HeadLocker–Jay Shannon
A Constant State of Change
Our resident philosopher, Jay Shannon, takes a look at Top 10 events/people that forever changed the world of pro wrestling.
While watching television with my wife, we starting talking about pro wrestling. We were discussing how Vince McMahon has changed the world of wrestling. That expanded out in several directions. This edition of HeadLocker is, in a way, a highlight of our talk. It is a look at some of the most influential people and events that have forever changed the world of wrestling.
10. Gorgeous George
I’m not talking about the former stripper that hung out with “Macho Man” Randy Savage. The Gorgeous George that I refer to is George Raymond Wagner.
George was one of the first Sports Entertainers in wrestling. In the pre-television world of pro wrestling, most wrestlers had limited personality development. They would come in, wrestle, and leave. George Wagner knew that he needed something to make him unique. At 6′1″ and only 215 pounds, George wasn’t particularly physically impressive.
George’s wife, Betty, ran across a copy of Vanity magazine that profiled a wrestler named Lord Patrick Lansdowne. Lansdowne’s character was that of a European aristocrat that strolled to the ring in a velvet robe and doublet. Lansdowne had two valets to assist him. George and his wife sat down and planned out a character that would be far more over-the-top than Lansdowne would ever dare to be.
In 1941, “Glamour Boy” George was born. George riled up the crowds with his “violent sissy” persona. In an extremely non-tolerant world, George’s non-traditional character caused near riots in the Oregon territory. Over the next few months, George’s character became even more effeminate and more exaggerated. The crowds absolutely hated him. He was seen a threat to the “moral character” of society. George would be dubbed “Gorgeous George” by a sarcastic ring announcer.
To embrace the new moniker, George grew his hair long, bleached it platinum blonde, and began to wear golden Georgie (Bobbie) pins in his hair. When George would saunter to the ring, he’d toss the pins to the crowd. My wife actully had several of the pins, years ago. George was always escorted to the ring by his manservant, Jeffries. Jeffries would spray the ring with disenfectant/perfume. George would cheat to win, which made him even more hated. George was of the first wrestlers to need a police escort due to threats from the crowd.
Gorgeous George was one of the most famous characters in the history of wrestling. His character was used as the model for Henry Winkler’s wrestling character, The Lover, in The One and Only.
Gorgeous George forever changed wrestling. He embraced television and turned it into a circus. Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and dozens more would not have existed if Gorgeous George had not blazed the trail.
9. Pay-Per-Views
Since wrestling partnered with television in the 1940’s, it has always been considered a Soap Opera with Muscles. For about 40 years, fans would tune in week after week to see the next chapter of their favorite story-line. Starting in 1981, the fledgling cable industry began to run special programming that viewers had to pay extra to see. The first PPVs were boxing related, but it didn’t take long for wrestling to jump on the bandwagon.
Soon, the dynamics of televised wrestling changed. The weekly shows stopped being the main storyteller. They changed into glorified informercials for the latest Pay Per View. A typical scenario for a lead in to an upcoming PPV would be similar to this:
Wrestler A is attacked by Wrestler B. Wrestler A spends 2 to 3 weeks talking about his desire for revenge. Wrestler B continues to taunt his victim. To find out what will happen…tune into WrestlePay
Weekly wrestling shows have lost a great deal of their importance, thanks to the invention of Pay Per View.
8. Musical Entrance Themes
In the early days of televised wrestling, only a few wrestlers used entrance themes. Gorgeous George used “Pomp and Circumstance” as his entrance. It set the theme of their character. In today’s world of wrestling, the entrance theme is just as recognizable as the wrestler, himself.
The modern entrance theme can be credited to the team known as The Freebirds. In the late 1970’s, Michael, Terry and Buddy began to come to the ring with the music of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Freebird blasting from the speaker system.
