• Xenforo Cloud has scheduled an upgrade to XenForo version 2.2.16. This will take place on or shortly after the following date and time: Jul 05, 2024 at 05:00 PM (PT) There shouldn't be any downtime, as it's just a maintenance release. More info here

The intelligence of the wrestling fan

Arkham Noir

With black birds following me
I started a thread in the Cigar Lounge of this forum several days ago where I was asking about whether or not people can change.I recieved sevral responses in which are sincerly appreciated but above that I was struck but something else;the depth of knowledge those responding had.It was awesome to read some of the posts because ,not only were they relevant to what I was asking, but because it proved wrong to me something in which people had been saying to me for years :wrestling fans are stupid. Well sir, I beg to differ.

I'm sure that at one point or another everyone on this site has come across the idea that wrestling fans are stupid. If not, go read a Mark Madden editorial. He makes the claim on a regular basis. I've been a member of this forum for about a year now (and regularly visited before that), and I've seen numerous examples of wrestling fans showing that they are as capable as anyone a providing both rational thought and delivering thought provoking subject matter.This isn't to say that there isn't those who are less intelligent, but to stereotype everyone who is an avid fan of wrestling as being stupid or "a moron" is insulting to me.

I just want to say that I hate the perception that wrestling fans are stupid. I'm no genius, but I'm sure as fuck not "the morons" in which people seem to percieve me as being, and neither are the bulk of this website, and neither are all the other people who enjoy wrestling.So I'd just like to take this moment to say to all those who look down upon wrestling fans : FUCK YOU.Pull your heads out of your collective ass' and look a little deeper before you label the wrestling community.We are as intelligent as any fan base out there and perhaps even more so.

Ironnically , most who judge won't ever read this, but I felt that many of the members of the wrestling community deserved to at the very least be stood up for.They don't deserved to be shit on.
 
Very few of my friends know that I'm a wrestling fan just because of what you've already stated. They think that wrestling is a ridiculous, juvenile and dare I say it, FAKE sport that couldn't stand on it's own two legs if it tried. They also think that someone who would be a fan is a braindead moron who needs help tying his shoes.

Well I love wrestling and have for over 25 years and won't let these boring friends turn me off of it.

Yes there are some fans out there, you know the ones that get front and centre on TV, wearing the latest Cena shirt, screaming their heads off, and you think OMG am I one of them. But with every sport you have to take the good with the bad. Most of the people that I do know what watch wrestling are really into the storylines and angles and I find talking to them a joy.

Wrestling is a best a niche sport and the wrestlers are a bit well over the top, so you have to expect that some of the fans will be too. But that's the fun of it. It's great to go to a RAW show and see the diversity of the people sitting around you. Yes you have the idiots, but then you also have the girls and boys, like me who just want to forget about our lives for a couple of hours and be entertained.

No I don't think all wrestling fans are stupid. I know I'm certainly not.
 
I'm sure there are some fans that fit the stereotype but then I'm also certain those type of people can be found in any fandom. I love wrestling and have never had a problem with people knowing about it but it can lead to interesting reactions. If I bring it up right away when I meet new people, that's one thing but when I tell someone who's known me for awhile that I'm a fan, I always see them mentally subtracting 50 points from my IQ. People don't seem to be able to reconcile being of reasonable intelligence or better and enjoying the artform that is professional wrestling at its finest.
 
There are "stereotypical" fans for every aspect of entertainment no matter what it is. Some fans of Star Trek are indeed socially awkward and would be catagorized as "geeks", some fans of football do indeed act and behave like brain damaged meatheads with the emotional range of a jar of mayonaise and so on and so forth.

Wrestling fans get a bad rap at times because they're fans of a "fake sport", yet it's perfectly alright to be fans of "reality shows" despite the fact that most of them are every bit as scripted as a traditional sitcom. Most of the friends I have growing up are still wrestling fans and I couldn't really care less if me being a wrestling fan turns someone off.

