Benoit/Misawa dying and how they died greatly altered how I enjoy pro wrestling. I used to be a huge ROH fan back from 04-08 and loved all the head drops and everything. I went out of my way to track down some 90's AJPW during those years and ate it all up. But with Benoit and Misawa and even the increased concussion awareness in the NFL, I really got turned off to that style. Now when I go back and watch some of the ECW stuff and Attitude Era matches I actually cringe at unprotected chairshots and other stuff that I used to think was awesome.

I don't really understand this mentality. I mean, if you refuse to watch it, it's not like it's like it's going to make the videos go away or reverse the effects that wrestling that style has already had on guys. Going online and condemning dangerous looking spots also isn't going to stop arena fans from continuing to pop big for them. After all, even when we're talking about reeling in new fans, the matches that generally get recommended the most and have the highest success are ladder and TLC matches built around crazy stunts. I'd argue that instead of there being some "workrate dogmatism" (lol) created by some obscure RSPW guys, there is just something about watching these athletically impressive or death-defying spots that appeals to some primitive part of the brain and creates the same unparalleled excitement seen while watching slugfests in boxing or MMA. WWE may have been able to condition fans to accept a less violent style, but I doubt that visceral quality so fundamental to wrestling's appeal can ever be entirely learned away.

 

I don't refuse to watch the matches. I just look at them from a different perspective than I did a few years ago. I now also cringe at huge hits in football that I didn't back in the early 2000's. Part of that is an awareness on concussion issues and another part of it is that they also happen less frequently. It doesn't mean I'm gonna stop watching football though.

I don't refuse to watch the matches. I just look at them from a different perspective than I did a few years ago. I now also cringe at huge hits in football that I didn't back in the early 2000's. Part of that is an awareness on concussion issues and another part of it is that they also happen less frequently. It doesn't mean I'm gonna stop watching football though.

 

What I disagree with is your implication that cringing and thinking it's awesome are somehow mutually exclusive things. Whether it's Andre carefully building to a single basic bump or Yuko Miyamoto doing a moonsault off a scaffold, the idea of creating a convincing impression that a guy is hurt is a pretty fundamental part of building a match, so I don't see any reason to not look at head drops as just another way of creating drama even with the studies telling us how bad concussions are. I'm also pretty sure the WWE style of having guys on the road year-round trying to wrestle entertaining singles matches poses a lot more risks with the drug addictions than puro guys mostly coasting through tags and going all out for the last match on the tour.

i'm in the same boat as petey here. it's not that i would think i'm doing some sort of meaningful protest - i just genuinely don't enjoy stunts like those when i know the possible long-term effects of them. i too love football, but for its strategic depth & ongoing evolution rather than the JACKED UP!!! side of it. and even then, i'm getting less and less comfortable with the game over time as i realize how unsolvable the problem truly is...

So, I went to the WON banquet and after party. And.....oh boy!

 

Also, Keith was definitely first generation RSPW. He was in place early enough for us to parody him and other posters (sorry jdw!) with the Workrate Cru.

My first introduction to "dirtsheets" was from calling hotlines. I called some free ones from time to time in the late 80's and early 90's. I can't remember who did those. Blackjack Brown maybe?

 

In the late 90's since I didn't have the internet I called a line with some guy named Michael Stern. I presume he was just saying what Meltzer and Wade were posting. I wonder how many other guys had a hotline and were doing the exact same thing? He updated everyday and I listened to it at work on speaker phone. He even did some interviews. I remember he did one with Bob Luce ( famous Chicago promoter). I wish I would of had the sense to record it.

In the 90s I called a hotline in Calgary where the guy just recapped WO news. This went on for most of the decade

My local newspaper, The Sacramento Bee, had a phone line you could call for upcoming events, sports scores, horoscopes, etc. One of the options was a pro wrestling insider line and it had twice-weekly Blackjack Brown updates. Sometimes he'd read news in kayfabe, sometimes semi-shoot.

This poll is fantastic for so many reasons

 

 

Which of these personalities do you believe to have been the biggest star to the public of the last six months?

• John Cena
• Ronda Rousey
• HHH
• Jon Jones
• Chris Weidman
• Randy Orton
• Undertaker
• Roman Reigns
• Daniel Bryan
• Brock Lesnar
• Chael Sonnen
• Bray Wyatt

Classic Dave.

Randy Orton sure is a valid choice.

Who the fuck is Chris Weidman? And what public is this?

It's weird that he left off Ultimate Warrior, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao

 

For arguments sake, it's Rousey-Undertaker 1-2, right?

Who the fuck is Chris Weidman? And what public is this?

To be fair, he was crossfit athlete of the month.

 

http://crossfitunsalted.com/chris-athlete-of-the-month/

He also knocked out Anderson Silva who was a huge PPV draw. Weidman is legit.

He did, but Silva was clowning around and got caught with a KO shot. Then Weidman happened to be in the cage when Silva's leg exploded in the rematch. A win's a win, but it's not like he pounded him into submission either time. He may well be legit, but I wouldn't base it on the Silva matches.

 

Also it's funny he would include any UFC fighters in a poll like that one when 75% of the MMA discussion on his site is involving dropping interest in UFC.

And I still never heard of these people , What "public" is Dave going on about? The evening news isn't ever talking about fake wrestling OR "real" wrestling / UFC.

Umm you guys The Undertaker's Streak being broken was mentioned on The Daily Show and has memes so obviously him.

And I still never heard of these people , What "public" is Dave going on about? The evening news isn't ever talking about fake wrestling OR "real" wrestling / UFC.

 

Exactly. If it's the actual "general public" as in, you know, everyone, then the answer is none of those people.

If it's general public, the answer is probably LeBron James.

If it's the global public, it's probably Luis Suárez

Touché.

He did, but Silva was clowning around and got caught with a KO shot. Then Weidman happened to be in the cage when Silva's leg exploded in the rematch. A win's a win, but it's not like he pounded him into submission either time. He may well be legit, but I wouldn't base it on the Silva matches.

 

Also it's funny he would include any UFC fighters in a poll like that one when 75% of the MMA discussion on his site is involving dropping interest in UFC.

 

Dude, he was involved in two of the most highly replayed incidents in UFC history. That's the point.

He did, but Silva was clowning around and got caught with a KO shot. Then Weidman happened to be in the cage when Silva's leg exploded in the rematch. A win's a win, but it's not like he pounded him into submission either time. He may well be legit, but I wouldn't base it on the Silva matches.

 

Also it's funny he would include any UFC fighters in a poll like that one when 75% of the MMA discussion on his site is involving dropping interest in UFC.

 

I think you missed the first round of the rematch.

He also took 4 of the 5 rounds against Machida. Dude is legit. Maybe not a superstar, but a legit fighter

In case anyone on earth hasn't seen these two iconic UFC moments, here they are...

 

The knockout...

 

 

 

The leg break...