THE 14-RUN OVER

The 2013 edition of the Indian Premiere League was a whole lot different from all of its previous editions. Controversy was a tag the cash-rich league had been carrying with it, ever since its inception, and the sixth edition, in a way, managed to get rid of just that. We were well into the business end of the tournament and in a welcoming change, the tournament had been clean upto that point. No sexual abuse, no drunken violence, and the matches got more of the focus than the parties. For the first time, people were talking about cricket whenever the league was mentioned.  The focus was on the performances, and rightly so. The sixth edition of the IPL is considered to be one of the toughest, simply due to the number of teams vying for a final four berth. The previous editions had atleast 2-3 of the final four decided well before the closing matches of the league stage. This time around, however, the top four had to wait until the final game of the round-robin stage, to be decided. And so, all was well. Or so were we led to believe.

Enter a certain trio from Rajasthan. While one among them, believed to be the main culprit in the whole scam, had a reputation not many would approve of, the other two seemed to be the future, showing a ton of promise, especially the lanky off-spinner. And what do you know? For all the praise that was heaped on them, they repaid with a slap in the face, insulting the intelligence and emotion of every single person who had been sincerely following the action for the past 6 weeks, under the assumption that they were watching a bunch of players, sincerely committed to bringing out their best and giving their blood, sweat and tears, in order to be the best that ever competed. Definitely, they were oblivious to the fact that what they were watching on screen was merely a form of flattery, carried out masterfully by men, who had no sense of remorse or guilt for their deceitful actions. The three represented everything that is against humanity and sportsmanship.

The one question amidst all of this that has been bothering me for quite some time now however, is what the three of them did to make those easy bucks. If media reports are to be believed, signals were sent out to the bookies, who were present at the venue, through such acts as tucking a towel outside, as in one case, when a certain bowler is believed to have given 14 runs in an over, as per the deal. Now this is where I have to stop you to say that this matter is worth much deeper analysis. Yes, such incidents have occurred in the past. Cricket is no stranger to the shameful act of spot-fixing, or for that matter, even match-fixing. But, 14 runs in an over, atleast to me, seems to be something that is extremely difficult to pull off.

Now before I proceed any further on this matter, let me make it very clear that I am, by no means, defending the tainted trio. I’m merely looking at the feasibility and the chances of such an act to be pulled off successfully. A few years back, another tainted trio from Pakistan, was caught in a similar act, and were duly dealt with. But, that was a different matter. They bowled no-balls in order to make money. Deliberately stepping over the line is undoubtedly very possible. But, to make a promise of giving a certain number of runs in an over and pulling it off doesn’t seem so possible. Don’t believe me? Alright, try it out for yourselves. Take a friend along, and ask him to deliberately bowl a bad ball, so you can hit a six off it. Just see if you’re able to pull it off, and if you do, repeat the same act. I’d be surprised if you manage to find 30, or at the most, 50% success. I’m sure its not going to work out 10 out of 10 times. No matter how deliberately and how badly he bowls, it is not going to be possible to fetch the desired result at every attempt. So, if you’re not going to find success, doing it repeatedly with a friend, with both parties aware of what’s going on, how on earth are you going to find success in an international match where its just one ball that you’re supposed to bowl badly and the opponent is not even aware that the ball is supposed to clear the boundary? You may bowl as badly as you want, but for all you know, the opposition batsman might be in the worst form of his life and may not even make connection with the ball. Now you may argue that a bowler can easily bowl down the leg side and bowl it so wide, that it goes for a boundary as well. But, mind you, the trio’s case was altogether different. The rest of the team was kept in bliss of the whole thing. Only the three of them knew what they were up to, which means no matter how wide they delivered the ball, the keeper was always going to give it his best shot and try and prevent the ball from going down to the boundary. Agreed, there’s a good chance he might fail in his attempt, but again, there’s no guarantee its going to happen. So, then, where is the question of agreeing to leak a certain number of runs as part of the deal?

Cricket, mind you, is not a contact sport. Its tough to fix matches, or rather spots, and pull them off successfully. Pre-determined results can happen in contact sports, such as wrestling, or boxing. If I were to agree to lose in a wrestling match to someone, in a bid to make extra bucks, I could easily do so, without creating a shadow of a doubt in anybody’s mind. I could deliberately allow my opponent to attack me and get the upper hand, while coming up with an occasional counter or two, and make it all seem real. Its because I can choose what to do with my hands. I can throw them at my opponent, or keep them to myself, and the target is standing right in front of me. Cricket is a different game, however. The opponent is not standing right in front of you. There’s a distance of 22 unpredictable yards that separate you from your opponent and anything can happen within that space. The only real possible way of fixing a spot, is to bowl a no-ball. That is perhaps, the safest, and the single most effective way to guarantee that a particular event will happen beforehand. Yes, the trio from Rajasthan might be guilty. And if proven, they must be banned for life from representing any team, at all levels of the game, for the disrepute they have brought to the “Gentleman’s Game” this great sport has carried over the years. But, to say that they gave 14 runs in an over, requires a question or two to be asked, and is certainly worthy of far deeper analysis.

