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/wrestling /guests /Root |
| Guest Columns | Jerry Root |
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THE MAT POTATO I just got done reading "Dammit", which I found to be a very thoughtful article and really drove home quite a few good points. Primarily, how much more fun wrestling used to be when I was still willing to suspend my disbelief and actually let myself get carried away with the action, the feuds, etc. When I would tune in to cheer on my favorites, even if they had no chance in hell of actually winning a match, I just cheered for them because I thought for sure, "this will be the week they break-through". I am willing to watch almost anything, from some of the dorkiest angles going (I actually liked Doink the Clown. Sue me), to matches that involve real technical moves (give me a good 10 minute Benoit/Malenko match. I'm happy). I have watched George "The Animal" Steele dislocate an opponent's shoulder in the middle of the ring with a flying chicken wing. I watched Leapin' Lanny Poffo come out and read his "poetry" before a match. I bought it all. Recently, however, I have watched both the WCW and the WWF try to outsmart the fans. They seem to have abandoned any thought of keeping up the illusion of reality, and instead pride themselves on their ability to "keep 'em guessing" on the net. That is about the only explanation that I can come up with for the recent WCW angle involving the US and World belts. However one thing that keeps sticking in my brain, like a rusty fishhook is "so and so deserves the belt because he beat a, b and c.". Oh, come on now! That statement makes it sound like these matches are totally unrehearsed and are true wrestling matches in every sense of the word. If that were the case, there would be no book, no bookers, and no need for Russo to even have a job. Then again, with some of the angles recently, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing. We would have no "Good housekeeping" matches, no "Outsiders vs. Nitro Grrrls (c CRZ) candidates" matches. No Evening Gown matches. No "He-man Women Haters Club" angles, and no "Secrets of Wrestling Revealed programs. Instead we would have two men actually wrestling. That would put 99% of the active wrestlers at a distinct disadvantage. In fact, about the only ones who would have a shot at any sort of decent record would be Bret Hart, Chris Benoit, and the rest of the alumni of Stu Hart's dungeon. Perhaps a few others who grew up in wrestling families, but for the most part, people like Sid would be at the bottom of the heap, where they belong. So, yes, suspending belief is a good thing. I have commented before on how jaded we have become. How we spend our time trying to decide if a particular story is real or not. There are times that I wonder if I haven't gotten too smart for my own good. At least in this area. Then again, perhaps they know what they're doing as the WWF and WCW are certainly making more money than I'll ever hope to. Yeah, there are things that I don't like, but my phone has been strangely silent. I have yet to get a call from Vince (either of them) asking me for my input. So, right now my choices are "watch, suspend disbelief and try to enjoy it" or "don't watch, read CRZ's (and others who subject themselves to this sewage) recaps, and wait for something to grab you". Want to take a shot as to which option I'm exercising? Jerry Root [slash] wrestling Mail the Author |
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