Why do you still watch pro wrestling?

Dunthreevy · Post #1 » by **Dunthreevy** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:12 pm

I was going to post this in the Wrestlemania thread but I think it warrants it's own conversation. sh00n made a GREAT point in one of his posts in that thread (I tend to agree with a majority of his posts here), about hating the fact that the internet basically ruined wrestling and eliminated the kayfabe aspect of it.

I honestly don't even see why some of you watch wrestling anymore because all you do is bitch about it and don't even enjoy the entertainment. You're too busy reading internet rumors and spoilers to actually just let the entertainment happen and occasionally be surprised. You talk about matches being predictable and boring, but if you would stop trying to figure everything out before it happens you might actually see the shows in a different light. Chill out and stop pretending to be some sort of "wrestling insider" and just enjoy the show. Just because you've got PWI (or whatever other "insider" sites there are) bookmarked in your favorite sites, doesn't make you a booker, or some sort of expert. You're a viewer, and possibly even a fan, nothing more. Accept that and just watch the freakin show. We can still all talk about it after it happens, you know? The GROWN MEN who go to live shows and start the "you can't wrestle" chants and crap like that completely forget about the fact that they're ruining the show for the real fans. I think it all started with the ECW crowd and things haven't been the same since. Call me a "mark" or what have you, but I'm fine with that as long as I'm not considered a "smark" like some of you around here. Just enjoy the damn show or shut up already.

So, why DO you still watch pro wrestling?

I watch because it's like a soap opera for men. I'm entertained by the sub-plots and the stories, and most of the time I enjoy the ring work and actually appreciate the athletic ability that it takes for those guys to put on a show. They're actors who are doing their own stunts basically, and that I can respect. Sure I've gotten slightly jaded over the years because it's not like it used to be (as it shouldn't be since I'm 26 freakin years old and have a bit of common sense now), but I still enjoy the entertainment of the sport. I hope you all do too, and if you don't then I suggest you just stop following the sport. Trust me, the sport isn't going anywhere just because you lose interest in it. There are still millions..... and MILLIONS (sorry, I had to) of other people who will still tune in every week and still make sure it's a packed house whenever a live event comes to town.

Post #2 » by **Walt Cronkite** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 10:38 pm

I think it's enjoyable seeing talented guys wrestle in the ring, but I don't want the crazy soap opera aspects. It should be (obviously my opinion, I know I've gotten in trouble for not stating that when I thought it was obvious before, so getting it out there) a predetermined mma. I think Inoki had it right when he had shoot fights in between entertaining puroresu matches. Legitimate, no one knows who's going to win fights mixed in with, "well, this guy is going to win, but watch how he does it, it's amazing!"

I understand that I'm in a major minority and that my posts aren't very well received here, typically.

Post #3 » by **pduh01** » Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:41 pm

Nice thread.

For me I have been watching pro wrestling since I was 4 or 5 years old and right now I am 28 years old about to be 29 next month and stills watch it. Why is it? One I watch it because not just a habbit but because of entertainment, quality matches, and see the talented guys wrestle in the ring. Even though I do admit pro-wrestling isn't like it use to be and I can tell you this that the 80s(mid or late 80s.) early 90s(pre-attidude era.) are better than today's wrestling. The attitude era is better than today's wrestling but I still watch it because I still enjoy watching professional wrestling.

I prefer wrestling than this soap opera though but in today fans don't want just wrestling they want entertainment which in my opinion kinda kills pro-wrestling sorta. While there are times it's kinda entertain I guess depends on the angles and the story-lines. In today's wrestling you will see lot of talent can pull some insane moves than it was in the 80s(mid through late.) and even the early 90s and the attitude era which is cool to see.

Dunthreevy · Post #4 » by **Dunthreevy** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:09 am

pduh01 wrote:I prefer wrestling than this soap opera though but in today fans don't want just wrestling they want entertainment which in my opinion kinda kills pro-wrestling sorta. While there are times it's kinda entertain I guess depends on the angles and the story-lines. In today's wrestling you will see lot of talent can pull some insane moves than it was in the 80s(mid through late.) and even the early 90s and the attitude era which is cool to see.

I agree with that. When I say I watch because it's like a soap opera for men, I just mean that it's make believe stories that play out on an episodic basis. I could do without some of the excess on the stories (like the 15 vignettes in each episode), but without good stories the show just wouldn't be possible and it wouldn't really give us as much of a reason to root for the good guys or bad guys. Heck Rowdy Roddy Piper was all about the theatrics of the show and he's one of the biggest names the sport ever saw. I definitely was more of a fan of the sport back in the late 80's and up to the Attitude Era but that can mostly be attributed to me being far more naive and buying into the stories a lot more. Either way, cool to see the opinions of a couple of members that can appreciate the entertainment and aren't just watching the shows as critics the entire time.

