The Sports View

By Sun Advocate

The list of redneck jokes are endless. Many pertain to unusual sporting events such as stock car racing and tractor pulls.
This past weekend, myself and my daughter treated my husband to an evening of intense professional wrestling action in West Valley. The event gave us the opportunity to take a much needed getaway from everyday duties. Talk about a classy family outing.
As the event started, my daughter was unsure of what to think about the whole trip. After the first event kicked off and the crowd began to scream and chant various phrases, our family decided it was time to let our rednecks be exposed.
As the evening went on, each of our voice boxes were put to the test as we shouted at the wrestlers who would stop in the aisle and look our way. Talk about crazy, let’s make a 300 plus pound athlete angry. I can’t remember the last time we had so much fun.
As we sat and enjoyed the event, I was reminded of how much fun I had as a young girl when my family would attend pro wrestling events. Back in the day, this is what I lived for. The excitement of a good wrestling match.
I have always been the first one to admit that pro wrestling is fake, but I also say that the characters that compete in the sport are true athletes.
This fact was reinforced this past weekend as we watched the dramatic theatrical action unfold in the ring.
The chairs to the head that we witnessed were far from being a Geraldo moment, but the drop kicks and bodyslams we saw surely required strength and endurance. After all, how many average athletes can lift a 250 pound person in the air, hold them for several seconds and drop them onto the floor?
On the other hand, how many athletes would be able to jump back up and continue to fight after being dropped six feet from the air and landing flat on their back?
Regardless of it’s authenticity, professional wrestling is an exciting sport to watch for millions of people across the country. In fact, wrestling is one of the highest money making sports today. Whatever the promoters are doing, they must be doing it right to find so much success in such an interesting activity.
The exciting thing to me about the whole experience was the fact that a large crowd could band together as one and chant somewhat obscene taunts at the athletes and not be escorted out of the building or the event cancelled.
That’s what makes wrestling the exciting sport that it is. Athletes can come out and speak their minds and the fans can talk right back. This is somewhat odd, but what fun it is.
After attending the weekend event, I was reminded of just how much fun it is to escape reality for a brief time and participate in such a simple activity.
Now I know why those images of the silly looking rednecks with three teeth always look so happy, they just know how to find pleasure in the simplest of events.
And oh yes, I am proud to be a redneck myself.