Signs it's time to Retire.... Or at least do commentary

[Next Big Thing]

1) The majority of the fans today think you've always had gray hair.

2) Your "fat trunks" no longer fit.

3) You rationalize that you don't need to go to the gym because the walk down the ramp and up the stairs into the ring gets your heart rate higher than any cardio exercise you ever did in your younger days.

4) You were pissed when TNA got rid of the ramp that led straight to the ring.

5) Guys in their mid to late 30's refer to you as the "grandfather of..."

6) Even your pubes are gray.

7) Your old wrestling trunks are for sale along with the trunks of guys who haven't wrestled on a regular/serious basis in the 21st century...
http://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/files/cache/ric-flair-signed-wrestling-trunks_14767ab35d8bf7bbb38117ba234908f5.jpghttp://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/files/cache/greg-the-hammer-valentine-signed-wrestling-trunks_7f90636966b3ab94ef2c9c0b4941781d.jpghttp://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/files/cache/nikolai-volkoff-signed-wrestling-trunks_c7697c6b9d79cf4d3d28c05842020500.jpghttp://www.sportsmemorabilia.com/files/cache/superstar-billy-graham-signed-wrestling-trunks_ce58d6e635721745ea48750278bc7e01.jpg

8) You go from this: http://www.kevinnash.net/images2004/backstage/pics/bs0414u2.jpg

To this: http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:mKRoGqhfKzJy0M:http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/816/kevinnashtnadr2.jpg&t=1

To this: http://blogimages.bloggen.be/wrestling/165614-f349dbf7855c79619ade544dbd183bfe.jpg

9) Even female performers are scared to be too stiff with you

10) You find yourself doing arm drags on fan boys who pay you. Your grandchildren later read about it on a wrestling message board and confront you about breaking your promise of no more indie/ hardcore/ reunion shows for beer money and a ride home.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/3b/Rickmorton.jpg/200px-Rickmorton.jpg

11) You think "getting color" for every match makes the match more real/ old school/ hardcore (how you justify splitting your head open with a razor depends on whether you miss the territories/ are over the age of 45/ or are an ECW retread)...
http://www.popcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Hulk-Hogan-Ric-Flair-Press-Conference-Bloody-Brawl-500x704.jpg
http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2009/11/26/1225804/005601-ric-flair-hulk-hogan.jpg
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSvNGRCNMovFkQKwaInYtv8T7PqEs5Zj-nYjtQGSl75gOs5cWY&t=1&usg=__NOp_DFk5zrV3E08hPTe0hfs5bzI=

12) At least one of your traveling buddies was a devout racist/ card carrying member of the KKK and had no problem admitting it in public... in front of black people.
http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJzwR8PpBauWtiwnEQ4nx69PtOuOh2jdBMMhSRyihwNyXYcD0&t=1&usg=__z1Tr4UwtzyC7TdnGFi2fjogSssw=
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:AnSZRgjYPRqv8M:http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/fishbulb-suplex/Wrestlers/Stables/Four%20Horsemen/Four_Horsemen_04.jpg&t=1

Feel free to add to the list

[bigslimjj]

If you still own at least 3 pairs of zubaz workout pants,and refuse to get rid of them.

[KIRA]

I thought all the Horsemen of the above incarnation were racists

[Volare]

Alzheimer's kicks in and you forget your fanny pack.

http://media.egotvonline.com/files/2010/08/hoganfanny.jpg

[Next Big Thing]

No. Just Ole Anderson I think... I hope. Tully Blanchard...... maybe... but I'd be willing to say it was the cocaine talking if Tully ever said something racist.

I don't imagine J.J. Dillon, Arn Anderson, or Naitch being racist. Those guys are still relevant enough to where we would have heard a story or something if Arn or Naitch were racist. Someone would have put it in a book by now.

[Sixx]

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJzwR8PpBauWtiwnEQ4nx69PtOuOh2jdBMMhSRyihwNyXYcD0&t=1&usg=__z1Tr4UwtzyC7TdnGFi2fjogSssw=

So who's that guy? And how do you know he was a member of the KKK?

