TheOneBigWill
[This Space for Rent]
The timeless, ageless question begs to be asked. With literally thousands, if not more, clamouring on at the head over the Internet and their vicious Professional Wrestling rumor sites harming and hurting the business.. it's time once again to answer.. Did the Internet kill Professional Wrestling?
I've seen the tired arguments of how rumors hurt storylines. How spoilers ruin the product. How nothing can remain kayfabe any longer, and all of this leads to the downfall of Professional Wrestling. But the true question is, does it really?
The Internet, in my opinion isn't harming Professional Wrestling as much as the people who buy into every single, little, detail that gets published and displayed on a computer monitor. Even I will admit to reading the silliness and stupidity on rumor sites, just like this one, but that doesn't mean it's ruining the entertainment-sport for me. It means it's filling my head with a new type of knowledge.
When I was younger, first beginning to watch Professional Wrestling I had no clue how deep it went. Now I have what I'd only foolishly consider a decent look on the inside and backbone of the Industry. When the truth is, every "I.W.C." individual out there firmly believes because they've been given the opening to read all of this new found information, that they suddenly know just as much of whats going on and how it's going on, as the people who run this Industry. I think not.
Suddenly because "kayfabe injuries" are no longer kept secret. Because huge returns, or surprises are revealed before they actually happen. Because storylines are leaked.. this makes every I.W.C-ite out there, believe they have the upper hand on what will happen, even before it's set in stone to happen. Is that the Internets fault, or the person reading and believing into it? Think on that for a moment.
While the Internet has ruined a few things, it's no one except your own fault, if it ruins the overall enjoyment for you. Because the Internet can not make you click into a link that reads "Major Breaking News: Superstar *injured, returns, etc.*"
Jump with me, back to 1999. That was the year I first truly got into the "World Wide Web". Before then, I had no acknowledgement of the Internet, or anything Wrestling-rumor related. Take for example, when Shawn Michaels wrestled the Undertaker in 1998, at the Royal Rumble, I had no idea he injured his back. So the entire thing was just one big storyline, that was interesting in the build-up to Austin/H.B.K, and it was very good because I didn't have anything or anyone, ruining the storyline the Company wanted you to see.. from the behind-the-scenes stuff, that someone, somewhere firmly believed you needed to know.
Jump even further back, to 1996 and the debut of Scott Hall, then Kevin Nash to W.C.W. It was exciting, and shocking. That was the first real big glimpse of anything "behind-the-scenes", to me. I could only imagine how much more deflating and ruining it must have been with someone constantly trying to ruin the fun in the storyline, but breaking the news on what was really going to happen.. before it ever happened.
So the question repeats itself. Has, did, the Internet.. destroy, kill, Professional Wrestling?
I say No. I say everyone who bought into the rumors, regardless of them being real or just theory.. everyone who bought into them, then followed through by whispering these theories and rumors into someone else's ear.. followed by that person carrying on, and so forth, and so on.. it wasn't the Internet that destroyed the Industry.. it was the I.W.C, the people who felt the need to ruin the mysterious parts of the Industry, for all of the rest of us.
I was perfectly happy living in 1996, in 1998, not having the slightest clue as to who was really injured. Who was making a big return, or debut. Or what the finish to a storyline would be.. two months before it ever even began.
So what do all of you believe? Internet.. or Person? Who killed the enjoyment of Professional Wrestling? Who took away the mystic of the Industry? And why do you think this way?
I've seen the tired arguments of how rumors hurt storylines. How spoilers ruin the product. How nothing can remain kayfabe any longer, and all of this leads to the downfall of Professional Wrestling. But the true question is, does it really?
The Internet, in my opinion isn't harming Professional Wrestling as much as the people who buy into every single, little, detail that gets published and displayed on a computer monitor. Even I will admit to reading the silliness and stupidity on rumor sites, just like this one, but that doesn't mean it's ruining the entertainment-sport for me. It means it's filling my head with a new type of knowledge.
When I was younger, first beginning to watch Professional Wrestling I had no clue how deep it went. Now I have what I'd only foolishly consider a decent look on the inside and backbone of the Industry. When the truth is, every "I.W.C." individual out there firmly believes because they've been given the opening to read all of this new found information, that they suddenly know just as much of whats going on and how it's going on, as the people who run this Industry. I think not.
Suddenly because "kayfabe injuries" are no longer kept secret. Because huge returns, or surprises are revealed before they actually happen. Because storylines are leaked.. this makes every I.W.C-ite out there, believe they have the upper hand on what will happen, even before it's set in stone to happen. Is that the Internets fault, or the person reading and believing into it? Think on that for a moment.
While the Internet has ruined a few things, it's no one except your own fault, if it ruins the overall enjoyment for you. Because the Internet can not make you click into a link that reads "Major Breaking News: Superstar *injured, returns, etc.*"
Jump with me, back to 1999. That was the year I first truly got into the "World Wide Web". Before then, I had no acknowledgement of the Internet, or anything Wrestling-rumor related. Take for example, when Shawn Michaels wrestled the Undertaker in 1998, at the Royal Rumble, I had no idea he injured his back. So the entire thing was just one big storyline, that was interesting in the build-up to Austin/H.B.K, and it was very good because I didn't have anything or anyone, ruining the storyline the Company wanted you to see.. from the behind-the-scenes stuff, that someone, somewhere firmly believed you needed to know.
Jump even further back, to 1996 and the debut of Scott Hall, then Kevin Nash to W.C.W. It was exciting, and shocking. That was the first real big glimpse of anything "behind-the-scenes", to me. I could only imagine how much more deflating and ruining it must have been with someone constantly trying to ruin the fun in the storyline, but breaking the news on what was really going to happen.. before it ever happened.
So the question repeats itself. Has, did, the Internet.. destroy, kill, Professional Wrestling?
I say No. I say everyone who bought into the rumors, regardless of them being real or just theory.. everyone who bought into them, then followed through by whispering these theories and rumors into someone else's ear.. followed by that person carrying on, and so forth, and so on.. it wasn't the Internet that destroyed the Industry.. it was the I.W.C, the people who felt the need to ruin the mysterious parts of the Industry, for all of the rest of us.
I was perfectly happy living in 1996, in 1998, not having the slightest clue as to who was really injured. Who was making a big return, or debut. Or what the finish to a storyline would be.. two months before it ever even began.
So what do all of you believe? Internet.. or Person? Who killed the enjoyment of Professional Wrestling? Who took away the mystic of the Industry? And why do you think this way?