As for Mark Madden's views on fans, Mark Madden views virtually everyone as idiots. The man's entitled to his opinion on everything of course, but I take virtually all of his insults with a grain of salt. If he truly possesses as much knowledge on wrestling, how it should be run, what works and what doesn't as he says then he could run Vince McMahon out of business. But, like many among the IWC that make similar claims as to what should be done as Mark Madden does, I'm not really going to most of what he says seriously unless he puts his money where his mouth is. Of course he won't, he's something of a windbag but that's his livelihood in and of itself, so it never ceases to amaze me how easily he's able to bait the IWC.

Just like everything else in life, there are fans that have some class and there are fans that don't.
 
Wrestling fans are a lot smarter than people like Mark Madden give us credit for. The problem is that there ARE those who fit the stereotypes. That's why South Park made fun of it the way they did, although I have to admit that episode was hilarious. It's also why Madden always calls us idiots. Not all of us fit that stereotype and what we need to do is keep discussing whether it's on here or facebook or anywhere else because the only way to get past a negative stereotype is to prove it wrong. Let's show the world how many intelligent wrestling fans there really are out there.
 
I'd like to point out that it's possible that we are not the particular fans that most people talk about. The so-called stupid fans are not the ones who subscribe to sites such as this to have intelligent discussions about what we think is important about wrestling. There are many fans of wrestling, I am certain, who simply watch the screen and believe whatever the announce team tells them. I won't deny that there are stupid fans. It's just that most of them enjoy their ignorance and wouldn't want it challenged by what they might read on sites such as this one.

There is, however, another factor. Many who toss off a casual "wrestling is stupid" usually know nothing about it, nor do they want to. What they want is to feel superior to someone. Because of the various stereotypes that have been crafted over the years regarding wrestling fans, we are often targets for such people to want to feel superior to. As another example of this attitude, I know of several intelligent and cultured people who, due to financial difficulties, live in trailer parks, but this is rarely considered when people use the blanket term "trailer trash". You see my point?

I'd say wrestling fans are just as intelligent as any other group. Wrestling is just something that a large variety of people enjoy. I personally find it an excellent way to relieve a bit of tension and personal aggression vicariously at the end of a day. I watch, I allow myself to be drawn into the illusion, I laugh at the comedy, and at the end I feel a lot less stressed. Does this make me less intelligent? Not in the least, and I think that being a wrestling fan has done me good in the long run.
 
I started a thread in the Cigar Lounge of this forum several days ago where I was asking about whether or not people can change.I recieved sevral responses in which are sincerly appreciated but above that I was struck but something else;the depth of knowledge those responding had.It was awesome to read some of the posts because ,not only were they relevant to what I was asking, but because it proved wrong to me something in which people had been saying to me for years :wrestling fans are stupid. Well sir, I beg to differ.

I'm sure that at one point or another everyone on this site has come across the idea that wrestling fans are stupid. If not, go read a Mark Madden editorial. He makes the claim on a regular basis. I've been a member of this forum for about a year now (and regularly visited before that), and I've seen numerous examples of wrestling fans showing that they are as capable as anyone a providing both rational thought and delivering thought provoking subject matter.This isn't to say that there isn't those who are less intelligent, but to stereotype everyone who is an avid fan of wrestling as being stupid or "a moron" is insulting to me.

I just want to say that I hate the perception that wrestling fans are stupid. I'm no genius, but I'm sure as fuck not "the morons" in which people seem to percieve me as being, and neither are the bulk of this website, and neither are all the other people who enjoy wrestling.So I'd just like to take this moment to say to all those who look down upon wrestling fans : FUCK YOU.Pull your heads out of your collective ass' and look a little deeper before you label the wrestling community.We are as intelligent as any fan base out there and perhaps even more so.

Ironnically , most who judge won't ever read this, but I felt that many of the members of the wrestling community deserved to at the very least be stood up for.They don't deserved to be shit on.

