Blog-jacking!

There are a number of topics that have been brought up on some of the blogs I visit regularly, and I thought I would just hijack them altogether and make them a topic of discussion on my blog.

Over on The Steel Cage, posted on March 4th, 2009 (titled "The WrestleMania Curse"):

I mentioned in one of my posts yesterday my discovery years ago of the "WrestleMania Curse." Basically it goes like this: If a wrestler dies prematurely, there’s a strong likelihood that his opponent at a WrestleMania did as well. Of course, this is much less a curse than it is a sad testament to the unusually high mortality rate of pro wrestlers. But when I first noticed back around 1991, back before wrestlers began dying at the pace they began to a few years later, it was a bit eerie - to say the least.

This is one of the more ridiculous statements made regarding the perception that wrestling deaths are far more significant in numbers than any other form of sports or entertainment. This is perhaps not the most appropriate time for this rant, given the recent news that Test has passed away. But I'm raging on nonetheless!

If you glance at the original WrestleMania card, six competitors have passed away: Special Delivery Jones, who passed away at the ripe age of 63, Andre the Giant -- who, for all intents and purposes, likely outlived his predicted life expectancy at the still-young age of 46 -- Big John Studd, who died of liver cancer at 47, Junkyard Dog, who perished in a car accident. And then there's Classy Freddie Blassie and Fabulous Moolah, who survived to see 85 and 84, respectively.

Notice that none of those names has anything to do with drugs? And since I was counting people who appeared at ringside, that's six out of 30 competitors.

My biggest qualm with this "TOO MANY WRESTLERS ARE DYING YOUNG!" argument is that, when these stupid lists are released, they have absolutely no filter whatsoever. They tout names like Owen Hart, when he died in a freak accident that could have happened to any entertainment-related industry (just take a look at Brandon Lee).

They also include pretty much any individual who has ever donned a pair of trunks. Who cares if they only wrestled in the independents? Who cares if they wrestled exclusively in Japan or Mexico? Can you imagine if they did a list of actors that have died, and included everybody that has ever appeared in an off-off-Broadway show? I'm really yet to see a legitimate list that excludes suicides, freak accidents, and natural causes.

Moving on.... Over at Scott's Blog of Doom, posted on March 6th, 2009 (titled "WM Q's"):

Scott,
With wrestlemania just around the corner I have a couple questions for you:
1. What was the best wrestlemania opening promo package/video?
2. Who had the best wrestlmania entrance?
3. Which wrestlemania stage/set was the best?
4. Which Ray Mysterio costume was the best?

To be honest, I was a little surprised Scott didn't offer more insight into this question, because I think it's a real interesting one.

For the best opening videos, I've always been partial to WrestleMania XX (featuring the "Where it all begins....again" theme) and WrestleMania X-Seven (with the Freddie Blassie narration).

Surprisingly, none of the older WrestleMania sets really spring to mind. I, of course, recall the togas from WrestleMania IX and the sliding "X" doors from WrestleMania X. But the most memorable, for whatever reason, is WrestleMania 21's "Hollywood" theme/set. So I'll go with that.

For best entrance, I think I'd either have to go with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania XII, or one of the Undertaker's many overly elaborate ensembles.

Regarding Rey Mysterio's costumes, his Flash one always sticks out for me, so I'm going to have to go with that one. I do hope he goes for a Watchmen motif this year, although a Joker-themed one would be pretty bad ass as well.

And, finally, also from Scott's Blog of Doom, posted on March 5th (titled "THE STATUE~!"):

This was of course Sawyer’s episode all the way and he knocked it out of the park, going back into grift mode but doing so for the power of good instead of evil. loved him using bits of the show, like the Black Rock, to construct his cover story,and loved that he knew exactly what Richard Alpert needed to hear. He’s truly turned into the leader that Jack never could be.

My contention is with the last sentence, claiming that Sawyer turned into the leader that Jack could never be. In my opinion, that's simply not true, and not an entirely fair comparison to begin with. Sawyer had the luxury of becoming a leader after several months of acclimation to his surroundings, with a group of people who he had grown to know and trust. Oh, not to mention that their biggest concern was the fact that they were time traveling....and he's got a TIME TRAVELING EXPERT right there by his side.

Jack, on the other hand, was thrust into a leadership role when people were most frightened and vulnerable. They had just survived a plane crash and people that they love and care for are possibly dead or missing. They have no idea if they're going to be rescued, they don't know what they're going to eat, and there's apparently some sort of monster living in the jungle. I honestly don't think this group of people would have survived if not for Jack. Thinking of a few good lies and nabbing them jobs with the Dharma Initiative does not automatically make you a great leader.