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Fanatical completionism in wrestling

http://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2015/4/24/8486493/the-conundrum-of-fanatical-completionism-in-pro-wrestling

A very long, but interesting, article on the futility of wading through the post-WM blahs every year.

Comments

  1. I haven't watched Raw since the one after 31 and don't plan to until Brock comes back. I skimmed the article and noticed how he tried saying WCW had the same down period between big matches. That is bullshit. When WCW was hot, they were hot year round.

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  2. I like how he says that ECW didn't put on shit PPV's

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  3. And why does he think HHH is turning face?

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  4. I can't understand why someone feels they need to see everything.

    Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to watching all of Bryan Danielson's ROH Title defenses.

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  5. "Yeah you remember Evolution vs. the Shield, but what else?"

    Not much, but back in my day, watching some great main events was enough of a reason to watch a show, and that's back when the shows were $30 apiece.

    Here's why I watch every week: you never know what you're going to get. You never know when you might see Bray Wyatt bring out a chorus of children to sing He's Got The Whole World In His Hands in a chilling scene, or Neville showing up and tearing the house down every time he's out there or Sheamus coming out with a new character and becoming awesome all over again, or when you're going to be dreading Wrestlemania and then have it be one of the best shows in years, or when Sting might come out at Survivor Series or when the Rock might show up out of nowhere and trade insults with Lana, or when you might see a really good match between two people who have no business having a really good match but just do out of nowhere because they're hot that night.

    I watch because there's always that chance that I might see something awesome on the show I've loved more than any other for over 20 years. As boring as they might be at times, I've gotten invested in these characters and want to see what happens to them, just like people do with any show they like.

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  6. I don't have this completionism. This year, I was still fairly high on the product the Raw after Mania. But, by default, I didn't give a damn by the following week and forgot Raw was even on, because I subconsciously know better.

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  7. Yeah, wrestling to me is about the characters. Once you become a fan of a guy you want to see them do their shit because them doing their shit is fun. To me, wrestling lives and dives on how much you're enjoying a character's current story, and my enjoyment of the product depends on how well my favorites are doing (though currently it's how many are left).


    I enjoy the work of a handful of guys, so I watch Seth Rollins segments because he might drop a great line or reveal more about his character or have a great match. I want to see Neville hit the Red Arrow. I want to hear Sheamus call people midgets while kicking somebody's ass. I want to see The UpperCats do their bit, and now I want to see New Day slowly turn heel. I want to listen to Rusev cut promos in broken English.


    I stopped watching RoH and TNA because I didn't give a shit about any of their wrestlers, their booking completely sucked the joy and momentum out of them and I just gave up. WWE has managed to keep a little energy in enough of my favorites to keep watching.


    So that's why I don't skip. I don't care about the big moments in particular. I care about Cesaro high-fiving Kidd after a match. I care about Seth Rollins acting like a horrendous coward. I care about Lana saying some stupid shit backstage to Renee Young.

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  8. That's why I can't stick with New Japan. I like the occasional one off show because the action is really good, but long term I need more than action to keep me invested.

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  9. The little character things are mixed into the action though.

    NJPW does more call backs to previous things in their matches than anybody.

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  10. They are but I like hearing them talk and getting to know them a bit better. The language barrier stops a lot of that if nothing else.

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  11. It was an interesting read but I really get annoyed when I read something about wrestling and they use the work 'marks'

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  12. Moi aussi.


    I dig LU because the characters (as broad-strokes as they are) exist and have motivations, you can get attached to Pentagon Jr. (vengeful Satanist) or Johnny Mundo (cocky thrillseeker). New Japan to me is a bunch of dudes with cool outfits and cool moves.

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  13. For the last few years I've adopted a policy of only watching the pay per views. It strikes just the right balance for me. I get the gist of the storylines from the net, recaps on the ppv, friends I watch with etc., and I don't get bored watching weeks of two guys dancing around each other and not quite fighting. Then by the time the event roles round - even if it has nothing specifically compelling to me (*cough* Extreme Rules) - I'm quite excited to just watch some wrestling again.

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  14. unfortunately, I do understand. I have literally watched every WWF/WWE ppv there ever was and I'm sure I'll watch everyone that will take place in the future.

    only difference to that article: I don't necessarily need to see them right when/after they happened. I took several "breaks" from wrestling where I didn't watch any of the shows - but I came around later and watched the ppvs months (and in case of my biggest pause even years) later, when I was "back in the mood".

