweaty guys in tights groping each other, if you ask me

j/k ;P

Now I finally understand why I liked wrestling!

 

[Boston Boxer]

He's talking about high-school grapple wrestling, or real wrestling if you will. But yes, it really does work.

i know what he was talking about...i was joking.

 

[PATSNUTme]

Now I finally understand why I liked wrestling!

Ther are many girls that wrestle now on the boys team. There just isn't enough to have girls teams in most places.

Why was I born too early.

 

[Oswlek]

Ther are many girls that wrestle now on the boys team. There just isn't enough to have girls teams in most places.

Why was I born too early.

I have to imagine that girls who can place on a boys wrestling team aren't exactly the hottest tickets around.

Not that looks are everything, but....

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Ther are many girls that wrestle now on the boys team. There just isn't enough to have girls teams in most places.

Why was I born too early.

I dunno.
I have the ignominious experience of having lost to 3 girls in a pickup hoops game once. I can live with that despite my friends constant reminder, but being out-wrestled...

 

[gomezcat]

I agree with Hannah's premise. I'd also add arts like Judo, Aikido and Ju Jitsu to the list. The other thing I would recommend for any football player is T'ai Chi, which is really good for learning how to knock an opponent off their feet.

 

[Fencer]

Hmm. I think I'd put wrestling above the others.

When I did Tae Kwon Do (sp?), it seemed very similar to fencing. Basically, you engage with your opponent episodically. You watch and maneuver and then suddenly there's a flurry of action that may or may not result in a hit.

Even some of the basic tactical points were the same, with the one that stuck out in my mind being this: Retreating buys one a LOT of time to parry/block -- therefore, the ideal time to launch an attack is when the opponent is advancing.

Judo would be closer, of course, but that's so stylized I'd give an edge to wrestling even ther

 

[Aggie290]

I agree with Hannah on this one. Wrestling teaches you how to deal with someone else's power through the use of leverage and hand placement....Perfect for O and D lineman. Any of the Martial arts are ok as they help reflexes, hand speed and balance, but compared to wrestling the benefits are minimal.