Wrestling in the sports section
I wanted to respond to a comment that was posted earlier today that posed the following question: “Why is this in the sports section? Shouldn’t it be in the entertainment section?”
The answer is that there is no definitive answer. Pro wrestling is a unique entity because it mixes athleticism with scripted story lines. The term “sports entertainment” has been coined to describe it, but wrestling doesn’t fit neatly into either category. At The Sun, pro wrestling has appeared in both the sports and entertainment sections.
In fact, wrestling’s ambiguity poses a dilemma for newspapers and networks across the country. For instance, wrestling is discussed on ESPN as well as Access Hollywood. And it’s written about in Sports Illustrated as well as Entertainment Weekly.
The guy who posted the comment today wrote that The Sun “should move [wrestling] and poker out of the sports section.” I respect that point of view and don’t totally disagree with it. The only point I will make in defense of wrestling, poker and whatever else is part of the sport/not-a-sport debate, is that sports in general are becoming more about entertainment value and less about pure sport.
I get it that wrestling is different than other sports because it is predetermined. But, as I’ve written before, at least wrestling admits that it’s scripted entertainment. We have certainly seen enough instances of point-shaving scandals, crooked referees and boxers taking dives to know that so-called real sports are not immune to being “fixed.”
And that brings me to my final point. I had to chuckle when it was suggested in the comment from today that I either didn’t know what wrestling was or that I was trying to insult people’s intelligence by pretending that I didn’t know. He took issue with me writing that I was surprised that John Cena pinned Bobby Lashley clean. “It’s scripted, dude. Get a grip!” he wrote. Of course, what I was saying was that I was surprised by that scripted ending. It would be the same as if I wrote about movies and I said that I was surprised that Bruce Willis’ character was dead in The Sixth Sense.
Obviously, this guy is not an avid reader of Ring Posts because I have written openly about the business since the inception of this blog. People who don’t like wrestling will never understand it, but the fact is that wrestling fans (the majority of them, anyway) know exactly what wrestling is. We like wrestling because of the fact that it’s entertainment, not in spite of it.
Comments
Here's a wild concept. Cover REAL wrestling instead, Then you don't have to decide if the fake wrestling is, well fake. The Maryland/DC area may well have three of the nation's top 20 wrestling teams this year with the University of Maryland, Naval Academy, and American University all putting strong teams on the mat.
Posted by: Terpinator | July 23, 2007 6:31 PM
I don't understand why is People asking for covering "real wrestling". I mean, i agree with that. If there are any people interested in "real" wrestling, so it should be a team to cover that "sport" ( I call it "sport" because People is obsessed with that term and we better talk properly) that would be great, but People is asking for covering one thing instead of the other, as if "scripted wrestling" wasn't in need of it's respective analysis.
Anyone who knows a bit about wrestling should know there is a lot of political stuff behind that fight you are seeing in that ring. Sometimes, performer's behavior, and also the behavior of the script, are in need of an external explanation, or are triggers for different thoughts and conclusions (Montreal screw job, Title holders, performers pushes, performers injuries and departures just to put a few examples).
The thing is not where to put wrestling. I don't know which label must be put on wrestling. And the People who made Mr Eck post this, didn't know (or even care) about moving wrestling into another section. The suggestion of Mr.People clearly was to stop talking about wrestling.
The suggestion of stop talking about Wrestling founded on the fact that is not a sport, is senseless. Because the thing isn't talk about sport entertainment as long as is still a sport.The reason of this blog -and many others spaces dedicated to the same thing- is talk about wrestling as long as wrestling is still giving things to talk about. And it doesn't have to be called "sport" to do that.
But the lack of knowledge could exclude the guilt. I would not understand the reason of a blog dedicated to golf. And that's not because golf gives anything to talk about. That's because I don't know a thing about golf.
Posted by: Gaston | July 24, 2007 5:27 AM
This may be something of a unique view, but while I can see what makes pro wrestling a sport, which part of poker requires athleticism?
Posted by: Ric Gillespie | July 24, 2007 9:20 AM
If you read the disclosure under Kevin's picture, it does say PROFESSIONAL wrestling. I'd think that wouldn't apply to UofM, Navy and American University. If you don't wish to read the blog, don't. I'm sure there are other publications that describe the activities mentioned - perhaps you should read those instead. It's just like everything else - people always have the right to change the channel.
Kevin, I enjoy your blog and read you several times a week. I've been a "rasslin" fan since I was a kid. Although my enthusiasm wains periodically, I still like to read excerpts to keep current. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Kim S. | July 24, 2007 2:35 PM