RANDY ORTON: MONEY IN THE BANK VICTORY MEANS HEEL TURN ON THE HORIZON

World Wrestling Entertainment’s annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view for 2013 has now gone down in history books.  And, it is a night that is going to be remembered for quite some time, thanks to two spectacular ladder matches.

But, allow me to pause here for a moment because before I proceed any further with this story, which you must have figured out from the title, I would like to make a bold statement that the Smackdown ladder match for the World Heavyweight Championship contract was the better of the two. And I say this for various reasons. For starters, and let’s be honest here, the Raw match for the WWE Championship match did not live up to its hype. By no means am I saying that it was bad. It most certainly wasn’t. But, it sure as hell fell way short of many people’s expectations. For a match that was billed as “All Stars”, it wasn’t all that great. The only spot that saved the match perhaps, was Paul Heyman’s betrayal of long-time “best friend” CM Punk which was, though extremely predictable and expected, nevertheless, a well-executed segment. The rest of the match, though not boring, did not have any spectacular moment that would leave bloodthirsty and extreme match fanatics wide-eyed, or jaws dropped in wondrous admiration. Hell, not even Rob Van Dam’s return could do that. Though I’m not a big fan of RVD as a wrestler, I’d probably be stupid to deny that he’s a great showman. No denying that he is a supreme athlete, blessed with loads of stamina, who can still go longer than most of the young blood in the roster, despite the fact that he’s well into his 40s. But, his performance at Money in the Bank was mediocre at best, especially given the man’s golden past in ladder matches.

The Smackdown match, however, exceeded expectations. It was a bunch of rather inexperienced wrestlers who were handed the responsibility of carrying one of two main events. And, boy did they deliver! It was most certainly a match worthy of a world championship contract. And inspite of all the praise that has been thrown in the way of Cody Rhodes, which he most certainly deserves, if you ask me, Dean Ambrose was the one who stood out the most. And, he’s the one who stole the show with the spot of the pay-per-view. (Watch the video below and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. You don’t have to watch the whole thing. Just start around the 2: 05 mark and watch until Ambrose gets thrown off the ladder eventually). With Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro holding the ladder, Ambrose tried to climb the ladder, which he eventually did and attempted to grab the briefcase, with the two men carrying his and the ladder’s dead weight. Impressive feat of strength by Swagger and Cesaro, and phenomenal flexibility, core strength, and presence of mind by Ambrose. This is why ladder matches are so loved by the fans.  Not only did that spot remain in fans’ minds, it will certainly go down as one of the greatest moments in the ladder match’s history. Money in the Bank is famous for giving us atleast one memorable moment to take home, and this was that moment. Ambrose might be barely a year old, since making his debut on the main roster, but this young man is certainly impressing one and all, and giving us glimpses of the great future that awaits him.

And now, to the main point of this article. WWE threw all of us a curveball that no one saw coming, when they awarded Damien Sandow the World Championship contract. And though it wasn’t as major an upset as that, the WWE championship contract going to Randy Orton wasn’t altogether predictable or expected. I mean, Daniel Bryan was on such a mean streak and was so hot going into this contest, nobody thought he was going to lose. Instead, what does the WWE do? They do something totally unexpected and allow Randy Orton, a man who has not even been considered for main events since late-2011, to pick up the victory. And this is one of the reasons the WWE is the global leader in the sports entertainment industry. They lay so much importance on social media and keep such a close eye on what the fans want to see, especially the Internet Wrestling Community, that they almost always do the exact opposite and surprise one and all. They do eventually give what the fans demand for, but in ways they never expect it. This way, both parties gain. The fans get what they want, while also ensuring the company’s product doesn’t grow stale and predictable.