In the 1980’s, Vince McMahon embraced the MTV mind-set and began to have music composed for his stars. There were several people responsible for these musical numbers, most recognizable, Jimmy Hart. The manager of many was once managed himself, as a member of the rock band, The Gentrys. Vince commissioned Jimmy to write the themes for some of the biggest stars in the WWF> Hart wrote themes for Hulk Hogan, Jimmy Snuka, and Shawn Michaels. Michaels still uses the Hart-penned Sexy Boy as his theme.
In today’s world of wrestling, everyone has a theme. Wrestlers, ring announcers, commentators, even refs, have their own signature music. If a prelim wrestler hasn’t been given a theme, yet, you can expect him or her to be in the ring before the taping starts. You can also expect him to get beaten to a pulp by someone who does have his or her own music.
Music is just another piece of the puzzle that has converted wrestling into Sports Entertainment.
7. The Invention of the Grey Hats
In the old western movies, the bad guys wore black hats and the good guys wore white. Wrestling was the same. A good guy would never cheat to win. The bad guy had to be such a deviant that no fan could dare cheer for them.
Fans had begun to reject the “Hulk Hogan” ideal by the mid 1990’s. The squeaky clean image of Hogan actually offended a large portion of the crowd. Along the same lines, the over-the-top villian was so comic-book-like that fans found them laughable. There was a need for a new breed of wrestler.
Enter “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Austin had begun in the World Class territory in Dallas. He had been a heel from the earliest days of his career. During his runs in WCW and ECW, Austin maintained his heel character. While in ECW, Austin began to connect with the fans. Austin’s rants against the other promotions were unusual. He was a breath of fresh air. Austin refuses to become a face (White Hat). Austin knew that if he were to switch to being a good guy, it would destroy his career. He stayed in that odd limbo area of being a heel that garnered cheers. Lifting aspects of The Sandman’s character from ECW, Austin became the champion of the common man. He was the modern-day Dusty Rhodes, with attitude.
Following the path created by Austin, dozens of others (including Triple H, The Rock, Mick Foley and, even, Hulk Hogan) embraced the anti-hero character. The good guy vs bad guy days have gone the way of the Western movies and television series. They just don’t exist anymore.
6. Cable television
Before the explosion of cable television, pro wrestling usually had a spot on a UHF channel on Saturdays. If you lived in a hot area, like Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York or Atlanta, you would have a weekly wrestling show. If you lived in a more remote area, you might not have wrestling, at all.
The USA Network was one of the earliest cable networks to present wrestling. Around 1982, USA began running a weekly show presented by Southwest Texas Championship Wrestling, based out of Houston/San Antonio. Stars like Tully Blanchard, Adrian Adonis, Bob Sweetan, and Gino Hernandez brought great stories and hot action to the viewers.
By late 1983, the USA Network dumped the Texas promotion for Vince McMahon’s WWF. At the same time, WTBS, out of Atlanta, became a superstation. Their programming was shown on over 90% of cable providers in the US. They offered the NWA product. ESPN, the sports network, brought out the third member of the Big Three, the AWA. ESPN also began showing World Class at 3 P.M., Monday through Friday. The cable market was flooded with wrestling.
For almost 10 years, wrestling would dominate basic cable programming. Eventually, wrestling would change. The AWA and World Class promotions closed their doors. Wrestling was down to just WCW and WWE, with a few odd programs available in scattered markets. In the mid 90’s, an upstart promotion ECW began to invade the territories that were dominated by WCW and WWE.
By the turn of the century, WWE began to destroy their competition. After a brutal ratings war, WWE bought out the struggling WCW, thus “killing” the competition. WWE then focused on ECW. WWE took over the Spike Network spot, where ECW had been showing their product. Spike decided that there was no room for two wrestling promotions on their network. They cancelled ECW, which effectively closed down the organization.
The rebirth of wrestling on cable started about five years ago. TNA, created by Jeff and Jerry Jarrett, began to show programs on the Fox Sports channel. It was a minor network, but it got some recognition for the fledgling organization. As the company began to get a following, they moved forward. They ended up on Spike, the former home of both ECW and WWE. Within the last year, the 1990’s UWF programming has begun to re-broadcast shows on ESPN Classic. ColoursTV has started showing the NWA Showcase Challenge. AAA and CMLL present shows on various Spanish-language networks. Regional promotions, like OVW, ROH
Wrestling has expanded to heights never imagined, thanks to cable.without a cable deal, a wrestling organization can not survive, long term.
