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I watch wrestling the same way I do film and television: looking to be entertained first and foremost. But then I look at why I enjoyed/didn't enjoy them or what parts I didn't like and why. (My friends always complain that I criticise films "too harshly" but then when pressed as to why they enjoyed a film that I didn't like, they can't explain so what does their opinion matter?)
That's not to say that there aren't moments that completely draw me in to being a "mark". For example, when Benoit had HHH in the crossface at WM20 I was on my feet literally shouting for him to tap and a year later the same thing happened when Angle had HBK in the Anklelock (mostly cos there was word it was gonna be Angle's last match and I wanted him to go out with a win).
And there are guys I root for more than others but that's not down to the storyline. I love to see guys like Daniel Bryan and Punk do well not because I'm their biggest fan or followed them in the indies but because WWE has pretty much always been a "Big Man's Game" and they have that against them. Also, guys like Christian who the WWE have never really given the ball to and Jericho who has had to work his way through the ranks despite having the "total package". I guess rooting for those guys comes from being a "smart/smark" and "knowing the business" so even then it's from a "critical perspective".
In recent months I have stopped reading SmackDown spoilers and I try to avoid as much gossip as possible whilst still coming to these boards in an effort to "watch as a fan" but honestly, I can't tell you if it has worked or not.
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