Something odd happened recently in professional wrestling — a real fight broke out. Former professional wrestler John Levi Miller, 23, has sued Clinton Woosley (who performed under the name Guido Andretti) for failing to take a fall as planned and actually kicking him in the groin — causing the loss of a testicle. Woosley was the designated “heel,” or loser in the bout. [Image shows Blue Demon, Jr. wrestles El Hijo Del Santo].
Miller said that Woosely refused to map out or choreograph the bout as is customary — allegedly dismissing Miller’s concerns. Miller said that Woosely then failed to go down as planned as the designated heel and then kicked him in the groin causing the injury. He said Woosely appeared intent on winning.
I must confess that I have never understood professional wrestling and why people love to see men pretend to be hurting each other. Putting aside the gratuitous violence, it is all pretend and yet people seem to act like it is real — thrilling to the scene of people busting chairs on each others heads or gouging eyes. Yet two out of ten Americans are wrestling fans.
Sam Cosby, who owns Indiana-based Coliseum Championship Wrestling and is a defendant in the lawsuit, contests the allegations and added in a perfect “in character” comment: “The kid never complained about nothing.” You tell ’em, Mr. Big.
In the end, we are left with the novel question of a negligent fake wrestling match. That should make for interesting testimony. It may not thrill fans who prefer to live in a violent-saturated fantasy. Polls show Miller’s lawyer, Larry Wilder insists “[k]icking someone between the legs is not a normal dance move in professional wrestling.” A dance move? Not exactly the image of the chair-pounding, back-breaking bruisers that fans love to watch.
Source: Daily Mail
I think women enjoy seeing the hunky male wrestlers in pretty much nothing but some small shorts. I have heard from several female friends to this effect.
My beloved great aunt was a TV wrestling fan. My brothers and I could join her in front of the television during the afternoon show and watch but we were strictly forbidden, by parental decree, from ridiculing the performers.
I will never forget this 80 year old, very prim and proper lady, who spoke with a Scottish brogue, punching the air in front of her yelling, get him, get him, or cursing the ref while she jabbed her cane at the TV screen. My brothers and I loved it.
My brothers were always wrestlers after football season was over. I would drive my aunt to their Matches, place her seat pillow on the first row bleachers, and sit beside her as she pounded her cane on the floor, or cursed the refs for bad calls. She was never thrown out but there were several times she should have been for she treated the high school matches as if they were exactly like those she watched on TV. The whole school loved it and I think the coaches would have paid her to attend.
Bette Noir: “In pro wrestling, the outcome is fake, but the injuries are real.”
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I knew a couple of people that were wrestling fans and in talking to them they acknowledged that the actual contest was ‘kind of’ fixed but were adamant that the actual wrestling was real. To bolster that one of them said “they really get hurt”. That is the key to the sports appeal IMO. Now with the masks (actually a Mexican wrestling import) and costumes (lotta’ leather going on there) its just way to BSMD to not belie a somewhat kinky sexual attraction to the sport also. IMO. Just sayn’.
new stage name “the uniballer”
True story —
The weekend before 2 1/2 days of state bar exams, pro wrestling came to town. The father of a classmate had been involved in pro wrestling and my classmate convinced a group of us to blow off some stress by going.
A dozen of us were in front row seats when Sunshine came out — she was the “manager” for one of the wrestlers — and we jumped up and sang a slightly inebriated version of “You Are My Sunshine.”
The performance became part of a commercial for the wrestling association.
BTW, when my classmate was about six, Andre the Giant tried dunking the ball on his basketball goal and broke it. My classmate kicked Andre’s ankle.
[My classmate’s dad knew some other interesting folks, and my classmate got a bit part in the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Or at least one of his legs did. For about 8 seconds.]
My younger brother dragged me to a wrestling event, when I was in my 20s. The big match was between two tag teams. They each got the mike, so they could proclaim to the audience how much they hated the other team and what mayhem they would commit on each other. They couldn’t be contained: they’d rush each other before the bell, shove the ref out from between them, jump off the ropes onto opponents – all while an old lady next to me was screaming “Rip his leg off and beat him with it; beat him like a rented mule!” They were still lunging at each other after the final bell.
Later in the evening, my brother and I went out for hamburgers and milkshakes. There, in a booth together, were the four wrestlers who each hated the other team.
It was a stupid accident that I think should carry no liability. What makes it so funny though is that to put the suit forward demands that the phony nature of wrestling be exposed. That two in ten Americas believe it is a sport is a figure that seems about right, given the nature of our politics.
As to fake sports, they’re only selling illusions, is there much difference to NHL etc.
In pro wrestling, the outcome is fake, but the injuries are real. I doubt that the injured wrestler here can recover as the result of a botched bit of choreography.
Oro,
At least one wrestler I can think of would be happier with at least one less deduction.
From the foggiest recesses of my law school daze, I recall a judicial holding that, for income tax purposes, professional wrestlers are not athletes but entertainers. The holding I recall; the effect, not so much but it was a win for the wrestlers. More deductions, I think,
Dredd
This reminds me of the ongoing primaries.
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lol … perfect!
I have to agree with Prof. Turley that I don’t understand the excitement of watching a fake sport.
His stage name is now : One Nut Miller.
Dredd,
The only problem is they are all kicking Obama in the groin. Clean fighters, but playing their roles. Losers I hope.
My mom shared a hospital room with a woman professional wrestler one time. She she said she got hurt because her opponent didn’t roll the way they had practiced it & it dislocated her shoulder & broke ribs & punctured her lung.
“[k]icking someone between the legs is not a normal dance move in professional wrestling.” A dance move?”
It is in ballroom dancing. ( I made that up)
Maybe this explains the design of Angelina Jolie’s dress?
@Dredd
Ongoing primates?
“Dredd
1, February 29, 2012 at 9:10 am
This reminds me of the ongoing primaries.”
You mean like:
“for failing to take a fall as planned” :=)
Dredd,
I suppose the campaign slogan could be “know nutz” and in this instant “no nut”……
I wonder if they are just living the dream…..
This reminds me of the ongoing primaries.