5. Steroids
Steroids have been a part of sports for some time. All sports have been affected. In the height of 1980’s wrestling, steroids were as prevalent as body oil in wrestling. Many of the top stars, including Hulk Hogan, Chris Benoit, “Superstar” Billy Graham and Davey Boy Smith, used steroids to augment their physiques.
Steroids have come under fire in the last few years. Many wrestlers (Smith, Hogan, Graham, etc…) have suffered health related issues that can be, at least partially, traced to steroid use.
The biggest accusation of steroids’ negative effect on wrestling came out of the tragedy of Chris Benoit. Initially, Benoit’s psychotic murderous rage was blamed on ‘Roid Rage. THe mainstream media used the steroids as the focal point of a smear campaign that has damaged wrestling. The level of damage caused by these attacks is still unclear.
Since the Benoit tragedy, the wrestling industry has implemented strict drug testing, including steroid testing. At least one wrestler (Chris Masters) has lost his contract due to failing the Wellness testing program. The fun, carefree days of the past are no more. Wrestling is now a business that is forced to clean up it’s act. It has to remove the steroids that created some of it’s biggest (in multiple ways) stars in the industry. Professional wrestling will now have to rethink it’s entire business plan.
4. Death takes so many
Almost 40 wrestlers died in 2007. Some, like Abe Coleman, Fabulous Moolah, and Ernie Ladd, died of age-related issues. Too many others died far too early. Bam Bam Bigelow, Crush, Biff Wellington, and Mike Awesome were all considered shocking deaths.
The murder of Woman (Nancy Sullivan-Benoit) and the suicide of Chris Benoit sent the media into a frenzy about the number of Under 50 wrestlers that have died over the past few years. The numbers were shocking, but the studies were flawed. People who died in car accidents were included with people who died from suicides, murders and overdoses.
The death of the Benoits did have one striking effect on wrestling. It ripped the veil of make-believe off the sport. There were no more immortals, demi-gods, or larger-than-life performers. Death showed us that these people were just everyday people, with a lot of problems. Wrestling just became an adult.
3. The birth (and death) of ECW
In 1993, Eastern Championship Wrestling was a member of the NWA. Owner Tod Gordon wanted his fledgling company to make an impact. Champion Shane Douglas went on an insult-laden rant in the ring and threw down the NWA World Title in disgust. Shortly after, former manager, Paul Heyman, was brought in to give Eastern Championship Wrestling a facelift. Heyman changed the name of the company, creating Extreme Championship Wrestling..
Extreme Championship Wrestling, or ECW, embraced a harder, grittier style. There was more blood, more violence and more obscenity. Men would attack women, on a regular basis. The unreal feel of wrestling suddenly changed to a feeling of “This could happen in my neighborhood”. The bronzed, blonde muscular super-heroes of WCW and WWF were replaced by tattooed, pierced battlers who looked like they might have just stepped out of the crowd pr jail.
The influence of the Hardcore Style began to spread, fairly quickly. WWF eventually created a Hardcore title. The high-risk matches, such as Tables, Ladder and Chairs came out of the bingo hall in Philly.
When ECW folded, WWE absorbed many of the stars of ECW. WWE also severely changed it’s style to embrace the rougher style that was so popular with the original ECW. That style of wrestling would remain dominant for several years.
Eventually, the outrage of parents and political groups softened the Hardcore style of wrestling. Violence against women has been, all but, removed from the ring. If someone begins to bleed on a WWE program, the screen suddenly goes to black and white to mask the blood. The use of profanity has been reduced by 75% or more.
ECW dramatically changed an entire generation of wrestling. It’s effects, while diminished now, can and will be felt for many decades to come.
