Cross Face Chicken Wing Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Everyone knows I like 80s and 90s wrestling but they have no idea about all the binders of DVDs and in-depth wrestling discussions on the interwebs. How do you even explain something like that? I'm the guy who references Randy Savage's elbow drop or Hulk Hogan slamming Andre in making an analogy in a normal conversation and people think it's kinda neat and laugh about me remembering things from back when wrestling was "cool." They have no idea how into this shit I really am. A good buddy moved in with me for about 10 months a while back. He hates wrestling and mocks me for liking it. By the time he moved out, he still hated wrestling, but he told me that he oddly respected me more when he saw just how much I enjoyed wrestling and how much time I put into the hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steenalized Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 My friends and family generally know. At least, any of them that I talk to regularly know. My girlfriend is all too aware, but we just have an unspoken thing where I don't watch it (much) when she's around since she's not a fan. Actually, Total Divas helped with that, since she enjoys the show. I think she and my roommates are the only ones aware of just how into wrestling I am. I live with three others guys, one of them watches Raw with my every week and the PPVs and occasionally some PWG. They've jokingly redubbed our TV the "wrestling box." I don't go out of my way to tell people, but I make no efforts to hide it and will bring it up before long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death From Above Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I used to. Don't bother to anymore. I will crack a wrestilng-themed joke if it's what comes to mind, which is about as far as it goes for me these days since I no longer watch regularly. It's a waste of energy about what people "might think" when in reality 75% don't care, 24% are also wrestling fans, and 1% are assholes that would actually judge someone for being a wrestilng fan. So fuck the 1%. Everyone knows I like 80s and 90s wrestling but they have no idea about all the binders of DVDs and in-depth wrestling discussions on the interwebs. How do you even explain something like that? I'm the guy who references Randy Savage's elbow drop or Hulk Hogan slamming Andre in making an analogy in a normal conversation and people think it's kinda neat and laugh about me remembering things from back when wrestling was "cool."They have no idea how into this shit I really am. This sums it up for me as well but I'm like that with all things. Like I might mention I'm interested in NASA but it's not like I go into detail that I follow about 25 different NASA sub-accounts on twitter and read up on exprimental plasma engines and shit. Nobody needs to know that stuff to get the idea, and if they're not already into it most of it will be impossible to explain why it's interesting anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Ridge Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Mitt Romney raised eyebrows during the presidential debate Tuesday night when he claimed that as governor of Massachusetts, he had been so dismayed at the lack of wrestling board moderator candidates that he sent the internet wrestling community out to find them. "I went to a number of pro wrestling message boards and said, 'Can you help us find folks?' and they brought us whole binders full of DVDs," he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I had a concerned friend a few weeks ago who I thought was overreacting and told if he was a wrestler, he'd be the Ultimate Worrier. So I guess that's some progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerpride Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Who would hide being a wrestling fan? Wrestling's awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoo Enthusiast Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Everyone knows I like 80s and 90s wrestling but they have no idea about all the binders of DVDs and in-depth wrestling discussions on the interwebs. How do you even explain something like that? I'm the guy who references Randy Savage's elbow drop or Hulk Hogan slamming Andre in making an analogy in a normal conversation and people think it's kinda neat and laugh about me remembering things from back when wrestling was "cool." That's exactly what I was talking about. One of my co-workers was at the Main Event when the Mega Powers broke up, so we talk about stuff like that. And I'll wear things like the I Broke Wahoo's Leg shirt to work. There's no chance in hell I would wear a John Cena shirt or something, even if I like him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cross Face Chicken Wing Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Who would hide being a wrestling fan? Someone who wants to get laid on a regular basis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimmas Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I do not hide the fact, nor do I advertise. Essentially I treat it like any other sport and art. I don't bring up hockey or wrestling or music, etc.. unless others do first. Although when people come over to my place they see dvds and I just explain it to them. It's not really a big deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainmakerrtv Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I've been married for 14 years. Since I no longer care about attracting other women, I no longer care if anyone knows I am a wrestling fan. The only thing I've had to explain to my wife about goodhelmet is that he is not German. I'm still not sure if she believes