Friday Sports Entertainment 02.17.12

From Guest6260
…and never reading again.

Aw shucks. Now you’ve gone and hurt my feelings 🙁

From SuperCorky:
You’re over use of sports entertainment and sports entertainers is really gonna make my head explode.

Haha, yeah I know. It’s on purpose. After looking it over it does call for a little variety. I promise I’ll say wrestler here and there. More to come on this…

…They have marketable women but it seems like they’re just like “eh”. Its sad really because its the same thing with the tag division. Don’t seems they care bout that either.

100% agree. If the company doesn’t care, then why should the fans?

And I knew a guy named Corky. True story. Maybe if he were a SuperCorky, he wouldn’t be dead.

From Freddie Prince Jr.:
Here’s my question:

If I’m a baseball fan, why would I read a column by a guy who can’t be bothered to pay attention to the American League?

If I’m a football fan, why would I read a column by a guy who can’t be bothered to pay attention to the NFC?

If I’m a basketball fan, why would I read a column by a guy who can’t be bothered to pay attention to the Western Conference? …

…So as a wrestling fan, why should I read a column by a guy who can’t be bothered to pay attention to TNA?

Here’s where your analogy is flawed:

The American League and the National League are both in the same League (MLB)

The AFC and NFC are both in the same League (NFL)

The Eastern Conference and Western Conference are both in the same league (NBA)

But we all know that TNA is NOT in the same league as WWE!

ZING!

But seriously, I really have no problem with TNA. I just don’t have time to watch it. I have a full time job, wife, two small kids, house to maintain, etc. I have to really be into a show to watch it, so that’s why I only watch RAW as wrestling goes. Nothing personal, TNA fans, it’s just a hectic life for me at the moment.

And to further extend your analogy, TNA is more like the minor leagues – the place where up-and-comers, never-weres and old timers go to compete. Not trolling here, but it’s a sadly accurate description.

But I never understood the need for TNA and WWE fans to argue. It’s wrestling (I said it!) – why can’t people enjoy both? It’s like when Star Wars and Star Trek fans argue over why one rules and the other sucks. Why can’t both be good?

From Douchy McDouchebag: (DAD??)
You write that women’s wrestling can be lucrative. Name me one goddamn woman wrestler who’e ever drawn a dime or been anything other than material for a teenagers spank bank?

Fair enough, I didn’t make the explicit connection between that statement and the rest of the column. What I meant was that if used properly, the women can improve the overall product and thus make it more profitable. Like where I suggest that there be more romance angles – it elevates talent, draws more female viewers, generates buzz, etc., all of which improve the bottom line. How much more interesting did things get once John Cena and Eve locked lips this past Monday?

From Joe Schmoe:
It drives me nuts to see skinny refs overpower, say, Beth Phoenix. Not only is she actually more muscular and athletic then them–it shouldn’t matter. If you don’t book your wrestlers–male or female–to look strong, the audience will not care about them.

Great point! It’s a glaring continuity error when referees, whom we’ve been conditioned to believe are delicate waifs that take ages to recover from the slightest bump, are able to overpower somebody strong like Beth Phoenix. I kinda disagree about having to be booked strong to be over – Zack Ryder and Santino are notable examples, but your point is well taken.

Welcome, Folks, to your weekly dose of Friday Sports Entertainment! Huzzah!

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT – HERE TO STAY

My new best friend SuperCorky pointed out that I like to use the terms “Sports Entertainment” & “Sports Entertainer” a lot. This is done on purpose, not (fully) for the sake of trolling or as a feeble attempt to be controversial, but because the reality is that wrestling, now and forevermore, will be seen this way by suits like Vince McMahon.

Put yourself into the shoes of Mr. McMahon – not the evil boss character he plays on TV, but the actual man who’s responsible for running a publicly traded company. He’s first and foremost a businessman, and it’s his primary mission to improve the company’s bottom line, and one way to do that is through branding his product in the way that’s best for business.

