Sports Fans That Love Wrestle-mania: I don't get it

[Loyal]

When I was about 10 yrs old, my Dad broke the news to me that professional wrestling was fake. It immediately turned me off that I had been tricked, because I really liked it before then. I like Jake Ellenbogan and DTR, but I am dumbfounded that guys like him who take a sport so seriously that they create websites, do podcasts, and spend so much time researching and evaluating talent. Watching tape, etc. like Wrestlemania, although he did say that he doesn't follow it so much anymore., but was surprised that a certain wrestler was given a chance at a "championship." What value does such a championship give when it's all fake anyway?

Aside from cheering for good guys vs bad guys and that's how you like to spend your time (universal "you"), knock yourself out. It seems like an absolute waste of time and money to me.

What say you?

 

[Angry Ram]

It's never meant to be a sport, that's why it's "sports entertainment". Yes, every wrestling fan knows it's scripted. We get it. We also get tired of non-fans telling us it is. The championships means you represent the company.

Also, the ring work is not fake. I challenge anyone to do some digging and find out what these wrestler's do on a daily basis. Injuries are real and happen. And that's all top of the promo work, training, and travel they do.

For me, it's all about the stories and characters. Some of it is horrible, some meh, some awesome. But ultimately, I like going into the weird, wacky world of these gimmicks. I can't wait for Wrestlemania this year. I'm anticipating a lot of good payoff from the stories the past few months.

 

[1maGoh]

When I was about 10 yrs old, my Dad broke the news to me that professional wrestling was fake. It immediately turned me off that I had been tricked, because I really liked it before then. I like Jake Ellenbogan and DTR, but I am dumbfounded that guys like him who take a sport so seriously that they create websites, do podcasts, and spend so much time researching and evaluating talent. Watching tape, etc. like Wrestlemania, although he did say that he doesn't follow it so much anymore., but was surprised that a certain wrestler was given a chance at a "championship." What value does such a championship give when it's all fake anyway?

Aside from cheering for good guys vs bad guys and that's how you like to spend your time (universal "you"), knock yourself out. It seems like an absolute waste of time and money to me.

What say you?

The same reason anyone would read a book or watch a regular TV show.

 

[Loyal]

The same reason anyone would read a book or watch a regular TV show.

I don’twatch Wrestling now,and haven’t since about 1974. Back then,there was little back story and so I was only watching the “match.” On a book, there is a non-fiction/ fiction classification on the cover, and maybe today’s version Of pro-wrestling clearly calls it entertainment only.Before my Dad broke it down for me, I thought it was a real wrestling contest and so I was offended by being tricked. One clue should have been that there was no record keeping for each wrestler, but Ididn’t really understand that back then.

I wasn’t trying to rip anybody about watching it. I justdidn’t Have a clue why anyone would watch it, but now I guess I can think of it as a sports themed soap opera? That makes more sense to me...

 

[1maGoh]

I don’twatch Wrestling now,and haven’t since about 1974. Back then,there was little back story and so I was only watching the “match.” On a book, there is a non-fiction/ fiction classification on the cover, and maybe today’s version Of pro-wrestling clearly calls it entertainment only.Before my Dad broke it down for me, I thought it was a real wrestling contest and so I was offended by being tricked. One clue should have been that there was no record keeping for each wrestler, but Ididn’t really understand that back then.

I wasn’t trying to rip anybody about watching it. I justdidn’t Have a clue why anyone would watch it, but now I guess I can think of it as a sports themed soap opera? That makes more sense to me...

I wasn't offended. That's just the shortest way I could think of to explain it.

A sports themed drama is exactly the way to think of it. That and scantily clad people of all types, which appeals to a variety of people (my wife included).

 

[Dodgersrf]

It was never my thing either.
What always cracked me up, was these promoters and wrestlers swearing it was all real.

Those wrestlers are extremely athletic and strong, though.
I'll give them that

 

[LesBaker]

I've never been a fan other than to laugh at it, and I was given two tickets to a big event in the late 80's so I went and enjoyed it. I think it was 1987 or so. All the big names were there so it may have been a Wrestlemania I can't recall. A friend and I had a great time laughing at how worked up the fans got during the event. All ages too. In the 80's it completely exploded and has stayed around, it's really enjoyed popularity.

IMO it's fine that people enjoy it, I'm sure there are things I like that some people would find silly.

Also, the ring work is not fake.

Yes it is, it's choreographed almost completely. This isn't to say that it's not hard work because it is, but these are not "real" bouts.

It's like a comedic ballet of sorts.

Those wrestlers are extremely athletic and strong, though.

And the entire culture is rife with PED's. In fact it's part of the deal for the most part.

 

[Selassie I]

Fake???


Say that outloud down in the deep South and you'll get your mouth washed out with soap... or... you could get bitch slapped.


It's not my thing, but it's almost an institution in the South. It was popular down here before it became real mainstream/big-time. I do enjoy the hell out of the shit talking they do.

 

[Angry Ram]

Yes it is, it's choreographed almost completely. This isn't to say that it's not hard work because it is, but these are not "real" bouts.

It's like a comedic ballet of sorts.

The moves they do are very real, and very physical (save for the submission moves which are rest periods during a match). Sure, it may be scripted and sequenced out, but the actual physicality is real. One wrong execution and their career is over. Ask Stone Cold, Edge, or Paige about that.

Taking bumps is no joke.

 

[Angry Ram]

I wasn’t trying to rip anybody about watching it. I justdidn’t Have a clue why anyone would watch it, but now I guess I can think of it as a sports themed soap opera? That makes more sense to me...

You're right, and WWE themselves calls their product a "male soap opera".

