Nostalgia

[Guest Johnny on the Spot]

I was at Wrestlemania as well. I was in the nosebleeds. Picture throwing a matchbook on the ground, take five paces and stand on a chair. Now look down. You've got a good idea of my perspective view at Wrestlemania!

 

I wouldn't have traded being there for the world.

 

I'll  tell you my take in relation to all of this Hulk "Holy Nostalgia" Hogan talk. It was real and it was genuine.

I am 27 years old and for the last week, I've been marking out to every reference Hogan has made to "Hulkamania".

Why do you ask? I watched WCW, not once did I think, "Man wouldn't it be great if Hollywood became Hulkamania. Never a thought crept. I've been asking myself this question, "Why now?"

I looked deep and I think I found my answer. All of this talk, eat your vitamins, say your prayers, (The big one->) Whatcha gonna do, when Hulkamania runs wild on you! (Should for the record, only be said by Hogan, he says it with much more conviction) All of this talk from the last two weeks has been making me flashback to when I was a kid again, the year was 1984. That year the wrestling bug bit me hard. I would spend all week in school daydreaming about Sunday morning. What was Sunday morning you ask? Two full hours of wrestling. All of the greats were showcased. Hillbilly Jim and Hogan were my favorites. Remember Barry-O, and Mr.X?

 

1984 - that was a great year : construx, lincoln logs, Van Halen, Thundercats, Voltron (<--The real power ranger) He-man, Saturday morning cartoons...The list is neverending.

 

2002 - Last Monday night after Raw, I sit at my computer, jump on Morpheus and start downloading clips from matches like - Hogan/Giant, Hogan/Warrior, Hogan/Yokazuna. Why? "Whatcha gonna do..." struck a very deep chord somewhere in me. I went so far as to download "I am a real American" (I'll tell ya, anyone over the age of 25 that doesn't trip down memory lane when that fricking song is on is a liar.) I was like a little kid again. The goosebumps were real.

 

Fast-Forward to Wrestlemania. I'm standing out side Skydome with thousands of other people and this little scrawny dude gets up on a wall. It's freezing out. He's dressed like Hollywood Hogan, nWo t, face paint, feather scarf, the works!He starts flexing ala Hulkster. All of a sudden those thousands of people start chanting "Hogan Hogan". It gave me the willeys because the crowd sounded like the crowd in the Braveheart battle scenes, right before they charged at the English. (Minus the Hogan chant of course) I hate the word surreal, but it definitely fits the bill.

The scrawny dude holds up a sign "Rocky Sucks". Without missing a beat the chant is now "Rocky Sucks, Rocky Sucks" and continued like this until the doors opened. This was two and a half hours before Wrestlemania even started.

 

My take: I'm not a wrestling critic nor am I "Joe Pro Wrestler". I am just a regular guy who, after working 55 hour weeks at a boring job, and trying to keep up my "act" as a  full fledged "adult" -  take solace in the excitement that wrestling brings to me.

Generally, I poo poo matches with as many mistakes and blown spots and missed opportunities as last nights Hogan/Rock match. But I think Hogan/Rock was an excellent match. Not technically, but emotionally.The best match of the night. If not for anything, nostalgia. Just to watch Hogan one more time. How it used to be. I think what happened in Canada last night could have happened here in the states, or anywhere for that matter. A lot of people came to see nostalgia last night. To be that kid again. I know I did.

 

After watching Raw tonight, I'm still feeling what I did last night. There is a fine line here though. Anyone else sensing it? Hogan must take great care in this. The fine line is Nostalgia and cheese. At times, this angle makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and I'm giggling like a school girl... Other times I'm burying my head in my hands, screaming "don't overdo it man, you're Billy and Chuck-ing Hulkamania!"

 

For the most part I'm enjoying this trip down memory lane.

It seems like other people are too.