tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1546665963755719151.post5850192245044622729..comments2023-07-15T07:17:49.535-04:00Comments on Professional Wrestling in U.S. Popular Culture: Booking, Wrestling and RespectSam Fordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17233749268141980625noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1546665963755719151.post-49589902785798469492007-03-14T16:39:00.000-04:002007-03-14T16:39:00.000-04:00Some great responses to Larry's piece, and I think...Some great responses to Larry's piece, and I think one main issue is that the book, like Ole's, comes with some distance from the situation. A lot of time has passed since the St. Louis wrestling days, and Larry has some distance so that he no longer feels the bitterness that he did at one time, plus Vince employed him for many years. It's ironic to listen to Vince's points in <I>The Monday NIght War</I>, since he felt Ted Turner was unfair doing what Vince did to others back to Vince, but I think even Vince's rhetoric has changed a lot between the time that DVD came out and today, just as Bischoff probably would have felt much more bitter at one point but then later worked for WWE.<BR/><BR/>Larry Matysik, Ole Andreson, and some of these other guys are providing an invaluable account of a time in wrestling history that needs to be captured while those who were there firsthand are still here to write it down, and that's why I thought they were important primary documents for this class. Of course they have their biases, and Larry will mythologize Sam, but he has been an important figure not only in playing directly in the wrestling business but at restoring some of its history as well.Sam Fordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17233749268141980625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1546665963755719151.post-55771537265217881042007-03-14T12:51:00.000-04:002007-03-14T12:51:00.000-04:00I thought the piece was classy, and a breath of fr...I thought the piece was classy, and a breath of fresh air to read something that didn't completely trash Vince. While many find what Vince did underhanded, I think he just did what he had to do. It's not all that different from WalMart putting out family businesses, because in the end, it really is about the dollar signs. Vince came in and did what he wanted, what he planned, what he envisioned, and I think Matysik respects that. Maybe he didn't like it - as a matter of fact, I'm sure he didn't - but I got the vibe that he did respect it.<BR/><BR/>And the bookers who happen to be wrestlers, that's a very interesting point that I picked up on during the reading but forgot to make a point about here, so I'm glad you brought it up. It's amusing to me that the first names that came to mind were Triple H and Chris Jericho, one of my all-time favorite wrestlers, and these are two guys that you immediately brought up. For a long time, I refused to be a Triple H fan because of the way he was holding down not just my favorite guy at the time, Jericho, but because he did the same thing to other guys while still putting forward this look like he would do anything to benefit the business. Hardly seemed like it on my end. <BR/><BR/>From what we've seen though, as you astutely point out, this didn't seem to be a huge problem in the past. But I think with Vince in the picture, he really put forward and drove home the fact that you have to be ruthless in the business if you want to get ahead. I think with this new mentality, it paved the way for guys to do what Vince did and benefit themselves (like Triple H and Shawn Michaels in the past). Is it all that much different from Lou Thesz picking and choosing who he would lose to? Probably not, but I don't think he was booking, but Michaels used to do the exact same thing.<BR/><BR/>It's no wonder that Matysik grew tired of dealing with it all. He saw it coming, and I have to give him all the respect in the world for dealing with Vince the way he did. He seemed to understand what Vince was doing. I like what Kate said in that it seemed he knew it was inevitable. I think he did. When he described people trying to convince him not to throw in the towel, that he was winning, he knew that he couldn't compete and didn't try to beat a dead horse when Vince was taking the wrestling world by storm. It was sad to read, but that's business for you.Carolinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15734872123134278512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1546665963755719151.post-6991016424532775032007-03-14T10:06:00.000-04:002007-03-14T10:06:00.000-04:00Luis, I also noticed how gently Matysik treats Vin...Luis, I also noticed how gently Matysik treats Vince jr. There does seem to be a level of respect, and a sense of understanding about the necessity or even ingenuity of Vince Jr.'s actions. 'Angry as I was, I understood his thinking. In (Ted's) eyes, I was still the young, green kid he first directed on television. Vince, on the other hand, was already romancing TV execs worldwide... I was worried about little ole St. Louis; Vince was going to conquer the world." (186)<BR/><BR/>Matysik exhibits a good deal of diplomace throughout his text. Though he is most obviously sympathetic to Muchnick, he is incredibly respectful of all the wrestlers and promoters he talks about. Even when there is betrayal, or rupture in alliances due to disagreement or power struggles, Matysik's narrative has a tone of inevitablility and acceptance. Hwen he talks about his own resignation, he says: 'But the end was still inevitable. Looking back, it was the kind of sad divorce where the couple just cannot communicate.'<BR/>This has the tone of reason and resolve. I suppose that, just as heels and babyfaces can turn off (most of) their disdain for eachother before and after the match, Matysik can read the dealings of the NWA and WWF with some perspective and larger sense of the wrestling industry, and where it was destined to evolve.katejameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08430363581506455789noreply@blogger.com