Is discussing/analysing wrestling more enjoyable to you than watching?

[BigBadMick]

Grimmas - Often I enjoy discussing wrestling more than watching it.

 

Me - I'm not sure if that last one is a confession. It's hard to imagine being a fan at this level without being able to bounce ideas off others.

Grimmas - Sorry, to clarify, enjoy discussing wrestling more than watching wrestling. Maybe that is common?

Me - I understood ok, my point was that sometimes the discussion/analysis/reading posts here is more enjoyable than watching for me too. And it would be hard to get to his level of fandom if you were watching in a cave, completely isolated somewhere.

Well? Whatcha think?

[BillThompson]

A little of column A and B for me. I love watching wrestling; we're all here because we love watching wrestling. However, we're also here because of the discussions that spring forth from the watching. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't value wrestling as much as I do if I did not have an outlet to share my thoughts and discuss ideas and theories with others. However, I am interested in discussion, not proving that I'm right. When the discussions devolve into battles to prove who is right and who is wrong then I feel like discussion wrestling isn't worth it.

[Mad Dog]

No. My memory has gotten so poor that it can be hard for me to discuss events and matches that I haven't immediately watched or watched within the last 5 years or so. I'm happier sitting in my den watching stuff more than struggling to remember the ins and outs of something being discussed.

[JerryvonKramer]

A post I once made on this topic: http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/27892-rekindling-the-spark/?p=5615799

 

In some ways, I am Johnny Sorrow's polar opposite. Everything he does is experiential and "fun". Everything I do is analytical and "work". He derives pleasure from "fun", I derive pleasure from the critical process. This is why I play Euro Boardgames and make spreadsheets when fantasy booking.

 

I literally do hate parties too:

[Steenalized]

I'm a lot like Parv. Don't get me wrong, I love getting caught up in wrestling and enjoying it, but I do a lot of the same things. I make spreadsheets to organize things in games. I play what my friends call "spreadsheet games" like Crusader Kings 2 and Football Manager and TEW. I watch NFL games every Sunday but my real joy is reading breakdowns of them the following days. Same thing with baseball, boxing, college football, etc. and all the other sports I like. I find, especially thanks to the rise of blogs and podcasts, that I often enjoy analysis of things that I enjoy more than actual participation in or consumption of that thing.

[JerryvonKramer]

I don't want to get too sidetracked, Steenalized, but honest to god I had to stop playing Crusader Kings 2 because it was wrecking my life! Was getting to the point where I was actually considering calling in sick to carry on with it. I deemed it "too good to actually play". [/nerdy tangent]

 

Also, I once figured out that my real love isn't football (soccer) but football analysis and so tried to go an entire season only listening to podcasts and watching analysis without watching any games at all, to see if that could work. Conclusion: it did feel like something was missing, ha ha!!

[goc]

I don't know if it's that I ENJOY discussing wrestling more than I like watching it, but I definitely spend more time talking/thinking about wrestling than watching it. It's just hard for me to sit down and passively watch ANYTHING and wrestling is even harder because it requires pretty much your full attention whereas I can have a comedy show on in the background and go about my ADD life.

 

I think that I probably DO enjoy playing TEW more than actually watching wrestling though. I have about 5 years real time and 13 years in-game on my current TEW game and when I was having computer problems and thought I might have to wipe my hard drive I was physically ill at the thought of losing the game. I didn't really care about losing anything else on my hard drive EXCEPT my TEW game.

[Steenalized]

I had that very pang this morning. I doubt I would have taken a day off ever, but the thought lingers in the morning if I see that shield icon and think about how my heir is about to inherit Ruthenia through his mother.

 

A good example of analysis without even watching it is me and the last few NJPW reaction shows. I haven't seen them yet but I still listened to the reaction shows. Same with the last ROH PPV reaction. The WWE shows that I watch and then see the reaction show are definitely more enjoyable, but I sincerely enjoy hearing bright, knowledgeable people breakdown something that I have an interest in, even a cursory one.

[Matt D]

I'm not sure these are separate things to me, unless I'm at a live show. I don't just shut my brain off because I'm watching a match. In some ways, that's when I'm analyzing things the most.

