The best wrestling show on television these days isn’t on the USA Network. Nor is it on the CW, Spike TV or Sci Fi Channel. In fact, it isn’t even on network television or basic cable.

It’s called Legends of Wrestling and it is exclusive to WWE 24/7 On Demand. For those who are unfamiliar with the program, it is hosted by Jim Ross and features a panel of legendary wrestling figures discussing a specific topic about the business and telling great road stories. Classic footage is shown in between all the dialogue. I’m not doing a commercial for WWE here, but as far as I’m concerned, this show alone is worth the $7.99 a month that Comcast charges for the channel.

If you’re an old-school fan like I am, you’ll hang on every word during the 75-minute episodes. And if you’re a younger fan, the show will “smarten you up” about the inner-workings of the wrestling industry and what things were like during the territorial days.

The topic for discussion on the most recent episode was wrestling’s greatest rivalries. Joining Ross on the panel was Jerry Lawler, Michael Hayes, Mick Foley and Eric Bischoff. As much as I think I know about wrestling, I heard some stories during this show that I had never heard before – most of which were told by Hayes, the former leader of The Fabulous Freebirds who now is the head writer on Smackdown.

Foley’s favorite rivalry – Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka vs. Magnificent Muraco – is one of mine as well. Seeing clips of the confrontation between the two at a television taping that started the feud, and Snuka’s subsequent intense interview with then-announcer Vince McMahon in an empty arena brought back some good memories.

Muraco was one of the all-time great heels and I always thought he should have gotten a run as WWF champion, but McMahon and his father, Vincent J. McMahon, favored babyfaces holding the title. So Muraco got the consolation prize – the Intercontinental title – and he made it almost as important as the federation’s world title. Fans loved to hate Muraco and they bought tickets in the hopes that they would see him get his comeuppance.

Foley pointed out that fans today are still talking about the cage match at Madison Square Garden in 1983 when Snuka leaped from the top of the cage onto Muraco, yet nobody remembers that night’s so-called main event of WWF champion Bob Backlund versus Masked Superstar.

I’ll discuss some more of my favorite rivalries in a future post.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Some thoughts after watching Raw last night:

It’s only been a little over a week since his last appearance, but I really miss Shawn Michaels. Of all the WWE main eventers out with injuries, I think the loss of Michaels hurts the product the most. In my opinion, he is the most compelling wrestler in the business today. Every Monday night, you could always count on an entertaining match or a good promo – often both – from the “Heartbreak Kid.” He even got a decent match out of The Great Khali a few weeks back. Michaels’ absence is magnified by Edge leaving Raw to become the top star on Smackdown. I agree with WWE’s decision to move Edge, but it sure doesn’t make my Monday nights as enjoyable as they used to be. …

I have mixed emotions about the draft lottery that is scheduled to air on Raw on June 11. On one hand, I think it’s a good idea – especially with all the injuries screwing up any long-term booking plans – to shake things up and present fresh matchups. But with wrestlers routinely appearing on shows other than their own already, I wonder if it’s not time to ditch the brand-specific concept and just go back to one big roster. WWE already has done away with brand-specific pay-per-views, and the loss of so many top stars to injury would be a lot less glaring if the talent did not have to be divided up three ways. …

That was some reaction John Cena got in Toronto, wasn’t it? As is the case in a lot of cities, the men were booing him, while the women and children were cheering him. One thing you can definitely say about Cena is that he elicits a passionate response from the fans, whether they love him or hate him. And while I’m sure the WWE powers-that-be would prefer that their No. 1 babyface not get jeered so vociferously, they are probably more concerned with the fact that the fans’ response to Bobby Lashley is largely indifference. …

Last night’s opening segment, in which 10 bikini-clad divas armed with Super Soakers and water balloons participated in a battle royal, was silly, politically incorrect and demeaning. And just to make sure that the match had no redeeming value, I rewound my tape and watched it five more times.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 6:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

I’ve received some feedback since starting Ring Posts from people who believe TNA is superior to WWE. I disagree, but everyone certainly is entitled to their opinion. I do think that TNA has markedly improved since its debut as a weekly pay-per-view program five years ago, and the mere fact that the company still exists despite never turning a profit is an accomplishment in itself.

