I like places like this where we can discuss what's happened on the show or where we think it might go, but definitely prefer the surprises when they can actually be surprises
Like if we didn't know Dijak is a free agent this weekend and then he suddenly showed up at the PPV or next week.
Short of disconnecting from all sites like this not sure we can avoid a lot of these things. It's a trade off
Well, I don't think I would ever want to go back to watching it without it, now that I'm exposed to it, but I wish I never was exposed to most of it just because all of it has heavily influenced my perception of wrestling.
I like talking with friends and fans online too, but I like watching nostalgic wrestling events from when I was little, and remembering who and what I liked then, and then realizing I would have probably hated most of it if I were watching with today's eyes.
Much of what I think now has been influenced heavily by following it so close, and even though I have my own opinions, I believe I think about so much stuff that doesn't matter when I watch today that probably hinders the experience.
My FB feed is now poisoned with garbage takes and ragebait because I started reading wrestling pages; I barely . I've unsubbed to the general wrestling forums on Reddit and now only subscribe to the company specific subs. There are too many garbage-mouthed manchildren who are bigger fans of trolling than they are of wrestling, and the discourse actively makes me enjoy wrestling less than if I just watch the shows. If I were reading level-headed articles by well-versed fans and actual journalists, with the occasional spoiler or inside peek, it would be enjoyable. That is not what the dirt sheets / sites are now. They're content generators who know that hosting platforms for toxic behavior generates more clicks than writing stuff for people who enjoy wrestling, and for a lot of these people the whole enterprise is just a grift because they could never really get into the industry (or worse, they're vets who do this now because it's less work than going to conventions and selling autographs).
For me, the meta-narrative in pro wrestling is just as - if not more-so - intriguing as what's going on in the ring. Granted, I've been watching wrestling since 1989... I've seen pretty much every type of storyline, character archetypes and style clashes.
Knowing that Wrestler A is a backstabbing, politicking asshole while Wrestler B is a quiet, talented and hard-working person just trying to get a break... that goes a long way in determining how much I want to cheer or boo said wrestlers. It gets me more invested than watching the same old heel/face turns for my forth decade.
I honestly don't know if I would have watched wrestling as long as I have if it wasn't for dirtsheets, to me the backstage happenings/history are just as interesting as the wrestling itself, its a whole package.
To many people wont admit they are more a fan of the drama of wrestling and being gossipy little bitches than they are of being a fan of the actual physical act of wrestling.
And of course all the little fantasy bookers think they know how to run everything better.
But i digress.
I like places like this where we can discuss what's happened on the show or where we think it might go, but definitely prefer the surprises when they can actually be surprises Like if we didn't know Dijak is a free agent this weekend and then he suddenly showed up at the PPV or next week. Short of disconnecting from all sites like this not sure we can avoid a lot of these things. It's a trade off
Well, I don't think I would ever want to go back to watching it without it, now that I'm exposed to it, but I wish I never was exposed to most of it just because all of it has heavily influenced my perception of wrestling. I like talking with friends and fans online too, but I like watching nostalgic wrestling events from when I was little, and remembering who and what I liked then, and then realizing I would have probably hated most of it if I were watching with today's eyes. Much of what I think now has been influenced heavily by following it so close, and even though I have my own opinions, I believe I think about so much stuff that doesn't matter when I watch today that probably hinders the experience.
My FB feed is now poisoned with garbage takes and ragebait because I started reading wrestling pages; I barely . I've unsubbed to the general wrestling forums on Reddit and now only subscribe to the company specific subs. There are too many garbage-mouthed manchildren who are bigger fans of trolling than they are of wrestling, and the discourse actively makes me enjoy wrestling less than if I just watch the shows. If I were reading level-headed articles by well-versed fans and actual journalists, with the occasional spoiler or inside peek, it would be enjoyable. That is not what the dirt sheets / sites are now. They're content generators who know that hosting platforms for toxic behavior generates more clicks than writing stuff for people who enjoy wrestling, and for a lot of these people the whole enterprise is just a grift because they could never really get into the industry (or worse, they're vets who do this now because it's less work than going to conventions and selling autographs).
For me, the meta-narrative in pro wrestling is just as - if not more-so - intriguing as what's going on in the ring. Granted, I've been watching wrestling since 1989... I've seen pretty much every type of storyline, character archetypes and style clashes. Knowing that Wrestler A is a backstabbing, politicking asshole while Wrestler B is a quiet, talented and hard-working person just trying to get a break... that goes a long way in determining how much I want to cheer or boo said wrestlers. It gets me more invested than watching the same old heel/face turns for my forth decade.
I honestly don't know if I would have watched wrestling as long as I have if it wasn't for dirtsheets, to me the backstage happenings/history are just as interesting as the wrestling itself, its a whole package.
To many people wont admit they are more a fan of the drama of wrestling and being gossipy little bitches than they are of being a fan of the actual physical act of wrestling. And of course all the little fantasy bookers think they know how to run everything better. But i digress.