What do you think of guys who "won't hang it up"?

[Rollermacka]

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I've been thinking about a question reciently (I know the video quality is crappy, but what do you expact from an indy legends show?) The Rock N Roll Express have been going strong for 3 decades and you have to give some respect to guys who still wanna wrestle and put on a show for their fans even after they've had their moment in the sun. There's another part though, that thinks when you have to wear a shirt in the ring to hide your man boobs (Buddy Landell) it's time to hang it up and just retire. What do you think about wrestlers who just keep going and still wrestle even though they don't look/ can't wrestle like they did durring their prime?

[Ruien]

Think they still want to get a paycheck.

[Anybody Thrilla]

You have to figure with the amount of devotion it takes to be successful as a wrestler, there are a lot of guys who never really devoted time towards learning to do anything else. They have to milk it for what's it worth for as long as they physically can. It's unfortunate when it has to come down to that, but that's the nature of the business and pretty much any other professional sport.

[Keith]

Imagine being constantly on the go, on the road, getting ready for matches, performing in front of crowds, etc.

And then one day waking up and not being able to do any of that. To just wake up and have nothing to do.

Not many guys can handle that change.

[BollywoodSingh]

Can't blame them if someone is still willing to pay them to work.

[#1-norm-fan]

From their standpoint, good for them for still making money wrestling.

From a business standpoint, if a promotion feels like they're worth the money, then what's the big deal? As long as a guy can contribute even if it's just by being a name to put butts in the seats, then I don't see any reason for them not to do it. And it doesn't harm the future of the business by them "hogging the spotlight". That's the promoter's decision. If they promoter chooses to give them more time and more attention than younger guys who could be the "future of the company" then they might as well take advantage of it.

[KyleEmmott]

I think it shows that they are extremely passionate for wrestling and love putting on a good show even if some of the times it's not a quality match. I love a good quality match just like the next guy but there is something about seeing a legend or wrestler from the past that draws me to that match and I can see past the flaws of it. If they can contribute, than let them wrestle, I don't care how out of shape you are.

[Rollermacka]

I haven't really run accross any really old legends yet (unless you count The Sandman). I think that Ricky Morton can still put on a much better match than some of the youner guys who call themselves "wrestlers" but I do have alot of respect for guys who knew when step away. From what I've read/ seen, Savage really did want to come back to the WWE in 2000. He never had another match till 2004 in TNA and I read he had problems with Jarrett so he didn't come back full time. After 4 years away, I also read that he wasn't happy with his ability in the ring so that also contributed with his decision to fully retire (which makes sense from what is known about Savage being a perfectionist in the ring). I think that takes alot to just step away and let it all go, especially when you see your colleagues still milking it for all they can.

[Keith]

I still remember that Scott Hall piece that ESPN E:60 did, where he said he wasn't afraid to die because "What's left? What do you do when they quit chanting your name?"

That's some powerful shit right there.

[Rollermacka]

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There's a big argument in the youtube comments about what happend at Turning Point 2004. If it is true that Savage was ashamed of how he looked/ moved in the ring and didn't wanna wrestle that night because of it it brings up both emotions. As a die hard Macho Man fan I can respect that he didn't want to tarnish his legacy by going out there and looking like a frail old man. With that said, as a die hard Macho Man fan, you can't just wait untill right before the match with all your fans that paid just to see you, to decide not to wrestle. It's not like it was a suprise and his body completely changed overnight.

[Curd]

They're a realistic portrayal of the typical career prospects for a wrestler, e.g. no financial cushion unless you're a multimedia WWE Superstar or decade-and-over TNA Star. Without a pension, royalty checks and match fees are the only source of income for these workers. Hopefully they are investing in blue-chip stocks and, more so when they age, cash deposits.

[Tom Guycott]

Imagine being constantly on the go, on the road, getting ready for matches, performing in front of crowds, etc.

And then one day waking up and not being able to do any of that. To just wake up and have nothing to do.

Not many guys can handle that change.



http://www.gerweck.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/terryfunk.jpg
That wasn't posted sarcastically, it's there to illustrate a point.