The return of Vince Russo to the creative team last fall, however, nearly caused me to tune out for good — I saw the “genius” of Russo up close when I was at WCW — but the signing of Kurt Angle ultimately kept me from writing off TNA. Although I am concerned about Angle’s health because of the precarious condition of his neck, his presence alone makes watching TNA worthwhile.

Most weeks, I find TNA Impact to be enjoyable. I don’t think it compares to Raw, but occasionally it is as good or better than Smackdown and it consistently is more entertaining than ECW.

As far as Thursday’s TNA Impact is concerned, the highlight for me was the opening segment with the Steiners and Team 3-D. This was one of Scott Steiner’s best promos in years.

Having spent some time around Steiner, I’m betting that he meant everything he was saying about the former Dudleys. Never shy about voicing his opinion, he used to cut intense, profanity-laced promos about people even when the cameras weren’t on — usually about Diamond Dallas Page.

My only complaint about the segment is that it made Team 3-D — especially Brother Ray — look like schmoes, which is an odd way to portray the babyfaces. First Team 3-D asks the crowd to give the Steiners a standing ovation, and then after Steiner verbally abuses them and gets in their faces, Ray responds by basically saying, “We like you. Why don’t you like us?”

The main event of Sting vs. Samoa Joe was fine but really didn't come off as a "dream match" to me. I do think TNA has succeeded in making its world title picture interesting, with those two in the mix along with Angle, Christian Cage and others.

One TNA wrestler who is really making strides on the mic and in the ring is Robert Roode. He has developed into one of the company's better heels and appears to be on the verge of becoming a main-event level performer.

The biggest surprise to me has been Tomko, who is showing a lot more in the ring than he ever did in WWE, and he’s starting to develop some personality as well. If he keeps this up, it won't be long before he gets invited to come back up North.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 3:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Here is Part 2 of the story line to elevate Matt Hardy:

The next week on Raw, Matt wrestles a low-level babyface and destroys him. Backstage after the match, Maria tries to interview Matt. When she asks him why he attacked his brother, Matt becomes incensed and bullies her. Before anything can happen, John Cena shows up and tells Matt to back off. While Cena turns to tend to the shaken Maria, Hardy blindsides him with a chair shot.

In a promo the following week, Matt explains his actions toward Jeff. He points out that, as the older brother, he had always taken care of Jeff. And that when Jeff left WWE and battled “personal demons,” he was there for him and also tried to set a good example for him. While Jeff died his hair, listened to punk music and was a free spirit, Matt was a responsible adult and giving his all in WWE. And now Jeff had the audacity to question his passion and act like it was Matt who needed to get his life together.

Matt also says that he was never rewarded by the “office” for being a model citizen, while Jeff was welcomed back into the fold and almost immediately given a shot at the Intercontinental title. Ultimately, he says he is doing just what his brother told him to do, and that’s to live up to his potential by setting a goal and making it happen. Matt concludes with a warning to Cena: “If I would do this to my own brother to get a shot at the title, imagine what I would do to you to win it.”

In the go-home show before Matt’s title match against Cena on pay-per-view, Matt sits at ringside during Cena’s match on Raw. Matt interferes in the bout and lays out Cena with two Twist of Fates on a chair, busting open Cena’s head. He then places Cena on the announcers’ table and delivers a leg drop onto Cena from the top rope.

At the pay-per-view match, Cena wins in a disputed finish (Matt had his foot on the rope while being pinned but the referee didn’t see it). This sets up a rematch on the next month’s pay-per-view – and this time it’s a ladder match, Matt’s specialty.

Cena goes on to win the ladder match and moves on to the next challenger. At that time, Jeff returns from his “broken ankle,” seeking revenge on Matt. The brothers have a series of heated matches that culminates in a tables, ladders and chairs match.

And that is how to elevate Matt Hardy.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I wrote in my last entry that I thought Matt Hardy could be a main-event wrestler if given a chance, and I have come up with a story line that I believe could achieve that goal.

Before you scoff at the notion that a longtime mid-carder could be transformed into a viable main-eventer, I’ll remind you that it has happened a number of times over the years. And I’m not talking about someone like Steve Austin, who had been a high mid-carder before totally changing his look and gimmick and gradually becoming one of the biggest stars of all time.

