It's one thing to mention a local promotion apropos of nothing. It's quite another to use such a condescending tone towards not only readers of this website and your colleagues excellent blog but also towards people with far more athletic capability than any of the baseball players you write about so often. Perhaps Mr. Eck didn't have time to return your call as he often interviews the athletes he covers and otherwise engages himself in the field he writes about as opposed to you, who seemingly just watches ballgames and then provides an inexperienced and unqualified opinion on it.

It's very hard to take "cool points" from a schlub in a Hawaiian shirt. Scripted or not, I'd offer that there is far more variety in the pre-ordained results of "wrasslin'" matches than that of Orioles games. As opposed to the local ballgames, in wrestling sometimes the good guys win.

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Pete's reply: Thank you for your impassioned defense of professional wrestling. Now, could you go out to your front lawn and get me a beer out of your refrigerator.

Good stuff, Pete! You might enjoy a tag-team event with Mickie James as your partner! Or, perhaps, a one-on-one match with her! Perhaps KE can hook you up!

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Pete's reply: I hope you're right.

Hey Pete, don't hold back, tell us how you really feel. Ouch!

pete how about you putting on some red tights and a mask and getting in the ring 2 out of 3 falls vs. hans mortier or nature boy buddy rogers. (i think roch once mentioned he saw you in the tights and mask at spring training) may the schmuck be with you.

Wow - that really came out of no where. Stay classy, Schmuck. That seemed to rundown both professional wrestling and a colleague all at the same time. Amazing you could put the fork down long enough to do that.

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Pete's reply: I really wasn't trying to run down Kevin Eck. I wasn't even driving at the time.

"I didn't know that it was about as real as Donald Trump's hair or Pamela Anderson's..."

...acting "talents," Pete?

Wrestling is about as real as your credibility and the blog you portend to write

Bring back Roch

I don't see what's with all the Pete Bashing about this post: He said he used to watch wrestling, thought it was real, but then realized it was scripted...

He quoted his friend as saying it was "scripted entertainment." The only thing that could potentially be considered inflammatory, in my opinion, is saying wrestling isn't a "real sport," and I gotta go with Pete on that one: anything that is dependent on other people's opinion or has a predetermined outcome is not a sport. That doesn't mean it isn't athletic or that doesn't require some intense training/skill. (I bolded that last part because I'm sure some people are going to blast me for that in some way or another, if for no other reason than they didn't read all of my post.) That also doesn't mean the people who take part in said activities aren't athletes. In fact, as JGavin said, I would argue that some of them are more athletic than people who play other sports.

Of course, this is all just my opinion, so have fun with it.

Pete opened himself up to the bashing. The post seems totally random

He's obviously taking a "holier than thou" attitude toward wrestling fans with his comments that label wrestling fans as homosexual drug abusers from Dundalk.

Digs against the local wrestling promotion and Kevin Eck (who's blog is one of the more positive ones on the Sun) just weren't necessary. He could have said "I used to watch wrestling, now I don't" in a totally different way ... of course, that's less likely to get page clicks and generate comments.

Of course, this is all just my opinion.

Fat, creepy guy, in a cheesy Hawaiian shirt? Sorry, but I don't think there are many places you are going to blend in outside of a retirement community in FLA.

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Pete's reply: I'm not creepy.

The problem is how dismissive Mr. Schmuck is of the performers and their audience. To him these wrestlers aren't involved in a "real sport". Actually, professional wrestling is a very real sport in which a series of physical feats are improvised in order to give the illusion of something. Wrestling is a performance sport, like figure skating. While the the hierarchy of competition within storylines is totally made-up, there is no doubt there are some wrestlers better than others and that is the real competition. For example Hulk Hogan is world famous and, before the tragic end of his life, Chris Benoit was unknown outside of wrestling. The truth is Hogan was always atrocious in a wrestling ring while Benoit is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

Secondly, Mr. Schmuck plays along with the same boring stereotypes that now extend to just about every sport (save basketball). Steroid jokes? Are you serious? Don't you write a baseball column? Guys with neck tattoos? Really? I guess I shouldn't expect more from a guy who is still using Pamela Anderson-has-fake-boobs pop culture references in 2010.

