Stalling rule

TNTwrestle

Junior
Jun 6, 2025
94
370
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I hated the idea of the step-out rule when it came to Freestyle, but it has proven to be good (if they'd get rid of the grounding loophole). It is past time to implement it in college and H.S. It would hurt a few of our current guys to implement it, but they'd learn. It would benefit the sport as a whole if they did.
 
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sdvike

All-Conference
Feb 23, 2016
803
1,731
93
I hated the idea of the step-out rule when it came to Freestyle, but it has proven to be good (if they'd get rid of the grounding loophole). It is psat time to implement it in college and H.S. It would hurt a few of our current guys to implement it, but they'd learn. It would benefit the sport as a whole if they did.
I think step out rule 1 point would work, NCAA should at least try it to see. I don't think it should continue to be a stalling call too, just step out 1 pt. I imagine they could still call a subjective stall within the circle but should limit it.
 

herkhatescy2

All-Conference
Dec 2, 2024
1,553
2,123
113
The NCAA needs to look at stalling on the edge. The way the rule is now is an absolute joke and sets the sport back.
That was a terrible call on Arnold. So basically you can't kick out if you're out of bounds and the other guy is in bounds. So you should let him score on you. Why don't they call stalling on guy that is not trying to pull him to the center of the mat?
 

chipackhawk

Senior
Jan 10, 2018
386
897
93
That was a terrible call on Arnold. So basically you can't kick out if you're out of bounds and the other guy is in bounds. So you should let him score on you. Why don't they call stalling on guy that is not trying to pull him to the center of the mat?
Prime example of a referee injecting himself into the match rather than being a supposed impartial arbitrator.
 

Dean111!

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2003
102
146
43
'Stalling' has been argued on this board as nauseam. Never a consensus on the application of the rule, and the only conclusion being that match officials are likely blind, brainless, or cheaters. Perhaps all of the preceding. Each and every sport has arguable calls, some more grievous than others. Nonetheless, disputable calls will typically be zero-sum. Data analysis gathered electronically from other sports (ie; baseball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, tennis, et al) "tends/inclined" to support this statistical view of disputed calls in competitive sports. Albeit some data may suggest a home team advantage (?).
 
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Babbahganoosh

Sophomore
May 4, 2023
67
199
33
I hated the idea of the step-out rule when it came to Freestyle, but it has proven to be good (if they'd get rid of the grounding loophole). It is psat time to implement it in college and H.S. It would hurt a few of our current guys to implement it, but they'd learn. It would benefit the sport as a whole if they did.
The grounding loophole was eliminated this past year…
 

Stick Kitty

All-Conference
Jul 7, 2025
432
1,094
93
That was a terrible call on Arnold. So basically you can't kick out if you're out of bounds and the other guy is in bounds. So you should let him score on you. Why don't they call stalling on guy that is not trying to pull him to the center of the mat?
IMO should be a stalemate if the other guy cannot bring the outside guy back in at all. And if the outside guy kicks out he should be allowed a reaction time to get back in or reengage. Shouldn't be penalized for a defensive move. Also the inside guy shouldn't be allowed to keep blocking off- Its not a sumo match. IMO that's also a stall on the inside guy as he is blocking a path to allow the action to continue. One thing to engage, another to act like a left tackle.
 

TNTwrestle

Junior
Jun 6, 2025
94
370
53
It was discussed. If it was actually changed, all the refs/judges didn't get the memo, because I've seen it called at all levels this year. Maybe not as often, but still called. I saw a new interpretation of it at Zegreb. Guy picked the man on his knees up to his feet and set him down outside the cylinder. They said it was illegal to lift him in that situation and said he was grounded. I can't remember the match, but it might have been a U.S. wrestler who was lifting.
 
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UNIHawk

Senior
May 2, 2025
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IMO should be a stalemate if the other guy cannot bring the outside guy back in at all. And if the outside guy kicks out he should be allowed a reaction time to get back in or reengage. Shouldn't be penalized for a defensive move. Also the inside guy shouldn't be allowed to keep blocking off- Its not a sumo match. IMO that's also a stall on the inside guy as he is blocking a path to allow the action to continue. One thing to engage, another to act like a left tackle.
Spot on. The Lovett Henson finals last year was more sumo than folk (predominantly Lovett's fault). I constantly make this point, who is terminating the action? the pusher or pushee. Whatever happened to the officials telling them to allow a circle in and also blowing the whistle to center them? And the pushout rule would be a terrible idea, what is exciting about wrestlers pushing an opponent OoB vs getting a TD?

And if you voluntarily go to the perimeter ie Lockett yesterday or Brandon Courtney vs Spencer in the finals, immediately call a stall.
 
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UNIHawk

Senior
May 2, 2025
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The bigger issue I had with Lockett yesterday was he spent over half the match on both knees
Yea that was an issue too. Ben made the point that if Lockett were ahead, he would have been tagged multiple times for stalling but because he was behind, nothing. Doesn't make sense.
 
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Wrestleknownothing

All-Conference
Oct 30, 2021
1,485
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It was discussed. If it was actually changed, all the refs/ judges didn't get the memo, because I've seen it called at all levels this year. Maybe not as often, but still called. I saw a new interpretation of it at Zegreb. Guy picked man on his knees up to his feet and set him down outside the cylinder. They said it was illegal to lift him in that situation, and said he was grounded. Can't remember the match, but it might have been a U.S. wrestler that was lifting.
Which seems odd. The whole point of wrestling is to make someone do something they do not want to do.
 
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MPPosterDeuce

Junior
Apr 9, 2022
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I'm sorry to those who can't look objectively, but Arnold absolutely deserved that stall call and has nobody to blame but himself. You can't go out of bounds and just hang out there. He already had a warning, and acted like he didn't have a care in the world about trying to get back in. It was just like the call against Williams a couple weeks ago when he was rightfully called for stalling as well. How do you have zero sense of urgency in that situation?

Now of course he got robbed of what should've been called a takedown earlier, but that's beside the point. If you want to argue about that it's completely understandable. But one thing has nothing to do with the other.

At the end of the day, Arnold took 1 committed shot the entire match. That's pretty much status quo for all of his matches. So I'm not going to feel even the smallest bit of sympathy for him getting called for stalling.
 

District 4

All-Conference
Feb 16, 2018
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Yea that was an issue too. Ben made the point that if Lockett were ahead, he would have been tagged multiple times for stalling but because he was behind, nothing. Doesn't make sense.
Home cooking. I remember thinking he isn't getting called because it was at okie state. He better not get away with that **** at nationals