WRESTLING'S WILD WAY DEBUTS: SPORTS VS. ENTERTAINMENT
By Gavin Schwartz on 6/2/2008 9:45 AM
Gavin's Wrestling's Wild-Way #1: Sports vs. Entertainment
Welcome, ladies and gentleman to the first edition of “Wrestling’s Wild-Way†with yours truly, the “Wild-heart†Gavin Schwartz a.k.a. the Loose Cannon. This week is the start of a brand new era in PWInsider History as it is the debut of my brand new column here on the site. If you don’t know me, I have been an integral part of the Main Event Radio Show (MainEventRadio.com) since my internship at station in 2004, and now I will be making history, weekly, with my columns on the number one wrestling news site on the planet.  In today’s growing world of smarks and wrestling cynics it has become increasingly difficult to defend the business of professional wrestling. When one looks at the product itself, meaning the entertainment that the programs dishes out, it is easy to ridicule and even lackluster compared to past generations.
Regardless, wrestling historians, veterans and experts will say themselves that the very nature of the business is cyclical with many highs and many lows. Such highs at the 80’s with WWE and WCCW and lows such as the early 90`s before the big boom of the Monday Night Wars. Therefore, what is truly important about wrestling is the art of psychology. However, those who have no respect for wrestling wouldn’t be open or appreciative of such art. Hence, I explain good ol’ wrasslin, sports entertainment and professional wrestling as such: The term used by the most commonly known wrestling organization in the world coined the phrase Sports Entertainment. Thus I will use that for all intents and purposes.  On the Sports side, it takes years of hard work dedication and persistence just to train, learn, master and execute the moves properly and safely. Just to be in the ring for 30 minutes, takes tremendous amounts of endurance and stamina which can only be gained from much time devoted to physical fitness in the gym. Never mind, the toll that the moves take on the body physically. One can learn how to do the moves properly and safely, but that does not excuse mistakes and the fact that it does take a painful toll on the body.Â
On the entertainment side, one has to have the right look, personality, character, and speech to keep the audience captivated, interested and brings them to the arena in order to sell it out and make a lot of money. Then add that every man wants to be the best, praised, leave a legacy, and dent history; you have a lot of politics that go with any form of entertainment. Clearly, the business is extremely difficult on the sports side and the entertainment side along with backstage politics. Furthermore, like any other entertainment it is a dreamer’s goal to be acknowledged in the first place to make it to the big leagues. In other words, wrestlers and true entertainers that can’t be compared to; they put their body through pain and hardship that “real†athletes wouldn’t dare to try and the wrestlers entertain in ways that actors can’t capture. To add, many claim that wrestlers are low class, but yet many transition to actors and politicians, therefore they are as respectable, interesting, glorious and unique as any other art form. As a result, the art form and sport of professional wrestling is a special community that only the true fans, open minded and appreciative can understand, enjoy and love. Â
