BACKYARD WRESTLING - IS IT A GOOD THING?
Hello everyone and thank you for clicking to my weekly view on different aspects of the wrestling world. This article will be a little different. How? It will be different because I have a very strong opinion of “Backyard Wrestling.” To better articulate what it is we’re discussing we should define it so there is no misunderstanding as to its specifics.
Backyard Wrestling is advertised in a videotape on Howard Stern’s E! cable TV show at 11:30 pm in Atlanta for ‘only’ $19.95. My favorite part is the disclaimer that reads, “Due to the violent nature of this video we can’t legally show it to you. No Backyard Wrestlers were injured in the taping of this video” and then they proceed to show a half naked woman. The next set of clips show young men diving off rooftops on each other, hitting each other full force with light bulbs, chairs, barbed wire, and almost anything one can imagine. Then pile driving each other head first on the hoods of cars and anywhere else they can find.
You may ask, “OK Terry. Get to it. What is your strong opinion of this phenomenon called Backyard Wrestling?”
Very simply put - IT’S NOT WRESTLING!
What these eager young people have seen is a tape of Mick Foley as a young man diving off the top of his house on to a bed. Mick is one of the smartest people I know and did what he felt he had to do to ‘make it’ in pro wrestling. Mick was already in the business when the tape was shown and I think every day Mick second guesses his legacy. There is a question of “quality of life” to be considered. The WWF showed that clip to establish what one person- Mick Foley was willing to do to be a success in the business. It was never glamorized or used as encouragement for impressionable teens. In fact, the WWF made it clear for kids to NOT try this at home and that the danger is real. So did Mick Foley invent Backyard Wrestling? No!
Every kid that loved wrestling went out back and did the moves to their best friends or siblings. Millions of children role played, assuming the identity of their favorite wrestler locked in mortal combat with their archenemy. I did it with my brother on the beach in Vero Beach, Florida. Did we jump off things and whack each other with chairs? No, we understood what wrestling was - entertainment and had FUN! What’s being called “Backyard Wrestling” isn’t wrestling at all and it’s certainly NOT fun. It’s dangerous stunts that are not thought out and properly planned. Then why call it ‘wrestling?”
The reason the term Backyard Wrestling was coined was to apply the high profile image of Professional Wrestling to something that had no name or characteristics of it’s own. Why would someone capitalize on the popularity or notoriety of pro wrestling? It was done for one reason and one reason only - for a payoff. In my opinion, a lawyer used this misnomer to try and win a liable case. Instead of parents taking responsibility for the actions of their children why not use the defense that vilifies wrestling and ride the coattails of the world’s #1 spectator sport? The publicity may or may not win the case, but like the old saying, “Any publicity is good publicity.” At least it is for the lawyers.
Backyard Wrestling is not a taped series of young people taking incredible chances with their health and well being. It’s not an event where people pay to see others risk physical harm for the entertainment of others. It IS young people looking up to their heroes, imitating them, and acting out scenarios where good always overcomes evil.. Will any of these young people ever realize their dream of wrestling in the WWF? Maybe a good person to ask is Mick Foley.
Terry Taylor