I’m talking about a guy like Larry Zbyszko, who was a mid-card, white-meat babyface for about six years in the 1970s as the protégé of Bruno Sammartino. He had never been put into a money-drawing position – the mere thought of it seemed ludicrous. Then, one day in 1980, he turned on Bruno and the two had one of the most memorable feuds ever. They sold out arenas in the Northeast throughout that summer, with the angle climaxing in a steel cage match before a crowd of more than 40,000 at Shea Stadium.

So, it can be done, and this is how I would do it.

The angle begins with Matt and Jeff Hardy losing the tag team titles to Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch, with Matt being the one who gets pinned. Backstage after the match, Matt and Jeff talk about what to do next. Matt wants a rematch for the tag titles, but Jeff says that the Hardy Boys reunion was fun, but he thinks now they should concentrate on their singles careers again.

Matt wants to keep the team together, but Jeff won’t change his mind. He tells Matt that he got a taste of being champion when he held the Intercontinental title, and he wants that taste again. He also says that it’s time for Matt to live up to his potential. Matt gets a bit defensive and asks Jeff if he is hinting that Matt is holding him back. Jeff says that is not what he’s saying, and then mentions that Matt has had a rough time the past couple years – the public breakup with Lita, being fired, disappointing losses – and he needs to get back on track before it’s too late.

When Jeff brings up Lita, Matt firmly tells him not to go there. Jeff apologizes and ends the segment by telling Matt to think about whether he still has a passion for the business, to figure out what his goals are and then to go out and make them happen.

The following week, Matt tells Jeff that he thought it over and he agrees that they should concentrate on being singles wrestlers. He also said that he wants a fresh start, so he worked out a deal to leave Smackdown and join Raw.

Over the ensuing weeks, Matt and Jeff both go on a roll as singles wrestlers, and Matt is noticeably more aggressive than usual in the ring. The announcers get the point across in commentary that Jeff’s pep talk seems to have lit a fire under Matt.

Eventually, there is a battle royal on Raw to determine who will challenge WWE champion John Cena at the upcoming pay-per-view. There is a special stipulation that once the battle royal gets down to the final two men, it will turn into a match and must be decided by a pinfall.

The battle royal comes down to Matt and Jeff (several times during the match, Jeff had saved Matt from being eliminated). They shake hands and then go at it in a match that is fast-paced and hard-hitting, yet clean. After a ref bump, Matt charges at Jeff, who drops down to the mat. Matt goes flying through the ropes and lands hard on the floor. Showing concern for his brother, Jeff goes outside the ring to help him to his feet. As Jeff gets back in the ring, Matt stumbles over to where the timekeeper sits and very subtly picks up the timekeeper’s hammer. Jeff doesn’t see this because he is in the ring trying to revive the referee.

Jeff then holds the ropes open for Matt, who clobbers Jeff with the hammer. As the referee gets to his feet, Matt picks up Jeff’s limp body and delivers the Twist of Fate for the pin. After the match, Matt, with a crazed look in his eye, grabs a chair and then gives Jeff a Twist of Fate onto the chair, busting his head open. He then puts Jeff’s ankle in the folding chair and comes off the top rope onto it, breaking his brother’s ankle.

Check back for the conclusion to the story line in my next post.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 3:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

After seeing Raw become The Bobby Lashley Show on Monday night, it is obvious how a string of injuries – coupled with the departure of a number of main event stars over the past few years – has taken its toll on WWE’s depth at the top of the card.

The current disabled list reads like a who’s who of the biggest names in wrestling – The Undertaker, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, King Booker and Mr. Kennedy. And I don’t want to jinx anybody, but Batista, one of the few healthy main-eventers, has a history of serious injuries.

Losing that many top guys is bad enough, but it’s even worse when you consider how many other big-name wrestlers are no longer on the roster.

It began three years ago when Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg both exited after WrestleMania XX. Since then, Kurt Angle, The Big Show, Chris Jericho and Christian have left the company, and Rob Van Dam reportedly is on his way out. Plus, there was the untimely death of Eddie Guerrero and JBL retiring from active competition because of injuries to become a color commentator.

