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Bollea, Copeland & Whybrow
Apr. 12th, 2011 04:35 pmMan, I wish I understood the wrestling business as well as Hulk Hogan does.
You may have seen #ThankYouEdge trending on Twitter of late. This is in testament to the actual, no-BS, genuine retirement of Adam "Edge" Copeland, WWE employee and long-time professional wrestler. Way back in 2003, he suffered a neck injury that led to him requiring spinal fusion, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds. He spent a year out of the spotlight, which in the confusing and flash-in-the-pan world of professional wrestling (or, as it's sometimes called, sports entertainment) is an eternity. Sadly, following an MRI scan at the weekend, it became clear that Copeland's spinal column had narrowed in the last 8 years, meaning that he had to quit wrestling or risk paralysis or death. I'm not saying that wrestling's not "fake" - but if Edge was acting the tears he shed in That Very Ring the other night, he's a better actor than I give him credit for.
Enter Hulk Hogan - nee Terry Bollea, although he doesn't use it any more - who you have heard of, even if you think wrestling is the devil's spleen. Hogan works for TNA now, and he decided to bury and praise Edge at the same time on his Twitter account, saying:
"If any of the guys like me...would have listened to doctors we would have quit 15 years ago. I bet EDGE still wants to keep wrestling,he's one of the boys big time!!! HH"
Hogan underwent a spinal fusion operation on December 21st, 2010. It was one of a series of back operations that took him away from television for several months, at a key time for the development of his on-screen character. I have no doubt that Edge wants to continue wrestling. But, for his own reasons, he's chosen to listen to medical advice and stop. Will we continue to see him around the wrestling world? Of course. Will he fight another match? I hope not.
Hogan's entitled to his opinion, and when it comes to wrestling matters, he speaks with considerable authority in most cases. But this isn't one. There's a perception in wrestling fandom that Hulk is hanging on, desperately, to the last shred of his reputation, and is allowing jealousy of the current crop of stars to inform his refusal to leave the spotlight. I'm not in on the secrets of pro wrestling, and I don't know the man, so I don't know if that's true. But these comments make it look that way.
A relatively unknown wrestler, Alex Whybrow, died at the weekend, aged 29. It has been reported as a suicide. Whybrow had been openly dealing with his bipolar disorder, but in recent months he'd dropped out of the wrestling scene and, according to CagesideSeats.com, "his friends had lost contact with him". Edge's retirement saddens me. Hogan's attitude to it saddens me even more. Whybrow's death is unfathomable. There's pride, and arrogance, and competitiveness and greed swimming around in all these events, and I don't know what to make of any of it.
Man, I wish I understood the wrestling business.
You may have seen #ThankYouEdge trending on Twitter of late. This is in testament to the actual, no-BS, genuine retirement of Adam "Edge" Copeland, WWE employee and long-time professional wrestler. Way back in 2003, he suffered a neck injury that led to him requiring spinal fusion, which is exactly as much fun as it sounds. He spent a year out of the spotlight, which in the confusing and flash-in-the-pan world of professional wrestling (or, as it's sometimes called, sports entertainment) is an eternity. Sadly, following an MRI scan at the weekend, it became clear that Copeland's spinal column had narrowed in the last 8 years, meaning that he had to quit wrestling or risk paralysis or death. I'm not saying that wrestling's not "fake" - but if Edge was acting the tears he shed in That Very Ring the other night, he's a better actor than I give him credit for.
Enter Hulk Hogan - nee Terry Bollea, although he doesn't use it any more - who you have heard of, even if you think wrestling is the devil's spleen. Hogan works for TNA now, and he decided to bury and praise Edge at the same time on his Twitter account, saying:
"If any of the guys like me...would have listened to doctors we would have quit 15 years ago. I bet EDGE still wants to keep wrestling,he's one of the boys big time!!! HH"
Hogan underwent a spinal fusion operation on December 21st, 2010. It was one of a series of back operations that took him away from television for several months, at a key time for the development of his on-screen character. I have no doubt that Edge wants to continue wrestling. But, for his own reasons, he's chosen to listen to medical advice and stop. Will we continue to see him around the wrestling world? Of course. Will he fight another match? I hope not.
Hogan's entitled to his opinion, and when it comes to wrestling matters, he speaks with considerable authority in most cases. But this isn't one. There's a perception in wrestling fandom that Hulk is hanging on, desperately, to the last shred of his reputation, and is allowing jealousy of the current crop of stars to inform his refusal to leave the spotlight. I'm not in on the secrets of pro wrestling, and I don't know the man, so I don't know if that's true. But these comments make it look that way.
A relatively unknown wrestler, Alex Whybrow, died at the weekend, aged 29. It has been reported as a suicide. Whybrow had been openly dealing with his bipolar disorder, but in recent months he'd dropped out of the wrestling scene and, according to CagesideSeats.com, "his friends had lost contact with him". Edge's retirement saddens me. Hogan's attitude to it saddens me even more. Whybrow's death is unfathomable. There's pride, and arrogance, and competitiveness and greed swimming around in all these events, and I don't know what to make of any of it.
Man, I wish I understood the wrestling business.
