Let me throw you off the roof, it’ll be sick!
Today I am going to talk about the issue of backyard wrestling and my own personal feelings towards it and the extremes people will go to in the name of wrestling. Look away if you do not wish to read.
What goes through your mind when I describe this activity:
“An activity where untrained and amateur people put themselves at increasing risk of injury and death by further limiting their chance of survival with greater risk.”
That is in fact what described the people who sat in crash test cars before the advent of dummies. That description could definitely describe backyard wrestling though, so what differentiates something considered brave and something that is considered foolhardy?
I think that my answer is the reasons for taking that great a risk. People were dying daily in road accidents and someone had to test the potential of the new invention that was to become the seatbelt. What they were in fact doing was putting themselves at risk so that future generations would have their lives saved by the simple device. Backyard wrestling is self-serving and egocentric, as many of the dedicated web sites attest. It isn’t there to serve others; it is there to serve the wrestler and to boost their own self worth.
Which in a way differentiates a professional wrestler from the backyarder, as a wrestler always thinks of the people he or she entertains, they do take calculated risks, but limit it with training and safety equipment.
A little harsh? Perhaps. I remember seeing a program on this subject and that the statistical fact that backyard wrestlers begin in their early teens and usually grow out of it between 16-18. With that fact in mind, we can assume that it is an adolescent behaviour, perhaps some sort of way for young kids to prove that they are indeed worthy to be called men. But, as many find out, being a man is a lot more than showing each other how “hard” you are, it is all about responsibility.
I have heard the saying that backyarders always take responsibility for their actions, I would probably agree, that is, until someone gets hurt. A Doctor friend of mine said to me that this year she has had about 20 to 30 cases where she has suspected a backyard wrestling accident, they always say it was a bike accident, or her favourite, they fell out of a tree. If you are responsible, why not tell the truth and accept the consequences that come with it?
However, backyard wrestling has its roots in copying hardcore wrestling, which is another thing I wholeheartedly disagree with. It is obvious to me that the “don’t try this at home” slogan is purely not working, when kids are setting fire to each other, re-enacting a show where they saw some wrestler do it and they thought it was cool.
Professional wrestling has a responsibility to recognise its effects over children and young adults, which is why I think that the onus on hardcore has dropped a little over the past few years. There is simply no need to drop someone on thumb tacks when dropping them to the mat has exactly the same effect on the crowd and what reason does it serve anyway apart from to give sadistic kids ideas?
For those who think I have my head rammed right up the ass of righteousness and I don’t understand what backyard wrestling is all about, then you are probably right. The difference is that in 5 years time I am far less likely to end up with a broken limb or a shattered vertebra, simply because I don’t take stupid risks and I don’t even have to take risks to entertain the crowd.
My Doctor friend told me the story about a lady who cut herself on a piece of glass and a tiny shard worked its way into her blood stream, it cut her open internally and she nearly died a very painful death. Think about that next time you smash a light strip across your opponent’s back.
On a completely different tact, I went to FCW last Sunday and I think I am seriously marking out for the Judge, he is an excellent showman. The other thing I noticed was Cameron Knight, he and Danny Devine must have been separated at birth! They are almost exactly alike, freaky!
Take a read of Scott Future’s look on the Ric Flair arguments, I really enjoyed reading it and I think you will too, if you haven’t already of course.
I’ll see some of you at Deadly Alliance 2 on Friday, for the rest, look after yourself and keep watching those shows!
Saracen
