…Well this escalated quickly. Much like Glenn Jacobs is to Diesel, it looks like I’m the new, flabbier, Caliber, and now have ‘posting questions from Mr. Keith’s inbox’ duties, as well as officially handling QOTD from now on. So the first person I get to disappoint with a response that’s not from Scott, but instead from me, is Brent. Brent says:
‘Over the course of your time watching and, especially, reviewing pro
wrestling, what wrestlers have you changed your opinions on, both good
and bad? For example, I remember you not caring for Ronnie Garvin
matches years ago, but it seems you like his matches more now (hope I’m
not wrong on that perception). And are there match styles you like or
dislike more than you did when you started doing this? Thanks for the
writings.’
Brent Z.
Hulk Hogan.
…Seriously.
Right around the time Hogan came back to wrestle The Rock, I think a lot of pro-wrestling fans kind of caught the nostalgia fever, and I was kind of glad to have him around. He wasn’t setting the world on fire, match wise, but I enjoyed his feud with Brock Lesnar quite a bit (“Brock Lesnar may be 23…and I may be…29, brother!”) and thought his match with Vince at Wrestlemania was one of those 3-and-a-half star classics like Angle v. Shane or Vince v. Shane that had no right being as good as it was. Plus he gave us one of the best ribs in the history of (my association with) pro wrestling, where Shawn Michaels spent the majority of the Summer Slam bumping around like a cartoon character behind Hogan’s back.
I’m pretty sure I’m mixing up two separate runs in there, but hey, memory is a funky thing.
But anyway, much like barfing up ice-cream, I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I enjoyed Hogan the second time around – maybe because I was expecting far less than I actually got, and could actually appreciate what Hogan had to offer as an entertainer. Especially since I was ‘in the know’ versus being a kid who liked him because I was supposed too.
As far as wrestling styles go – I think a lot of fans are a bit more conscious of hardcore wrestling. The first time I saw “I Quit” I was like 13 and loved every second of it. After reading “Have a Nice Day” and all the other crazy wrestler head-trauma related ish that happened there-after, I stopped enjoying matches where dudes bashed their skulls in for the entertainment of the millions (and millions) of fans watching at home.
But what say you, Blog ODers?