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Pete's reply: Glad you didn't take it personally. Who's name is on your neck?

This is all a work.

Just announced as the Maryland Championship Wrestling main event - Schmuck vs Eck inside the steel cage.

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Pete's reply: Well, at least if it were in a steel cage, I wouldn't have to chase him.

Real classy. This is the last time I check this blog. Roch always had better information anyway.

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Pete's reply: If that's true, what were you doing here in the first place?

Schmuck will be eating lunch at the Baltimore Sun cafeteria, and out of nowhere Kevin Eck will drop him with the Stone-Cold Stunner.

"Stunner from Eck! My God, Schmuck is out! 1, 2, 3! Eck is your new Sports Department champion!"

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Pete's reply: That's one of the reasons I never eat in the Sun cafeteria.

What? Are you saying that Rick Flair and Andre the Giant already knew how it was going to come out?! No! Say it ain't so Pete!
I once knew a pro wrestler from that era after he'd retired, forgot his stage name, he wasn't one of the big stars everyone would know anyway, we worked out in the same gym. He owned a great delicatessen, made the best ruebens I've ever eaten. Crazy SOB though.

Look at all the wrestling watching b!tches get offended. IT'S REAL PETE lolololol

when i was young i used to watch that stuff too. there was hay stacks calhoon ,the zeebra kid antonio rocka to name a few. now i don't even wast a volt or ampere of electricity on that stuff.i just don't see it as entertainment these days

Really enjoyed your blog today Mr. Schmuck. Brought back memories for me too. When I was a kid "wrasslin'" was live from WBAL Tv studios. There was an old lady who went to every match and screamed and hollered at the refs and the "bad guys". She was more entertaining than Bruno Samartino and Bobo Brazil. Good times.

Just for the record - "real sports" have a betting line in Vegas. WWE is not there.

One of your posters brought up Chris Benoit and his tragic end. The really tragic part is that Vince McMahon knew all about the steroid use and did nothing about it. What a great employer he is (sic.).

Watch your back Mr. Schmuck; people on this blog get offended real easy.

Hi Peter,
Can you feel the love here lol.Let's see you have bad mouth your friend Kiven,Trump(was'nt he on a WWE match),wrestling,the fan's, and Dundaik.
Sounds like your setting the fan's up.Can hear it now over the pa system "The Schmuck"

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Pete's reply: "The Schmuck" has a nice ring to it, but I think the "The Masked Schmuck" is more like it.

What the heck, Pete?

You have to tear down the one quality blog on the site to get hits these days?

Bring back Roch!

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Pete's reply: I think Roch is wrestling in the MCW event on July 31, but I could be wrong.

Outstanding post, Pete! I think it's an excellent idea to come out of left field with a post like this every now and then, if only to give the regulars something else to whine about besides "The Plan"...

I don't like the idea of wrestling as a "sport". It's still very "carnie" to me. I find it absurd and bizarrely entertaining in that if it didn't exist, I couldn't make it up or imagine it. That said, your tone was immensly prickish. Why crack on fans, Dundalk, or your fellow writer Kevin Eck?

AHAHA, Pete, you are my hero.

Pete I'm a wrestling fan and think the blog and your replies to people are all in good clean fun. Some folks need to grow up and develop a sense of humor. Keep up the good work.

