So I had this conversation/argument with my girlfriend about the state of wrestling in 2002. Things have changed a lot since the days of Hulkamania (pre "Hollywood" days) and I'm trying to grasp if I like where it is going or if I don't. There's so many factors that play into the dilemma (ie. My morals, the way society operates, corporate figures) that it is hard to really answer the question, "Does the moral good still exist in wrestling today?" I will try to approach the subject from as many angles as possible, and try to touch on every detail that I have pondered over, over the last few years.
You see, I have good Christian morals. I believe in right and wrong, and I believe in loving and helping everybody you can in the very short time that you have on this crazy thing called earth. So when it comes time for me to think about my future, I have to ask myself, "What do I want to contribute to the world?" I have to ask myself if what I decide to do with my life is going to satisfy me spiritually, physically, and economically. So obviously, being that wrestling has been my dream since the tender age of 5, I have to ask these questions when I think about being a professional wrestler.
Let's first look at what the average person sees wrestling as. I will take this time to quote many people I have talked to about wrestling, and form all my chats into a small "mock" commentary, "You're a wrestler? Have you won any medals? What? OH, a PRO wrestler? That stuff is fake isn't it? Do they plan the matches? Like everything is choreographed and stuff." (This shows that the average person is completely clueless when it comes to pro wrestling.) "So� do they let you keep the belts you win? They don't! That's stupid. Hey, do you have to go to the ring with one of those chics? You know, like the girls on tv? The blond hair, the fake boobs? No? You take steroids though right? I mean, they all do right? You have to to look that good. Are you like that Steve Austin guy? You know, you drink ass, kick ass, and take names? That guy's cool."
Well, there you have it. That kinda sums up most of my conversations with people that aren't wrestling fans. Let's summarize�.
1) Girls in Wrestling - This is a touchy subject, and a hard one to analyze properly. Let's look at the average girl in pro wrestling. Let's use Lita as an example. I choose her because she isn't butt-ugly, and she isn't extremely over the top slutty-sexy. She's kinda in the middle. Ok. So let's look at how Lita is perceived. I see her as an athletic woman that can do some pretty cool moves and that kinda turns me on cause I can see her thong hanging out of her pants. J That's what most guys think when they see her anyways. The average middle-aged woman would probably see her as being a strong feminine figure with extreme athletic talents. And they'd also point out that the thong looks stupid. What does the average little girl think? The average little girl thinks that she looks beautiful and that she wants to look like that. The average little boy? He thinks that that is what all girls should look like and that that is who he wants to marry when he grows up. The problem lies within these last 2 examples. The little boy and the little girl. Is it healthy that most little girls that watch wrestling see a girl like Lita and think that that is the norm? No. Is it healthy that little guys that watch the show see a girl with a fantastic figure and expect all woman to be like that? No. Now let's wait a minute here. The WWF (yes, I still call it that) needs to market to the general fan base� the 20 year old males. OK fine. What does the average 20 year old do at a wrestling show? He chants, "PUPPIES!" or "Show your tits!" You all know this because you've been to the shows and you know what goes on. Is this appropriate? In a bar� yes. In a community center with little children around� no. I constantly see young boys following suit with such chants and it makes me sad. Sad because the kids don't know that what they are saying is derogatory, and sad because the frickin' parents don't teach the kids any manners. How does this relate to me? Well, in such a profession, I have to deal with girls in the business. Some look like attractive young ladies, and others like prostitutes. So where do I stand? Well, there is place for both the simply attractive, and the prostitute. I feel that if a little girl sees an attractive female wrestler that carries herself in a civilized manner than that is all fine and good. But, it is when a prostitute is glorified into being a goddess that the problems begins (when it comes to children). The prostitute should be the heel. She should be the one that carries herself like a tramp (like her character asks her to do) and all the little girls will NOT look up to her because they don't want to be a bitch when they grow up. Now this is VERY general, but you get my point. There is a place for both in the business. The problem lies in when I have to escort a female out to the ring that is hardly dressed, while I'm a face, and pretend that I like girls like that. First, I'm face, so all the young guys in the crowd like me. Also, the younger girls dig me too. AND, the older marks appreciate my talent AND dig the puppies at ringside. So how do I please everyone in the audience and still maintain my own morals. If I play it up that this girl with me is the BOMB, and all the kids see this, the girls will think they have to look like that to get a guy like me, and the younger guys will think it's cool to have a chic that looks like a tramp. The marks will POP, heck the kids will POP, but the kids go away thinking something that I don't want to put in their heads. I want children to respect woman, and respect wrestling. I want kids to look up to a wrestler because he looks cool and does cool moves, not because he drinks beer, dates scantily clad woman and is on the gas.