Anyway, Randy Orton’s victory can only be a win-win situation for the WWE. Several reasons can be attributed to this. First and foremost, is Daniel Bryan’s momentum. He’s literally unstoppable at the moment. He’s so popular with the fans that its deafening every time his music hits the air and he makes his way down to the ring. The fans want to see Bryan win the championship from Cena, and Money in the Bank would have been a wonderful way to do so. But, Money in the Bank would mean, Bryan would have probably cashed in when Cena was vulnerable, and that would have made him look weak. He certainly deserves better. So, WWE chose the wise way of capitalizing on his momentum and allowed him to chase the championship the hard way. Agreed, he was eventually granted an opportunity at the title when Cena handpicked him as his opponent, but atleast we now get to see a proper wrestling match, in which Bryan is made to sweat and bleed to gain the top prize. This will only increase his face value as fans would respect and admire him more, for having earned the title, and not capitalizing on a a vulnerable foe. And, whether or not Vince McMahon trusts him, the man and his beard, certainly seem to be the future of the company. So, how can there be any bad in Bryan not winning Money in the Bank?

And now for Orton, the eventual winner of the case. Talks of his impending heel turn have been doing the rounds for quite a while now, and what better way to get it on track, than by winning the Money in the Bank? Because, let’s face it. Money in the Bank is a briefcase, that is specially built for heels, due to the rules that define the cash-in. And let’s be honest here. As popular and over as he may be with the fans at the moment, Orton has grown ridiculously stale. His viper gimmick is not doing him any good and he desperately needs a character makeover. Orton must, and will turn heel soon. Just take a look back at 2009, when he was the leader of “Legacy”, or for that matter, a year before, during the “Age of Orton”. He produced some of the best work of his career during the time. Orton as a heel WWE champion was far better than Orton as the face World Heavyweight Champion. The man is a born villain. Everything about him screams villain. As the great Jerry Lawler once famously said, “whoever said that there is some good in everyone, has obviously never met Randy Orton”. Randy Orton is tailor made for a heel role, and for that reason alone, this Money in the Bank victory is the right step forward.

And, what has winning the briefcase got to do with a heel turn? Come on.. Don’t kid yourselves.. We all know Randy Orton is no saint. He’s not going to put the champion on a month’s notice, like RVD did. He’s not going to walk down to the ring and cash it in when the champ is fully fit and healthy, like the start of a regular match. John Cena’s ridiculously good nature provides us with enough and more of that. Orton is an opportunist. They call him ‘the viper’ for a reason. At the first sight of his prey, he pounces upon it. He does it quietly. He slithers his way to success, and he strikes out of nowhere, when it is least expected. By the man’s own admission, he believes opportunities are meant to be taken and not flushed down the loo. He has been gifted an opportunity for a shot at the WWE Championship. And he’s certainly going to make the most out of it.

The worst fear among all of this, however, is that the cash in might happen at Summerslam. And, the even greater fear is the person on whom Orton will cash in. Many believe Bryan will wriggle the WWE Championship out of Cena’s waist at Summerslam, and the Orton cash-in might happen immediately afterwards. And I for one certainly want to see Bryan enjoy a good, long run with the title. He deserves it. But, who knows? Like I said earlier, WWE keeps a close track of what fans are expecting to see. So, they might once again throw a curveball at us and the cash-in might not even happen. This is the WWE and anything can happen here. But then again, even if Orton does cash in on Bryan, it’ll make the title chase even more interesting. It’ll perhaps make Bryan an even greater hero, which will do more wonders for his career. WWE has put itself in the best possible scenario, in which any result will work in their favour. Kudos to the creative team for setting up such an intriguing angle. The WWE Championship picture is highly unclear. Nobody knows what’s going to happen. It is unpredictable and exciting. But, after all is said and done, the wait for the heel turn is going to end soon, and the red briefcase is going to be the perfect way to trigger it off.

CM PUNK – THE GREATEST WWE CHAMPION EVER

Not until long ago, WWE wrestler CM Punk was still its reigning champion. And though its been roughly around six months since he lost that title to, in my opinion, a rather undeserving candidate in The Rock, its still hard to imagine him walking down that aisle without that glorious championship around his waist. And, well!!.. Was it just another championship reign?!.. Hell, no!!.. It was so much more than that.. Much, much more..

Punk rose to prominence around July 2011 when he threatened to quit the company, citing improper utilization of his talent as the reason. It all started off with one promo.. ONE EPIC PROMO.. that is now considered to be the greatest piece of oration the sport has ever seen.. It was the first time ever that a wrestler spoke of the behind-the-curtain issues of the company and the industry. The industry secrets had long been out, thanks to the internet, and the informed and educated fans of today. But, never before on television.. Nobody was allowed to break the fourth wall and nobody had the guts to talk of industry secrets.. But, within a matter of five minutes, with a microphone in hand, he did all that and more.. It was, simply put, pure magic on the mic. That promo was what sent his career into an upward spiral because following that night, he became the central element of the show and started off an incredible next few weeks, in what is now known as the ‘Summer of Punk’, that ultimately culminated in the Money in the Bank pay-per-view on July 17, 2011 at Chicago, Illinois, in front of one of the most ‘rowdy’ crowds ever, that saw the greatest match of the P.G. era between him and John Cena that ended with Punk leaving the company with its top prize.. Who could have ever thought of such a thing happening?? Vince McMahon, Chairman of the Board, of course, did everything in his power to stop Punk, and even tried pulling off another screw job, somewhat similar to Montreal, 1997. But, it just was Punk’s day. No force could stop him and one of the greatest stories ever told in professional wrestling had just concluded. Or, so we thought.