2. Hulkamania
It was a case of RIght Time/Right Place. Vince McMahon had just begun his expansion of the WWF. Bob Backlund had lost the WWF Title to the Iron Sheik. America needed a hero to battle the “evil” foreigner that now held their title.
Enter Hulk Hogan.
The Blond Behemoth was kicking off his second run in the WWF. Hogan had a well-received role in the film, Rocky III. Vince McMahon could see potential in the returning star. Unlike the Thunderlips character or the heel Hogan that was managed by Freddie Blassie, 3 years earlier, this new Hogan was a good guy.
On January 23, 1984, Hogan took the title off the Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden. On that night, the world of wrestling was changed forever. Hogan went from a top contender for the AWA title to the biggest star in the biggest organization on the planet. Hogan, over the years, changed from the biggest of stars to that of an immortal legend. Hogan battled every heel that walked through the doors in 1980’s WWF. He dispatched Roddy Piper, King Kong Bundy, Undertaker, Andre the Giant, Earthquake and dozens more.
A dozen years after his creation as the ultimate good guy, Hogan wanted a change. Hogan had left WWF to take a lucrative offer from WCW. Hogan came into WCW in the same old red and yellow that he had immortalized for more than a decade. At the 1996 Bash at the Beach, Hogan surprised and shocked the world when he retired the Red and Yellow for the black and white garb of the New World Order (nWo). The backlash to Hogan’s change was earth-shaking. Hogan had gone from one extreme to the exact opposite.
Hogan would continue to embrace this darker version of his character until 2003. After a huge battle at Wrestlemania X8, Hogan and Vince McMahon noticed that Hogan was beginning to get cheers, once again. There was a lot of call for Hogan to re-embrace his former character. Hogan would soon discard the black and white of the nWo for his old familiar red and yellow.
Hogan has now gone into semi-retirement from wrestling. He’s done more than a dozen feature films. His reality show, Hogan Knows Best, was one of the highest Celebreality programs on VH1. Hogan is now the co-host of one of the highest rated new shows of the 2007-08 season, American Gladiators.
Hulk Hogan has been a unique entity among a group of unusual performers. For more than two decades, there have been calls to find The Next Hulk Hogan. That is never going to happen. Hulk Hogan is a one-of-a-kind performer than can never be duplicated. Hogan is the most influential wrestler in the entire history of wrestling, bar none.
1. Vince McMahon’s creation and expansion of the WWF/WWE
Love him or hate him, Vince McMahon has had the most influence on the world of wrestling.
McMahon destroyed the territorial system of wrestling that had been in place for decades. McMahon basically re-invented wrestling for the modern era. He took full advantage of the newly-expanding cable industry. McMahon made wrestling a huge marketing machine where millions of dollars could be made easily from one good wrestling star.
McMahon took the company that his father built and turned into something completely new and different. McMahon’s company helped to make the USA Network into the super network that it is now. It did the same for SpikeTV.
McMahon created iconic stars like Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and, of course, himself.
McMahon took on the US Government in the 1980s…and won.
McMahon destroyed WCW, ECW,AWA, GWF,World Class, and a dozen other wrestling organizations.
McMahon is now in his 60s. Eventually, Vince McMahon, Jr. will depart this life. Even after he’s gone, Vince’s creation will continue. His business plans will be taught to future business majors. His children, grand-children and great-grand-children will carry on the family name, but they will never be able to match the original. Vince McMahon is the greatest influence in wrestling.
In Conclusion:
Professional wrestling is always in a state of flux. Change is the norm, not the exception. The list above is the most dramatic, the most unique, the most unusual. What will be the next thing to dramatically change the sport of wrestling? A new star emerges? The death of another legend? Some kind of new version of wrestling that will replace the current product? These will likely all happen. Just sit back and try to enjoy the experience of wrestling. To paraphrase an old saying:
The only constant…is change
Much thanks and love to my wife, Lynne, for all her help with looking at this issue.
–Jay Shannon
Boxworld@SBCGlobal.net
(1/30/08)
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