untitled (Formerly Coooper's Corner)

First off, the blog piece formally known as “Cooper’s Corner” would like to congratulate the Anaheim Ducks on their first Stanley Cup victory. It was very nice to see Teemu Selanne and Randy Carlyle finally get to hoist the cup. It is great to see some former Jets win the cup, especially Carlyle who spent many a year on some brutal teams. I am also happy to announce that the Ducks win also propelled me into 2nd place in the North East EMS office pool, thus getting me a handsome prize; I believe it is $50.00. Thanks to Luke for the many nights helping strategize a team. (Editor's Note: I am so glad that I was able to help Cooper win money, when my own pool picks were so woefully bad that I still haven't come to grips with them)

Now on to the topic at hand, wrestling.

Yes wrestling.

This is the part where most of you are probably clicking 'Back' on your browsers, or just closing your browser all together, never again to visit the page. Wrestling is a virgin topic so far on Sports As Life, so bear with me. Anyway this past Saturday night I was astonished to see NBC broadcasting “Saturday Night's Main Event”. (Probably had better ratings than the NHL)

For those of you unfamiliar with Saturday Night's Main Event I will give you a brief history. Saturday Night's Main Event was a late night, (Saturday night, as you might have guessed already) WWF program that was on occasionally from 1985 to 1991. This was not your ordinary hour long show like the ones WWF would show Saturday mornings where the biggest match was getting to see The Brooklyn Brawler lose for the 300th consecutive time to some bigger name like Mr. Perfect or the Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiasse.

No, Saturday Night's Main Event was packed with the biggest matches, pay per view-esque matches. Matches like Hulk Hogan vs the Ultimate Warrior, or The Macho Man Randy Savage vs Jake the Snake Roberts. I mean BIG!

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoRV5X__o3Q&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC5V44AT8JY&mode=related&search=

Now I imagine that most of you who frequent Sports As Life, if not all of you, have outgrown wrestling by some 15 years. I myself have not watched wrestling since The Rock was champ and Stone Cold Steve Austin was feuding with Vince McMahon, which was in early 2001. A lot has changed since I last watched regularly, a lot! For example.

1) The WWF is no longer known as the WWF but as WWE or World Wrestling Entertainment. Apparently the World Wild Life Fund had a beef with the later and sued for the name I believe and won. I will have to check my facts on that one.

2) The WWE now consists of the old WCW, ECW, and whatever else Vince McMahon has managed to buy out. I don’t think there is any competition for Vince anymore.

3) Vince McMahon is absolutely huge. I mean HUGE! As big, if not bigger than some of the wrestlers. I am talking about a Bonds-like physique change. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was taking some stanazolol or other similar product. But still he looks great for his age.

4) Vince McMahon is the ECW hardcore champ. I believe that is the world championship of the old ECW. From what I understand, is that there are now 3 major title belts, the old WWF heavyweight belt, the WCW world title belt and the ECW belt. As well as all the other belts such as the tag team belts, intercontinental championship belt, television title belt, etc, etc, etc. Too many to count. I believe that the ratio of wrestlers to belts is 3:1.

5) Everyone we grew up watching is no longer wrestling (go figure). They are all either retired or dead. However the Undertaker is still a mainstay of the show. Some dead figures we grew up with include Brian Pillman, Mr. Perfect, Gorilla Monsoon (I always envision a giant wave of apes coming towards me when I hear that name, terrifying), The British Bulldog, Miss Elizabeth etc, etc, etc.

6) Diamond Dallas Page is nowhere to be seen. I miss the “Diamond Cutter”.

Even though I watched the entire programme, I must admit I did not enjoy it. Wrestling today just doesn’t cut it for me. I did thoroughly enjoy watching a midget dressed as a leprechaun brandishing a shillelagh beat the hell out of another midget however. Other than that it wasn’t what I remember wrestling to be. No great characters to hook on too I guess. After watching the You Tube clips though I am seriously considering doing a regular wrestling column. We will see I guess.