The Live Wire Reborn!

Well, hello. Welcome once again to another re-launching of a column called The Live Wire.

You most probably don’t know me, or if you do, it’s on the TWO forums as that happy-go-lucky, wacky funster Inno. You might not realise that I used to write a column, back in the fledgling days of TWO, and I also used to be the editor of SmashWrestling.com in it’s heyday. I’ve been watching wrestling for longer than I really want to remember as I’ll feel old, and been writing about it for over 10 years, on and off.

Likes and loathes? Over the years, Shawn Michaels (hell, my son is called Shawn!) and Tommy Dreamer have filled me with joy, the original and best incarnation of Extreme Championship Wrestling remains my favourite era with the honourable exception of the Smackdown Six. I still miss Eddie, and still can’t watch the Hurt tribute video without getting a bit teary-eyed.

I’m loving Michael Cole’s gimmick on NXT, it far outweighs anything else on the show, and dammit, it makes me laugh watching Matt Striker trying and failing to keep it together as Cole is ranting and pontificating, or even just snoring.

I really enjoy tag team wrestling, not a good thing in this day and age – Motor City Machine Guns are the best in the business right now for my money, with Beer Money not far behind. The WWE has the capacity for good tag teams – look at their roster, full of people not being used on TV correctly, if at all – but just doesn’t seem to buy into it anymore. Shame.

Loathes, I have ’em – Jeff Hardy being the biggest. Cannot stand the luminous gymnast, and folks, that’s what he is, a gymnast, not a wrestler. Matt has just started to cross the line into irritation for me as well, and Lordy Lord, don’t get me started on Vince Russo. TNA in general fills me with apathy, but I still watch it. Addict? Possibly. Glutton for punishment? Definitely.

Hornswoggle, however. my son loves him so I have to grin inanely as he rewinds the Sky box to watch his latest “wacky antics” over and over. I’d quite happily see him roasted and served for Thanksgiving dinner rather than the Swagger Soaring Eagle.

So there you go, that’s the quick “Who the hell are you???” segment over and done with, as ordered by Our Glorious Leader, the Kam-bot 3000.

As for this week? Well, the obvious big news has been the demise of Swagger’s Soaring Eagle. no, seriously, it’s been The Miz. He’s been on a roll since he won the Money In The Bank briefcase, and has milked it for every penny it’s worth. He’s also started improving in the ring – although if you can’t look good against Daniel Bryan, then you really should retire. Or sign for TNA, whatever.

He seems to be on the receiving end of the God push from the WWE; being first in line for media appearances, behind only John Cena – and getting rave reviews from those in charge. Hell, even Kevin Nash took a thinly veiled pop at him on Twitter, a sure sign that hell is freezing over; Kevin Nash? Criticising someone he doesn’t feel is a credible champion. Wowser!

See, I like to do this little thing called “Wait and see” when it comes to this. Miz is champion. Deal with it. See where it’s going to go before the hate is dished out. I dunno, the WWE get criticised for having variations on the Cena/Orton title chase – but when they do something different, they get called on it. They can’t win.

Sure, it’s been on a downward spiral recently for me – I’m not bothered now if I miss bits and pieces, years before I would never have dreamed of missing anything – but, I still watch. Vince doesn’t want or need us “old school” fans to like it, we’re a captive audience. Vince is after that magical commodity of the casual viewer, the new fan, the suggestible child with parents willing to buy merchandise by the ton.

Wrestling may be fun to you and me, but to Vince, it’s more than that – it’s a business, pure and simple. Wrestling might be in his blood, but the love of money is a bigger and stronger pull. New fans means new money coming into the McMahon coffers, which will undoubtedly mean more political campaigns from Linda in the future too. Joy.

The point is, complaining about the way things are is as pointless and futile. People get way too fixated on the negative of what they watch, and don’t see the good because of it. If you’re not enjoying it, stop watching! Simple! Or do what I do, and enjoy what’s good and ignore the bad. It’s not too hard.

That’s the only way I can get through two hours of TNA every week. Ho ho!

But seriously – it’s meant to be a bit of entertainment, a bit of escapism. It’s not Shakespeare, never has been, never will be. I liken it to bubblegum for the brain. invest a little time in relaxing and going with the flow, and you’ll be rewarded tenfold for it. Chill out, and enjoy. Hell, if I can even watch NXT and enjoy it, I’m sure anybody can.

Until next time, have fun, go mad.