Mark Madden, WrestleZone Forums, and Arrogance

[Coco]

Recently, WrestleZone Forum regular and sexual deviant extraordinaire TL (or Lariat) sent an email to WrestleZone's favorite (*cough*) editorial contributor, one Mark Madden, inviting this individual to the forums to discuss his opinions on past and current going-ons in the professional wrestling biz. Mr. Madden declined Mr. Lariat's invitation, citing the following reasons (accoding to Mr. Lariat):

you guys aren't on my level.

During the Bar Room discussion of this shocking turn of events, several of the forum regulars showed their frustration towards Madden by calling him names and using naughty words, among other things. Madden's reaction, as well several forum members' reaction to his reaction, has left me with a desire to have you all spell out your thoughts on a few things for me.

Who is more arrogant here? Madden or us?

The primary function of the wrestling business is to sell us a product based on fictitious conflict and combat between perceived embodiments of good and evil. Simple, right? Wrestlers don't owe us anything beyond that unless they out and out volunteer the service to us. These additional services come in the form of autograph sessions and fanfests, or even in the way of shoot interviews, if people like James E. Cornette, Colt "Boom Boom" Cabana, or "Sparkplug" Bob Holly are so inclined to grace us with such an honor.

Over the years, however, wrestling fans have become accustomed to tales from behind the scenes of wrestling, through autobiographies, dirt sheets, and non-kayfabe interivews. We may have even been spoiled by such things. Are we being arrogant in expecting Mark Madden to directly give us some of his perspective? Have wrestling fans become too bold?

Or is it Madden who is being arrogant? If he's willing to come to WrestleZone on a regular basis and serve up an opinion, if he's willing to put himself out there and on the spot like that, should he not be prepared to deal with direct interaction with those he addresses? Should he not be ready to defend a point of view he found worthy of the printed word? If Mr. Madden had never come forward with a semi-regular editorial column, then of course asking him to defend his views would be far too bold. However, that isn't the case here.

Yes, the natural push and pull between the fans of the insiders has many times seen fans pushing to get more and more out of wrestlers. It's to be expected. But is there a point where we just expect too much generosity from our insiders? Who, if anyone, is coming off as arrogant in the scenario I've laid out for you?

 

[ABMorales787]

It's not about arrogance. At least in my case. I'm not asking about any inside stories. What I ask is why are his column's alway's about how bad this is and how bad is that and how Dixie Carter sucks and how he hates DDP. It's all wrong for him. He can never embrace the good and kindly suggest ideas and different point's of view. He's the only person in the page that does this. The other guy's actually analyze aspects of the business, columns like the Pay Per ReView or the Raw/Smackdown Ladder, you know, an analysis of the situation. From all posible points of view. Not how this is like that time in WCW and that's like my time with Hogan. That's not an editorial. It's just a guy saying he doesn't like something. In my eye's he act's just like a majority of the more "smart" wrestling fans. Angry and not willing to give the new a try.

Wrestling evolves. It has its ups and downs. Right now, we're in a down. But that doesn't mean we have to be angry at everything that happens. Madden, just like many fans, doesn't seem to wanna admit that the company has changed and that things work differently. I'm not saying he lacks knowledge because he obviously doesn't.

He said we aren't in his level? Well at least we still know how to enjoy proffesional wrestling. If he wants us to go to his level, I find it hard. He may be higher than us in terms of knowledge, I can't deny that. But in terms of enjoying this artform and seeing it from various angles... Well let's just say I might get hurt on the way down.

I have no reason to respect a man who thinks he's superior to us fan's just because he know's so.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

I believe the reason he declined my invite is simple: It doesn't benefit him to come on here and debate with us, because he's under the belief that he's above us wrestling intelligence wise, and if there was an off chance he did get schooled, all it would do is ruin his rep as a wrestling aficionado...of course I'm trying to assume what he might have been thinking here.

I personally am a fan of Madden. He may have a skewed view of wrestling sometimes, but he's accurate. He knows what goes on backstage and would know first hand if a wrestling company needs to stand up. First hand experience is something you don't teach, you go out there, and do it. And Madden did for the better part of a year. I would have just liked to see what kind of questions we would have asked and if he would have answered them. It's not like he would dodge EVERY question...why would he? It's not like we're going to ask him if Major Gunns blew every wrestler backstage or if Madusa puts out. Most of us would ask legit questions about things we wanted to know from someone with first hand knowledge.

But he's got better things to do.

 

[Blade]

Well, quite simply, Mark Madden thinks he's the shit. But if that were even remotely true, the guy would probably still have a job in the wrestling industry. The fact that he comes to this website to do his thing shows that he's on exactly the same level us, cause that's all we, as posters, are doing. The major difference is that most people agree with the opinions of the most respected posters on these forums.
If he was working for WWE, TNA, ROH or even and indy company, he might have a point. I mean, if he's good enough to get there, then he'd obviously be better than us. But he's not. This website is the highest he can get these days, while we choose to come to this website. No offense to Wrestlezone, I love this place, but if this guy had a job in the number 1 wrestling company but somehow ended up writing columns for WZ, then he obviously isn't as good as he seems to think he is.
While I have no doubt that Madden could own some of us here on the forums, the best of the best posters would pick him apart. He obviously doesn't think about his opinions clearly, he just spouts them as if anyone who thinks otherwise is a moron. But sometimes there are gaping holes in his logic. There are some posters on here that would beat him in a debate, no doubt. And I think part of him knows that because his ego can't be that big.... Can it?

 

[The Mark of Zur-En-Arrh]

Ego. Pure ego. When someone is great at something, he usually gains more respect and admoration from the ones around him, when he shares his gift with them, not for his own benefit, but for everyone's. When someone is great at something and they then use it to distance themselves from everyone, except those said person deems 'worthy', they tend to be reviled and ragged on by the majority.

As Blade accurately put it, he does what we do but gets paid, but as Lariat said, he's been and lived the life of that which we have such a passion, so when he talks you should pay attention. But honestly, does he really need to insult us every FUCKING time someone invites him to enlighten us with his experience? Is it neccessary to be a complete douchebag at every given opportunity to the people who actually spend a LOT of time on this website? This website, that pays him for his thoughts and viewpoints, and that he apparently WANTS to be a part of?

I don't think so.

Madden, you don't want to waste time interacting with us? Fine, but do us a favour, next time someone asks you something, type nothing at all. Answer what you want to answer, and be done with it, and then your future editorials won't be summarised with a 'clarification' as to why we should have such animosity towards you.