A lot has been said about the art form of Professional Wrestling. I understand all point of view. Some say it is FAKE. Some say it is sports entertainment. The opinions of the historical tragedies and professional wrestler’s early death, say it should be highly regulated. Others like myself say it is REAL, with REAL risks! With this opinion, you might think I live in a mobile home, with old junk cars that don’t work in my front yard. With children that wear hand-me-downs, eating SPAM. You would be completely wrong about who I am.
I am a 62-year-old man that successfully owned his own profitable companies for over four decades. I have worked internationally for many major fortune 100 companies. I have traveled the world and retired at 60 living with the same life style I had been accustom too. I graduated from college with a double major in marketing and managing at the top of my class. I grew up like many in my generation with very little and all I was able to accomplish was on my own. With all that said, I say Professional Wrestling is REAL! Surprised?
Since I was a toddler in Huntington, New York, I have been a huge fan of this incredible spectacular. I have left Professional Wrestling for a year or two, then come back with renewed interest and excitement. My wife and friends do not agree with me. They think I am completely nuts. I don’t blame them, for someone like myself, I would be an unlikely fan of this sport. Yes, I said sport. I guess since I am writing this, I should explain myself.
At a young age, I saw the appeal of two opposing forces having a conflict. Good vs. evil. Revenge for being wronged. Redemption and forgiveness for past sins. It was emotional vacation from a world that is sometime not very fair. It was justice in an otherwise unjust world. It was a break from the mundane world for a couple of hours with larger than life man and woman. It was an emotionally gripping storyline, when done properly, exhilarating. It was the common man becoming a real life super hero for two-hours.
The in-ring lives of these gladiators was just as interesting. The Italian emergent that becomes one of the greatest champions of all time. The evil Sheik to break the champions neck and take the title away. The actual tears from the fans, seeing the great champion fall. Then months later the champion would soon have his redemption. Coming back to be stronger than ever. The tough bad ass to finally do what we all wanted to do in our personal life. To punch his bosses right in the face and even make him bleed. Then get away with it. How could anyone ever think this was not REAL.
Then you have the reality of these man and woman behind the scenes. “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair really was in a plane crash and told he would never wrestle again. Bruno Samartino and Kurt Angle really had broken necks. Andre The Giant was really a Giant and had unbelievable physical strength. Triple-H and Mr. McMahon really had muscles ripe from their bones, go to rehab and come back to wrestle again. Tragedies like late great Owen Hart death in the ring. “Jake the Snake” Roberts and Scott “Razor Ramon” Hall were both drug addicts, who late in life, became a recovering addict. A real-life wrestler “Diamond” Dallas Page helped them both with his ability to teach them control through DDP yoga. The immortal Hulk Hogan had knee and hip replacement. This was all REAL, tragic and life.
Nobody forced these people to do what they did for a living. For some very strange reason, they got hooked on professional wrestling. They enjoyed getting hit, sometimes hard. They would do anything to thill the fans, including falling off a cage onto a desk full on as “Mrs. Foley’s Little Boy” Mick Foley did for all of us to see. They got hooked on the “Millions and Millions” (Shameless reference to what “The Rock” would say) of their fans that rooted, cheered, yelled and cursed them every day. Let me tell you something else that was REAL. Huge stadiums sold out, with floor seats over $1,000.00 each, for the opportunity of seeing these events close-up. Unheard of at the time “Pay-for-View” buy rates. A man that once lived in a trailer, becoming a billionaire. His wife becoming a member of the President of the United States cabinet. A superstar wrestler who became a Governor and another a mayor. A guest star, and actual member of the WWE Hall of Fame, becoming the President of the United States. All REAL.
Now I am going to complain and express my frustration with the current wrestling product. I miss the believable drama of the personal issues each wrestler had with another. It allowed me to connect with both parties competing. I miss the old matches where it was NOT just incredible moves, it was completely an emotional work. Where the wrestlers knew how the match would end, but their match was NOT scripted. It was like going to an improv comedy show that was spontaneous based on the audience reactions. These gripping story lines before, during and after the match is kind of lost today. What I know for sure, it will come back again very soon. Wrestling is not like the exact method of making a McDonalds Hamburger. There is always an underlying possibility, it might be an event you will never forget. Not because of tragic injury or death, because of the story being told in such a way you will tell your grandchildren.
Let me give you an example. When I was a kid, I was at Madison Square Garden for the very first, Mahammad Ali vs. Joe Frasier heavy weight champion fight. I was in the nose bleed section with my father, but I WAS there. I knew it was going to be something special and I was not disappointed. I got the same felling at WrestleMania III when Hulk Hogan slammed Andre the Giant to win that historic match. So, tell me which one was REAL. They created emotion in every way for everyone who watched whether live or on “Pay-For-View”. They were both hugely entertaining. They were both a very long time ago. At 62, I can’t remember what I did yesterday. Yet, I can remember those two events clearly.
Say what you want about me. I believe Professional Wrestling is REAL. It is a real part of my life that I remember in very fond memories. I wish very soon; all the promotions will consider allowing the interviews and matches to be far less scripted. To allow the athletes to bring real emotions back to the matches. It will attract all ages and tie us all to the fight for what is right and just. Bring back the feeling that what you see, is really happening. Give us back that emotional release to forget our issues in life, if only for a few hours.
In closing, “Don’t be a Pencil Neck Geek”, “Know Your Role”, “It don’t matter what you think.”, “To be the man, you have to bet the man, Woo”. I am looking for the “Son of a Plummer”, “Ms. Foley’s little boy”, “Saying your prayers, taking your vitamins.” “Hell Ya, WHAT?”, because “Stone Cold Said So”. We all want to be “The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.” Don’t forget, “Can you SMELL what Professional Wrestling is Cooking.”