SteveJRogers

Is that any different than complaining about the direction your favorite fiction based TV show is going?

Kayfabe is the archaic carnie terminology, as well as specific things in the performance exhibitions (stomp on the ring or slap your pants to get a more convincing sound out of a chop/kick/etc) used in the business of pro-wrestling as a way to keep up the "con" and separate it from actual competitive sports. I've first heard the term, and the terminology that comes with it (heels, jobber, etc), LONG after I knew pro-wrestling was no different than any other form of fictional entertainment, probably when I started reading stuff on the internet around 1995. In terms of what it was before the information age, in terms of kayfabe being broken in/on official material produced by the companies that are meant for nostalgic and information purposes (never mind infamous worked shoot angles)? Yes. Does it matter? No, because with the rise of the information age, it was bound to happen, even if the first hints of the demise was stuff like Vince declaring his product "sports entertainment" in order to lessen the various state athletic commission regulations and tax breaks for arena usage. The rise of shoot...well, really stuff where the person telling the stories goes into detail about the behind the scenes inner workings of angles, matches, performances and the like, whether video sit-down or not, makes the business no different than any other entertainment avenue where you can find out any number of behind the scenes stories and anecdotes that can enhance your enjoyment of that entertainment avenue (comic books, stand up comedy, television programs, movies, theater, magicians, etc). And yeah, it was necessary to move it forward. In someways it probably helped fuel the popularity of the fabled Attitude Era in terms of the promotions accepting the fact that fans weren't actual marks, but just caught up in the entertainment of it all.

Geez, I can see getting away with that in the age before the internet and search engines (never mind Google/Wikipedia in the last 20 some years), but it does say a lot about either how easily people can be worked (it's pro wrestling, its all a work anyway I'm sure is the usual "defense"). I mean people are still falling for any kind of catfish scam when it comes to all walks of life (be it by a "known" person or not), I mean how many stories can be told of people pretending to be famous athletes or other entertainers (or just simple BSing like "yeah, I was on this pro team/hit TV program/etc") just to impress unknowing girls at bars and whatnot? Even to this day when a simple Google search will show you what Ben Roethlisberger looks like!

True, wasn't quite going for the complete one-to-one, as Rodman is a true HOF while all Warrior had was tremendous name recognition among those who causally follow, or don't follow wrestling. More going for guy who transcends the sport in terms of "hey remember that guy," but was a nut and tended to believe his own hype a bit too much. Speaking of which, again I agree that one man deserves a spot as one of the greats to ever play his position, while the other deserves derision for being booked well above his actual talent and abilities, but I'd say Isiah Thomas-Jeff Jarrett might not be a bad one in terms of the smarmy snake oil charmer asshole that keeps coming back, no matter how many people just want him to disappear.

Oh God, but no more discussion of Molly Ringwald v. Hulk Hogan in terms of notoriety staying power! =

I can see that. I can easily see Hogan willingly walk away from what he's doing now with the WWE and believably say "I don't need this, I have XYZ to fall back on to get my attention fix in." I can't say that about Flair.

Look up WrestleFigs.com, they usually have exclusives as well as marketplace links.

The fact that Frank Miller had Superman make Batman look like a Giant Killer in The Dark Knight Returns is a major part of why Batman is seen as an unstoppable force that rarely jobs. That and Grant Morrison making Batman into the ultimate cerebral assassin with knowing his opponent's moves ten issues before hand!

Who would Dennis Rodman be? And no, himself doesn't count! Ultimate Warrior maybe?

Ditto the other way around where a loss "crushes his WrestleMania dreams."

BTW, it should also bear mentioning that its even more funnier when you consider how little they know about Punk's relationships besides the number of reported women he's been linked to, therefore any put down of Punk because of that is pretty much ignorant of any sort of context towards how the relationships began and/or ended.