Let’s face it, words have power, and each word has its own connotation that goes along with it.

con•no•ta•tion
Noun:
1. An idea or feeling that a word invokes for a person in addition to its literal or primary meaning.
2. The implication of such ideas or feelings.

Ah, yes. Friday Sports Entertainment. Educating the IWC one member at a time.

Words have associations that go with them beside their dictionary definition. In wrestling terms, if we were playing word association and I said “Montreal” to you, your first thought would probably be “screwjob.” By definition, Montreal is a city in Quebec, but the connotation of the word “Montreal” may bring up specific feelings of surprise, confusion, infamy or disgust.

Lisa: I admit Sergeant Skinner seems okay, but Mr. Tamzarian pulled himself up from the streets and earned our respect and admiration
Bart: He lied about his name!
Lisa: His name doesn’t matter, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet
Bart: Not if you called him Stench Blossom
Homer: Or Crap Weed

Anyone ever notice that Principal Skinner from The Simpsons and Don Draper from Mad Men both have the same backstory? Try harder, Matthew Weiner!

If I said the word “Altria” to you, what are your immediate thoughts? Many of you probably haven’t heard of it. That’s okay, neither did I until recently. Altria was formerly known as Phillip Morris Companies, one of the world’s largest tobacco companies. Phillip Morris (the Parent Company) rebranded itself as Altria in 2003 ostensibly because they saw themselves as more than just a tobacco company, but more likely because they wanted to disassociate the company from all the lawsuits that equated the name “Phillip Morris” with “cancer causing death company.” Re-branding! Keeps the stench of death at bay!

Words have a power to them. There’s a reason you can say “screw you!” on broadcast TV, but you can’t go near “f**k you!” with a ten foot pole. Both phrases convey the same message, but the f-word is seen as being more vulgar, thus it’s not allowed.

So it goes with “wrestling.” The word “wrestling” still has a carny stink about it, harkening back to the days where unsuspecting crowds (“marks”) were duped into believing the matches were legitimate bouts without pre-determined outcomes. Outside of the amateur scene, the word “wrestling” has a dishonesty about it. It implies fair competition when there really isn’t any. It’s not an accurate description of what’s happening in the ring. What Kurt Angle did in the Olympics was wrestling. What he does now is Sports Entertainment. Let’s face it, when the Rock wins a match with the People’s Elbow or Santino lays someone out with the Cobra – can you really, honestly say that you’re watching WRESTLING?

To move away from that era where wrestling was limited to armories or smoke-filled auditoriums, McMahon wisely rebranded wrestling as sports entertainment.

IT’S SPORTY, IT’S ENTERTAINMENT. SPORTERTAINMENT? ENTERTAINORTS?

Sports Entertainment is a much more accurate description. “Wrestling” implies sport – there are Olympic medals for it, after all. “Sports Entertainment” implies a show. For example, the Harlem Globetrotters are extraordinarily talented at playing basketball, but they aren’t a “real” team, more like a troupe of performers that uses sports as a vehicle to entertain an audience. Same goes for the WWE folks. These guys are athletic, there’s no doubt about that. But they are not wrestling when they are in that ring. They are putting on a show to entertain the audience and the viewers at home, and doing so in an athletic manner.

The term “Sports Entertainment” is a more honest description of what the “Superstars” do for a living. The aim of everyone in the company, from the CEO to the lowliest jobber in the ring, is to put on a spectacle for the fans. This is accomplished in a variety of ways – through pyrotechnics, promos, comedy skits, and of course, wrestling. Package it all together, and you’ve got Sports Entertainment. After all, name one other sport where the athletes portray characters, much like Alberto Del Rio’s Mexican Aristocrat? Name one other sport where having a personality that connects with the audience is a critical factor for success? Brett Favre was an amazing quarterback, but he couldn’t act his way out of a paper bag in There’s Something About Mary. To make it in the pro-wrestling world, you have to be an all-around entertainer, something which isn’t required in other sports. Sure, Muhammad Ali did it, which is why he’s considered one of the greats. But there have been plenty of notable, successful boxers that have the personality of a brick.