2) The Face vs. The Heel - This ties into the 2nd subject. How is a face a face and a heel a heel? The answer is, there is no answer. The line between heel and face has been so blurred in this business in the last 5 or so years that it is impossible to distinguish the 2. The face is whoever the crowd decides to cheer for at any particular time. As said before, I want to be a GOOD GUY when I'm a face. But what about when I'm heel? Well, I want to be a BAD GUY. I will be a jackass. I will smerk at the kids, make cocky facial expressions, and I WON'T do any cool moves. I will do everything in my power to get every last person in that bingo hall to be absolutely annoyed with me and totally hate my guts. Therefore, the young girls hate me because I'm annoying, the young boys hate me because I hate them, and the teenage guys hate me because I don't do any cool moves. Therefore, I walk away showing kids that it's NOT cool to be a jerk and that cheaters are losers. Do I have to swear at the kids, give people the finger, and encourage vulgar chants. No. I just act like a jerk. You don't have to be immoral to be a jerk. The face... Let's look at the face in more detail to conclude this epic novel.
Hulk Hogan is the typical face. The ultimate face. The essential good guy in pro wrestling. He's the guy I looked up to as a kid. He's actually the reason I thought about the theme of this commentary (not to mention the reason I wanted to be a pro wrestler). I read his book this past holiday in one sitting. It was a great read and I encourage every wrestling fan to read it. There was one part of the book that really got to me. He talks about when he used to go around to hospitals to see sick children, a thing he had to do as a top face in the company. It was what he said to those kids that really got to me. First he'd ask the parent if their child was familiar with Jesus Christ and if they had ever learned about God. They would say "Yes" or "No" and Hogan would then ask if it was OK to talk to the kid about Jesus. If it was he would ask the kid (more than likely days away from death) if they believed in heaven. If not, he'd talk to them about all the good things God had done for the Hulkster. He'd then tell them that one day they would be able to bodyslam Hulk Hogan. They would look amazed and ask how that was possible. He would then say that they would one day meet in heaven and that he/she would be able to bodyslam him in heaven because everything is possible in heaven. BUT, the slam wouldn't hurt because the clouds would break his fall. J I can't imagine how many kids Hogan must have touched spiritually in the days he would visit dying children. It's refreshing to think of the hope he gave those kids when they were lying on their deathbeds, and the smiles he must have put on their faces. Awesome brother.
I guess this touched me because, one, I believe in God, and two, wrestling was used as a way to lift the spirits of a sick child. WRESTLING! Two guys pretending to beat eachother up in flashy underwear�. WRESTLING! This lifted MY spirits. Then I asked myself if this was possible in today's world of wrestling. In a world where it is DEFINITELY NOT cool to say your prayers, vitamins are replaced with beer, and it is cool to be bad, how could someone affect a kid like Hogan did in his heyday? The answer is� I don't know. I don't know if it's possible. I can only dream.
So what do I do from here? Do I just quit and say that wrestling is all bad and that I could never do anything productive with wrestling except have big muscles, get hot chics, and make lots of money. HA, a lot of people would kill to have that in life� not me. I want to make a difference� and I want to use wrestling to make that difference. It might be difficult, but I believe it's possible.
So, I guess that ends the SERMON from Cody Steele. HAHAHA. I don't want to sound like I'm a preacher, or I'm better than anyone else, cause I'm not. I just want more out of life than a buff body, money, and women. And although those are thing things that are typically associated with wrestling� I feel that wrestling can do more than that. Wrestling can make children feel good. Wrestling can give a dying kid hope for his eternal future. Wrestling can be a good thing. Is it right now? I guess you can think about what I have said and answer that yourself.
"Completely" yours,
Cody