Uh...yes, there's so much overlap between wrestling fans and Spooky Ghostest Warriors! Who of course all hold whatever barely-coherent straw opinion you've devised. LOL! The point is that I can see wrestling fans parrot views expressed, or what they'd think is the politically correct way of expressing, by whatever is being determined as the right way of thinking on issues by a hive (or herd) mentality across social media platforms. Or at least express the one in particular to "show" that they aren't living up to the neanderthal like stereotype that most other social media platform users think wrestling fans would react to such stories as Punk going after Chris Brown.

Not too surprising with the hive mentality of "Social Justice Warriors" in terms of shaping the norms of societal interactions, and where the lines are in terms of behavior and joking around in terms of blatant misogyny and the like. On the flip side, it might be stereotypical to say, but I'd wager that those who knock Punk's number of women connected to in terms of "you can't say A because of B" would be bragging all over their social media feeds (or at least privately to friends) if they had the quantity and/or quality that Punk has had, even (and maybe especially) if they were just one night stands.

I'll raise you those who, even all these years later, will troll the WWE with Benoit mentions. Be it CAW uploaded onto game servers, Krispin Wah signs and accounts read out loud on the air, I'm A Chris Benoit Guy shirts, etc. Its one thing to disagree with a private company's stance on a former employee, but the trolling does kick it up way too many notches. Almost to the point that it seems like the person is condoning or making light of what Benoit did.

Russell = Bret Hart works if you want to equate the Screwjob and end of his WWF run as akin to Russell dealing with negative and racist press and fans in Boston, as well as other stars getting their star elevated over him despite his iconic run. Oscar Robertson = Ray Stevens or just about every other great who gets the "yeah, but how much footage exists/yeah but I never saw him play" treatment when being discussed among the greats.

Not bad. I'd widen the focus to start with the Fingerpoke of Doom Nitro though just so its not covering the final 3 months. Are you going to discus the WWF attempts at the WCW brand as well?

ok this is actually a good point. i've even seen bundy's shoot and completely forgot about it, haha What soured Bundy on the buisness to that point?

I didn't say I didn't like it, I'd just prefer King George's somber ballad about life on the road in a rough, circuit based entertaiment industry,

I'd rather have heard this Amarillo song at the end, which funny enough, probably can also fit a 1970s pro wrestler's life: =

Zinkoff, who died in 1985, is one of a handful of either broadcasters or arena PA announcers to be honored by a franchise with a "retired number.". This is by a Philadelphia 76er banner at Wells Fargo arena with his name and a microphone. Quick research, this was done as he was their PA guy from their inception (former Syracuse Nats) in 1963 through his death, as well as same roll for the Warriors (now the Golden State Warriors) from 1946-1962.

To be fair, this has been a problem since the start of The Monday Night War. I often feel bemused when the night's main event is created in mid-show, as if it makes me wonder if cards are ever advertized for stuff like Nitro, and eventually when Raw would pull the same routine of creating matches during the show.

Maybe because that has been a constant request that they felt "obligated" to do notify subscribers and users (this month is free) what stuff is considered part of the official Attitude Era.

Remember when Tout was a thing? When was the last time THAT has been mentioned on the air? Ditto WWE.com/Mobile App content? At least they've haven't overused YouTube and Instagram mentions.

The amount of downtime by wrestlers when they aren't on camera during a multi-man match. It could be, say a 6 pack challenge, and a guy does a dive onto three guys in the entrance way, we're led to believe they've all been rendered unconscious, or biding their time as the other two guys run a five minute sequence in the ring? It's one thing to over sell injuries on the outside, but it gets towards suspension of disbelief territory when someone sells it like death, then 5 minutes later they get back in the match at the designated time to do so like they hadn't been "broken in damn half" or something. I think this way of booking hurts a lot of the latter Elimination Chamber matches, where just because the camera is focusing on two guys in the ring, doesn't mean the others shouldn't be doing something, even if it is clear that its nothing but low impact moves.

Cena rap battling a cardboard cutout happened on Heat, so it isn't on the WrestleMania video on the Network. Though I really hope they finally put up all the pre-2014 Elimination Chambers Heats, Free For Alls, Coliseum Exclusives, Internet (WWE.com/YouTube/etc) exclusives pre shows for the PPVs.