The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
I was two hours late to a building I've been to dozens of times before because I couldn't remember the way. Why don't you think about that for a while? When I think of the loss of physical and mental functions, IT HURTS. When Vader dropped down on my head, IT HURT. When I felt my ear being torn off the side of my head, IT HURT. When Terry Funk put an on-fire branding iron on my flesh, IT HURT. No one understands that... Fans may get off on pain, but they don't understand it... You try to drape a banner over Cactus Jack that says, 'Here is the original Hardcore wrestler.' It only just shows how ignorant you really are BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT EVEN CLOSE. Does the name Ray Stevens mean anything to you? It doesn't mean a lot to the general public because Ray Stevens, one of the original Hardcore wrestlers, you know where he is now? He's awaiting a heart transplant... but he can't get the transplant because he doesn't have the money. Harley Race, his body lies broken and his spirit lies battered. Why? Because he was a hardcore wrestler. How many of you have dialed up the Dynamite Kid and said, 'Thanks for the dives onto the concrete floor. Sorry to hear that you don't have a pot to urinate in, or a window to throw it out, but thanks for the memories.'
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.
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.
Page:
I read it and well what can I say, I saw the KOTR 98 with Foley and altough admitedly he didn't get an ovation there was a number of people chanting and applauding him, little reward I know.
People like The Rock, Benoit and Angle are te entertainers of the future they dont really do hardcore but what they do is wrestle, entertain like the WWF should.
Nowadays though the WWF has calmed down somewhat, with the tables being made out of compressed sawdust which soften the blow of a move putting someone through them, trash cans and so on are obviously not real and dont hurt the wrestlers so this I think is OK and isn't putting much more of a risk to the superstars health. They do moves in the safest way possible so it should be fine like this. Notice how Rikishi fell on Sawdust when he went off the Cell at Armageddon? Like you said Cheese this could have easily of gone wrong and like Shane Mcmaons high risk anything could have happened but what can we do the WWF will always be looking for ways to entertain the fans because they look after the majority and the majority like seeing high risk.
TLC matches are extremly dangerous, one false move and they could easily end their careers, how is Jeff Hardy still moving? I admit I like HIAC, TLC all those gimmick matches but in no way shape or form do I want any of them to put themselves and their lives at risk for the fans.
People like The Rock, Benoit and Angle are te entertainers of the future they dont really do hardcore but what they do is wrestle, entertain like the WWF should.
Nowadays though the WWF has calmed down somewhat, with the tables being made out of compressed sawdust which soften the blow of a move putting someone through them, trash cans and so on are obviously not real and dont hurt the wrestlers so this I think is OK and isn't putting much more of a risk to the superstars health. They do moves in the safest way possible so it should be fine like this. Notice how Rikishi fell on Sawdust when he went off the Cell at Armageddon? Like you said Cheese this could have easily of gone wrong and like Shane Mcmaons high risk anything could have happened but what can we do the WWF will always be looking for ways to entertain the fans because they look after the majority and the majority like seeing high risk.
TLC matches are extremly dangerous, one false move and they could easily end their careers, how is Jeff Hardy still moving? I admit I like HIAC, TLC all those gimmick matches but in no way shape or form do I want any of them to put themselves and their lives at risk for the fans.
I read the whole thing and found it very interesting.
Remember my post a while back?? About what I hate in WWF?? Well, this is a bit like it.
We don't need chairshots to see a good wrestling match. Nor do we need tables, or kendo sticks, or trash cans, or any sort of weapon! We just need some fast, hard, wrestling.
I must admit, I enjoy RVD's work. But he's not 'bloody' hardcore. He uses his athletisism to amaze crowds.
But people like...well, quite a lot of ECW Wrestlers, go way over the top I think.
Basically, if WWF's meant to be wrestling, what's all this hardcore crap about?? We don't NEED it.
Remember my post a while back?? About what I hate in WWF?? Well, this is a bit like it.
We don't need chairshots to see a good wrestling match. Nor do we need tables, or kendo sticks, or trash cans, or any sort of weapon! We just need some fast, hard, wrestling.
I must admit, I enjoy RVD's work. But he's not 'bloody' hardcore. He uses his athletisism to amaze crowds.
But people like...well, quite a lot of ECW Wrestlers, go way over the top I think.
Basically, if WWF's meant to be wrestling, what's all this hardcore crap about?? We don't NEED it.
i read it all it was good.
nop i didn't read it did anyone?
i have it on video i was appalled that foley didnt get a standing ovation
even though when a more popular wrestler does something little every one stands up
even though when a more popular wrestler does something little every one stands up
Thats a great piece of writing Mouldy but i dissagree coz the wrestlers have the wright to say no i dont want to do it so really its there own fault. Also where can i download that mass trancit inciddent thing?
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?
Page: