Pro Wrestling Nostalgia Thread

[ASSCLOWN]

I watched wrestling intently up until about the late 90s/early 2000s.

It is so bad now in comparison that it's almost hard to believe. It is tailored to 10 year old kids who over guys like John Cena couldn't hold the jock of many of the wrestlers from the 90s.

It is more of a soap opera than ever. You have to have storylines but the wrestling is still the main focus. The storylines today are woeful anyways.

[Dunnkey]

unbelievable. you guys are bashing umd for watching FNL and you guys still watch wrestling even though it died out a decade ago

There's almost no word in that sentence that isn't wrong.  Well okay, the "died out part" maybe right, I really don't know, don't watch it anymore.

[hammondsnats]

I watched wrestling intently up until about the late 90s/early 2000s.

It is so bad now in comparison that it's almost hard to believe. It is tailored to 10 year old kids who over guys like John Cena couldn't hold the jock of many of the wrestlers from the 90s.

It is more of a soap opera than ever. You have to have storylines but the wrestling is st

I still watch WWE for the chicks and for DX.  that's it.

I'm with SF, I've been hooked on a lot of shows recently - more now than I did when I was younger. 

But Sports > TVs/movies/video games/music

[Minty Fresh]

I watched wrestling intently up until about the late 90s/early 2000s.

It is so bad now in comparison that it's almost hard to believe. It is tailored to 10 year old kids who over guys like John Cena couldn't hold the jock of many of the wrestlers from the 90s.

It is more of a soap opera than ever. You have to have storylines but the wrestling is still the main focus. The storylines today are woeful anyways.

The difference is, with professional wrestling, there is a low expectation.  Even its hardcore fans think it's "campy."

Friday Night Lights (and shows just like it) try to be something they're not. 

[ASSCLOWN]

There's almost no word in that sentence that isn't wrong.  Well okay, the "died out part" maybe right, I really don't know, don't watch it anymore.

?

I still watch WWE for the chicks and for DX.  that's it.

I'm with SF, I've been hooked on a lot of shows recently - more now than I did when I was younger. 

But Sports > TVs/movies/video games/music

wrestling isn't sports. The DX was good 10 years ago. It's old, stale. Michaels and HHH look like fools. They aren't young and hip anymore. Act your age. It doesn't work.

[Lintyfresh85]

I watched wrestling intently up until about the late 90s/early 2000s.

It is so bad now in comparison that it's almost hard to believe. It is tailored to 10 year old kids who over guys like John Cena couldn't hold the jock of many of the wrestlers from the 90s.

It is more of a soap opera than ever. You have to have storylines but the wrestling is still the main focus. The storylines today are woeful anyways.

What you fail to realize though is that the wrestling aspect of today's product... the pure wrestling... is miles better than anything produced in the boom era of the "Attitue Era".

Back then, it was all five minute matches with a ton of storyline etc. Hell, look at the PPV matches and you have tons of run ins, ref bumps and hardcore spots.

Take a look at today's matches and they are much better. Guys are putting on clinics in the ring and its a thing of beauty to watch.

So yes, wrestling isn't what it was in the 90's. But in terms of matches, that's a good thing. I'd take the work rate of the 2000's any day over the crap that was put out during the Attitue Era.

[Minty Fresh]

I'm with Minty, TV is the devil, and you kids need to get off my damn lawn!

In all seriousness, though, I don't think that all television is garbage or that it's the devil; but good programming is hard to find.

[hammondsnats]

wrestling isn't sports. The DX was good 10 years ago. It's old, stale. Michaels and HHH look like fools. They aren't young and hip anymore. Act your age. It doesn't work.

I wasn't including wrestling in that group, I was just saying the only things I watch for are chicks/DX, but mostly on Mondays I'm flipping between HIMYM and House with the ocassional flip to WWE.

[ASSCLOWN]

What you fail to realize though is that the wrestling aspect of today's product... the pure wrestling... is miles better than anything produced in the boom era of the "Attitue Era".

Back then, it was all five minute matches with a ton of storyline etc. Hell, look at the PPV matches and you have tons of run ins, ref bumps and hardcore spots.

Take a look at today's matches and they are much better. Guys are putting on clinics in the ring and its a thing of beauty to watch.