[BigBadMick]

'I don't want to get too sidetracked,'

 

Then don't

[JerryvonKramer]

To get back on track then, one thought I'll throw out is that I see the distinction between emotion and analysis as being artificial. It's a false dichotomy. You NEED the emotion a lot of the time to give ammunition to the analysis. I think sometimes there's an assumption that analysis has to be cold and intellectual, that isn't true. In fact, analysis from someone who feels nothing is necessarily poorer than analysis from someone who is able to suspend their disbelief. I really believe that. Which is why I try to get caught up in matches as much as I can.

[Mad Dog]

I don't know if it's that I ENJOY discussing wrestling more than I like watching it, but I definitely spend more time talking/thinking about wrestling than watching it. It's just hard for me to sit down and passively watch ANYTHING and wrestling is even harder because it requires pretty much your full attention whereas I can have a comedy show on in the background and go about my ADD life.

 

I think that I probably DO enjoy playing TEW more than actually watching wrestling though. I have about 5 years real time and 13 years in-game on my current TEW game and when I was having computer problems and thought I might have to wipe my hard drive I was physically ill at the thought of losing the game. I didn't really care about losing anything else on my hard drive EXCEPT my TEW game.

Not to veer this off but have you tried the WMMA game? I just got it and it's fantastic.

[goc]

I just looked into it, I haven't really been into MMA since 2010 so I don't think that's for me. I won't even update to the new version of TEW because I wouldn't be able to keep my game.

[ButchReedMark]

Wrestling helps me turn off for a while, it's just my happy place. Reams of analysis, debate, and argument would kill that for me. That and I'm about as articulate as a donkey dick so I'd not be able to successfully analyse and look into it if I tried anyway.

[dawho5]

I love both. I agree with Parv about having to feel the wrestling to analyze it well. It's why I like watching wrestling so much and prefer that to talking about it. I just let it take me wherever it's going. Talking about the ride is just the cherry on top.

[Loss]

If I didn't have an outlet to talk about the wrestling I watch, I would have checked out a long time ago. I think I'd say I enjoy both equally.

[Karl]

I read and listen to things about wrestling way more than I do watch actual matches or shows. I find the business and history of wrestling so fascinating. Even during the years where I watched absolutely no wrestling I would still periodically subscribe to the observer just to read about the business and listen to the podcasts - I wouldn't have a single clue who half the people being mentioned were, but I was still fascinated.

 

The flip side to this is that because of the great PWO podcasts and forums I can often be inspired to go on mad wrestling binges where I find everything I can about certain things.....I am quite happy with this balance really.

 

P.s. the first thing I did when reading this thread was look up Crusader Kings 2....may god have mercy.

[tim]

Though I wouldn't say it's more enjoyable, it is more of a habit. I've gone periods of a year+ watching hardly an wrestling over the past 7 years but even if I hadn't watched a minute of a show or a match in months I never really stopped browsing forums somewhat regularly.

[Strand Peanut]

Watching wrestling very rarely reaches the heights I get from reading and learning about wrestling.

 

But that's what drew me in.. I became more of a fan of matches later.. Sort of drove that car in reverse!

[Dooley]

I haven't watched [current] wrestling in 10+ years. But I love a place like this where I can walk down memory lane and reminisce.

[ohtani's jacket]

Watching a match is a 20 minute investment. Constructing a post is more immediately satisfying and much more interactive. Not to mention the fact that the depth and breadth of what people discuss is greater than the matches themselves.

[rzombie1988]

I enjoy discussing it and thinking about it more than actually watching it, atleast with the current programming.

 

Oh and GOC, you better copy that TEW save file somewhere man lol

[goc]

Yea it's backed up now.

[Wade Garrett]

I think they go hand and hand. Especially here with all the knowledge. I'm so blown away by this place it's not even funny. I told my cousin about it who was a Georgia guy in the 70's into the early 80's. I'd really like him to come aboard and discuss Georgia from that time period. He went to a lot of shows in Atlanta, Marietta, and Macon in the time frame. Unfortunately he's a shitty writer then I and computers aren't his thing.

[Badlittlekitten]

Shitty writer then I?

 

You don't sound all that good mate! I bet he's using sharpened stones.