As most of you know, last column I responded to an e-mail that an AOL guy sent me. The e-mail was extremely long and so I could not rebut to the whole thing in one column. Although I know you all love my witty euphemisms, I decided it was in everyone's best interest to break it up into two columns. So, that said, here's part two.
Here is something that he said, basically saying he doesn't like entertainment:
What makes me angry is the way McMahon is forcing his wrestlers to get into dangerous matches that could cause serious injuries. How many of his wrestlers have gotten hurt. Austin, Shamrock, Mankind, Undertaker, HHH, X-Pac, Michaels, Rocky, Mero, etc. He only cares about using his wrestlers like circus animals. Yes, it makes good PPV buyrates, but people's welfare are on the line. Violent matches are fine, but don't force them into matches that could cause injuries.
My response:
If this makes you angry, then perhaps you take wrestling too seriously and need to stop watching it altogether. Let's put this into perspective, shall we? Austin didn't get hurt from a "dangerous" match, he got hurt when a piledriver went badly wrong. Shamrock got hurt during the course of a normal match. Mankind got hurt because he's a crazy son of a bitch who jumped off a cage. You know why he jumped off that cage? He did it because it excited the fans, was GREAT entertainment, and it solidified his position as one of the hardest working men in the industry. Let's not downplay what he did. First off, as I stated in my opening paragraph, if you make a statement, please have SOMETHING to back it up with. Something concrete that you can validate your argument with is necessary. This statement has NOTHING to back it up. Nothing. Secondly, saying that "people's welfare" is on the line. No shit. Like we all haven't seen an injury occur in the ring. It has become a plague. But let me pose you this question. Would you rather have the entertaining style of wrestling today or would you rather go back to the style of 15 minute chinlocks and no high-flying moves? If you look at the number of "veterans" such as Hogan, Savage, etc. you will realize why they have been around so long. They didn't DO the things that people do today. They just didn't take the chances. After glancing at Nitro a couple weeks back, I was hoping Hogan had. His wrestling career might be over and that would spare me the evil thoughts of hoping that one of the laser pens shining on him might turn out to be a laser scope attached to a 7 mm. Oh well...
More from him on the subject of "dangerous matches."
First of all, everyone knows wrestling is fake, but Vince McMahon shouldn't be forcing his young stars into dangerous matches just for money. These men's livelihood are at stake. Fake violent matches are fine, but when someone has to take a tumble and risk hurting themselves if they land wrong is just plain stupid. If these men have to wrestle in dangerous matches, and they planned on coming to WWF or WCW to escape "Barb-Wire City", they deserve extra pay in case of injury. Believe me, I miss Shawn Michaels, but for too long, Vince forced him into too many dangerous matches that threatened his slight build.
Hardly worth the rebuttal, but here goes:
Wrestling is fake? Shit, now you tell me!?!?! Let me figure this out...Fake Violent matches are OK, but someone doing a tumble is stupid? Wow...quite the profound statement. In fact, it is easily the most profound AND incoherent statement I've ever read. Taking a tumble is what 80% of the wrestling matches are about. If tumbles didn't happen there would be no back-body drops. There would be no suplex, DDT, clothesline, bodyslam, moonsault, etc... Without tumbles we are basically involved in a sport that will allow nothing more than what Amateur Freestyle wrestling allows. EVERYONE has to agree with me on this. These guys are TAUGHT to take falls, they are taught how to land. I wonder if this guy even likes entertainment. I'd love to hear the "dangerous" matches in which Shawn Michael's got hurt. From what I read from a guy named Dave Meltzer (for those who don't know, THE most reputable source in ALL of wrestling), Shawn's back injury was due to a some bumps he took in REGULAR matches, and they just took their toll. However, I may have to re-think my Dave Meltzer comment, because this guy OBVIOUSLY knows that Vince FORCES people into this match. Shit, he must be an insider...
The end (THANK GOD) to the e-mail:
This is just a long opinion, considering it took 4 e-mails, from a longtime wrestling fan. It may be ridiculed by the Internet crowd, but I just want to put my opinion straight. I don't like what's going on in either federation. It's time for a change or else, wrestling will go back to being ostracized instead of mainstream.
Me and my foul mouth, attempt to finish off this guy:
Yes, it did take 4 e-mails, as well as time out of my life that I can never get back. Let me touch on his last sentence though, because I think it bears my criticism. He calls for a change in wrestling and he wants it immediately. Why? Isn't wrestling on a surge unmatched since the mid-80's? Isn't business booming? Why change something when it is working like a Clinton intern to produce excellent arousal among fans and the media (pun intended)? I see no reason. If you can think of any though, e-mail me your thoughts, I'd love to read them.