Two weeks later, with a new theme song, Punk made his return to the company, much to the delight of a large contingent of fans. But, it was not until November, 2011, when he beat Alberto Del Rio in one of the two scheduled main events of Survivor Series at the world famous Madison Square Garden, that he became a megastar. What an apt place to start off such a historic title reign? What followed was a year of some of the finest promos and the greatest displays of technical wrestling ever. He defended his title against the likes of Chris Jericho, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Big Show, and John Cena, all some of the biggest names the industry has ever produced. And, he delivered every time. Not only did he deliver five-star matches on a regular basis, he elevated his opponents to levels that they were never looked at before. Throughout the fourteen-and-a-half months that he held the title, there was not one night when he was boring. Night after night followed one classic after the other. No superstar in history has consistently delivered the kind of quality matches that CM Punk has, with the lone exception of Shawn Michaels. But, what made his title reign so special was something else.

July 23, 2012… Scottrade Center… St.Loius Missouri.. The world was watching.. It was a historic night.. It was, the 1000^th episode of Monday Night Raw. And Punk chose the biggest night of them all. He chose the most spectacular stage.. And, he waited.. Until the final few moments.. And he pulled the trigger. He shocked the world as he attacked the Rock, laid him out with a GTS, and turned heel. How often has one seen that? A WWE champion turning heel during the course of the same reign. It was the rarest of the rare sights. And yet, Punk only got better. His status was further elevated. On the September 3, 2012 episode of Raw, Punk aligned himself with Paul Heyman. The two men were so legendary in their own rights and didn’t need each other. But, they just wanted to work with each other. The greatest champion of the current era and the greatest manager in wrestling history walking side by side. What a sight it was? Heyman and Punk’s alliance was one of the finest things to have happened to wrestling in a long time. Heyman made Punk look meaner, stronger, better, greater. It was a wrestling purist’s dream. The two of them carried out their roles to perfection.

Punk looked and acted like a champion. He defined what a true champion should be made of and showed us what a champion is like. And how fitting it was when he broke John Cena’s record and went on to become the longest reigning champion of the modern era and the sixth longest reigning champion of all time. His eventual reign of 434 days was behind only Pedro Morales and was the longest reign in 29 years. But, Pedro belonged to a different era. An era when wrestlers held the title for years, even decades. That was not possible in today’s product. So, in effect, CM Punk is the Bruno Sammartino of today’s WWE. It was really unfortunate to see him drop the title to a part-time superstar in The Rock, a man not even half as good as he is in the ring. But, that does not stop CM Punk from cementing his name as the greatest WWE champion ever..

THE “SICKS-PACK” FEVER: AN INSIGHT INTO THE DRUG-FILLED, STEROID-ABUSED WORLD OF BODYBUILDING…

Bodybuilding refers to a process of body modification and shaping that is done through intense physical exercises, most notably weight training/weightlifting and incorporating dietary changes in order to sculpt one’s body in the desired way. Both bodybuilding and weightlifting are today recognized as official sports, but their history can be traced back to as early as the 2^nd century. Man’s fascination with physical abilities can be found in numerous ancient writings. Greek sculptures depict lifting feats and progressive resistance training dates back to ancient Greece when wrestler Milo from the magna Graecian of Croton in southern Italy is believed to have trained by carrying a newborn calf on his back everyday until it was fully grown. The Greek physician Galen described strength-training exercises using the halteres – an early form of dumbbell used in 2^nd century Greece. Initially, stones were used for lifting until they made way for dumbbells which were joined by the barbells in the latter half of the 19^th century. The earliest barbells had hollow globes which could be filled with sand or lead shot until they were replaced by the plate-loading ones that are used till today.