In all, WWE has lost 14 former world champions (if you count Christian, who held the NWA title but never made it past high mid-card status in WWE) – as well as Mr. Kennedy, who was being groomed for the title – to injury or other circumstances.

Now, for the good news. First, the six injured wrestlers will all be back in action, some sooner than later. They will be fresh characters again when they return, and some will have ready-made angles.

Secondly, even with the staggering number of roster hits, WWE still has stars such as John Cena, Edge, Batista, Randy Orton and Lashley. Also, wrestlers such as Mark Henry, The Great Khali – and possibly Snitsky – are believable monster heels. Furthermore, WWE has several other talented performers who easily could be thrown into the main event mix.

At the top of the list is MVP, who has made huge strides over the past few months. I also think – if done properly – Ric Flair making one last run at the world title would be a compelling story line and a money angle. If Carlito ever really gets motivated and the WWE creative team gets behind him, he could enter the upper echelon, too.

If I had to pick one guy to immediately elevate, however, it would be Matt Hardy. He’s never been booked all that strongly as a singles wrestler, but I think fans would accept him in a higher spot if the angle was done well. I’ll play booker and offer one possible scenario in my next post.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 5:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

For the most part, I think the right wrestlers won at WWE’s Judgment Day pay-per-view last night.

I figured The Great Khali was being built up as a monster heel just so he could be fed to John Cena, and that’s what happened. Since Cena is the company’s top star, having him retain the WWE title by making Khali tap out to his submission finisher makes perfect sense.

Surprisingly, the match itself has been getting pretty favorable reviews from fans on wrestling Web sites. Since Cena actually had a decent match against someone like Khali, maybe some of the fans will finally ease up on him a little.

I really never understood all the Cena-bashing anyway. If there is a better choice than Cena to be the face of the company, I certainly don’t know who it is. The guy has charisma, is great on the microphone and, while not a great worker, he isn’t nearly as bad as his critics make him out to be. Plus, from everything that I’ve heard and read, his success has not gone to his head and he has a tremendous work ethic.

I am curious to see who will be Cena’s next challenger. Various wrestling Web sites are saying that Snitsky will get that spot, but I don’t know how true that is. It would explain why they have been showing Snitsky vignettes on Raw. I had assumed that Snitsky was going to be the first challenger to Bobby Lashley when Lashley eventually regains the ECW title.

Speaking of Lashley, I wasn’t wild about the finish of his handicap match against Vince and Shane McMahon and Umaga, in which Lashley pinned Shane but did not win the title because Vince was not pinned. I know the idea is to keep the angle going and get heat on Vince for changing the rules after the fact, but it seemed a little weak for a pay-per-view. I suppose, though, the payoff of a one-on-one match between Lashley and Vince could be good, and Vince is always extremely (no pun intended) entertaining as a performer.

I liked the decisions to have Edge retain the world heavyweight title against Batista (although my predicted finish of Mark Henry interfering didn’t happen), and MVP finally win the U.S. title from Chris Benoit.

I also think WWE made the best of the unfortunate situation of Shawn Michaels needing time off for knee surgery. For those who missed it, Randy Orton attacked Michaels before the match, and the doctor said that Michaels could not wrestle. Michaels, selling a head injury, tried to wrestle anyway, but he collapsed in the ring and the referee stopped the match. Orton delivered a post-match RKO for good measure. Hopefully, Orton, who once again can claim to be the “Legend Killer,” will get a boost from this angle.

Having Michaels’ wife Rebecca in the ring was a nice touch, and no one sells better than “The Heartbreak Kid.” It was reminiscent of the night Michaels "passed out" in the ring during a match against Owen Hart on Raw in 1995, when his performance and the overall presentation was so convincing that WWE was flooded with calls inquiring about Michaels' condition.

Regarding the Ric Flair-Carlito match, in which Flair made Carlito submit to the figure-four, I guess all the talk about Carlito being in the doghouse is true. It will be interesting to see if anything happens on Raw tonight to keep this angle going or if Carlito is just going to be buried. With the amount of wrestlers on the injured list, I’m not sure now is the right time to teach a talented guy like Carlito a lesson.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Shawn Michaels needs surgery to repair his blown-out knee, wrestlingobserver.com has reported. Michaels still is expected to gut out his match against Randy Orton at the Judgment Day pay-per-view tonight. How much time he will miss will be determined by how much damage is found during the surgery.

