This column has been sitting in the back of my mind for the past few months but I always had something more pressing that I wanted to talk about. However the RSPW year end awards have driven me to get this out of my system. This is really not a constructive column like I tried to make my other columns, it will most likely not be popular - you have been warned.

Firstly, I'm not sure if the phrase 'tall poppy syndrome' is universal so allow me to explain. Where I am from this is a very popular phrase (and pastime) where successful people are targeted by others in an attempt to expose perceived weaknesses and therefore 'cut down the tall poppy'.

This article is directed at the smart community and their constant efforts to stay ahead and be perceived as more intelligent than the lowly marks who (gasp) don't have access to the internet and insider info. This is not one of those - 'just be a mark and enjoy wrestling like in the good old days' deals. This is about the way smarts try to distance themselves from the mainstream fans generally. We all do this. I remember how great I looked when I told my mark friends about Jericho and Big Show signing with the WWF weeks before it happened. They were so impressed it was almost like they believed that I must have some sort of connections with Vince McMahon. But I believe that many people on the net take this principle to its ugliest extreme.

The last straw for me was the RSPW awards - generally considered to be the best indicator of smart opinion of wrestling on the net. The most obvious example (but hardly the only one) of what I am talking about is the fact that the Rock's people's elbow was runner-up in the WORST move category this year after winning the BEST move category last year. The thing that bugs me the most about this is that

a) Its the same damn move b) I would bet all the money in my bank account (not that much granted) that it is close to exactly the same people voting.

What could cause such a dramatic turnaround in just 12 months? Last year when Rock was building the character we now know well as a heel Intercontinental champion, internet columnists everywhere proclaimed him 'the most entertaining part of Raw', 'a hugely improved performer - both in and out of the ring'. Those on the net proclaimed those who would chant 'Rocky sucks' as ignorant marks. However, now the Rock is the number one face in the industry and has enjoyed some mainstream media success and the marks are all over him, net opinion has turned on him. Now the columnists deride him as 'catch-phrases and nothing else' and as a 'terrible wrestler'. So what gives? Has Rock really deteriorated that badly in the past year?

Steve Austin is another perfect example of this phenomenon. Most people were shoveling dirt on the grave of his career after the torn triceps and subsequent dismissal from WCW. He made it back, resurrected his career, created the most successful wrestling persona and was involved in the biggest angle of all time. He was loved by all - for a while. Then the smarts turned on him -' he won't job to Jarrett or Billy Gunn', 'he can't wrestle - he just punches and kicks', 'his interviews are too repetitive' etc.

Smarts have an obsession with appearing to be above marks. The best way to do this - trash the heroes of the marks. As soon as it became clear that Rock and Austin had reached a certain level of popularity, the smarts, to show their superiority, start picking out the faults of these guys. Its a clear case of tall poppy syndrome and frankly I find this to be juvenile beyond belief. Lets see -

'Rock can't wrestle' The facts don't bare this out. He has wrestled a couple of **** matches this year and regularly delivers ***+ matches. Even the doyen of workrate fans Herb Kunze (where has he been the last couple of weeks?) acknowledges that Rock is at least an average worker. Plus he has been in the business just over 4 years and has already delivered several **** matches - very few can make this claim. Am I saying that he is perfect in the ring - no. He has work to do but he should not be getting votes in the worst worker category in the RSPW awards. I could rattle off 30 names right now in the big two that are much worse than Rock. Its the smarts need to put down the mark's favorites that draws the Rock such derision.

'Rock is catchphrases and nothing else' This is the most ludicrous one of all. Sure Rock has some signature phrases that he re-uses but he has like 25 all up and is constantly working on new ones so they can hardly be even called catchphrases. Konnan or the Outlaws - there are people who live by catchphrases and nothing else. Rock keeps his stuff varied and is constantly working on new material or applying his old stuff to new situations. This criticism is simply not valid.

'Austin just kicks and punches - he can't work'. This one is ridiculous too. Austin is a brawler in his style I will grant that but then again so are Chris Benoit and Mick Foley. Austin is severely limited by a laundry list of injuries and also by his gimmick. How much do you think he would be over if he wrestled like Dean Malenko when he is supposed to be an ass-kicking badass? Austin still takes major bumps that no-one with his medical history should be taking and still delivers wild, intense *** or **** brawls, often with quite untalented opponents (Kane, UT, Vince etc). Yet he too received consideration in the worst worker category. Again its smarts trying to make themselves feel big.

'Austin won't job to Jarrett or Gunn - he is becoming another Hulk Hogan' When word circulated around the net that Austin would not job to Jarrett or Gunn, Austin was condemned as being egomaniacal behind the scenes and becoming another Hogan. First of all if you look at the guys involved you can hardly blame Austin. I think readers of my column know my feelings about Jarrett - I don't think a even clean pin over Austin could get Jarrett over and I think the reformation of the Outlaws tells you all you need to know about Gunn's potential as a singles wrestler. Austin has been prepared to job when required and not demand an immediate return job (a la Hogan) and even be without the title for a few months if necessary.

With Austin out of the picture the fans are targeting Rock with their Hogan comparison. I even noticed one rube in the awards compare the people's elbow to the Hogan leg drop. Give me a break.

Conclusion As you may have gathered from the quotes at the very top of this article I have two main points in this article.

My first message is to internet smarts - hey get over it. A lot of you people are becoming more predictable than the marks you ridicule. I am just wondering what it will be about Chris Jericho or Chris Benoit that you will find to ridicule when they are main eventers and mainstream stars in a year or so. Stop trying to prove your superior knowledge of wrestling by belittling the icons of the marks especially not when it involves a total flip-flop from what you said only a few months ago. Quit being so arrogant and self serving.

Secondly - enjoy what you have while its here. Shawn Michaels was derided by the smarts for his ability to lose titles without actually jobbing while his unbelievable abilities were often overlooked. Same with Austin whose positives vastly outweigh his negatives but the smarts choose to focus on the latter and we may have seen the last match for both guys.

Obviously I am in no position to tell people which wrestlers they should like and which they should not. I have my favorites just like everyone else. But for people to hold up someone as great and entertaining and then a couple of months later label the exact same guy as unacceptable just because all of those stupid marks like him now is one of the lamest things I have ever heard.

Tall Poppy Syndrome is running rampant on the net.