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  15. btw: I also disagree with general idea of those "down phases" .... simply for the reason that the rest of the year isn't really that much better: what other "significant" things happened at the Survivor Series besides the first appearance of Sting? (does Ziggler being portrayed as the mvp really count? it ultimately lead to not more than the examples mentioned in the article) even worse, even this years' buildup to WrestleMania felt kind of heatless.

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  16. Why would he need to acknowledge the comedy? I'm glad he tried to at least be straight laced and is thought I made the commentary tolerable rather than just 3 guys going "lol, Maggle, lol"

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  17. Man, remember when shit used to actually happen on a ppv?

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  18. Not sure if they updated during Smackdown but there was a throwaway line on Raw like "If Bryan can compete" not that that means anything but I'd guess either he's healthy or they skip it altogether

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  19. That's not fair. I mean, now we get to have HHH and Stephanie have promos in the ring on PPV, too!

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  20. I never really thought Shawn gave Austin much of a rub. He was injured for most of the lead-up to WM14 and beyond a couple of interactions on RAW, I don't really remember much of their feud. The match was good but by then, it seemed Steve was even above Shawn in terms of star power.

    Now Bret is another story. Even though Austin never beat him, the feud still made Austin look like a fucking killer.

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  21. IF IT'S ON FOX IT MUST BE TRUE!!!!!!!

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  22. I'm thinking Heenan was just bitter because Tony was trying to keep things professional, and when he showed up drunk and Tony got, understandably, miffed and probably went silent towards him, he felt like Tony was no fun and the problem.

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  23. I think it's a loving term from cageside. Truthfully, I don't really think we even need the terms IWC or Smarks any more. If you're a fan and you spend money, you're a mark. Everyone "Smark" uses the internet. Everyone period uses the internet. So IWC is a redundancy.


    I proudly admit that I marked out for WM 30. I'm fine being a mark.

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  24. Mark is kind of a dead term though. A mark is someone who falls for a con, in this case believing that a pro wrestling match is a true fight bout. I'm not sure outside of the most white trash toothless hillbilly that anyone still thinks wrestling is real. Therefore no one is really getting conned, we pay to for the art, the athleticism, the drama, or if you must the "entertainment". Mark is an insulting term.

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  25. I think everyone was really willing to give them a fair shake after Wrestlemania and they failed to set the table with a big angle.

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  26. If Vince McMahon himself said he doesn't remember what happens from week to week, why should I care?

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  28. I'm in this boat as well, strictly ppv only. Couldn't give a rat's ass about watching Raw or Smackdown at this point.

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  29. I enjoyed it except for saying "how much content do you remember?"

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  30. Watching this weeks NXT.....Owen's is awesome. "I'm gonna get a coke"

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  31. Can Zayne, Balor, Charlotte and Banks save WWE?

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  33. Interesting article. I do have that completist mentality. I have to watch a TV series from the very first episode. If someone recommends a band I have to start working my way through their discography at the beginning, even I've been told straight up that they suck ass for the first 3 albums. And I feel like I need to watch or at least find out what happens very week to truly be *into* the current product.

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  34. Yikes parker is still showing up on shows?

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  35. Wow terrible selling by the guy against Rhyno. He was falling to his back before rhyno got withing 5 feet of him

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  36. I'm in to Alex Reily in NXT till he actually wrestlers. there is a lack of intensity where he just does a move....set up.....move......set up ....move..

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  37. Traditionally, yes. But a smark is just a "smartened" up mark. I contend that if EVERYONE is smartened up about the business, we don't need the qualifier.

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  38. Back to Superbrawl 2: Van Hammer and Z-Man vs. Vinne Vegas and Ricky Morton...this might be the most thrown to gather tag match of all thrown to gather tag matches

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  39. 1992 WCW was soooooo good even Larry Z is barely stalling

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  40. OH snap...Ross and Jesse get into a college football bitch slap fest

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  41. Paul E. bared from ringside ?!?!?!?! #miscarriageofjustice

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  42. I know I'm the only one here but this Superbrawl 2 is pretty great...Arn just crotched himself trying to escape the ring

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  43. Really? Are there more daughters we don't know about?

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  44. Because Vince has extensive brain damage, so you should care that your memory is the same as his.

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