The 1960s, however, saw further transitions through the introduction of various kinds of exercise-machines into the slowly emerging concept of gyms and bodybuilding really grew in popularity throughout the 1970s following the release of the bodybuilding movie “Pumping Iron” and the subsequent popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Bodybuilding has been a constantly-evolving field. But, what started out as a form of training aimed primarily at strength-enhancement, has today, gone on to become a drug-abused racket. Ever since bodybuilding became a profession, stakes have become increasingly high, and in an attempt to make money, people have gone on to take almost insane measures in order to make it big in the industry. The late 1960s saw the first use of anabolic steroids beginning from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sergio Oliva and Lou Ferrigno and continued into the 70s, 80s and eventually the 2000s with men like Lee Haney, Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman and Markus Ruhl. Bodybuilders such as Greg Kovacs, Paul DeMayo and Victor Richards attained mass and size that were never seen previously. The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) move to introduce doping tests did nothing to improve matters as bodybuilders across the world continued abusing steroids.

But, it doesn’t stop there. Bodybuilders go to the extent of injecting artificial hormones into their system in order to increase muscle hypertrophy which refers to an increase in muscle size through an increase in the size of its component cells. Some bodybuilders artificially inject testosterone into their systems. These have drastic effects on one’s body and health and lead to conditions such as hepatotoxicity which refers to a chemical-driven form of liver damage and gynecomastia, which refers to an abnormal development of large mammary glands in males that lead to breast enlargement. Some of the other ill-effects include formation of acne, baldness and a decline in the body’s natural production of testosterone that leads to a condition called testicular atrophy in which the male reproductive organs (the testes) diminish in size and are accompanied by a loss of function. Use of other performance-enhancing drugs such as the human growth hormone (HGH) can lead to acromegaly. Acromegaly refers to a condition in which the anterior pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone which leads to gigantism, enlargement of the hands, feet, bones of the head and chest and even heart problems.

Several bodybuilders have paid hefty prices in the past for going overboard. Perhaps the best, and most famous example would be of that of Greg Valentino, widely known as the most hated man in bodybuilding. Valentino is an Italian-American bodybuilder whose bicep muscles are believed to be the world’s biggest. Valentino has been bodybuilding since the age of 14 for almost 30 years now.  His arms measured a ridiculous 28 inches and continued growing. Valentino is believed to have taken Synthol which he refuses though he later admitted in an interview of having taken equipoise and propionate. Valentino was arrested and eventually paid the ultimate price when his arms exploded while working out. There have been instances where some bodybuilders couldn’t brush their teeth due to the size of their biceps while some others used long spoons to eat.

These men have gone one step too far and brought about a frightening aspect to the sport and put its future in jeopardy with several health experts questioning its damaging effects. It is very unfortunate because weightlifting essentially is an art. When done the right way, it does have several health benefits such as improved cardiovascular and muscular strength, aids in long-term fat loss, increases the body’s basal metabolic rate and can even prevent osteoporosis. Just like any form of exercise, it can elevate mood and help fight depression along with numerous other health benefits.

But, it has been human nature to exploit and overdo things and man has forever paid a price for it. And no matter how many times he has paid a price, man continues to exploit. In a bid to make money and create an image for themselves, these men have pushed the boundaries of sanity and have fallen. What is essentially an art has today gone on to become one of the most loathed professions. One must realize that it is not humanly possible to go against nature and must learn to stick to his boundaries. As the old saying goes – “To err is human, but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you’re overdoing it.” (Josh Jenkins). 

THE SQUARED CIRCLE: PINFALLS, SUBMISSIONS, VICTORY AND DEFEAT - THE WORLD OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING!!!

Professional wrestling is a beautiful sport. With a rich history, it has gone on to enthral and entertain fans for decades now. What is it about wrestling that makes it so unique and popular? It is, after-all, a fight between two men. But, there is a certain hidden element in the sport that has allowed it to sustain its popularity among fans. Well, for starters, it is the one-and-only spectacle in the world that combines theatre with athletics – hence the term sports entertainment. It indeed takes some special talent to keep fans interested in a product that is primarily based on fighting.

Wrestling, as most people now know is scripted. The matches are choreographed and the results are pre-determined. Wrestlers typically portray characters in the ring with most feuds having a hero and a villain who, in wrestling jargons are known as face/babyface and heel respectively. Gone are the days when people used to think that the violence associated with the sport was real. Today’s fans are well-informed and know that what they witness on-screen is merely a story. There were times in the past when wrestlers used to remain in character off-screen too. Wrestling companies all across wanted to keep the fact that it was worked a secret. Breaking character was considered a grave offence and employees who broke that code were dealt with severely by their companies. But, thanks to the internet, this secret has long been out. Fans have learnt the nature of the industry and there is now a very thin line between  kayfabe and real. It should no longer come as a shock to any wrestling fan to see two people beat each other to a pulp in the ring have dinner together outside of it.

