BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
Night of Champions sucked. There’s nothing really to say about it. Some matches were good, but all in all it’s a really forgettable throw-a-way show. What REALLY happened? It was like a 3 hour RAW with about ten minutes less of commercials. I’ve cancelled my WWE Network subscription. It’s only $9.99, but I can’t justify seeing it on my bill every month. I only pay for things I legally have to, need and want. I don’t have to have, need or want the WWE Network anymore. It was never really worth it to me. I didn’t watch it all that much outside of the PPV shows but the streaming from Google Chromecast sucked for the most part so I’d often have to rely on “other means” anyway. I’m losing all desire to even keep up with the WWE product anymore. It’s more of a chore than a pleasure. Why keep putting myself through the hassle of keeping up or caring about a product that’s clearly not aimed at me and constantly insults my intelligence with belligerent bullshit.
I’m not diluted to the fact that it’s professional wrestling. A silly sideshow production where grown men put on spandex and costumes and “fake fight” each other in a spring-loaded boxing ring for a paying crowd of people who disillusion themselves to think it’s either real life scenarios being played out before them or it’s people that know it’s choreographed; and by putting a heaping helping of artistic pretense behind it; convince themselves are “in on the joke” or “part of the show”. It’s merely content marketed to whichever demographic is strongest so every ten to fifteen minutes they can show another batch of commercials telling us what products to buy. That’s what professional wrestling has become. If you’re not doing some variation of that very cold and sterile look at the business then you’re not in the business that is professional wrestling. A ring, a small venue, some chairs and shitty sound system is not professional wrestling. It’s a carbon copy of every wrestling event before it. It’s a rinse and repeat format where all anyone has to do is figure out which one of their friends they want to pretend is the best and how they can justify telling another grown man in a costume that it’s for the best that his character loses the match. It’s more of an excuse than an attraction.
That’s what missing. The part that makes this very “bizarre-on-paper” form of entertainment click with people is the magic. It’s the larger than life atmosphere. It’s a rock concert, sporting event, monster truck rally, Broadway play and variety show all in one. It’s an experience to be had, shared and relived over and over. When you see past the cheese, the overbearing naïve fans and performers, when you get past the very obvious quirks and oddities of wrestling you can be a fan for life. There IS an appreciation for the magic. It’s undeniable. The dilemma is in the fact that there is no magic in professional wrestling. There is nothing fresh, over the top, larger than life or engaging enough to allow me to see past the façade and laugh along with the joke. It’s a stagnant and tired product. Sadly WWE has become a silly sideshow production where grown men put on spandex and costumes and “fake fight” each other in a spring-loaded boxing ring for a paying crowd of people. What reason are they giving me to look past this idea anymore?
|