I have no idea who was supposed to win tonight's match, but I'm guessing now that Orton will go over. If there is anything positive to come out of Michaels' injury, it's that perhaps Orton can become an impact player again. If done properly, Orton could draw a lot of heel heat by "injuring" and defeating Michaels.

Michaels will join an ever-growing list of WWE main event wrestlers on the shelf, including The Undertaker, Triple H, Mr. Kennedy, Rey Mysterio and King Booker. With Michaels out of the WWE title picture, it's anybody's guess as to who will be John Cena's next challenger -- assuming Cena retains the title tonight against The Great Khali.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 7:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A match-by-match look at tonight’s WWE pay-per-view:

WWE champion John Cena vs. The Great Khali: I know a lot of fans don’t care for Khali, but I have no problem with him getting a title shot on a pay-per-view. Sure, as a worker, Khali makes Giant Gonzalez look like Lou Thesz, but with his size and look, you have to push him as an unbeatable monster. I’m guessing that Cena somehow overcomes all odds and conquers Khali. I’m less confident that the two of them can overcome all odds and have something resembling a decent match.

World heavyweight champion Edge vs. Batista: I don’t see Batista winning back the title at this point, so the question is whether Edge gets the pin and that’s that or if there is an inconclusive ending to set up a rematch. My prediction: Mark Henry’s interference costs Batista the match. Henry and Batista have unfinished business after injuries derailed their previous program.

ECW champion Mr. McMahon, Shane McMahon and Umaga vs. Bobby Lashley: I’m betting the novelty of Vince as ECW champion ends here and Lashley regains the title.

Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton: This one is hard to predict. On the one hand, Michaels is still in the WWE title picture and is expected to challenge Cena again in the near future. Orton, however, desperately needs a big win. When in doubt, go with Michaels.

U.S. champion Chris Benoit vs. MVP (two out of three falls): What a difference seven weeks has made. I had no interest at all in seeing these two face each other at WrestleMania 23 (I was glad Benoit was on the card, but I wasn’t impressed with MVP), but now I am looking forward to their match as much as any on the card. I’m glad WWE didn’t put the belt on MVP at WrestleMania, because the fans didn’t see him as being at that level yet. But that match, and subsequent matches against Benoit, legitimized MVP. I think MVP finally wins the title.

Carlito vs. Ric Flair: This angle got off to a hot start when Flair cut that incredible promo on Carlito, but it has lost a lot of steam. The feud comes across on Raw as an afterthought, which is too bad, because I think it could have elevated Carlito. I’m holding out hope that it could still happen, so I’ll pick Carlito to win.

Elijah Burke vs. C.M. Punk: I’m not sure where they are going with this feud, but I expect this to be a decent match. I’ll take a wild guess and pick Punk.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I was sorry to hear about Gregory Helms’ neck injury, because he is truly one of the good guys in wrestling. For those who do not know, Helms is undergoing surgery Monday to repair two broken vertebrae. It is the same procedure that Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, Edge and others had done, and it means that Helms will be out of action for a year.

I have been a Helms fan since his days in 3 Count in WCW. After I became editor of WCW Magazine in 2000, I wrote a column touting Helms – then known as “Sugar” Shane Helms – as the 3 Count member who would end up making it big as a singles wrestler when the trio broke up.

It was refreshing when Helms pulled me aside after that issue came out and told me how much he appreciated what I wrote. He and I became friendly, I think mainly because we both had a passion for the wrestling business, something a lot of people in WCW at that time – both office employees and talent – seemed to lack.

I used to talk so much about how WCW should give Helms a bigger push that some of my co-workers at the magazine accused me of having a man-crush on him (in reference to the Seinfeld episode with Keith Hernandez). I really got them going when I told them that Helms did indeed stay in my hotel room one night on the road.

I guess I better explain that one. I don’t remember the exact details, but after a Monday Nitro show (I can’t even remember what city we were in), Helms decided he wanted to spend the night there instead of driving onto the next town, which had been his original plan. He needed a place to stay and I had two beds in my room, so I offered him the spare bed. So, you see, there really wasn’t any man-crush – not that there’s anything wrong with that.