I didn't think you were ripping on anyone, it's the general instant retort wrestling fans get. Like everyone who isn't a fan needs to go out their way and inform those that are that it's fake, it's scripted, blah blah blah.

Then they go home and watch something like The Walking Dead. Double standard, much?

 

[Loyal]

You're right, and WWE themselves calls their product a "male soap opera".

I didn't think you were ripping on anyone, it's the general instant retort wrestling fans get. Like everyone who isn't a fan needs to go out their way and inform those that are that it's fake, it's scripted, blah blah blah.

Then they go home and watch something like The Walking Dead. Double standard, much?

Cut out the crap.

The Walking Dead advertises itself as a non-fiction movie, ect. like Pro Wrestling says its real? I am older than you and have never watched what they call "Pro Wrestling" in the last 40 years, so I don't hear what the current narrative is about the reality of what they do. I KNOW that it was presented as a factual contest when I used to watch it, and that's utter BS to me. I'd rather watch real wrestling like greco-roman wrestling than Pro Wrestling. Therefore, It was dumbfounding to me that sports fans that like ourselves who like real contests of skill, also like fake contests That didn't compute with me, so sue me. Calling it some sort of scripted drama entertainment show at least makes sense to me.

 

[Angry Ram]

Cut out the crap.

The Walking Dead advertises itself as a non-fiction movie, ect. like Pro Wrestling says its real? I am older than you and have never watched what they call "Pro Wrestling" in the last 40 years, so I don't hear what the current narrative is about the reality of what they do. I KNOW that it was presented as a factual contest when I used to watch it, and that's utter BS to me. I'd rather watch real wrestling like greco-roman wrestling than Pro Wrestling. Therefore, It was dumbfounding to me that sports fans that like ourselves who like real contests of skill, also like fake contests That didn't compute with me, so sue me. Calling it some sort of scripted drama entertainment show at least makes sense to me.

Calm down bruh.

Point was the double standard. Walking Dead (something I have no interest in, just using it as an example since it's so mainstream) is fictional; so is WWE. Why does the wrestling fan have to take the cynicism, but it's perfectly acceptable for someone to love a show about zombies (or superheros, or Star Trek or whatever)?

I didn't watch start watching WWE until 2002, so IDK how it was presented in the 80s or 90s. I do know that today, they don't present themselves as a real sport. They don't even use the term "wrestling". Much like MTV doesn't use "music".

It's "sports entertainment"

Once again, wrestling fans KNOW it's scripted, we KNOW every match is booked a certain way, we KNOW stories are written in meetings and the performers recite the lines, and we KNOW they plan certain spots in match.

But you know what? We don't care about all that. When the show starts, all we care about is the stories and rooting our favorites wrestlers. No different than hoping your favorite character on a tv show defeats the villain.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

THE IRON SHEIK IS REAL!!!!!

 

[Ken]

I loved watching it until about my mid-20s. The shit-talking was the best part. It was fun. Remember Andy Kaufman and his inter-gender wrastling matches and his bit on the Letterman show. Hilarious.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I don't know how old you were when your Dad told you it was fake @LoyalRam , but why did he? Why spoil the fun? I let my son enjoy it until he figured it out for himself. By age ten he quit watching it.

My brother and I started to question it around the same age. I have it up but he still watched for entertainment. Once Stone cold changed the talking game I started watching again too. It was very entertaining and he was the guy so many people wished they could be. I lost interest once he retired. McMahon became a pretty good actor through all of that too, and his son is nuts jumping onto tables from 30'.

I never was into the Rock, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, or Ric Flair, but those guys use their celebrity for charities and really focus on the kids. They are athletes in their own right and not every pro athlete can be a Pro wrestler, even though Bill Goldberg became a highly successful one, Ernie Ladd too.

 

[Loyal]

I don't know how old you were when your Dad told you it was fake @LoyalRam , but why did he? Why spoil the fun? I let my son enjoy it until he figured it out for himself. By age ten he quit watching it.

My brother and I started to question it around the same age. I have it up but he still watched for entertainment. Once Stone cold changed the talking game I started watching again too. It was very entertaining and he was the guy so many people wished they could be. I lost interest once he retired. McMahon became a pretty good actor through all of that too, and his son is nuts jumping onto tables from 30'.

I never was into the Rock, Hulk Hogan, John Cena, or Ric Flair, but those guys use their celebrity for charities and really focus on the kids. They are athletes in their own right and not every pro athlete can be a Pro wrestler, even though Bill Goldberg became a highly successful one, Ernie Ladd too.

I was watching before those guys. Dad told me I think for a couple of reasons. My Great Grandmother was really into pro wrestling and she'd cuss this or that wrestler, English style "Bloody, this person and bloody that person!" It's funny when I look back upon it that she'd get so passionate about it, because she thought it was real. They were my Dad's favorite Grandparents (both were born in London in 1894 and I knew them in the mid 1970's). My Dad told me as an aside, that "you know that's fake, right?"
At first I argued with him "It has to be real." But then I found out that it wasn't. I felt tricked and pissed. He might have told me because it was sad to him that his Grandparents (especially Grandma) was tricked into her 80's about it and didn't want me to turn out being that way. Same with roller derby. (Some of you my not know about the LA TBirds vs the NY Bombers! lol)

 

[Loyal]

I loved watching it until about my mid-20s. The crap-talking was the best part. It was fun. Remember Andy Kaufman and his inter-gender wrastling matches and his bit on the Letterman show. Hilarious.

That was kinda good. Until the wrestler got him out there and injured him to prove "it was real."

 

[Loyal]

I'm laughing at myself, because I started watching this youtube video longer than I intended...lol I recognized the outdated uniforms/tights.I remember the Racer X style masks...Only guy I remember, but more from movies, was Andre the Giant.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VqXG51mXoU