You'd be bitter too...

[Guest Asplagis]

You'd be bitter too if everything you sweat, bled, worked and suffered for was all for naught in the end...

 

You'd be bitter too if you tasted fame only to have it taken from you unceremoniously by some greedy businessman, worst of all, one who equates talent with - of all things - marketability !

 

You'd be bitter too if the world as you knew it crumbled and was subsequently replaced by a new one that you were ill equipped to face...

 

You'd be bitter if suddenly you realised just how significant that one coconut to the head really was and how far you have fallen since achieving that one moment of fame?

 

You'd be bitter too if Lou Thesz said that you were going to be the future of the sport and perhaps the greatest talent of your time, yet, you ended up as cannon fodder for midcarders and some orange skinned steroid pumping fellow and his pals...

 

You'd be bitter too if, for all your charisma and interview skills, all you have left is the name "crackhead" and were reduced to scavenging for money on some low budget events and making embarrassing ramblings on a website to buy more drugs...

 

You'd be bitter too if you were always pushed as the second banana; always the faithful sidekick or regular punching bag for your large orange friend no matter what...

 

You'd be bitter too if some whiny but charismatic young prick took your spot at the top and made a fool of you before a massive crowd - all thanks to a heartless businessman's desire to "screw" you...

 

You'd be bitter too if some guy with about as little wrestling talent as you became famous while you were pushed into retirement, all this because steroids didn't ravage his body like they did in your case...

 

Wouldn't YOU find it unfair?

 

It's a frustration we?ve all experienced : the feeling that the world is out of our grasp, that it is not ours to shape. While the notion of destiny has been more or less put to sleep with the arrival of modernity - and completely forgotten within "post-modernity" - there are times when we feel completely helpless. Helpless to change our situation, to change the world we live in. More frustrating is how liberalism has taught us that we are in control of our own lives and no one else. Individualism is a lot harder to swallow when others begin stepping on your toes?

 

These men we now call old and bitter were once on top of the world you know. Destiny had nothing to do with it : they had talent and put it to good use, well, that's what they'll say if you ask them. It was certainly no one else's doing; no one had a hand in their success, except perhaps a few favours here and there (help which does not go completely unnoticed...) Yet, they still come the same conclusion when it comes to explaining their fall from grace : foul play.

 

Yes, they were screwed and swindled - undeserving victims of underhanded tactics one and all. The unfairness of certain powerful individuals is obviously the reason for their losses. In the end, despite the claims that these men are vexatious, their anger is somewhat justified - that is, if we approach this with the right system of values.

 

Alas for our stars of the past, the world of wrestling (much like the societies in which it thrives) is no longer run by a system of values that we could call conservative, but one that is much more akin to the neo-liberal school of thought. In the aforementioned conservative system, the old stars had a secure place within a strict hierarchy and the rules were just as strict. This "new" liberal system puts the emphasis on individualism, thus promoting one-upmanship and giving the impression of a "chaotic" organisation - garnted, one with some measure of "checks and balance". In truth, both of these systems are somewhat mythical and hide the fact that things haven?t changed that much when it comes to merit and success.

 

In fact, the only major change was that in the old days of territorial wrestling a man could hope to be the second best in his territory and find some measure of pride in that claim, however, today one has to be amongst the best in the nation, or should we say, within the dominant federation(s). Bob Orton Jr. is a classic example of a man with minor charisma and above average wrestling skills who went from a somewhat major player within a number of territories to a lackey for major villains within the WWF before being quietly fired. It's not the size of the fish, but the size of the pond and of the other fishes living within its murky depths that matter. But the success one achieved as a pro wrestler within a territory in the old days is nothing compared to that which a pro wrestler today can gain within the WWF. Which brings us the point of delusions.

 

They were fed wild dreams by a sly devil named McMahon. He promised them fame and fortune but also opened the door to drug abuse and other related problems. Perhaps their bitterness comes from these unfulfilled dreams, but couldn't we also say it stems from those dreams that came true but were eventually taken from them or killed outright ? "Life is short and love is always over in the morning..."

 

Of course, things move very fast today - it's almost hard to catch your breath sometimes! The syndrome of capitalist societies one might surmise : everything is cut short, it's much more efficient this way - life itself is subjugated to the dominant economical theories. In the old days, life moved at a slower pace - or so it seems. The older stars could stretch out their careers for longer periods of time or at least remain important for some time before retiring from the public eye (the AWA was filled with stars pushing their 50's at one point). Today, everything and everyone is interchangeable - reign of the cyborg wrestler. Promoters "market" their stars with more care than ever before and, along with crash/reality/attitude TV, we have entered a new era of wrestling, one where gimmicks and angles make the stars.

