When did it become okay to stall for 5 seconds?

[BruceyB]

I was just rewatching some recent NCAA finals, and obviously it's nothing new, but when did we decide that blatant stalling is acceptable as long as they don't do it for more than 5 seconds? This is the most obvious in rideout scenarios where a wrestler will drop to a leg, wait for the referee to count to 4, climb up, and then once bottom wrestler starts working up again, drop back down for an additional 4 count. It seems so blatantly obvious that the top guy is not only not looking to turn, but is not even putting on an actual ride, but just clinging to an ankle. 

If nothing else, the most simple answer seems to be to not have a verbal count that informs the stalling wrestler how much longer they have before the call comes, but to stay silent and at least let an internal clock count for the top wrestler. Referees don't count out loud when the bottom wrestler gets to their feet and the top wrestler needs to return them.. why do referees treat the drop down differently?

There are plenty of stalling scenarios I have gripes with, but the fact that in certain situations, the stalling wrestler is given a "countdown warning" but in many others they are not, seems very arbitrary. Before warning a top wrestler that is riding parallel, or a bottom wrestler that isn't improving their position, why don't they get a countdown before stalling is granted? This applies to so many scenarios..

Maybe it's too much for one thread, but it's similar to how a wrestler can hold position without taking a shot for the first three minutes of a match and end the first 0-0 without a warning, but if a wrestler has the lead with 30 seconds to go and holds position, they can get dinged twice for stalling because the desperate wrestler is shooting/moving forward (ala Carter Young vs McDougald last week).

I would love to hear other's thoughts on these scenarios and if/how they could be improved.

PS: as a new member, I am happy to have a place to discuss wrestling. I have long time friends that I wrestled with in high school, but they were never "fans" of the sport. It's fun to hear the thoughts and share thoughts with others who have such a love for the sport.

[BruceyB]

Another thought related to stalling..

With the prevalence of wrestlers defending leg attacks looking to get a hand/foot off of the wrestling mat for a reset, what if that was dinged an automatic stall call. That way, if you float to the edge and are hit in a single, you must defend while standing "in-bounds" or take the stall call. This would create more continuous action and would more than likely greatly change edge tactics as they currently stand. Instead of stepping off the mat being rewarded, it would have a ramification.

[1032004]

Yeah I know Askren had been fired up about this on FRL.  There are too many “count” stalling rules now that it seems some refs are afraid to call “regular stalling.”  And yes, abusing the count stalling rules should be considered regular stalling.

I am undecided on whether wrestling may just be better off taking Carl’s advice and getting rid of stalling altogether…

[Caveira]

When the start calling immediately after a double leg td…. And he’s caught under and can’t move up is a little odd too.  I hate that one.