Hello, world. I’m MacDara Conroy, and this is my blog.


Tag: wrestling

ESPN on Savage vs Steamboat at WrestleMania III, 30 years on

Pro wrestling is all about exaggeration (all that stuff about a programme between the Macho Man and Shawn Michaels is case in point) but this match is one situation where they’re not wrong: it’s an amazing bout even by today’s standards. Randy Savage brought a playbook mentality to wrestling’s improv culture, and it paid off in spades. (Also, interesting to note they had a subsequent house show feud in chain link steel cages, not the notorious ‘blue bars’ cage introduced the year prior.) [c/o MetaFilter] #link

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You know it’s fake, right?: How WWE constructs reality

It’s from 18 months ago but it still holds in terms of explaining why I’m into wrestling. Though I have to say, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about why I persist when I’m not getting now what I got out of it in years past. That’s something for a longer post. #link

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Wrestling with Demons: The Story of Chyna’s Final Days

Chyna’s story needs to be told, beyond the exploitation of the woman, Joanie Laurer, and her memory. But what also needs to be said, amid all the historical revisionism, is that there’s a reason she was billed as ‘the ninth wonder of the world’: like Andre the Giant, she was booked as a novelty, a freak-show attraction. Any boundaries she might have broken for women are only in hindsight, or out of context. Few are willing to address that; wrestling remains deeply problematic. #link

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Vice Sports looks inside WWE’s ‘unlikely business empire’

I won’t say it’s not gratifying that more mainstream outlets are finally grokking what makes WWE so compelling, and not purely from a ‘business’ standpoint. I’m talking about investigating things often glossed over or even missed entirely by fans or fan media, like Vince’s compulsion to inflate attendance figures, or Shane’s friendship with noted fake memoirist James Frey. (Factual errors aside: Ali didn’t fight at the first WrestleMania; he was a guest referee, being already diagnosed with Parkinson’s.) #link

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The Last Battle of Atlanta, rediscovered

It’s not much of a match; it’s sorely missing the context of Sawyer and Rich's previous battles and weekly TV promos. But it’s heartening to see WWE paying some attention to wrestling history by recovering ‘lost’ tapes such as this. #link

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The future Mr. WrestleMania: Kenny Omega on New Japan, WWE, New Day

Here’s another one on Mr Omega, as Sports Illustrated goes deep with The Cleaner, at a time last summer when a lot of puroresu fans had written off his prospects in New Japan. I could see Kenny in a future WWE that prioritised variety over the outdated predilections of its chairman and his associates. #link

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How to Enjoy Indy Wrestling

Good advice here. Shame I don’t have a promotion to go to locally, or one where I can have fun at any rate. But one day I’ll get to another RevPro show or few. #link

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The Four Women Saving Wrestling

GQ gets in on the Four Horsewomen business. But is the change they herald really a sure thing? With matches still being booked in the Divas-era ‘girly’ style (catfights with hair-pulling, basically), we’re a ways off yet. #link

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The Smart Fan’s Guide to ‘SummerSlam,’ the Smart Fan’s PPV

I like Shoemaker but I don’t agree with the premise of this piece at all. When did SummerSlam become ‘the smart fan’s WrestleMania’? Isn’t that still WrestleMania? Also, it’s comical in hindsight, what with this year’s SummerSlam being such a drag, and the subsequent minor PPVs being stronger in both ‘workrate’ and entertainment value. #link

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We Must Change: A Message To All Professional Wrestling Fans

There are variations of this kind of thing all over the web, and they’re indicative of a growing frustration with wrestling fandom that’s hard to articulate (in this case, the writer makes a category error in cleaving the fanbase between ‘casual’ and ‘smart’) other than saying that some people — the type who demand five-star matches, and only appreciate the ‘entertainment’ with ironic detachment — take things way too seriously. #link

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RUMBLEMETRICS

‘Poetic impressions’ of the annual Royal Rumble. Just three months till the next one! #link

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The Story of Vince McMahon

I saw some ragging on this piece for being a lift from Vince’s infamous Playboy interview, and not even a lift of the juiciest quotes. But the point of it is more as a sampler for people to go read all of these sources in greater depth, is it not? Take it for what it is, not what you think it is, people. #link

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How Japanese Wrestling Is Body Slamming the American Mainstream

Just in time for the G1 Climax tournament that's five days old as I write (and has another three-plus weeks to go). Could have done with a more judicious edit (apart from the odd typo, there are quite a few factual errors a quick Google search would fix) but it's still nice to see wrestling get attention from non-wrestling media, and especially attention of the 'this is cool' rather than 'this is stupid' kind. #link

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