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WRESTLING COLUMNS

The Advantages Of Being A Mark
August 1, 2005 by R. D. Lofthouse


I have been a wrestling fan ever since I was 5 years old. I still remember the first time I turned on TNT to see Hulk Hogan being a "baddie." I was shocked; even at 5 and a novice to wrestling I knew the Hulkster was a "good guy" who stood up against evil, not the head of a heel group calling themselves the nWo. I was intrigued and kept watching with intent, looking upon such wrestlers as Juventud Guerrero, La Parka, Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash and The Giant. Watching these athletes do things I thought were impossible such as the 450 splash by "The Juice" who I decided was my best wrestler. I began to lose interest as time went on; remember I was 5 years old and this was a three hour show! Then something happened, something I thought impossible, Sting entered the building!

It started with the New World Order entering the ring after a Hogan match (The Hulkster had cheated to get the win) and his lackeys were here to pick up the pieces. The spray paint came out and I was appalled to see them spray the words nWo on The Macho Man Randy Savage's back. I remember thinking "How will he clean that off"" I hadn't realised that I'd edged closer to the television now nearly touching the screen with my nose, with a sour expression firmly stuck to my face. I wanted to run to that arena and hit each and every member of that cowardly group as hard as I could (which wasn't very hard come to think of it.) I looked upon with wide eyes as Hulk laughed at the injured carcass of my new best wrestler. That's when it happened the camera jerked quickly focussing on the rafters for some strange reason. The crowd roared with cheers as a figure made known by jumping from the rafters slowly reached the floor outside the ring. Yeah, he might have had a safety harness on but that didn't matter, he had just come from the friggin' sky for God's sake. I was on my feet and cheering and I didn't even know why, who was this man with black and white face paint and what were his intentions" My questions were quickly answered as Sting as the commentators had named him fought the New World Order. Even though he was outnumbered by a huge amount it didn't matter, Sting had beaten the dastardly nWo and left as quickly as he had entered. The screen faded and the show had finished with me still mesmerised by the events that were held. I went to bed shortly after thinking about my new best wrestler, Sting.

Now you might be thinking "what the hell was that about"" Well I will tell you. I wrote this little memory of mine because I wanted you to know the emotion I felt when watching at five year old. The emotion lasted along time, nearly up to my eleventh birthday. Gradually, I no longer jumped up off my couch and paraded around my living room like a prat because my new best wrestler had just won a match. I started watching RAW and fighting through the horrible angles and useless new wrestlers. The Internet came into the equation soon after and spoilers were introduced to me. RAW and SmackDown! were no longer exciting to watch; no longer did I get the same feeling in the pit of my stomach every time Goldberg entered the ring. I started complaining on and on about the terrible use of cruiserweights and Vince's obsession with big guys. I didn't go home from school on Wednesday thinking about the upcoming RAW but about how bad the last one was. Now I'm not here to call the WWE, what I am trying the make clear is the lack of enthusiasm about the product. Maybe it's my age this has to be a factor. And just to point out I no longer read the spoilers. Even without reading them I still don't feel excited anymore, not like I used too.

I just had to get this off my chest. It may be because the WWE is no longer in the Attitude era, and the product is lacking in a lot of areas. Even if tomorrow I watch Raw and they push my favourite wrestlers and create new and exciting storylines, I still don't think I will be the same as I once was. I will still watch wrestling as I've grown to love the technical style of the business, watching more and more Japanese tapes and growing to love Jushin Liger. Bushido has been recorded on Sky + for the past couple of months as I've begun to watch intently as the athletes pull off a beautiful belly to belly suplex. I will still watch wrestling for this is my new reason for watching, the technical excellence of Liger, Benoit, Eddie, Styles, Gedo and Angle.

Although I would trade my knowledge of wrestling moves for the passion I used to feel about the WWE, WCW and ECW. Feeling butterflies in the pit of my stomach as my new best wrestler went for the three count. Getting goose bumps whilst Kane entered the ring and fire consumed the four corners of the ring. Looking upon Juventud with the same admiration I used to when he pulled off the 450 splash and other insane moves without noticing he messed up on his last vertical suplex. Alas, it will never happen, no matter how much I complain or how much I moan, I will never feel the same emotion I felt about wrestling.

by R. D. Lofthouse ..


Shawn wrote:
I have a simple solution, stop going to wrestling websites. That's the only way you can get cured.

Also, you should take time off from wrestling,take 3 months off and come back. When you comeback it will be much fresher. I stop watching wrestling from last October-January,came back and things was a little better. I also stop watching WWE from November of 97-March of 98,came back and the Attitude era drew me back. It's good too take time off.

This fall when I go back to school and start working, I will have no time to come on the internet. This is actually great news for me, no spoilers/rumors/dirtsheets. It's better like that anyways.
SANDY FITE wrote:
I feel the same way man.
elessars servant wrote:
I feel for you man. When I first started watching wrestling, a little under a year ago, I instantly fell in love with it. My first few weeks, I believed everything was real. Of course, as I grew more and more in love with wrestling, I was able to figure some things out on my own. And once them obsession kicked into high gear, I began visting Wrestling sites regularly, and I learned more about it. Now, I know a lot about the sport. I usually know what is real and what is not. But I still have not lost that passion for it. I refuse to read spoilers. I think the thing that helps me is, I aboslutly will NOT even think about it some of it being 'fake' (and I use the term 'fake' very, very loosely, for lack of a better word.) while I'm watching wrestling of any brand. For me, it is all about the matches, the feuds, the angles. I yell, sceam, curse, cheer, parade about, and even throw things at my tv. I really love my favorite wrestlers, and I really, passionately HATE the wrestlers I don't. I would truly actually die for 'Taker and Cena. I am a firecly loyal fan. Not one word is ever spoken about this being planned, or rehearsed, now while we're watching it. At other times, discussion of how they did that or this, and stuff like that is totally fine, but not when my heart is pounding, my head is spinning, and I am in the zone. Not because I think it is all real, but because I want it to be, just for a couple of hours. Some people might accuse me of being a mark. And I suppose in some ways, I am. In my brain, I know what's what, but in my heart, I will always believe everything in wrestling. So I hope you can get that zeal back, because it is something like nothing else I've ever felt.
SAMEER KAUSHAL wrote:
I agree with you .I still remember The Royal Rumble incident where Kane locked The Undertaker in side a casket, poured gasoline all over it and then lit the casket on fire!when the casket was opened ,Undertaker was not there .i was very much worried and thought what might have happened to Taker.i hardly slept that night.That kind of thrill is no more these Days.I wish we could relive the Attitude Era .
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