So yes, wrestling isn't what it was in the 90's. But in terms of matches, that's a good thing. I'd take the work rate of the 2000's any day over the crap that was put out during the Attitue Era.

I don't buy it. The storylines today are unbelievably cheesy and the wrestling is sub-standard.

The WCW/WWF days were the best. Too bad the WWF ruined that.

[PANatsFan]

  My then fiancee made me watch it with her (I was 23 and she was 21).  I actually ended up not marrying her - probably over our tastes in entertainment.

I would be very lonely right now and 1 less Nats fan would exist if I followed this strategy

[Minty Fresh]

?wrestling isn't sports. The DX was good 10 years ago. It's old, stale. Michaels and HHH look like fools. They aren't young and hip anymore. Act your age. It doesn't work.

It depends on your definition of sport.  It's certainly loads more athletic than bowling, golf, NASCAR and some would say baseball.  The difference is the outcomes are predetermined.

[Dunnkey]

?

You grossly misrepresented the discussion up to that point.  Nobody was "bashing" UMD and no one other than Minty even mentioned watching pro wrestling.

In all seriousness, though, I don't think that all television is garbage or that it's the devil; but good programming is hard to find.

I honestly wouldn't know.  Aside from baseball, I only rarely watch TV on my own, and even then it's mostly older stuff or movies.

[Lintyfresh85]

I don't buy it. The storylines today are unbelievably cheesy and the wrestling is sub-standard.

The WCW/WWF days were the best. Too bad the WWF ruined that.

I don't disagree one bit that the storylines suck compared to yesteryear... I'm simply talking about the matches on their own. They are excellent.

They actually build to an event now. No longer are matches building to a mega spot that drains the crowd for the next three matches. They work smart now. They build the crowd with small spots and tell a much better story than they did just a few years ago. It protects the wrestler and lets the crowd know that when someone falls off a 15 foot ladder, it actually means something now... rather than it just be a transitional spot like it would have been 5-10 years ago.

[blue911]

It depends on your definition of sport.  It's certainly loads more athletic than bowling, golf, NASCAR and some would say baseball.  The difference is the outcomes are predetermined.

Nobody ever went to jail for fixing a wrestling match. Hell you don't see stories about disgraced wrestling refs.

[Minty Fresh]

I would be very lonely right now and 1 less Nats fan would exist if I followed this strategy

Nah.  I still found someone who matched my tastes...and in more than just entertainment!   

[Dunnkey]

Nobody ever went to jail for fixing a wrestling match. Hell you don't see stories about disgraced wrestling refs.

I'm not sure what you're getting at with those points, but the latter is not entirely true:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Screwjob

[Minty Fresh]

Nobody ever went to jail for fixing a wrestling match. Hell you don't see stories about disgraced wrestling refs.

They're exalted and they make the HoF!

[ASSCLOWN]

I'm not sure what you're getting at with those points, but the latter is not entirely true:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Screwjob

I was going to post that.

Bret Hart was my favorite. I have an autographed picture of him framed in my basement.

[Lintyfresh85]

I've met Dave Hebner before. He looks just like Earl.

[PANatsFan]

I'm not sure what you're getting at with those points, but the latter is not entirely true:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Screwjob

They admitted it was fake years later. Big surprise.

I do like to use the word screwjob as much as possible though.

[Dunnkey]

They admitted it was fake years later. Big surprise.

I do like to use the word screwjob as much as possible though.

Ahem.  Citation needed.  And I think you're probably wrong.  Wikipedia isn't known for falling behind on things like that.

[blue911]

I'm not sure what you're getting at with those points, but the latter is not entirely true:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Screwjob

Can you summarize? I'm not going to read all that about some stupid rassling match.

[PANatsFan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayfabe#Montreal_Screwjob

Ok so according to Wikipedia it's in dispute.

I don't exactly follow closely, but honestly, would you be surprised?

[Lintyfresh85]

It's 100% real. I don't care what they say now. Watch 'Wrestling with Shadows'. Does Hart look like a guy that was in on the screwjob?

Not a chance in hell.

[Minty Fresh]

The only person who wasn't aware of what was happening was Bret Hart.  Michaels and Hebner were just toting the party line for Vince McMahon.  It was one of McMahon's thousands of classless moves in his lifetime.

EDIT:  I'm so proud I could take a perfectly lively discussion on "Must See TV" and turn it into a dissertation on professional wrestling.