ARTICLE FROM BLEACHER REPORT ON HOW THE "ALMIGHTY IWC" seems to find more faults then good reasons about WWE and TNA there are some good reasons why you assholes are complaining!

BY HamsterFan to Chameleon on 11/14/2010

The IWC,also known as the Internet Wrestling Community,is a community of fans who watch all kinds of wrestling organizations, particulary the mainstream WWE and TNA.

The IWC watches these shows weekly or whenever they can and tries to find the faults and errors that these shows contain. They manage to do a good job of finding what is wrong with the product, but pay little attention to what these organizations are doing right. Some good examples of the criticisms of people hating on these organizations are WWE's PG rating and TNA's lack of focus on the young guys.

Now while I agree with some of the reasons for all the hate that the IWC seems to find with these products, I also disagree on their choice to only view the faults and errors of these companies.

These companies may have a few errors here and there, but the faults of the companies are no reason to overlook the good things these companise provide. The IWC seems to have made a longer list of these companies faults rather than their strenghts.

Here is a compilation of the "faults" that the IWC sees in these companies:

WWE

- They have no "real" Tag Team Division

-They have a lack of real "wrestlers" in their Divas Division

-They don't give a damn about the Tag Team or the Divas Division

-They need to give faces such as Rey Mysterio and John Cena an overdue heel turn

-They need to build up more stars

-They need to push some wrestlers more than others

-The PPV cards seem to be lacking in entertainment and wrestling

-There is no real buildup

-There needs to be a long-lasting champion and fewer short-term champions

-The title shouldn't rotate as much

-Storylines are lacking

-More wrestling is needed

-Stand Up for WWE

-Uneven shows (RAW has too many faces while Smackdown has too many heels)

-NXT

-Champions need to be treated as champions

-Blood should be allowed to add "realism"

-PG has to go away, bring back TV-14

TNA

-Overusing blood

-Need to focus more on young stars then older stars

-Please use originality and no more recycled storylines

-Give the deserving guys a push

-Give the TNA championship to someone who is most likely not going to go to jail(LOL)

-Focus more on what put TNA on the map, the X-Division

-Get a bigger financial budget

-Stop hiring worthless people and hire someone useful for once

-Move out of the Impact zone

-Advertise more

-Remove the new ramp, it's too close to the ring

-(dumb IWC Ideology) Misspelled "THEY'RE HERE" and instead put "THERRRE HERE"

-Need less of "indy" feel

-Don't conclude the show without warning

-Don't conclude the show on TNA Reaction but on TNA IMPACT!

-Use better entrance themes and entrance videos

-Stop it with the swerves

-Use the people who know how to work

It seems to me as if the IWC really knows a company's faults when they see them.

Now on to the things these organizations do right, as stated by the sheep known as the IWC.

WWE

-Improvisation

Giving some deserving people a push

-Good angles and above-average storylines (NEXUS)

-Good wrestling (only on SMACKDOWN! and SUPERSTARS)

-Good feuds

-Good entrances/themes/videos

-Tour

-Charity

-Tribute to the troops

-Royal Rumble

-WrestleMania

-The Undertaker's Streak

-Good farewells/sendoffs most of the time (HBK,Ric Flair)

TNA

-Decent Tag Team Division

-Decent Knockout Division

-TNA Reaction

-Good wrestlers

-Decent ratings(1.0-1.7...LOL)

-Bound For Glory (WrestleMania RIPOFF!)

-Relaxed work schedule

-Fewer Injuries

-No more six sided ring

Are there more faults than strengths? Of course there are!

The reason is the IWC focuses on the faults more than the strengths that these organizations provide their viewers.

These organizations do provide some good things, but the IWC can't seem to see this.

Why is that? Is it because the problems are more obvious to the viewers than the strengths? If they are, then why doesn't the IWC do something to fix them instead of complaining?

If the IWC can't help fix the problems, then they shouldn't complain, because complaining only makes things worse.

Just sit back and enjoy the show and maybe, just maybe these companies may start making progress and start heading in the right direction.