ULTERIOR MOTIVES

Of course, Vince McMahon isn’t concerned about being honest in the description of his product. There are numerous political & regulatory advantages to be gained from branding the product as “Sports Entertainment.”

Many states have Athletic Commissions that impose regulations on sporting events, especially on sports that are inherently violent. For example, Mixed Martial Arts is illegal in New York. Many NY Assembly members see it as being too violent, which leaves the fighters at risk and sets a bad example for children. A bill to legalize mixed martial arts died in the New York State Assembly in June, 2011, so it seems there’s no UFC at MSG in the near future.

Can you imagine if the WWE couldn’t perform at MSG? Don’t you think McMahon wants to avoid the political and legal hurdles if his product is ever viewed as a competitive sport? Why take the risk of having the Superstars take State-mandated drug tests, or, even worse, losing the right to compete in a state like New York? The solution is simple – cop to the events being scripted, and brand the product as Sports Entertainment, and the performers as Superstars. It’s not a sport, it’s an athletic soap opera. The less the product smells like a sport, the better it is for the company. This may not be as far-fetched as you would think. With Linda McMahon running a serious campaign for the United States Senate, it’s not a stretch of the imagination to consider what her political opponents would be willing to do to upend her.

IT’S BETTER FOR THE TALENT

It’s actually better for the talent to be seen as Sports Entertainers instead of wrestlers. Prior to the modern era, the only wrestlers that made somewhat meaningful jumps to other areas of entertainment were Jesse Ventura , Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper. Even then, their success was limited and their roles weren’t high profile. Sure, you have guys like Kevin Nash playing Super Shredder, Nathan Jones in Troy or Kurrgan’s bruiser role of Dredger in Sherlock Holmes, but those roles were just that – big man roles that needed genetic freaks for a few scenes.

It hasn’t been until recently that Sports Entertainers have made meaningful second careers in other entertainment venues. Consider the following:

The Rock
The poster child of the wrestler-made-good. He’s now an A-list celebrity – a leading man that can carry family fare, action flicks, comedy or drama. His charisma is unmatched and he’s the go-to guy when Hollywood needs an action star or if a franchise needs refreshing.

Steve Austin
Making a steady living in B-movie, straight to video action films. However, he’s also making some strides into mainstream entertainment, with a strong role in The Expendables and recurring appearances on now-cancelled shows such as Nash Bridges and Chuck.

Batista
Batista’s Hollywood career is just starting, but he’s making inroads already. He recently starred in the direct-to-video Scorpion King 3 and made an appearance on Chuck. He also has some promising projects coming up, including starring with Russell Crowe in The Man With the Iron Fists and alongside Vin Diesel in Riddick

Chris Jericho
Jericho has fulfilled his dream of becoming a rock star, making numerous albums and touring the world with his band, Fozzy. He’s also been on popular TV shows like Dancing With the Stars and a bunch of VH1 music specials.

I could go on. But it’s only been recently that WWE Superstars have been able to successfully go from competing in the ring to starring in movies, TV shows and as Rock Stars. Personally, I think it’s because for the past 10+ years, these guys have not been marketed as wrestlers, but as entertainers. When the general public thinks of wrestlers, they’ll likely think of big, hairy, musclebound meatheads that aren’t very smart. If you’re a Hollywood producer, someone who works in the entertainment industry, who would you rather have in your film, a wrestler, or a sports entertainer?

Marketing professional wrestling as Sports Entertainment is good for the talent, as it better positions them to capitalize on their skills and marketability once their in-ring career is over.

YOUR TURN, SCREWHEADS

What do you think, folks? Am I crazy for stressing the importance of using “Sports Entertainment” over “Wrestling?” Are they truly interchangeable words, or do the words have real meaning to them? Fire away!

SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT #FOLLOWFRIDAY OF THE WEEK

This week’s #FollowFriday is my good pal @FGoodish, who bases both his user name and avatar pic in honor of the late, great Bruiser Brody.

