Good article at 411

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/columns/...columns_id=1823

 

Wrestlemania - "Dare To Dream"

Posted By Ken Anderson

 

It’s a trying time in the Western World. A war with ramifications the likes of which we’ve never seen is looming in the Persian Gulf. A new super disease has left a handful dead, hundreds terminally ill, and the world on alert. The Pentagon admits that a major attack from within our own borders is all but certain. Unemployment is rising, fear is skyrocketing, and uncertainty is a way of life.

 

Despite this pivotal point we stand at in world history, time – flatly indifferent – continues to move forward. The only way to not go crazy in today's surroundings is to keep your mind occasionally occupied with things unrelated to world affairs. Days away is what can best be looked at as not only the primary event of the wrestling calendar, but also a welcome diversion from the shit that’s going on around us. Unfortunately, it seems as if half the internet is too fucking dense to get over their ridiculous "smart" attitudes and just appreciate what is upon us the way that it was meant to be enjoyed.

 

If you fall under this category, this message is for you:

 

Stop being a cynic. Stop being an internet critic. Stop being a mindless Scott Keith drone. It doesn’t matter if the new blood is at the bottom of the card, if the Undertaker wins, or if Hogan/McMahon makes any sense.

 

Wrestlemania is what’s important. The moment is what matters.

 

This is Hulk Hogan doing the impossible and slamming Andre the Giant in front of a sold out Pontiac Silverdome. This is "Macho Man" Randy Savage winning a 16 man tournament and becoming the new World Wrestling Federation Champion. This is Steve Austin passing out in the Sharpshooter, Shawn Michaels flying in from the rafters, and Bret Hart giving his all for sixty minutes. This is the ladder match. This is that feeling you got when you Hogan shoved The Rock to the canvas at the start of their match. This is the race of your heart when the Warrior’s music hit at the Hoosier Dome.

 

This is where stars are born, legends are made, and memories never die.

 

This is Wrestlemania.

 

This may seem like a free advertisement for the WWE’s cardinal pay per view, but it’s not. It’s an open invitation for everyone to stop bitching and just remember why we love this sport to begin with. Everywhere you look, an overweight "net journalist" or geeky "smart fan" is lamenting the fact that they just don’t seem to be getting that "Road to Wrestlemania" feeling.

 

Guess what guys, it’s not the product, it’s you. It’s how you watch wrestling. It’s how you actively look for flaws and emphasize them over the positive. It’s how when the storylines are good, you bitch for better workrate, and when the workrate is good, you bitch for better storylines.

 

The wrestling "net scene" was once a flourishing melting pot of differing viewpoints, constructive arguments, and endless fandom. Those days have long since disappeared. The previously mentioned melting pot of opinion has been replaced with unanimous, robotic, uniform negativity.

 

"Triple H is the devil."

"RAW Sucks."

"The Undertaker's has no place on TV."

"Chris Benoit should be wearing the title around his waste."

 

The list goes on, you know the drill. If someone's opinion differs from the mindless legions, then they are ostracized by the "IWC."

 

Please guys, stop being so fucking negative about EVERYTHING. It's tough to enjoy life if you put a pessimistic spin on everything. If you don't like wrestling, don't watch it. If Widro and Ashish, two guys who spend more time and money than anyone in the world trying to make your day a little more enjoyable, decide to change the look of the site they provide to you for FREE, keep your damn mouths shut until you at least give it a chance, instead of quickly running to your local message board to blast the new look, but only after making sure your buddies feel the same way.

 

I hate how the "in" thing is to bash every single aspect of the product, pretending to be in "the know" by citing soft rumors regarding what happens "backstage."

 

I just hate what the net has become sometimes. I hate how the net takes matches like Hogan/Warrior, Hogan/Andre, and Hogan/Rock, matches that I hold very closely to my heart, and pisses all over them, citing them as trash simply because Andre didn't pull out a Dragon Suplex. Give me a break. If you can't enjoy those three matches for what they are, than you're not a fan. You're a fucking bitter old man.

 

Wrestling hasn't changed for the worse, your attitudes have. WWE television in the last six months has been as good as it's ever been, top to bottom. Go back and try to watch an old RAW from 98 or so and you'll see what I mean. Sure, the top of the card was strong, creatively and physically, but the undercard, which comprised 80 percent of the show, was completely horrid. Three-fourths of the RAW's in-ring action took place with Viscera, Mark Henry, The Godfather, Mideon, and Billy Gunn bearhugging each other

 

Nobody complained at the time though, because the current day "net logic" had still yet to fully take hold. Storyline and pops were as important as workrate and psychology. Steve Austin coming out with a beer truck was enough to make RAW a great show. Nowadays, unless there's a five star match, hundreds of idiots are writing the Torch idiotically making the statement (which no one believes) that they're "Done with the product... AND I MEAN IT THIS TIME!".

