You might see the designation "P decision" on a report for a wrestling match -- also formatted as "(P) decision" or "-P- decision." Although it would be reasonable to assume this was a particular form of match outcome, it's an inaccurate assumption. The P refers to something else entirely.
Winning by Decision
Like boxing, a wrestling match with a "decision" outcome is decided by the score earned during a match by both contestants, rather than by pin or fall. Unlike many forms of boxing, the ongoing score of the match is public knowledge throughout -- and both wrestlers will alter their strategy accordingly.
Types of Decision
A wrestler who wins by one to seven points has won by "decision." A victory by eight to 14 points is a "major decision" or "superior decision." If a wrestler increases his lead by 15 or more points at any point in a match, the match ends and he wins by "technical fall." Each kind of decision scores progressively more points for the team. This variety adds to the confusion that might make people wonder where a "P decision" falls in the spectrum.
Wrestling Reports
A wrestling report that lists just winners might read "115 -- Smith (P) decision 11-8. This means that at the 115-pound weight class, Smith won his match by decision 11-8. The "P" stands for the team Smith represents -- much like a (D) after a senator's name denotes he is a Democrat. If Smith had rolled in a match between Pittsburgh and Brentwood, Smith would have wrestled for Pittsburgh. In a match between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, the report might have read "115 -- Smith (PI)."
Pin Error
P also designates victory by pin in a wrestling report, as in "115 -- Smith (P) P. You will occasionally see this listed as "P Decision." This is an autocompletion error because of the use of templates to speed up the tedious typing up of wrestling statistics. As with the team designation, it does not indicate a special "P decision" victory.
References
- "NCAA Wrestling Rules Book, 2010-2011"; NCAA; 2009
- Andy Brick; Wrestling Coach; Hillsboro, Oregon
Member Comments