I am a huge fan of the WWE and all that comes with it. But wrestling has taken a dip over the years. The wrestling I grew to love started when I was around 6-7 years old. That is the time my mom and grandfather would bring me across the border into Canada to watch this sport live. The greats at the time were Andre the Giant, the Rougeau Brothers, and Emile Dupress to name a few. The hits were hard, the blood was real, the excitement in the arena was electric. I would remember eating popcorn as I sat between my mom and her father. All one had to do was look at either one of them to know they were having the best time of their lives. They would shout out loud as the good guys won while they would boo at the bad guys. The two of them sitting still was an issue. I mean this was wrestling. My grandfather would pound his fist in his other hand as he got all tense up when the bad guys would cheat in any way shape or form. Going to the bathroom or getting food was only done before or after the matches. The fact they included me into this world of theirs was magical. For a few hours the three of us bonded with our mutual love for wrestling.

Wrestling now is soap opera tv for men. While the athletes are conditioned well and practice hard at their craft- it is in my opinion a show for the fans. The mechanism behind it has been lost due to it being a business first. I still watch it, why stop now? I love it still. But I only watch it for I remember the times I had with my grandfather who is no longer with us. The memories are still as vivid for me now as if I have a video recorder in my head playing these scenes out. With my memory being a crap shoot- I am glad these times has not been washed away with the passage of time.

So while there are people who feel wrestling is fake and a waste of time, I will continue to watch and enjoy. For when I do, my grandfather is sitting next to me enjoying it as much as I am. Remembering his smiles and the pure joy on his face is something I don’t ever want to lose. If that means watching wrestling in the form it is as of today, so be it.