 

Anyway, I'll quit with the net bashing, but for one final time, I'll make this desperate plea:

 

Watch Wrestlemania as a fan.

 

"Dare to Dream."

 

Even if this means giving up the internet until after March 30th, do it. You'll thank me. Not only will your appreciation of the show triple, but you might even get that old feeling back in the pit of your stomach again. You know the feeling I'm talking about. The feeling you got when Randy Savage hoisted Miss Elizabeth onto his shoulders after losing a retirement match at Wrestlemania VII. The feeling you got when Ric Flair broke down into tears after returning to Nitro in 1998 to one of the biggest ovations in wrestling history. The feeling you got when Steve Austin walked through the curtains of your arena five years ago.

 

The only way that this is a possibility is if you remove yourself from the negativity.

 

Plain and simple, the internet has ruined most of our enjoyment of wrestling. Don't let it ruin what you've got left. Fight back. Be one of those non-net fans that you see at shows.

 

Think about all the great things and amazing highs that The Undertaker has brought to the WWF over the last ten years, and when he comes through the curtain, cheer him. Stay on your feet and enjoy the ride as Shawn Michaels wrestles Chris Jericho in what could very well be his final Wrestlemania match. When Michaels warms up the band, let yourself enjoy it instead of thinking of how he's lost a step in the last five years. Appreciate Chris Benoit's performance at Wrestlemania without sulking because he's not in the main event.

 

Cheer for Steve Austin to beat The Rock. If you like heels, cheer for The Rock to beat Steve Austin. Shout "You Suck" at the top of your lungs as Angle's music blares at Safeco field. Be part of the electricity when Angle and Lesner go forehead to forehead as the bell rings.

 

Forget about what Scott Keith thinks about his workrate and show Hogan your appreciation at Wrestlemania for all the memories you hold so close to your heart. When Hogan comes through that curtain, remember that this is the same man who slammed Andre the Giant, superplexed the Bossman off of the cage, and made is possible for wrestling to be in the position that it's in today.

 

Have fun. Be a mark again.

 

There's an age old adage that says you can tell the difference between marks and smarts by the fact that when you got a live event, the smarts are smiling, and the marks are grimacing.

 

Don't fall into that category.

 

"Dare to Dream."

[cawthon777 0]

That's a lot of words to read but it sounds good to me. Don't be a sheep. Just take the stick out of your ass and enjoy the freaking show.

[Guest AndrewTS]

Wrestling hasn't changed for the worse, your attitudes have. WWE television in the last six months has been as good as it's ever been, top to bottom.

 

....

 

*dismisses this load of crap completely*

[Guest bob_barron]

He sounds like a whiner to me.

 

Please guys, stop being so fucking negative about EVERYTHING. It's tough to enjoy life if you put a pessimistic spin on everything. If you don't like wrestling, don't watch it. If Widro and Ashish, two guys who spend more time and money than anyone in the world trying to make your day a little more enjoyable, decide to change the look of the site they provide to you for FREE, keep your damn mouths shut until you at least give it a chance, instead of quickly running to your local message board to blast the new look, but only after making sure your buddies feel the same way.

 

Was there a need for that paragraph? No. It came out of nowhere totally hurting the column IMO. He's basically doing the old 'sit back and enjoy it' thing. Well it's hard to enjoy when you're not being entertained

[Guest Dillon Likes Bossman]

I agree with some of that, but his argument is "If you like workrate, your a bitter old man". If you like workrate than it just means WWE is not the brand of wrestling that cators to you. ROH and Puro is your thing. But many Workrate fans only receive WWE television, therefore you get some unhappy fans. I also don't remeber any shit like HLA, Necrophilia, Al Wilson 5 years ago. I mean sure Taka and Venis, Herny Hand Birth, but the under car had some great workers in it 5 years ago too. Plus the storyliens rocked. Face it, as cool as it would be to mark out for Nathan and Taker....I just don't see myself doing it.

[Guest bob_barron]

Wrestling hasn't changed for the worse, your attitudes have. WWE television in the last six months has been as good as it's ever been, top to bottom.

 

....