[CSL]

some kind of amalgamation of the most of the answers in here. Not everybody gets to make a bunch of money and walk away at the top ala HBK. All the credit in the world to somebody like The Godfather (random example), who can step away at a relatively young age and do a "regular-ish" job. I certainly don't hold it against any of those that can't/don't/won't for any reason. I especially don't hold it against somebody like Flair. Sure it'd be nice for "posterity" if WM24 was it, he got pretty much the dream sendoff but at the same time, it's Ric fucking Flair. He can do pretty much what he wants. He's still a more entertaining promo and presence than 90% of wrestlers/managers/performers alive and if he decides he's not done, who the fuck is anybody else to say otherwise, especially some muppet who's never been near a ring in his life.

[Vastardikai]

I saw a match with Tommy Rich in it about 5 years ago. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen...

...Until a few months later, when I saw Jake "the Snake" wrestle.

I say it's really sad because I feel sorry for them. It's like Jake "the Snake" was the basis for Robin Ramzinski.

[Zeeboe]

I think they do it because it's all they really know how to do, and do well. They get addicted to wrestling too, and it's just hard to give it up. They have a true love for it. As long as people are also willing to pay them good and easy money, they are going to stay around as long as their bodies allow them to. They probably do it to stay busy, and they like to feel needed and important and liked and just can't stand the idea of being forgotten and becoming nobodies.

If a wrestler is in his 50's, he probably is just barely getting along, but some are in decent shape, can still wrestle well, and can still draw crowds in who enjoy nostalgia. That right there is why I have always been a mark for older wrestlers. However, I think by the time you hit 60, you should consider retiring. If you're 60 and over and still wrestling, you're going to look pretty bad no matter how good of shape you're in. The human body can only look good for so long before nature takes over, and I have to question just how healthy it is to keep on wrestling if you're 60 and older. I guess the 60-something year old's could take on a non-wrestling role, and/or keep on wrestling because again - As long as they are making money, they probably won't stop.


I kinda feel bad for the young guys on the indy scene who have to wrestle and job to fat old guys like the Honky Tonk Man with his jiggling man-boobs and his big beer gut flopping around. HTM can *barely* move, he won't let his feet be lifted off the ground, and you can barely touch them because if you do, you risk hurting him for real.


I'd love it if I could travel around the world and have all my expenses paid for, and then sit on my butt all day signing pictures of myself from twenty-five years ago and have people cheering for me and kissing up to me and telling me how much I made their lives better when I don't even personally know them and was only doing my job, and was only doing it for the money.

Then I get to go and get into fake wrestling matches for the main event of the evening and wrestle for five minutes and barely put any effort into it while competing with guys younger and stronger then me, and then I get to beat them on top of it and get the loudest pop of the night. That's a damn dream job! :lol:

It doesn't matter how old or fat I get either if I am a has-been wrestler, I'll still get that treatment. Hell, those young indy wrestlers will be kissing my ass too before and after the match, and will make an effort not to hurt me for real and will gladly let me beat them and will make me look good.


Kids with brains should inspire to become fat, old has-been wrestlers on the Indy scene when they grow up. :y:

[Curd]

I think they do it because it's all they really know how to do, and do well. They get addicted to wrestling too, and it's just hard to give it up. And as long as people are willing to pay them good and easy money, they are going to stay around as long as their bodies allow them to. They probably do it to stay busy, and they like to feel needed and important and liked and just can't stand the idea of being forgotten and becoming nobodies.

If a wrestler is in his 50's, he probably is just barely getting along, but some are in decent shape, can still wrestle well, and can still draw crowds in who enjoy nostalgia. And that right there is why I have always been a mark for older wrestlers. However, I think by the time you hit 60, you should consider retiring. If you're 60 and over and still wrestling, you're going to look pretty bad no matter how good of shape you're in. The human body can only look good for so long before nature takes over, and I have to question just how healthy it is to keep on wrestling. I guess the 60-something year old's could take on a non-wrestling role, and/or keep on wrestling because again - As long as they are making money, they probably won't stop.


I kinda feel bad for the young guys on the indy scene who have to wrestle and job to fat old guys like the Honky Tonk Man with his jiggling man-boobs and drunks/drug-addicts like Jake "The Snake" Roberts with his big beer gut flopping around, and old guys like him and HTM can *barely* move and you can barely touch them because if you do, you risk hurting them.


I'd love it if I could travel around the world and have all my expenses paid for, and then sit on my butt all day signing pictures of myself from twenty-five years ago and have people cheering for me and kissing up to me and telling me how much I made their lives better when I don't even personally know them and was only doing my job.

