From: rusbasan@expert.cc.purdue.edu (Bob Rusbasan)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling
Subject: Re: "Title matches are real"
Date: 26 Jan 93 22:07:56 GMT
Article-I.D.: mentor.C1HEtB.49C
Distribution: usa
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center

In article <1993Jan26.193658.9227@cbfsb.cb.att.com> cg@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (charles.gavinelli) writes:
>In article <Steve_Hooper.05q8@tvbbs.wimsey.bc.ca>, Steve_Hooper@tvbbs.wimsey.bc.ca (Steve Hooper) writes:
>> Thu 21 Jan 93  5:20, Rusbasan@expert.cc.purdue.edu wrote:

>>  R> Believe it or not, this is quite common.  Another common belief, one
>>  R> that my friends and I had when we were kids, was that most of the
>>  R> TV matches were exhibitions for wrestlers to show off their skills,
>>  R> but the arena matches were usually real.

>> This is a VERY real scenario...and that's why it is disgusting to read
>> someone's match reports from a house show where because he reads this
>> group, he yells out finishes and spots in front of a crowd.  He knows via
>> someone elses match reports that a certain finish has been used in other
>> cities.

>	Steve, you want disgusting - I'll give you disgusting:

[ Reasons why it is obvious that wrestling isn't real deleted ]

Even though Mr. Hooper isn't too popular in this group, I'm going
to have to side with him on this one.  Even though I thought your
post about people's reactions when you yelled out the outcomes of
matches in advance was funny, I would not have been happy if I had
been there.

Many "smart" fans that go to matches seem to think everyone else
there is a mark.  Believe it or not, that is not true.  Many people
go to the house shows knowing full well that what they are seeing
is a form of theater, and these people usually do not want to be
told the result of every match in advance any more than they would
want to be told the result of a movie or play they paid to see.
If you really feel it is your mission to educate marks, perhaps you
can do it in such a way that you don't spoil the fun of everyone
within earshot of you.

Before wrestling became a big thing, before the first WrestleMania,
I read about a poll of people leaving house shows someone took.
Two thirds of the people polled knew wrestling was not a competitive
sport.  After the 20/20 expose, the reporting of Vince's testimony
about how wrestling is run, and other things like that, I would bet
the number of non-marks is much higher today.

At a house show, the VAST majority of people, whether they are
"smart" fans or marks, do not know the results of the matches they
are there to see and would prefer to find out as they happen.  Yes,
*if* you have heard the results from a previous WWF house show you
will be able to figure out what is going to happen, but these people
usually have not.  It is a matter of common courtesy -- you wouldn't
yell out the ending of a movie, and you shouldn't yell out the ending
to wrestling matches either.

Although I agree that Vince should try to vary the house shows,
that is completely irrelevant to this argument.  In your futile
attempt to change Vince's behavior and educate marks, you may have
ruined the night for many people.

-- 
   =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
  / Bob Rusbasan                  |     Dance to the tension       \
 /  rusbasan@expert.cc.purdue.edu |      of a world on edge         \
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-