Dear Schmuck,
Please let me start by saying that your stereotypes are completely off. I am a Finance MBA student who's never lived in Dundalk (though I've met plenty of smart people from DUndalk who have never watched a min of wrestling), nor do I have any tatoos... On my neck or otherwise. I have also never touched a steroid in my life nor do I plan to, and I drink perhaps a beer
a week. To be totally honest I'm not even a diehard rasslin fan.
But your post was just plain dumb and unnecessary. I don't mind people hating on wrestling, everyone has their opinion. I for one think that an hour or two of scripted entertainment - non unlike many sitcoms or soap operas - that features some good athletes perfoming in front of thousands of fans in arenas and millions of fans around the world, is MUCH MORE entertaining than watching a bunch of overpaid losers make mistake after mistake in front of an empty stadium, where the result of the game and the whole season is more obvious to anyone - from Dundalk... With tattoos or without - than any wrestling show. Plus the way you write about the team, with mostly insane blind optimism, almost seems like you are getting your blog posts spoken into your ear from MacFail, like McMahon does during his shows. But no, everyone is entitled to their opinion, as rude and condescending as it is.
What really upsets me is how you basically ripped on a colleague who is not only a better writer than you, but also a more successful blogger, and a generally nice person. If anything, I have a feeling that Petey is basically using a rasslin move and basically using the fact that this is a polarizing article and subject to get himself more hits - a work.
Pete, I just want to say in general, since I am already writing, that the quality of your writing has gone down the same toilet as the quality of orioles baseball. I used to read your posts because of useful information, insight, and fun smart humor. Those qualities have been lacking from your posts for quite a while. Now we get rehashed information and blatant vitriole. It seems that you have resorted to cheap tactics to get site views and keep your job. Even as little as a year ago I'd still read your posts just to read the comments, but now even those have dried up because your posts are not even worth the mouse click most of the time.
Part of me wants to start listing some of the finer qualities you posess that can be made fun of, but I'll refrain because that's what adults do.
Best part is, how many baseball players are out of shape and how many took anabolic steroids in THAT "sport"?
I really hope you take a moment out of your busy schedule to come up with a witty response to anything I just said.

Thanks goof,
Gene

Wow dude, I thought you were a professional. If Gene's theory is correct, then this little stunt will get you hopefully in the Sun's top 5 blogs for at least this week huh?

Whatever your opinion about professional wrestling, indoor soccer, arena football, etc., you showed a lack of class and respect to a colleague. That is immature regardless of the forum, the subject, your age, or your opinion. Very disappointing stuff, sir.

"Pete's reply: Glad you didn't take it personally. Who's name is on your neck?

Excellent (or should I say, completely incorrect) use of the contraction 'Who's' there Pete. And you write for a living?

This definitely came way out of nowhere. I don't care to defend wrestling or their fans because I stopped watching a long time ago. I do however check in with Kevin Eck's blog every once in awhile to see if anyone has died or anything interesting has happened and read some of his interviews with older wrestlers where they discuss experiences in Baltimore and stuff like that.

How many 2010 Orioles or any other baseball players know who Peter Schmuck is? You turned into a joke of your former self. I used to read regularly until I discovered how much more info you can get from the School of Roch and what throwing around some actual humor might do for a blog.

I guess I would get upset too if everyone just turned on me. I don't even think The Sun likes posting your "news", Orioles Insider is the way to go. When is the last time you've said something relevant?

I am curious about how 28 people even knew that you posted this blog...I'm gonna go with the link on Kevin Eck's latest blog. If a fat ass old slob in an early-90s Hawaiian shirt falls off the face of the Earth, does anyone hear it?

"Fat, creepy guy, in a cheesy Hawaiian shirt? Sorry, but I don't think there are many places you are going to blend in outside of a retirement community in FLA."

Peter, you could have an alternate career as the next Capt. Lou Albano?

I bet it pays better than what you do currently.

Can you take a bump?

Hey Pete I have a new nickname for you, Summer's Eve.

Kevin Eck is an amazing journalist who actually puts some effort into the SPORT he covers, unlike you who stoops to taking cheap shots at people who you claim not to care about or even want to associate yourself with. why you have chosen to target wrestling and its fans to bash is beyond me, but then again when you have no talent and nothing else better to do with your time it kind of makes sense that you would stoop this low. the fans of pro wrestling watch it because it is entertaining, nuff said. if you dont like it keep your portly mouth shut and stick to what you do best and fill it with cheesesteaks, pizza, and your last name

Wow, I used to look forward to reading your coverage of the Orioles and other topics until I read this one.