 

*dismisses this load of crap completely*

Smackdown's been good but RAW has not been as good as it ever was. That's a bold face lie

[EL DANDY~! 0]

For those of you who know I write over at 411, didn't I just write a similar article less than a week ago??? I'm just wondering, becuz (nothing against Kenny, he's my boy), but that sounds a WHOLE LOT like my article.

[cawthon777 0]

I tend to be a lot more entertained when I distance myself from the internet news and rumors and workrate and opinions of people I've never met and, in theory, may not even exist. I think that's the point of the piece.

[Bored 0]

Wrestling hasn't changed for the worse, your attitudes have. WWE television in the last six months has been as good as it's ever been, top to bottom.

 

....

 

*dismisses this load of crap completely*

Yes so the last six months as been better than the first 6 months of 2000 or hell even the last 6 months of 2000? Surrrrrrrrrrrrre.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

Yeah, I think it would have been better if he said five months. The necro angle was just terrible, no two ways about it.

 

I mean, even way back when we had plenty of Ken Shamrock's Fake Sister and the incredibly stupid Mark Henry angles, but the necro angle on top a few months ago blew the doors off them all.

 

I think the only real blemish of the last few months has been Steiner, though.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

I really don't see the point in bitching about people bitching.

[Guest AndrewTS]

That's a lot of words to read but it sounds good to me. Don't be a sheep. Just take the stick out of your ass and enjoy the freaking show.

I do, every Thursday night, and I was bigger loudmouth than just about everyone last week at the SD taping.

 

However, being a sheep is also accepting any shit they put on TV. Necrophilia, murder storylines, Al Wilson, racism--sorry, this stuff was not around during the days of the matches he holds so dear.

 

The WWE has lost a lot of fans in the past 2 years, and I don't think all of them were smarks.

 

Forget about what Scott Keith thinks about his workrate and show Hogan your appreciation at Wrestlemania for all the memories you hold so close to your heart. When Hogan comes through that curtain, remember that this is the same man who slammed Andre the Giant, superplexed the Bossman off of the cage, and made is possible for wrestling to be in the position that it's in today.

 

Never was a Hogan fan, never will be. I have no attachment to him at all.

 

Nobody complained at the time though, because the current day "net logic" had still yet to fully take hold.

 

That's wrong. People didn't complain because there were good storylines most of the time, and WCW was on the other channel which was filled with textbook cases of what NOT to do.

[Guest Dillon Likes Bossman]

Stiner and the booking themselves into a corner. The booking is the worst I've ever seen.

[cawthon777 0]

When it comes to WrestleMania, just be a kid again. Sit back, enjoy the show, get caught up in the matches and the drama and the excitement of the historic event.

 

WrestleMania VIII may not be the most technically sound show but it's my favorite WM of all time. Not because the matches were 4 star or there were storylines behind every match - but because it was fun. It was exciting. It was dramatic. You didn't know what was going to happen next.

 

In the time of the internet, spoilers run rampant and rumors to everything regarding what you'll see next week to what you'll see next year are the rule rather than the exception. It has made me jaded, far moreso than when I was simply a 12 year old kid that was picky about whom he cheered for.

 

Yeah, we all know how the business works. We know why things are done the way they are. We are more critical of the product than anyone else. But if we can't get past that and enjoy the best show of the year - what can we enjoy?

 

I'm not saying the WWE has been on top all year - but I do understand where the author is coming from and I agree with it.

 

...Although I'm going to hate Triple H regardless if I'm a smart or a smart pretending to be a mark.

[Guest Nevermortal]

Bleh, every net columnists has his "The Internet is Bad! Smarts sucks!" essay.

[Guest AndrewTS]

The article may have been better off if it was a little less biased and didn't try to flat out insult its intended audience.

[Guest Jobber of the Week]

this stuff was not around during the days of the matches he holds so dear.

I dunno. I think they were, they were just different.

 

Necrophilia : Agreed

 

murder storylines : Austin/Pillman gun angle, Undertaker "kidnapping" people

 

Al Wilson : No worse than most the Mark Henry angles

 

racism : Oh it was there. It was just not directed at blacks (the most textbook case of racism in America)

[Guest bob_barron]

I emailed him this-

 

Didn't Tim Livingston just write the very same article?

 

Do you honestly think WWE TV has been as good as it ever was? Like in the first half of 2000 or spring 1997 with the Hart Foundation stuff.

 

What was the point of you mentioning people dissing 411mania? Maybe they didn't like it- a lot of people think the design is subpar and given the hype- maybe they had reason to be dissapointed. Just because it's free doesn't mean you shouldn't be allowed to complain.

