My columns are being added onto the Wrestling Voice's main column section, and this is the greatest accomplishment in my writing career. I have respected all the great writers on there since it debuted 2 years ago, and even those who I was following and reading even before then. To be on there is huge for me, and I will do whatever it takes to entertain you, the fans, in the closest thing to wrestling that I might ever get to. Thanks to all who have helped, supported, and bashed me, it has been and will continue to be great.
Let's Be Pro-Realisitc
Are You Ready Again: How Both DX & the Common Fan are Making Their Returns
Now on to our feature presentation...
Are You Ready? The three words that used to spark the single most hair raising entrance theme can be heard ever so faintly once again. The arena's going dark, the heart-beat can be heard, and the lights flashed black & neon green.You Think You Can Tell Me What to Wear? The Titantron showcased the pulse of the arena bubbling with the emotions that could be heard everywhere. The jerseys and t-shirts and signs all hailing allegiance to the most popular faction in pro-wrestling history began being waived like lunatics again. You Think That You’re Better? The rebellious attitude that began to surge through our veins, prompting us to crotch chop our bosses, parents, and teachers when their backs are turned. Well You Better Get Ready. We are ready, all of us, standing in honor of the people we worshipped more than anyone else. To Bow to The Masters... Triple H & Shawn Michaels, now both legendary for not only creating this, but being the absolute best in their craft, being masters.
BREAK IT DOWN
It was a phenomenon. The evolution of D-Generation X was one of the founding factors of much of the Attitude Era as was Stone Cold Steve Austin. Although Stone Cold was the leader of the new attitude, it was DX that lives on in just about each and every wrestling fan both current and those who have long stopped watching Raw. No one can ever tell you ‘I got two words for ya’ without being interrupted first with either a crotch chop or the phrase SUCK IT. To this day, the only true wrestling poster that is enshrined in my Mantown is the beloved D-Generation X motto. Every day I can see it, and remember the highlight of my golden days of wrestling. If you were to ever IM me, my response box has been and always will be neon green letters over a black background. Better yet, look at my column titles, all of them. I have been a DX disciple since it was first formed. Even more, it seems that there are two things occurring in wrestling right now that seem to go hand in hand. First, DX is coming back. And two, the old fans are as well.
Ever since the late 2000’s, wrestling has died as being acceptable. As a child, it seemed wrestling was more than just mainstream, it was our culture. TV Guide had several wrestlers on the cover, celebrities were dying to get into the squared circle, and anyone was willing to say their mind about wrestling. It was awesome. I didn’t have to hide my affiliation with it, I was free to be a wrestling fan without being considered dumb. I was proud to wear my DX, Austin 3:16, or Rocky t-shirts, do you remember that pride? Again, it was awesome. But somehow, somewhere, it ended. Not to be a basher, but it began feeling like I was gay being a wrestling fan. I was in the closet. Never would I dare to speak about wrestling in public, or even with my friends. It only led to ridicule and embarassment. It was always my personal obsession and my personal prison. And it seemed everyone else either did the same, or quit altogether.
I wanted to let the world know about my passion. I hoped to show people what I saw. But it has been hard. Everyone who left their fanhood with the collapse of wCw and the closure of ECW missed out on history. The matches and feuds I dreamt about as a kid were coming true. In case you were one of those people, I want to tell you what you missed the last 5 years. Yes, this is what you missed when you abandoned sports entertainment in order to satisfy the public need to shit on wrestling. Are you Ready?
- Chris Jericho becomes the first ever person to unify the wCw World Championship and the WWF World Championship.
- Brock Lesnar become the fastest rising star in history, then left the most hated man in the industry.
-Dream matches such as The Rock versus Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair versus The Undertaker, The Rock versus Goldberg, and Shawn Michaels versus Hulk Hogan.
-Chris Benoit & Eddie Guerrero's embrace while both being the respected World Champions of Raw & Smackdown.