But, professional wrestling, till date, has not been viewed as a serious form of sport by many due to the fact that it is worked. Though people who hold such notions are ignorant of the technicalities of the industry, it is hard to blame them because not until long ago, wrestling was still thought of as real.  Wrestling fans, just like in any other line of entertainment, are hard to please. Nobody accepts a meaningless feud. Every feud needs to have a solid story to back it up. A gripping story, over-the-edge promos and, most importantly, a great match are all that it takes to make a feud memorable. Simple as the sequence may sound, however, it is easier said than done. Who doesn’t like a great story? A great story to begin with followed by some exciting promos that develop and help the story advance is half the job done. Promos are of crucial importance because some rivalries take months to build, but promos are what keep the audience’s interest in the program sustained. It is no wonder that wrestlers with great mic skills are so popular. Some of the most popular superstars ever are not the greatest ring technicians, but they carried their companies on their shoulder simply because they created magic with the mic. They single-handedly sold arenas across the world and were revenue-generating wonders for their companies because they were entertainers.

 And then comes the most important part of it all – the wrestling. The storytelling doesn’t happen only through promos, the matches sell stories as well. It is the story that makes or breaks a match. This is one of the toughest aspects of wrestling because in around 20 minutes, a great story has to be narrated. Every match needs to have a beginning, middle, and an end. If wrestler A comes to a match with injured ribs, then a meaningful story would naturally involve his opponent attacking his ribs to weaken him and set up the finish. A great story would ideally involve an exciting start with high-intensity moves to get the fans warmed-up and interested in the bout following which the action slows down with the focus being more on technical, mat wrestling in order to conserve the fans’ energy, and towards the end, really pick up steam that would send the crowd into a frenzy. Similarly, the distinction has to be drawn between the face and the heel. The face would always abide by the rules, listen to the referee whereas the heel cheats to win, breaks rules, relies on distractions to take advantage through illegal moves, etc. Unfortunately, today, storytelling in the ring seems to be a lost art.

Wrestling, in a lot of ways, is a funny sport. Since the results are pre-determined, the greatness of a performer is not measured through his/her win-loss record which is how every other sport operates. A great wrestler is one who looks good even in defeat and, more importantly, makes his opponent look just as great. There are some average in-ring performers who, all of a sudden, almost magically seem to be a lot more talented than they were seen as up until then. But, the credit goes to their opponents who made them look great.

Wrestling has seen many transitions over the years. While in the past, people used to cheer for the good guy and boo the bad guy, today’s fans are a lot smarter with regard to their choices. They cheer/boo a wrestler based on how talented he/she is and not on the basis of the character portrayed. Wrestling, just like cinema, brings out various emotions in the fans. It has, however, lately become a fad to be the bad guy. Being the villain is suddenly seen as cool and wrestlers seem to prefer negative roles. Fans are tired of seeing the hero who is always nice to people, never hurts people and abides by the rules. They want to see characters that are more believable and show more human emotions and do occasionally snap at others and show selfish, mean tendencies. It is the bad guy who brings out all sorts of emotions in the fans – happiness, sadness, grief, anger, hatred, love. It is now proven that it is impossible for a hero to bring out the kind of plethora of emotions that the villain can.   

However, one has to be careful while playing a heel character. The primary role of a heel is to make the fans despise him but attempts to do just that have led to some ugly, controversial incidents in the past. The best example of that would be the case of Muhammad Hassan. For those who don’t know, Muhammad Hassan was a Middle Eastern-American gimmick played by Italian professional wrestler Mark Copani. His character primarily focussed on him trying to prove the stereotypes from the 9/11 attacks wrong and fighting against the anti-Arab prejudice. During one particular episode of WWE Smackdown, Hassan, who was feuding with the Undertaker at the that time, began praying on the ramp and summoned five masked men who were dressed in black shirts and ski-masks. Armed with clubs and a piano wire, they marched down the ring and beat the Undertaker and choked him out following which Hassan’s manager Daivari, whom the Undertaker had just defeated, was carried out of the ring. The event was taped and three days later, just mere hours before it went on air, the London bombings took place. With insufficient time to edit the segment out, the episode went on air with an advisory warning appearing several times during the broadcast. The angle drew nationwide attention through various media reports and the United Paramount Network (UPN) said that it did not want the Hassan character on its network that week. Following this decision of the UPN, the WWE decided to have the segment on their official website where Hassan claimed that due to his being an Arab-American, the people of America automatically assumed him to be a terrorist which was unfair. Though he was still in character, he made a reference to the real-world coverage of the incident by the media. The UPN then pressurized the WWE to keep Hassan off their network and he was subsequently released from his WWE contract on September 21, 2005. In another incident, WWE superstar The Miz once, in an attempt to draw heat from the fans in order to further solidify his villainous character, interrupted the American national anthem during one of WWE’s house shows to which the National Guard members in attendance took offence. David Finlay, a trainer and agent at the time, who authorised this move, was eventually dismissed from his post and though he justified his move as an attempt to make the Miz character more hated, took responsibility for his termination.    