But until then, don't complain, because these products may never improve if they always have someone telling them what to do and what not to do.

No company's perfect, even if one of them has Mr Perfect's son.

MY TAKE:

The worst part about the IWC is they are trying to sound like experts that they fail to be anything more than little kids crying over spilled milk. You can't control what happens on any of the shows. Whether you like what happens or you don't, If you were a true fan, you would watch anyway.

I absolutley HATE the NEXUS storyline and I think that wade barrett is wildly overpushed (especially with guys who have done much more to prove themselves than wade barrett has in the little time he was there) But with my hatred of the NEXUS story, have i stopped watching WWE? NO!! because i am a fan. And no matter if i love something or don't like it at all, I WILL KEEP WATCHING!

I watch it for enjoyment of the sport. I love watching the silly promos, and the great feuds unfold. It's never perfect, but as a true fan, I love it anyway!
sometimes TNA and WWE make me roll my eyes but do i complain, NO! and sometimes they put me on the edge of my seat by giving us good IMPACT!,RAW,SMACKDOWN!,NXT and superstars shows.

The problem with the IWC is they don't like anything, and if you disagree with the "laws" they try to lay down, you are either considered a child that loves the PG era or you are a TNAsympathizer (i made that up)! Heck with the IWC it's a crime to like John Cena at all.

The Problem Isn't with WWE or TNA, It's With the IWC Because the fact is that you guys and gals complain about the littlest of things and will bash a person who disagree with you. and when vince or dixie decide to listen to you... YOU WILL THEN DENOUNCE THE VERY THING THAT YOU WANTED!!!

Eric Bischoff and Mark Madden is right when they say "YOU CAN'T PLEASE THE IWC" and "THEY ACT LIKE THEY OWN WWE or TNA"

If you want your so-called "change" instead of bantering and bitching to Steve,Carl,Tommy,Earl, and Paul on the PC or the Laptop.

Get a pen and paper or since you kids love to rant and banter and complain on the internet... WRITE TO VINCE OR DIXIE and tell them what you want!

BUT WHY DO IT?

all yall going to do is turn on the very thing you asked for!

YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON WHY VINCE AND DIXIE IS STICKING A FORK IN OUR ASSES! TO MUCH COMPLAINING AND WHINING!

and to the so-called experts that think they know all about the "wrassilin" business while sitting on a couch or on a PC:

1. go to a wrestling school and train to become a wrestler.

2.lace up a pair of wrestling boots and put on some spandex or tights.

3. get a job as a writer for WWE or TNA if you want to "CHANGE" the business.

4. get into a car or plane with john cena,or john morrison, or HHH and travel to each city across the country or the world and put on a show for "your" fans if you want to work for WWE or do the same thing with AJ styles, Kurt Angle, and Jeff Hardy if you prefer to work for TNA

5. Get Injured

6. Wait until vince gives up WWE or Dixie gives up TNA and lobby for chairman or president.

7. leave the "news" to the wrestling websites like WRESTLEZONE and other sites.

do those 7 things and then you will be considered an wrestling "expert"
but if you preffer not to do those things.....


QUIT BITCHING!!!! you are only making the product more worse than it already is!


Sorry For The LOOOOOOOOOONG Post! i am not ranting, I am stating the truth on how the IWC operates!

If you agree with me or if you dont: I DON'T CARE!:)
 
I get the general point: that the IWC is overly-critical and should sit back and enjoy it more but I always feel, based on my own experience, that we in the IWC are so happy to have people to discuss wrestling with who won't consider us "stupid" for liking it that we want to discuss as much as we can. Talking about what doesn't work and could use improvement creates more discussion than simply talking about what they're doing right.

I could say the sky is blue and (assuming we were in the same area), there's not much more to say since it's a fact. However, if I say I wish the sky was gray instead, then someone else cna ask me why I feel that way which creates more discussion than smiply stating what people can already see.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
174,827
Messages
3,300,736
Members
21,726
Latest member
chrisxenforo
Back
Top