This will cause some commotion among grappling devotees. "Soem coaches say that the singlet dissuades potential wrestlers." The NCAA recently approved a rule change that allows schools to adopt a new wrestling uniform -- skintight tee tucked into skintight shorts. Closer to a Tour de France outfit than a wrestling match. A bunch of colleges have dropped the singlet in favor of this.

Here's a pic of the new unis (reg. maybe required to see it)

and a website that sells the doubles

NYTimes story: Keep Your Shirt On (reg. req.)

I'd like to see the "double" in action before I make any decision about whether it's a good move to change from the singlet. I'm a big fan of the traditional singlet, described in the NYT articles as basically "an oversized jockstrap with shoulder straps." Nice. But I don't mind modernizing the look of wrestlers too. If the double is skin tight and they still show off their bulges, then I'm still happy. But if the new uniform is skin tight but thick where it presses "things" down, then I'd be sad to see the singlet go. I heard Lehigh tried using the new uniform, and I'm nervous about that because I've loved the Lehigh wrestlers, and their bodies always look so great in the pure, all-white uniforms they were. Nice.

[ November 17, 2005, 09:14 AM: Message edited by: batboy ]

...it's the end of the bulge as we know it!

Alright now an altered version of R.E.M's song is playing in my head.

Why do I get the funny feeling that Uniform manufacturers are looking to double their profits?

Could be a hard sell to wrestlers in other countries, who might be more bound to tradition.

I suppose the Ancient Greek "uniforms" could make an old illegal hold too easy




but I wouldn't mind something resembling Turkish wrestler unis



With long pants at least they wouldn't have to appear to be copying RealPro Wrestling, which has also dropped the top entirely but kept the short shorts as lowers.

[ November 17, 2005, 03:54 PM: Message edited by: sportinlife ]

Well I for one DON'T feel fine.

I love the bulge...Hell I live for the bulge...WTF!