-Stone Cold Steve Austin & The Rock both retiring from pro-wrestling as athletes.
-The Roster Split between Raw & Smackdown.
-The birth of the current future of wrestling, stars such as Randy Orton, John Cena, Batista, and others.
-The rise of the mid-cards we all cheered for, such as Christian becoming NWA World Champion or Edge becoming WWE Champion.
-The creation of new competition and innovation in Total Non-stop Action wrestling.
Yes this and much more all transpired during the last few years. Did we have a hard time sifting through the garbage to find these gems? Yes, but it is not like we never had crap to deal with during the Attitude Era. The Attitude Era ended generally between 2000 and 2001. The final Wrestlemania to be generally remembered by X-fans has been considered Wrestlemania 16. I just want to show you what the ‘under-card’ was in case you have forgotten.
Kane & Rikishi versus The Road Dogg & X-Pac, Big Bossman & Bull Buchanon versus D’Lo Brown & The Godfather, Test & Albert versus ‘Head Cheese’ Steve Blackman & Al Snow.
Maybe that was just one bad year. Right? Wrestlemania XV had Road Dogg win an IC fatal 4 way, Hardcore Holly versus Billy Gunn & Al Snow, Owen Hart (RIP) & Jeff Jarret faced Test & D’Lo Brown. What is the point of this history lesson? Learning to have patience in wrestling. Just like then, we have to deal with it now. We deal with the sloppy DIVA contests, McMahonisms, and sometimes ridiculous undercards, but those who have stayed loyal know its to find those few perfect moments in wrestling. (Compare and contrast Triple H vs Scott Steiner & Chris Benoit vs Kurt Angle @ RR 2003)
Wrestling is not perfect, by no means. Sometimes there are a lot of crap we as fans had to deal with, such as Katie Vick or Mae Young, but those who did stick around got to see the next chapter in the illustrious career of sports entertainment. I don’t regret for a second spending the last 250 Monday Nights firmly planted in my couch watching Raw. My life has changed completely since those nights I would be in front of my TV with the volume down low (my bed time was 10pm and Raw was on until 11) so my mom didn’t know I was still awake ‘watching that crap’. But I am still here, still cheering, still jeering, but all for one reason. I live for this.
It happened April 2nd, the change that is still occurring right now as we speak. Shawn Michaels & Triple H both crotch chopped their opponents in a mannerism that hasn’t been seen in years, a gesture that once led wrestling into its most popular era. All of a sudden people are willing to say they stop and watch Raw every once and while. People are coming out of the closets again, and all it took was one voice to admit they are a fan. People ask me where John Cena came from, or why Rey Mysterio is the World Heavyweight Champion. People want to know where Austin, Rock, or Hogan are. I smile, because I know asking questions is always the first step to rediscovery.
Seeing the DX signs in the crowd again fills me with not just nostalgia, but hope, the hope that I won’t need to defend my passion for wrestling anymore. I hope for a time when wrestling is once again considered respectable, and the athletes who kill themselves for us and risk everything for us are held as high, if not higher, than those unloyal, money hungry, or TRUE steroid hyped pieces of monkey crap called pro-athletes. Barry Bonds, Adam Vinatieri, Johnny Damon, you all suck and yet get the respect from any common person ten times more than Triple H, Eddie Guerrero, or Chris Benoit will ever get. Well I got two words for all of you selfish bastards.... SUCK IT.
D-Generation X is coming back, and with it, old fans are too. Saturday Night’s Main Event, Bret Hart’s retirement speech and induction into the Hall of Fame, and the simple acknowledgment of respect for these guys are beginning to show the signs of a revival by mixing the old-school with the new school. A revival of the way things used to be. For those who may have missed the last few years, go buy the DVD’s and relive these epic events. For those of us who never went anywhere, we are all going to be treated to the best era in wrestling. And if you ain’t down with that, again, I got two words for ya...
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