True story, we were indirectly introduced to each other through the Ultimate Warrior. The Warrior Man retweeted me one day, Mr. Goodish liked what I had to say, so he followed me. I checked his profile, enjoyed what he had to say, and I followed him back. From there came many friendly debates about pro wrestling.

I don’t know much about Mr. Goodish, like his real name, what he does for a living, what he looks like, etc. But none of that matters. What matters is what I do know about him:

-He is a huge pro-wrestling fan
-He hates Hulk Hogan
-He loves Sheamus
-He has a fat chick who stalks him
-He has started doing yoga because of DDP
-He’d raw dog both Bella twins

Here are some recent tweets from the man himself:

“In the build to @CMPunk vs @IAmJericho , Punk should come out with a Best in the World shirt, that lights up.”

“The only thing Taker’s lair is missing is a sex swing.”

“Big Show is the only guy who falls forward from a drop kick.”

“On the bright side, I just took a glorious dump”

My man, FGoodish, everyone! Give him a follow today, will ya? With any luck, we’ll see him around these parts once again.

And of course, follow all the 411 stuff on Twitter! #spon

http://www.twitter.com/411mania
http://www.twitter.com/411wrestling
http://www.twitter.com/411moviestv
http://www.twitter.com/411music
http://www.twitter.com/411games
http://www.twitter.com/411mma

NON-SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT THING OF THE WEEK

I recently downloaded the Kindle version of Rumble Road from Amazon.com. For those of you that never heard of it, Rumble Road is a collection of road stories from WWE Superstars. Published in 2010, the book contains great, entertaining stories from Superstars like Randy Orton, The Miz, Beth Phoenix, Kofi Kingston and dozens of others. You can read about all the ribs they pull, the skeevy conditions of their hotels, and more! This book offers a great insight into the daily lives of your favorite wrestlers Sports Entertainers. To give you an example of what you can find in Rumble Road, here’s an excerpt – the setup is that Rey Mysterio and Shelton Benjamin used to pretend to get into physical altercations while in convenience stores, all so they could freak out the poor cashier that was on duty that night. Here’s Shelton Benjamin’s tale:

“What Rey and I would do, we’d stop for gas and walk into a convenience store. Obviously, no one would know who we are because a lot of people don’t recognize Rey without the mask, and at the time I was so new, I could pretty much walk around unnoticed.

But me and Rey would always do this thing where, right in front of the cashier, we’d bump into each other and we’d get into it like we were about to fight. Like, “Hey man, watch where you’re going!” “No, you watch where you’re going!” We would get to the point where we’d be real loud and animated, and we did it just to get a rise out of the cashiers. The cashier would always be like, “Please guys, calm down. Please don’t fight in here. Just calm down.” We’ve done it so many times, and I swear, it’s the funniest thing ever when these cashiers think a fight is about to break out in their store.

The best was one time, Rey said something and I was like, “Fine, we’ll see…I’ll get you!” So I walk out of the store and hop in the van we rented. Then when Rey walked out the front door, we sped the van in front of the store, slammed on the brakes, threw the door open, and snatched Rey into the van before speeding off. We looked back and the cashier was freaking out like you couldn’t believe. He thought we just kidnapped one of his customers. I don’t know if he ever called the cops or what. All I know is it was funny as hell.”
I thought that was hilarious. Some of the ribs in the book are great – so why not check out Rumble Road today?

PLUGGING ALONG

Cook!
Wrestling Fact or Fiction!
Ask 411 Wrestling!
Wednesday Wire!
Top 5 WWE World Heavyweight Champions!
The Heel Report!

SIGNING OFF

And so ends another exciting edition of Friday Sports Entertainment. Be sure to comment on Sports Entertainment vs. Wrestling, follow @FGoodish and the 411 stuff on twitter, and check out Rumble Road if you’re so inclined.

Have a good one, everybody.

Hasta Viernes,

This is Sean.