General Interest Questions
1. Who are you and what's your business here?
I tend to lurk alot, but I came to TSM back in '03 or so based on TheDames TNA reviews at first. I don't post all that often, but I check the boards very often.
2. When did you discover an interest in wrestling?
I started when I was 5 when my uncle got WMVIII on PPV, but my interest didn't peak until I was 8 or so.
3. The Company Line:
A. Which companies have you actively followed in your tenure as a wrestling fan?
WWF/E, NWA/WCW, ECW, TNA, RoH
B. What have some of your favourite companies been? Your least favourite?
I'm more a fan of periods than actual companies, but I guess you could say I'm into TNA as a concept more than the actual execution therein. ECW and Flair-era NWA are awesome stuff though.
C. What is your favourite company right now? Any reason why?
Ring of Honor. I don't have money to buy every DVD, but the RoH live experience is better than any other federation I've ever seen. The crowd interactions, the wrestling, it's all awesome stuff.
4. (Not So) Favourites:
A. Who were your favourite wrestlers (or gimmicks) growing up / when you first started watching wrestling?
Bret Hart was my idol growing up. Raven later became my fascination. As far as other past favorites... IRS, Ted DiBiase, DDP, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Early Rey-Rey, and I'm ashamed to admit that I got sucked in by the Goldberg hype for the longest time.
B. Who were some guys you couldn't stand?
Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund, Konnan.
C. Who are your current favourites (if applicable / different from A.)
Bryan Danielson, AJ Styles, Edge, Chris Jericho, Tyler Black, Jimmy Jacobs, Samoa Joe, MVP, Matt Hardy, Chris Hero, Steenerico
Specific Questions about your Interest
5. How would you gauge your current interest level in the product? Do you still get butterflies of excitement that make you look forward to upcoming PPVs? Did you ever? Do you watch every televsied wrestling program live, or just a few - and FF'd via DVR at that?
I used to be about as obsessed a fan as you could find, but over the years I've mellowed down into a milder form of obsession. I don't get goosebumps for PPVs excluding WrestleMania, but as my interest in The E and TNA drops, my status as a RoHBot is growing. I'll probably always love the product and the business though.
6. At what point in wrestling history (if it's not now) would you consider your interest to have been at it's peak?
When were you compelled to watch every second of televised wrestling AND shell out money on PPVs, get excited about the release of video games, have TV/PPV parties with friends, etc.
1995-2006. The last big event I did as a group sort of deal with WMXX. I lost cable in 2006 and it's hurt my ability to watch since then.
7. At what point could you tell your interest was dipping and why do you think this happened, or what specific event(s) triggered the decrease? Was there anything even specific? Just a gradual interest loss of interest? Retirement (or death) of a favourite? A boring title reign on SmackDown in the Summer of 2004?
Gradual loss of interest formed by a stale WWE, incoherent TNA, and still relatively unheard of RoH. That would be early 2005 for me. For the record, the aforementioned boring title reign was anything but and you can stick it.
8. Have you ALWAYS stuck with wrestling even during times of low interest, or are there any lengths of time you stopped watching for a period only to come back at a later date?
Always stuck with it.
9. If applicable, at what point did you decide to pack in the wrestling fandom?
N/A
Interesting Questions of a Somewhat Random Nature
10. What style of pro wrestling best resonates with your personal tastes? Has it always been this way, or have your tastes changed over time?
I'm pretty all over the place, but I gotta say... yeah, I love a good technical duel, and I love violence as much as the next guy, but when I see a match like an RVD/Lynn or a Danielson/Black that can mix everything into a coherent whole...
11. Where do you "draw the line" with the whole "suspended disbelief" deal?
The Undertaker. I'm sick of the supernatural powers thing.
12. Do you attend live events?
Yes, mostly RoH. I went to SD in Baltimore a couple of weeks ago and it just wasn't as fun of an experience.
13. If applicable, what are the best and worst experiences you've had going to a show live?
Best: This IS sorta recent but still... Tyler Black vs. Austin Aries, RoH Final Battle 2008... Actually, fuck that, the last three matches for that show were absolutely amazing.
Worst: McMahon vs. McMahon, No Mercy 2003.
14. What are your favourite matches, moments, or events?
Events: RoH DBD IV, Supercard of Honor, Final Battle 2008, TNA No Surrender 2005, Sacrifice 2005, WWE WrestleMania X7, WrestleMania X, SummerSlam 2002, Vengeance 2001, WCW Clash of the Champions I, Bash at the Beach 1996
Matches: Bret Hart vs. Steve Austin (WM13), Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat (CotC 2/3 Falls), Raven vs. Chris Benoit (Souled Out '98), TLC II (WMX7), Team RoH vs. Team CZW (RoH 100th Show, and Death Before Dishonor IV), Sting's Squadron vs. The Dangerous Alliance (WrestleWar '92), Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (WM12), AJ Styles vs. Jerry Lynn vs. Lo-Ki (Not the Ladder Match), AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels vs. Samoa Joe (TNA Unbreakable), Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit (Owen Tribute), Chris Benoit vs. Shawn Michaels vs. HHH (WMXX), The Briscoe Brothers vs. Kevin Steen & El Generico (RoH MAN UP!), Tyler Black vs. Nigel McGuinness (RoH Take No Prisoners), Blood Generation vs. DO FIXER (RoH Supercard of Honor), AMW vs. XXX (First TNA Cage Match)
Moments: Benoit & Eddie at WMXX, The Sandman makes his entrance at the first One Night Stand, Goldberg crushes everyone as he's unleashed from the Elimination Chamber, Raven smashes DDP with a stop sign on an MTV set, Tyler canes Sandman, Foley's anti-hardcore promos, Chairs rain into the ring in ECW, Joey Styles goes off on Sports Entertainment, Paul Heyman rants about Vince McMahon before getting Tazzmission'd, Jimmy Jacobs forms The Age of the Fall while Mark Briscoe hangs above him dripping blood, Eric Bischoff reveals himself as the priest at the Billy & Chuck wedding.