Plenty of educated, smart people enjoy pro wrestling, and it has nothing to do with neck tattoos or beer or whatever other stereotypical things you believe all wrestling fans have.

I happen to be a college-educated journalist myself, working at a local newspaper company. I don't even drink beer, nor do I have any tattoos or plan to get any, so you can come down off your high horse, Mr. Hawaiian Shirts.

I love "real sports" as you call it just as much as I love pro wrestling. It is as athletic and rough on the body, if not more so, than most of those real sports you talk about. Sure, the outcomes are predetermined, but that takes nothing away from the efforts being put forth by the wrestlers when they put on their shows.

Your ignorance of the subject is staggering.

Yes, pro wrestling does attract a certain audience who take it seriously and think it's all real. But that is not the majority. Get your facts straight before you go lambasting potential readers of your column, which I now do not plan to be anymore.

Really? You call yourself a legitimate sports journalist? First off everyone knows that wrestling is fake. For you to even write a blog bashing it because of how it is fake simply makes you as retarded as the "redneck" fans you think watch it. WWE, TNA, RoH... these are all tv shows meant for entertainment. The freaking companies even tell you it's entertaining. You must be one of the really special people who watch CSI and think your learning how to investigate dead bodies because you watched Morpheus do it in a 30 minute show.

Seriously, you cover sports, and obviously you can't even tell them apart. So why don't you do yourself a favor and shut the hell up, and maybe in a few months people will forget just how much of a jack ass you really are.

Stick to your sports blog. Hey, I will cover your next few weeks of work for you..." The Orioles lost another one tonight, and tomorrow, and the day after that... but wait! We face off against the worst team in the league next week so maybe we will get a win! What's that? We ARE the worst team in the league? Well .. at least the Ravens season starts up soon."

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Pete's reply: When did I call myself a legitimate sports journalist? That would be like you obsessing about WWE and calling yourself a legitimate sports fan.

Mr. Schmuck,
Thank you for your insightful blogs Truly enlightening.
Having said that I think you are missing your true calling. You should be writing a column about horse racing because once again thru your writing you have proven you are the part of a horse located just south of where the tail is attached.
Have a nice day!

Im surprised that dudes who are into watching other mostly naked dudes are so friggin sensitive

I figured that someone so in touch with their homo erotic feelings for juiced up meat heads wouldn't be so sensitive

Learn something new everyday

I am surprised no one has stated this but I guess I will. Mr. Schmuck, the reason your post offends me (other than the usual stereotypical observations about wrestling and Dundalk that hack writers use) is that the event your bashing is an annual event put on to celebrate the life of Brian Howser (aka Shane Shamrock). Mr. Howser was a young wrestler that died tragically in 1998 and MCW has paid tribute to his memory ever since then. It's a classy thing done by the promotion, far more classier than someone that bashes the product without doing their research. You could have done your research but that would require you to a) show the hallmarks of being a good writer and b) stop working on your fifth-rate comedy act. Why don't you tell your jokes to someone in the Howser family and see how well they go over? Please do everyone a favor and stick to what you do usually: write about a baseball team that hasn't won a meaningful game in about 15 years.

A horribly written blog by The Sun's answer to Captain Lou Albano.

Probably the most betted on fight ever was this weekend's between Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar. Lesnar beat a collosal undefeated mma fighter, and afterwards, he credited the wrestling business for his ability to get literally beat in the face for 4 solid minutes, get up and choke the guy out the next round.

Set aside the ego's fellas, and look at the baddest man on the planet, former WWE champion Brock Lesnar. I'm a proud wrestling fan, and now an even prouder mma fan. Nuff said. I'd love to see Peter make fun Brock. This is what it would look like...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SACE1tPEcbc