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| TO THE LION'S DEN |
| On April 1, 2001, the World Wrestling Federation will hold it's 17th Wrestle Mania from the Houston Astro Dome. Called the 'Showcase Of The Immortals' and the 'Granddaddy Of Them All', it is sure to be one of the biggest of all time. Clocking in at an estimated 4 hours, it's going to be the longest as well, and I am going to be glued to my TV that night watching it happen. Anyone who knows me or has read in this site knows that I am a huge wrestling fan. When tickets went on sale for Wrestle Mania X-7 I was glued to the Ticketmaster site...but wasn't able to get in until only the nose-bleed seats were left, and even though it would have been a dream come true, I was not going to sit that far up in the Astro Dome of all places seeing little specs in a small square. So I'll have to settle with sitting in my couch with a big-ass pizza or two with my friend, his dad, and hopefully my fiance watching it in the comfort of my home (at least then we can hear the commentary). Am I one of those they call 'marks' (someone who thinks it's all real)? No I am not. I know it's fake, planned and scripted. But do I care? No. It's entertainment plain and simple and that's what I get out of it when I watch it every Monday or the occasional Pay Per View. But I am one who knows it's all too real from time to time. Pick up a copy of the FMW tapes and you'll see what I mean. Look back at the tragic death of Owen Hart two years ago and see what I mean. Something so fake can also be something so real when things go wrong or aren't scripted. The WWF didn't script that Owen's harness would snap 70 feet above the ring. WCW didn't script out Sid Vicious' left leg snapping like it did. The FMW out of Japan doesn't script out how much blood a wrestler loses or how many volts they take (trust me, you'd have to see it to believe it). Wrestlers go out to entertain those in attendance and the millions watching at home. But they do so knowing that something could go wrong at any second during a match. Watch one just once, and you can see just how many times during a match where one inch to far could mean the end to a career. These guys are trained to entertain, and we fans love them for it. So every Monday or the occassional Sunday, I sit and watch. I cheer the faces, and boo the heels like any fan. I laugh, I cringe, and have even cried (I have the Owen Hart tribute RAW on tape and can't watch it all the way through in one sitting). Wrestling has been called 'soap opera' for guys, and I couldn't agree more. Hell, I was one of the first ones to describe it like that before they did themselves. One of my relatives asked me why I watch it and that was my description. She laughed for a second, then remembered she watches her soaps too. You have yours, I have mine. Part of me wants to step in the ring one day and compete. Part of me would love to just be in the business. But I know my limitations, and right now bodyslamming some 300lb monster through a table is out of the question. I have a project in the works right now about wrestling, and if that is the only involvement I ever have with the business, then I am happy. Everytime I watch it, either on TV or in an arena, I'm taking notes in my head. What's good, what's bad. Hopefully I can get it finished and out by early 2002 (hell, by Christmas would be even better). So why watch wrestling in the first place? Once you get past the sweaty monsters and the often goofy stories, you see athleticism on display. People watch other sports for the same reason. Some have their Dallas Cowboys. Some have their L.A. Lakers. Us? We have our 'Stone Cold' Steve Austins and our Ric Flairs. You have your teams, we have our stars. It's not called 'sports entertainment' for nothing. Wrestling is an ancient sport, dating back to the time of the Greeks and Romans. But when you add in the elements of story and plot, you get entertainment. Two worlds in one I guess. Would I do what they do? Hell no (at least not without traing). The little 14 year old boy who was recently sentenced to life in prison for killing his little female playmate with 'wrestling moves' is tragic indeed. My opinion is that his parents are really to blame. Look at the age he was when he did it...12 I think. Takes some kids later to distinguish between reality and fiction. Sometimes sooner. Sooner if the parents are actually hands on and say what's what. I don't know them, but I bet they sat him in front of the TV and let it raise him so they wouldn't have to go through the trouble. That little girl would still be alive if his parents had said 'See that? That is something you don't do. They can because they are trained for it, but you aren't. Never do that to ANYONE, not even in a fight because you could hurt them or worse.' Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of time to set a child down the right path. April 1 is a day fans wait for each year. Whatever day Wrestle Mania falls on, they wait in anticipation...and I am one of them. I'm going to watch it, get stuffed on junk food, and remember it all for years to come. I'm a fan, and will die a fan. Wrestle Mania is MY show...MY day...MY time to cheer on the good guys, and wish the bad guys got gonorrhea and burned in hell. |
| WHY WATCH WRESTLING IN THE FIRST PLACE? by : Brian Clegg |