 

The RAWs in 1998 had an anything can happen feel with the Austin v. McMahon what happens next feud. Today's RAW is the same same thing with Triple H coming out, cutting a boring promo, babyface coming out beating up Ric Flair and a bunch of aimless midcarders doing nothing.

 

I understand you wanting everyone to shut up and enjoy it but in the end that doesnt do a damn thing for everyone. If you take everything Vince does at face value then nothing will ever change.

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

It's great how people like to blame the FANS for being 'bitter' and 'hateful' as if the WWE isn't the cause of the negativity...

[Guest Angle-plex]

This guy is just trying to act better than us. He obviously doesn't know what he's talking about, so talking about HIM is useless.

[Guest AndrewTS]

this stuff was not around during the days of the matches he holds so dear.

I dunno. I think they were, they were just different.

 

Necrophilia : Agreed

 

murder storylines : Austin/Pillman gun angle, Undertaker "kidnapping" people

 

Al Wilson : No worse than most the Mark Henry angles

 

racism : Oh it was there. It was just not directed at blacks (the most textbook case of racism in America)

I meant during the 80's, which he seems to be praising so much.

 

And the stuff you mentioned we all complained about even then, I recall. Hell, I wasn't on the net and even I thought "this is fucking stupid."

[Guest DerangedHermit]

I think he meant that people should look for the positives.

 

Take the HHH/Goldust promo from RAW:

Pros:

Flair/HHH reaction

Flair's Stinger splash

 

or John Cena:

Pros:

mad skillz yo

FU and the Killswitch

he was prototype

he's the only person that made a RAP gimmick work

he's Banky's fave

 

or Jazz:

Pros:

her new music

 

or Albert:

Pros:

not on RAW

 

or Vinny Mac:

Pros:

his facial expressions and voice

the promos he cut on Hogan

 

or AL WILSON~!

Pros:

his manhood makes even Ron Jeremy and the angel of Wilt Chamberlain jealous

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

I read this article a couple hours ago and laughed. I mean, Wrestlemania is only a step or two above Judgment Day or No Mercy these days. Maybe next September I should write an article with the gist of: "You NEED to get the PPV as a fan! It's UNFORGIVEN!"

 

Insulting people to shell out $40 is quite the way to go about it, isn't it. Sort of lends to what RRR said about Vince hating the fans (but loving their dinero). The same principle works for battered women constantly going back to their husbands if you think about it.

 

Oh, and if you hold wrestling matches "close to your heart" it indicates to me that you don't have a whole lot going on in your life. I mean, come on....

[Guest RavishingRickRudo]

No, I think he meant

 

"Everyone listen to me and do what I do"

 

Which was pretty much well the very thing he was protesting against.

[Guest jester]

I really don't see the point in bitching about people bitching.

*applauds*

 

He forgot to mention the most stupid smark attitude of all--bashing other smarks for their supposed unceasing negativity.

[Guest Mulatto Heat]

By the way, Wrestlemania wasn't even the best show of last year. Aside from THAT one match, the show itself and all the mediocrity that came with it has not aged well at all. So using the "it's THE spectacle of the year" argument doesn't really hold water with me.

[Guest Anglesault]

The feeling you got when Randy Savage hoisted Miss Elizabeth onto his shoulders after losing a retirement match at Wrestlemania VII.

How dare he compare ANYTHING that they have done in the last two years to that masterpiece?

[Guest EternallyLazy]

Very well said. I agree with practically everything in the column, and of course I expect all the "smart marks" on this board to turn the super defensive mode on and bash all of the ideas presented which is typical

[Guest JHawk]

The feeling you got when Randy Savage hoisted Miss Elizabeth onto his shoulders after losing a retirement match at Wrestlemania VII.

How dare he compare ANYTHING that they have done in the last two years to that masterpiece?

Holy shit! Anglesault and I agree on something. An incredible moment to end an absolutely incredible match. I just watched that yesterday and I still get a tear in my eye when I see it.

[Guest Kahran Ramsus]

Wrestlemania X-8 was terrible. This year's should be okay, but HHH & HBK will leave a bad taste in your mouth.

 

My biggest concern is with Angle's injury. If he wasn't hurt the product now would be much better than it was a year ago.

 

As for the article itself. I don't watch RAW, and I like Smackdown for the most part. My biggest complaints are against things that I don't want them to do (ex. sign Goldberg), but they haven't done yet. I like the way Smackdown is progressing. I'm never going to like everything, I just want to like enough that it is worth watching the crap for.