Then I get to go and get into fake wrestling matches for the main event of the evening and wrestle for five minutes and barely put any effort into it while competing with guys younger and stronger then me, and then I get to beat them on top of it and get the loudest pop of the night. That's a damn dream job! :lol:

And it doesn't matter how old or fat I get, I'll still get that treatment. Hell, those young indy wrestlers will be kissing my ass too before and after the match, and will make an effort not to hurt me for real and will gladly let me beat them and will make me look good.


Kids with brains should inspire to become fat, old has-been wrestlers on the Indy scene when they grow up.

Yes, and HTM doesn't even answer questions in his forum!!! :n:

Kudos to Warrior for letting today's upstarts build themselves rather than sticking around and demolishing them like he could!!! :y:

[#1-norm-fan]

Kudos to Warrior for letting today's upstarts build themselves rather than sticking around and demolishing them like he could!!! :y:

He probably just doesn't wanna touch guys like that anymore.

Queering doesn't make the world work.

[Team Sheep]

If there's still work going for them then I can't blame them. I kind of look at the wrestling business as similar to Rugby here in Wales. Unless you're a superstar playing for the national team or you get scouted by a big French club (which isn't very common) then you really aren't going to make much money doing it. Here the average young guys will give up their education and drop everything at age 16-20 and earn a basic salary for putting their bodies on the line to play the game every week from September - May. They end up having to retire in their mid 30's with little money to last them, a list of injuries and no qualifications or experience which is pretty sad. Most will try to stay involved with the game in some capacity but that obviously isn't possible for everyone.

The beauty with wrestling though is that you can carry on doing it well into your 50's and 60's as it's not competitive, so yeah I don't have an issue with any of them that want to prolong their careers for as long as they can because otherwise they'll have nothing to fall back on. It may not be pleasing on the eye for everyone but if the offer's there then they'd be stupid not to take it if it's their only realistic option of making a living. As has been said, old guys continuing to compete is an issue to take up with the promotions, not the performers themselves.

[whiteyford]

I don't really have an issue with it in the Indies, it gives young guys a chance to work with more experienced workers and maybe even open a few doors for them as a result. If promoters are willing to pay what they're asking for then why not, like a few others have said they'd be daft not too, pretty sure someone like Vader is going to draw more fans than Festus and raise the house take too.

[Keith]

I like the indies. Indy shows are great because where else would I have been able to get up close and personal and even get a picture with guys like Scott Steiner, Scott Hall and Sid, just to name a few?

It's great.

[Saving Grace]

Following up on Zeeboes post:

Not to mention most of the older guys that still continue to work on the indy scene like HTM, Ricky Morton, and others go in there, call there match completely and won't put any local/younger talent over. Ricky Morton did a show a few years back when I was on business in Denton, TN and the local promoter was the guy that ran the storage facility that I was going to an auction for. So I got to go backstage and watch from there. Morton showed up like halfway through the show, demanded his own place to change away from the other local competitors and I didn't catch the whole conversation but all I got was "you got the other half of my fucking guarantee"? Which i knew he was talking about his appearance pay out. Dude went into the ring for like 6 minutes, barely let the other guy touch him and then made him look like a piece of 15 dollar hooker meat with the shittiest rocker dropper finish i've ever seen. When he came though the curtain he was covered in sweat like he went 60 min with Ric Flair in 1987 or something. Out of shape, can't work and he got the biggest payout of the night i could imagine.

[CSL]

lol Honky won't even bump, it's great

[Saving Grace]

never had a chance to see honky tonk man since he left WWE and his short stint in WCW.....if he won't even bump then i'll bet it looks like 2 overgrown men trying to do a queerish version of ballet.

[Zeeboe]

Many of these older wrestlers are parasites to the business, and I wouldn't pay a penny to see any of them climb into the ring and wrestle sucky matches for five minutes. Sadly, until they get too old to wrestle, and/or people stop paying to see them, they are going to be around to wrestle more sucky matches, and act like they are Kings.

That movie, "The Wrestler" is an awesome film by the way. :) Although it would have been more realistic to have Rourke have a big beer gut instead of actual muscles. :lol: I'm only kidding. I know some older guys still have muscles, and can still wrestle. Hogan being one of them.....okay, maybe he can't put on decent matches, but he still is in great shape for a man who is almost 60. Warrior is in a good shape too.

[Shisen Kopf]

I think it's PrettyCool of rasslers to die in their prime so that they don't become a joke. Thank you Pillman, Eddie, Owen and that other dude.

[Shisen Kopf]

And by Eddie I mean Eddie Gilbert. The best dead ed in the business.