me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Waco Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I don't advertise it really, but I tend to be an open book, and everyone who knows me, knows I'm a fan. I don't own wrestling t-shirts because they are largely unappealing to me, but I will read wrestling books in public without a second thought. My boss listens to my podcast, so it doesn't hinder me at my wage job, and editors who have employed me and know about it generally think it's novel. Hell even the parents of kids I have tutored knew and didn't care, though more than one has chuckled and rolled there eyes. Just the other day I had the head of the African American Studies department at the college I attend, and another distinguished prof. in my general field of study offer to help me get grant money for a wrestling related project I mentioned in passing (largely as an aside to illustrate a broader point). I don't see that happening, but the point is that I have never been closeted and I honestly can't imagine being closeted. I would stop watching before I would go to the trouble of hiding it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minds_Eys Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Through my job I travel frequently and work at different sites. When I am at my office for work I typically go eat with a couple of my superiors. One day it was just me and one superior so we rode in his truck to eat. In the passenger seat sat a copy of Jerry Jarret's autobiography. After I mentioned that I had read it and read wrestling books regularly, he proceeded to take me to his house and show me his Jimmy Valiant signed action figure! Now I normally give him wrestling books after I read them. Thursday I gave him Cornette's Rags, Papers, and Pins. We live an hour away from Memphis so he has watched Memphis wrestling his entire life and wrestling ran in our town almost every Saturday so I assume he will be familiar with a lot of the items in Cornette's book and may own an item or two. You never know when you will run into a fellow fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Jackson Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I had a concerned friend a few weeks ago who I thought was overreacting and told if he was a wrestler, he'd be the Ultimate Worrier. So I guess that's some progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 If you think wrestling hurts getting laid then you haven't been to WWE shows recently because there are a lot of women there. You could explain away "goodhelmet" by saying it's code for a blowjob. Maybe it's a Southern thing though regarding wrestling because it's way more acceptable to be a fan down here than maybe other places. Regarding talking to people about wrestling a lot of my friends that watch are the ones that watch just weekly TV and don't follow online so they are into the product way differently than I am and it's fun talking to them because they don't have the average online mentality and they watch with no analysis in mind just watching it for fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cross Face Chicken Wing Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 If you think wrestling hurts getting laid then you haven't been to WWE shows recently because there are a lot of women there. I went to RAW a year ago and there were a few MILFs there with their kids, I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I don't advertise it really, but I tend to be an open book, and everyone who knows me, knows I'm a fan. I don't own wrestling t-shirts because they are largely unappealing to me, but I will read wrestling books in public without a second thought. My boss listens to my podcast, so it doesn't hinder me at my wage job, and editors who have employed me and know about it generally think it's novel. Hell even the parents of kids I have tutored knew and didn't care, though more than one has chuckled and rolled there eyes. Just the other day I had the head of the African American Studies department at the college I attend, and another distinguished prof. in my general field of study offer to help me get grant money for a wrestling related project I mentioned in passing (largely as an aside to illustrate a broader point). I don't see that happening, but the point is that I have never been closeted and I honestly can't imagine being closeted. I would stop watching before I would go to the trouble of hiding it Yeah but you're also a crazy bearded malcontent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrisZ Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 If you think wrestling hurts getting laid then you haven't been to WWE shows recently because there are a lot of women there. I went to RAW a year ago and there were a few MILFs there with their kids, I guess. Not just MILFs but there were a lot of chicks in packs at the past few shows I've been to in the ATL. All of them loved Cena of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cross Face Chicken Wing Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I need to move to the south so I can observe these chicks in packs at wrestling shows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradhindsight Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I'm completely open about the hobby and I always speak confidently about it when it does come up (i.e. at work if I'm going away for the weekend for the Rumble or Mania). Nowadays with geek culture what it is, being passionate about a niche hobby is generally accepted for what it is, and i'm self aware enough where I'm not shoving it down someone's throat when the conversation tapers out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Sorrow Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I