 

Still, not every "bitter old star" was a victim of Rock n' Wrestling or Crash TV. It must be because it gets lonely at the top... It would make sense seeing as wrestling is all about dislodging some all powerful figure from its perch - be it a treacherous and wily villain (Flair), a virtuous super hero (Hogan), a cynical anti-hero/common man (Austin) or even the almighty promoter himself (McMahon). This isn't just a show - there is a very real hierarchy established backstage by some powerful central figures (promoter, booking team, top stars) and a certain mythical "fight" for control which of course leads nowhere most of the time (thus the glass ceiling theories). While they'd like us to believe that hard work and dedication is all one needs to achieve success, those in the know are aware that it's all a lie - neo-liberalism is little more than a pack of lies not unlike neo-conservatism for that matter...

 

Individual freedom guaranteed by competition has never been successfully put into practice. It remains a theory established to protect those who have much from those who have little - including wrestling promoters from his lower class wrestlers. In such a context it's no wonder everyone is trying to screw everyone else! While the masses are at each other's throat the self-proclaimed "self-made" elite laugh in the sanctity of their ivory towers.

 

So the old complain about the "youngins" taking their place on the show. However, there are those who were once famous looking on with bitterness as some of their own friends enjoy continued fame while they sit at home snapping into a Slim Jim. After all, not every old timer is forgotten; not every former star fades from the collective memory of the fans after losing television exposure, in other words, not everyone who's been "screwed" will end up doing independent shows in Australia with Vince Russo. Then again, just because you successfully took advantage of someone doesn't mean you won't get taken for a ride yourself eventually...

 

In the end, only three men have managed to survive so far despite everything : Hogan, Flair and McMahon. It's hard to imagine that either of these three individuals will ever vanish for the memory of their influence on wrestling will be staunchly guarded by the legions of lackeys and fanatics who toil to make it all work. Yet, they're bitter too ! Despite being recognised the world over, despite their achievements and fame they remain as bitter as the rest of the "bitter old men" !

 

Hogan?s aura was tainted by the hand of a mere booker, someone who had the galls to defy Hogan. No longer was his armour invincible; now many would see him as a mere mortal rather than an immortal. For all his political ploys and games, Hogan remains as mortal as any of the men whose career he help destroy over the years. More importantly, these days no one denies the influence of McMahon in the creation of Hulkamania. How humiliating it must be to realise that you were but a charismatic empty husk...

 

Flair spent much of his later years in WCW as the whipping boy of the same man who defied Hogan - the same booker who felt he could be the next McMahon. Before that, he was a victim of Hogan's power play as well as those of Hogan's good friend, Mr. Bischoff. Flair is now seen as the poor martyr who suffers for sins he did not commit.

 

Such unjust treatment has sent legions to worship at the altar of Flair up to the point where he's attained almost greater fame (in some circles) than his bitter orange rival. Yet Flair was once a tyrant king who ruled over WCW/NWA Crockett with an iron fist. He decided what would happen and, not surprisingly, he always ended up on top - just like Dusty, Baba and a host of others... Of course, Flair's sins are quickly absolved in he minds of "smart fans" for he's given them fabulous wrestling matches and interviews. Hogan gave the fans nothing... or so the "smart" fans say...

 

McMahon "paid" for his sins by giving the world Austin, Hart, Michaels, Triple H and the Rock... He gave the world of wrestling "attitude", even if some people didn't "get it"... He jobbed Hogan to some greasy overweight Samoan playing a Yokozuna... He allowed Flair into his world and even made WCW vs. ECW vs. WWF a reality. On the other hand, he's also responsible for changing the landscape of wrestling; he allowed the business aspect to fully take over in every regard for better or worse. He also made sure that charisma alone could propel certain men into mega-stardom and crushed a number of promising careers out of sheer spitefulness. In short, he made wrestling into HIS private property.

 

He's a megalomaniac who whines whenever someone steps on his toes while he himself is guilty of much more than merely "stepping on the toes" of his rivals. McMahon will not be satisfied until the world is at his feet - an impossible dream if there ever was one - a delusion actually larger than anything he's ever fed his own stars...

 

Depressing isn't it? Even those on top of the world whine and complain. It seems as if the only men who accept their lot in life are those who never achieved much and were told this very early on. Still, what drives a jobber to go forth with his career? Why continue if you know you'll never reach the top? Impossible dreams.

 

For everytime a Mick Foley appears, there will be a number of young hardcore wrestlers who risk life and limb in hopes of achieving fame like their mentor. If they can't be the best in terms of charisma and skills, then they'll be the best in some other way... The Ohnita school of thought has many disciples even overseas. The WWF makes it all look so easy and they promise you so much; once they're done abusing you though, they'll kick you to the curb without so much as a thank you for the time and effort you gave them. Tools for one man's impossible dream - all of them... Do you still wonder why so many wrestlers are bitter nowadays?

 

Asplagis