What is an even more adored character, however, is the anti-hero. The anti-hero is the exact same as the angry-young-man that we have all become so familiar with. The anti-hero typically behaves like a villain. All his actions are heelish, yet he gets cheered by the fans. The anti-hero is anti-establishment, questions the rules, breaks them and constantly defies his boss. It has become so uncommon these days to see people not complaining about their boss at work. People have so many frustrations at work that it is indeed no wonder that they love a character that defies his boss and gets away with it all the time. It is the deeper emotional connect of the fans that makes the anti-hero so adorable.

Wrestling today has become an area of academic study. People have written articles, essays, theses and dissertations examining the cultural significance and role of wrestling in modern society. Wrestling has, for long, fulfilled the roles of theatre and literature. Wrestling’s portrayal of the classical hero, and themes such as revenge, vengeance, tragedy and the depiction of the hero’s struggle towards achieving greatness, overcoming obstacles in his journey and defying odds to emerge triumphant are age-old themes portrayed by theatre and literature. Theatrical elements such as lighting can play a crucial role in wrestling. Which wrestling fan can ever forget the chills down the spine that is felt when the lights go off for the legendary entrance of the Undertaker? Characters and storylines are supposed to be reflecting the current attitudes, beliefs, concerns, and conventions of society. Wrestling, now, has garnered largeprominence in mainstream culture. It has become an area of journalistic criticism with several newspapers and newsletters giving coverage to the sport. Wrestlers have gone on to be a part of movies, writing, politics, business, etc. Similarly, celebrities from other sports and modes of entertainment have got themselves involved with wrestling for brief periods. Several movies and plays have been produced regarding the industry, the most famous being the 2008 film “The Wrestler” which garnered several Oscar nominations.

However, once it became apparent that professional wrestling was worked and that the results were stage managed, it was seen as a cheap form of entertainment for the uneducated working class, which is unfortunately, an attitude that exists to a certain extent even today. However, perceptions of the sport have started to change. The French theorist Roland Barthes was among the first to state that wrestling was worthy of deeper analysis in his essay ‘The World of Wrestling’ from his book “Mythologies”   published in 1957 in which he states that wrestling should be looked at not as a scamming of the ignorant but as a mode of theatrical performance where the function of the wrestler is not to win but to go through the motions that are expected of him to provide the fans with a theatrical spectacle.

However, just like any other line of work, professional wrestling has its share of hazards. Inspite of its scripted nature, pro wrestling has a highly masculine side to it due to the extreme levels of violence and aggression that constitute the nature of the sport. The moves performed in the ring are done with extreme care and caution and take years of practice and professional training to be executed safely, Even so, a stunt gone wrong can lead to very serious injuries, and in extreme cases, even death.  However, inspite of all the criticisms, wrestling has gone on to entertain fans for decades and will hopefully continue to do so.

 AND THE BEST PART OF IT ALL-IT IS A WELCOME CHANGE FROM THE CLICHÉ TRIUMPH OF THE GOOD OVER THE EVIL, BECAUSE AS OFTEN AS THAT HAPPENS, THE DARK SIDE PREVAILS….

AN INSPIRATIONAL CAPTAIN

As the Indian team recovers from yet another embarrassing defeat at the hands of England, and several fingers pointing at M.S.Dhoni, I can’t help but think of the days when Sourav Ganguly was the captain of the Indian side. Several comparisons have been made between the two, with many claiming that Dhoni is a better leader than Sourav. That, however, was until 2011, when Dhoni was still quite a stranger to defeat. Following the 2011 World Cup win, however, luck seems to have deserted him. He is no longer the old, confident skipper who inspired his team to fight till the end. Dhoni seems to be a shell of his former self. He seems to have lost that magical touch that made him such a charismatic and inspirational leader. He is clueless on the field and his field settings indicate a negative mindset. He seems to be defending rather than attacking.

