I probably would have but my son followed in my footsteps and wrestled. It became an all year thing as we travelled the midwest and deep south wrestling throughout the summers and fall in preparation of the upcoming season. I now am raising my grandson, and would let him play as well, though I will do all I can to get him to follow in Pappy's footsteps. I played soccer in high school for my conditioning into wrestling season. Say what you want, but I was in better shape than any football player, not only at the beginning but through the year as well. My son said the same thing when he wrestled and the football team went to states every year. For me, wrestling taught me all about being tough, both mentally and physically. BTW, did you know thst nearly 70% of all US Navy SEALS came from a strong wrestling background? But i do love my Steelers football

LOL, excellent post.



But lo and behold would you ever fine/suspend them for gross negligence, while you fine Deebo for a split second decision...[/quote]

Even better post!!!!!!

Backround aside...I will if he wants to. I feel the need to educate him on risk/reward but, in the end, it's his decision. I take him surfing & he loves it. Is there a risk he'll get shark bit? Yes. I know that...but he loves it, & I'll continue to take him as long as he wants too. Kids are kids, our job is to educate them & hope they make the right choices. I feel the same way about sports as I do about pretty much anything else...If you enjoy it, it's not harming you or anyone else, have at it. Enjoy life son.

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As someone who wrestled and played football in hs. Football shape is a different kind of shape. Its hard to describe unless you've played. I will definitely say, in terms of conditioning and overal endurance, nothing is harder than a wrestling practice.

Oh how I miss wrestling!

My 3 year old son and I play on the carpet and he says, "daddy, you want me to put you in a cradle?"

It's like music to my ears. I hope he loves it as much as I did. He also says things like, "wrestle, wrestle twist em like a pretzel" and "if the back if flat, slap the mat!"

I'd support his football choice too when the time comes. I missed football in high school really. I blew my left knee my freshman year of football. An athroscopy and then an ACL reconstruction followe. This caused me to miss my sophmore year of football but I made it back to wrestle. Coach and all my friends begged me to play football my junior year but honestly I was afraid. I told them I'd play my senior year, I just couldn't do it. I didn't want to ruin my chance at wrestling. So in my junior year of wrestling I blew my right knee out. An athroscopy followed by an ACL for that knee followed. I balled my eyes out when the doctor told me I tore my ACL in that knee too. For about a minute. Then my mom looked me square in the eyes and said, are you gonna make your senior year of wrestling or not? She knew my answer before it ever came out of my mouth. I answered yes I am, scheduled the surgery and shaved 3 months off of my rehab and made my senior year of wrestling and sadly never got the chance to play football again. I'm sure it's why I'm obsessed with Steeler football but oh well.

Through all the injuries and surgeries ( another for torn meniscus, damn senior year wrestling) I'm 38 and feel the past. I have my days where shit really hurts but it's something I'm almost used to.

I'd do it all again in a heart beat without even thinking twice.

As long as he understands that there will be pain long after he is done playing, for days at the peewee level, extending into the balance of his days should he continue on in to HS or college ball, then it's really his choice.

Neither my father or stepfather played, and neither were very competitive guys by the time was capable of playing football- so I never really appreciated that element of it when I played ball. I played, got hurt, got healed, played more.

But maybe it wouldn't matter... In some senses it's a coming of age. You look at football players and you say "Hmm... I can do that, too. What they are doing is very do-able." I would never deprive my child of the chance to make that call.

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If a guy posts on a bulletin board service, and nobody reads it, did he have anything to say?

couldn't even get past the 3rd sentence of opening post because of this

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Colbert on the #Steelers RB situation: "Where we were in running game last year was indicative in the talent at the position.''

why?

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"Dissent is the highest form of patriotism."

Honestly I read that as him/her talking about a buisness partner & seperate sons.

Anyway, I think it's been addressed...man things work differently in the 'Burgh as far as accepting people for who they are. The bigot is strong in this thread.

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It may interest you to know that my dad and I purchased a Muncy Indians 1942 Wrestling shirt for my grandfather this past year. He grew up there, and so did my dad until around age 10.

My dad and grandpa are absolute wrestling fanatics. Wrestlers are highly regarded in my house... I never really shared their obsession, though. I remember going to Penn State matches when I was 7 or 8 and getting autographs... Cary Kolat, McCoy, Troxell, and Abe. My dad is still a season ticket holder and my grandpa was until recent years.