Post #5 » by **Walt Cronkite** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:15 am

I would be misrepresenting myself if I allowed you to think I watch the shows all the time. I hadn't seen a current wrestling show in a decade before Hogan's debut on TNA, but I've done a pretty good job of keeping up with that company since. Not ever week, not the entire show, but most of the show most weeks since then. Haven't seen much WWE while it was live, but I've seen some matches on justin.tv when I get the chance.

sh00n · Post #6 » by **sh00n** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:50 am

Honestly, before I heard Bret was coming back I wasn't watching much at all. Last year was the first time I missed Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania altogether because I just didn't care. Once Bret's story is done, there's really only one reason to watch wrestling for me:

Dunthreevy · Post #7 » by **Dunthreevy** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 1:00 am

sh00n wrote:Honestly, before I heard Bret was coming back I wasn't watching much at all. Last year was the first time I missed Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania altogether because I just didn't care. Once Bret's story is done, there's really only one reason to watch wrestling for me:

Of course. He is THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT WHAT HE DOES!

Jericho is the man, and one of the best things about him is you can tell he's enjoying himself out there and isn't just collecting a check. His ad-lib's on NXT are downright hilarious.

Post #8 » by **Walt Cronkite** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 1:02 am

I thought that was Wolverine? The best in the world at what he does, I mean.

jeffhardyfan52 · Post #9 » by **jeffhardyfan52** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:36 am

I watch it because i love pro wrestling , simple as that.
i watch wwe in hopes of one day there product will improve
i watch TNA because i want to watch some of the best in ring workers work a great match, and jeff hardys there,
i watch as much wrestling as i can get my hands on,
i watch to study the best in the world so i can get better i what i love to do
i watch and i wrestle because its in my blood

Tricky Ricky · Post #10 » by **Tricky Ricky** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:35 pm

jeffhardyfan52 wrote:I watch it because i love pro wrestling , simple as that.
i watch wwe in hopes of one day there product will improve
i watch TNA because i want to watch some of the best in ring workers work a great match, and jeff hardys there,
i watch as much wrestling as i can get my hands on,
i watch to study the best in the world so i can get better i what i love to do
i watch and i wrestle because its in my blood

Minus the last two and its the exact same reasons for me, Im 24 now and have been watching weekly since Summerslam 91

sh00n · Post #11 » by **sh00n** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 3:55 pm

Forgot to include CM Punk in my Y2J post. Best thing the WWE has going for them that they're not capitalizing on.

kash3d · Post #12 » by **kash3d** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:39 pm

To laugh at people overreacting when something silly happens like this

.

But now I'm just weirded out at how people get so emotionally attached to something they most likely know is fake.

I won't lie I was laughing at people crying when HBK was doing his retirement speech.

jeffhardyfan52 · Post #13 » by **jeffhardyfan52** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 9:46 pm

Wrestling is built on an emontinal connection with a fan
also dont call wrestling fake it is far from fake
Movies are fake and people get emotionally connected to them
when someone you have watched and cheered for retires its sad

kash3d · Post #14 » by **kash3d** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:35 am

What do you consider real about wrestling?

sh00n · Post #15 » by **sh00n** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 1:39 am

I guess Owen Hart dying was fake.

And I guess Droz getting paralyzed while in a wrestling ring was fake too.

Everyone knows it's fake. Pointing out the obvious just makes you look stupid. But to say every single aspect about it's fake is even dumber.

Celtsfan1980 · Post #16 » by **Celtsfan1980** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:04 am

I didn't have cable growing up so WWF Superstars of Wrestling was my favorite show. They were mostly jobber matches but I still highly enjoyed the show. Today I don't have cable but I do get to watch Smackdown every week. I loved wrestling in the past, love it today, and I can't see myself not watching it or even complaining about it much.

Post #17 » by **sunshinekids99** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:05 am

Everybody knows there are certain parts of wrestling that are "fake". With that said you can't take away from the fact that they put their bodies through hell.

As for why I still watch wrestling? I've watched my whole life, lately I do have a hard time tho. I think both brands really need help. There are certain guys that I can always watch (Taker, Edge, Jericho, Punk, Kofi, etc). I think they've made the product too kid friendly. This is a show that is from 9 to 11 at night, they need to go back to gearing towards the crowd that will watch it at that time. Go back more towards that "Attitude Era" then if you have to, let Smackdown be more of that PG version.

Celtsfan1980 · Post #18 » by **Celtsfan1980** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:14 am

The mid-1990's featured some of the worst pay-per-views of all time. In 1995 alone, WCW Uncensored and WWF King of the Ring were two of the worst ever, if not the two worst. This is by critic's opinions anyways. Mabel, Diesel, and Psycho Sid were being pushed while Bret Hart was a mid-carder for much of 1995. Gimmicks included Doink and the Goon, among others. I don't get to watch Raw so I don't have a say here, but could anyone explain how the mid-1990's was better than the current product?

jeffhardyfan52 · Post #19 » by **jeffhardyfan52** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 5:20 am

The Word fake will get you punched by most wrestlers.
What we do in the ring is skripted its pre determind
but what we do is not fake at all,

kash3d · Post #20 » by **kash3d** » Wed Mar 31, 2010 3:32 pm

Well I'm asking what do you consider real.

As for Owen dying that was just a freak accident, it has nothing to do with the overall scheme such as fighting. The only thing real would be when they use props and I think they even stopped doing most of that now. Scripted fighting does not mean its real.

Just for entertainment's sake.