There is an Olympic buzz in Canada with the Winter Games coming in 2010, and it got me thinking. Is there a better event for consideration in the Olympics than professional wrestling? Now I am sure that there are a number of you who are already reaching for your mouse to hit the delete button, but bear with me here ... I think you might find that this argument has some merit.
The first challenge one might encounter is the feeling from the folks who don't follow pro wrestling that what we do inside the ring isn't a sport. Oh really? By what criteria? I would guess, based on sixteen years of addressing the media and the public on the merits of my profession, that our sport is dismissed because the matches are "choreographed" and that the "winners are pre-determined". Interesting theory. But let's take a look at this for a second.
The Olympic Games already recognizes the following sports:
PAIRS FIGURE SKATING:
Defined as - Ice skating consisting of one or more planned sequences of required and optional spins, jumps, and dancelike maneuvers, originally consisting of a program in which the skater traced prescribed, usually elaborate figures.
Vance translation - This sounds like figure skating has a choreographed sequence and a planned climax designed to elicit the strongest possible reaction from the audience and a favorable review from the judges. Does it not?
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING:
Defined as - A sport in which swimmers, singly or in groups, perform dancelike movements often in time with music.
Vance translation - Again, we're seeing a choreographed demonstration -- but now to music, so isn't that more like dancing than sport?
DANCE SPORT:
Defined as - dance as a sport activity. Initially this term was applied to competitive ballroom dancing, in its International Style.
So without even digging deeply, we have discovered that the Olympic Games, recognized by many as the pinnacle of athletic achievement, observes at least three choreographed demonstrative sports. Look at these definitions, and you'll see that there does seem to be some cross over with professional wrestling. So perhaps some of the harshest criticisms that OUR sport has been given over the years is completely without merit.
Change the way that you look at wrestling. Certainly, any fan sitting at ringside has their favorite performers, but when they pay their money and buy a ticket, it's often with anticipation of a particular match. Wrestling fans, whether they realize it or not, are judging each match on its own merits. When they talk to their friends the next day, they're going to talk about only two matches on the card -- they're going to discuss the one that was head and shoulders above the rest (the gold medal winner) and the weakest match on the card. Hmm ... doesn't this sound like the Olympics?
In the locker room, I have commonly taken a look at the line up and before the opening match, identified which pairing I think -- based on my knowledge of the wrestlers involved -- will be the match to steal the show. If one accepts that there are elements of choreography in matches designed to elicit a specific response from the audience (who are the only judges to whom wrestlers answer), and accepts that the competition is between each match on the card, you might get closer to understanding the mindset of someone in our sport.
The conflicts that spring up between wrestlers or between wrestlers and management start to make a lot more sense when you consider this model. If a wrestler reports to work every day and sees, by virtue of the assignment ahead, that he has no opportunity to even qualify as a gold medal match -- night after night, that starts to take its toll.
But what, one might ask, about the designation of "professional" athletes in the Olympic Games, which are designated to be an amateur sport forum? I say, professional wrestlers on the independents are making much less money that hockey players currently holding amateur status in the Western Hockey League, or other organizations of the same stature. Some of these guys on the independents, by virtue of their commitment to a steroid-free lifestyle, and balancing paying their mortgages, vs. the spend that is now becoming required to even be scouted by the WWE, may never get a shot at the big money. Yet, there are still some talent performers who are active on this level that would excel in an international forum such as the Olympics.
But wrestling is already recognized by the Olympics. The amateur variety of the sport is represented. This is true - but if you take a look at some of the events listed above, there are different categories for each sport. Whether singles, or tag team ... err pairs in figure skating, classical or interpretive in the case of dancing, there is room for us. Perhaps to address the distinction between our genre and the singlet & headgear set, we could be identified as "Interpretive wrestling".
What about judges? Certainly, one would need to recruit judges who know enough about our sport to be able to assess it fairly. What about former amateurs who medaled on the mat before launching a successful professional career. Consider a panel of judges that may include Kurt Angle (USA), Gordon Nelson (Canada), Billy Robinson (England), Danny Hodge (USA), and Maurice "Mad Dog" Vachon (Canada). Okay, I think we've got that covered.
Yesterday morning, I opened my Facebook account and discovered that there is an official movement to have professional wrestling recognized as an Olympic sport and I officially signed up as a member. I would encourage one and all that agree with my view to check out their group and lend your name to the cause. You can find them online at: http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=1030744698142&f=1&e=0#/group.php?gid=60409096379
Who would be Canada's first gold-medal winning match? I can already think of a number of strong competitors from across the country that would be Olympic qualifiers. Hey International Olympic Committee, open the door for "Interpretive Wrestling" at the games.
Vance Nevada