The Katz Files – Arnie Katz
Giving Thanks to Pro Wrestling
The Kingfish Arnie Katz gets with the season by offering up thanks to the things that make pro wrestling such an enjoyable pastime.
I had a very strange Thanksgiving this year. My wife threw out her back – and then we had to throw out all of our Thanksgiving plans. Since she is the driver in the family, we ended up home,
Not only did we not get to go to the lovely Thanksgiving dinner to which a friend had invited us, but none of the restaurants that deliver was open to bring some holiday food to us. My Thanksgiving dinner this year turned out to be three slices of pizza reheated from the previous day.
In an effort to keep up my spirits, I resorted to the time-honored, tried-and-true Thanksgiving tradition of Counting My Blessings. Specifically, I thought about some of the things over the last year that have made being a wrestling fan and journalist so entertaining.
And since I have this very cool podium provided by that nice Mr. Dyckens, let me share some of my thoughts with you.
This year, I’m thanking to professional wrestling for….
…The Hardy Boys. Matt and Jeff have had some bumpy sledding outside the ring in recent times, but you can’t question their work ethic or commitment once they step inside the ropes. Both men perform consistently at a high level and almost guarantee of a good match.
… Team 3D. They’ll always be the Dudleys to me. Even at this point in their careers, they have the ability to do knock-you-out-of-your-seat interviews and they certainly keep the excitement level high in the ring.
… Batista. He had some trouble adjusting to the business when he was a rookie, but those days are long gone. He has become that rarest of rarities, the Superstar Heroic Champion, even though he hasn’t been able t hang onto the title. He is the first such star in WWE since Hulk Hogan or maybe even Bruno Sammartino. He looks and acts like a champion – and his presence in the ring is magnetic.
…The Professor Mike Tenay. I’m a little disappointed that he didn’t come visit when TNA was in Las Vegas, but it is always a pleasure to watch his work on iMPACT.I don’t thin we will see him at his ultimate, supreme best until he is the color commentator, but he gives TNA a nice “rub” of class.
… Santino Marella. His humorous segments have been a highlight of WWE shows ever since he came out of nowhere to win the Intercontinental Championship. His ring work is nothing special, but he is truly gifted with the microphone. In the old days, they would’ve made him a manager, which is probably his true calling.
… The folks who make the ring outfits for the Divas. There’s nothing lie seeing Candice Michelle dressed for a match to make me remember the true meaning of the phrase “eye candy.”
… Chris Jericho. There are many viable candidates for “pro wrestler of the year,” but Chris Jericho may deserve that honor more than any of the rest. His heel character is fairly fresh and original – and he sure knows how to generate heat with the fans while playing the perfect foil for the babyfaces.
… Vince McMahon. He and I are roughly the same age and started in the business at the same time. I was impressed by his decision to “blow himself up” to exit the demands of being on camera so much for the show. Maybe when it’s my time to go, I’ll claim to have been killed by a deadly computer virus.
… Video Tape. I can compress a sprawling, loose-jointed episode of RAW into about 45 minutes of fast-paced entertainment.
…All of you. Without you, I’d be mumbling to myself. Thank you for accepting this new face at Online World of Wrestling. I’ll try to be worthy of your trust.
That’s all for today. I’ll be back tomorrow with another installment of the Internets fastest-rising daily pro wrestling column. I hope you’ll join me then – and, please, bring your friends.
— Arnie Katz
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(12/1/08)