On a serious note, I wish Helms the best of luck in his surgery and look forward to seeing him back in the ring in 2008.

In other WWE news, I was surprised to see that Ariel was released earlier this week. I thought her vampire gimmick with Kevin Thorn in ECW was pretty entertaining. At the very least, it provided Joey Styles with the opportunity to use lines such as “That’ll knock out a fang” whenever Thorn got punched in the mouth. I’m really going to miss seeing Ariel hang upside down on the ropes like a bat, which was the second-best ring entrance by a WWE diva – to Melina’s split, of course.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 4:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

It’s always a big deal for me when WWE comes to town, since it only makes a few stops in Baltimore per year. But when a live performance by Ozzy Osbourne is added to the mix, that truly is an event.

Ozzy, 58, stole the show at Tuesday’s Smackdown/ECW taping at 1st Mariner Arena. He performed his new single – and the theme song for Sunday’s Judgment Day pay-per-view – “I Don’t Wanna Stop,” which will air tonight on Friday Night Smackdown. Then, just for the live crowd, he tore the house down with everyone’s favorite Ozzy song, “Crazy Train.”

Of course, this was not the first time that Ozzy teamed up with WWE. Longtime wrestling fans might remember Ozzy appearing in the corner of The British Bulldogs at WrestleMania 2.

As for the rest of the show Tuesday, the best match of the night was between MVP and Matt Hardy (I won’t give away any spoilers because not everyone wants to know what happens before tonight’s broadcast airs). It took awhile for MVP to win me over, but I am really starting to see something in him. He has elevated his in-ring performances since working with Chris Benoit, he has a good gimmick, and he can cut a decent promo.

The only thing that is holding him back – and I am not the first person to say this – is his ring attire. It’s hard to take him seriously when he’s dressed like a Teletubbie. I believe he will beat Benoit for the U.S. title either at Judgment Day or at some point, and when he does, that’s when he should change his look.

Since he’s playing the part of a rich, spoiled athlete, why not have him dress like one? Wear flashy suits ala Deion Sanders or Michael Ervin and gaudy jewelry when he’s cutting promos, and then have him wrestle in colorful – but more conventional – tights. Dressing like a champion and looking the part will help convince fans that he really is championship material.

What more can you say about Hardy? The guy has always been over with the fans, and I still believe he is one good story line away from becoming a main event player.

The other highlight Tuesday was a promo by new world heavyweight champion Edge, who drew a lot of heat from the crowd. There is no question that he is the top heel in the business. I’m looking forward to his program with Batista, mainly because it’s something we haven’t seen before. The crowd has been starting to turn on Batista, but Edge is so good at being bad that I think that will stop, just as it did for John Cena when he worked with Edge.

The biggest surprise of the night was the reaction Chuck Palumbo (remember him?) got in the opening dark match against Daivari. The crowd popped for Palumbo like he was a star.

I realize crowds are often hot for the first match regardless of who is in it because they are pumped for the show to start, but I think it was more than that. Palumbo, formerly part of the infamous Billy and Chuck tag team and later a member of one of the many versions of the FBI, rode to the ring on a motorcycle and was in great shape. His work in the ring was solid, too.

I thought Palumbo had a bright future when I first saw him in WCW, and he has the size and look that WWE likes. With so many guys on the injured list, now is the time to get Palumbo on television and give him a push.

Finally, the biggest disappointment Tuesday was that neither Vince nor Shane McMahon appeared before the live crowd, which shocked me since it was the final show before Judgment Day and they are in one of the top matches.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 9:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

If there’s one subject I never get tired of talking about, it’s professional wrestling. Unfortunately, I don’t always have a lot of people to discuss it with. Yes, some of my friends are wrestling fans, but most are not as hardcore as I am. And my wife will listen politely, nod her head and utter the occasional “that’s interesting,” but I know she really doesn’t care when I tell her that Shawn Michaels and John Cena had an awesome match on Monday Night Raw.

That’s why I am excited about joining baltimoresun.com’s online community as the resident pro wrestling blogger. Now whenever I have a thought about wrestling or something noteworthy happens in the squared circle – or behind the curtain, for that matter — I have a forum to express my views and, hopefully, exchange comments and opinions will fellow wrestling fans.