[The Pope]

Weird thread, but..... I saw Steve Breaston so good job.

[BizarroKing]

2) Your "fat trunks" no longer fit.

Win.

[Next Big Thing]

Weird thread, but..... I saw Steve Breaston so good job.

It was either this or another Raw GM /TNA sucks/ Who should be in the Hall of Fame thread. Pick your poison Dr. P.

[Next Big Thing]

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJzwR8PpBauWtiwnEQ4nx69PtOuOh2jdBMMhSRyihwNyXYcD0&t=1&usg=__z1Tr4UwtzyC7TdnGFi2fjogSssw=

So who's that guy? And how do you know he was a member of the KKK?

Dick Murdock. He was a friend of Dusty and early mentor to Flair.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ku_Klux_Klan_members
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Murdoch

[Vastardikai]

To prove that race is a complex issue in pro wrestling:

Murdock, despite being a card carrying member of the KKK, was in a drawing tag team with Junkyard Dog. And similarly had no issues wrestling with (or putting over) black performers.

[Next Big Thing]

It's funny because Tony Atlas said almost the same thing on a WWE 24/7 Roundtable. He basically said he rode in cars with guys who showed him their Klan cards, but would also be the first people there to help him if he was in a fight... then again... money is money and JYD was the man in Louisiana. I guess the color green is more important than black or white.

[Furious Beardsley]

You know it's time to Retire when your "prime" was 25-30 yrs ago

[Ermaximus]

If not even TNA will sign you to wrestle for them.

[Rammsteinmad]

If you're over 35.

[BizarroKing]

If you can't remember what the word wrestling means

[Schlomey]

if, when you hear the word wrestling, your mind instantly thinks "smoky mountain".

[Razzamajazz]

your once impressive pecs are now sagging to your knees

[Furious Beardsley]

if, when you hear the word wrestling, your mind instantly thinks "smoky mountain".

or stampede

[DLVH84]

If you can't remember what the word wrestling means

I agree with that notion.

[Vastardikai]

It's funny because Tony Atlas said almost the same thing on a WWE 24/7 Roundtable. He basically said he rode in cars with guys who showed him their Klan cards, but would also be the first people there to help him if he was in a fight... then again... money is money and JYD was the man in Louisiana. I guess the color green is more important than black or white.

Especially when you consider Bill Watts. A racist promoter (who was fired from WCW for racist comments made towards Hank Aaron.) who pushed JYD and Ron Simmons, even making Simmons the first Black World Heavyweight Champion.

[Perry Saturn]

Your career is over when your tits are bigger then the divas

[Jordan]

How about, If you wrestled in the 80's.

[DLVH84]

How about, If you wrestled in the 80's.

Some can still go. So, I can't agree wholeheartedly on that notion.

[glanville6]

Some can still go. So, I can't agree wholeheartedly on that notion.

Name em

I know there are a few guys down in the Indys then. Im thinking Regal, Taker, and thats all I can think of. And maybe Dustin Rhodes.

[Tom Guycott]

It's funny because Tony Atlas said almost the same thing on a WWE 24/7 Roundtable. He basically said he rode in cars with guys who showed him their Klan cards, but would also be the first people there to help him if he was in a fight... then again... money is money and JYD was the man in Louisiana. I guess the color green is more important than black or white.

Especially when you consider Bill Watts. A racist promoter (who was fired from WCW for racist comments made towards Hank Aaron.) who pushed JYD and Ron Simmons, even making Simmons the first Black World Heavyweight Champion.

Purely speculative, but I think if you're "one of the boys", it's kind of like being in the military. My father once told me "It dosen't matter what someone thinks of your skin color or what you think of theirs. When you're out in the field, you're all "Green." You don't worry about any of that shit when you're getting shot at. They watch your back and you watch theirs."

Similar type of brotherhood for wrestlers. They may come from different walks of life, but they all live the life on the road.