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The problem with being hardcore is, by the very nature of the name, we give - of ourselves, of our bodies, of our hearts, and of our souls. For each one of us who gives, there's blood-thirsty low-life fans only willing to take. How many of you shed a tear for Eddie Gilbert and if you did, was it not just to feel sorry for yourselves that you'd never see Eddie showered in blood anymore? Professional wrestling will never be respected, no matter how many teeth I lose, no matter how many ears I lose, no matter how many brain cells have to die. So it comes down to the point that it's just not worth it. I am but a failed experiment in human sociology, and I can accept that, but never in my sickest dreams would I imagine that there would be other people who take that and dive onto concrete floors, committing suicide on my behalf, like I'm the patron saint of the sick sons of b*****s.
Take the Rotten Brothers, two naive kids with fake English accents suddenly becoming scarred-for-life mutant freaks. Take your beloved Mikey Whipwreck. Mikey Whipwreck went from one of the nicest people I ever met to a bumbling fool. You want a challenge in your life, then I challenge you to have a meaningful conversation with Mikey Whipwreck. IT CAN'T BE DONE. He's had too many concussions, his brain has turned to Jello. Oh, he may be real cute now, but wait five years when he can't hold a job, 30 year old Mikey, 40 year old Mikey, senile old man Mikey. You want proof of what hardcore wrestling can do?
- Mick Foley, 1995
Foleys got it right. Wrestling fans don't care about the wrestlers. Sure, we cheer for our faves, and yes, we boo the ones we don't like. But we don't care. How many of you have been thinking of Benoit and HHH? I don't mean thinking about when they're gonna return, or what storyline they'll have, I mean thinking about how they must be suffering through thier injureys. I doubt any of you will have thought like that. As far as your concerned, it doesn't even matter what kind of injury they have, as long as it stops them wrestling.
When you all watch Austin wrestle, how many of you care that he is wrestling on a timebomb? How many of you even know that if he takes ONE neck bump wrong, he's going to be paralyzed for life? The truth is, if he does end up getting paralysed, you might care for maybe a month, perhaps two if it is shown on TV. But then you will forget, as many have forgotten Shawn Micheals. You will care that Austin isn't on TV, but you won't care that Austin will never walk again. You won't care that Austin has thrown his life away trying to entertain you people.
Look at Foley, the man I quoted earlier. He has taken some of the sickest bumps of all time. The Nestea Plunge (dropkicked off the ring apron to the floor, on the back of his head), the Hell In The Cell bumps, the countless chair shots. He will be remembered fondly for these. Remembered fondly? Why should a man be remembered fondly for risking his life in the name of wrestling? Foley, along with ECW has probably done more damage than good in the wrestling world, for he made Hardcore populer.
I'm none too sure where I'm going with this rant, but bear with me. I'm just angry.
Another example of how you don't care - HBK. Most of you want him to return, because he's a big name. But do any of you care that he would be risking his life to wrestle?
I cheered as much as anyone when Shane McMahon dropped 70 feet to the floor at Summerslam 2000. I thought 'wow, what a great guy, taking bumps for our entertainment'. I was dissapointed with Armageddon 2000, when Rikishis bumps was tiny by comparison. Now, I feel as if I have been thinking like an idiot, a completely unsensitive, uncaring, spit with no respect for any athletes. When I think back, I think how easily that bump could have gone wrong. Shane could have landed on his head, and how many people would have been cheering him as he fell? Consider him, knowing that he's clucked up and is going to die, being cheered as he fell to his death?
I'm amazed at how i've sat though some of these matches without walking out of the room, or throwing up. I've managed to comfort myself with the illusion of 'it doesn't matter, its not real'. I've grown tough to the horrors that wrestling has thown at me. I watched, and enjoyed, the Stairway to Hell match between Sabu and The Sandman. I don't know how I enjoyed watching two men bleed half to death, I don't know how I enjoyed watching Sabu break his jaw, and I don't know how I enjoyed Sabu getting hit around the head with a cane. That matched should have sickened me, but I enjoyed it.
And I let my little brother watch it. He is in Year 5 - I can't remember how old that makes him. I was saddened at how unpertubed he was watching that match. A kid shouldn't be saying 'Oh, Cool' when a man gets barbed wire kicked into his face, should he?
I laugh in the face of anyone who says that wrestling isn't real.
This rant was bought on by a video I downloaded of 'The Mass Transit Incident'. I don't want to go into detail about it, but I'm sure Cong Man will tell you. It involved some kid getting his entire forehead getting cut open in his first ECW match. The wound needed 50 stitches.
I'm getting worked up, so I guess I'm going to stop rambleing and finish this post now.
All of you, dissilusion yourselves. Wrestling is more real than you think. Don't cheer next time you see a chair shot. Don't cheer when you see someone blade. Be appauled, be sickened. Turn off the TV, and think of how Sabu can no longer pull off his trademark spots.
The defining moment of the new era of professional wrestling was at the Foley/Taker HIAC, but it wasn't Mick Foley's two magnificently awful spots. The moment came after the match ended, when officials and a shamelessly teary-eyed Terry Funk helped Mick Foley limp back to the locker room. Jim Ross, understanding exactly what Foley put on the line for the entertainment of the fans, emotionally declared, "If ever an athlete deserved a standing ovation, it's Mick Foley."
There was no ovation.
But what do we think the "Please don't try this at home" commercials are? A disclaimer? Oh no, these are our idols pleading with us not to do this. It may have been their choice, and maybe some of them regret it.
Anybody reading this: watch Beyond the mat.
its a film documentry which really reveals life behind the glamorous scenes. Personal troubles through frustration at injury, disputes with family because they're on the road so often. It really makes you think.
But hey, we love em for it.
> Your right MC, we all cheer for blood, were all sick twisted human beings. But
> think, if Mick Foley fell of HITC and no body cheered, he wouldn't bother doing
> WWF any more would he?
He would still do WWF. But he wouldnt take any of those bumps if no-one cared.
> I'm very impressed with the responses I got to this. Shows we can have some
> proper wrestling talk.
I think I'm going to start to post something like this
> every two weeks or so (These things aint quick to write), under the name
> "And we cheer for blood". Could have some interesting effects.
what other thing are you going to write about?
I think I'm going to start to post something like this every two weeks or so (These things aint quick to write), under the name "And we cheer for blood". Could have some interesting effects.
> Your right MC, we all cheer for blood, were all sick twisted human beings. But
> think, if Mick Foley fell of HITC and no body cheered, he wouldn't bother doing
> WWF any more would he?
He wouldn't bother bumping like that, no.
The reason Foley is so well respected is because of the bumps he took, and the promos he cut. He is not a good wrestler.
> of 'The Mass Transit Incident'. I don't want to go into detail about it, but I'm
> sure Cong Man will tell you. It involved some kid getting his entire forehead
> getting cut open in his first ECW match. The wound needed 50 stitches.
I had tried to erase this memory to be honest. Let's just leave it there.
I love hardcore stuff as much as anyone, ECW was my favourite organisation because of this, but there's hardcore (faked and not really hurting) and there's HARDCORE (just plain dangerous). IMHO wrestlers who put themselves up for the most dangerous stuff deserve more respect than any human on earth and most of them never make the big time.
Mikey Whipwreck,
Sabu,
Most people will never hear their names but they will live in my head for as long as I breathe.
I don't think the crowd would care if he hurt him self doing it.
About what ANT said he said that RVD is not hard core its just his athletisism that amazes the crowds well i agree about this he is not hardcore hes as Hardcore as a chimp.
RVD is a good wrestler though
Seeya