This is Pro Wrestling

By Clyde Aidoo

Publish America

www.publishamerica.com

$11.95 

“This Is Pro Wrestling takes a bold and daring look at the art of professional wrestling. In the book, numerous topics are discussed, from the perspective of author Clyde Aidoo, ranging from credibility, internet fans, Vince Russo, the World Title, wrestling bashers, Bruno Sammartino, John Cena haters, Extreme Championship Wrestling, and much more. This Is Pro Wrestling takes a candid glance at the rasslin’ business and a close look at what makes a champion in the world of aberration that is professional wrestling.” 

I had a few angles to run with this book, and a few catches, and a few revisions of my thoughts, and now I’m sitting in front of a computer and I’m having a difficult time trying to find a place to begin. 

Clyde Aidoo deserves some props for getting a book printed and providing his opinion on the billion dollar world of professional wrestling. 

Beyond that….it’s all criticism. 

There are a hundred web sites (and more) out there where people who purport to have valuable insight, strong opinions and a passionate love for the spectacle of professional wrestling. 

There are many, many peers of mine out there ranting and raving, commenting and criticizing, sucking up to promoters and spewing out equal venom. They often combine it all into one blog, one piece of fascinating dreck, or one self-serving promotional piece after a TV show or a PPV. 

If you want to take my criticisms of Mr. Aidoo’s book personal, by all means, pull up a chair and let me school you as well. 

Sure, I’m going to come close to hypocrisy, arrogance and close to annoying a lot of people, but that’s what a critic does. That’s what a reviewer who cultivates an audience, builds up credibility and examines the nuts and bolts of an argument, a book or a product is supposed to do. 

And this book, all 90 pages of it, isn’t the first I’ve panned, nor will it be the last. 

But I owe it to my column, my credibility and to the readers to let them know about DVDs and books and my take on current pro wrestling affairs to tackle the difficult subjects. 

First of all, let’s look at credibility and at facts. 

I’m looking at page 9 of the book, where it reads “Guys like Bruno Sammartino and the late Lou Thesz are two examples of the critics that linger out there in opposition of the current state of the business.”

Fact: Lou Thesz passed away on April 28 of the year 2002.

Fact: Bruno Sammartino is very much alive and well. And Bruno doesn't even watch wrestling! 

Missing Fact: If that’s the subject of your counter-criticism, that two of the all-time greats of the sport are critics of the “current state of the business” then I’m totally lost? 

I mean, there's the age old complaint by professional wrestlers (let alone any sports or entertainment or professional) is that if you haven’t DONE IT, then you don’t deserve to COMMENT on it. 

Just the other week, Bret Hart went off on Greg Oliver, and the gist of it, from some interpretation, was that Oliver didn’t have the credibility to comment on pro wrestling, so he didn’t have the right to get an award from a legitimate Hall of Fame, and he shouldn’t then be using that credibility to further write about professional wrestling. 

Sure, it’s a convoluted argument. Obviously, there’s more to it than that. 

But now, in the opinion of Clyde Aidoo, the greats of the sport must stand aside and not criticize the sport that made them famous? 

Clyde, who writes that he started watching wrestling and saw Wrestlemania III at the age of four (and recalls it vividly!) now has a credibility to judge the thoughts and comments and worldviews of Thesz and Sammartino, two guys who held respective World Heavyweight Championships as long as he has been following the sport? 

Bruno Sammartino: 11 years as WWWF Champion

Lou Thesz: 10 years as NWA Champion

Total: 21 years 

Clyde Aidoo: 4 Years old when watching WrestleMania III

Current Wrestle Mania = XXIV

Total: 21 years 

Of course, this book was published in 2007, so I’m cutting Mr. Aidoo some slack.  

But to further the point, what is Clyde complaining about in regards to Bruno and Lou? Later in the book, on page 16, Clyde writes that “Legends like Sammartino ignore anything that vintage wrestling has in common with modern wrestling and refuse to acknowledge the inevitable evolution of the sport.” 

Once again, I’m reading Aidoo complaining about mindsets and opinions and 1) not providing the opinion, just his interpretation of them and 2) disavowing “Legends” from commenting upon a sport (or sports entertainment) that they dominated in their day.

These guys, from what I've read or heard (and I've read and heard plenty, even from one of their mouths) don't much complain about this "evolution" but complain about the credibility, the ugliness of the product and the drug use that besmirches the reputation of the sport. 

Would it be cool to complain about Hank Aaron’s opinion on the Barry Bonds situation? Or should we ignore any commentary by Legends about what has become of their sport? 

If any old school professional baseball player chimed in on the effects of steroids and drugs on their profession, should we deride them for a refusal to “acknowledge the inevitable evolution” of the product? 

Opinion is cheap, and argument is only accomplished by logic, facts and presentation.

Clyde Aidoo writes that “no one can know what Bruno thinks.” Well, the hallmark of a good journalist is to ask the MAN the questions, and the hallmark of a serious writer is to avoid writing a book where the basis of the content is pure speculation. 

Forgive me for criticizing Mr. Aidoo, but I’m doing my hardest by using facts, figures and logic, not just further undo complaints. Anyone can write a book, and I’d never say a book should never have been written. What I will do is say that fact checking and supporting your argument should be the first wave of self-editing. 

What I want to tie back into the world of internet “journalism” and commentary is this: when Clyde Aidoo presents his worldview that professional wrestling started when he first saw it, that may be very true of his own mindset. 

It ain’t true of the sport, which has been around for more than a hundred years, and in various forms a lot longer than that. 

When critics (or so-called critics) scoff at old school talent, but cannot even bother to quote them or attempt to understand their mindset or attempt to avoid addressing the root of the complaint, then the abject failure is on the person opining. 

When critics use the term “psychology” and claim that Hulk Hogan had “in-ring psychology” there’s a disconnect from reality. When someone writes that Bret Hart “portrayed a character that became one of the top baby-faces of the 90’s,” they aren’t talking about reality. When someone says “I have yet to hear an intelligent wrestling fan, critic, or performer question the credibility of Ric Flair” then I know that they haven’t gotten outside of their own circle of friends. 

Professional wrestling is many things to many people. 

There’s a depth to it that allows people, whether they are talent, fans, mainstream observers or anyone else, to discuss and build it up, or tear it down if that’s their intent. Part of the professional wrestling experience is self-reflection and participation in making it what you can call reality. 

For that, I applaud Clyde Aidoo for becoming part of the industry.

I just hope that he grows out of his self-professed four year old mindset pretty soon. 

Joe Babinsack can be reached at [email protected]. Feel free to use that email for debate.