For the debut of Ring Posts, I figured I should let you know what to expect from this blog and also tell you a little bit about my background as it pertains to wrestling.

One thing I want to make clear is that this is a blog solely about professional wrestling. I know the trend these days is to combine coverage of pro wrestling with Mixed Martial Arts, but that will not be the case here. I am neither a fan nor a knowledgeable observer of MMA. Plus, baltimoresun.com already has a blog devoted to MMA.

In Ring Posts, I will comment on the goings-on in WWE and TNA and even the local scene in Maryland. My take on wrestling television shows, pay-per-views and the latest news will be honest and analytical. Certainly, there are things to criticize in wrestling (most of the Cryme Tyme skits come to mind), but I will not be critical just for the sake of being critical or trying to be funny, which often seems to be the case on many wrestling Web sites.

With those disclaimers out of the way, I’ll move on to my personal wrestling history. I fell in love with wrestling the first time I saw it on Channel 45 as a pre-schooler in the early 1970s. Of course, at the time, I believed what I was witnessing in the rings of the World Wide Wrestling Federation was actual athletic competition, just like major league baseball or the NFL except with larger-than-life characters.

I attended my first live wrestling event on Dec. 26, 1973, at the Baltimore Civic Center. The main event pitted Andre The Giant against Stan “The Man” Stasiak. I think because he had the coolest sideburns this side of Elvis Presley, Stasiak was my favorite wrestler, even though he was a heel — or a bad guy, as we called them then. In fact, most of my favorite wrestlers throughout my childhood were heels — the Valiant Brothers, Superstar Billy Graham, Larry Zbyszko, Greg Valentine, Magnificent Muraco, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, etc.

After seeing my first live show, I was hooked for life. The WWWF made monthly stops in Baltimore at that time, and I was there month after month, year after year. Over the next 34 years, I have rarely missed a wrestling event at the Baltimore Civic Center/Baltimore Arena/1st Mariner Arena (yes, was at the Smackdown/ECW show on Tuesday. I will post my comments on the show shortly).

It didn’t take me long — I think I was 8 or 9 – to figure out wrestling was a work, but it didn’t matter. I have always appreciated wrestling for being a unique brand of entertainment — part athletic event, part soap opera. I appreciated the showmanship and the drama – even if it was “scripted.”

While other kids were reading Dr. Seuss books, I was reading Inside Wrestling and The Wrestler. Through those magazines, I learned that there was more wrestling — a lot more — than just the WWWF. There were territories all over the country, and I became familiar with guys like Nick Bockwinkel, Ric Flair and Wahoo McDaniel, even though I would not see them wrestle on television until years later. That knowledge separated me from a lot of my friends, who were casual wrestling fans and not as obsessed as I was (am).

As I got older, I became more and more “smart” to how the business worked. In the 1990s, I began subscribing to Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the bible for insider fans.

Eventually, my decision to pursue journalism as a career and my passion for pro wrestling resulted in me becoming The Sun’s unofficial pro wrestling writer – mainly because no one else cared to write about it. After writing numerous stories on high school and college sports (among other things) for The Sun, I wrote my first pro wrestling story for the paper – a feature on “Macho Man” Randy Savage, centering on his background in minor-league baseball in 1994.

I have been writing semi-regularly on wrestling for The Sun ever since, and have interviewed nearly every major figure in the business — including Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Steve Austin, Eric Bischoff, Ric Flair, Triple H, John Cena and many others. I also hosted a pro wrestling talk show on the radio in the late ’90s.

In 2000, WCW offered me a job as the editor of the company magazine. So, after 14 years at The Sun and a lifetime in Baltimore, I packed my bags and headed to Atlanta. I worked for WCW for exactly one year — until WWE purchased what was left of the company, and I, like most of the office employees, was let go.

I was fortunate enough to eventually return to The Sun and get my old job back – including writing about wrestling. One of my biggest thrills was writing a first-person story for The Sun about being given a crash course on how to take basic bumps by local wrestler Pat Brink of Maryland Championship Wrestling, and then working as a manager and getting laid out by Crowbar on an MCW show in Dundalk.

All of that has led me here — to Ring Posts.

Posted by Kevin Eck at 7:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)