This is where the difference between Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly seems to become very evident. Sourav was never negative. Sure, he too knew what it was like to lose. But, his will never left him. Defeat did not steal away his confidence. It did not change his mindset. It did not make him negative. He did not change the way he led his side. Sourav was a fighter through and through. While under attack, he knew of only one form of defence – counter-attack.  The Indian team never had a reputation of being a fighting team. That was until the arrival of Ganguly in the captaincy scene. Ganguly took over the captaincy of the Indian cricket team in 2000, at a time when Indian cricket was marred by several controversies, including match-fixing scandals. The team lacked experience and there weren’t many who really stood out in terms of talent.  He had a raw team, which he moulded into a good one, which is a sign of a great leader. He had excellent man-management skills and is known to have nurtured the careers of several young players. Sourav was known to constantly speak in the field. He kept speaking words of encouragement. He was an active captain who kept himself involved in the game and was constantly seen to be making changes in the field.  He made things happen and did not wait for them to happen – again, signs of a great leader.

Ganguly was heavily criticised throughout his career for his arrogance and aggression.  Since a young age, he had had a reputation for being proud and arrogant, showing signs of aggression that were considered abnormal or unusual of an Indian cricketer. However, it was this aggression of his that eventually helped him cement his legacy as India’s most successful captain ever. Ganguly’s pride was evident even during his early days when, as a youngster in the Indian team, he was once asked to carry his senior’s bag to the dressing room. A proud Ganguly refused to carry out the task, saying that he was there to represent his country and play cricket and not do menial jobs. He knew what he wanted. He knew his purpose and goal. He was very clear and bland in his views and did not give in to any pressure. He did not care what opinion others held about him. He did what he considered to be the best.

Sourav was also known to be a man of immense self-confidence.  In a particular game, while his team was defending a rather low total, the opposition needed just a few runs off the final over to win the match. The over was being bowled by a specialist fast bowler. After the first couple of deliveries, Sourav walked up to the bowler and asked him to leave the field, citing injury as the reason to the umpire. The bowler did as told, and Ganguly, a batsman, took the ball in his own hands and bowled his team to victory. It was this self-confidence that translated itself so effectively into success. He created the same self-belief in his team as well.

Dhoni, in his initial days as captain, did seem to possess similar qualities. But, he has been taken aback by defeat. He has changed his approach. He has become rather listless and seems to be totally cut-off, waiting for something magical to happen. Sourav never did that. He continued to believe in himself and his team. He continued to inspire and continued to lead from the front and show the rest of the team the way. He was a truly inspirational captain.... 

A PLACE WHERE EVIL PREVAILS

I know that a lot of people may, after reading the title, wonder what I’m talking about. Is there any such place where bad, twisted people are triumphant, are liked, and sometimes even adored, a place where they are cheered for? It certainly can’t happen in the movies. Oh, wait…..  Am I forgetting something? Yes, of course. This is a sports blog. How do movies get a mention here? Where then, or what is this place? Well, actually, there is such a place. Yes, a place where evil is liked, is cheered for, is adored. The sport of professional wrestling provides exactly such a spectacle. Which is why, I think it is one of the most creative and unique concepts ever.

Professional wrestling is a unique spectacle. A spectacle where we see victory, triumph, defeat, revenge, vengeance, tragedy.  And all this, through the form of a sport – wrestling. It is a story which is narrated through the form of a sport. Wrestlers portray characters. A positive character is known in wrestling terminology as a ‘face’, and a wrestler portraying a negative character is known as a ‘heel’. And here’s the uniqueness of the sport. The heel gets cheered for more often than the face. Crazy as it sounds, the main reason for this is that people are tired of the triumph of the good over the evil stuff that they have grown up listening to. People’s interests keep changing, and this most certainly is a welcoming change. They want something that is less fictional and more practical. The triumph of the good over the evil happens in stories. In real life, of course, there is no such guarantee. Wrestling storylines are more realistic, something that the people can connect to better.

A face character does not have much to experiment with. All that he can do is to be honest, persevering, hardworking, and rule-bound. The heel, on the other hand, is a far more dynamic character. The heel is not honest. He isn’t rule-bound. He takes the easy way out. He cheats to win matches. And he constantly tries to find innovative ways of getting himself out of a situation. And the more he innovates, the more interesting and entertaining his character becomes. And that is what the fans seek – entertainment. The heel is obviously the more entertaining character. So, why does it surprise anybody that he is loved by the fans, and is cheered the loudest?

Also, by way of his dynamic nature, he brings out a variety of emotions in the fans. He constantly cheats, resorts to escapism, and in doing so, gets to the fans’ nerves. He brings out happiness, sadness, gloominess, anger, frustration, jealousy. He relates more to the fans. It is the bad man who does it all. He is the cool guy. He is the loved one, he is the hated one. Why, he even wins. Wrestling is where evil is loved. Wrestling is where evil prevails.