Hello my fellow wrestling fans. First of all, and most importantly, I want to thank everyone who took the time to read my debut column. I got my fair share of feedback on it and am very proud to say that the majority of the people who sent comments enjoyed the column overall. Writing something that is entertaining for fans like myself to read is ultimately my goal as a wrestling columnist. That's why it makes me so proud to hear from not only readers, but experienced columnists, who enjoyed my debut column. As always I welcome any and all feedback that you wish to send me. I love the interaction with other wrestling fans, so feel free to either e-mail or instant message me on AOL anytime and I will make sure to get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks everyone for the support and kind words you've provided me with thus far. My gratitude cannot be put into words on this page. And now with that out of the way, on to my latest column!
Shock Treatment: Fan Over-reaction?
o‧ver‧re‧act Pronunciation Key - [oh-ver-ree-akt]
–verb (used without object)
to react or respond more strongly than is necessary or appropriate
In order begin this installment of Shock Treatment I'd like to take a break from the current Kurt/TNA controversy to go back in time momentarily and then discuss a thought that I've pondered. It's hard to believe that it's been over a decade since August 27, 1994 when the hardcore legend Terry Funk called out to a bloodthirsty audience asking for a chair. The crowd in that South Philadelphia bingo hall was more than happy to provide him with several hundred chairs, and the rest is history. Prior to the birth of Extreme Championship Wrestling fan interaction at this level was unheard of in the wrestling industry. This was only one of many innovative features ECW involved the fans in. There were breath taking balcony dives into the crowd at many shows, not to mention Spike Dudley being press slammed out of the ring into a mosh pit of wrestling fans who crowd surfed him throughout the arena. Many feel that ECW's fan interaction and dedication to giving the fans what they wanted resulted in the organizations diehard following to this day. The question I pose in this column today is when does fan interaction become fan over-reaction?
Over the past few years fan interaction has grown by leaps and bounds. The WWE has even gone as far as to add a new pay-per-view event to the schedule where fans are given the opportunity to decide match stipulations, and sometimes the matches themselves via the internet. We've been given the opportunity to hand pick a new addition to the roster of Divas every year as well. However, perhaps the most shocking display of fan interaction was the return of Extreme Championship Wrestling. June 11, 2006 was a milestone date in wrestling history. When the second annual One Night Stand event went on the air World Wrestling Entertainment officially had a third brand. ECW was back by popular demand, but had WWE created a monster by giving the fans what they wanted? A sign in the Hammerstein Ballroom actually read "If Cena wins we riot." Hostile situation was an understatement for the main event when ECW alumnist Rob Van Dam challenged the controversial WWE Champion John Cena. ECW fans in the building chanted everything from homosexual slurs to letting him know exactly what they think of Cena's wrestling skills. We all know the end result, a tainted title win for one of the most gifted athletes in sports entertainment. But with the malicious audience in the Hammerstein Ballroom that night, what would things have been like had the match gone the other way and Cena retained his title instead? Since the revival of ECW fans have even managed to get under the skin of talent such as Shannon Moore, Dave Batista, and even the veteran Big Show who happens to be the brand's current World Champion.
Meanwhile the alternative to WWE programming, Total Nonstop Action, appears to embracing the chain of fan over-reaction that was seemingly jump started by One Night Stand. Ever since being pelted with garbage after regaining his NWA Championship at Slammiversary Jeff Jarrett has vowed revenge on the fans of TNA. Over the past few weeks on TNA's flagship program Impact fans have thrown half full drinks and other garbage at Jarrett only to be confronted or even assaulted by the champion and removed by security. Now I realize these fans were almost surely planted in the audience, but they don't want to give the fans the impression that it would be alright to throw anything at the ring or become physically involved with the action. That would be an especially bad idea considering they're attempting to take the promotion on the road with house shows and the upcoming Bound for Glory event. After failing a polygraph test involving collusion between himself and committee member Larry Zbysko the NWA Champion was forced into a non-title "Fans Revenge Lumberjack Match" at No Surrender by Jim Cornette. And as if that weren't enough of a punishment, his opponent was former X Division Champion the undefeated Samoa Joe. In the end, however, it was the leather-strap carrying fans of TNA who Jarrett should have been concerned with rather than Joe. At one almost surreal point in this match, Joe tied Jarrett to the rope with one of the straps and offered Jarrett's back to the seemingly bloodthirsty fans. The massacre of the flesh on Double J's back continued until several officials had to separate the fans from their helpless champion.
So does a line exist between fans being demanding and too much so? And if one does exist, where is it crossed? Is it chucking your trash at the ring? Or perhaps it's the repeated threat of rioting due to the outcome of a high profile match that your favorite wrestler is in? Now it seems to have even gone as far as holding a fan contest for the right to actually assault the performers with leather straps. Regardless of a wrestlers popularity, or lack thereof, physically attack the talent should always remain off limits. Or at least you would certainly think so. Where will the current trend of fan interaction lead the business? If fans are given everything that they want, what reason will be left to continue watching? There's also the potential that in the distant future the most powerful people in the wrestling industry will be the fans rather than the McMahon family, Dixie Carter, or the Jarrett's. Only time will tell.
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