could go for a goodhelmet right about now, actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southofheavy Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I'm on the fence. I have a few friends that are fans, and I've bought PPVs with them, shot the shit with them about it, and had a blast. I have a couple friends especially who put their fandom on front street. One of them was the guitar player in my old band, and after we played a gig once, I noticed he was wearing a Jerichoholic shirt. It makes me just wanna say fuck it and put it on front street. That said, even with those friends, I feel like I come off as having some sort of Rain Man knowledge base just from watching this shit since I was four and creeping boards like this since '98. One of the first times my guitar player and I got together to watch wrasslin', I threw on that Ohtani/Samurai match after watching some RoH and that one ladder match where Joey Mercury got his face blew out, and the reaction amongst the guys was like, "Huh. This is, like, way more realistic." Which is cool, but I kinda showed my hand with that one, nah mean? The reason why I keep it on the DL for the most part is that I got tired of having to defend it. I got tired of the eye rolls. I got tired of seeing other people who were into it get teased. I just decided to keep my mouth shut about it. Thing is, I've noticed that there's a lot more people out there these days that are just up front about it and don't give a shit. People I know are Instagramming pics of themselves at WWE events and pics of wrestlers both old school and new. Just like comic books, DnD, and Magic have become a badge of honor, a "fuck off, this rules" kinda thing, wrestling is approaching that with more people. It's encouraging me to just say screw it and say "Yeah, I watch wrestling. Because it fucking rules, and yeah, I know it's fake. Wanna step outside about it?" For every eye roll, for every dumb comment we've all heard a million times before, there's a Dusty Rhodes promo, a Daniel Bryan match, or a Great Muta moonsault that says "Yeah, but...c'mon. That's undeniable." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southofheavy Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 On the getting laid front, I dated a smoking hot 22 year old last year who blurted out to me, "Yeah, I just started watching Smackdown out of the blue" one day and then IG'd the cover of the Best of Nitro set a couple weeks later. It's not the barrier that you think it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soup23 Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Family always has known. No one else has watched since 2001 so it never comes up. Wife knows and knew fairly early on when it became apparent that I had to explain away the 150 VHS tapes that were in my room with my handwriting on it. I don't think she has fully accepts wrestling and doesn't think it is entertaining in the slightest but she has accepted it as my "hobby". All of my closest friends know but like my family, they dont watch so it rarely gets brought up besides, "is Sting coming to the WWE?" I stayed fairly hidden at work for the first 5 years of my career after college. Then the perfect storm of going to Wrestlemania and being tagged in facebook photos outed me to my current job. I was only friends with a few co workers at the time and while most were receptive, I will say me liking wrestling did hinder my friendship with one co-worker when I saw insulting tweets after the fact about me flying up there. Now, everyone at work is aware and they speak openly to me. As I mentioned a few days ago, I work extensively with two hispanic workers and they take great delight in me knowing who Super Porky is. One even listened to the podcast last week and she said she enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheapshot Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I don't really give two hoots who knows if I like wrestling or not. Never really have. Weirdly, what's probably made it easier is that all my close friends are wrestling fans of various degrees, from reading the Observer to casually watching the Royal Rumble or Wrestlemania. I have even had my partner call up and speak to Meltzer and ask him a question on Observer Radio before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Anyone who knows me knows that I love wrestling. Never been a problem. I think my parents are still surprised that I never "grew out of it". They always thought it was a phase. My wife doesn't like wrestling, but is cool with me liking it. That is, until we got a note from my 2-year-old's daycare that she was "wrestling" kids to the ground and "pinning" them. I was proud of her for shooting on the other kids. The wife, not so much. She watches all the "Real Houswives of..." shows. She freely admits that they're basically the female-equivalent of pro wrestling. I'm pretty lucky to have a ton of fans at work. I work at a tv station in Louisville. One of our main anchors is a commentator for OVW on the side. One of our female anchors (who is very respected in town) is a Mid-South fan from way back. One of our top reporters is a huge Memphis fan. There are about five guys in production that are more-than-casual fans. I've had them over for Wrestlemania. My wife was amazed that there are "other nerds who know as much about that stuff as you do." If she only knew what kind of nerds hung out here I figure in the grand scheme of things, it's a harmless hobby. It makes me happy. It helps me relax watching it. That said, I need to get my ass in gear on the Lucha set. Been slacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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