by Mindy Yount

Created on: April 06, 2009

I remember when I was a little girl, probably no more than about 4, that my parents watched the broadcast at 11:30pm on Saturday nights out of Portland, Oregon: Big Time Wrestling. Time to time, there would be a "big" name that would appear on the roster of matches that night: 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper or Andre the Giant. That was all I knew (and very infrequently could stay awake for).

Then in the late 1980's, I started watching Satuday Night's Main Event with my dad and I was again, introduced to the world of "Professional" wrestling as a spectator sport. You grew to love the men or, hate them, depending on who you liked. Then, there was a bit more sense of reality in matches. Honestly, could a man who has just been jumped on by a 400 pound plus man, not have any injuries? How could having ones face smashed into the steel cage not result in some blood pouring from the injury, most notably to the face?

I think it was later on as I grew a bit older, that the lines between actual sport and actual fake began to blur. The audience was beginning to be subjected to plot lines revolving around two or more wrestlers. Or a man who was dropped on his shoulders, would get up, holding his groin. Acting was obviously not a forte of many of these guys.

Then about four years ago, I was reintroduced to the world of Wrestling Entertainment. The acting is a bit better, but not by much. It's still not wrestling in a traditional sense of the world, but entertainment. That is fine as well. I find myself getting drawn in to the drama as much as any other fan.

What probably anyone needs to know is that there is still inherent risk of being hurt during these matches. We know that these guys can't all be friends outside the squared circle and pain is something they have to deal with. When a man jumps from a 15 foot ladder and lands on his butt, you know there is probably going to be some pain involved. I see some of these guys get up from what I would consider to be pretty substantial injuries and act as if nothing is wrong, but there are the few that are in pain and it shows in their faces, in their actions and sometimes by wrapped appendages.

Make no bones about it, the powers that be are into the sheer entertainment of thousands, if not millions of fans globally. What endures is maybe the story lines mirror what is seen in real life in actions that normal people cannot do to another for fear of legal repercussions. That may be part of the reason why people like it.

This watcher feels that if a performer can do their role: make you love them, hate them, cry, cheer, seriously consider writing a letter of disapproval, it indicates they are doing their jobs well. These guys and gals run the very real risk of harming themselves in a sport for all intents and purposes, is as phony as a $3.00 bill.

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